Visitors: Ray Freeman and Matt MacMillan
President Lynda:
President Lynda Burch, welcomed guests, Ray Freeman, who has been nominated as a new member to the club and Kat’s husband Matt MacMillan. Pat Taylor is currently doing welfare for the club in Mary's absence. If you anyone wants to visit Ian Burns please call first before visiting.
Birthdays & Anniversaries:
Announcements:
Treasure Art – Wayne Shadbolt
Kathy wished thanked all of our sponsors including Ingham Mora, Kale Print, Craigs, Holland Beckett Law, Signco, Sun Media, The White House Restaurant, Lisa digital, New World Brookfield. Kathy's update indicated that the processes for running Treasured Art has really made things easy.
The auction last week started with bad weather and then a tsunami warning! However, there was a good turnout. With 24 Lots sold and after costs, the profit for the fundraiser was $10-$12,000 to be donated to the Graham Dingle Foundation. Hosting the event at the Tauranga Yachting Club helped a lot, reducing over 40% of the workload for members to organise. So big thank you to the Tauranga Yacht Club for the use of their facility
Reminders
Micelle Beaton – Changeover Dinner, reminder – 8th July. Trinity Wharf 6.30pm
John Carlson – Whisky Tasting - 17th July. Tauranga Yacht Club
16th Ave Theatre - reminder date for the 15th of June
Speaker – Matt McMillan, Mr Ralph Lighting/Naked Design Studio
Rosalie introduced Milan McMillan from Naked Design Studios. Matt has a background in cabinet making in carpentry.
Over 10 years ago Matt packed in his job, with the vision of using traditional skills to make furniture and lighting. As a business they currently sell wooden lamp shades across 20 to 30 shops across New Zealand. All made with sustainable New Zealand sourced wood. The lights are hand crafted, New Zealand made and sustainable.
Matt started his business as a cottage industry with bespoke furniture and lights. As a way to get a name, initially he designed elaborate lights. He really got his launching pad when a friend who was a photographer took photos of the product that gave him the tools to sell his product.
With clever designs, the concept of lighting was produced in New Zealand was born. Matt really got his big chance from a promotion in the Air NZ in-flight magazine. This was a great boost to his business. He's found that there are many problems when running a small business of solving things like branding and boxes and cutting the wood, which he now outsources to CNC, a division of master craft kitchens. This has helped with overcoming the problem of up scaling volume. By outsourcing this has enabled him to expand and also launch into new markets like Australia where they currently have eight shops selling his range.
Matt showed us a video demonstrating his process and products and number of designs. The beauty of this, is its taking New Zealand primary product and adding value to that product. Great for New Zealand from a productivity perspective. Matt has found as a small business owner if you can free up time to work creatively to solve problems and work on the business you can grow the business.
Kat had the great pleasure of thanking your husband for all that he's done on the business that he's developed.
Sergeant Session: Les Garrity
Les gave us a plethora of interesting facts about the human body. Did you know that your eyes blink 20 times per minute, that’s over 10 million times in a yea! You are taller in the morning than you are at night. Did you know that earwax is a type of sweat! We have 8,000 taste buds and the nose produces enough mucus for a cup full every day. Your skin replaces itself every month. You have two and a half million sweat pores and you shed to 30,000 dead skin cells every minute– probably not worth thinking too much about…
The only muscle that never tires is the heart, so make sure you do not break your heart.
Parting thought: Glenn Dougal
‘design is a good idea’
