Our Services
Events > Bloom Her Business Conference and Awards > 2007 Her Business Businesswoman of the Year

2007 Her Business Businesswoman of the Year

Logo_small.jpg

The Her Business, Business Woman of the
Year 2007 is Trish McLean

Announced on the 21st June at the official Business Woman of the Year awards, held in Auckland, Trish Mclean was thrilled to be recognised for her and her team’s efforts.

McLean took out the Small to Medium Enterprise Award earlier in the evening and then took the ultimate award from the other category winners.
The Judging panel recognised McLean’s strong growth and continued ability to recognise new opportunities in the market… “We were thrilled to find the quality of the applicants continues to grow each year. While the finalists all deserved their category wins, Trish displayed an overall level of excellence that could not be ignored.”


Trish_McLean_NZTE_Overall_Winner.jpg
 
 NZ_Trade___Enterprise_Logo.jpg
Her Business Businesswoman of the Year 2007


McLean is a director of Retailworld Resourcing Ltd.
Retailworld Resourcing is a recruitment agency that specialises in the retail sector.
The company has expanded to have seven offices in New Zealand and Australia to meet the needs of recruitment in Australasia and is set to open offices in the United Kingdom in 2008.

McLean’s motivation in establishing the business was simply about promoting retail as a real career opportunity. “I wanted young people to get involved in the industry and reach for the stars. Successful business is not just about the monetary gain, it is also about the impact you can have on others!”

 Melissa_Crocket_and_Corinne_Blumsky.jpg
A_J_Park.jpg

Best New Business
Melissa Crockett
Potiki Adventures


Melissa Crockett sees business as an excellent opportunity for women to realise their true potential. “Potiki Adventures epitomises young wahine toa (strong women) taking our place in the market, standing up for what we believe in, being strong, successful business women, growing profitable and rapidly expanding businesses.” With this as her mantra it comes as no surprise to find Melissa has grown her Auckland-based tourism business from its recent beginnings in February 2004 to award-winning levels of success.
With a deliberate celebration of all things Maori, Melissa has cleverly blended traditional cultural values with contemporary urban lifestyles. “We want people to understand how Maori culture is alive, relevant and evolving in today’s society.”
The company provides exclusive high-end tours that really utilise New Zealand’s beautiful environment while incorporating Maori culture in a meaningful way. This has lead to Potiki Adventures being recognised as the preferred provider of sightseeing tours in Auckland and has resulted in the company being listed as ‘highly recommended’ in the NZ Lonely Planet Guidebook.

 Melissa_Crockett_and_Lynnette_Murray.jpg
NZ_Trade___Enterprise_Logo.jpg
Outstanding Business Citizenship
Melissa Crockett
Potiki Adventures


For Melissa, being a role model for young Maori is a simple extension of her job description. “I believe I can have an enormous effect on the young Maori I work and volunteer with.”
Melissa works through a number of associations, funded schemes, and by direct donation of the company resources to instruct and develop the skills of local youth. She also creates meaningful challenges that she believes will broaden their perspective of themselves and the communities. For example, she is currently helping a group to organise a tramping tour in Australia, raising funds and providing an instructor to accompany them.
A firm believer in participating positively to effect change, Melissa is also active at a regional level. In her role as Deputy Chairperson of the Auckland Maori Regional Tourism Organisation, Melissa is providing successful business models to similar tourism ventures.
Her support of the Arts is also reflected in a hands-on manner. She is the Chairperson of the Te Rakau Hua O Te Wao Tapu Theatre Trust and actively mentors artists who she incorporates in the company tours.
“While winning ‘Best New Business’ was fantastic, it is the recognition for our commitment to our community that I feel most proud of,” she says.
 

