I am the local area representative for Baycorp and operate as an independent contractor.
My role involves new business, account management for current clients, and credit management advice. Being on the ground in Rotorua enables me to personally assist local businesses in the area of debt resolution and credit management in a more hands on role than other agencies can offer.
What do you love about your job?
I really love being able to help businesses and individuals resolve a problem they may have.
I have had instances of clients coming to see me who have been desperate to achieve a result as it has meant the survival of their own business. To be able to help them achieve that is particularly rewarding.
I also enjoy helping businesses protect themselves against the weight and worry of bad debts before it becomes an issue for them. As I say to them, please don't tear your own hair out over a problem, I don't mind as I don't have much left anyway!
What motivated you to get into the industry?
Having a background in fines enforcement for the Justice Department gave me a great foundation to be able to move into the private sector and where better to be able to transfer that knowledge and experience than with Baycorp.
Baycorp was a young, growing company at the time, and the challenge of this new environment was particularly attractive to me. It is a job where you are always learning and even after over 20 years in the industry new situations arise regularly.
What do you love about Rotorua?
The smell! No, seriously it has never bothered me as I have a particularly poor sense of smell.
Seriously though, we both love the central location to the lakes, the beach and the forest.
I had an Auckland colleague ask me where a motel was close to Rainbow Springs so they didn't have to travel far. I simply said "all of them".
That is one of the things I love about Rotorua, you can travel from one side of town to the other in minutes, and you can pop home for lunch, take the dog for a walk in the forest or go for a swim in the lake in summer within a few minutes of getting home after work.
I also have to say it is one of the most welcoming and friendly places in the country.
Tell us three things about yourself most people wouldn't know?
As a baby I was pushed in my pram over the Auckland Harbour Bridge the day it opened.
I hate saunas and massages
I don't do Facebook (yet!).
