Ko wai tēnei? is a series profiling inspirational Māori in Aotearoa and beyond. Today, we get to know Māori fashion entrepreneur Taylor Spittle.

Ko wai koe? Nō hea koe?

Ko Te Upoko o Tahumatā tōku mauka
Ko Ōkana rāua ko Waitaki ōku awa
Ko Waihao rāua ko Wairewa ōku marae
Ko Ngāi Tahu tōku iwi
Ko Kāti Huirapa rātou ko Ngāti Māmoe, ko Waitaha, ko Kāti Hateatea, ko Ngāti Irakehu ōku hapū

My name is Taylor and I call Ōtautahi home.

What’s the kaupapa that drives you right now?

My main kaupapa right now is CHOOSE SARCASM. The mission is to bring Te Reo Māori and Te Reo Pākehā together on clothing and be something anyone can wear. It’s about humour and laughter, because Kiwis are naturally sarcastic and so are Māori.

I have a Māori mum and a Pākehā dad, I’ve had to walk in both worlds, so this is my way of bringing them together in a fun way. We work together as a whānau on new ideas and concepts, so we bring in everyone’s perspective. I’m also wanting to bring some colour to Māori t-shirts, moving us away from just black, white and red.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

“Say yes, then figure it out later.”

I learnt this from my dad, and since starting this business this has been me almost everyday. You don’t need to have it all planned all the time. Just back yourself, take the opportunities, and trust you’ll work it out as you go.

What’s one challenge you’ve had to overcome on your journey?

I started my adult life as a primary school teacher. I studied, worked, and thought that was me for the rest of my life. Turns out teaching is one of the most transferable skills you can have.

Since leaving, I’ve worked across different industries and the biggest challenge was shifting my mindset. I felt like I was failing because I wasn’t doing the thing I was supposed to do. I wouldn’t have been able to pivot without the support of my whānau. They taught me that starting over, or trying something new isn’t failing.

What’s a moment you’re really proud of?

Looking back, one of the moments I am most proud of is the day I left teaching. At the time it felt like one of the hardest days of my life, that feeling of not knowing what is next. Now I can see that it was a turning point for me. This is the day I chose to back myself.

Since then we’ve created a whānau company (we have CHOOSE SARCASM and a few other things). Now my 14-year-old sister is getting involved, I’m proud that I’m helping to build something our whole whānau can be part of for generations. It reminds me of the saying: Mō tātou, ā, mo kā uri a muri ake nei. For us and our children after us.

What does success look like to you?

Success looks like flexibility and freedom. Since working for myself, I enjoy being able to create my own schedule and work with my whānau everyday.

Who are three people you admire and why?

It sounds cliche and cheesy, but my mum and my dad – they had me when they were 16, and they’ve been proving people wrong ever since. They’ve had to push back against stigma and assumptions, hustle hard, keep learning and growing, and they’re still in a loving relationship 28 years later. I admire their resilience and the fact they just get on with it, no matter what people expect of them.

The other isn’t just one person, but I look to all of my other small business friends. I admire their drive, and passions and what they’re building in their own lives. I love that I can rely on them for help, we talk openly and honestly about what we’re up to.

What keeps you grounded?

Time with my whānau, it always brings everything back into perspective.

What’s one whakaaro you want to leave our readers with?

Don’t be afraid of the boring stuff. There are parts of running a business which are super boring, but they still have to be done. Research, finances, marketing, planning – whatever is the thing you don’t like, give it a go. Having an understanding of all parts of your business means you’ll be able to see the pitfalls and the things that are running smoothly.

Where are you at the marae hui? In the whare or in the kitchen?

Hiding in the kitchen. I prefer to be behind the scenes, I don’t enjoy the spotlight.

Finally – what’s something about you most people don’t know?

I have an obsession with Nicolas Cage, I love his movies. I even have a Pickolas Cage which is a carved pickle with Nicolas Cage’s face on it, it’s handmade from America. I plan to watch every Nicolas Cage movie in a year, in chronological order. He’s currently got 117 movies out, so to watch them all in a year, I’d need to be watching 2-3 a week.