Second Skin

What was your upbringing like? What did you want to be when you grew up? I had a typical Kiwi upbringing with lots of time outdoors camping, fishing, hunting, and riding horses and motorbikes. I have four siblings so there were always lots of adventures and I feel spoiled to have grown up that way. I lived in Southland and Central Otago – and my heart remains in places like Alexandra, Wānaka, Makarora and Ōmakau. I thought it would be very glamorous to be a wildlife photographer because I was a big National Geographic fan, but I also fancied myself as a politician. Not sure why, but I am the eldest child, so I’ve always been a little bit bossy.

Tell us about your work history. After school I trained as a journalist and got a job at a community newspaper, but journalism wasn’t quite as I’d imagined. I then worked at Cardrona Alpine Resort as a marketing coordinator, where I realised how important culture is and that you could still have fun while working hard. I joined the New Zealand merino company Icebreaker at nineteen as a receptionist and spent the next sixteen years maturing personally and professionally. It was a fast-growing business with global ambitions and I was blessed to get experience in all areas of the business. I found my feet in their sales space because I loved the product and the backstory. I cut my leadership teeth there and was lucky to have four-and-a-half years working in Portland, Oregon, as general manager. On my return, I landed a role at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise helping other Kiwi businesses trying to internationalise. In 2022, my good friend, and former Icebreaker colleague, Amanda Dorset – Mands – asked me to join Wilson & Dorset to help deliver their vision.

What’s it like working with one of your mates? I’ve been friends with Mands for twenty-five years and I’d seen CEO and founder relationships which didn’t always gel, so I was quite protective of our friendship. From the beginning, we set good ground rules and made a commitment to each other that we wouldn’t leave anything unsaid. We’re greatly aligned and share high energy, ambition and optimism, so we feed off each other.

What do you love about wool? I often say wool is in my DNA. My dad had a sheep dipping business and I’d travel around the countryside with him. I grew up on sheepskins, wearing Nanna’s woolly jumpers, and when I joined Icebreaker I got completely sucked in. There are not many days when I’m not wearing merino or am surrounded by wool – it’s like a second skin to me. Wool not only regulates our temperature, but I also believe it regulates our emotions and moods.

What is the vision for Wilson & Dorset? We like to say that we’re championing a sheepskin revolution. Ideally, we’d rid the world of synthetics in people’s homes and replace them with the magic of sheepskin. Our raw material is the whole skin, so we’re really part of the meat industry – which is interesting to navigate because farmers are not growing for skins, they’re growing for meat. We are honouring the whole animal by making beautiful homewares from a by-product. Our aim is to increase the demand for sheepskin, maximise the raw material supply, and improve quality and yield so more money goes back to the grower. That’s what personal success looks like for me.

How has the community responded? We have a very loyal customer base who love what we are doing with sheepskin. We stay engaged with our local community through sponsorship opportunities, and we open our spaces for free to poets, musicians, yoga and book clubs. We started an inclusive employment pilot which went so well it’s not a pilot anymore. We employ five people with intellectual disability in our warehouse support crew, which upholds our holistic view of how the business – both shop front and backend – should run.

Who are your biggest influences and supporters? I’m inspired by people who possess traits of empathy, intuition, courage, and emotional intelligence, which I think are essential leadership skills. Very early on in my career, Jeremy Moon, the founder of Icebreaker, taught me the importance of a vision and leaving the naysayers behind. I also landed myself a great husband in Phil, the father of my four children – ages 20, 19, 17 and 9 – who has created space for me to build a career.

How do you find time to relax? I’ve got an incredibly capable team so it’s easy to delegate, and I have quite disciplined habits around planning my day that include gratitude practice, moving my body, and spending time with my family and friends. Outside of work I love yoga and walking. For me, learning to say no to the stuff that fills up time but doesn’t bring joy is key.

This story is supported by Wilson & Dorset. Read our story with co-founder Amanda Dorset from our Raumati Summer 2024/25 Edition.

Wilson & Dorset is intent on harnessing the natural power of wool to ground and connect people, while creating greater prosperity for farmers. For more information, see wilsondorset.com.