Developing Leadership, Resilience
and Personal Growth
Friday 7 May 2027, Auckland
Friday 21 May 2027, Christchurch
Latest Issue – Spring 2026
Christine Kearney on Resilience, Leadership and Finding Opportunity in a Tough Economy
Long before boardrooms, Christine Kearney trained in ballet: a discipline built entirely on making difficulty look effortless. It’s a fitting origin story for a woman who has spent her career perfecting the same art in business. She cut her teeth in five-star hospitality, starting her hotel career at The Ritz […]
How To Become A Better Negotiator
Thirty years in technology sales have taught Sita Proud that negotiation is not a boardroom event. It is a mindset, and women are better equipped for it than they think. Sita Proud learned to negotiate at about ten years old, in a saree shop in India, watching her mother commit […]
Building and Maintaining Resilience
Sixteen years ago Di Foster was given twelve months to live and told to put her affairs in order. She declined, had a chat with Death over green tea, and built a framework for living intentionally instead. Di Foster opened by admitting that the six-year-old inside her, the one who […]
The Power of Doing Less Better
Wendy Nowell-Usticke has spent long enough in beauty to know when an industry is overcomplicating things. In a world that thrives on excess, multi-step routines, endless launches and ever-changing trends, she has found herself moving in the other direction. That shift did not come from trend forecasting or a sudden […]
From Setback to Strength: The Second-Half Mindset
“You Win or Lose in the Second Half.” For Lisa Oakley, founder of People Associates, the second half isn’t about age or timing — it’s about renewal. It’s proof that you can rebuild, reimagine, and rise stronger from the toughest seasons. The first half might knock you down or strip […]
Growing Success With Joanna Hoeft, Director at Studio Italia
How do you define effective leadership, and how has your definition evolved over time? Effective leadership can be defined as the ability to inspire and guide individuals or teams towards achieving common goals. Over time, my understanding of effective leadership has evolved to encompass not just the ability to direct, […]
Sharing the secrets of the most exclusive experiences. Sponsored by Spy Valley.
A Taste of Harmony in the Heart of Auckland
From the moment you step off the cobbled lane into the rough-hewn mass punctuated with a constellation of sleek, irregularly-shaped windows, it’s clear that The Hotel Britomart is much, much more than just your regular city hotel. It seems its creators – the same folks that curated the heritage precinct […]
Wharekauhau Country Estate: A Rugged Haven of Luxury and Nature
Nestled amidst the breathtaking landscapes of Wairarapa’s Palliser Bay, Wharekauhau Country Estate embodies a dreamy fusion of luxury, relaxation, and nature. The 3,000-acre property, named “place of knowledge” in te reo Māori, provides discerning travelers with the ultimate Kiwi getaway, combining a warm, personalized service with the untamed beauty of […]
Christchurch, It’s Time You Got Your Morning Rave In This Friday
There was a time when raves were exclusively a night time activity, preferably on a Friday night. But who says fun should be relegated to after work. Why not start the day right and get energised for the rest of what the workday has to bring with a Morning Rave […]
The inspiration you need for your next home.
Take it Easy With a Low Maintenance Home
There is something very satisfying about getting that new season to do list checked off, so what if we told you there was a way to cut back the list so you can get it ticked off as quickly as possible. When building a new home you have the unique […]
The Benefits Of Building New
It is often assumed that purchasing an existing home is cheaper than building new. Building your own space uniquely designed to your needs is often thought of as an expensive dream, rather than a potential reality. International research shows that twice as many people would prefer to live in a […]
The hottest home trends for 2026
Whether you are embarking on a new build or looking to refresh your current sanctuary, 2026 is the year of the “mood.” Moving away from the clinical whites of previous decades, the modern New Zealand home is embracing texture, depth, and a touch of secret luxury. To understand this shift, […]
How To Become A C-Suite Leader
Naomi Ballantyne – Defining C-Suite Leadership with Substance Over Status She opened with humour. “I’m retired, so this might be my last chance to speak to an audience like this before ChatGPT takes over from me,” she said. “I am also grateful for the chance to get out of jeans […]
Danu Abeysuriya – Using AI To Make Yourself Irreplaceable
Danu Abeysuriya is the founder and CTO of Rush Digital. Under his technical leadership Rush has delivered large scale platforms and applied AI systems used by millions, including software used daily by one in ten New Zealanders. He is known for turning cutting edge research into practical products and for […]
Movement as the Language of Resilience
Mariele Klering – Movement as the Language of Resilience Mariele Klering stood on the Journey to Excellence stage to share a deeply personal story about resilience. But she quickly made it clear that this was not going to be a theoretical discussion. “What do you do when thinking stops helping? […]
Journey To Excellence Galleries
Auckland Friday 15 June Gallery
On Friday 15 June 2018 M2woman continued the conversation on gender diversity and pay equity in the workplace. Over 200 invited guests descended upon the Pullman Hotel for an afternoon of conversation and discussion. Here’s the official photographs from the event:
Friday 15 February 2019 Forum Gallery
Friday 15 February, 2019 Cordis Hotel, Auckland> The Panelists Vanessa Sorenson Enterprise Director at Microsoft Vanessa has more than two decades’ experience in the New Zealand tech sector. She joined Microsoft New Zealand in 2017 as Enterprise Director, overseeing a large portfolio of business customers and sales teams after a […]
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