Podcast: Jackie Ashley of Ashley & Co

05/19/21 • 29 min

Producer: June Ramli
Editor: Fazleena Aziz

Going with your gut instincts

Welcome to another episode of 30 minutes with DailyStraits.com. Today, we would like to introduce you to a very special guest, Jackie Ashley, the founder of Ashley & Co. Jackie is a New Zealander entrepreneur who grew up in Hong Kong and just like Steve Jobs she started her brand in her garage 17 years ago. Together with her husband Ben, the duo grew the brand from strength to strength to a catalogue of over 70 skews, including eight signature scents. Jackie’s range is now stocked in some of the world’s finest retail, hospitality and hotel hotspots in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Most importantly, her brand recently partnered with Air New Zealand but this partnership has since paused no thanks to COVID-19. Despite the halt, we still decided to ask Jackie on how she got her product into the skies, something that the DailyStraits.com understands is very hard to do and much more. Without further ado, let’s listen to the interview here:

Producer: June Ramli
Editor: Fazleena Aziz

Going with your gut instincts

Previous Episode

Podcast: Greig Brebner of Blunt Umbrellas

Producer: June Ramli
Editor: Fazleena Aziz
Bringing Sexy Back to the humble Umbrella

Welcome to another episode of 30 minutes with DailyStraits.com. Today, we have a very special guest with us, Greig Brebner, the inventor and the founder of Blunt umbrellas. A pioneer in his industry, Brebner often takes ordinary products and turns them into extraordinary experiences.
He draws inspiration from his father as he grew up in his workshop watching him create amazing things from basic materials. Brebner’s extraordinary talents have evolved as he focused on the idea of creating a product that would stand the test of time and have mass global appeal.
Originally from Auckland, New Zealand, Brebner grew up on a small farm, spent a lot of time in the ocean and enjoyed a great childhood in the outdoors. Brebner moved to London in 1999 for an overseas experience after graduating from Auckland University with a Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering. It was here that the idea for Blunt was conceived. So, today, we are going to talk to Brebner about the difficulties he had from starting the brand right up to marketing a business with a single product. Without further ado, let’s listen to the interview here.

Next Episode

Podcast: Lizzi Whaley on Buying Spaceworks

Produced and Edited by June Ramli

Buying a business instead of starting it from scratch

Welcome to another episode of 30 minutes with DailyStraits.com. Today, we have a very special guest with us, Ms Lizzi Whaley. A wearer of many hats, Ms Whaley is the CEO of Spaceworks Interior Architecture, a mother, and a celebrity in her own right. Ms Whaley’s profile has consistently been on the rise over the past four years as she positions herself as a formidable force within the design industry, establishing new conversations and leading the charge in creating intelligent spaces that are forward-thinking, diverse, unique and revolutionising Aotearoa’s businesses for the better. With a strong design knowledge, genuine and authentic leadership, and a passion for wellbeing, this year is set to be a big year for Ms Whaley in her endeavours to create and curate new spaces. Over the past three years, her stance in the industry and public eye has adversely shaped her growing personal brand to one that is both meaningful and strong. Ms Whaley is also a former Judge on The Block NZ – a show where couples compete to see who can renovate a property well enough to make them the biggest profit at an auction. So, today we are going to talk to Ms Whaley about why she decided to buy her company Spaceworks instead of starting it from scratch. Without further ado, let’s listen to the interview here.