S3. EP6: Should You Buy a House in 2026? A Mortgage Insider's Honest Take on NZ Property - Wayne Henry

S3. EP6: Should You Buy a House in 2026? A Mortgage Insider's Honest Take on NZ Property - Wayne Henry

Is buying a house in New Zealand still worth it in 2026?In this episode of The Puzzle Factory, Alex sits down with Wayne Henry, founder of Wayne Henry Mortgages and a mortgage adviser with more than 25 years of experience in the finance industry.Together, they tackle one of the biggest questions facing Kiwis right now:Should you buy a house, invest elsewhere, or rethink the Kiwi dream altogether?Wayne shares his honest views on where the New Zealand property market is heading, what banks are really looking for behind the scenes, and whether owning your own home is still one of the best investments you can make, financially and emotionally.This isn't doom and gloom. It's a practical conversation about money, quality of life, and making the right decisions for your own circumstances.In this episode:• NZ property market predictions for 2026• Is now a good time to buy a house?• What banks really look for when approving mortgages• The biggest mistakes first home buyers make• Would Wayne buy a house if he was 25 today?• Property vs shares and investing in yourself• Is the Kiwi dream still alive?• The emotional value of owning your own home• Why younger generations are approaching wealth differently• Networking, business, and building a life you're proud ofWhether you're trying to buy your first home, invest wisely, or simply understand what's happening in the property market, this episode is packed with practical advice and real world experience.Powered by NZ Trade Group.DisclaimerThis podcast is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not constitute financial advice. Please seek professional advice tailored to your personal circumstances before making financial decisions.https://www.waynehenry.co.nz/ [https://www.waynehenry.co.nz/]

S3.EP5: How Attention Became The New Currency | Connor Ransley

Connor Ransley joins The Puzzle Factory to break down how attention became one of the most valuable currencies in modern business.Connor shares his journey from dropping out of engineering and working construction, to helping build one of New Zealand’s biggest organic social media agencies at The Attention Seeker before leaving to bet on himself and build his own personal brand business.We get into:• Why most businesses fail at social media• The truth about personal branding• Why raw content beats polished content• The psychology behind viral videos• TikTok, LinkedIn & modern attention• Leaving a stable career to go all in• Confidence, fitness & personal transformation• Why authenticity wins online• Building an audience from scratch• The future of marketing and organic content• Why young men struggle with confidence• Lessons from working with massive brandsThis episode is packed with practical marketing advice, mindset shifts, entrepreneurship lessons, and a real behind the scenes look at how modern content actually works.Powered by NZ Trade Group.⁠https://byransley.com/⁠ [⁠https://byransley.com/⁠]

S3.EP4: NZ’s Most Famous Pie Maker? | Dazzas Cooked

Darren from Ashby Pies and the man behind Darren joins The Puzzle Factory for one of the most Kiwi episodes we’ve done yet.From growing up in West Auckland and working in some of New Zealand and Australia’s top restaurants, to building Ashby Pies into one of Auckland’s most talked about food spots through social media, Darren breaks down the reality of hospitality, content creation, branding, and why pies mean so much to Kiwis.We get into:• The rise of Dazzas Cooked• Building Ashby Pies from scratch during COVID• Why hospitality is brutally hard right now• Social media and business growth• Warriors culture and working with One NZ• Fine dining vs bakery culture• Why NZ bakeries are elite• The economics of pies and food businesses• Growing a personal brand online• Content creation, virality, and modern marketing• Running businesses through lockdowns• Kiwi food nostalgia and pie culture• What actually makes a great pieThis episode is packed with laughs, food chat, business lessons, Warriors yarns, and some genuinely great insight into what it takes to build a modern Kiwi brand.Powered by NZ Trade Group.

S3.EP3: The Infamous Kaiwaka Tradie | Keith of All Trades' First Ever Podcast Interview

Keith Of All Trades has built a massive following by saying what every tradie is thinking. From customer nightmares and cat door controversies to life on the tools, social media, business ownership and the realities of being a Kiwi tradie, Keith joins The Puzzle Factory for his first ever podcast interview.We dive into the stories behind the videos, the state of the trades in New Zealand, dealing with difficult customers, running a business, online fame and plenty of laughs along the way.Whether you're a tradie, business owner, apprentice or just enjoy a good yarn, this is one you won't want to miss.In this episode:• The story behind Keith of All Trades• The famous cat doors• Customer horror stories• Running a trade business in New Zealand• Social media and tradie content creation• The funniest jobs he's ever seen• Industry frustrations and challenges• What tradies really think but won't say• Life on the tools• The future of the tradesPowered by NZ Trade Group.DISCLAIMERThis podcast is intended for entertainment, education and general discussion purposes only.Keith of All Trades is a satirical character and many of the stories, opinions, comments and scenarios discussed throughout this episode are presented for comedic and entertainment purposes.The views, opinions and statements expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Puzzle Factory, NZ Trade Group, its employees, sponsors, partners or affiliates.Nothing discussed in this episode should be considered professional, legal, financial, business or trade advice. Viewers should seek appropriate professional advice relevant to their own circumstances.All content is provided in good humour and should be interpreted in the context of entertainment and open conversation.https://www.instagram.com/keith_of_all_trades/ [https://www.instagram.com/keith_of_all_trades/]

S3.EP2: Jesse James FIRES BACK After "Temu Country Bar" Drama | The Truth Behind Jolene

Country bars, tradie life, social media, and controversy... Jesse James jumps into The Puzzle Factory and doesn’t hold back. We talk the rise of Jolene, why authenticity matters, trades vs university, the Trade Tour, and the comments that sparked headlines after the "Temu Country Bar" controversy. Plus near death stories, tradie yarns, and Jesse’s advice for young apprentices.What's inside:• Why Jesse built Jolene and what makes it different• Trade Tour and helping young Kiwis into the trades• Tradie stories that went badly wrong• Country culture, social media and authenticity• "Temu Country Bar" controversy explained• Quickfire "This or That" questions• Advice for young tradiesPowered by NZ Trade GroupNot financial advice. Just real conversations.