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.
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Rukumoana applied to teacher's college at Waikato University. She was not surprised by her rejection and determinedly agreed to complete a one year bridging programme at the end of which it was recommended she pursue a career in law. "I didn't have enough self-belief at the time and law was not my first choice. Then an aunty said I couldn't do it … so law is exactly what I did!" In 1996 Rukumoana graduated from Waikato University with a Bachelor of Laws and in 1998 secured her first job at a medium-sized Auckland law firm, Glaister Ennor. She married Wilhem Schaafhausen a German/Samoan from Auckland and a builder and architect who now works as a pastor for Equippers Church Auckland. Together the pair have a one-year-old son and another child on the way. "In any governance role there is politics, so having a supportive husband who helps me keep things in perspective had been critical to my success." In 2000 Schaafhausen (who spent months using her last name as her password to master the spelling) was encouraged to apply for a position at Russell McVeagh Solicitors. Initially everything about the corporate giant frightened her, even the décor! "The furniture was real leather and the art work was amazing. I was overwhelmed with a number of emotions; a major one being fear. I was stepping out scared. Leaving school so young put those doubts in my mind of not being good enough. "Coming from Morrinsville, Auckland in itself was like going to another country. I thought in High Street there was a protocol that you were supposed to walk up one side of the street and down the other purely because people would bump into me and not say sorry." Rukumoana endured and after four rewarding years with the firm left to work for a large property company as Group Counsel. Then the global financial crisis hit. When job security was a sought after commodity Rukumoana resigned; stepping out of the security of a full time, well paid, well supported position into the unknown world of consultancy. "The company went through restructuring and our legal team was downsized to two of us," she explains. "They kept me on but in some ways the company was going in a different direction to what I had signed up for. Consultancy allowed me to figure out what I really wanted to do. I had the choice of being comfortable, doing what I knew and being quite happy with that, or fulfilling a greater purpose; although at the time that wasn't clear to me." For a year Rukumoana did contract work during which time other governance roles and directorships were presented to her. Today Rukumoana is a member of Waikato Tainui Te Kauhanganui Incorporated, Tainui Group Holdings Limited, Genesis Energy Board, Regional Facilities Auckland Limited and the NZ Centre for Social Innovation. She is Chair of Tainui's Audit and Risk Committee and a member of the Whakatupuranga 2050 Committee which is charged with carrying forward the wider tribe's objectives. Rukumoana has well and truly shed her fear of self-doubt and surpassed her own expectations. Five retailers working together to provide everything a girl needs under one roof: Frocks, Shoes, Makeup, Accessories, Coffee and Events 299 Barton Street, Hamilton 07 839 4741 Open Now 126-138 King St, Pukekohe 09 238 3763 126 Picton Street, Howick 09 535 9472 57 Grey Street, Tauranga 07 577 1470 New concept store We have piloted a new concept in retail, under the brand HER MAGAZINE | February/March 2012 | 25 HER MAGAZINE | February/March 2012 | 25 www.hermagazine.co.nz | 25