Summer Questions: Grant Straker on becoming a Slacker

Straker Translations co-founder Grant Straker. Photo / Michael Craig

This year saw Ngati Raukawa-affiliated Grant Straker - a one-time paratrooper who co-founded tech firm Straker Translations with his wife Merryn - join Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s trade mission to the US mid-year, use the downturn to buy-up rivals, expand a major AI partnership with IBM, land a long-term contract with the UN, and collaborate with Microsoft to improve the tech giant’s translation of te reo Māori. Here’s how he sees the year ahead.

How is your business planning to tackle 2023?

Remain nimble, invest in R&D focused on the opportunities as global economies recover.

Do you think the NZ economy will get better or worse in 2023?

Worse.

Do you think the skills crisis will get better or worse in 2023?

Worse.

What are two key things the Government should do for economic recovery?

Free up immigration for specific roles, especially technology ones.

Review the tax system to incentivise investments in growth and innovation rather than housing.

What will be the major challenges or opportunities for your industry?

The big opportunity is around the changing nature of work and the tools people are using and how we leverage this. For example, Slack and Teams becoming the new default workplace and how we can integrate with them to make life easier for customers. The challenge is around the uncertain nature of the global business environment.

What are your predictions for 2023?

The global environment and outlook will be more positive by mid-year.

Super apps like Slack, Team, Zoom and others become a default operating system for business. In tech, Facebook keeps going backwards while Twitter recovers and a lot of startups focus on profit, not growth.

How did the way you work change in 2022? Will you be hybrid working in 2023?

We were able to travel again so was good to personally engage with our teams offshore. Yes, we are hybrid working and expect this to continue, with maybe more time back in the office in 2023.

What’s the worst mistake you’ve made in business?

All growth businesses make mistakes, it’s part of our DNA to allow some failures so we can find what works.

What would you rate as your greatest success in business?

Surviving 22 years running a company with my wife!

Straker with his summer project. Photo / Supplied

What’s your New Year’s resolution?

Finally get the 1973 Mk1 Ford Escort running and back on the road.

What was your first job?

Aircraft engineering apprentice.

What was your worst job?

Picking strawberries.

What series will you be streaming over summer?

I’ll probably read a book instead.

Where are you holidaying this summer?

Sailing in the Bay of Islands.