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National

Māori entrepreneurs take a step into retail

Māori entrepreneurs, in the Waikato region, launched their very own pop-up shop ONO in the heart of the central city last night.

It is the embodiment of a dream come true for these Māori designers who have a desire to share their products with the world, and it’s an initiative that encourages more Māori businesses to grow and Māori in business is becoming a new trend across the country.

Hine Collection founder and CEO, Miria Flavell (Te Arawa, Taranaki) says, "This is something powerful. Businesses coming together and showcasing what we can offer to the world."

Nichola Te Kiri (Ngāi Tūhoe) CEO of Nichola - Contemporary Māori Designs from Aotearoa adds:

"There's a lot of Māori business starting to happen and are already out there and there's a lot of space for us in this environment. So yeah I think we've got a really good chance, and we should stay with it and flourish."

Two years ago, Flavell had a dream to create an activewear brand, for women of all shapes and sizes now known as Hine Collection. Since then she has released many collections including a Tāne Collection.

Flavell says this Pop-up Shop another goal she has achieved and that anything is possible.

"We are showing so many other aspiring entrepreneurs, aspiring business people, anyone out there that wants to do something like this, that it is possible and its showing. That there's a room full of pākihi Māori in this store that started off from ground zero and have built their businesses to where they are now."

Te Kiri says its hard opening a shop on your own, so by opening a shop with other like-minded Māori makes it easier.

"I think we are a stronger force collectively then we are when we're trying to break into industries and new retail outlets on our own."

She also says that getting into business is hard but staying in business is even harder.

"As long as you're passionate about it, and that passion, I think, will drive through a lot of things especially in those hard times. I also feel that to stay in business is also another level of hardness because you've got to keep reinventing yourself and staying up with the times but again as Māori when we work collectively it helps a lot to get through those hard times as well."

While this is only a temporary pop-up shop these Māori designers hope to see more Māori pop-up shop likes this across the country.

Mitchell Vincent (Ngāti Tūwharetoa) CEO of Mitchell Vincent Collection says, "I really do hope that ono pop-up shop brings that positive vibe around Māori business and encourages others to be able to do the same around the country and to bring other Māori businesses together."

The Ono Pop Up store is open until the 27 December.