Company of schoolgirls scoops enterprise award

They own a prize-winning company, they're off to a national trade fair, they're raking in the dosh - and they're all still at school.

Northland's latest business success is a four-girl team from Whangarei Girls' High School whose company, Precious Paua, scooped top honours at recent Young Enterprise Scheme awards.

The year-12 students - Chloe Grantham, Rebecca Anderson, Kristina Deane and Keely Gadd - hit on the idea of making and selling jewellery when they spotted "a bit of paua lying around".

Market research that included grilling potential customers in downtown Whangarei led to five necklace designs retailing at $8 to $15 each.

Rebecca, like any good finance director, was coy about the company's mark-up and the number of sales. However, she knew the company had so far banked $1116, plus $2700 in prize money.

Even after paying tax and handing over the school's share of the winnings, that leaves plenty to be divvied among four director-shareholders.

Rebecca said her stake would "definitely go into the bank". Communications director Kristina, on the other hand, planned to go shopping.

All agreed the scheme had given them skills such as time management, problem-solving and report writing. Human resources management proved the toughest part of running a business, after they had to fire one of the directors.

Managing director Chloe put their win down to market research and the effort that went into their annual report.

The Young Enterprise Scheme aims to teach business skills to secondary school students.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE