The Friday Show #7 - Made From New Zealand from Made From New Zealand on Vimeo.

I have been fortunate to have sunk everything I’ve got into helping make some of the things I think need to happen in this come to life, from PlanHQ, Silicon Welly, Made From New Zealand, Challenge for Change, StartUp and The Naked Trainer, and tried to turn the ideas and the things I love into businesses, so I can spend more time helping and working with people who love making stuff happen. Some of these ventures have gone great and are firing, others just starting, others simmering and have brought more lessons than money so far, but all of them have brought amazing people and the experiences that define a full life and the platform to do anything going forward.

I am surrounded by people who love, care, think, try! People who do what they do because it means something to them, because they have a vision for where they’re going, a fire in their belly that gets them up in the morning and keeps them going through all the challenges and into the night… Some are right next to me, some are around town, and the country, and world, they’re all part of the community that makes my life and the things I’m involved in happen… Everytime my face shows up somewhere, there is a world of people making it happen, everytime I launch a new site.. a world of individuals and their passion, their time, their hard yards… I am part of a community that makes things happen.

When I look around I see people I admire… proud to call my friends… and privileged to roll with as a crew. We rock it out working together on everything from running a entrepreneurial co-working space, developing New Zealand’s global business community to chatting to the Prime Minister. If you see us from the outside, you get a glimpse of what we’re upto, if you chant in person, you’ll start to se a story that runs deep into the viens of enlightened souls who will risk anything to move the world in the ways it needs to be.

And when it comes time for my birthday… While I don’t expect anything, I come and find the office filled with baloons, and the smiling faces of some of the great people in my life, happy to share another great day together.

Thanks to everyone who has helped me out over my life, and to everyone in the Silicon Welly who has heped me out, backed me up, hooked me up with people, stuff, confience and good vibves.

It’s early days, but we’ve all made a good start together, we will change the world, coz it’ll just be way better…

Enjoy your days and make the best of it.

Like many, I live on mobile broadband as I’m constantly on the move, and while it’s been workable to date, I’ve been looking forward to a solid step up in pace, and from the XT Network tests, it looks like this will definitely take the speed to the next level. The new network works with Sim cards across over 180 countries, so its fully ready to roll around anywhere in the world.

Update: To see how a bunch of New Zealand businesses and entrepreenurs are rolling on the XT Network, checkout the XT Network Videos.

XT is the new high speed mobile network from Telecom New Zealand.

Major hit to the competition

MYOB was subject to a takeover by a private equity firm at the end of 2008, which sparked the move of previous founder and board member Craig Winkler, and no doubt a shift in culture for the business at a time when Xero is just warming up. The ability of private equity to manage a business which needs to rapidly innovate in a competitive environment remains to be seen, but it’s clear that the now private equity lead MYOB will continue to face challenges in finding and retaining key talent and innovation, and with the visionary founder now moving his money into Xero, the new era of online accounting lead by Xero is in full swing.

Existing investor top-up

The shares will be issued at 90 cents in a round open to all existing investors, so while Xero don’t need your additional money, if you bought in at launch, nows a good time to top up and bring your average buy price down slightly. With a strong growth curve, a freshly capitalised balance sheet, a foothold in New Zealand, the UK and Australia, and momentum building from a base of regular customers, Xero is well on it’s way as a powerful global business that’s changing the way small businesses roll in the new world economy.

Big congrats to the Xero crew, this is a big win for the industry and a great story for the NZX at a time when capital is generally tight.

Richard Taylor World Class New Zealand

Richard Taylor creative director and founder of Weta Workshop and Weta Digital wins the supreme World Class New Zealand award this week.

The most important characteristics to create success in order

1. Passion
2. Enthusiasm
3. Tenacity
4. Talent

John Key at World Class New Zealand

Prime Minister John Key had everyone cracking up as he pulled out an inspirational 15 minutes Wednesday night amidst a fantastic evening last night at the World Class New Zealand Awards, hosted by Stephen Tindalls Kea and NZTE with some amazing New Zealanders being recognised for their contribution to New Zealand and helping take New Zealand to the world. Videos of the winners and more from our coverage very soon.

John Key at the world class new zealand awards.

The Friday Show #6

Here’s the latest friday show episode 6 filmed rocking around Auckland. Sorry a tad behind on posting, but this is the best episode so far, some cool entrepreneurs and businesses like Amplifier, ransfer Car, Huffer, 42 Below, and Loop, and Steve Adams found us a cherry picker on the side of the road to help us create the lead in for the show. Enjoy : )

A day like no other other, and the coolest in life so far, thanks heaps for everyone who shared it together…

When: Friday 6pm AND Saturday All day til sunset

Where: Oriental Parade Beach - You wont be able to miss it

This weeks 20 Metre Fern on Oriental Bay Beach

The 100 Metre Fern on Santa Monica 2 years ago

Made From New Zealand digging Ferns with communities from LA to Wellington…

Making a 20 metre Fern at Oriental Beach

This past Monday night me and James Stewart dug a 20 metre fern on Oriental Parade beach while chatting about a new name for Made From New Zealand. The rest of the crew joined us on Sunny Tuesday morning to work it up into this and have a magic start to the day…

When good people get together…

Photos of the 20 metre Oriental Parade Beach Fern

In this video is: Shobita Jones, Michael Farr, Jordan Daniel Carter, Amiria Paterson, James Stewart and Tim Norton from Made From New Zealand.