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Be inspired, empowered and engaged at the BWN Speaker Series 2024. Our mission is to connect Bay of Plenty women in business, with a view to building a community of businesswomen all looking to make positive change. We aspire to offer thought provoking, educational and informative speakers, with their insightful, plausible and relevant stories.

‌Our 2024 theme is ‘Our Exceptional Achievements” by “bringing your A game”. When you bring your ‘A’ game, it means that you are leaving nothing on the field, court, home or work – you’re giving it your all. We will explore the journey women take to bring their A game, to juggle all manner of things, to get fulfilment, feel accomplished through their many and varied roles we all play on a daily basis.

‌High-achieving women accomplish their goals, are highly skilled, and get the most out of themselves and their experiences, whatever they may be. They approach their careers and their lives with five key themes: agency, authenticity, connection, self-clarity and wholeness. Hear from women who are performing out of the park, what did they do, what career paths did they follow, what was sacrificed along the way, or can you do it all, and if so, what can we learn from others to achieve that.

‌These women have adapted, executed their plans and achieved and performed to become industry leaders. Along the way they have learned certain skills, certain thought processes, certain resilience practices that have helped them. And by talking with you, you too could learn some of those skills to help you achieve all that you aspire too.

‌But, as they say, nothing worth doing comes easy. These women have worked hard, overcoming personal and/or professional adversity along their journey to get to where they are today. They have held strong to idea that we look to the future we want, not what someone or something else decides.

Our Speakers

Niki Bezzant

Niki Bezzant – celebrated author, journalist and menopause advocate, brings decades of expertise in health and women’s wellness to the stage. Her pioneering work, including the bestselling book “This Changes Everything – the honest guide to perimenopause and menopause,” and her recent “The Everything Guide,” has helped thousands of women take on the challenges of midlife with clarity and insight. A skilled speaker, Niki addresses menopause with knowledge and humour, empowering women and those around them to embrace change and ageing. Her presentations are a blend of rigorous research, practical advice, and strategies for personal and workplace wellness, opening discussions that are as transformative as they are vital. Niki has worked with New Zealand’s top media outlets, including Healthy Food Guide magazine and the NZ Listener, and can be heard and seen regularly in broadcast media.

Bridgette Tapsell

Hailing from Te Arawa, Ngāti Raukawa and Whakatōhea, Bridgette Tapsell is an entrepreneur and investor, committed to sharing the magic of her culture through the power of words, design and whakapapa.

Bridgette owns Whare Creative, an agency that offers the world indigenous, creative solutions to pressing issues around equity and diversity, climate change, affordable housing and, most importantly, the hauora of people.

Whare Creative recently announced a unique partnership with advertising agency DDB Aotearoa, that sees them working together under a new brand, Takitoru. This strategic move gives Bridgette the tautoko (support) of a joint workforce of 240 people.

Bridgette is also one of a handful of investors in Nigel Latta’s Parentland app and an equal shareholder of the te reo Māori business Rangi’s Reo (rangisreo.com).

Chelsea Winter

Chelsea Winter – food writer, entrepreneur, and television personality, has celebrated six best-selling cookbooks with her seventh due later this year.  Her delicious, accessible food is designed with the home-cook in mind.  Driven by a passion for a more balanced way of eating, recipes are both nutritious and utterly delectable.

Her last book “Supergood” was a massive hit, scooping up a gold at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards and topping the charts as New Zealand’s overall best-selling book of 2020.

Winter’s influence goes beyond cookbooks; she’s passionate about sharing a more conscious way of eating, while keeping the focus firmly on flavour, cooking for health, happiness and the environment. Her engaging, down-to-earth approach inspires kiwis to embrace cooking and enjoy wholesome meals at home.

Phillida Perry

Phillida Perry (Daughter Films) is a Mount Maunganui based creative producer bringing expertise in law, business, and the arts to filmmaking. To hone her craft, Phillida completed a master’s in professional writing (first class honours) at Waikato University, 2021.

Phillida’s production credits include feature documentary MS. INFORMATION about pink-haired microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles and the award-winning short-doc SIOUXSIE & THE VIRUS. She co-produced PULLING UP STUMPS staring Ian Mune & Mark Mitchinson and is now producing Mark’s period-drama A LOT WAS SAID LAST NIGHT set in a kauri forest of yesteryear.

