Jonique Oli
Owner, Waiapu Road
eCommerce/Retail, Hastings

 
Kim: Jonique is doing incredibly well in today’s economic landscape and we’ve been able to apply great strategic oversight to Jonique’s continuing journey. We’ve anchored her vision with an overarching strategy to achieve her business aspirations.

By working together to complete her business plan, an action list was generated of her work-ons including brand elevation through refining her brand story. I believe in strategy for meaningful impact so it’s important to have tangible actions to empower execution and success which also makes it easy to review and measure to ensure you’re on track.

We trust each other and are very transparent in our work together which I believe is vital in any coaching/client relationship. Jonique would often say ‘every time I’m in a meeting with you, you just fix everything!’ because I triage fast and am able to rattle off advice and ideas quickly.

We’ve framed some firm messaging and strategy around leveraging opportunities through her loyal existing customer base, identifying opportunities for diversification while staying true to her brand, innovating product lines, and learning about knowing when to pull the necessary levers depending on what the retail market is doing and how important it is for the owner to stay locked in and on task.

Owners need to support business growth strategically, making smart decisions on where to focus time, money, and resources. Core focuses have been elevating Jonique’s business for scale – she’s a true entrepreneur and has done incredibly well.

Key areas within that focus include; strengthening business growth strategies with a clear approach, embedding solid processes for working on the business – including effective management meetings and decision-making structures, and ensuring sustainable growth so the business can thrive beyond just her as the founder (without making that the headline).

Like many sole owner operators, financial literacy can be a real minefield, so we’ve linked the dots around knowing the numbers better so they become the levers and drivers of working smarter, not harder.

Where Jonique is today circles back to the extensive work we’ve done on her business aspirations, reflection on what works and doesn’t work, advising on the importance of establishing good relationships with manufacturers and how to deal with offshore manufacturers and onshore suppliers – especially around pricing and negotiation.

I’ve also been able to help Jonique bring on an additional team member – making sure they are onboarded correctly and setting clear expectations required of an owner with their staff so that Jonique can continue to work on the key parts of the business that actually add to growth.

Jonique: I had a business before, but this was the first business that I had truly built from scratch on my own. I was doing really well, but I needed some guidance on how to get to the next level.

I was introduced to Kim at a Konei event when I was asked to be a panellist for them in Auckland in 2022. When I got back, I sent her an email, she had some availability, we met on Zoom, and I loved her straight away!

I needed someone who is firm, who is direct, but I also needed someone who understood me because I didn't know what the next step was. The first time that I met her as a mentor, I got that from her straight away. She was clear, but she was also really caring. I felt like I had someone on my team who was really going to bat for me, that really wanted the best for me.

Kim advises me on my strategic business priorities so I am focused on how to best grow the business and where to spend my time. She got me working on the business plan, helped me hire a staff member, guides me on what questions to ask my accountant, advises on product innovation and marketing, finding business leads, and everything in between!

She helped educate me on the finance side of things – making sure that all my products are priced at the correct rate and, more importantly, that financially my business is performing as it should be.

Having Kim as my business mentor has been an absolute game-changer for Waiapu Road. Her guidance, experience, and unwavering support have helped me navigate the challenges of growing my brand.

She keeps me accountable in the best way – pushing me to stay focused and take action while always having my back.

She’s not just a mentor; she’s a true champion of my vision, offering the perfect balance of tough love and genuine encouragement.

Sometimes I get away with myself and she brings me back to earth or she motivates me and gives me the courage to be able to step out of my comfort zone. So, Kim is just the perfect balance.

She is also just a great person to talk to. I might be just having a vent, and she’s there listening, and understanding, and I need that.

One of the things that I mentioned to her in that first meeting was that it's just me and my business. I've done so well building it on my own but I don't have anyone to help me make hard decisions.

Thanks to her insights into e-commerce, branding, and strategy, I’ve gained the clarity and confidence to take Waiapu Road to new heights. I’m incredibly grateful for her mentorship and highly recommend her to anyone looking to elevate their business.

Running a business on your own is tough, but because she knows what my goals are, she's able to be that sounding board for me and create that space for me to make strategic and clear decisions. Kim’s another voice in my head. Often I think, ‘Oh, would Kim think that's a good idea or not?’

I'll never want to not work with Kim! She's amazing. We meet once or twice a month but she is always just a phone call or an email away. She's always there for me and I really love that.