Kids are doing big things for the books industry – just ask little Unity

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Jo McColl about Unity Books Auckland’s new offshoot just down the road: children’s bookshop little Unity.  ONE: How did little Unity start and what was the inspiration behind it? I’ve been longing … Read more

How a Wellington photo store plans to get more people shooting with film

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Sean Aickin whose Wellington photo store Splendid is hoping to revive film photography in today’s digital world.  ONE: How did Splendid start and what was the inspiration behind it? I initially tried to purchase … Read more

Self-employed? There’s a platform now that will do your taxes for you

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to James Fuller whose company, Hnry, handles financial admin (Income Tax, GST, ACC, Student Loans, KiwiSaver etc.) for self-employed people.  ONE: How did Hnry start and what was the inspiration behind it? The … Read more

Beach in summer, Bali in winter: How smoothie bowls gave two friends a dream lifestyle

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Alexandra Bell, co-founder of smoothie bowl business Soul Boul. ONE: How did Soul Boul start and what was the inspiration behind it? Stacey [Horton, co-founder] and I met at Otago University and through mutual … Read more

How Flo is helping feed kids through fashion

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Joe Harawira, founder of clothing company Flo, which donates a free school lunch to a child in need for every product sold.  ONE: How did Flo start and what was the inspiration behind it? I … Read more

The B Corp certified agency driving the biggest campaigns to save the arts

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Jo Blair, founder and director of Brown Bread – a marketing and communications agency from Christchurch that focuses on championing the arts, philanthropy and social good.  ONE: How did Brown Bread start and … Read more

Click, scroll, zoom: making 3D printed jewellery with a tech-inspired touch

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Human Interface Jewellery founder Amelia Diggle who’s melding fashion and technology together to create a new form of ‘wearable tech’. ONE: How did Human Interface Jewellery (HIJ) start and what was the inspiration behind it? HIJ … Read more

How Trickle tracks your beer down to every last drop

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Adrian Wills, founder of Trickle, which manages every aspect of a beer’s life cycle and flow from keg to customer.  ONE: How did Trickle start and what was the inspiration behind it? I got involved … Read more

The Wellington couple making raincoats from plastic bottles

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Nick Leckie, co-founder of rainwear company Okewa which is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for its newest product line – raincoats made from recycled plastic bottles. ONE: How did Okewa start and what … Read more

The pureed food restoring appetites to the sick and elderly

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to co-founder of The Pure Food Co, Sam Bridgewater, whose business makes nutritionally dense and visually appealing food for people who have a hard time eating.  ONE: How did The Pure Food Co start and what … Read more

The Kiwi invention that makes Lego bounce, flex and spring

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Mark Stolten, the inventor of flexible, Lego-like brick toy Flexo. ONE: How did Flexo start and what was the inspiration behind it? While I waiting for a physio appointment for a torn … Read more

The walking billboards of Nopesisters

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to sibling entrepreneurs Brittany and Johanna Cosgrove of Nopesisters, the social enterprise championing ‘fashion for a cause’. ONE: How did Nopesisters start and what was the inspiration behind it? Nopesisters started in October 2016 during Breast … Read more

How Fresh As is adding crunch to cuisine

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Fresh As founder Tommy Roff whose company freeze-dries everything from mandarins and feijoas to liquorice and Red Bull. ONE: How did Fresh As start and what was the inspiration behind it? I had a … Read more

Could Zippy the squirrel be New Zealand’s Dora the Explorer?

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Abhi Kala of Titan Ideas who’s reimagining cross-cultural storytelling through augmented (AR), virtual (VR), and mixed reality (MR) technology. ONE: How did Titan Ideas start and what was the inspiration behind it? I … Read more

Glass jars and paper bags: Shopping for food without the plastic

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to James Denton, owner of  Auckland’s plastic-free supermarkets GoodFor. ONE: How did GoodFor start and what was the inspiration behind it?  GoodFor started out of frustration with the amount of plastic I was consuming and the sheer difficulty to … Read more

Method Recycling proves that rubbish bin design doesn’t need to be rubbish

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Steven Korner, co-founder of Method Recycling, whose aim is to encourage better waste disposal habits by making beautifully designed rubbish bins for modern workplaces. ONE: How did Method Recycling start and what … Read more

The agency tracking social media sentiment in real time

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to David Bowes, CEO of insights agency Zavy, which helps businesses understand in simple, visual terms what all this social media fuss is about.  ONE: How did Zavy start and what was the inspiration behind it? … Read more

The Kiwi behind the ‘cheaper, faster, more eco-friendly’ alternative to Bitcoin

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Craig MacGregor, one of the founding developers of NavCoin, an alternative cryptocurrency that’s gaining steam around the world.  ONE: How did NavCoin start and what was the inspiration behind it? NavCoin first … Read more

The postnatal nurse pushing back on watered-down, nutrient-void baby food

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Little Angels founder Heather Baker whose used her expertise as a postnatal nurse to make healthy, easy-to-prepare food for babies. ONE: How did Little Angels start and what was the inspiration behind … Read more

How Parkable is helping drivers make the most of Auckland’s wasted space

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Parkable co-founder Brody Nelson whose business is using technology to shake up traditional parking. ONE: How did Parkable start and what was the inspiration behind it? Parkable started in 2015 when its … Read more

The waste-busting business that wants to help you reduce household rubbish

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Kristy Lorson, the founder of popular Facebook group Zero Waste in NZ! about her latest business venture, EarthSavvy. ONE: How did EarthSavvy start and what was the inspiration behind it? We all like to think … Read more

The AI-powered chatbot that can help you learn te reo Māori

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to co-founder of Reobot, Jason Lovell, whose IBM Watson-powered chatbot allows you to practise conversational Māori via Facebook Messenger. ONE: How did Reobot start and what was the inspiration behind it? I want to … Read more

How Goodnest wants to be the Uber for home cleaning

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to James MacAvoy, co-founder of Goodnest, which is a lot like Uber, but for getting your house cleaned. ONE: How did Goodnest start and what was the inspiration behind it? Goodnest started out … Read more

The company taking your unwanted paper and upcycling it into notebooks

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Kareena Harris from The Misprint Co, makers of bespoke upcycled paper notebooks. ONE: How did The Misprint Co start and what was the inspiration behind it? The idea for The Misprint Co … Read more

The Kiwi duo championing high-end carry-on luggage

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Jimmy Hayes, co-founder of premium bags company Minaal, which has raised more than $700,000 USD in crowdfunding. ONE: How did Minaal start and what was the inspiration behind it? My co-founder Doug Barber and … Read more

The Primer: the care packages developed by students, for students

Every week we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Sandanee Samarakoon and Nawaz Ahmed, founders of Kimera, a subscription box service that sends treats to your loved ones studying away from home.  ONE: How did Kimera start and what was the inspiration behind it? … Read more

The Kiwi beauty brand that wants you to #giveupthebottle and pick up the bar

Every week we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Brianne West, founder of sustainable, plastic-free cosmetics company Ethique.  ONE: How did Ethique start and what was the inspiration behind it? Ethique came about as a combination of my passion for the environment, knowledge of the … Read more

The Primer: the car-sharing service putting electric vehicles on Wellington’s roads

Every week we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Mevo CEO Erik Zydervelt whose company provides Wellingtonians with app-based, on-demand access to electric vehicles. ONE: How did Mevo start and what was the inspiration behind it? My co-founder Finn Lawrence and I both grew … Read more