May 25, 2025 • 33 mins
They are two industries experiencing massive growth; social media management and health and wellness. But why would you set up a new business in tough economic times in a city that's struggling even more than others?
That was the question posed to O-Studio founder Kate Twigg and Glide Media director Lukas Halikias on the Wellington Mornings business panel this morning.
The pair spoke about creating their own businesses, challenges facing businesspeople in Wellington and their thoughts on the government's budget.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from news Talk said bright Mondays meaning business. It's the
Business panel on Wellington Mornings with QUARDOVC Property Management, a
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Speaker 2 (00:24):
Let's get done, Let's get down to business. You monnight monight.
You've had a million, millions.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Seven minutes past eleven business panel every second Monday. Joining
us for the business panel this morning is host Studio
Wellington owner Kate Tweg. Good morning Kate, Good morning Nick.
How are you? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (00:44):
Very well? Thanks?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Have you been on the worksite this morning? Have you
seen what's going on? And you're making sure the builders
are doing everything you want them to do.
Speaker 5 (00:50):
Actually, this morning is one morning. I have not been
on site this morning, but yet that we've got to
call in. It's actually Sam's brother who's building it, so
call last night so they're all on schedule and raring
to go.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Great. Well, we'll get to that and talk a bit
about that and also Glide Media founder Lucas Helikius. Did
I pronounce your name right? You did what I've just
kept on the right microphone. It's go again. Did I
get that pronunciation right?
Speaker 6 (01:15):
You did?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Indeed? Well done?
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Okay, fantastic, Come a bit closer to the mic. So
you're a bit of a young sensation. You're the youngest
person by about twenty five years that we've ever had,
probably thirty years that we've ever had.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
On apart from k Yeah, I was going to say,
but on the show, on the show.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Sorry, So you're the young social media guy. Tell us
what makes you different to other social media people around
New Zealand or Wellington.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Oh, that's a great question. I think I've done it.
I think you know that's that's the first thing. You know,
the story is being that started with my best mate
inside a Darian Corori, and I mean the Numbers spoke
with themselves and there was a lot of views, a
lot of interactions. People loved us, and I think that's
where it starts. So I really understand the world of
(02:06):
social by you know, creating content firsthand and get results totally.
I mean, as you know, more of the older generation
would say, numbers speak a lot of words. So like
you know, the Numbers show, you know there's millions of
views on there, so I think that's that's a huge thing.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
And I want to talk to you both about this
before we really get into it, because both of you
are in areas where you really haven't felt the recession.
I mean health and well being. Kate is, I don't know.
I mean gyms are still busy, people are still and
you are taking you your organization or studio are taking
it to the next level, aren't you. So explain what
(02:47):
you do that's different from a gym.
Speaker 5 (02:49):
Absolutely so how I think of it as O Studio
is a wellness and recovery center. It's like the gym
for the mind really and for the recovery. So you know,
your gym takes care of your physical stuff and oh
Studio takes care of the mind stuff. Not to say
that also, recovery is huge for us at our studio.
(03:12):
So when you know professional athletes, people that are doing
lots of sports, hard workers, you know, builders, whatever, whatever
you're doing that's hard on the body, then you come
to O Studio to, yeah, to get that recovery, to
quiet the mind, and to be connected in a community
that's like minded.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
So how does it work? How does that work? I mean,
is it like we go and we hear Harley Christ
new music and we are normal when we hold hands
and we don't work that one year after I try
to work out how it works when you say mindness,
you know, when I see all these ideas of pools
and ice baths and all that, that's more than mind us.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
Okay, walk you through it. So you come in.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
You come into the reception. On the right hand side,
there's a breathwork, meditation room and a recovery space. Then
you go through there's a couple of massage rooms and
a wet float. If you don't know what a wet
float is, it is when you lie in the water
just it's almost like me time, relaxing time. You're floating
(04:12):
on salt, and so you just have an hour of
stillness to yourself floating. And there's also a dry float,
which is what we're bringing in in case you don't
like being wet, similar sort of experience. It's almost like
a water bed. Remember the water beds back I.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Do remember I had a water bed, of course, I'll
remember the water.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
Yeah, so you lie on it because it's.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Looking at us. What the hell's a water bed?
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Are you not worried about these flotation pods, like you know,
drowning or something. I just don't really understand.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
That the water is only you can't see me, but
it's only about ten centimeters twenty centimeters deep. So but
because it's salt, you lie back and yeah, you've got
you're just floating.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
And then the thing closes, the lid closes. It's not
a pod, it's not it.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Yeah, our one's very different.
Speaker 5 (05:00):
It's like walking into a cabin and up on the
roof is all the stars. You can actually stand up
in it. So anyone with phobia, which was myself, no problem.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
You can.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
You can go in there, stand up in it, lie
down and yeah, where you go in saunas and ice
sparts which is our big thing immunal ones.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
And also so you go and have a sauna and
you go straight into the ice pass and backwards and forwards. Yes, yeah,
and you do you Is it a one off occasion
or have you become a member and go once a week.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Or absolutely you become a member.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Members.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
You know, at the end of the day.
Speaker 5 (05:32):
It's like like anything that's like the gym, it's if
you make it a habit, then you're going to find
the results and get consistency.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Talking about habits social media, how important is social media
right now? I mean people generally in business know about
paper advertising, they know about radio advertising, they know about
you know, billboards. Social media is a whole new phenomenon.
How does it work and how does it work effectively?
(06:01):
Good question?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
So I think from a business standpoint is that where
you sort of I think from a business standpoint, you
have direct sort of point of contact towards your consumer,
really like if they want to search, so say Hummingbird
for example, that's you know, the lovely restaurant there on
Courtney Place.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Thanks for you to say that.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Yeah, anyway, so for example a place like that, people
want to know in Wellington where the best spots are.
And immediately right now, everyone's going to social media. I
think there's a stat which I need to confirm, but
it's something like forty three percent of gen Z and millennials,
which is, you know, quite a large portion of the
population are going to TikTok search to find out, you know,
(06:45):
all of these things and what's going on. So Google's
also struggling with all this right now and trying to
figure out why they all go into this platform because
it's immediate validation on what they're seeing. So like if
I see a video compared to say, you know, how
you'd cook something? Right, So for example, people searched how
to cook xyz. They go to TikTok now and social
(07:08):
media platforms to see visually how to do so or
where to go. So I think it's really integral that
businesses start to just give it a go and give
it a nudge because that's where the conversation is now
online on Google, Yata or that advertising. And I understand radio.
It's it's quite important for a specific.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
They must work hand in hand too, isn't it if
you hear about one and then you go to the
other and you you know, you still listen to your radio,
so you still get awareness.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Yes you do, And that's right. And I think that
they should have Theoretically, they should be in every single
platform right right, So they should have a dabble in radio.
They should have a little dabble in social media. But
I think the world is changing and I think people
need to accept that social media now is very important
(07:56):
as people have just got that that's there every day entertainment,
Like you know, no one really is concerned about anything else,
and they go to social media immediately five o'clock. I
want to go through TikTok and scroll through TikTok. My
old man sixty five years old and he's doing the
same thing. So I think that putting your business through
social media as what we've seen through results with for example,
Greek food Truck. We did some stuff with and they
(08:19):
were twenty thousand followers or something and they started to
bring consumers in.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Right, So it's a thome for you. Is social media
part going to be part of your program? Are you
going to have your own TikTok account and social media.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
It's already there. Yeah, it's booming along so.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
People can actually go on and see how you're progressing
and what's going on.
Speaker 5 (08:39):
Absolutely, yeah, yeah, and yeah, it's I find it tricky
because I have a fourteen year old daughter, right, So
there's that.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
On one hand, I'm.
