How To Make It Work

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is buy a one-way ticket. After a series of life-changing losses in her mid-twenties, Hannah Long packed her life into a backpack and set off to explore the world alone. Now she has turned that journey into a business helping other women feel confident enough to take their own solo adventures. In this episode, Hannah shares how travel helped her heal, what it'...

What if making it work isn't about pushing harder, but learning when to go with the flow? This week, I sit down with Raglan surf legend Daniel Kereopa. From surfing some of the biggest waves in Aotearoa to running a surf school and helping bring the WSL to Raglan, Daniel shares the lessons the ocean has taught him. We chat loads about surfing, and DK shares his Māori knowledge, and his way of maki...

What if your job didn’t tie you to one place? Christie Whitehouse traded a traditional path in biomedical science for a fully remote career as a freelance medical writer. Now, she’s travelling across New Zealand, working from wherever she lands, and figuring out where (and how) she wants to settle next. In this episode, Christie shares what it really takes to build a location-independent career, t...

From freezing cold waves in Massachusetts to the world-class lefts of Raglan, and now helping others catch their first wave. If you’ve ever dreamed of building a life around what you love: this one’s for you. In this episode of How to Make It Work, I sit down with Wes Rogers from Green Wave Surf School to talk about turning a passion for surfing into a career. Wes breaks down what it really takes:...

She turned Raglan into a novel, and a creative path into a real career. In this episode of How to Make It Work, I sit down with local author Sarah Johnson to talk about her new young adult novel Not A Babe, set right here in Whāingaroa. We dive into Sarah’s journey into writing, and how she’s building a creative career from a small coastal town. From juggling family life and late night shifts to t...

Print is supposed to be dead, so why is this magazine growing? In this episode, I sit down with Michael Andrew, the owner and editor of On the Land, an independent print magazine telling the stories of people living closely with the land across Aotearoa. After buying the magazine for just $1, Michael took a risk on something most people would walk away from: print media. From his base in Ruapuke,...

From asking "what is wrong" to asking "what is strong!" In this episode, I sit down with clinical psychologist Annick Janson to talk about what it really takes to turn research into real-world impact, and why she’s bringing her globally recognised program Now & Next to Raglan. After securing funding to launch the initiative locally, Annick shares how Now & Next empowers parents of children...

What happens when an artist steps up to engage a whole creative community? In this episode, I talk with artist, and educator Ruth Hickman-Goodall who is the new Arts Coordinator at the Raglan Old School Arts Centre gallery. Ruth shares her journey from teaching art to building her own creative practice at CodeOrange Studio, and what inspired her to take on the challenge of relaunching the local ga...

Sometimes the path to helping others begins with your own healing. In this episode, I talk with Tennille Ziegler, an Ayurvedic health counsellor in Raglan who specialises in supporting women, especially mothers in the postpartum phase. Tennille discovered Ayurveda through her own health and postpartum journey, and what started as a personal search for balance soon turned into a calling to support...

Standing out online has never been harder, and that’s exactly where Matriarch Media comes in. In this episode, I sit down with Emma and Kate, the founders of Raglan-based marketing agency Matriarch Media. Together they help businesses turn messy ideas into clear strategies, and powerful storytelling. For Emma, starting the business came from necessity. After becoming a mum and realising how few wo...

What if women have been training the wrong way all along? In this episode, I sit down with Esther Keown, co-founder of Femmi, a platform designing training specifically for women and their physiology. After growing up as an elite athlete in systems built for men, Esther set out to rethink sport for women through science, and cycle-based coaching. We also talk about her recent ovarian cancer advoca...

What if making it work meant stitching together multiple dreams at once? In this episode of How to Make It Work, I sit down with Philippa Perry a.k.a. Pip the designer behind Pippin’s Apparel, a Raglan-based clothing brand handmade from repurposed and recycled textiles. From creating one-of-a-kind pieces stocked locally and online to chasing opportunities in film costume, Pip shares what it really...

