Anna Mowbray, CEO of ZEIL, shared her entrepreneurial journey with students in the School of Business during the recent visit to the ZEIL office. She also spoke about the challenges she has faced in her career, from co-founding ZURU to starting a toy company in China with very little. Then, launching ZEIL as a “Tinder for recruitment” at the age of 40, aiming to help Kiwis discover jobs through a more modern and engaging platform. She advised that success often comes from shaking as many hands as you can and building relationships. 

“I love being helpful to people and working with people,” Anna says as her drive and determination to work led her to founding ZEIL. She also left us with a couple of key phrases: “Be Curious” and “Don’t let anyone crush your dreams, surround yourself with great people and magic happens”

Students also heard from members of the ZEIL team, who described their diverse backgrounds and the different paths that led them to their current roles, two of which are ex-Waitākere College students. Through small-group conversations, students were able to ask questions about the workplace and discuss the businesses they are currently developing.

A key message from the visit was that career journeys are rarely straightforward. Being open to opportunities, surrounding yourselves with good people, staying curious, learning from different experiences and continuing to grow are all important steps toward future business success.

 - Trixshia Castor and Tuyen La