Making It as a Local Author

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is buy a one-way ticket.After a series of life-changing losses in her mid-twenties, Hannah Long packed her life into a backpack and set off to explore the world alone. Now she has turned that journey into a business helping other women feel confident enough to take their own solo adventures.In this episode, Hannah shares how travel helped her heal, what it's really like to build a business while constantly on the move, and why stepping outside your comfort zone can change everything. We also talk about something many travellers struggle with: finding the balance between chasing freedom and knowing when it's time to come home.And fittingly, this is my final episode of How to Make It Work for now, as I head back to Germany myself to reconnect with the people who matter most.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

From asking "what is wrong" to asking "what is strong!"In this episode, I sit down with clinical psychologist Annick Janson to talk about what it really takes to turn research into real-world impact, and why she’s bringing her globally recognised program Now & Next to Raglan.After securing funding to launch the initiative locally, Annick shares how Now & Next empowers parents of children with disabilities to create meaningful change for their families. Rooted in positive psychology and co-designed with lived experience, the program is about turning challenges into possibilies, and building stronger, more connected communities along the way.For more information visit the Now & Next website TinyUrl.com/raglan2026 or contact Annick: [email protected]

What happens when an artist steps up to engage a whole creative community? In this episode, I talk with artist, and educator Ruth Hickman-Goodall who is the new Arts Coordinator at the Raglan Old School Arts Centre gallery.Ruth shares her journey from teaching art to building her own creative practice at CodeOrange Studio, and what inspired her to take on the challenge of relaunching the local gallery. With new exhibitions like My Dream Is Hope and the Surfelicious Art Show, she’s on a mission to create a space where local artists of all ages and backgrounds feel welcome to share their work.

Sometimes the path to helping others begins with your own healing. In this episode, I talk with Tennille Ziegler, an Ayurvedic health counsellor in Raglan who specialises in supporting women, especially mothers in the postpartum phase.Tennille discovered Ayurveda through her own health and postpartum journey, and what started as a personal search for balance soon turned into a calling to support other women through the same transformative time. Today she works one-on-one with clients, helping mothers restore balance, and feel supported in a phase of life that is often overlooked.

Standing out online has never been harder, and that’s exactly where Matriarch Media comes in. In this episode, I sit down with Emma and Kate, the founders of Raglan-based marketing agency Matriarch Media. Together they help businesses turn messy ideas into clear strategies, and powerful storytelling.For Emma, starting the business came from necessity. After becoming a mum and realising how few work opportunities in Raglan truly fit family life, she decided to create something of her own. Together with Kate, a commercially minded marketer, they created Matriarch Media. Tune in to learn what it was like for Emma and Kate to build a creative agency from a small town, and what according to them are the biggest mistakes businesses make with marketing.