Māori and Pasifika business owners of tomorrow
Ty Kahu, Chief Executive of Pentech (left), and colleagues at the Māori and Pasifika business event, pictured with Professor Bob Buckle and Luamanuvao Winnie Laban
A crowd of about 150 gathered at Te Wharewaka o Poneke in Wellington recently for the first ever Te Awe Māori Business Network and Pasifika Business Network Showcase.
The event showcased 20 local Māori and Pasifika businesses, which were brought together to share success stories, display their services and products and to create networks within the burgeoning business community.
Professor Bob Buckle, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Commerce at Victoria Business School, attended the event and was impressed with the diversity and innovation of the businesses.
"It was very encouraging to see the vibrancy and entrepreneurial spirit evident in the business people and their firms displayed at this event," he said.
Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika), and Patron of the Wellington Pasifika Business Network, AProf Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban said the showcase was a huge success and an important step in encouraging growth in local Māori and Pasifika businesses.
"What was exciting about this showcase is the fact it was led by Māori and Pasifika businesses by people who had put skin in the game."
Luamanuvao Laban said the numbers of Pasifika in this sector are too low.
"We need to aspire to grow these numbers. In the 2013 Census, only 1.6 percent of self-employed business owners were Pasifika and 10 percent Māori. And yet, these are the fastest growing groups of young people.
"If we really want to break the cycle of poverty we need to connect with our young people, and show them they can be business owners, they can be the ones making decisions and building their own successes."
Part of the solution she said, was highlighting positive role models in the business community and encouraging education at an early age.
Victoria University is a partner to both Te Awe Māori Business Network and Pasifika Business Network, and hopes to support their activities with training, research and study opportunities.
The University also offers the Victoria Business School & Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika) Scholarships. These scholarships, for one male and one female Year 13 Pasifika student, are valued at $1000 each.
The purpose of the scholarships is to encourage more Pasifika students into studying business, economics and public sector disciplines.