From somersaults to spreadsheets, this is what making circus work really looks like. In this episode of How to Make It Work, I talk with Evelyn Coulson, co-founder and manager of Black Sheep Circus Entertainment. From touring shows and festival performances to funding applications and free community circus spaces, Evelyn shares how she balances (quite literally) creativity, and logistics. We also...

What if the little things we often miss are actually the ones that matter most. On this week’s How to Make It Work, I talk with Russell Higginbotham, aka Ru or Captured_by_RU, a photographer who captures the fleeting, honest moments and emotions of people at events, and in everyday life. His work is all about making people feel seen and giving back to the Raglan community through his photography....

What if your work could grow beauty for people, for the environment, and even for animals? In this episode of How to Make It Work, I chat with Stina Svensson, the creative force behind Sprout Gardener. Stina has built a business that nurtures not just gardens, but also wellbeing, creativity, and environmental care. From garden design to unique wearable art, she shares how she’s cultivating spaces...

Some people carve waves, others carve careers between data points and deadlines. Bruci does both! In this episode of How to Make It Work, I sit down with Bruci Schiavinato Jordão, a Laser Scanning Specialist and BIM Modeler, whose work helps map buildings and infrastructure across New Zealand in stunning 3D detail. Originally from Brazil, Bruci shares how he built a highly technical career in a ne...

Some people learn how to surf, others build a whole community around it. In this episode, I chat to Nina Nouk, certified surf coach and founder of The Dames Surf Club, a thriving non-profit dedicated to helping women gain confidence in the water. Originally from France, Nina went from teaching on ski slopes to discovering surfing in Raglan. She created a space where women of all levels can grow, a...

Feeling stuck in old patterns? In this episode, coach and NLP trainer Stephanie Philp breaks down what it really takes to change your mind — and keep the change. We talk intuition, neuroscience, authenticity, and the business side of coaching. If you’ve ever wondered how to build a life and career that actually fit you, this conversation is for you.

What does it really take to make a living from art—consistently, sustainably, and without losing the love for creating? In this episode of How to Make It Work, Raglan artist Miranda Jane Caird opens up about the business reality behind being a full-time painter for more than 20 years. From raising her son as a single mum to sending more than 1,000 original works out into the world, Miranda shares...

Ready to break the burnout cycle? Start with your body, not your calendar. In this episode, I talk to chiropractor, nervous system strategist, and the powerhouse behind Wild Coast Collective — Dr. Kiri Walden. We dive into how Kiri blends trauma-informed nervous system work, and Māori-led approaches to wellbeing, as well as her mission to make nervous system regulation accessible for everyone thro...

She turned the ocean into her workspace and all she needs is a camera to capture the magic. In this episode of How to Make It Work, I talk with Leonie Anholts, better known as SurfgirlNZ — a Raglan-based surf photographer and educator who’s empowering women to take their places in the surf line-ups. Leo shares how she went from feeling lost in a male-dominated field to creating a thriving platform...

What happens when two world-traveling performers decide to plant their roots in a small coastal town? In this episode, I sit down with Jess and Jay Ramirez, the powerhouse couple behind Raglan’s Freedom2Fly. After years of performing on global stages, from cruise ships to international festivals, they decided to ground their passion right here in Raglan. Together, they’ve built a dance and circus...

What if chocolate could heal — not just your heart, but the planet too? In this episode, I talk to Irma Schutte, founder of Mamamuti, a Raglan-based cacao brand rooted in love. Originally from South Africa, Irma shares how her background shaped her approach to health, and how cacao helps reconnecting with your own body. We chat about the emotional and physical power of pure cacao, what it means to...

What happens when a digital designer swaps corporate branding for charcoal, paint, and live performance? In this episode of How to Make It Work, artist and designer Simon Dickey shares his journey from the world of big-name clients to the vulnerable, exhilarating space of creating art in real time. We talk about embracing self-doubt, finding flow and how to build a life where creativity is at the...

What if a photoshoot could feel like a homecoming to yourself? In this episode of How to Make It Work, photographer Nami Julia Hampe shares how she empowers women to step into their radiance through her “Goddess Shoots.” With roots in Germany and Japan and years of traveling the world, Nami has photographed over a thousand women — guiding them into self-acceptance. We talk about the power of being...