Activate HQ

15 December 2007

Creative HQ in Wellington (NZ) is launching Activate HQ, a four month programme to help entrepreneurs lay business foundations for a high growth company.

Over 14 weeks, the program covers:

  • Taking your idea to the next level
  • Setting goals and business values
  • Market research & validation
  • Building a successful team
  • Cash flow forecasting
  • Financial needs of high growth companies
  • Strategic planning
  • Protecting your IP
  • Branding
  • Dealing with the media
  • Sales & marketing
  • Shareholding and governance
  • Preparing for investment
  • Being a CEO

I spent 2.5 years in Creative HQ, starting a company and taking it through to merging with another company then getting investment and the support and networks that CHQ offers are invaluable.

The first full Active HQ programme is scheduled to start in early 2008 and there are a few more places available, so if you’re in this space, don’t hesitate to have a chat with Rewa on 04 381 444.


Chili Beer

9 July 2007

chili-beer-poster-cropped-1000.jpgI had the best beer on Sat night at In The Cactus in Petone. Just like a Corona, but warms your throat!

Lime is for whimps!

The Arizona desert. Home to 20 million rattlesnakes, Scattered F-16 parts, and lizards the size of beagles. All baked to a crisp 130 degrees. It’s the kind of wide open desolation that makes people think twice before shutting off the car. And a place where a cold beer is pretty damned important.

For Crazy Ed Chilleen, of Cave Creek, Arizona, (Pop.1328 including coyotes and cattle) beer was much too important to be trusted to outsiders. So, in 1989, he started brewing his own.

The town was suspicious. And became even more so when an entire brewery arrived in crates at the foot of Black Mountain, along with a German named Arnold. But after the first batch the people began to come around. The beer was good, damn good, So good in fact, the yuppies started driving in from all over to try it.

Something had to be done, So , whenever one of them whined for a “wedge of lime” Ed started putting a hot serrano chili pepper into the beer instead. Amazingly, about 2 out of ten actually liked the stuff. Surely, thought Ed, the Eighties had come to close.

Today Ed with Juan Olguin brew the original “Cave Creek Chili Beer” “Juanderful Wheat” “South of the Border Porter” “Ocotillo Amber” ” Frog light” and the original “Black Mountain Gold”. Chili Beer is sold in 20 states in the U.S., Japan, China and some other countries with strange sounding names.

Our motto is and always will be

“WE DRINK ALL WE CAN AND SELL THE REST”


Wellington

19 May 2007

View of Wellington today from the top of Mt Kaukau.

Wellington