In 2002, I arrived jobless in NYC having left my corporate law career in New Zealand. I have since been on the founding team of two start ups which both had exits. First was Massive, a gaming ad network which was sold to Microsoft in 2006. Then Victors & Spoils where we pioneered crowdsourcing in an advertising agency. Havas acquired a majority stake in the agency in 2012.

I am now, among other pursuits, a cofounder of Broadli. Broadli is an app designed to support a new, giving-focused approach to networking. I’m also a recent winner of the World Class New Zealand Supreme Award - the youngest recipient to date at 39 years old.

My wins could have easily been losses without the belief that bad days bring out my “inner street fighter”. I have learnt to be ok with never being satisfied with where I am in life and I know that this is key to avoid being miserably unhappy. Ultimately I embrace life as a journey, and a very personal one.

I’ll never fit a cookie cutter but who does? Be brave in accepting that life is not perfect and that challenges may arise at the weirdest of times but that only means that there is infinite potential to grow in any direction you wish. If you dare to ride the wave.