Media / PR

It might be an old cliché, but ‘when the stars align’ rings true right now for Tauranga Historic Village Tenants Manager, Michelle Smith, as she prepares for Matariki at the Village this month.

Few New Zealanders – and even fewer New Zealand business owners – can say that they attended King Charles’ Coronation over the weekend. But one who can claim to have been part of the historic occasion is small business owner Tasmyn Roach​, 29. The Tauranga-based entrepreneur says she is still pinching herself over attending the “surreal” historic event, an attendee alongside a small group of high-profile New Zealanders, including All Blacks great Ritchie McCaw, National Party leader Christopher Luxon and Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, representing New Zealand. Roach says she was hand-picked by a panel at the Prince’s Trust New...

 Awhi Company is a Māori business that makes blankets and wraps with the goal of helping newborn babies feel comfortable and safe. It began as a labour of love for Tasmyn Roach, who created Awhi four years ago. It was born from her love of making baby blankets for close friends and whānau from muslin wraps to knitted blankets. Now her Awhi Company believes pēpī should be wrapped in Te Ao Māori from birth. "It started off with just my love for babies. I just love babies and have always been an auntie. I just think that's the coolest job in the world. I just...

Tasmyn Roach wasn’t raised in Te Ao Māori and says she’s faced many challenges in starting a business “in this space.” The young entrepreneur (and new mum) creates and sells Māori designed pēpi products through her start-up Awhi Company. The 29-year-old says, “Awhi encompasses everything I am about; values, focusing on te reo Māori, developing products for pēpi and normalising te reo from birth.” Tasmyn believes many Māori wāhine, starting an indigenous business who weren’t raised with Māoritanga, initially lack confidence in their cultural space and look for ‘endorsement’ from others. She says she has now learned to "trust myself and...