Stretton Unfiltered

Before the justice system ever entered her life, Gail Maney had already survived more than most people face in a lifetime. Domestic violence, poverty, sexual abuse, addiction, and a childhood that never gave her a fair shot. Then in 1997, police charged her with a murder she had absolutely nothing to do with, built on fabricated testimony, witness coercion, and a justice system that failed her at every turn. She was convicted and spent 15 years in prison paying for someone else's crime.

In October 2024, the Court of Appeal quashed her conviction, acknowledging a serious miscarriage of justice. But the court ruling is only part of the story. Gail sits down with Annah to share what prison actually does to a human being, what survival looks like when the barriers existed long before the prison gates closed, and what freedom really feels like when the stigma, the criminal record, and the trauma do not just disappear with an acquittal.

This is a story about resilience, about the cost of injustice, and about one woman who never stopped fighting for the truth.
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Rag Trade To Mag Trade:
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Wise Heart:
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For more than 20 years, Annah Stretton has known Mary Haddock-Staniland not as a political talking point, but simply as a friend.

In this deeply personal and timely conversation, Mary shares her journey as one of New Zealand’s most prominent transgender advocates, media personalities, and diversity leaders, reflecting on identity, belonging, respect, and the emotional impact of seeing transgender lives debated publicly once again.

The discussion explores the wider conversation surrounding New Zealand’s proposed “Definitions of Woman and Man” Amendment Bill, not through political outrage or division, but through lived experience, curiosity, and humanity.

Mary speaks openly about growing up in Matamata, navigating gender dysphoria from childhood, building an international executive career, and the personal cost of constantly having your identity publicly questioned. Together, Annah and Mary unpack the difference between acceptance and respect, why dignity matters, and how everyday conversations shape whether people feel safe, seen, and valued.

This episode is not about sensationalism or ideology. It is about understanding the human being behind the headlines.

A thoughtful, compassionate conversation about identity, kindness, inclusion, and the importance of staying curious in a world increasingly driven by division.
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SHOP OUR BOOKS 📖
Rag Trade To Mag Trade:
Ebook available here
Order the physical book here 📚
Grit Before Grace:
Ebook available here
Order the physical book here 📚
Wise Heart:
Ebook available here
Order the physical book here 📚

She grew up in Te Awamutu, lost a business partner, started over more than once, fought counterfeiters all the way to China's Supreme Court, and built one of New Zealand's most recognised natural lipstick brands sold across Australia, China, the US and beyond.

In this episode of Stretton Unfiltered, Annah sits down with Karen Murrell, the founder behind the iconic Karen Murrell lipstick brand, for a conversation that is as honest as it is inspiring. Karen opens up about the health battles that shaped her resilience, the early careers that quietly built her knowledge of sales, manufacturing and markets, and the moment she Googled how to make skincare in a borrowed computer and launched her first business from scratch.

She shares what it really takes to break into international markets, the hard lessons of the Daigou channel, the counterfeiting battle that cost her years and a fortune, and why designing love notes into every product has always been her point of difference.

This is a conversation about knowing your craft deeply, backing yourself when no one else will, and building something that endures, not just something that sells.

For women in business, for anyone who has had to start again, and for anyone who has ever underestimated how far a good lipstick can travel.
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🌸 Join our VIP page
🌸 www.annahstretton.co.nz

SHOP OUR BOOKS 📖
Rag Trade To Mag Trade:
Ebook available here
Order the physical book here 📚
Grit Before Grace:
Ebook available here
Order the physical book here 📚
Wise Heart:
Ebook available here
Order the physical book here 📚

We have re-recorded this episode in celebration of the Annah Stretton brand turning thirty-four. Thirty-four years of building the Annah Stretton clothing brand is worth celebrating. But behind the brand sits a woman who has never been able to stop at just one idea.

In this episode of Stretton Unfiltered, Annah sits down with her daughter Sami to take an honest look at the ventures that have run alongside the clothing company over the years. The side hustles, the passion projects, the bold swings that did not quite land, and the ones that exceeded every expectation.

This episode unpacks:
A wellness retreat born from attending one and deciding she could absolutely do it herself
Sewing kits that opened doors across Australia but that no one actually wanted to sew
Four Australian stores that never quite clicked with the Aussie beach girl
A magazine empire that cost a fortune but introduced Annah to some of the most remarkable women in the country, including a Prime Minister
A rosé that became the signature drink at every event, even if it never quite made business sense
Olive's Kitchen, brewed on the kitchen bench and now a thriving New Zealand pet wellness brand with a loyal and growing following
RAW, now 12 years in, quietly changing the lives of women coming out of the justice system
Hopefish, opening twice a year for women facing inequality and financial hardship who simply need someone to back them into education.

This is a conversation about what it really means to back yourself, repeatedly, across decades, in spaces well outside your lane. About knowing when to hold on and when to walk away. And about why failure is never the end of the story, it is just the part that teaches you the most.If you are building something of your own, or wondering whether your stumbles are worth it, this one is for you.
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🌸 www.annahstretton.co.nz

SHOP OUR BOOKS 📖
Rag Trade To Mag Trade:
Ebook available here
Order the physical book here 📚
Grit Before Grace:
Ebook available here
Order the physical book here 📚

At 23, he lost a million dollars.
By 24, he was mowing lawns.
What followed was a rebuild from the ground up,  from liquidation talks, bank meetings that changed everything, and a decision to keep going when most people would have stopped.
In this episode of Stretton Unfiltered, we sit down with Matt Stark, property developer behind some of Hamilton’s most recognisable spaces, including Riverbank Lane and MADE in Hamilton East. Matt shares the raw reality behind building a business, the early days of uncertainty, and how a long-term belief in Hamilton’s city centre shaped everything that followed. We explore the $110M deal, the failures that came before success, and why he believes retail, community, and city making are still deeply human at their core.
We explore:
Losing everything in his early 20s and starting again.
The mindset shift from survival to city shaping.
Why Riverbank Lane became a turning point for Hamilton CBD.
The thinking behind MADE and its evolving ecosystem of makers and retailers.
Decisions that prioritised people over profit.
Why relationships, not rent, have driven long-term success.
And what comes next when you’ve already built more than you ever planned.
This is a story about risk, resilience, and rebuilding a city one decision at a time.
Connect with us on socials
🎧 Stretton Unfiltered Instagram
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🌸 Annah Stretton TikTok
🌸 Annah Stretton Instagram
🌸 Annah Stretton Facebook
🌸 Join our VIP page
🌸 www.annahstretton.co.nz

SHOP OUR BOOKS 📖
Rag Trade To Mag Trade:
Ebook available here
Order the physical book here 📚
Grit Before Grace:
Ebook available here
Order the physical book here 📚
Wise Heart:
Ebook available here
Order the physical book here 📚