After 10 months, a sharper focus
After 10 months of highs, lows, and lessons, we’re back with a clearer sense of direction and a sharper focus on what really matters. It’s been challenging. Out of those 10 months, we’ve only broken even six times, but what we’ve learned and the opportunities to do things differently have been invaluable.
Coming into 2026, we have a keener eye and a clearer sense of where we want to go. That clarity has also meant having some honest conversations and being firmer at times. Not every role, culture, or season is a fit for everyone, and that’s okay.
I’ve worked in and genuinely enjoyed work-hard, play-hard cultures in the past. They work well when the conditions are right. Life shifted after having kids, and running a business at this size sharpened our focus. It’s personal, not policy. It’s simply how we show up now. Bigger companies can absorb late nights and slow mornings. When you’re small, lost energy shows up fast and becomes a production killer.
Because of that, we care deeply about the mahi itself. We need people who take pride in what they do, whatever that mahi may be. Sometimes that focus can feel intense, even intimidating. Someone once described us as a bull in a china shop. Fair enough. We’re not trying to be everything to everyone. We’re trying to do the work well and with intention.
We’re making real progress with clients and exploring side projects like Designs by Cass, a new creative venture, and TRB Productions, which will bring fresh media projects to life. We’ve also established a charitable trust, Tū Roa Te Hiku, so we can do funded mahi out in the community, work that gives back and feels meaningful.
On the home front, we’re investing in personal growth as well. Cassandra is pursuing her interior design diploma while also studying te reo Māori at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, and I’m honing our digital marketing strategy through a Diploma in Digital Marketing to better reach the right customers. We’re also committed to nurturing our kids, Kārena and Riria, by exposing them to diverse experiences and opportunities, helping them understand that growth and learning come in many forms.
At the heart of it all, our goal is simple: do mahi that makes us feel good, things we enjoy, so it doesn’t feel like work. Surround yourself with people who feel the same. Jobs are hard. Hobbies are easy. Focus on the things you would do for free, because life is made up of only so many breaths. Make each one count.
Ko te manu e kai ana i te miro nōnā te ngahere, ko te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga nōnā te ao.