2019 Business of Bikes Business Breakfast 

Held October 31 2019 as part of the Rotorua Bike Festival, the sold-out Business of Bikes Breakfast was a huge success.  The beauty of Te Puia’s Pataka Kai, a new venue for the event, awakened the senses of our early risers.  Acoustic covers by the talented Tom Charleson, formally of Tahuna Breaks, let the 95 attendees know they were in for something special.

Brooke Walker of Te Puia opened the event with an interesting overview of the world-class attraction and led attendees into the delicious buffet breakfast with a karakia.  After the plates were cleared, we rolled on with our 3 speakers back-to-back.

Our first speaker, Gaz Sullivan of NZO Active (Nzo).

Just as Gaz’s line choice evolves with the conditions of the track, so too does the business he created to sustain a lifestyle in his favourite riding destination. While many know and love both the NZO Active brand, and the likeable, happy-go-lucky character who steers it, few of our guests knew the line choices the talented designer has made behind the scenes. Gaz’s wit and genius shone through as he shared twists and turns of the trail he has navigated to turn his passion into profit.

Dan Phillips and Colin Maunder of Timberlands were up next

Stakeholder management is on many job descriptions but few have the same complexities as owning a working forest on iwi land that doubles as a recreation area that attracts 400,000+ walkers, trampers, runners, cyclists and horse riders.

Colin and Dan, Timberlands’ land management specialists, guided us through how they have turned head scratching moments into tailored harvest plans and what Whakarewarewa forest means to the business.

Complete with plaid shirt (unintentional I think…), Nigel Gregory of Croucher Brewing and BREW – Craft Beer Pub completed our triplet of speakers.  

Nigel shared how Croucher Brewing staked their claim on the local craft beer market in 2004 and went on to export their award winning range. Sister company, BREW | Craft Beer Pub, doubled up on the popular dream to have a brewery or run a pub specialising in craft beer. Any dreamers in the audience received a dose of reality in hearing the challenges this craft beer business has faced from being early adopters to holding their own in a highly competitive market.

For some the best was yet to come!  Organisers had arranged a surprise guest speaker to close the event.  Mokoia Intermediate Year 7 student, Poppy Croucher, stole the show in sharing her award winning speech on the importance of experiencing failure in order to succeed.  If guests weren’t motivated enough by the 3 guest speakers, Poppy sure gave them a mandate to put fear of failure aside in order to achieve their dreams.

All wrapped up, we’re now delighted to be in a position to announce a whopping $2,414.64 was raised for the First Response Unit, the invaluable medic service that Rotorua Mountain Bike Club provides in Whakarewarewa forest.  If you haven’t seen what they do then click on this link to view their video.

Many thanks to everyone who contributed on the day including business who donated time, resource and prizes (see the panel of logos at the bottom of this page) as well as Zak, Megan and Tracey.

A handful of photos from the day

  • Poppy Croucher delivers speech

2018 Business of Bikes Business Breakfast

The first-time event, Business of Bikes Business Breakfast, was part of the Rotorua Bike Festival, aimed at the business community and bringing together the many companies that are based around the biking industry.

The event was organised by Shout Marketing director and festival trustee, Linda Macpherson, with the aim of supporting local industry and talent that’s based around bikes.

“The bike festival focuses on inclusivity and we wanted to extend that to the business community this year.”

Speakers at the breakfast included Craig Pattle from Velosolutions, Peter Laing from Red Stag Investments, Henry and Budgie from Peak Safety, and Barb Jenks, the driving force behind Rotorua Mountain Bike Club’s First Response Unit.

The business breakfast raised $1,300 for the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club’s First Response Unit, which employs professional medics to patrol the forest.

Barb says the funds raised for the First Response Unit is fantastic and helps support its ongoing operation.

“The support we received from the business community today is significant.  The money raised will be put towards doing even more to ensure the public know to call 0800 WHAKA1 when they need medical attention in Whakarewarewa forest.”

Big ups to our 2019 contributors!