Business Is Boring

Te Kahukura Boynton is on a mission to give more Māori financial independence. Through her Māori Millionaire media and financial literacy platform she has empowered thousands of rangatahi to take control of their finances. Hear how she shares her wealth journey, investment resources, podcasts and education, to leading a conversation about financial literacy, independence and sovereignty, especiall...

As an artist, designer, and co-founder at Indigenous Design and Innovation Aotearoa (IDIA), Dr. Johnson Witehira works with organisations like Auckland Airport and Waka Kotahi to bring Māori culture to the urban environments we live, work, and travel through. He joins Simon Pound to talk about his journey, the work so far, and using business as a tool for cultural change. Learn more about your ad...

When Anvil Bañez created Dennison Technologies, he had a dream of helping his father to walk again. Now, the team at Dennison has developed a new actuator material capable of exerting a force 10,000 times its weight. In a conversation with Simon Pound, Anvil discusses how this lightweight, incredibly strong technology could serve as the foundation for future exoskeletons, potentially realising his...

In a 2022 report Stuff tested the major local eco-cleaners, Cleanery's just-add-water sachets of cleaning concentrate were named as the clear favourite. Now sold in over 1,500 stores across the Tasman, Cleanery is beginning to fully roll out into New Zealand supermarkets. Co-founder Ellie Brade joins Simon Pound to discuss the long journey to this point, and the bright road ahead for Cleanery. Lea...

Why does playing golf continue to require carrying around a heavy bag full of clubs? In this episode, Simon Pound speaks to Simon Moore, the founder and CEO of Q Golf, a company that aims to revolutionize the way we play golf. They discuss Simon's new invention - a single adjustable club that replaces an entire bag, making golfing more accessible and less cumbersome. Learn more about your ad choic...

Green Lip Mussels are native, super sustainable and have scientifically proven benefits for joint health, so why are they still not as widely used as they could be? Simon Pound talks to Kōrure founder Ron Park who's out to change this through selling Green Lip Mussels supplements for humans and pets, pioneering science for better processing and being on a mission to be NZ’s mussel champion. Learn...

Can you actually use cauliflower as a milk substitute? EatKinda is doing just that. Their cauliflower based ice-cream is vegan, better on the planet and uses produce that would otherwise go to waste. Mrinali (Milli) Kumar joins Simon Pound to talk about the journey so far, and how she managed to get her product into Hell Pizza stores nationwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm...

How can we make sure the people making our tech represent the whole of our society? Pacific people make up just under 3% of the tech industry. In response, international brand strategist Julia Arnott-Neenee co-founded Fibre Fale; a tech platform for Pacific people working to increase digital equity and representation. She talks with Simon about the long journey to starting Fibre Fale and her hopes...

Vinyl has become one of the greatest comeback stories of all time. However, until a few years ago, there was no way to press vinyl for local artists. Ben Wallace and Joel Woods decided to change that, founding Holiday Records. Since then, they have become the staple vinyl presser across Australasia, pressing the albums of some of the world's most well-known artists. They join Simon Pound to discus...

Entrepreneurship is not just for the founder anymore. Clem Devine is an 'intrepreneur' building a brand practice inside one of NZ’s top architectural firms, Jasmax. He talks with Simon Pound about becoming one of the country's most well known designers, and how he turns the sensory disability he was born with into a superpower in his work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adcho...

Tim Brown is an ex-professional footballer turned co-founder of internationally recognised, Wellington-based footwear company Allbirds. They have just announced a world-first zero carbon shoe that Tim hopes can change the industry for good. He chats with Simon Pound about Allbirds' kaupapa, growing a business overseas, and the reality of sustainable business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...

Flip Grater decided to give up her career in music to pursue her other passion of vegan delicatessens. Now, her meat-free versions of chorizo, pastrami, and turkey have launched her business and landed her products in foodstuffs supermarkets. She talks to Simon Pound about starting Grater Goods, its rapid success, and expanding it using a grassroots investment website. Learn more about your ad cho...

