Event Freak evolved from a simple connection.
While living on the road as a tour driver/guide for Stray Travel Joanna’s attention was drawn to a text message from one
of her colleagues, there was a marketing role available in Taupo.
It was rather timely as she had just bought a couple of flats in Taupo and was looking for a new venture, this made
sense to direct her focus there.
She made a point of meeting Nik Elidas to discuss the role as she was passing through, he jumped aboard her bus in the
midst of fueling up and dropping off passengers he presented Event Freak New Zealand’s largest sporting events site.
Unbeknown to her she didn't realised this was the first anyone had seen of this site, Nik had created a monster.
With 3000 events loaded and a platform for communities to showcase themselves alongside these events Joanna was taken
with the concept. She could see how this was not only going to be beneficial for events but also tourism and business.
After abit of research online she was astounded to find no other platform in the world quite like it. This was something
she wanted to be part of.
She started with abit of market research around Taupo. To her astonishment people were buying the concept off abit of
paper as the site was still in the completion stage.They were wanting to be apart of this new phenomena that was going
to be there to promote their businesses and communities.
Nik and Joanna went live with Event Freak on the 14/04/14 in that time the company has a established some substantial
support from both Rotorua and Taupo businesses. Millennium Hotel, The Quest, Wai Ora Resort, Polynesian Spa,
Agroventures just to name a few. After receiving the support and known that this is a platform businesses really
believed in, it it was time to take it to the next level.
Joanna understood this was bigger then just settling in Taupo,she had to get this site out there to New Zealand. Nik had
no desire to move to Auckland, he understood how fast this project was developing, he felt it was best to sell up in
order for Event Freak to flourish. He offered it to the person that had dedicated the will power and shared in his
vision of helping New Zealand become a healthy, active destination. In order to buy Nik out Joanna sold one of her
flats. She then shut the door and headed to the bright lights of Auckland.
The first step was not only to figure out where she was going to live but to structure a marketing plan for this
innovation. This is where Event Freak has started to get really interesting. Joanna say’s “ I have been overwhelmed at
the dedication of my new found colleagues and the support that has gathered in projecting Event Freak out to New
Zealand. When I required some business advice or guidance with IT and design, these people keep appearing from places
and connections that seemed to come out of no where! People have offered their time for free under the belief that Event
Freak is great for New Zealand and something we can take worldwide, they want to help these events,industries and
charities that all share the same goal, they believe Event Freak is the way they can bring that community together
more.”
Event Freak is now a company where ‘we’ is the common word. The marketing plan has now dropped from the sky, thanks to
Mike Gallager from featuring Arista Motel in Rotorua with Event Freak. Mike connected CEO Phillip Quay,Media PR with
Joanna who say’s “We have been thrilled with the business relationship Phil displayed early on, he calls regulary with
updates and keeps me on track with our plan. For any start up business this is the way to go. Phil not only supports a
business by getting their SEO up the Google rankings but also through publication. Exposure is vital for any new
business.”
Joanna has been so impressed by what Phil’s has achieved and his dedication to helping businesses through Media PA’s
network. Joanna say’s “Over the last three weeks Phil has demonstrated something remarkable, I have watch this magic
unfolding. All the businesses in Phil’s network are so strongly connected, the referrals from one another are driving
their success.”
Effective partnering is something Phil and Joanna understand as the way forward. They say “By aligning Event Freak with
other companies like Media PA we can share resources which will help the businesses achieve their goals faster.” They
say’s “And it’s much more fun working together!”
Joanna say’s “ Media PA has taken care of all our marketing, it’s a real asset for small companies that are not in the
position to employ a marketing team. We are also discovering that bigger companies that we meet, require the same
guidance Phill has given us. They want to know where their dollar is best spent. Globally we are caught between two
worlds of traditional marketing and the interactive marketing of the new age.”
Joanna is discovering a new way of business through the journey of Event Freak. Now that Media PA have taken care of her
marketing plan she is turning her attention to MATES a charity for men suffering from depression. She sees Event Freak
being a perfect match to help men get out there and participate in a social team environment or to set their own
personal goals through health and fitness.
Event Freak is becoming a revolution for the sporting industry and everyone else who would like to be associated to
driving tourism. We wish to support all the cycle ways and MTB parks our Government has worked hard to offer New
Zealander’s. Event Freak is the website to gather information about events and what’s going on in this fantastic
adventure playground we share.
ends