Your Business: Right royal fight to win over Kiwis

When in Britain, Michael Rawlence had two royal warrants to supply the Queen and Prince Charles with stationery. Photo / Babiche Martens

Many Brits who have run thriving businesses in the UK come to New Zealand following a Kiwi romance and set up shop here.

What they discover is that, like the UK, New Zealand is all about connections. And even if you can cite English royalty as a previous client, it doesn't mean every door in New Zealand will open automatically.

Michael Rawlence sold up his share in the UK luxury stationery business The Wren Press in 2007 to join his now New Zealand wife, Nicci Reid. The Wren Press, a rival of Smythson in the UK, had two royal warrants to supply the Queen and Prince Charles with stationery. Rawlence had also successfully launched the business in New York.

The Etonian who went to school with Tom Parker Bowles, son of Camilla, Sir James Goldsmith's son Zac and Bear Grylls among others, organised the wedding invitations for Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall and Liz Hurley and Arun Nayar.

Seeing a gap in the New Zealand market, the Briton set up the new high-end personalised stationery business Rawlence & Horton with Matthew and Roxane Horton at the beginning of 2009. Matthew is the son of former Herald publisher Michael Horton and Dame Rosie Horton.

"My mission statement was: "Let's create a New Zealand brand that can compete with everything there is globally"," says Rawlence.

Rawlence & Horton's appeal, says Rawlence, is it offers a tailored solution, giving a choice of typeface, the colour of paper, the type of paper and the print process. The firm uses thermography, lithography, premium flat printing, letterpress and foiling. The company is the only one in the country to offer copper plate engraving, sourcing it overseas.

The Hortons sold out of the stationery business at the end of last year, because of their move to Australia. The company has a client list of people who could be perceived as New Zealand royalty, whether it's sports stars, old New Zealand's families, patrons of the arts, politicians or entrepreneurs. There is still more market to be won.

"It's been such a difficult time for a new brand in a country that has not had such a product and in the middle of a recession. It's put hairs on my chest," says Rawlence.

Rawlence has now moved into invitations to events and the wedding market. "I was huge in that in the UK, it's very sustainable.

"The New Zealand bridal designers all know about me now," he adds.

Rawlence & Horton also helps companies with product launch invitations, Rawlence working for a number of London Fashion Week designers such as Jimmy Choo co-founder Tamara Mellon.

The entrepreneur is also building his business clientele providing corporate gifts, such as sets of personalised stationery for leadership teams.

Rawlence did a pitch to a big bank recently and lost out. When he asked why he was not successful, he was told it wasn't his rates but rather: "You are just not taking the right people out to lunch."

Restaurants are another avenue. Rawlence supplies a top Auckland restaurant and a five-star hotel. Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson were all clients in London.

Once New Zealand is established, Australia and Asia are in the stationer's sights. Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and India especially appeal.