Growing Kiwis with Claire Williamson

About Growing Kiwis with Claire Williamson

The Growing Kiwis is a podcast for ambitious people who are committed to growth in business, money, health, mindset, and life. The podcast explores what it really looks like to pursue a high-performance life in New Zealand. The wins, the challenges, the lessons, and the consistent actions that compound over time. Growth is the central theme, whether that’s growing businesses, investments, people, community, impact, or ourselves.

Publisher

Claire Williamson

Category

business · business · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

4 Mar 2026

Latest episode

14 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

31 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   14 Oct 2026

   From a mate's garage to a Waikato Award - Jean Krielen on betting it all on herself

   What does it really take to back yourself, build a business from scratch, and keep going when things don’t go to plan? In this episode of the Growing Kiwis Podcast, Claire sits down with Jean Krielen, founder of SignLogic, to chat about her journey from working in the signage industry to building her own business from a mate’s garage into an established team of five — recently recognised with a Waikato Chamber of Commerce Small Business Award. Jean shares the reality of starting a business with limited savings, being turned down by a bank, taking on high-interest lending, and learning to put herself out there even when it felt completely outside her comfort zone. Her story is a reminder that you don't need to have everything figured out before you start — sometimes you just need to take the next step. We also get into the lessons that come with growing a team, learning to lead, and recognising when you're the one who needs to change. From embracing mistakes and building better systems to surrounding yourself with people who genuinely understand the challenges of business ownership, Jean shares some refreshingly honest insights into what growth really looks like. And beyond business, Jean opens up about the experiences that have shaped her — from growing up on a farm and developing a strong work ethic to finding perspective in the mountains and learning to live by one simple question: Will I regret not trying? In this episode Jean’s journey into the signage industry and how her years of experience led her to start SignLogic. Taking a leap of faith, securing funding and starting a business from a mate’s garage. Why backing yourself sometimes means getting uncomfortable and putting your name out there. The reality of business growth — including tough years, setbacks and learning to reframe what success looks like. How making mistakes can build confidence, accountability and better leaders. Building a team, documenting processes and learning to let go of the things that aren't your strengths. Why surrounding yourself with other business owners can change the way you think about what's possible. Finding your own leadership style and creating a team culture where people feel safe to learn. The importance of family, resilience and staying true to who you are. Jean’s advice for anyone sitting on an idea and wondering whether they should give it a go. Chapters 00:38 – Getting to know Jean Krielen 05:03 – Growing up on a farm and learning resilience 08:48 – Finding her way into the signage industry 10:33 – From working in signage to starting SignLogic 18:00 – How business ownership changed Jean 20:05 – The value of a supportive business network 23:29 – Leadership, mistakes and learning to trust your team 27:30 – Building systems that allow a business to grow 33:26 – Finding the right customers for SignLogic 40:14 – What people don't understand about the signage industry 42:36 – The challenges of growing a team 49:05 – Recognising your strengths and finding your superpower 51:53 – The mindset shift that changed how Jean sees challenges 55:44 – Finding perspective in nature and the mountains 58:14 – Jean’s advice for anyone wanting to start a business 01:02:45 – What people might not know about Jean 01:04:08 – Looking back and imagining the next 10 years About Jean Krielen Jean Krielen is the founder of SignLogic, a Waikato-based signage business helping bring brands and spaces to life through quality signage, vehicle graphics, installations and more. After years of experience across the signage industry, Jean took a leap of faith and started SignLogic with a printer, a laminator and a workspace in a friend’s garage. Today, she leads a close-knit team of five, with a focus on great communication, reliable service and delivering quality results for her customers. Jean is passionate about continuous learning, backing herself and building a business that works for both her team and her customers. Her journey is a powerful reminder that growth doesn't always look like a straight line — and that some of the biggest lessons come from the moments when things don't go to plan. Links SignLogic: Website (https://www.signlogic.co.nz/) SignLogic on Instagram: Instagram SignLogic get in touch: info@signlogic.co.nz

2. 

   30 Sept 2026

   Bin it, bubbles and good in a crisis: real talk on building a rural life, with Louise Gibson

