Nicky Davis didn’t set out to run a gym - but when her sister asked her to help open F45 One Tree Hill, she brought her teaching instincts and deep care for people into the fitness world. Six and a half years later, the studio has become more than a place to work out: it’s a vibrant, ego-free community that reflects the heart of Onehunga.

In this episode, Nicky shares her journey from early childhood education to becoming the operational force behind one of New Zealand’s top-performing F45 studios. She talks about navigating business challenges like COVID lockdowns, building a team culture based on trust and openness, and the unique character of Onehunga as a business hub.

We also hear about leadership lessons, bust some myths about fitness (especially for women), and what it takes to maintain a supportive gym environment in a changing suburb.

SOCIAL LINKS:
Follow Amanda Wellgreen on LinkedIn.
Follow Business Onehunga on LinkedIn, Facebook & Instagram

Follow Onehunga FM on LinkedIn, Facebook & Instagram

Nicky Davis didn&rsquo;t set out to run a gym - but when her sister asked her to help open F45 One Tree Hill, she brought her teaching instincts and deep care for people into the fitness world. Six and a half years later, the studio has become more than a place to work out: it&rsquo;s a vibrant, ego-free community that reflects the heart of Onehunga.
In this episode, Nicky shares her journey from early childhood education to becoming the operational force behind one of New Zealand&rsquo;s top-performing F45 studios. She talks about navigating business challenges like COVID lockdowns, building a team culture based on trust and openness, and the unique character of Onehunga as a business hub.
We also hear about leadership lessons, bust some myths about fitness (especially for women), and what it takes to maintain a supportive gym environment in a changing suburb.
SOCIAL LINKS:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Follow Amanda Wellgreen on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandawellgreen/">LinkedIn</a>.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Follow Business Onehunga on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/business-onehunga">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/onehunga">Facebook</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/onehunga_/">Instagram</a></li>
</ul>
Follow Onehunga FM on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/onehungafm">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OnehungaFM/">Facebook</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/onehungafm/">Instagram</a>

Get to know the faces behind Onehunga's thriving businesses.

Join Amanda Wellgreen from Business Onehunga as she sits down with local leaders, sharing their unique journeys, the hurdles they've overcome, and their remarkable successes. We’re building a stronger community through shared stories.

Subscribe on your favourite podcast app and help us spread the word! Stay connected with Business Onehunga on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

Get to know the faces behind Onehunga's thriving businesses.
Join Amanda Wellgreen from <a href="https://onehunga.net.nz/">Business Onehunga</a> as she sits down with local leaders, sharing their unique journeys, the hurdles they've overcome, and their remarkable successes. We&rsquo;re building a stronger community through shared stories.
Subscribe on your favourite podcast app and help us spread the word! Stay connected with Business Onehunga on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/business-onehunga/">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/onehunga">Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/onehunga_/">Instagram</a>.

Business In Focus

No mirrors, no egos - Nicky Davis of F45 One Tree Hill on cultivating fitness and belonging in Onehunga

In this episode of Business In Focus, Amanda sits down with Cushla Reed, founder of the beloved New Zealand fashion footwear brand Minx. From her early days growing up on the Kapiti Coast to running a nationwide business based in the heart of Onehunga, Cushla’s journey is anything but ordinary.

She shares how she got her start in her stepfather’s shoe factory, the bold leap she took launching Minx with her sister in 2000, and the near-collapse of the business after a disastrous joint venture in Fiji. 

With candour and humour, Cushla talks about resilience, creativity, and the powerful moment she received a surprise cake and a handwritten note from a stranger.

This conversation is a celebration of women in business, design with heart, and the kind of fearless reinvention that defines so many Onehunga businesses.

SOCIAL LINKS:
Follow Amanda Wellgreen on LinkedIn.
Follow Business Onehunga on LinkedIn, Facebook & Instagram
Follow Onehunga FM on LinkedIn, Facebook & Instagram

In this episode of Business In Focus, Amanda sits down with Cushla Reed, founder of the beloved New Zealand fashion footwear brand Minx. From her early days growing up on the Kapiti Coast to running a nationwide business based in the heart of Onehunga, Cushla&rsquo;s journey is anything but ordinary.
She shares how she got her start in her stepfather&rsquo;s shoe factory, the bold leap she took launching Minx with her sister in 2000, and the near-collapse of the business after a disastrous joint venture in Fiji.&nbsp;
With candour and humour, Cushla talks about resilience, creativity, and the powerful moment she received a surprise cake and a handwritten note from a stranger.
This conversation is a celebration of women in business, design with heart, and the kind of fearless reinvention that defines so many Onehunga businesses.
SOCIAL LINKS:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Follow Amanda Wellgreen on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandawellgreen/">LinkedIn</a>.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Follow Business Onehunga on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/business-onehunga">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/onehunga">Facebook</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/onehunga_/">Instagram</a></li>
<li>Follow Onehunga FM on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/onehungafm">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OnehungaFM/">Facebook</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/onehungafm/">Instagram</a></li>
</ul>

“Too colourful for the NZ woman” - Cushla Reed of Minx Footwear on boldly backing yourself in business

In this episode of Business In Focus, Amanda sits down with Sonia Haumonte, founder of Vaniyé Patisserie, a boutique French pastry business that’s operated in Parnell since 2012 and recently expanded into Onehunga. 

