I started out my career when I was fifteen at Wilson Henry Sinclair Martin – Barristers & Solicitors. I got an August school holiday job at the firm through my Godmother who was the office accounts manager. At the end of the two week period I was offered a full time position of data processing junior to start as soon as I had completed my school certificate exams. I was also given permission by my school to work one day a week during the last term to gain further work experience. I was there the day the first Wang VS80 computer system was wheeled into the purpose built air-conditioned computer room. They were very exciting times. The firm merged a couple of times & was rebranded to Hesketh Henry.

I left Hesketh Henry for a thirteen month period & worked for Earl Kent Alexander Bennett in the role of Computer Systems Supervisor. The role was a scaled down role of my role at Hesketh Henry. We had recently had Shane, our first child & I needed to spend a little less time at work & more time with my family. When I returned to Hesketh Henry at the age of 22 I secured the newly appointed role of technology manager. Over the following  six years my role evolved to include responsibility for all of the technology within the firm including the 120 pc network running word perfect, internal email & starnet, Data General unix system running CLO trust software, telephone system, cabling, day to day supervision of the data processing, word processing & networking departments & staff, liaison to each workgroup, budgeting, evaluating & sourcing new hardware & software, a member of the management team, & a member of the Lawlink Technology committee & the person responsible for setting the training systems for all of my staff, secretaries, lawyers & our induction programme for new graduates. I was on call 24/7 & was also linked into work via modem – yes the good old dial up!.
 
During this time I also assisted my husband Jeff with our paving and landscaping business which we started when we were twenty. I managed all of the administration functions of the business. Up until 1995 I ran our business part-time alongside my full time career at Hesketh Henry & being a mum to Shane & Jacinta. I couldn’t have achieved the workload if it wasn’t for a fabulous Husband, awesome children, a wonderful family support system especially my mother-in-law who looked after our children & my “A Team” at Hesketh Henry.
 
Although I absolutely loved my work, in 1995 we made the choice for me to be at home with our kids who were eight & two at the time. This also gave me more time to streamline our own business.
 
During this time I found that there was a real shortfall of technology skilled people willing to work in the small to medium size business arena. So when a founded Westside Motivation Ltd in 2003, it seemed a natural process to focus on working alongside entrepreneurs, assisting then with in-house accounting procedures. The ultimate enjoyment for me is being involved with the most awesome people while at the same time having the ability to create my own success. I can make a difference. Our NZ business owners are amazing & we need to embrace our small business culture with open arms. I also have the added bonus of having my son Shane join me recently in the business. He brings complimentary skills to the table & I really enjoy his enthusiasm. Shane was at a training course & bought back the phrase “The thing about going the extra mile is there isn’t much traffic”.

The challenge is to really enjoy the journey & know you are on the right path, even when there isn’t a lot of traffic.