Learning from the Moana

Learning from the Moana

What if making it work isn't about pushing harder, but learning when to go with the flow? This week, I sit down with Raglan surf legend Daniel Kereopa. From surfing some of the biggest waves in Aotearoa to running a surf school and helping bring the WSL to Raglan, Daniel shares the lessons the ocean has taught him. We chat loads about surfing, and DK shares his Māori knowledge, and his way of making life work.

Living a Digital Nomad Life as Medical Writer

What if your job didn’t tie you to one place? Christie Whitehouse traded a traditional path in biomedical science for a fully remote career as a freelance medical writer. Now, she’s travelling across New Zealand, working from wherever she lands, and figuring out where (and how) she wants to settle next. In this episode, Christie shares what it really takes to build a location-independent career, the realities behind the digital nomad lifestyle, and how she turned a specialised skillset into a flexible way of working.

Running a Surf School

From freezing cold waves in Massachusetts to the world-class lefts of Raglan, and now helping others catch their first wave. If you’ve ever dreamed of building a life around what you love: this one’s for you. In this episode of How to Make It Work, I sit down with Wes Rogers from Green Wave Surf School to talk about turning a passion for surfing into a career. Wes breaks down what it really takes: from writing for the World Surf League and chasing waves across the globe long before “digital nomad” was a thing, to coaching beginners in Raglan today. Plus: he shares what it’s like being part of a tight-knit surf community as the World Surf League Championship Tour hits town.

Making It as a Local Author

She turned Raglan into a novel, and a creative path into a real career. In this episode of How to Make It Work, I sit down with local author Sarah Johnson to talk about her new young adult novel Not A Babe, set right here in Whāingaroa. We dive into Sarah’s journey into writing, and how she’s building a creative career from a small coastal town. From juggling family life and late night shifts to the power of community through the writer's collective Raglan Inkspillers: This conversation is an honest look at what it really means to make it work as an author.

Keeping Print Alive

Print is supposed to be dead, so why is this magazine growing? In this episode, I sit down with Michael Andrew, the owner and editor of On the Land, an independent print magazine telling the stories of people living closely with the land across Aotearoa. After buying the magazine for just $1, Michael took a risk on something most people would walk away from: print media. From his base in Ruapuke, he has rebuilt the publication with a clear mission, and a deep connection to a growing movement of people returning to the land. We talk about what it really takes to make a print magazine work in 2026, and why slow, thoughtful storytelling still matters in a fast digital world.