Sonia shares her incredible journey from a childhood in a family-run restaurant in Chiang Mai Thailand to training in France as a pastry chef, and ultimately building an award-winning patisserie in Aotearoa.

Sonia touches on the challenges of adapting to different communities, staying true to artisanal values in a trend-driven food culture, and why she believes great pastries are about passion.

You’ll also hear how Vaniyé’s new Onehunga location was a full-circle moment, the importance of leading by example in the kitchen, and why Sonia insists on closing Sundays despite the financial cost. Her insights into leadership, burnout, and building a values-driven business are honest, heartfelt, and inspiring.

Whether you're into French pastries, entrepreneurship, or community-minded business, this episode is a treat.

SOCIAL LINKS:
Follow Amanda Wellgreen on LinkedIn.
Follow Business Onehunga on LinkedIn, Facebook & Instagram
Follow Onehunga FM on LinkedIn, Facebook & Instagram

In this episode of Business In Focus, Amanda sits down with Sonia Haumonte, founder of Vaniy&eacute; Patisserie, a boutique French pastry business that&rsquo;s operated in Parnell since 2012 and recently expanded into Onehunga.&nbsp;
Sonia shares her incredible journey from a childhood in a family-run restaurant in Chiang Mai Thailand to training in France as a pastry chef, and ultimately building an award-winning patisserie in Aotearoa.
Sonia touches on the challenges of adapting to different communities, staying true to artisanal values in a trend-driven food culture, and why she believes great pastries are about passion.
You&rsquo;ll also hear how Vaniy&eacute;&rsquo;s new Onehunga location was a full-circle moment, the importance of leading by example in the kitchen, and why Sonia insists on closing Sundays despite the financial cost. Her insights into leadership, burnout, and building a values-driven business are honest, heartfelt, and inspiring.
Whether you're into French pastries, entrepreneurship, or community-minded business, this episode is a treat.
SOCIAL LINKS:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Follow Amanda Wellgreen on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandawellgreen/">LinkedIn</a>.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Follow Business Onehunga on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/business-onehunga">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/onehunga">Facebook</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/onehunga_/">Instagram</a></li>
<li>Follow Onehunga FM on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/onehungafm">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OnehungaFM/">Facebook</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/onehungafm/">Instagram</a></li>
</ul>

“ We sell happiness” - Sonia Haumonte of Vaniyé Patisserie on building an award-winning artisanal french bakery

In this episode of Business In Focus, Amanda Wellgreen sits down with Jonathan Milne, managing editor of Newsroom Pro and host of the Powder Keg podcast.

A longtime Onehunga local and respected figure in New Zealand media, Jonathan opens up about his life in journalism, the changing landscape of the industry, and the importance of building public trust in a digital world.

Jonathan shares stories from his early days - including interviewing Jacques Cousteau as a child - through to leading one of the country’s top paywalled media products. He also reflects on the value of authentic engagement with readers, why journalists (and businesses) must confront arrogance, and how the microcosm of local community life in Onehunga is a window into wider New Zealand society at large.

SOCIAL LINKS:
Follow Amanda Wellgreen on LinkedIn.
Follow Business Onehunga on LinkedIn, Facebook & Instagram
Follow Onehunga FM on LinkedIn, Facebook & Instagram

In this episode of Business In Focus, Amanda Wellgreen sits down with Jonathan Milne, managing editor of Newsroom Pro and host of <a href="https://newsroom.co.nz/category/podcast-powder-keg/">the Powder Keg podcast</a>.
A longtime Onehunga local and respected figure in New Zealand media, Jonathan opens up about his life in journalism, the changing landscape of the industry, and the importance of building public trust in a digital world.
Jonathan shares stories from his early days - including interviewing Jacques Cousteau as a child - through to leading one of the country&rsquo;s top paywalled media products. He also reflects on the value of authentic engagement with readers, why journalists (and businesses) must confront arrogance, and how the microcosm of local community life in Onehunga is a window into wider New Zealand society at large.
SOCIAL LINKS:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Follow Amanda Wellgreen on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandawellgreen/">LinkedIn</a>.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Follow Business Onehunga on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/business-onehunga">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/onehunga">Facebook</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/onehunga_/">Instagram</a></li>
<li>Follow Onehunga FM on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/onehungafm">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OnehungaFM/">Facebook</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/onehungafm/">Instagram</a></li>
</ul>

No mirrors, no egos - Nicky Davis of F45 One Tree Hill on cultivating fitness and belonging in Onehunga

Business In Focus

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