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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:club profiles Gaylene Hughes JDI Business Coaching Role/Title: Corporate/Business Coach & Director Number of employees: Three Do you have children: Two grown-up sons Hardest thing about starting your business: I���ve owned a number of businesses over the years. Having on-going focus and clarity are the challenge while staying true to yourself. Best thing about having your own business: It���s a great feeling being able to deliver services that meet my clients needs and seeing them achieve great results. I love the variety of issues clients discuss with me and the amazing solutions that come about! A real win:win Date the business was founded: 2002 What made you start the business: I���m a chartered accountant and love being able to help people. My strapline ���to inspire growth in life and business��� really resonates. Chartered accounting wasn���t really fulfilling my needs as an individual. I came across ActionCOACH in 2002 and the IP of this franchise, coupled with my love for learning and knowledge, means I���ve had an amazing journey ever since. Future goals and aspirations: To be the number 1 coaching team in New Zealand and publish/generate my own resources under the JDINOW! brand. (Just Do It! Just Do It NOW!) Hero/Role Model: There are many people I admire. I love Dame Anita Roddick���s phrase ���To succeed you must believe in something with such a passion it becomes a reality��� JDI Business Coaching 20B Witako Street Lower Hutt, 5011 New Zealand gaylenehughes@actioncoach.com gaylene@jdicoach.co.nz www.jdicoach.co.nz Genevieve McLachlan Adaptive Technology Solutions Ltd Business Description: At Adaptive Technology Solutions Ltd we provide assessments, training and products for people with a range of disabilities, including sensory, physical and learning disabilities, to make it easier for them to do things like reading print and using their computer in order to help them achieve their goals in work, study or leisure. Role: Managing Director Number of employees: Myself with the support of my husband. He supports me to carry out those tasks, such as driving and managing heavy equipment that I am unable to do because of my disabilities. Do you have children: No children but I do have a guide dog who I liken to sometimes being a toddler in that I have to take care of him and sometimes a teenager when he is stubborn. I wouldn���t be without him though. Hardest thing about starting your own business: I think the hardest thing about starting my own business was taking the plunge from a steady job with a reasonable income to the uncertainty of irregular income. I also very quickly realized that despite the preparation I had done, there was a lot I still needed to learn. Best thing about having your own business: The best thing about having my own business is the immense pleasure I get from seeing people with disabilities retain or gain their independence through the use of assistive technology. I also now have more energy to pursue my interests such as craft, sailing and cycling as I have more time now that I���m no longer having to travel between Upper Hutt and Wellington each day. Date the business was founded: The business was established on 24 October 2006 and I started working in the business on 8 January 2007. 126 | www. h e rmagaz i n e . c o. n z What made you start the business: I started Adaptive Technology Solutions because I saw the need for one organization to work with people with disabilities, irrespective of their disability or if it was Health or ACC related. There was also only - check one agency working with people with multiple disabilities, as most only work with the disability for which they are funded. We are the only business of this type who do assessments, provide training in assistive technology software and sell a range of products. Future goals and aspirations: I would like my business to be the provider of choice for people with disabilities and organizations wanting assistive technology solutions. I would also like to be in a position where I am able to employ contract workers around the country. Financial security is also important. Valuable learning experiences: When I started my business five years ago I knew very little about what was involved in running a business. I have learned a lot along the way about dealing with accounting, legal issues and all the other things that go into running a business. I think the hardest thing I have had to learn is that you can���t always be nice. There are times when some tough decisions have to be made and sometimes dealing with late payers isn���t pleasant. Fortunately this doesn���t happen very often. Hero/Role Model: I don���t really have a hero but there are some people who over the years have been instrumental in supporting me in my business and have always been there when I���ve needed them. The first person is Neil Jarvis from the RNZFB. Neil was the Adaptive Technology Manager when I worked for the RNZFB in Wellington and was very supportive when I first spoke Adaptive Technology Solutions Ltd 33A Tararua Street, Trentham, Upper Hutt 04 528 7600 021 224 2875 genevieve@adaptivetech.co.nz www.adaptivetech.co.nz to him about wanting to start up my own business. Neil is totally blind and has run his own businesses in the past. I thought if he could do it then so could I. The next person is Sue Trueman from the Upper Hutt Chamber of Commerce. I first met Sue when I started my business five years ago. Over the years, she has been an inspiration to me both personally and professionally. Sue has also run a number of New Zealand Trade & Enterprise courses I have attended through the Chamber. I would also like to acknowledge Workbridge, in particular the Wellington Manager Matthew Ruscoe as without their support I would not be able to run my own business.