Super Creative

Today on the podcast I speak to Jen Jones - founder of New Zealand Design Week. She’s also a construction manager by profession, entrepreneur, and speaker. Jen is a woman who wears many hats.

Jen has spent almost 15 years delivering complex commercial and infrastructure projects, managing builds up to $300 million, while also carving out a voice in sustainable construction and considered living.

In 2023, alongside her construction work, Jen founded Auckland Design Week, which has now evolved into New Zealand Design Week. Created to give designers a platform to connect, collaborate, and be seen, NZDW has quickly evolved into a nationally recognised event.

In this conversation we talk about Jen’s journey from construction into events, the realities of building something from scratch, what it takes to scale an idea, and the bigger ambition behind New Zealand Design Week. This is a conversation about vision, resilience, commercial thinking and backing yourself, even when the market is tough.
Jen makes me feel motivated. She backs herself. She is not afraid to put herself out there. There is an incredible drive and capacity for work, but also real clarity about why she is doing it. She is a true example of “just start” - even when the goal feels massive.

I loved my kōrero with Jen and I know you will too.

After this conversation, find NZ Design Week at nzdesignweek.com and @nzdesignweek on Instagram.

Right, let’s get on with the show.

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Today on the podcast I speak to Cherie Metcalfe, founder of Pepper & Me – a Tauranga based food brand that believe food should be bold, exciting and never a chore. Their salts, sauces, and seasonings are designed to make cooking easier and bring big flavour to every meal.

Pepper & Me grew from Cherie’s background as a chef and a very practical idea. Helping people cook great food at home without overcomplicating it. Built on the idea that good food should be simple, flavourful and accessible, the business has grown to include a range of more than 80 products, cookbooks, and a highly engaged online community.

In this conversation, Cherie shares the story behind the brand’s growth, from its early beginnings through to becoming a well-recognised name in New Zealand households.

What I loved about this conversation is how open, funny and down-to-earth Cherie is. She’s incredibly generous with her story, an open book when it comes to the realities of building a business, and very clear on the values that underpin everything Pepper & Me does. That authenticity comes through strongly in the way she talks about community, trust, and the importance of connection over constant selling.

I loved my kōrero with Cherie and I know you will too.

After this conversation, visit the Pepper & Me website at www.pepperandme.co.nz and find @pepperandme on Instagram.
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In this episode, I’m joined by interior designer and founder of Gezellig Interiors, Annique Heesen. At the heart of Gezellig is the idea of creating spaces that speak to the soul.

Annique first joined me in November 2020, just over five years ago, right at the very beginning of Super Creative. So much has changed since then, and this felt like the perfect moment to sit down and catch up.

In this conversation, Annique shares what the last five years have looked like, from growing her studio, to refining the type of work she wants to do and the way she wants to work. We talk about building a values-led creative practice, the importance of trust and creative freedom with clients, and why great design starts with understanding how people actually want to live.

We also talk about leadership and team building, learning to let go of control, making space for deep creative work, and the lessons that come with experience, motherhood and time.

Once again, this is a thoughtful, generous and deeply reflective conversation about creativity, business and family. Annique’s original episode resonated strongly with listeners, and I know so many of you will take a lot from this follow-up.

I loved my catch up kōrero with Annique and I know you will too.

After this conversation, make sure you are following @gezellig_interiors on Instagram. And then head to gezelliginteriors.com to be inspired by incredible spaces that speak to the soul.
(The 100 Series is a collection of conversations revisiting previous podcast guests to celebrate the milestone of 100 Super Creative episodes.)
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Today on the podcast, I’m joined by Katey Mandy, founder and CEO of Raaie, a New Zealand made skincare brand combining powerful land, sea and alpine botanicals from Aotearoa with modern cosmeceutical science.

Katey first joined me in July 2023, when Raaie was just a year into business, and honestly, I could not believe it has only been two years. So much has happened for Raaie in that time.

In this conversation, Katey shares what’s changed since we last spoke, from expanding the product range and growing the team, to relocating back to London and building the brand on a truly global stage. We talk about what it takes to scale with intention, including investment, structures and systems, and the realities of supporting major retail partnerships like Sephora.

Katey also takes us deep into brand, strategy and storytelling, including how she built a clear framework from day one and why consistency matters. We discuss customer retention, loyalty and relationship building, and some of the biggest lessons she’s learned as the business has matured.

Once again, Katey is the most wonderful open book. The feedback from her first episode was so incredible and I know there will be similar thoughts on this one. This is an honest, behind the scenes conversation and it is full of insight for anyone building a product-based business, especially if you’re thinking beyond New Zealand.

I loved my catch up kōrero with Katey and I know you will too.

After this conversation, make sure you are following @raaieskincare on Instagram. And then head to raaieskincare.com to learn more about this award-winning brand and of course, shop some beautiful skincare.

(The 100 Series is a collection of conversations revisiting previous podcast guests to celebrate the milestone of 100 Super Creative episodes.)

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A random little solo episode from me reflecting on the year that has just been, sharing some business lessons that I have l learnt from the women I have had on the podcast this year and looking ahead to 2026. Happy holidays! Thank you so much for listening to, and supporting, Super Creative. x Catie

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