Latest news with #Audacious
Otago Daily Times
5 hours ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Kitchen-born company shares recipe for success
A beverage company with beginnings in the kitchen of a Dunedin student flat has credited a now two decades-old initiative as paving the way for its success. Cheeky Hard Iced Tea was joined by fellow businesses PledgeMe and PocketSmith at the University of Otago's School of Business yesterday for an event hosted by Startup Dunedin celebrating the past 20 years of student startups. All were involved in the organisation's Audacious startup programme — a Dunedin City Council-sponsored initiative for University of Otago and Otago Polytechnic students to help start their own business, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Co-founders Brendan Yielder and Olivier Despatis were Audacious winners in 2020. The pair had both lived in Canada and noticed a gap in the New Zealand market for alcoholic iced tea, which culminated in the beverage business. The recipe was conceived in the kitchen of their student flat, Mr Yielder said. Now celebrating its five-year anniversary, the company supplies about 1000 liquor stores nationwide. Audacious had been "super important" when building the business in the beginning. "It was a really good foundation for us to go out and execute on our idea, a really good starting point." They initially launched the product at the 2020 Dunedin Craft Beer and Food Festival, where they sold out of 400 litres halfway through the event's second day, he said. "We were right there on the turf next to some really big brands that we looked up to. "I'm not sure that if we were starting out in Auckland, say, we would have been given that shot." Their first production run of 30,000 cans was done at a local brewery, before a full-scale launch at O Week in 2021. Everybody knew each other in Dunedin and there were "amazing connections" who were keen to help, Mr Yielder said. Their sales in Dunedin gave retailers around the country the confidence to give them a chance. "Dunedin was just the right size for us to figure out how to do this." Startup Dunedin general manager Rachel Butler said there were many "touch points" within the university and Dunedin life that helped students to build a startup. As well as Audacious, the Bachelor of Entrepreneurship introduced in 2022 was another way the university had backed entrepreneurship in the city. Ms Butler said if students were willing and able, Dunedin was the easiest place in New Zealand to build a network. "People are sincerely interested and believe the next great idea may come from a student while they're studying."
See - Sada Elbalad
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
The "Pretty Woman" Necklace: An Eternal Cinematic Icon In The World Of Jewelry
Waleed Farouk The Vivienne Ward necklace, worn by Julia Roberts in the 1990 film "Pretty Woman," is one of the most iconic pieces of jewelry in cinematic history. Designed by French jewelry house Fred Joaillier, this exquisite necklace features 23 pear-shaped rubies surrounded by diamond-studded hearts, set on an 18-karat white gold base. The necklace was originally valued at approximately $250,000 and was heavily guarded during filming, with an armed guard from the jewelry store behind the camera at all times. This necklace has become a symbol of romance and elegance, especially after the famous scene in which Richard Gere opens the box in front of Julia Roberts, prompting her spontaneous reaction that became an iconic moment in the film. The popularity of this necklace continued after the film's release, with Fred launching the "Pretty Woman" collection, featuring designs inspired by the original necklace, including the "Audacious" necklace in white gold, set with eight heart-shaped rubellites and 554 diamonds. It can be transformed into multiple jewelry pieces, such as earrings and a brooch. The "Pretty Woman" necklace is an example of how cinema has influenced the world of fashion and jewelry, transforming it from a piece of art into a cultural icon that transcends the silver screen. read more 15 Ludicrous Cosplay Costumes That Will Blow You Away Watch... Dorra's natural beauty will blow your mind in latest photo session Exercising For As Little As 150 Minutes A Week Will Make You Happier، Study Claims ARIES: Your Horoscope for April 7 FDA Now Considers Vaping A Rising Epidemic In High School Lifestyle How to make Dried salted fish (feseekh) -By Chef El-Sherbini Lifestyle Batarekh Dip & Sardine Dip Lifestyle Best of Easter cookie and cakes Lifestyle ARIES friendship News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies
Otago Daily Times
16-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Fingers in pies aplenty for entrepreneur
Start counting the various groups and organisations Madison Duffy is involved in and you quickly start to run out of fingers. But there is a common thread; Ms Duffy (23), who is completing a bachelor of entrepreneurship at the University of Otago, is passionate about entrepreneurship, and that flows through to all her extra-curricular activities. She has recently been appointed operations assistant for the Global Entrepreneurship Network (NZ), the national affiliate of the Global Entrepreneurship Network which operates programmes in 200 countries. The organisation is aimed at making it easier for anyone, anywhere to start and scale a business. The New Zealand arm — which is a not-for-profit trust — was founded in 2019 to connect and grow the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Ms Duffy was excited about her new role, which would be remote — meaning she could continue to be based in Dunedin, a city she fell in love with while visiting a friend. Originally from Tauranga, Ms Duffy moved to Wellington in 2021 to study at Victoria University, but she found it was not the best fit for her. Spinal surgery, due to a congenital condition, meant she took a break from study as 28 screws and two rods were inserted in her spine. Later, while visiting a friend, she was captivated by the city and the university campus and decided to "take a leap of faith" and move south. Studying politics, economics, finance and management were all subjects that interested her, along with a minor in sustainable business. She also quickly got involved in the city's entrepreneurship ecosystem. Growing up, she loved business studies at secondary school and was involved in the long-running Young Enterprise Scheme for two years. She loved the environment of building a business and learning all the different aspects involved. The first year in the scheme, her company made recycled glass cheeseboards featuring an image of Mount Maunganui, followed by bamboo straws the second year. Last year, she did the Audacious business challenge with a business idea for accessible period products for those with mobility issues. This year, she is co-president of the newly-established Student Innovation Collective — which she hoped would be around for a long time — set up to bridge the gap between the polytechnic and university, and wider ecosystem, and running the likes of networking events and pitch nights. She also did a workshop with The King's Trust Aotearoa New Zealand several weeks ago and enjoyed being with a broad range of both students and non-students with different business ideas. She is also back to Audacious this year, her project looking at whether one platform for entrepreneurs and funders to go to and find everything they needed was viable. And then there is Momentum, the national student-led investment committee programme which provides access to advice, connections and investment opportunities to students and start-ups throughout New Zealand. She has been on that committee for about a year and she enjoyed the mix of students and industry professionals. If that was not enough, then she was also a volunteer with drug checking service provider Know Your Stuff, and has a part-time job. Ms Duffy acknowledged it could be a challenge finding a balance with all her studies, along with extra-curricular activities but she seemed able to do it, despite her planner being "very full all the time". "I'm doing something I'm really passionate about and really enjoy and it doesn't feel like hard slog. I know myself a lot better and what I need to do to maintain that balance," she said. Hopefully she would finish her degree at the end of the year and, while she was still keeping her options open, there was a possibility of doing a master's degree in sustainable business next year. Eventually, she would like to work in sustainable consulting or sustainable policy, and having her own business or women-led business for that would be her goal In the meantime, she said she had found the "perfect place" to be in Dunedin, and she had been inspired by other entrepreneurs in the city, such as the "gin ladies" behind Dunedin Craft Distillers. A university paper on social and sustainable entrepreneurship involved field trips to Southern Youth Development and Cargill Enterprises, which she particularly enjoyed. "Just seeing how business can be for good as well as profit — there doesn't have to be the trade," she said. This week, Ms Duffy received a top student award for that work which she was delighted about, particularly as it was her preferred area of business.