Phillida has multiple factual and scripted projects in development including film adaptation of Tracey Slaughter’s novella THE LONGEST DRINK IN TOWN and her own screenwriting sourced in her family’s intergenerational farming history in Wairarapa, New Zealand.

Phillida seeks to celebrate the human spirit through her practice and promote change by focusing on issues of female empowerment, identity, purpose, and our deep human need for connection.

Kylie Wilson

Kylie Wilson is an experienced mental skills consultant, working with high performance athletes, coaches, organisations and executives for over 25 years. Kylie completed her PhD in Sport Psychology in the UK where she also provided psychological support to the British Gymnastics Olympic squads for 10 years. Returning to NZ in 2010, she has worked with a range of elite teams and athletes working in professional and Olympic settings, including 4 Olympic and Commonwealth Games. Kylie’s primary role is raising two children and a husband while attempting to enjoy the simple things in life in an ever changing and mystifying world.

Principal Partners

Craigs Investment Partners

“Craigs Investment Partners are proud to sponsor the BWN Speaker Series in 2024. The series consistently presents us with first-class speakers who possess an unrivalled ability to ignite inspiration and impart invaluable wisdom. Their captivating stories and expert insights empower attendees to reach new heights in their personal and professional lives.

Creating an inclusive environment where individuals from all walks of life can resonate with our speakers key messaging, fostering a sense of belonging”.

Cooney Lees Morgan

“Looking forward to another great year ahead with BWN functions and events. The BWN Speaker Series is coming up on 14th May. Cooney Lees Morgan is again sponsoring the BWN and we’re excited to help bring to you this not to be missed event.”

Premier Partners

King Street

We have been proud sponsors of the Tauranga Business Chamber BWN Speaker Series for the past three years now. It’s been an honour to be part of such an inspiring event for our community and we really enjoy bringing our design concepts to life across all the event collateral. It’s a great opportunity for the women in our agency to connect with likeminded women within the local business community and be empowered by the stories the speakers share.

Media Works

MediaWorks is a proud and vocal sponsor of the BWN Speaker Series. As New Zealand’s leading media company, we Bring Our A Game every day for our audiences and our customers and this year’s theme resonates beautifully with our business. The Business Women’s Network Speaker Series supports the growth, development and inspiration of female professionals throughout the Bay of Plenty. It’s a valuable day for all of those who attend and are looking to elevate their performance and bring their best selves to their professional world. As a sponsor, we are thrilled to continue to support quality events for our female workforce.

YRW Chartered Accountants

YRW Limited are proud to continue to support the BWN Speaker Series as a premier sponsor. We believe this series is a must on the professional women’s networking calendar with a line-up of inspiring speakers and an opportunity to mix and mingle with like-minded women!

Partner

Port of Tauranga

“Port of Tauranga is delighted to support an event that is always inspiring, uplifting and educational. It showcases high-performing, dedicated and resilient women working in businesses across the Bay of Plenty and beyond.”

Kale Print & Design

“Kale Print are proud to once again support the BWN Speakers Series. Celebrating Women in business and all that comes with it. Allowing others to learn through hearing the journeys to success. Always such an amazing event that leaves attendees beaming with inspiration”.

Pillar Consulting

“Pillar Consulting are thrilled to again sponsor the 2024 BWN Speaker Series. As a Women led small business with our head office in the beautiful Bay of Plenty, our sponsorship of this event is important to us, not only as a member of the BWN but also because the series gives so many local Women in business the opportunity to get out of the office and hear from some incredible speakers about their own business journey. From our own start up days, we remember all too well how hard it can be at times and we truly believe that this event in particular enables attendees to walk away with ideas, motivation and inspiration.”

Westpac

“The Business Women’s Network Speaker Series shares remarkable stories of women who are making a difference in business and to the lives of New Zealanders.”

Westpac is both proud and excited to be a Partner Sponsor again this year, and to enable our local women to hear of the inspiring stories & outstanding achievements from the key note speakers.  This event gives attendees a chance to network and connect with like minded local women in a fun and interactive way. We are really looking forward to the 2024 Event – “Bring your A Game!”

Te Pukenga / Toi Ohomai

“We love supporting the BWN Speaker Series. Since 2017, Toi Ohomai has been a supporter of the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles and is committed to making the equal treatment of women a corporate priority. We also strive to empower and uplift our ākona wāhine, and aim to provide them with support and opportunities to reach their potential. The Speaker Series is a fantastic event that celebrates the achievements of wāhine and provides learning, inspiration and networking opportunities for our community.”

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