If you could be anything...what will it be?
Case Study Participant Profiles
Tutina Pasene
Designer-Otaki
It took Tutina quite a while before she could call herself a Designer. She had always sewn for her own children and extended fanau and felt that what she was doing was more a hobby rather than a job.
When Tutina and her fanau moved to Otaki she decided to turn this hobby into a business because “people liked my clothes and approached me to make them different things, and that’s how I got started. I thought I didn’t have any skills to go out and get a job, because I’ve been at home for the last 18-20 years bringing up kids”
In the beginning it was very hard juggling the business between the children, school, meetings, and sports. It is really difficult fitting all of these things into 24 hours “you don’t just start at 9 and finish at 5, you have to do it in between”.
By choice Tutina has not taken an income as yet with everything she brings in going back into building up her business. Other challenges that came Tutina’s way were around a company she formed collectively in the early days with three other women and they were together for six years.
However,Tutina felt her creativity would flourish if she branched out on her own.Though the company was dissolved, everyone still remain friends.The experience taught Tutina a number of things about being in business, “I’m glad I did that because I learnt a lot of things and I realised my own potential”.
Some of Tutina’s children are older now and through their own skills and knowledge can support Tutina in the business. Her son Rerehau is artistic and creative, designing all the Maori tohu for Tutina’s garments. Her daughter Siene, uses her computer skills, helps with pricing & other typing etc. Another son Arumaki helps with his ability in graphic design.The book work and strategic planning for the business is taken care of by Tutina’s husband, which allows her to concentrate on the creative and design side of the business.
Although there is support there for Tutina, it is still hard work, she is often up late at night but she still loves what she does. Her goal is to get a wage out of the business. Essentially being able to do what you love, around fanau and from home with a supportive partner, are all huge benefits when working for yourself, according to Tutina. Passion is another one of the key motivators that keeps Tutina in her business. It is also a vehicle for expressing who she is in terms of her culture and identity.
“My business is about showing and being proud of your culture and expressing it through your clothes. My children are Maori, so I need to be able to show that link and because we’re New Zealand born, it’s just a way of showing I’m PI and I’m proud of it!”
Building and providing opportunities for other young designers and artists is a business goal important to Tutina . She has a strong desire to set up a shop that sells local work and would be somewhere that young people could come to bring their work, exhibit it as well as sell their works of art “I want to be able to promote indigenous art works and to be able to help other struggling artists”.
Through experience Tutina has discovered that for her being successful in business means “whether on your own or with your partner being able to coordinate your business within your everyday life and fanau. If you are unable to meet tasks necessary to your business you contract other people in to do it.” Experience has also helped to transform the business and give Tutina more dence in herself and in her role as a successful business designer.