Speaker 5 (08:48):
Like, yes, for the business, this is awesome, this is amazing,
And for my fourteen year old daughter, I'm like, oh,
not so amazing. But yeah, like you said, Lucas, there
is a definite we somehow have to go with the
change in time.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
It is the way it's going.
Speaker 5 (09:04):
It's not going to go back, yep, And so we
have to learn to work with it and being in business. Yeah,
we've I mean we've jumped up to I don't know,
Like you said, the likes and the follows are like
one thousand, six hundred followers. We're not even open, so
people are engaging in it. That's where people are finding
out about. We're doing a lot of community events and
(09:26):
things before we open. So we've done an early bird Beats,
which is a morning dance party for anyone that wants
to come, and a seven am research breath work class.
They've been sold out and full because of social media.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
Why do you think that wellness is such a peak industry?
I mean you think that everyone will be trying to
cut back in hard times and me and you have
talked about hard times, orf air and stuff and how
hard you know. I'm sort of respectful of you going
into business and taking a risk and starting all this,
(10:03):
But wellness is so and why.
Speaker 5 (10:07):
Because I've got a view on this, my own view.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
That's what we wanted.
Speaker 5 (10:11):
It is that we used as our parents' generation, our generation,
we used alcohol for everything and we are now realizing
that alcohol is not the answer to everything. And when
we don't have any other tools in our box, and
we come to hard situations in our life, and some
(10:32):
of us come there sooner rather than later. We've got nothing.
And that happened to me because I got cancer, breast cancer,
and then from breast cancer, I got leukemia. And during
that time I had to give up alcohol and I
didn't have anything other than alcohol to get me through.
(10:53):
And so I started researching and I started looking into things,
and that's how I got into meditation, breath work, sauna's,
I spouse, the cold, everything to do with health and wellness.
But I think suddenly the younger generation is seeing our
generation and how we handled this situation with alcohol, and
(11:13):
they're going, nah, we don't we don't want that.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Lucas, I'm coming to you quickly. I've got to go
to an air break, but I'm going to come thank you.
That's a wonderful story, and I respectful respect to you.
But is that right? A young people? I mean, they're
still going out and using alcohol as much, but are
they starting to think there's more to life than alcohol.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Yeah, just to follow on from what you said there,
that's due to social media as well. The power of
social media. I think wellness has become this huge thing
and I think that people are slowly, as we're seeing,
people aren't going out as much anymore. And I think
that not only are they looking about think about their
wellness also their health, of course, and I think that's
due to a lot of influences on the platform talking
(11:53):
about wellness, health, cold, sorenas, all of this. I would
have never known that if it wasn't for social media.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
I must say right now, so social media an educator
as well bad educator. Because we talked about just before
the last hour and now I'm going to go to
an air break. I'm going to get really told. But
we talked in the last hour about the problems with
tooth de kay and kids at the moment and all
the sugary things. Now I know for a fact that
my family kids are buying stuff off social media because
(12:24):
he's trends and sugary stuff. And you're laughing like hell
because you know I'm right. And I mean there's bad
education too, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
One hundred percent is bad education. But there's all forms
of education, and.
Speaker 5 (12:34):
It's like anything, right, and you can choose, you can
choose which one you want to go.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
You've got a choice.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Yeah, I mean.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Hard to get a seven year old to choose where
those got heroes saying that the strength's perfect, but there's
Lolly's an ice cream? Are great? You ordered online and
go here and give me your giving you a Greg,
give me your card Grandad and yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Yeah, it's not it's not it's not good at that.
And just make sure they don't get hacked too. I
think that's something that would happen to you, to be honest.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
Take a short We're in the business panel with the
Helikias Lucas Helikius. I got it right, correct, I got it.
I'll put your Miike on as well. I'll let you
speak and Kate twig right, let's quickly talk about the budget,
because I know you both don't want to have a
big long conversation about the budget. And I'll start with you. Kate,
(13:22):
what did you make of it? Are you worried about
any parts of it?
Speaker 6 (13:25):
You?
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Did it? Please you? I mean you would have been
sitting there thinking, imagine if anything changes, I've set up
a whole business I'm about to open.
Speaker 5 (13:32):
Yeah, there was a little bit of that, I guess,
but you can't. You can't change anything before it happens.
So you just go with what's presented with you. I
think there was definitely the twenty percent investment booster that
was really.
Speaker 4 (13:47):
Good for us.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
Can you can you do it? Can you use that?
Speaker 4 (13:51):
Let me ask my husband? Hang on, No, we can.
Speaker 5 (13:55):
We will be able to, I'm sure, but we just
have to clarify that with our accountant. But yeah, we
are bringing in lots of lots of things for our
studio that haven't been there before. So yeah, I'm sure
we'll be able to get something out of it. The
one percent key we saver not too worried about that.
I guess there's enough time.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
I think I think you're right about that time. If
you got told that it was next week and you've
got all these new staff starting, you've done all their contracts,
and you're now two percent out, Yes, really aren't you?
Speaker 4 (14:24):
Yeah? Exactly so.
Speaker 5 (14:26):
And I look at it as you know, always trying
to find the positive because that's what I do is
just for future.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
Then it's great.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
So so you thought the budget was okay? Yeah, Lucas,
what did you think? You're a young guy. You don't
really give a damn about a budget. You give a
damn about Friday night and whether you've got enough social
media people looking at your post. Do you know you're
not even looking at the budget.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
I just want to say quickly, the budget obviously the
key we saver going for three to four percent. I
think it's going to be really good long term, but
it could slow the wage growth down in the short term.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Do you think absolutely? I mean, and that's what it is.
I mean, you've only got a certain amount of money
to spend, haven't you. I mean, if you're saying to
someone I'm going to give you one hundred grand for
that job, suddenly it becomes two or four percent down,
doesn't it? Yeah, so it changes it.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Is that a good point? Because I thought that was
a good point.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
I thought it was a very good point for a game,
you know.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
I mean, I can't believe I came up with that.
Speaker 4 (15:23):
Who would have thought?
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Have you put it out on your social media as?
Have you told everyone around New Zealand about it?
Speaker 6 (15:27):
No?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
I probably should. And then you know, the twenty percent
tax free, but it is smart. It's obviously encouraging business
as investment.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
But obviously, see how would you use that? Let me
let me let me cut to the chase on that
you'll use that because suddenly you'll want a new camera.
You know, you told me the other week when you
did some recording with me that your camera's worth ten
or fifteen grand. Will you automatically get twenty percent of
that back now? So that's a pretty good thing, isn't it?
And the government of paying for.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
It isn't Isn't that great? That's exactly what we want.
That that help from the government, which has been we've
been searching for. I feel like it's a business, you know,
it's been it's been really tough, and I think, yeah,
of course you're in the social media game and it's
differ and to the expenses are a lot different right
then obviously yourself and and somewhere like corny places, both
of you. But for me obviously you know, getting a
(16:14):
little bit of a rebound like that, I think it's
really really good.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
So well, it will make you spend money, and then
because you're spending money, someone else is getting the reward
of that, so they are getting money, so they spend money.
So it's actually a cyclical thing that we're not many
people are talking about, but it's putting money into the community.
Speaker 5 (16:31):
And putting money back into your business that in turn
helps you know, people coming to you and yeah, that's great.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
There's always so many negatives on decisions may day. I
always noticed that they're just here, so many negatives, like okay,
the budgets come out and there's a massive uproar of
the side and a massive look, I'm still learning this,
you know, the politast game. I don't really you know,
to me, I don't really deeply look into it and go, yeah,
that's interesting. That's just me and who I am. I guess,
(16:59):
but I'm just trying.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Can I just give you a little bit of help?
Can I just be be your doctor Phil for a second. Please.
