Episode 73 of The Icehouse podcast, hosted by Bryar Stewart, is with Ray Everest, Bay of Plenty Business Owner Programme 2 Alumni. Ray is the co-founder, alongside his wife Courtney, of Future Focus – an Early Learning Centre with a focus on the training and development of teachers and with a future of scale and impact in mind.
Ray discusses his battles and roadblocks to get to where he is today, highlighting his strong sense of resilience and grit from a young age. Ray is full of energy, hope and excitement for the future within his industry – a big believer in empowering his people to take the business forward, he touches on his learnings and insight into growing a healthy business.
It’s a great listen for anyone who is wondering if they are worthy of a programme, if imposter syndrome has got in the way, and they are on the fence. Ray is a big believer in self-improvement, forming strong mentor and coach relationships, and doing the best you can for yourself and the people around you.
Ray is passionate about championing Māori and Pacific business owners and speaks of the current barriers for them in business, highlighting a need for a seat at the table, and opportunities to see more Māori leaders and owners in the arena.
The Icehouse, in association with Te Puni Kōkiri, have been offering Māori Leadership Development Cadetship scholarships. All of our 2021 scholarships have been allocated but see the link for more information and to stay in the loop when further opportunities come available.
Have a listen and let us know what you think! Any questions? Contact us at grow@theicehouse.co.nz
Check out our Podcast Series which is also on Spotify.