KEY POINTS:
Jacqui Thomas, the founder of get.ahead.co.nz, talks about an initiative committed to helping Kiwis get ahead financially.
What is Get Ahead and who is it for?
www.getahead.co.nz is an online hub covering four key areas - money, mindset, business and property. It's a one-stop shop aiming to provide the inspiration and motivation, the knowledge and know-how, and the support and network required to get ahead. It's for everyday Kiwis looking for help to get ahead. They may be in debt, and need ideas and support to get out of the hole they are in. They may be working hard but not getting anywhere and want to learn how to be cleverer with their money. Or they may be doing reasonably well financially and be interested in creating extra income streams.
What does www.getahead.co.nz offer new members who sign up?
We believe anyone can get ahead financially with the right knowledge and the support of a great team around them. This is essentially what we provide. Get Ahead members receive fresh knowledge each week from our team of professional experts and business partners, and access to all the benefits of the members' area where they can connect with like-minded people, ask experts questions, find events and seminars, and become part of the Get Ahead community.
Who's behind Get Ahead and who are the experts involved with it?
It evolved from my journey, when I set out a year ago to clear more than $100,000 of debt and make $1 million. While I didn't achieve the $1m mark, I cleared my debt and learnt a lot along the way from talented professionals and business people. An impressive line-up of professional experts and business partners in finance, business, property and mindset provide the knowledge content and are accessible to members. They range from accountants and lawyers to specialists in business and property and motivational gurus. They are all committed to sharing their knowledge in a down-to-earth way, in order to help Kiwis New Zealanders get ahead.
What sort of topics are being covered by the Get Ahead project?
The content is wide-ranging, with four new topics covered every week. Recent topics include: how to create a website that makes you money; top tips on renovating property for profit; how to get the most out of your accountant; ways to reduce your mortgage repayments; valuing your intellectual property; and the art of feeling lucky.
Is it true that you need money behind you to make more money?
No. I managed to get ahead from being stuck in debt and didn't have money to enable me to do this. Wealthy people make money through knowledge and people contacts. This levels the playing field, as we all have the ability to invest time into increasing our knowledge and building contacts. These are areas Get Ahead can help with.
What top tips do you have to share with others for getting ahead?
Forget about what everyone else is doing and focus on your personal strengths, skills and opportunities: look for ways to add value. Knowledge is power: work on increasing your knowledge. You can't play the game successfully by yourself: build a quality network of people. Often your challenges bring your greatest opportunities: look to turn adversity into an advantage. Always be true to yourself: there's more than one right way to achieve success, so choose the way that feels right for you.
Jacqui Thomas has teamed up with the Herald on Sunday to offer 10 free annual memberships (each worth $297) to www.getahead.co.nz Simply email your name, address and daytime contact number to andrea.milner@ heraldonsunday.co.nz with Get Ahead in the message box.