Why is it still so hard to find a good plant-based cheese substitute? After asking herself this exact question Daisy Lab co-founder Irina Miller has come up with her own solution - precision fermentation. She sits down with Simon Pound to discuss her process, their pioneering research and how she makes cheese without a cow in sight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After going through the court system herself, Jenny Rudd noticed how difficult it is for low income people to gather the resources necessary to compile accurate records of their communications. To fix this, she founded Dispute Buddy, which aims to narrow the power divide that permeates the legal system. She sits down with Simon Pound to discuss her hatred for inequity, the need for more investment...

Most venture capitalism funds have very high buy-in minimums that can be above $50,000. Matū is a local fund that's allowing retail investors to join in the VC fun from just $1,000. Dr Andrew Chen has been a driving force behind Matū and he joins Simon to talk about how accessible investing in deep tech can help the environment and the New Zealand economy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m...

Did you know that more than 16 million tubes of toothpaste enter New Zealand landfills every year? Solid Oral Care are out to change the impact we make when we brush. Founder Laura Nixon talks with Simon about their kaupapa, expanding from a garage operation, and how they're using PledgeMe to fund it. Support Solid Oral Care's PledgeMe capaign here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...

Why is it becoming harder to achieve debt-free status? Money Sweetspot is a new company that uses compassion and incentives to help people pay off their debts. Co-founder Sasha Lockley talks to Simon about using gamification to increase financial literacy, breaking the cycle of poverty, and how she intends to leave the finance industry better than how she found it. Learn more about your ad choices...

New Zealand is well behind the rest of the world when it comes to transferring money between banks. Shane Marsh and James McEniery discovered this when they were living in Singapore and started Aotearoa’s first real time payment mobile wallet. They aim to bring banking in New Zealand into the 21st century, and they chat with Simon about how they plan to do it. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...

When Pete Gillespie co-founded Garage Project in 2011 over 50% of craft beer in New Zealand was consumed in Wellington. Now, his passion for beer has become a national phenomenon. Pete talks us through how they brewed their success, constant experimentation, and changing the industry.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you go from being a local comedian to becoming CEO of the government agency charged with growing the country's global brand? Hear from David Downs, business leader, cancer survivor and CEO of The NZ Story Group. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that nearly half of all produce grown in New Zealand is thrown away? When Wendy Zhou discovered the scale of food waste she created a network of growers around the country to donate their produce to her. With this produce, Wendy has gone on to create cauliflower ice-cream, gourmet tomato paste, and her charity Perfectly Imperfect.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm...

SUPERPOD is back! And for 2022, we're bigger than ever! Hosted by Gone By Lunchtime's Toby Manhire and featuring Jane Yee and Alex Casey from The Real Pod, Duncan Greive from The Fold, Leonie Hayden from Nē?, Simon Pound from Business Is Boring, The Spinoff editor Madeleine Chapman and The Spinoff Podcast Network's Te Aihe Butler, SUPERPOD 2022 is our multiverse of madness. From the Black Ferns' h...

What does it mean to truly shop sustainably? Crushes is a second hand store that is challenging the norms of consumption-hungry shopping. Stocking entirely locally made, vintage and sustainable items, Co-founder Rose Hope aims to give the consumer back the right to know exactly where their products came from. She talks with Simon about her journey, Karangahape Rd, and the success of their free clo...

How can we make an actual difference in the lives of people in need? At 20 years old, Orange Sky co-founders Lucas Patchett and Nic Marchesi found themselves asking a similar question. Now, their fleet of vans that offer free laundry and shower services, as well as meaningful conversations, has helped thousands of people across Australia and New Zealand. Lucas joins Simon to discuss the impact the...

Paint surrounds us for most of the day, but are you aware of the harmful petro-chemicals that are used to create it? Natural Paint Co are out to change this, offering healthier alternatives to use and live with. Co-founders Grace Glass and James Mount share their journey of taking on the status quo, and where to from here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices