YES Business Studies Pasifika success 2024
By Itaia Chapman | Posted: Wednesday November 6, 2024
I have had a huge year in Year 13 Business Studies 2024.
As part of my Year 13 Business Studies course this year I attended Entrepreneurs in Action (EIA) during the Term 2 holidays. I was in a team mentored by one of 11 leading New Zealand organisations, such as One NZ, XERO, Chartered Accountants, Spark and many more. Each team worked from our company host premises, experiencing first hand what it’s like to work in an office environment. This was a highlight for me, as I had never seen Wellington from the sky scraper offices and had never been in a work environment where I was able to see how logistics were run and how busy workplaces can be.
In Year 13 Business Studies this year John Pupualii and I also competed in The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) - YES Young Navigators Programme. We were part of 45 Maori and Pasifika students from across Aotearoa representing a total of 25 schools from 11 regions. The YES programme has over 5000 participants, who create and run their own businesses throughout the school year as a part of the entrepreneurial education programme.
Most recently John Pupualii and I won for our business Tatau Performance the national runner-up award for 'Best Pasifika Business in New Zealand'. This was huge for the two of us and we felt extremely proud of ourselves, our product and as Pasifika students.
I have been awarded a University of Otago Pacific Peoples' Entrance Scholarship. With this award comes an internship at the 'Pacific Business Trust' in Auckland, once I finish University and complete a degree. I am extremely proud of this achievement, not just for the internship but because I was noticed by the biggest Pasifika Trust in the world. John was also awarded the Vaka Moana Pasifika Scholarship by the Otago Polytechnic.
My biggest event this year was when I inducted Rod Duke (CEO of Briscoes) into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame. This was a black-tie event where the most successful New Zealand businessmen and women gathered. Rod Duke came from Australia in 1988 on a short-term contract to turn around the struggling Briscoes New Zealand, for its former parent Hagemeyer of the Netherlands.
Mr Duke has been at the forefront of retail innovation in New Zealand ever since. After returning Briscoe New Zealand to profitability, Rod purchased 100% ownership of the company in 1990. Today, Rod remains managing director and still owns 80% of the Group which encompasses 90 stores throughout the country and directly employs around 2380 people across its two brands, Briscoes Homewares, and the Rebel Sport chain. Briscoe Group shares were listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange in 2001 after Rod had expanded the homewares group to include a sporting division under the now ubiquitous sporting goods brand, Rebel Sport.
Since listing, Rod has taken Briscoe Group from a relative minnow to a company worth more than $1b, overseeing its subsequent growth into the largest capitalised retailer on the New Zealand Stock Exchange. Earlier this year, Rod was recognised for services to philanthropy and business, receiving a New Zealand Order of Merit. His contribution to NZ business is synonymous with, “You’ll never buy better.” Rod came across as an extremely humble and kind person, greeting me with nothing but kindness and respect.
At school I have tried to be involved as much as possible in Pasifika events such as the speech competition, Pasifika Voices - where I came 4th in Otago. I performed in Polyfest for OBHS and at Moana Nui. These commitments were time consuming, but they were all enjoyable and I recommend that everyone applies themselves and jumps at every opportunity they can.
Itaia Chapman
OBHS YES Student of the Year
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