Sign In / Register
Across Silverdale, Ōrewa and Whangaparāoa, women are playing an increasingly visible role in shaping the local economy, creating jobs and contributing to thriving business communities, from sole traders and family businesses to manufacturers, retailers, professional services and community organisations.
Hibiscus Matters asked the leaders of the Coast’s three business associations to share their thoughts on the opportunities, challenges and successes in their roles and working with women across the area.
Tasha Gummer, General Manager, Silverdale Business
One of the best parts of my job is seeing the incredible women building businesses across Silverdale and the wider Hibiscus Coast. Over the past few years, I’ve seen a noticeable increase in women launching businesses, stepping into leadership roles, and backing themselves to pursue opportunities they may not have considered previously.
Women are making a significant contribution to our local economy, and what impresses me most is not the industries they’re in, but the confidence, resilience and determination they bring. Many are creating businesses on their own terms, building teams, employing local people and finding innovative ways to grow.
When a woman succeeds in business, the impact extends well beyond her business itself. It creates jobs, supports families, strengthens our community and often inspires others to take that first step themselves. Running a business isn’t without its challenges, rising costs, staffing pressures, compliance requirements and balancing competing priorities. For women, there can also be the added juggle of family, caregiving responsibilities, and the expectation that they somehow manage it all.
What continues to impress me is the willingness of women to support one another. Through our Women in Business programme, I’ve seen countless examples of women sharing knowledge, opening doors, offering advice and celebrating each other’s successes. The fact that our events sell out tells me there is a real appetite for connection, support and shared experiences. Those connections make businesses stronger, and make our community stronger too.
Hellen Wilkins, General Manager – Destination Ōrewa Beach
Across Auckland’s business associations, female managers far outnumber men. As one of the three female business association managers on the Hibiscus Coast, do I think women bring something different to the role? Yes – but maybe not in the way people might expect.
Business association management spans project management, business development, marketing, advocacy and stakeholder engagement. It requires strategic thinking, relationship building, event management, problem solving and, to be honest, a healthy sense of humour. Multitasking isn’t just helpful; it’s essential. Skills often associated with women, such as empathy, communication, multitasking, collaboration and relationship building, are valuable in this environment. Not because they are typically female traits, but because they help build trust, bring people together and create strong business communities.
In Ōrewa, female entrepreneurs are in every sector. Several are following in the footsteps of their mothers and, in one case, even their grandmother. The days of businesses fitting neatly into “male” and “female” categories are fading, and the gender balance feels more natural than ever. The managers of the Coast associations work closely together, regularly catching up to share ideas, compare notes and troubleshoot issues affecting the wider area and there are plenty of laughs along the way.
For me, the role offers the perfect blend of analytical thinking and human connection. It satisfies the strategic, regulatory and governance side of my brain while also fulfilling my “pink fluffy” side through creating events and experiences for our community. It’s simple things, like looking at a child’s beaming smile when they’re given a balloon animal at an Ōrewa event and thinking “we enabled that smile”. Collectively, that’s why I love what I do.
Julie Whitcombe, Chair – Business Whangaparāoa
I’ve lived on the Whangaparāoa Peninsula since I got my first teaching job here in 2000. After being seconded by the Ministry of Education in 2001, I found myself travelling across Auckland and realised that while I lived in a gorgeous place, I was spending most of my time in the car, so I started my business in 2005 and have been a proud local business owner ever since.
Like me, many Coast business owners find that the most obvious advantage of running a business on our beautiful peninsula is being able to avoid commuting. It gives us the flexibility to make our businesses fit around our busy family and community commitments rather than the other way round. As women business owners, this is a game changer, being there for all the important things and making our time count.
We thrive when we find our tribe and spend time with others who really get it. Our superpower at Business Whangaparāoa is that we’re an enthusiastic bunch of volunteers who all live and run our businesses here, we’re in it with you. Building relationships and making real connections are integral to the way we do business. It’s even in our mission: to show local businesses some T.L.C, helping them Thrive, Learn, Connect. Like many women-led businesses and organisations, our purpose and core values drive us. Proudly being and backing local keeps Whangaparāoa an amazing place to live, love and run a business and that’s good for everyone.
