Beatrice Faumuina is a World Champion & 4x Olympian as well as a successful Pasifika businesswoman. She came to speak to the School of Business last Wednesday about her journey - from her younger years, to her athletic success, and finding new challenges in business.

A Sāmoan only child born in West Auckland, Beatrice grew up in a household of three generations of Pasifika women. Beatrice says this upbringing helped her understand the sacrifices her family made to give her the opportunities she was fortunate to have. She witnessed her mother work all day, then come home and study to progress her and Beatrice's lives. Growing up in this environment shaped her determination and strong work ethic, which is extremely evident in Beatrice today.

Beatrice had many amazing pieces of advice to share with us. However, one piece of advice that resonated was the power of your voice. Beatrice explained that as a student, she used her voice to ask questions that built her knowledge. For instance, she even asked her math teacher for help calculating how to optimise her food and rest for athletic training. Using her voice in this way helped her succeed in both her sporting career and her business diplomas. 

This is a valuable lesson that all students could learn from when they struggle with using their voice to speak up. Although it may feel nerve-wracking and even “embarrassing”, asking questions and speaking up can take you a long way in life. Beatrice inspired us to ask more questions and take every opportunity we can to get to where we want to be.

As she closed the session, her last piece of advice to us was to always be curious. This left a lasting impression on the School of Business, leaving us with a great mindset to pursue our future endeavours.