Our Story Your Story - Waikato Business News 25 Years

2 | OUR STORY YOUR STORY
Time to
Celebrate
Kia ora
We reckon 25 is a good number of years to be
in business, particularly when your business is
publishing and you’ve ridden out the upheaval
of the internet - not to mention the disruption
of Covid-19.
So we’re celebrating. In this special issue, you
can read about our journey as a staunchly
independent publisher, from the startup days
through till today with a well entrenched
position in the Waikato business community.
And it’s our business community that is vital
to our success. We wouldn’t be here without
the support of our valued advertisers, many of
whom have joined us in this special issue.
They wouldn’t have stuck with us if they didn’t
know we are widely read, and that puts us on
our mettle.
I am frequently told by readers that they value
our positivity. It’s not hard to feel positive
- I am forever interviewing people doing
fascinating things in creative ways. It’s the
great pleasure of the role.
I am also often told readers want to know
what others in the business community are up
to. They enjoy recognising people they know,
and my hope is they are also picking up tips
for their own venture.
Waikato is in a sweet spot. Small enough
for those in the business community to be
well connected and supportive; big enough
to sustain a full range of businesses and the
professionals to service them. Close enough
to Auckland to benefit from its economic
clout; far enough away to make the living
easier.
For me, just over two years in the editor’s job,
it’s that supportiveness that has been most
compelling. People I talk to are genuinely
interested in what others are up to, and for the
most part happy to share their own stories.
We’re stoked to have been telling your
stories for 25 years. In this issue, our editors
reflect on their time in the seat; Sandra Peek
remembers a time when bromides were cut up
with a scalpel and glued on to paper layouts,
while for Mike Blake, the photography was
an important part of reflecting the business
community back to itself.
Speaking for myself, the most memorable
story is always the most recent, but one
highlight was stretching myself to tell the
story of a major piece of regional planning,
Hei Awarua, the Hamilton-Auckland corridor.
To my surprise, given its slightly abstract
nature, that has proved to be the most popular
story on our website.
But mostly, the job is about having a yarn
with a business owner. On that front, among
many, many other interviews I really enjoyed
spending an hour or so with a couple of young
cousins talking about their fishing show,
Fishing and Adventure, a crazy 10 year journey
of having a go and learning fast. They made for
a memorable cover, which we’re reproducing
in this publication.
Connectedness is our great Waikato strength,
and we at Waikato Business News will
continue to play our part.
Our success has been built by amazing people;
the editors get their say in these pages, but
equally important have been the sales people,
production and office staff over the years. It’s
a team effort and everyone plays their part.
Ngā mihi nui
Richard Walker
Editor