December 1st
NZ Computer Manufacturers Back Budding Business Entrepreneurs
Two successful young entrepreneurs are being helped on their path by a donation of business software from the Computer
Manufacturers’ Association of New Zealand.
CMANZ is made up of a number of New Zealand’s leading computer manufacturers, and its member companies account for
around half of New Zealand’s locally-built personal computers.
The association has decided to support two youngsters, Brittany Teei (11 years) and Daryian Teei (10 years) , who have
set up a company called The Purple Monkey Co.
Their brainchild business organises and throws parties on contract, and has already secured some lucrative business.
Recently they helped to stage a welcome to New Zealand party for a group of around 15 South Korean students, brought
here by an English language school operating in Korea. They boosted numbers at the party with young New Zealanders, to
give the visitors a fun introduction to their time in this country.
A recent appearance on TV One’s Holmes show has brought in other business, and Daryian and Brittany have been boosting
their contract chances by ‘pitching’ for business at school assemblies and elsewhere – and their work is paying off in
cash dollars.
The two have contracted the accountant used by their businesswoman mother Teri, and have enthusiastically immersed
themselves in the detail of running a business, from business plans and marketing campaigns - to GST, databases, mail
merges and presentations.
The Computer Manufacturers’ Association has decided to help in this area, and has provided The Purple Monkey Company
with a software suite which includes word processing, database, mail merge, spreadsheet, visual presentation and
sophisticated email management. The software has a retail value of around $800.00.
CMANZ’s chairman, Mr Mike Cooch, says his association was so encouraged by the entrepreneurial spirit of the young
businesss people, members decided on the spot to get alongside the pair and to give some practical help to their
entrepreneurial efforts.
The Purple Monkey Co Ltd was partly set up as a way to make pocket money – but Brittany and Daryian’s mother Teri says
it has an extra benefit.
“Running a business is definitely a more instructive alternative to earning money through the traditional methods of
doing a paper round or washing cars..
However, she says her children were also inspired by coming along to a marketing seminar she attended to help her own
business ... and decided that an entrepreneurial approach to money-making seemed a whole lot more fun.
“They love learning the marketing strategies, and they really enjoy sitting down with our accountant and talking over
their business plans,” says Teri, who believes that from an educational point of view it’s great that her children are
enjoying learning about things like GST, forming a company, designing business cards and creating marketing strategies.
Daryian and Brittany are enjoying the opportunity to deliver presentations to potential customers (many of whom are
younger than them) and have caught the business bug big time. And it’s just as well. A recent phone call from a school
holiday activity programme organiser will see The Purple Monkey Company laying down the curriculum for a holiday
programme.
There are other contracts on the horizon, and as each of them become more adept at coping with some of the downstream
results of creating a business profile.
There’s also media exposure, time scheduling, meetings pressure and the difficulties of juggling school work with the
demands of running a business that deals in dollars, deadlines and the delivery of quality product.
ends
Further information:
Graham Hawkes, Media Liaison, Computer Manufacturers’ Association of New Zealand tel 0-9-3777 523; fax 0-9-3777524;
email: Technology@DesktopNews.co.nz.
Mr Mike Cooch, Chairman CMANZ, tel 0-9-414 0788; fax 0-9-414 0788.
(The Computer Manufacturers’ Association of New Zealand runs a unique warranty assurance scheme which guarantees that a
customer, whether it is a consumer, a business or a government department will have parts and labour access free of
charge beyond the failure of any individual CMANZ member. Currently the trust fund has in excess of $100,000 untouched
funds).