Kate's just explained some of the trials and tribulations that
she's had in her life. You know, I can spend
all day telling you about mine. As you grow older,
these stumbling blocks, so I call them the stumbling box.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
Absolutely, yep. I think that's a great way of putting
it up.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
Stumbling blocks will come and then you'll start thinking, shivers,
what could have I done then? Or what could have
I done there? So you'll you'll you'll you'll understand that
as you go through. But you know, when you're starting out,
life's your oyster isn't it Yep? You know?
Speaker 5 (17:36):
But also why not? Like I always have that saying
instead of what if it doesn't work?
Speaker 4 (17:42):
Like what if it all works? What if it all
works out?
Speaker 3 (17:46):
How do you get can you tell our listeners? Because
I love this stuff and you would have seen a
lot of it old social media as I do. How
do you actually get your mind into that? When I
wake up in the middle of the night, which I
do every single night, and go through all the things
that possibly could go wrong the next day, how do
I get my mind? How do I get myself back
to sleep?
Speaker 4 (18:04):
I love I could talk for days on this.
Speaker 5 (18:07):
I actually had to do this during cancer, right, because
things went wrong all the time constantly. It was through COVID.
My kids couldn't come and see me, like there was
a whole thing. And so I always live in the now.
And what's the point in worrying about something before it's
actually happened. What does that actually do to you?
Speaker 6 (18:29):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (18:29):
But what if it is your future? What if you're
sitting on a deal that could actually change your life?
Speaker 5 (18:35):
So you have to trust in the process. It's about
rewiring your brain right, because your brain is already now
wired to focus on the negative, to pull out the negative,
to worry about the bad stuff. What if you switched
your brain around, flipped the narrow Is that possible?
Speaker 4 (18:56):
Flip? Yes, absolutely, it's possible.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
Is it, Lucas, I think it's possible.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
You're right.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
I completely agree with you. You can rewire anything that's you.
You're completely right. She's completely right.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
That's what I'm not saying. It's easy.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
It's not easy, and it's hard, like if you're if
you're in that way, I'm.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Going to go to an air break and have a
private session business panel. It's getting hectic in here, isn't
it getting a bit hectic?
Speaker 4 (19:19):
Yes, it is.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
You're a bit young for the show. You're just making
too much energy. We can't I can't control it, and
Caate can't control me. So we're away, Kate, Twig and Lucas.
Helicius right, tell me about Wellington. I'm going to start
with you, Lucas. I don't know why, but it's a stupid,
stupid decision to do. But I'm going to start with
that hard things that's still really tough in the city.
I know that you're young, and you're driving brand new
(19:41):
car and you've got all this happening, and you're the man,
and I get that. But businesses are closing, there's a
decline in house prices, and a population that hasn't grown
in five years, so all things that don't look good
for the future of Wellington. How would you now if
someone from overseas, someone from Greece rang you and said
to you, do you understand Greek? Can you speak?
Speaker 6 (20:00):
So?
Speaker 4 (20:00):
I can?
Speaker 3 (20:00):
Okay, if someone said to you in Greek, tell me
about Wellington. I've got lots of friends and families that
live in Willington. Tell me what how you would describe
Wellington right now? How would you describe it back to them?
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Great?
Speaker 4 (20:12):
Oh wow?
Speaker 2 (20:12):
I think just for yourself, how would you look? I
don't like the state of Wellington right now. I think
for me it's lost what it's really about. And Wellington
is that small social hub of the Southern Hemisphere. It's
like you can interact with anyone like for example, maybe
(20:35):
I know you and two people down the road you
know Chris Luxan type. It's a small community. We all
know each other somehow in some way. But I think
we're losing that. Why you know, what's a great question,
and I think that the way that and look the
way that the council is approaching Wellington, and I think
(20:56):
they have the wrong intentions. I feel like and for example,
just to for me at my age, look, Corney Place,
as you know, was a social harbor, was huge. It
was used to have the sevens on and like, obviously
I didn't get to experience that, which I'm gutted about
because my cousin told me it was unreal. I don't
know if you got to experience that, Kate, but he did, Yeah,
(21:17):
lither you guys, So that was like, you know, it
was a great time. Yes, there was alcohol involved, but
it was a place for people to mingle and get together.
But now ever since COVID, I feel like there hasn't
been the right move towards growing a greater Wellington. It's
been put into completely other things which are not important
in my opinion.
Speaker 4 (21:35):
I think that mouse community and connection one hundred and.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
I think really, yeah, I don't know, you've seen it firsthand,
that you're in Corney Place, you've seen it firsthand.
Speaker 4 (21:45):
People are slowly you know.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
I got to omit that I worked on the weekend
last weekend and I got it shot in the arm
from Kate, because I talked to Kate and it was
a little bit negative and I got sort of put
in my place in the street. And on the weekend
I went in with a different attitude and I actually
felt that last weekend was a great weekend in Courtney Place.
I thought that we was so I thought the city
(22:07):
felt great.
Speaker 5 (22:08):
See, in that moment, you chose to focus on the positive.
You went in with another attitude, and that's what we
need to do.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
Well still have challenges in the city. Cake, give me
the challenge.
Speaker 5 (22:18):
There is no doubt that we have challenges.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Tell me about the crime and tell me what challenges
are you you're starting a business, creating employment, creating something,
what challenges have you faced?
Speaker 5 (22:28):
Okay, So I find that Wellington has an incredible soul.
We're really vibrant and exactly you know, it's vibrant, it's creative,
it's got people in there from all walks of life,
and it's easy to get around. It's you know, I
always say, if this was Sydney, then we'd be overrun,
(22:48):
if the weather in Sydney would be overrun, because it's
so incredible. But what we've done is we've lost focus.
We've chosen to focus on the negative rather than the
positives that are happening, and the media doesn't help there
at all, So they are constantly going in there saying
this cafe is clib this something's closed. Like half for
those places that have closed aren't even for the reason
(23:10):
of COVID or what's going on in the city. It's
actually people who have got other circumstances in their life
or whatever. But they choose to run and then promote
it as though Wellington's this doom and gloom place.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
But we can't hide from the fact, Lucas that we
have lost a lot of government employees. We are doing
it tough economically. The stats don't lie. If the retailers
were doing well, the stats would show that the retailers
doing well. I get it. I get about the positive
mind and I get about that, but realistically we are
still in tough times. You're doing a documentary on Courtney
(23:47):
Place at the moment, I am, indeed, and you're seeing
what people were talking about from yesteryear.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
It's different. So from my opinion, I think that from
what Kate's saying, there is an element of we should
be looking positive on the city because this is one
of the best cities in the world, and you cannot
deny that on its day. I mean, how many times
have you heard you can't be Welling on a good day.
You even said to me that if the weather was
consistently like this, this would be the most expensive place
(24:13):
to live in the whole world. But for me, right now,
I'm seeing a city where media is as Kate sat
media is just negative of this that, oh, this is
happening Wellington. What about the positive stories? So, for example,
this Corney Place documentary that I'm creating with a good
friend of mine, Ben Cushman, we're trying to bring out
(24:34):
that element of how good and how much potential the
city has. You know, there's people like yourself, we're interviewing it.
There's people like raft Agree on the Courtney at the
corner of Courtney Place, who's running this you know Italian
Italian you know restaurant and it's vibrant and you go
inside there and it's like that's what it should be about,
(24:54):
and as soon as you step outside, it's just like
it's not the same. Like there are elements of Wellington
right now where we should be focusing on that we
can actually create some sort of vibrant place.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
Okay, right, there's one topic that I really want to
speak to Lucas about. Lucas, Helikias and Kate Tweg join
us on the business panel. Going overseas. So many bright
young New Zealanders are moving over speed, especially to Australia.
