Doing business in Taupō: Rod & Rifle pair owning their future

Phil Caira (right) brought his family to Taupō in 2014. Photo / Supplied

The opportunity to work for themselves, in a business they could do from anywhere, convinced Jo and Phil Caira to take the leap and purchase Rod & Rifle magazine in 2019.

"It happened quite quickly, so it was a bit nerve-racking at the time," Jo says.

But the couple have no regrets about taking on the magazine, which has been around for 40 years and has subscribers from the top to bottom of Aotearoa, as well as from around the world.

A work transfer for Phil brought the Caira family to Taupō in 2014. The family loved the lifestyle living near Lake Taupō and Jo was glad to see the back of her daily commute in Auckland, but Phil's sales role often meant he was travelling several weeks each month.

When the opportunity arose to take on Rod & Rifle, Jo and Phil knew it could help to give them the life they really wanted.

"It is really busy leading up to the deadline for finalising each issue," Jo says.

"But once that is done, we know we have several weeks where we can take more time to do things as a family. Phil was already a keen fisherman, but when we took on Rod & Rifle, he was learning to hunt and now he has much more opportunity to get out there."

Phil's passion for fishing and hunting and Jo's previous experience in marketing, advertising and publishing have been a great fit for running the magazine.

Phil also joined The Alternative Board, which provides the opportunity to access business advice and build a network.

"It was a great way to learn from others and gain fresh perspectives. Taupō has a supportive business environment and plenty of opportunities for people to build great professional relationships."

• This story was commissioned as part of Amplify's Attraction Marketing campaign. If you want to make the move like these people did go to www.taupo.biz