Inspire - Celebrating Women in Business

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Join us for the March 2024 Inspire - Celebrating Women in Business

To celebrate International Women’s Day, our Inspire event for March will celebrate women in business. 
Join host Claire Williamson as she talks to a panel of four local businesswomen who have built successful businesses right here in the Waikato. 

Learn about their rise to success, what prompted them to start a business and the challenges and wins along the way.

The panel will also dig into the theme of this year’s IWD - #InspireInclusion. What it means to be a women in business with no stereotypes or discrimination. 

Panel:

Hannah Porter
Owner and founder of online baby retailer, Bear and Moo. Finalist for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023 New Zealand

About Hannah: Hannah is the Founder and Director of Bear & Moo, a baby and kids brand and online store. Bear & Moo began as a reusable nappy brand and expanded organically to manufacture a range of reusable baby and parent products. Hannah is also the Founder of Hello Poppet, a kids clothing brand, and the Owner of Launder & Love, a children's bedding brand.  

Hannah is a lover of using social media authentically to drive connection and brand love. She has built a community of loyal customers who feel part of a family, which encourages repeat purchases. Bear & Moo has won multiple awards including featuring on the Deloitte Fast 50 in 2023, and Hannah was a Finalist in the EY 2023 Entrepreneur of the Year awards.

Janey Haringa
Janey is a NZ lawyer whose mission through her business JH LAW is to help businesses become leaders in their industries.

About Janey: Janey's journey spans from her academic roots in Biomedical Science and Bioscience Enterprise to her immersion in private equity and venture capital investment groups. Recognising a gap for lawyers versed in both law and technology commercialisation, she pursued a law degree while gaining experience at local Waikato law firms and starting a family. Now, as the principal lawyer and director of JH LAW, Janey specialises in capital raising and the sale and purchase of commercial assets, leveraging her network across New Zealand's business community. She enjoys and values networking across various professional organisations to help create connections that enhance her legal expertise and business acumen for clients. Janey currently serves as Deputy Chairperson of the NZ Shareholders Association Waikato, Vice President of Waikato Women in Business, President of BNI Vertex & Board Member for Waikato Chamber of Commerce.

Rachel Juanay
Co-owner and founder of Mamasdonuts. 

Rach is a best friend and wife to Matt and Mum to 7 kids (3 married, 1 overseas and 3 at
home). In the last two years, Rach has attained the glorious status of ‘grandma' to 4 grandsons. Rach is a high school teacher by profession but never made it to the classroom after making the decision to be a stay at home Mum. Raising a family became Rach's world and motherhood her career. Rach has always been an entrepreneur at heart since a young age. She loves learning from those that are masters of their craft.

Rach loves people, connection and food and she loves that the Mamasdonuts brand brings all that together. The Mamasdonuts kitchen is the heart of her home and that’s where you’ll find her every weekend - connecting with friends and family through food. 

The mamas kitchens are the heart of their brand. It’s where all the magic happens, where customers and the team connect and where inspiration and ideas are born. Mamasdonuts was born and ‘raised’ in Temple View Hamilton in 2006 and it has grown into what it is today thanks to the amazing mamas family who keep sharing the mamas love wherever they go!

It’s been a huge journey for Rach and business partner Bec. Their families have quite literally grown up with the brand. It has been a huge blessing for Rach and at times as any business owner will understand - a burden too. But Rach is grateful for the opportunity!

Rach loves learning and she loves the challenge of growing in new spaces. Rach is grateful to be part of this inspiring business community in Hamilton which has been a great supportive network over the years.

Mamas donuts currently have 3 mamas kitchens operating throughout NZ. Mamasdonuts have exciting
opportunities in the pipeline to expand into the wholesale market and exploring potential in overseas markets.

Talita Piso
Founder/operator of Vision Complete Pathways. A service that creates pathways for people into employment and further training. 

About Talita: Talita was born in SA and moved to NZ when she was 13. From a young age she knew a passion of hers was to help people but did not quite know where she ‘fit’. Talita studied a Bachelor of Teaching after school at the University of Waikato and worked for IDEA services as a support worker and supported living coordinator. Talita enjoyed learning about how she can best support those with additional needs and find ways to break down barriers in order for them to reach their potential and live happy lives.  After completing her study and having her first son, Talita leaned into her degree and became an early childhood teacher for the next decade.

Talita once again fell into roles of ‘helping’ others by becoming the curriculum support leader. After completing her post grad masters degree in teaching and coaching/mentoring, she took a job at a college for second chance learners who have left school and needs a second chance to their education pathway and find their feet. Talita loved this role but realised it was less about the ‘course’ she was teaching but supporting people. During the height of covid she left that role and opened Vision Complete Pathways with the support of her family. In this role a space was created for her to support others and currently this is focused around employment and training pathways. Talita loves this job as it gives her the ability to work with a range of people from all walks of life and whether she gets to help them into work or just enjoy a coffee with them to encourage them to have hope it gives her purpose. 

Talita has made amazing connections in the community with service providers, government agencies and the people who help her to stay successful –her employers. As a business owner, Talita constantly looks for opportunities but most of all moments to make a difference and that is her motto. What the future holds is unknown but for today – let’s do what we can!

Inspire events are sponsored by Vison Complete Earthworks