Her Magazine is New Zealand’s only women’s business lifestyle magazine! Her Magazine highlights the achievements of successful and rising New Zealand businesswomen. Her Magazine encourages a healthy work/life balance.
Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/67815
Fuelling the Fire: WW: Where do you draw your personal power from? I spent nine years in local government politics as a local board member and city councillor for Auckland. During this time I juggled council and community board functions with teaching sailing. I've also been Chairman of the Auckland Zoo Charitable Trust for 15 years. (In her role as Chair of the Auckland Zoo Charitable Trust Penny was instrumental in raising the $16m needed to create a New Zealand precinct -Te Wao Nui - at the Zoo, which was opened by Auckland mayor Len Brown in September, 2011. Penny also led the charge to raise $4.6 million for the Zoo's New Zealand Centre for Conservation Medicine - the world's first national centre for conservation medicine, a practice that addresses the connections between human health, the health of animals and the environment.) WW: What activities or thinking disciplines keep you motivated, fresh, focused and on track? My business is very hands on and physical. I go to pilates every week to keep flexibility up as I've gotten older. At 63 still running around the deck with a group of students doesn't seem any different to me to when I was 17. I used to play a lot of tennis but my joints don't let me do that any more. There's occasional meditation when I'm worried about the weather. During my working season I have a massage on my back every two weeks to keep my muscles free and moving for the physicals strains on the boat. I keep a good, healthy diet. I have three and half grandchildren. My daughter lives in Bahrain with a three-year- old and my son, who recently finished 10 years with the America's Cup in Valencia, Spain and is now living in Auckland with his wife, a six and seven-year-old and a baby on the way. Carl Williams is a professional sailor at the highest level I was married for 18 years to Doc Williams, former Executive Producer of Sport for TVNZ. We did lots of sailing with the kids when they were young. We've been separated for 12 years. We did round the world races and I did the commentaries with Philip Leishman. I speak to my husband every week at least once. When you share children you need to stay in touch. Take Outs: WW: What would be one business 'take out' or piece of wisdom that has stood you in good stead above all others? If it's hard to do, you're doing it the wrong way. If you're struggling and pulling something and nothing is happening you're doing it the wrong damn way! WW: What's harder - running a business or managing a family? A business. I've never been a salaried person. I can only look in awe of people who aren't running their own business. WW: What do you think is a woman's most valuable asset in business? Women have very fine attributes in business because of their ability to multi-task. When I was bringing up children and working, Doc was always off on the cricket tour or something and you sure learn to multi-task then. WW: If you were to prioritise the top 5 activities essential to & Now Then Planning Heading: WW: What are some of your key goals for the future of the business over the next 18 months? To pull it out of the water and clean its bottom. Get people fired up that summer's here in November so come out and learn to sail. WW: What business practices have you set in place for succession management? I haven't thought about that. I hope to be sailing for at least another five to seven years. w WHO'S WHO 2012 | 29 building a successful business over time what would they be (place no.1 as the most essential business activity to get right): 1. Passion 2. The value of the product 3. How that product can help other people get to their goals 4. Being able to survive with the revenue and maintenance necessary 5. Having fun and enjoying doing it. How important is it for New Zealand businesses are to take their place on a global stage? What holds them back? What holds New Zealanders back generally is the distance we are away from the rest of the world. w