Polypreneurs….since ages ago.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to a campaign dinner last Friday for a good friend of mine who is on his own entrepreneurial journey: To become the first Polynesian Mayor of the world’s largest Polynesian city, Tamaki Makaurau.

As I sat and listened to the speecehes from the Honourable Peeni Henare, David ‘Tuamanator’ Tua, Sosefina Paletaoga (Otara Health CEO) even the Mayoral candidate himself, there were common themes: humbleness, journey, non acceptance of the status quo, striving for better, better for all and a real partnership between Pacific and Maori. I struggle with this concept of our people’s not being together, but it is apparent there is struggle between the two when you look at it through the frame of: the system, limited resources and trying to make it better for your own people. I struggle with it because I see us as both trying to achieve the same thing. We come from the same entrepreneurial journey, our wayfaring exploits of the vast ocean is the stuff of legend, but in this system, we are competing. I spoke with some people in the local politics game and threw out the idea of how great it would be if someone were able to unite all our voting power together to get a nice chunk of seats where the real game changing happens. We will see if anything becomes of that entrepreneurial chestnut.

We had another great entrepreneur Nikora Ngapora join us for class last week to add some practical, real lived entrepreneur experience to our theory. He shared with us his journey and some insights into his business learnings both from abroad and here at home and the importance of staying true to your culture no matter the deal. What resonated with me was his stories on the educational system work he was doing for youth in Thailand with support from his Thai buisness partner and the NZ embassy in Bangkok. He shared how slow moving we are in Aotearoa and how big business in Thailand are willing to spend millions in an effort to make social change. This initial work lead to further ties with the company Thai Bev in order to complete more community initiatives. In Bangkok city they have a Sam Yung Co-op, a 24/7 space for kids/students of any age to come in and use the space for free. It is a four level building that has complete resources, conference rooms, meditation spaces for kids to use as they want to do their work in a safe, silent workable space. Imagine if the rangatahi in Aotearoa had access to such resources.

I often wonder what is the difference between those who can make it through to succeed and those that cannot and where does that journey start? I wrote previously on whether upbringing is a factor in entrepreneurism, I believe it is, but it is also a factor in being able to move in the right direction towards success, forwards, but at the same time equipped with the whanua support, culutral strength and emotional IQ to be able to bounce back when you are forced by your journey to step backwards briefly to move forward. These have been reflected by our speakers, who started small with limited funding but a supportive whanau and a real drive to achieve success.

I have enjoyed immensely reading the wayfaring entrepreneurial thoughts and journeys of our roopu. How similar we are in thought, remembrance and the importance placed on honouring the journeys made before us and the shoulders we stand on to be where we are today. Let that be the pillar for our Polypreneurism always.

Tu’a ofa atu.