Developing Leadership, Resilience
and Personal Growth
Friday 7 May 2027, Auckland
Friday 21 May 2027, Christchurch
Latest Issue – Spring 2026
Business Is Better Because of People
Samantha Stewart runs a 45-year-old import and distribution business with a philosophy borrowed from the sports field, a bell named Tinker, and a firm belief that the art of leadership is to let others shine. “People are quick to say business would be easier without people,” says Samantha Stewart, General […]
Miraka Davies on Building & Maintaining Resilience
Miraka Davies opened the Journey To Excellence stage with a waiata and a rebrand, then spent half an hour demonstrating that resilience has nothing to do with keeping it together. The first thing Miraka Davies did as keynote speaker was introduce herself, which was awkward, because she was also the […]
New Zealand has a bountiful gin scene. Here are a few of our favourites this season.
New Zealand has a bountiful gin scene. Here are a few of our favourites this season. National Distillery Company: Grass and Leaf Gin The NDC Grass and Leaf focuses on kaffir lime leaf and lemongrass. The pour shows a distinct viscosity, a sign of botanical density. On the nose, the […]
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 […]
Business Is Better Because of People
Samantha Stewart runs a 45-year-old import and distribution business with a philosophy borrowed from the sports field, a bell named Tinker, and a firm belief that the art of leadership is to let others shine. “People are quick to say business would be easier without people,” says Samantha Stewart, General […]
The Billion Dollar Leadership Journey
For Michelle Herlihy, CEO of Speirs Finance Group, leadership begins and ends with people. Michelle runs a near $1 billion lending business that supports thousands of New Zealand companies, yet when she describes her role, the financial metrics come second. The real work, she says, is human. “I would sum […]
Sharing the secrets of the most exclusive experiences. Sponsored by Spy Valley.
Behind the Super Exclusive Club The Famous Booze And Shmooze At
The rich and famous have to let their hair down somewhere without getting mobbed. The Soho House caters to this very specific need, offering an oasis from the riff raff. It’s at this club with its very own designer furniture that Megan and Harry would frequent during their dating phase. […]
7 Easy Ideas for Outdoor Entertaining this Winter
Stay cosy and comfortable outdoors when entertaining over the colder months with these simple tips… Just because the winter season is on our doorstep, doesn’t mean you have to give up your outdoor entertainment. In fact, the colder weather is an excellent opportunity to host special outdoor soirees that your […]
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 […]
Style
Lucky Lucky – Sylvester’s High Winter ’26 collection
Sylvester’s High Winter ’26 collection is out and this season is themed around luck. Primarily because this marks the fashion house’s first full year of running. So far they’ve released eight collections and they have no intention of slowing down. I just want to know what the dog’s name is.
R.M. Williams: Bringing You Summer
R.M. Williams is embracing the spirit of summer with a stylish new collection that combines practicality and flair. The range features a variety of warm-weather footwear, designed for comfort and durability, alongside lightweight apparel perfect for those sun-filled days. To complete the look, the collection also includes adventure-ready accessories, ensuring […]
Recline With Taylor
Summer has been really packing it in early this year. So why not start looking forward to more snuggly outfits a little early with Taylor who are spinning up their Winter 2026 collection with Recline by taylor, a capsule cotton-cashmere collection. For Winter 2026, Taylor explores the Latin word Lacuna, […]
The inspiration you need for your next home.
What Kitchen Aesthetic Matches Your Style?
Designing a kitchen can be thought of in two steps, the practical side of where everything goes and how it functions, and the pretty side where you can make it your own with colours, hardware and all the little touches. With the pretty side having so many options, we decided […]
Q & A with August & Co Design interior designer Hayley Dryland – Designing Luxury That Lasts
For Hayley Dryland, timeless design isn’t just a bit of marketing buzz, it’s the foundation of every project she takes on at August & Co. She’s not interested in ripping out a bathroom because a tile has fallen out of fashion and is a hue or two out of favour […]
Designed to Work for You
G.J. Gardner has an extensive range of home plans to suit all kinds of families and lifestyles. What makes them different, however, is GJ’s plans give you real flexibility as they are designed using a system that allows them to be easily modified, without incurring huge expense. So, whether you […]
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? […]
Michelle Batchelor (Née Preston) – How To Become A C Suite Leader
Michelle Batchelor is the CEO of Life Plus NZ, Preston and Blythe, and Little Life, with deep experience across healthcare, staffing, and recruitment. Before the boardroom she competed internationally as Michelle “Pressure” Preston, winning multiple titles across Muay Thai and boxing. She pairs high performance habits with practical people leadership […]
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 […]
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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