"As we look back at that date and everything that has transpired in between, it seems a massive surprise that we are still trading."
When the effects of Covid hit and the business was struggling, Rau and Jack credit tautoko from other Gisborne businesses as the main reason they are still operating after Covid-19 restrictions.
"Our ability to stay in the game has been assisted by the awesome team we have around us," she said.
"When cash flow was starting to look non-existent, we communicated verbally and via email our financial position and stepped out payment plans moving forward.
"As each creditor gave us their support we were able to slowly move forward to try and claw back our business."
Rau and Jack are grateful to every company that supported them through Covid.
The couple moved back to Tairāwhiti in 2009 to be closer to whānau.
Rau attributes her never-give-up work ethic to her late father John Manuel.
While Jack was involved in logging around the East Coast for 11 years, Rau had left her job at Countdown five years ago to help the family business.
She started doing just administration, but Jack had other plans.
"I wanted Rau to know all aspects of this business," he said.
"If all of a sudden I pass away, I want to know that it should be safe and she could carry on."
Rau has worked hard to learn everything about their logging business: spending weekends with mechanics to learn about maintenance, learning to drive trucks, and creating working relationships with creditors.
She became the main point of contact for the business and said her once-admin role is now a lot more hands-on.
"Getting a phone call from one of our drivers coming through Tolaga Bay, to let me know he will be out of driving hours, I let him know to meet me at Okitu.
"I swap over with him and take the truck, unload at the port then trailer up, fuel up then take it back to the yard," Rau said.
"One of our truck and trailer units requires a new COF, I take on that responsibility so Jack can double shift our second truck.
"I take the unit to our mechanic and work alongside him on the tools to prepare our unit for compliance."
Rau and Jack say J & R Log Haulage still hasn't financially recovered from Covid.
"We haven't recovered from 2020, we are still vulnerable to the turbulence that comes with operating a business," Rau said.
The couple says there's a silver lining from the double challenge of Covid restrictions and having to move operations to Rotorua - it has given the business resilience that will take them far into the future.