This is concern you and why why are your friends
all going to Aussie?
Speaker 2 (25:27):
I think, first of all, yes, it is a little
bit concerning. Of course, I think that Wellington and New
Zealand as a whole has a lot more to offer
than people understand and people think, and I've seen it firsthand.
Growing a business in New Zealand. I feel like is
not easy, but it is relatively you know, not as
(25:48):
hard as going to restart over in Australia as a
nurse or a trade I understand it more pay I
get it getting a degree and finding your way. I
think you start and you stick around in New Zealand
and utilize the connections that you have here. It's a
small place. As I said before, you may know someone
that knows the Prime Minister. That's how tightened it. The
(26:08):
community here is in New Zealand, and utilize those connections,
go out and meet people. I think that people are
running away from the fact that, oh, you know, I'm
sick of it. On board of you haven't even experienced that.
We've experienced it at as high school. Is like you
want to go experience England. I get that, maybe for
a year and then come back, but they always come back.
It seems like, cut your thoughts on this.
Speaker 6 (26:30):
Yeah, I agree it in what Lucas is saying, definitely,
But yeah, I also know that this small country, we
do have the tendency to want to go over seas
and explore a little bit more.
Speaker 5 (26:43):
And for some people that's a really good thing, especially
in the business, because we gain higher qualifications and achievements,
and then generally most people come back. So you know
our age group now, which is that forty five year
old bracket, I've got a handful I can count that
is still overseas. Most of us have come back, and
(27:04):
most of us are starting some sort of business or
doing something back in New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
So see, I have a daughter about the same age
as you, and she lives in Melbourne, and she wouldn't.
I mean, she comes back three or four times a
year to see your family and everything. She would not
move back to New Zealand if someone put a gun
to a he you know, she just thinks that everything
is so much better in Melbourne than it is in Wellington.
Speaker 5 (27:27):
Absolutely, and you know you can't change people's views. That's her,
that's where she wants to live, that's what she wants
to do. I think there are definitely things that we
can do here in Wellington to make it more attractive
for people to come back.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
Can I ask you about that, because you know, the
Council's just done its ten year plan and we've seen
them what they're doing and changes. I don't know whether
you've been starting at Kaye, but I mean, let's talk
a little bit about the mayoral's race because I mean
we're going to have a new mayor. Does that make
a big difference to the city.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
Absolutely?
Speaker 5 (27:58):
I think we I want to, you know, applaud Tory
for her time and her effort and what she's done.
Think you're never going to please everybody. I think we
do need a refresh now, and I feel like in
Wellington we need somebody who's really about community and connection
(28:19):
and actually listening to what we want as Wealentonian's not
just pushing the paper out the legal requirements and saying, oh,
we put it out there, We've told them you know
that this is going to happen, and we didn't get
any responses or people didn't really care or whatever. I
don't know what the actual process is, but I feel
like you don't hear about things till the last minute.
(28:41):
And there is somebody out there that cares about Wellington
a lot and cares about what the people in Wellington think,
and that's the road that we need to be heading down.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
Okay, I'll come back to you on that in one second. Lucas,
you're a young guy. What do you think you've had
a young mayor that's a party mayor and trying to
sort the city out. What do you think she's like
that she's leaving. Do you think we need a change?
Speaker 1 (29:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (29:05):
Look, I think one we definitely need a change, for sure.
There's a couple of antics there that was reported on
by her, but obviously which aren't very good, and we
saw those in the in the in the articles, which Yeah, anyway,
we'll move on from that. As I'm saying, so, I
think that she didn't do that good of a job,
to be honest at all. I think that Wellington as
(29:27):
a whole has stayed stagnant, hasn't moved, hasn't done anything.
There's just been papers signed and as Kate saying, you know,
we need more of a voice. What was happening and
what has been happening for many years and I don't
know how many years before. But what I've seen is
that here you go, we're going to We're going to
do this in Wellington. Is going to make it so
much better. We don't care about your opinion.
Speaker 4 (29:48):
Just just just take it.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
Can I quickly ask you both? I'll start with you,
Lucas you know Andrew Little's come along. He's an ex politician.
What are you thinking? Is that what we're looking for
in the city.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
Is anyone running against him?
Speaker 4 (29:59):
Is there anyone?
Speaker 3 (30:00):
There's quite a few, quite a few different there is.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
Yeah, yeah, okay, so Andrew Little, as far as I'm aware,
I don't really know too much about him. I heard
there's someone else running. I think there's Grand blocks And
running as well. Is that true?
Speaker 3 (30:10):
But I believe so.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
I think there's that. Look at the end of the day,
I think it's anyone's game. I don't really have too
much to say on Andrew Little. I think at this
rate anyone could be willing to maror as it stands.
And I think that just to just to touch on
before I finish, it takes a village to raise a child,
right have you heard that saying? I've heard that saying
from the old man.
Speaker 6 (30:32):
Right.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
So Wellington is our city, So why don't the community
get together and actually figure out what we're going to do,
not this with one side of things and go oh,
we're going to do that. Sorry, we don't get your opinion.
Iland Bay, for example, before I finish, rap from pizzin
Uple he let me know this, which is quite funny story.
They put the cycle ways in and they made people
(30:52):
park five meters away from their houses and then then
after they asked, oh is it okay? And then the
majority said no, and then so they said no, no,
we don't have enough money to get rid of it.
Speaker 6 (31:04):
Sorry.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Right, Oh, here we go. Business panel Kate Twig and
Lucas Helikias. Kate, I want to start with you. Someone's
really really important, someone you really really care about, rives
into Wellington at three o'clock this afternoon. You're going to
take them never been to Wellington before? I haven't been
here for years. What are you going to do with them?
Speaker 4 (31:22):
I'm going to take them up to space Yoga.
Speaker 5 (31:23):
I don't know if you've been up there space yoga
up on Rose Meey. Amazing incredible views out there. So
we'd go and do that. Then we'd come down, we'd
go to the markets, we'd walk along the waterfront. Of course,
we'd nip into O Studio for a sauna and an
ice bath, probably some pastries from Tomboy and dinner at Hummingbird.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
Oh there you go, there you go. Come on, you
don't have to say the same. What are you doing?
Speaker 2 (31:48):
I'm ready? So the boys called me Buttata for a reason.
So I love food and that means, you know, fatty,
So for a branch that breakfast vibes, I'm going Prefab
with my mate Jeff there and Lola stays. Then for
lunch or what am I feeling for lunch? I think
I'll probably head I don't know, some Japanese place and
(32:10):
then now I'm going Hummingbird or Pizza Nupley of course.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
Okay, there you go, Kate. Can I just quickly ask
you what your thoughts on Andrew little? You do you
feel comfortable and what are you and your husband sitting
around thinking this would be a good move for willing to.
Speaker 5 (32:22):
Be To be completely honest with you, Nick, I, I
don't know. I want someone fresh and vibrant. I don't
know if he's got that or not.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
Not sure.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
I'm running for me watch the space, Lucas.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
I reckon you'd be great, youngest me are ever?
Speaker 4 (32:39):
Absolutely would people vote for me?
Speaker 2 (32:41):
Because actually I actually would love to just get people's opinion,
not just creating money.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
We'll find out, we'll get a few on the text
proceed I'll probably say twenty years to young Thank you
both for joining us today. It's been amazing. Great to
see you again. Kate, and you did you are that
thing of good good fortune, that thought of good fortune
because I thought about I mean, I was grumpy with
you when I talked to you, and I thought about
(33:06):
it and then you corrected me. Thank you, Lucas, always
good to talk to you, Good to see you. Sailo
to your parents for me. I wait, great people, great Wellingtonian.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
The Greek. I can't wait till this corny place then
comes out.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
Eh.