   Louise Gibson is a self described side quest queen, and once you hear her story you understand why. She runs a consultancy, a co working space, an Airbnb and a 110 hectare dairy farm, all while raising two boys with her husband Keith. In this yarn she is refreshingly no bullshit about the things that shaped her, losing both her parents young, building toward farm ownership with no family handout, and learning when to back yourself and when to bin it. It is warm, candid, and full of golden nuggets for anyone building something of their own. In this episode - Why losing her parents young gave Louise a fierce sense that you get one shot at this - How she and Keith built toward farm ownership by doing up rundown properties, not by waiting for a handout - The number one thing people get wrong in share milking and contract milking - Why she keeps an emergency bottle of bubbles in the fridge - What sunshining your mistakes means, and why she shares her proud stuff ups online - The hills she will die on, from what contract milkers deserve to why farmers are greenies - How she thinks about Halter, AI and technology on farm without losing the human bit - Her secret sauce, and why a genuine crisis is exactly where she comes alive Five key takeaways - You get one shot, so get on with it. Louise lost both her parents before either of them turned 50, and it left her with a rule for life. You never know when the road ends, so stop clinging to what is not working and keep moving. - Bin it if it is making you miserable. Walking away is not failing. If something is genuinely making you unhappy, work out why you are hanging on, talk it out with someone, and give yourself permission to let it go. - Scope is the thing everyone gets wrong. In share milking and contract milking most fallouts come down to assumptions, where one party thinks the other is handling something and nobody does. Agree the scope, the feed budget and who pays for what up front, in writing. - You do not need a flash house to build a flash future. Louise and Keith lived in a rundown rented farmhouse while they bought and did up cheap properties, growing their equity their own way on the road to owning a farm. - Celebrate the small wins, even if it is just a glass of bubbles. They keep an emergency bottle in the fridge for exactly this. The tiny celebrations add up, and stopping to be proud of yourself is what keeps you going through the grind. Chapters - 00:00 Margaritas, and how Claire and Louise actually met - 01:20 Who is Louise: a hot mess shaped by her younger years - 02:15 Bin it if it is not working, and knowing when to let go - 03:34 The businesses today: Airbnb, Hayloft Hub, the consultancy and the farm - 04:40 The farm ownership journey and getting on the ladder - 06:18 Doing up rundown properties and building equity their way - 09:30 Share milking to contract milking, explained simply - 11:41 The number one thing people get wrong: scope - 16:20 Growing up milking, and losing her mum at 15 - 18:07 A dad who said yes to every opportunity - 20:05 Losing her dad, and the sense that you get one shot - 21:31 Grandma, and get on with it you jokers - 22:50 Parenting two boys, and treating kids as capable - 27:17 Marriage, shared goals and the emergency bottle of bubbles - 31:29 Proud stuff ups, and sunshining your mistakes - 33:43 Personal growth, counselling and the Barefoot Investor - 37:00 Dealing with people, and putting your hospo face on - 41:30 Finding her niche and building the consultancy slowly - 42:45 Build the plane as you are flying - 48:00 The rural household: midwives, car park babies and corporate farms - 53:47 Starlink, Halter and technology on farm - 55:54 AI as a decision support tool, not a job stealer - 58:32 The hills she will die on - 01:01:37 Her secret sauce: good in a crisis - 01:03:13 Every farm kid asking how they can add value - 01:05:28 Side quest queen: wrapping up Timestamps are based on the raw recording, so nudge them once the intro is trimmed in the edit. About Louise Louise Gibson is a Waikato based rural business owner, consultant and mum of two. Her main gig is Share Farming Consultants, where she helps share milkers, contract milkers and farm owners get their agreements right, and she has recently grown that into contracts, agreements and HR support. Alongside it she and her husband Keith run an Airbnb, the Hayloft Hub co working space in Morrinsville, and Bonnie and Brave Dairies, a 110 hectare dairy farm they bought last December. She lost both her parents young, built toward farm ownership without a family handout, and is a fierce, funny advocate for rural people and the next generation coming through.

3. 

   16 Sept 2026

   Why service and human connection will outlast AI with Brigitta Warren

   Brigitta Warren is the founder of Recruit Net, a Hamilton-based recruitment agency built on long-term relationships, trust, and deep industry knowledge. Moving to New Zealand from South Africa at 18, Brigitta studied science before taking an unexpected turn into recruitment while working in a London research lab. After spending 13.5 years helping scale a major firm and managing their Waikato branch, she took a leap of courage on a summer walk along the beach and decided to build a business that reflected her own core values. In this conversation, Claire and Brigitta delve into what it really takes to hire and retain great people in small-to-medium businesses, why setting up proper onboarding matters more than relying on trial periods, and how human service and relationship-building will actually become more critical in the age of AI. They also chat about wealth creation, managing rent-by-the-room property investments, governance, and how protecting your own time and energy makes you a better version of yourself for everyone around you. Warm, intentional, and full of practical wisdom for business owners, parents, and leaders alike. In This Episode From science lab to recruitment: Brigitta’s journey from South Africa to the Waikato Why large agency templates didn't align with her long-term vision Slowing down the hiring process: how SMEs should evaluate open roles, job descriptions, and team dynamics Why onboarding is non-negotiable (and how not to set new staff up to fail) Authenticity in business: why human trust and active listening beat AI efficiency every time Property investment strategies: running rent-by-the-room townhouses to secure financial security for the next generation Governance and giving back: serving on school proprietary boards and mentoring through the Wahine Collective Recharging boundaries: balancing family, fitness, Opito Bay retreats, and knowing when to protect your time Timestamped Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to Growing Kiwis 00:35 – Meet Brigitta Warren: Growing up in South Africa & moving to NZ 02:11 – From London research lab to discovering recruitment 03:35 – The 13-year journey before taking the leap to launch Recruit Net 06:07 – Serving SMEs: Being a strategic advisor vs. "bums on seats" 09:16 – Advice for business owners: Slowing down the recruitment process 10:26 – Culture, onboarding, and setting new hires up for success 13:14 – Growing up, resilience, and lessons learned from family 17:08 – Goal-setting, internal competition, and half-Ironmans 21:06 – Work-life balance: Non-negotiables for looking after yourself 23:23 – Upskilling for clients & stepping into board governance 27:02 – Property investment: Rent-by-the-room strategies & passing on financial literacy 31:22 – Maintaining lifelong friendships across the globe 34:06 – Why authentic service matters more than ever in the age of AI 38:58 – Brigitta’s "Special Sauce": Curiosity, hard work, and compounded relationships 42:04 – Being intentional with networking and setting boundaries 47:23 – Recharging as an introvert: Opito Bay, reading crime, and gardening 54:00 – Don't hold on to things that don't serve you: Looking after number one 56:09 – Travel bucket lists and legacy for the next generation 01:01:36 – Final thoughts and wrapping up Links & Resources Recruit Net: recruitnet.co.nz (https://www.google.com/search?q=%23) Connect with Brigitta on LinkedIn: Brigitta Warren (https://www.google.com/search?q=%23)

Reach and audience

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Spotify

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

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Guest appearances

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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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