As a mother, digital content creator, company director, wife and former TV presenter, Lou Walker (nee Tyson) is someone who wears many hats. In the past few weeks she's added another one, as Whanganui & Partners' strategic lead - capability. She talked to Mike Tweed about returning to her hometown of Whanganui after 10 years away, and what the future holds.
"I always knew I'd end up back home, but I didn't know when and I didn't know how long it would be for," Walker said.
"We've got a 2-year-old little boy [Te Puuwairua], and the more I was coming home the more I saw the connection he was having with my parents, and what he was missing out on with his cousins.
"Life is just so much easier here. You say you're going to be somewhere and five minutes later you're there.
"You can do so much more in a day."
Walker left for Auckland at the age of 19, a year after graduating from Whanganui High School.
She had been commuting to Palmerston North each day to attend Massey University.
"I got an opportunity to join a modelling agency up there. I just thought, 'Why not?'," Walker said.
"All I knew was that I wanted to move there, I wanted to enrol at Massey on the North Shore, and I was going to get a job in a surf shop."
Later on, she began working at Māori TV, first as a presenter and then in human resources.
And the university study? She graduated with a bachelor of business studies with a major in accounting and a minor in human resource management.
She said she was currently two papers into a masters in business management.
"I'm a sucker for learning. The assignment piece I absolutely dread with a passion, but the learning and readings I enjoy."
The longer she was in Auckland, the more she appreciated the "bird's eye view" of Whanganui.
"To be fair, it's probably been in the last three or four years that I've really noticed how Whanganui has been moving, and it became more attractive for me to move home," Walker said.
"A lot of Aucklanders do have a certain perception of it. Me and my husband moved back and they were like 'Why? Why are you there?'.
"Since then we've had groups of friends come down to stay for the weekend and they're just amazed. One of them even referred to Whanganui as having a similar vibe to Rarotonga. I'd never heard that before.
"This was before it got wet and rainy, obviously."
Prior to her role at Whanganui and Partners, Walker worked at Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui alongside close friend and fellow River City returnee Leigh-Marama McLachlan.
"She's got two boys, and moved home about a year before I did," Walker said.
"I think we both wanted to ensure that our kids have the opportunity to learn about their Whanganuitanga and who they are.
"That's really important, and you can't get that if you're locked up in a concrete jungle, no disrespect to Auckland."
Listening to a talk by Dame Tariana Turia a few years ago had inspired her to continue wearing those many hats, Walker said.
"She talked about a rope, and how we are all intertwined.
"In order for a rope to be strong you need all these different threads. I kind of applied that to myself, in terms of all the different work streams I have and the things I'm interested in.
"I like the TV presenting and modelling side of things, but then I also love the business side. I'm trying to dabble in all these different areas and, by doing that, I really believe you stay away from being tunnel-visioned."
Walker, who is of Te Atihaunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Hinearo and Ngāti Tuera, said another recent development was starting a new company - AkiAki Ltd - with her husband, musician Stan Walker.
Her business training had already been put to good use.
"I'm a bit of nerd when it comes to accounting and things, so I've got the Xero software and I check it every night and reconcile everything. I just love it," Walker said.
"He [Stan] is such a creative, and I'm the admin side of stuff. There you go, there's another hat."
As technology evolved, modelling work gave way to digital content creation, Walker said.
"When I got into modelling, I'm not going to lie, it was about fast cash. I was a student and I needed to earn some money.
"Now I'm working in the social media space, where organisations give me a brief and I send back some ideas, create some content, post it up and get paid.
"I can apply my business background to something like this, and actually generate some good income from it."
The term "influencer" wasn't something that sat comfortably with her.
"Isn't that such a horrible word?
"You need to align yourself with companies that you really believe in, and when I read the brief I make sure it aligns with my values and my family's values.
"I only create content that I believe is genuine and authentic. I don't want to be ripping myself off, you know?"
Walker said she was now seven weeks into her new role, which was vacated by Whanganui & Partners' now-chief executive Hannah Middleton.
There was still a bit of "figuring out who's who and who's doing what", but plans were already in motion.
One of the first things on her agenda was the Pakihi Māori Summit.
"Waha Digital ran two workshops, and within those workshops Māori businesses could come along and learn about digital stuff, and upskill themselves," Walker said.
"There was a 100-person waiting list so, in total, we're talking around 160 different people who were interested in creating their own businesses within Whanganui, who are Māori.
"We thought 'Hey, let's get everyone into one room'. Hopefully the summit will help people understand just what's out there in the community, while keeping things casual and fun."
Outside of work and family time, Walker said running was still her favourite thing to do in Whanganui.
"When I was at Whanganui High School I used to wake up every morning and run the three bridges.
"It's is my thing. Around [Virginia] lake, along the river, it's just me, and it's peaceful.
"For me, Lake Wiritoa is still our best-kept secret. It's beautiful out there, and there are little houses popping up everywhere. I always think 'I just want buy one of you'.
"Mum used to take me and my sister there when we were younger. I've got so many memories. Now I can take my son."
Walker said being involved in a set-up like Whanganui & Partners was a natural fit, because she "authentically and genuinely" believed in the city.
"I'm just really passionate about businesses in all our communities, but I've also got my iwi and my hapū at the front of my mind.
"There's so much opportunity, and to be able to work in a space like this I feel like I'm able to help more, and utilise the skills I've learned.
"We're not spinning lies, Whanganui is the place to be."
Selling her hometown to her husband, who had only visited a couple of times before, was easier than she expected.
"It was actually me who started the 'Are you sure you want to stay here?' conversation, about four months after we arrived," Walker said.
"He just turned around and said 'Yep, I love it here. You need to figure out what you need to figure out, because we're staying'."
