Summer questions: Mīria Flavell on her toughest year in business

Mīria Flavell, founder and director of Hine Collection, in the Hamilton headquarters of her activewear clothing company. Photo / Alan Gibson

Hine Collection founder Mīria Flavell (Ngati Rangiwewehi) last year shared the stage with fellow wāhine Māori at M9, expanded to a Newmarket store, and celebrated five years of business.

Despite her triumphs, Flavell said 2022 was Hine Collection’s most challenging with rises in living costs, Covid-19, and the strain of the year on physical and mental wellbeing.

She’s made it through with the support of her whānau and community, learning the value that lies in taking care of her and her family’s wellbeing.

How would you describe 2022 for your business?

To be honest it was a tough year for us. Probably the hardest year we have had since we started the business. Covid definitely had an effect on us with major supply delays, pushing all our new collection drops back by months.

We were also affected by the high rise in costs. So if I could describe it in one sentence it would be: It was a rollercoaster of a year. But the positive was how much our community grew. I’m so grateful to still be running our business, I know so many didn’t make it after Covid.

How is your business planning to tackle 2023?

Being very cautious, being smart with our cash flow. There is so much uncertainty in the world at the moment. Making sure we adapt to those uncertain times no matter what way they go.

The main thing we plan on doing is listening to our customers and engaging with them to help us with the growth and the next phase of business, as there is always room for improvement.

What will be the major challenges and/or opportunities for your industry?

The rise in cost of living in our country at the moment means that people are being very cautious with the way they are spending.

So I feel like that will be a challenge for the majority of small businesses owners. Supply chain is also a current challenge. At the same time, there is still so much opportunity for growth with small businesses if we can encourage as many people as possible to support local.

What’s the worst mistake you’ve made in business?

I wouldn’t say it was a mistake, but the biggest lesson was just before Covid we were at our absolute peak of our business.

We grew so fast and we adapted to that growth and we grew with it with hiring more staff, leasing a bigger building, ordering more stock. Then Covid hit and everything changed after that. So I suppose my biggest lesson is to be prepared for whatever situations may come our way.

Hine Collection strives to ensure that "whatever size a woman is, she can find something she likes in our range". Photo / Supplied

What would you rate as your greatest success in business?

Surviving five years of business! That’s a huge win and milestone. Not many businesses make it to that point, so I am so proud that we were resilient and worked hard to get here.

Where and how are you holidaying this summer?

With owning a business, unfortunately it means you will probably be working over the break like me, but I will be making sure to have a week off with my family and enjoying some quality time before we get stuck into another big year ahead.

How has Covid-19 affected your mental health this year?

It was a struggle mentally but also physically. Owning a business in general is tough, but owning a business when the unexpected like Covid hits is a whole other level of tough.

But we pushed through and we are still here. I am grateful for all the learnings. It was definitely an eye-opener. Covid knocked me out physically, it impacted my health in the worst way.

Trying to deal with Covid while running a business was one of the hardest struggles this year.

Is there anything you would do differently this year (either in your business or personally)?

I think my biggest lesson here was that I learned to prioritise my and my whānau’s wellbeing before anything else, something I never used to do. Usually I’ll just carry on with work and ignore my own health and wellbeing needs, that’s when things would crumble.

So I have learnt to prioritise my own health and wellbeing this year so that I am able to give more of me and my energy to my kids and my business.