Thrive helps Whanganui man move from benefit to running his own car at River City Cabs

Phil Leota and his River City Cab in Whanganui. Photo / Supplied

Phil Leota has landed his dream job, despite a couple of years without work.

And he can be spotted doing it all around Whanganui as an owner-operator of a River City Cab taxi.

Leota, who has been a courier driver, flower deliverer and NZ Post worker, worked with Thrive Whanganui on the Ministry of Social Development's (MSD) Be Your Own Boss programme to establish his taxi business.

That involved Leota being coached by Thrive to develop his business plan over several months, as well as a grant from MSD.

"Without the grant there would be no buying the taxi run and the cab," Leota said.

"I would still be looking for jobs and, while I would have taken anything Work and Income put in front of me, this is my dream job now."

Having a kōrero with people while getting them from A to B, especially the elderly, was something Leota said he really enjoyed.

"Making sure people get a good journey and feel like they have been looked after is important to me. Sometimes people just want someone to listen. It's heart-filling and gratifying that people appreciate what you do. It's massive."

Previously a waged employee, some aspects of running a business, such as the book work, were new to Leota.

He had support from Thrive, River City Cabs and an accountant to help him with the book-keeping.

"I love the fact that Thrive is here and I have support, which is going to be vital with anything I need to question or learn," Leota said.

His daughter, 11, also helps him with the IT side of things.

"She is a whizz with technology."

Thrive programme director Nicola Patrick said Leota had been "an absolute star and a joy to work with".

"Our team has loved working with Phil and we're so happy when we see him driving by and he gives us a wave.

"It's not easy starting your own business and it's certainly not for everyone. But for the right people, it is a pathway to greater financial independence and has huge ripples through families and our wider community."

He also has support from his wider whānau and loves living in "beautiful Whanganui" where he has been for the last eight years since moving from Wellington.

Leota said the business was supporting his daughter and wider family and he was already thinking about how he could sustain it by offering partnership to younger whānau in the future.

"I can't say enough about Thrive and MSD for giving me the opportunity at a future. What Thrive and MSD have done is amazing and I have been blown away from start to finish.

"Now that I work for myself, it's a new life. It's a future and it's definitely a reality. It just happened and everything landed on my plate. I see it as the last job I will ever need."