When she ran a crowdfunding campaign in 2015 to turn an old Bedford school bus into a moving milk and cookie station (because she had to close her original shop due to inflated rent), older businessmen told her that she was stupid and there was no way she would be able to raise the $80,000 she was asking for.
The crowdfund closed at $91,000.
Deanna says there are still members of the public and acquaintances who refuse to recognise the 80 to 100 hour weeks and sleep-deprived nights that have gone into building a cookie empire on a limited budget; instead, saying she's "lucky" to have made it so far.
"It's like, well if something goes wrong, it'll be because you're silly and naive. But if it goes right for you, then you're lucky," Deanna says.
"It feels like you can't win."
RISE ABOVE
Some of the challenges Deanna describes are typical cases of tall poppy syndrome, where people who stick their heads above the crowd are attacked and diminished. Those who work with entrepreneurs say it's time for a culture change if we're to see the next generation of young business people thrive.
Otago Polytechnic's Jodyanne Kirkwood has researched the effect of tall poppy syndrome on Kiwi entrepreneurs and found most entrepreneurs she spoke with had experienced it in some form, although the actual impact of it on business outcomes was generally minimal.
"What we love about New Zealand is partly the very things that cause tall poppy syndrome. We're very egalitarian, respectful, we treat everyone the same. If someone goes above that, we go, 'You're not like us anymore'," she says.
Compare that with somewhere like the United States, where successful people are celebrated and failure is accepted. The US consistently ranks as one of the best countries in the world for entrepreneurs. New Zealand, according to an index compiled by leading US business school Wharton, is ranked 19th out of 80 countries, behind the likes of Germany, Japan, Australia, the US and the UK. The index measures 10 attributes related to how entrepreneurial a country is, including how educated the population is, how innovative and entrepreneurial they are, access to capital and technological expertise. While New Zealand scores well on transparent business practices and having an educated workforce, the country falls behind in technological expertise and innovation.
Jodyanne says the culture of cutting others down has led to a reluctance from entrepreneurs to share their stories. When she asked business people if they could be case studies for her research, most declined because they didn't want to draw attention to themselves.
"We're not good at blowing our own trumpets," she says.
It's that trumpet-blowing that Kiwi Landing Pad community director Sian Simpson says Kiwis need to get better at. Based in San Francisco, she works with hundreds of Kiwi startups each year to help them grow. She says without a culture that encourages people to share their experiences, young entrepreneurs don't have the role models they need.
"We need more people who are willing to be a tall poppy. Be a tall poppy and be proud of that."
- The Wireless
