Sonya Martin​ : Gate28

Sonya had just registered her business gate28 Limited, with the idea of working outside of my full time employment doing Hospitality consulting work. She was lucky enough to be on two weeks leave when a friend, Micky Gunn, made me aware of the Porirua course (2018) so I commuted down from here at Waikawa Beach to attend.

The biggest gem I received was confidence.

Sonya started her first weebly.com website 'gate28sonya' on that course and was able to smash out ManakauStore.weebly.com in a day (and yes, according to Sonya,  it still needs work). Other gems she took away were

• “If you can’t do something, hire someone” Sonya has an accountant who is also he bookkeeper and looks after her Xero business records.
  
• “People will only do business with you if they know you, like you, trust you.” Sonya has built and maintained relationships with her customers and greet them by name when they enter the store.
  
• “Use the internet” – She has google my business, google ads, facebook and weebly to promote the business.

As an essential business Sonya stayed open during COVID 4 lock downs, and though it meant restrictions in sale of fresh foods she was able to stay open thanks to being resilient and able to pivot.

Sonya feels she has grown as a small business owner and has learnt so much in such a short time (and there is more than she imagined in owning a dairy). She is still learning, especially, the need to pivot – that it's ok and sometimes necessary. She says she will keep on learning to increase business and work less hours and when this part of my journey is over she will be a much better business owner.

None of this would have happened if Micky Gunn hadn’t told me about the Rebel Business school and meet Tony and his team.
​
Website:  https://manakaustore.weebly.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/FoodConsultingSonya