Ross Filipo
After 12 years as a professional rugby player, former All Black and Chiefs player Ross Filipo has hung up his boots to form 10Seventy Events, a promotions company.
"We decided to name it 10Seventy because that was my All Blacks number."
Hamilton-based Filipo, 35, credits the Red Bull Trolley Derby for his decision to ditch rugby and start the company, with the goal of hosting upmarket events of any size.
"A friend and I decided to enter the Red Bull Trolley Derby last year so a few of us started building a trolley. It was a way of getting a few mates together to catch up because we all have families. Our trolley was named Formula 4 Square so we ended up ringing up Foodstuffs and they sponsored us and it kind of just snowballed from there. At the end of that particular event we discovered that Motorsport New Zealand didn't have anyone promoting their racing championship.
"We want to specialise in upmarket corporate events. But we don't just see ourselves as an event company, we are more like a specialist premiere promotional, event, and sponsorship company."
Filipo and his business partners Robert Scrimgeour, 34, and Mareet Carley, 38, work closely together despite living in separate cities and juggling family commitments.
"We all have kids, we're all in the same boat so it works out well. We all understand, and that's what we wanted for our business ... to be a fully family orientated business and allow each other the time to make sure the family has enough time with each other."
Filipo said the best part of going from rugby to the new venture is being home. "Being close to my family, and I don't have to travel as much. I don't have to just pack up and leave for three weeks at a time."
It's taken the trio longer to set the business up but Filipo says it's been a good learning curve.
"I was still playing rugby at the time for Wellington so it was hard to be immersed in the business."
The group got an opportunity to trial hosting an event for shipping container company Pinnacle Group a couple of weeks ago which Filipo said put things into perspective for him.
"They were some pretty heavy hitters in terms of guys to be in front of running an event for. Fortunately, it was a motorsport event so it ran out of Hampton Downs where they got to drive a few cars. They had some older cars, an Escort, a Capri, and a Mustang to drive around in. And then around that we organised Craig Baird and Steve Taylor who are New Zealand V8 touring car drivers and we had them come in and run hot laps for these guys in race style.
"The feedback was great. It was good because it was on a smaller scale so we got to dip our toes in the water and I realised that things run differently than how you plan them on paper and you have to be flexible and good at problem solving because little things went awry but we managed to keep the day going without a hitch."
Filipo said the vision for 10Seventy is to establish a large client base in New Zealand before breaking in to the Australian market.
"There's a big hole in the market here in New Zealand. We see this as a really great opportunity, especially in terms of the race championships which have been fairly lacklustre in previous years, so there's a real opportunity for us to put on some really good events. You dream it, we'll do it. Then we'll be looking at getting out merchandise out there, we're looking at water, and t-shirts, all those things that will help in getting our brand out there."
Filipo plans to combine the official launch of 10Seventy with the motorsport championship that runs from January 16 to 18 at the Mike Pero Motorsport Park in Christchurch.
For more information go to www.10seventy.co.nz