Aroha Nepia (Ngaati Te Ata and Waikato Tainui) is the owner of Eco Pristine cleaning company. Aroha was supported by Amotai from start-up to first big contract. She won her first major contract through an Amotai buyer (McConnell Dowell) and now has 8 people on board and her business is expanding.

Aroha was a cleaner for 15 years, then moved to being the boss of her own business in less than two years. As a working mum, Aroha chose to be a cleaner as it allowed her to do the school pick-ups and other work associated with raising children. After eight years in the cleaning business, she saw very little pay progression. “I was not just cleaning, but in-charge of ordering, managing the team and even doing some of the hiring, but in eight years my pay didn’t raise by a dollar. But as I was responsible for other parts of the business, the experience made me realise that I could do it for myself” says Aroha.

Although she had limited financial resources and had no idea how to start a business, she had the grit and determination to succeed. Aroha remembered that her cousin organised business courses – so she reached out to ask about enrolling and found herself sitting in a class that evening. As a result, she developed a business plan, got in touch with her first business mentor and applied for start-up funding. This is how Eco Pristine was born. It was at this point that she first registered with Amotai and met with Relationship Manager Kahurangi Malcolm. “I met with Aroha in Pukekohe and she came with a clear file of documents about the company she wanted to start. I knew that this was something she had given a lot of thought to. She obviously had a lot of experience not just as a cleaner but as a manager, she just needed support on the business side of things and making the right connections”.

Eco Pristine was a supplier with Amotai for a little over a year when she received a call which changed her business and her life.

McConnell Dowell is a construction company and an Aukōkiri member of Amotai. As part of a joint venture with John Holland called ‘eTRACS’ they are contracted by KiwiRail to electrify the rail network between Papakura and Pukekohe.

KiwiRail and eTRACS are committed to using local goods and services, employing local people and helping support the local economy post Covid-19. It was this passion for supporting local businesses that led to the fateful phone call being made.

“It was a real surprise. I still wasn’t sure how much to charge, or how to write the best bid possible, but because of my relationship with Amotai through Kahurangi and others in the Waiuku Community like Sharlene from the Waiuku Business Association and Bruce, my business coach, I was able to pull it together and win the bid.” The connection made through Amotai is truly significant as Eco Pristine now employs eight people and Aroha focusses on tendering for contracts and bringing in more business.

In making the decision to register with Amotai, not only did Aroha land her first major contract with Mc Connell Dowell, but Amotai also introduced her to Fresh Desk. Fresh Desk have a mission to make cleaning a valued and respected profession by paying staff a living wage and seeking opportunities for learning and development. “Meeting the trio behind Fresh Desk was an early step in really formalising my business. They helped to mentor me and really shortened my journey to success by showing me how to tender for work, how to avoid pitfalls they fell into, and what direction to focus my business” says Aroha.

Through Amotai, Aroha’s business Eco Pristine and Fresh Desk were able to create a Joint Venture to bid for larger contracts. “It’s a really exciting time, the Joint Venture helped give me the confidence that together we could be a serious contender for some really big contracts”. Together, they’ve been able to tender for contracts with Auckland Transport, Kainga Ora and the Waikato District Council. If these contracts are won, it would mean employment and a living wage for their local community.

They’ve also been able to introduce sustainability into the mix with eco cleaning products. “When I worked as a cleaner, I noticed that using commercial cleaning used to really irritate my skin and hurt my eyes” says Aroha. Staff would also complain about the products making their hands itch – and that can’t be good, breathing in that stuff all day. I knew for my own business that we’d use eco-cleaning products, as the solution is water based and it doesn’t hurt the skin.

It’s been an exciting journey and best of all I can support my family and create employment in my community – best of all I get to be my own boss”.

Amotai continue to support her to go for other contracts as well.