Beth_Houlbrooke_and_Ron_Thompson.jpg
Staples_Rodway_CA_clr.jpg
Best Micro Business (1-5 employees)
Beth Houlbrooke
Backload Moving Company


In late 1999, Beth Houlbrooke responded to a business frustration with what she refers to as “an obvious and common-sense solution” and grew it into a thriving stand-alone business. Running a small furniture removal business, Beth refused to continue to return to base with an empty truck. It occurred to her that there would be many trucks doing exactly the same at any given time throughout New Zealand.
“My solution was to set up a central data base via a website and match empty trucks with customers who would benefit from ‘backload’ pricing attached to the return journeys of the otherwise empty trucks.”
From its early beginnings in 2000, Beth now has relationships with over 100 removal operators and, with the business turning a profit from day one, it continues to increase its profitability year by year.
“I guess I could not have had a more brilliant outcome. The removal companies are now much more efficient. The clients are achieving significant savings, and my company continues to flourish – we all win!”

 Beth_Houlbrooke_and_Lynne_Stephens.jpg
HP_Logo.jpg
Most Inspirational Role Model
Beth Houlbrooke
Backload Moving Company

Working in a male-dominated industry is not a disadvantage for Beth. In fact she sees it as an opportunity. “I have had to work hard to build credibility in the male-run transport sector, but it was important for me to behave in a professional manner at all times as I felt I was representing all of my female peers!”
Beth feels she represents all entrepreneurial women and therefore is responsible for building integrity for all women in business. An active member of the North Rodney Her Business Network, Beth admits that she was spurred into action to enter the awards to inject awareness for the Network and to inspire its current membership.
“I really wanted to inject some enthusiasm and lead by example. Winning ‘Inspirational Role Model’ is the perfect message to all our local women in business – I now have permission to encourage, motivate and inspire. It’s fantastic!”

 Trish_McLean__Claire_Downer_and_Gretchen_Williamson.jpg

ABN_Amro_Craigs_clr.jpg

Best SME (small - medium enterprise, 6+ employees)
Trish McLean
Retailworld Resourcing Ltd

“I want to inspire women to overcome adversity, to be tenacious and goal driven and know that you can achieve anything you set your mind to!” Fighting words spoken by a fighter. While Trish’s life battles are inspiration enough, her achievements in business stand well on their own merits too.
A business owner from the young age of 26, Trish established Retailworld in 2001, recognising a potential niche in the web market for employers to meet employees. The unfortunate reality was that she would also have to create the market too.
Focusing on retailing, Trish not only began to create awareness of a totally new employment concept, she also worked to change the mindset of prospective employees to recognise retailing was an excellent career choice. Driving ahead with her usual passion she set up the Retail Positioning Programme, the Retail Rush Product with the NZ Herald, stands at career fairs and spoke to countless secondary schools nationwide.
Not surprisingly a market was created and the business grew. Australian offices were opened in 2003, and she is currently rolling the programme out in the UK. Trish is also expanding her product to satisfy the needs of the hospitality market.
Working now primarily as the National Sales Manager, Trish gains most satisfaction from the growth and success of her team. “Being placed as a finalist in the ‘Best Places to Work’ Survey last year really was a reflection of the energy we have given to our team. It is so important to the business that they achieve their full potential!”

 

 Cheyenne_Ribbon_and_Roger_Zagorski.jpg

Mercedes_Benz_logo_bw.jpg

Her Business Network of the Year
Cheyenne Ribbon
Taupo Her Business Network

The Taupo Network was launched in July 2006, after a group of women got together and decided they needed a Her Business Network in Taupo, and that they needed Cheyenne to head it! Cheyenne’s election to this role and the consistent high numbers at her monthly meetings are indicative of the support she has had from Taupo businesswomen.
Cheyenne has a definite ability to think outside the square, and her meetings are run at an exceptional level, with great speakers. She is always sure to use creative ideas and activities to keep energy levels high whilst still providing the business gems the women come to hear.
Always looking for ways to return this support, all of Cheyenne’s meetings have a charity flavour. The chosen charities are always local. Members are encouraged to bring things along each month to donate to the Taupo Women’s Refuge, and a special Pink Walk has been organised for October in support of MPI (Motivated Positive Image), a group who support local women living with breast cancer.
As with all of the Her Business Network Coordinators, Cheyenne also runs her own business, Interior Impact, an interior design company.
For more information on the Her Business Network in Taupo email Cheyenne at taupo@herbusinessnetworks.co.nz


Further information from:
Tony Hope
0274 982844


2006 HER BUSINESS BUSINESSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

For information on 2006 Her Business Businesswoman of the Year click here.