Style: March 02, 2018

WOMEN IN BUSINESS
STYLE | promotion 51
BRIDGET HANRAHAN | helloworld.co.nz • 03 341 2352
For Bridget Hanrahan, a year as an exchange
student in Thailand sparked a strong passion
for travel that forged her future and has
stayed with her ever since. As she explains it:
“Life is for living and if you wish to travel you
should as soon as you are able to.”
Bridget joined the travel industry in 1997
as a wholesale travel consultant then moved
in 2001 to retail travel for Holiday Shoppe in
Rangiora, becoming a senior consultant. The
company later changed its name to Harvey
World Travel.
She stepped down from the industry
for seven years to have her family – two
daughters now 13 and 10, and when
she returned, the company had become
helloworld, and she was keen to become a
business owner.
“In 2016, helloworld wanted to expand
further in Christchurch and I was ready for a
change and a challenge.”
She set up the premises in the Fendalton
Village on the Clyde/Ilam Road corner
and has built the business up from scratch,
increasing her staff from one senior
consultant to three.
Formerly an avid tennis player, Bridget was
in Melbourne for this year’s Australian Open.
Her favourite countries are Thailand, Canada
and Fiji, and her ambition is to see more
of the remote areas of the world such as
Antarctica and the Arctic.
STEPHANIE RUMBLE | brightred.co.nz • 021 605 755
Winning the Best Dressed Woman prize
at the races in 2006 was unexpected
for Stephanie Rumble, but it crystallised
an idea she had always thought about –
becoming a fashion stylist.
With a degree in clothing and textiles
from Otago University, Stephanie saw it as
vital to also have current knowledge in the
field before starting her business, so she
trained to become a Fashion Stylist with
Image Innovators in Melbourne.
Bright Red was launched just before
John Key became Prime Minister, when
she put out a press release extolling his
dress sense. His success, amongst other
things, prompted the start of hers, with
people contacting her for styling advice.
Also a part-time fitness instructor,
Stephanie says this brings another
dimension to her life and keeps her real.
Plus, it underlines her holistic ‘Style for
Life’ philosophy of encouraging clients to
focus on wellness and being happy with
themselves. Clothing style, shape and
colour are key elements of her styling
advice – all of which work together to
allow her clients to look and feel their
best.
With a houseful of teenagers, Stephanie
juggles business and home life, but is
ultimately motivated by helping people
feel fabulous about who they are.
ALI CHAPMAN | merivales.co.nz • 03 355 5713 • 021 244 0090
For Ali Chapman, the purchase 18 months
ago of Merivales Hair & Beauty was a return
to the industry she loves, and the place
where she began her career. It all started in
1975 at the Raymonde Salon in Merivale,
before Ali travelled overseas and worked
for several years in fashion-forward London,
South Africa, America and Australia.
Returning to New Zealand, Ali began
managing a Bruno Barbarelli salon, but
shortly afterwards she was offered a
position as flight attendant with Ansett NZ,
a job she loved, only leaving to have her
daughter.
Eighteen years with her family’s building
company followed, where she developed
essential business management skills – all the
while continuing hairdressing by providing
styling services for friends and family.
In 2011, Ali took up another challenge as
business development manager for a fastgrowing
company during the earthquakes. It
was over this time that she visited Merivales
as a client. Enjoying her salon experience
so much, Ali didn’t hesitate when Merivales
became available to buy, seizing the
opportunity to re-enter an industry she is
passionate about while putting both her
business management and hairdressing skills
to good use.
Ali enjoys helping her “amazing team of
girls” but is not looking to build a clientele
of her own – rather to build the salon up to
be “the best in town”.