Speaker 3 (33:17):
Yes, we'll wait and see it.
Speaker 1 (33:18):
I'll let people know for more from Wellington Mornings with
Nick Mills. Listen live to news talks It'd be Wellington
from nine am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from news Talk said bright Mondays meaning business. It's the
Business panel on Wellington Mornings with QUARDOVC Property Management, a
better rental experience for all. Visit Quinovic dot co dot insad.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Let's get done, Let's get down to business. You monnight monight.
You've had a million, millions.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Seven minutes past eleven business panel every second Monday. Joining
us for the business panel this morning is host Studio
Wellington owner Kate Tweg. Good morning Kate, Good morning Nick.
How are you? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (00:44):
Very well? Thanks?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Have you been on the worksite this morning? Have you
seen what's going on? And you're making sure the builders
are doing everything you want them to do.
Speaker 5 (00:50):
Actually, this morning is one morning. I have not been
on site this morning, but yet that we've got to
call in. It's actually Sam's brother who's building it, so
call last night so they're all on schedule and raring
to go.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Great. Well, we'll get to that and talk a bit
about that and also Glide Media founder Lucas Helikius. Did
I pronounce your name right? You did what I've just
kept on the right microphone. It's go again. Did I
get that pronunciation right?
Speaker 6 (01:15):
You did?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Indeed? Well done?
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Okay, fantastic, Come a bit closer to the mic. So
you're a bit of a young sensation. You're the youngest
person by about twenty five years that we've ever had,
probably thirty years that we've ever had.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
On apart from k Yeah, I was going to say,
but on the show, on the show.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Sorry, So you're the young social media guy. Tell us
what makes you different to other social media people around
New Zealand or Wellington.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Oh, that's a great question. I think I've done it.
I think you know that's that's the first thing. You know,
the story is being that started with my best mate
inside a Darian Corori, and I mean the Numbers spoke
with themselves and there was a lot of views, a
lot of interactions. People loved us, and I think that's
where it starts. So I really understand the world of
(02:06):
social by you know, creating content firsthand and get results totally.
I mean, as you know, more of the older generation
would say, numbers speak a lot of words. So like
you know, the Numbers show, you know there's millions of
views on there, so I think that's that's a huge thing.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
And I want to talk to you both about this
before we really get into it, because both of you
are in areas where you really haven't felt the recession.
I mean health and well being. Kate is, I don't know.
I mean gyms are still busy, people are still and
you are taking you your organization or studio are taking
it to the next level, aren't you. So explain what
(02:47):
you do that's different from a gym.
Speaker 5 (02:49):
Absolutely so how I think of it as O Studio
is a wellness and recovery center. It's like the gym
for the mind really and for the recovery. So you know,
your gym takes care of your physical stuff and oh
Studio takes care of the mind stuff. Not to say
that also, recovery is huge for us at our studio.
(03:12):
So when you know professional athletes, people that are doing
lots of sports, hard workers, you know, builders, whatever, whatever
you're doing that's hard on the body, then you come
to O Studio to, yeah, to get that recovery, to
quiet the mind, and to be connected in a community
that's like minded.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
So how does it work? How does that work? I mean,
is it like we go and we hear Harley Christ
new music and we are normal when we hold hands
and we don't work that one year after I try
to work out how it works when you say mindness,
you know, when I see all these ideas of pools
and ice baths and all that, that's more than mind us.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
Okay, walk you through it. So you come in.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
You come into the reception. On the right hand side,
there's a breathwork, meditation room and a recovery space. Then
you go through there's a couple of massage rooms and
a wet float. If you don't know what a wet
float is, it is when you lie in the water
just it's almost like me time, relaxing time. You're floating
(04:12):
on salt, and so you just have an hour of
stillness to yourself floating. And there's also a dry float,
which is what we're bringing in in case you don't
like being wet, similar sort of experience. It's almost like
a water bed. Remember the water beds back I.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Do remember I had a water bed, of course, I'll
remember the water.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
Yeah, so you lie on it because it's.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Looking at us. What the hell's a water bed?
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Are you not worried about these flotation pods, like you know,
drowning or something. I just don't really understand.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
That the water is only you can't see me, but
it's only about ten centimeters twenty centimeters deep. So but
because it's salt, you lie back and yeah, you've got
you're just floating.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
And then the thing closes, the lid closes. It's not
a pod, it's not it.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Yeah, our one's very different.
Speaker 5 (05:00):
It's like walking into a cabin and up on the
roof is all the stars. You can actually stand up
in it. So anyone with phobia, which was myself, no problem.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
You can.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
You can go in there, stand up in it, lie
down and yeah, where you go in saunas and ice
sparts which is our big thing immunal ones.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
And also so you go and have a sauna and
you go straight into the ice pass and backwards and forwards. Yes, yeah,
and you do you Is it a one off occasion
or have you become a member and go once a week.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Or absolutely you become a member.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Members.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
You know, at the end of the day.
Speaker 5 (05:32):
It's like like anything that's like the gym, it's if
you make it a habit, then you're going to find
the results and get consistency.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Talking about habits social media, how important is social media
right now? I mean people generally in business know about
paper advertising, they know about radio advertising, they know about
you know, billboards. Social media is a whole new phenomenon.
How does it work and how does it work effectively?
(06:01):
Good question?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
So I think from a business standpoint is that where
you sort of I think from a business standpoint, you
have direct sort of point of contact towards your consumer,
really like if they want to search, so say Hummingbird
for example, that's you know, the lovely restaurant there on
Courtney Place.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Thanks for you to say that.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Yeah, anyway, so for example a place like that, people
want to know in Wellington where the best spots are.
And immediately right now, everyone's going to social media. I
think there's a stat which I need to confirm, but
it's something like forty three percent of gen Z and millennials,
which is, you know, quite a large portion of the
population are going to TikTok search to find out, you know,
(06:45):
all of these things and what's going on. So Google's
also struggling with all this right now and trying to
figure out why they all go into this platform because
it's immediate validation on what they're seeing. So like if
I see a video compared to say, you know, how
you'd cook something? Right, So for example, people searched how
to cook xyz. They go to TikTok now and social
(07:08):
media platforms to see visually how to do so or
where to go. So I think it's really integral that
businesses start to just give it a go and give
it a nudge because that's where the conversation is now
online on Google, Yata or that advertising. And I understand radio.
It's it's quite important for a specific.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
They must work hand in hand too, isn't it if
you hear about one and then you go to the
other and you you know, you still listen to your radio,
so you still get awareness.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Yes you do, And that's right. And I think that
they should have Theoretically, they should be in every single
platform right right, So they should have a dabble in radio.
They should have a little dabble in social media. But
I think the world is changing and I think people
need to accept that social media now is very important
(07:56):
as people have just got that that's there every day entertainment,
Like you know, no one really is concerned about anything else,
and they go to social media immediately five o'clock. I
want to go through TikTok and scroll through TikTok. My
old man sixty five years old and he's doing the
same thing. So I think that putting your business through
social media as what we've seen through results with for example,
Greek food Truck. We did some stuff with and they
(08:19):
were twenty thousand followers or something and they started to
bring consumers in.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Right, So it's a thome for you. Is social media
part going to be part of your program? Are you
going to have your own TikTok account and social media.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
It's already there. Yeah, it's booming along so.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
People can actually go on and see how you're progressing
and what's going on.
Speaker 5 (08:39):
Absolutely, yeah, yeah, and yeah, it's I find it tricky
because I have a fourteen year old daughter, right, So
there's that.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
On one hand, I'm.
Speaker 5 (08:48):
Like, yes, for the business, this is awesome, this is amazing,
And for my fourteen year old daughter, I'm like, oh,
not so amazing. But yeah, like you said, Lucas, there
is a definite we somehow have to go with the
change in time.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
It is the way it's going.
Speaker 5 (09:04):
It's not going to go back, yep, And so we
have to learn to work with it and being in business. Yeah,
we've I mean we've jumped up to I don't know,
Like you said, the likes and the follows are like
one thousand, six hundred followers. We're not even open, so
people are engaging in it. That's where people are finding
out about. We're doing a lot of community events and
(09:26):
things before we open. So we've done an early bird Beats,
which is a morning dance party for anyone that wants
to come, and a seven am research breath work class.
They've been sold out and full because of social media.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
Why do you think that wellness is such a peak industry?
I mean you think that everyone will be trying to
cut back in hard times and me and you have
talked about hard times, orf air and stuff and how
hard you know. I'm sort of respectful of you going
into business and taking a risk and starting all this,
(10:03):
But wellness is so and why.
Speaker 5 (10:07):
Because I've got a view on this, my own view.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
That's what we wanted.
Speaker 5 (10:11):
It is that we used as our parents' generation, our generation,
we used alcohol for everything and we are now realizing
that alcohol is not the answer to everything. And when
we don't have any other tools in our box, and
we come to hard situations in our life, and some
(10:32):
of us come there sooner rather than later. We've got nothing.
And that happened to me because I got cancer, breast cancer,
and then from breast cancer, I got leukemia. And during
that time I had to give up alcohol and I
didn't have anything other than alcohol to get me through.
(10:53):
And so I started researching and I started looking into things,
and that's how I got into meditation, breath work, sauna's,
I spouse, the cold, everything to do with health and wellness.
But I think suddenly the younger generation is seeing our
generation and how we handled this situation with alcohol, and
(11:13):
they're going, nah, we don't we don't want that.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Lucas, I'm coming to you quickly. I've got to go
to an air break, but I'm going to come thank you.
That's a wonderful story, and I respectful respect to you.
But is that right? A young people? I mean, they're
still going out and using alcohol as much, but are
they starting to think there's more to life than alcohol.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Yeah, just to follow on from what you said there,
that's due to social media as well. The power of
social media. I think wellness has become this huge thing
and I think that people are slowly, as we're seeing,
people aren't going out as much anymore. And I think
that not only are they looking about think about their
wellness also their health, of course, and I think that's
due to a lot of influences on the platform talking
(11:53):
about wellness, health, cold, sorenas, all of this. I would
have never known that if it wasn't for social media.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
I must say right now, so social media an educator
as well bad educator. Because we talked about just before
the last hour and now I'm going to go to
an air break. I'm going to get really told. But
we talked in the last hour about the problems with
tooth de kay and kids at the moment and all
the sugary things. Now I know for a fact that
my family kids are buying stuff off social media because
(12:24):
he's trends and sugary stuff. And you're laughing like hell
because you know I'm right. And I mean there's bad
education too, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
One hundred percent is bad education. But there's all forms
of education, and.
Speaker 5 (12:34):
It's like anything, right, and you can choose, you can
choose which one you want to go.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
You've got a choice.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Yeah, I mean.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Hard to get a seven year old to choose where
those got heroes saying that the strength's perfect, but there's
Lolly's an ice cream? Are great? You ordered online and
go here and give me your giving you a Greg,
give me your card Grandad and yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Yeah, it's not it's not it's not good at that.
And just make sure they don't get hacked too. I
think that's something that would happen to you, to be honest.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
Take a short We're in the business panel with the
Helikias Lucas Helikius. I got it right, correct, I got it.
I'll put your Miike on as well. I'll let you
speak and Kate twig right, let's quickly talk about the budget,
because I know you both don't want to have a
big long conversation about the budget. And I'll start with you. Kate,
(13:22):
what did you make of it? Are you worried about
any parts of it?
Speaker 6 (13:25):
You?
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Did it? Please you? I mean you would have been
sitting there thinking, imagine if anything changes, I've set up
a whole business I'm about to open.
Speaker 5 (13:32):
Yeah, there was a little bit of that, I guess,
but you can't. You can't change anything before it happens.
So you just go with what's presented with you. I
think there was definitely the twenty percent investment booster that
was really.
Speaker 4 (13:47):
Good for us.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
Can you can you do it? Can you use that?
Speaker 4 (13:51):
Let me ask my husband? Hang on, No, we can.
Speaker 5 (13:55):
We will be able to, I'm sure, but we just
have to clarify that with our accountant. But yeah, we
are bringing in lots of lots of things for our
studio that haven't been there before. So yeah, I'm sure
we'll be able to get something out of it. The
one percent key we saver not too worried about that.
I guess there's enough time.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
I think I think you're right about that time. If
you got told that it was next week and you've
got all these new staff starting, you've done all their contracts,
and you're now two percent out, Yes, really aren't you?
Speaker 4 (14:24):
Yeah? Exactly so.
Speaker 5 (14:26):
And I look at it as you know, always trying
to find the positive because that's what I do is
just for future.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
Then it's great.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
So so you thought the budget was okay? Yeah, Lucas,
what did you think? You're a young guy. You don't
really give a damn about a budget. You give a
damn about Friday night and whether you've got enough social
media people looking at your post. Do you know you're
not even looking at the budget.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
I just want to say quickly, the budget obviously the
key we saver going for three to four percent. I
think it's going to be really good long term, but
it could slow the wage growth down in the short term.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Do you think absolutely? I mean, and that's what it is.
I mean, you've only got a certain amount of money
to spend, haven't you. I mean, if you're saying to
someone I'm going to give you one hundred grand for
that job, suddenly it becomes two or four percent down,
doesn't it? Yeah, so it changes it.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Is that a good point? Because I thought that was
a good point.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
I thought it was a very good point for a game,
you know.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
I mean, I can't believe I came up with that.
Speaker 4 (15:23):
Who would have thought?
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Have you put it out on your social media as?
Have you told everyone around New Zealand about it?
Speaker 6 (15:27):
No?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
I probably should. And then you know, the twenty percent
tax free, but it is smart. It's obviously encouraging business
as investment.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
But obviously, see how would you use that? Let me
let me let me cut to the chase on that
you'll use that because suddenly you'll want a new camera.
You know, you told me the other week when you
did some recording with me that your camera's worth ten
or fifteen grand. Will you automatically get twenty percent of
that back now? So that's a pretty good thing, isn't it?
And the government of paying for.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
It isn't Isn't that great? That's exactly what we want.
That that help from the government, which has been we've
been searching for. I feel like it's a business, you know,
it's been it's been really tough, and I think, yeah,
of course you're in the social media game and it's
differ and to the expenses are a lot different right
then obviously yourself and and somewhere like corny places, both
of you. But for me obviously you know, getting a
(16:14):
little bit of a rebound like that, I think it's
really really good.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
So well, it will make you spend money, and then
because you're spending money, someone else is getting the reward
of that, so they are getting money, so they spend money.
So it's actually a cyclical thing that we're not many
people are talking about, but it's putting money into the community.
Speaker 5 (16:31):
And putting money back into your business that in turn
helps you know, people coming to you and yeah, that's great.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
There's always so many negatives on decisions may day. I
always noticed that they're just here, so many negatives, like okay,
the budgets come out and there's a massive uproar of
the side and a massive look, I'm still learning this,
you know, the politast game. I don't really you know,
to me, I don't really deeply look into it and go, yeah,
that's interesting. That's just me and who I am. I guess,
(16:59):
but I'm just trying.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Can I just give you a little bit of help?
Can I just be be your doctor Phil for a second. Please.
Kate's just explained some of the trials and tribulations that
she's had in her life. You know, I can spend
all day telling you about mine. As you grow older,
these stumbling blocks, so I call them the stumbling box.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
Absolutely, yep. I think that's a great way of putting
it up.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
Stumbling blocks will come and then you'll start thinking, shivers,
what could have I done then? Or what could have
I done there? So you'll you'll you'll you'll understand that
as you go through. But you know, when you're starting out,
life's your oyster isn't it Yep? You know?
Speaker 5 (17:36):
But also why not? Like I always have that saying
instead of what if it doesn't work?
Speaker 4 (17:42):
Like what if it all works? What if it all
works out?
Speaker 3 (17:46):
How do you get can you tell our listeners? Because
I love this stuff and you would have seen a
lot of it old social media as I do. How
do you actually get your mind into that? When I
wake up in the middle of the night, which I
do every single night, and go through all the things
that possibly could go wrong the next day, how do
I get my mind? How do I get myself back
to sleep?
Speaker 4 (18:04):
I love I could talk for days on this.
Speaker 5 (18:07):
I actually had to do this during cancer, right, because
things went wrong all the time constantly. It was through COVID.
My kids couldn't come and see me, like there was
a whole thing. And so I always live in the now.
And what's the point in worrying about something before it's
actually happened. What does that actually do to you?
Speaker 6 (18:29):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (18:29):
But what if it is your future? What if you're
sitting on a deal that could actually change your life?
Speaker 5 (18:35):
So you have to trust in the process. It's about
rewiring your brain right, because your brain is already now
wired to focus on the negative, to pull out the negative,
to worry about the bad stuff. What if you switched
your brain around, flipped the narrow Is that possible?
Speaker 4 (18:56):
Flip? Yes, absolutely, it's possible.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
Is it, Lucas, I think it's possible.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
You're right.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
I completely agree with you. You can rewire anything that's you.
You're completely right. She's completely right.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
That's what I'm not saying. It's easy.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
It's not easy, and it's hard, like if you're if
you're in that way, I'm.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Going to go to an air break and have a
private session business panel. It's getting hectic in here, isn't
it getting a bit hectic?
Speaker 4 (19:19):
Yes, it is.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
You're a bit young for the show. You're just making
too much energy. We can't I can't control it, and
Caate can't control me. So we're away, Kate, Twig and Lucas.
Helicius right, tell me about Wellington. I'm going to start
with you, Lucas. I don't know why, but it's a stupid,
stupid decision to do. But I'm going to start with
that hard things that's still really tough in the city.
I know that you're young, and you're driving brand new
(19:41):
car and you've got all this happening, and you're the man,
and I get that. But businesses are closing, there's a
decline in house prices, and a population that hasn't grown
in five years, so all things that don't look good
for the future of Wellington. How would you now if
someone from overseas, someone from Greece rang you and said
to you, do you understand Greek? Can you speak?
Speaker 6 (20:00):
So?
Speaker 4 (20:00):
I can?
Speaker 3 (20:00):
Okay, if someone said to you in Greek, tell me
about Wellington. I've got lots of friends and families that
live in Willington. Tell me what how you would describe
Wellington right now? How would you describe it back to them?
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Great?
Speaker 4 (20:12):
Oh wow?
Speaker 2 (20:12):
I think just for yourself, how would you look? I
don't like the state of Wellington right now. I think
for me it's lost what it's really about. And Wellington
is that small social hub of the Southern Hemisphere. It's
like you can interact with anyone like for example, maybe
(20:35):
I know you and two people down the road you
know Chris Luxan type. It's a small community. We all
know each other somehow in some way. But I think
we're losing that. Why you know, what's a great question,
and I think that the way that and look the
way that the council is approaching Wellington, and I think
(20:56):
they have the wrong intentions. I feel like and for example,
just to for me at my age, look, Corney Place,
as you know, was a social harbor, was huge. It
was used to have the sevens on and like, obviously
I didn't get to experience that, which I'm gutted about
because my cousin told me it was unreal. I don't
know if you got to experience that, Kate, but he did, Yeah,
(21:17):
lither you guys, So that was like, you know, it
was a great time. Yes, there was alcohol involved, but
it was a place for people to mingle and get together.
But now ever since COVID, I feel like there hasn't
been the right move towards growing a greater Wellington. It's
been put into completely other things which are not important
in my opinion.
Speaker 4 (21:35):
I think that mouse community and connection one hundred and.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
I think really, yeah, I don't know, you've seen it firsthand,
that you're in Corney Place, you've seen it firsthand.
Speaker 4 (21:45):
People are slowly you know.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
I got to omit that I worked on the weekend
last weekend and I got it shot in the arm
from Kate, because I talked to Kate and it was
a little bit negative and I got sort of put
in my place in the street. And on the weekend
I went in with a different attitude and I actually
felt that last weekend was a great weekend in Courtney Place.
I thought that we was so I thought the city
(22:07):
felt great.
Speaker 5 (22:08):
See, in that moment, you chose to focus on the positive.
You went in with another attitude, and that's what we
need to do.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
Well still have challenges in the city. Cake, give me
the challenge.
Speaker 5 (22:18):
There is no doubt that we have challenges.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Tell me about the crime and tell me what challenges
are you you're starting a business, creating employment, creating something,
what challenges have you faced?
Speaker 5 (22:28):
Okay, So I find that Wellington has an incredible soul.
We're really vibrant and exactly you know, it's vibrant, it's creative,
it's got people in there from all walks of life,
and it's easy to get around. It's you know, I
always say, if this was Sydney, then we'd be overrun,
(22:48):
if the weather in Sydney would be overrun, because it's
so incredible. But what we've done is we've lost focus.
We've chosen to focus on the negative rather than the
positives that are happening, and the media doesn't help there
at all, So they are constantly going in there saying
this cafe is clib this something's closed. Like half for
those places that have closed aren't even for the reason
(23:10):
of COVID or what's going on in the city. It's
actually people who have got other circumstances in their life
or whatever. But they choose to run and then promote
it as though Wellington's this doom and gloom place.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
But we can't hide from the fact, Lucas that we
have lost a lot of government employees. We are doing
it tough economically. The stats don't lie. If the retailers
were doing well, the stats would show that the retailers
doing well. I get it. I get about the positive
mind and I get about that, but realistically we are
still in tough times. You're doing a documentary on Courtney
(23:47):
Place at the moment, I am, indeed, and you're seeing
what people were talking about from yesteryear.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
It's different. So from my opinion, I think that from
what Kate's saying, there is an element of we should
be looking positive on the city because this is one
of the best cities in the world, and you cannot
deny that on its day. I mean, how many times
have you heard you can't be Welling on a good day.
You even said to me that if the weather was
consistently like this, this would be the most expensive place
(24:13):
to live in the whole world. But for me, right now,
I'm seeing a city where media is as Kate sat
media is just negative of this that, oh, this is
happening Wellington. What about the positive stories? So, for example,
this Corney Place documentary that I'm creating with a good
friend of mine, Ben Cushman, we're trying to bring out
(24:34):
that element of how good and how much potential the
city has. You know, there's people like yourself, we're interviewing it.
There's people like raft Agree on the Courtney at the
corner of Courtney Place, who's running this you know Italian
Italian you know restaurant and it's vibrant and you go
inside there and it's like that's what it should be about,
(24:54):
and as soon as you step outside, it's just like
it's not the same. Like there are elements of Wellington
right now where we should be focusing on that we
can actually create some sort of vibrant place.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
Okay, right, there's one topic that I really want to
speak to Lucas about. Lucas, Helikias and Kate Tweg join
us on the business panel. Going overseas. So many bright
young New Zealanders are moving over speed, especially to Australia.
This is concern you and why why are your friends
all going to Aussie?
Speaker 2 (25:27):
I think, first of all, yes, it is a little
bit concerning. Of course, I think that Wellington and New
Zealand as a whole has a lot more to offer
than people understand and people think, and I've seen it firsthand.
Growing a business in New Zealand. I feel like is
not easy, but it is relatively you know, not as
(25:48):
hard as going to restart over in Australia as a
nurse or a trade I understand it more pay I
get it getting a degree and finding your way. I
think you start and you stick around in New Zealand
and utilize the connections that you have here. It's a
small place. As I said before, you may know someone
that knows the Prime Minister. That's how tightened it. The
(26:08):
community here is in New Zealand, and utilize those connections,
go out and meet people. I think that people are
running away from the fact that, oh, you know, I'm
sick of it. On board of you haven't even experienced that.
We've experienced it at as high school. Is like you
want to go experience England. I get that, maybe for
a year and then come back, but they always come back.
It seems like, cut your thoughts on this.
Speaker 6 (26:30):
Yeah, I agree it in what Lucas is saying, definitely,
But yeah, I also know that this small country, we
do have the tendency to want to go over seas
and explore a little bit more.
Speaker 5 (26:43):
And for some people that's a really good thing, especially
in the business, because we gain higher qualifications and achievements,
and then generally most people come back. So you know
our age group now, which is that forty five year
old bracket, I've got a handful I can count that
is still overseas. Most of us have come back, and
(27:04):
most of us are starting some sort of business or
doing something back in New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
So see, I have a daughter about the same age
as you, and she lives in Melbourne, and she wouldn't.
I mean, she comes back three or four times a
year to see your family and everything. She would not
move back to New Zealand if someone put a gun
to a he you know, she just thinks that everything
is so much better in Melbourne than it is in Wellington.
Speaker 5 (27:27):
Absolutely, and you know you can't change people's views. That's her,
that's where she wants to live, that's what she wants
to do. I think there are definitely things that we
can do here in Wellington to make it more attractive
for people to come back.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
Can I ask you about that, because you know, the
Council's just done its ten year plan and we've seen
them what they're doing and changes. I don't know whether
you've been starting at Kaye, but I mean, let's talk
a little bit about the mayoral's race because I mean
we're going to have a new mayor. Does that make
a big difference to the city.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
Absolutely?
Speaker 5 (27:58):
I think we I want to, you know, applaud Tory
for her time and her effort and what she's done.
Think you're never going to please everybody. I think we
do need a refresh now, and I feel like in
Wellington we need somebody who's really about community and connection
(28:19):
and actually listening to what we want as Wealentonian's not
just pushing the paper out the legal requirements and saying, oh,
we put it out there, We've told them you know
that this is going to happen, and we didn't get
any responses or people didn't really care or whatever. I
don't know what the actual process is, but I feel
like you don't hear about things till the last minute.
(28:41):
And there is somebody out there that cares about Wellington
a lot and cares about what the people in Wellington think,
and that's the road that we need to be heading down.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
Okay, I'll come back to you on that in one second. Lucas,
you're a young guy. What do you think you've had
a young mayor that's a party mayor and trying to
sort the city out. What do you think she's like
that she's leaving. Do you think we need a change?
Speaker 1 (29:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (29:05):
Look, I think one we definitely need a change, for sure.
There's a couple of antics there that was reported on
by her, but obviously which aren't very good, and we
saw those in the in the in the articles, which Yeah, anyway,
we'll move on from that. As I'm saying, so, I
think that she didn't do that good of a job,
to be honest at all. I think that Wellington as
(29:27):
a whole has stayed stagnant, hasn't moved, hasn't done anything.
There's just been papers signed and as Kate saying, you know,
we need more of a voice. What was happening and
what has been happening for many years and I don't
know how many years before. But what I've seen is
that here you go, we're going to We're going to
do this in Wellington. Is going to make it so
much better. We don't care about your opinion.
Speaker 4 (29:48):
Just just just take it.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
Can I quickly ask you both? I'll start with you,
Lucas you know Andrew Little's come along. He's an ex politician.
What are you thinking? Is that what we're looking for
in the city.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
Is anyone running against him?
Speaker 4 (29:59):
Is there anyone?
Speaker 3 (30:00):
There's quite a few, quite a few different there is.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
Yeah, yeah, okay, so Andrew Little, as far as I'm aware,
I don't really know too much about him. I heard
there's someone else running. I think there's Grand blocks And
running as well. Is that true?
Speaker 3 (30:10):
But I believe so.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
I think there's that. Look at the end of the day,
I think it's anyone's game. I don't really have too
much to say on Andrew Little. I think at this
rate anyone could be willing to maror as it stands.
And I think that just to just to touch on
before I finish, it takes a village to raise a child,
right have you heard that saying? I've heard that saying
from the old man.
Speaker 6 (30:32):
Right.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
So Wellington is our city, So why don't the community
get together and actually figure out what we're going to do,
not this with one side of things and go oh,
we're going to do that. Sorry, we don't get your opinion.
Iland Bay, for example, before I finish, rap from pizzin
Uple he let me know this, which is quite funny story.
They put the cycle ways in and they made people
(30:52):
park five meters away from their houses and then then
after they asked, oh is it okay? And then the
majority said no, and then so they said no, no,
we don't have enough money to get rid of it.
Speaker 6 (31:04):
Sorry.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Right, Oh, here we go. Business panel Kate Twig and
Lucas Helikias. Kate, I want to start with you. Someone's
really really important, someone you really really care about, rives
into Wellington at three o'clock this afternoon. You're going to
take them never been to Wellington before? I haven't been
here for years. What are you going to do with them?
Speaker 4 (31:22):
I'm going to take them up to space Yoga.
Speaker 5 (31:23):
I don't know if you've been up there space yoga
up on Rose Meey. Amazing incredible views out there. So
we'd go and do that. Then we'd come down, we'd
go to the markets, we'd walk along the waterfront. Of course,
we'd nip into O Studio for a sauna and an
ice bath, probably some pastries from Tomboy and dinner at Hummingbird.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
Oh there you go, there you go. Come on, you
don't have to say the same. What are you doing?
Speaker 2 (31:48):
I'm ready? So the boys called me Buttata for a reason.
So I love food and that means, you know, fatty,
So for a branch that breakfast vibes, I'm going Prefab
with my mate Jeff there and Lola stays. Then for
lunch or what am I feeling for lunch? I think
I'll probably head I don't know, some Japanese place and
(32:10):
then now I'm going Hummingbird or Pizza Nupley of course.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
Okay, there you go, Kate. Can I just quickly ask
you what your thoughts on Andrew little? You do you
feel comfortable and what are you and your husband sitting
around thinking this would be a good move for willing to.
Speaker 5 (32:22):
Be To be completely honest with you, Nick, I, I
don't know. I want someone fresh and vibrant. I don't
know if he's got that or not.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
Not sure.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
I'm running for me watch the space, Lucas.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
I reckon you'd be great, youngest me are ever?
Speaker 4 (32:39):
Absolutely would people vote for me?
Speaker 2 (32:41):
Because actually I actually would love to just get people's opinion,
not just creating money.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
We'll find out, we'll get a few on the text
proceed I'll probably say twenty years to young Thank you
both for joining us today. It's been amazing. Great to
see you again. Kate, and you did you are that
thing of good good fortune, that thought of good fortune
because I thought about I mean, I was grumpy with
you when I talked to you, and I thought about
(33:06):
it and then you corrected me. Thank you, Lucas, always
good to talk to you, Good to see you. Sailo
to your parents for me. I wait, great people, great Wellingtonian.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
The Greek. I can't wait till this corny place then
comes out.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
Eh.
Speaker 3 (33:17):
Yes, we'll wait and see it.
Speaker 1 (33:18):
I'll let people know for more from Wellington Mornings with
Nick Mills. Listen live to news talks It'd be Wellington
from nine am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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