Press Room

Two Rotorua businesses have been named as national finalists in The David Awards for 2015.

Ros Morshead, of Morshead Law is a finalist in the ‘Most Outstanding Lifestyle Business’ for her work in epitomising the ability to use technology to integrate business and lifestyle.

Dr Julia Charity who founded Look After Me – an online market place for accommodation all over New Zealand, is a finalist for ‘The Solo Meo Award’ which recognises a business owner who runs their business single-handedly.

Look After Me is also a finalist for the ‘Most Outstanding Triumph over Adversity’ in recognition for success in spite of challenges beyond the usual.

Seven entries from the Bay of Plenty have made it into the finals of the New Zealand Innovation Awards with the winners being named on October 21.

Rotorua City News spoke recently to Julia Charity, Founder of Look After Me, New Zealand's accommodation network.

Julia explains why Look After Me specialy describes how the local council has got behind her and discusses inplications for the tourism industry of New Zealand.

What follows is the transcript of the interview. 

To go straight to the interview click here.

By Monica Louis

What to do, once you’ve withdrawn from the daily duty of putting bread on the table? Have you ever wondered about turning your home into your business?

A wonderful Robert Palmer song sums it up in the opening line; “the fight to make ends meet keep a man on his feet” (click to hear the song)

Despite our moaning about the traffic when we were obliged to travel to the office every day - maybe now we miss it! Without the deadlines and obligations which in turn give the drive to get started in the morning; what to do with all that available time?  Sure for some there are family demands, clubs or volunteer commitments that help fill the day but those activities take up time and money and give back – let’s say - a non-material return on investment . For some of us the chance to make a bit of pocket money while doing something we love doesn’t sound so bad. 

Q&A Session With New Zealand entrepreneur Dr. Julia Charity.  She talks with Caitlin Sykes about the online marketplace.

Published in Business section of the New Zealand Herald.

As a student of transport engineering Oscar Ellison was aware there were lots of cars sitting idle in driveways, but the point was further hit home when he bought his own first car.

Accommodation is filling up as farmers and football fans prepare to pour into Hamilton next week.

An overlap of Fieldays and the Fifa U-20s World Cup has seen much of the accommodation snapped up, but there are still some rooms remaining in the city's motel sector. 

Waikato homeowners are being urged to embrace NZ’s farming community as they pour into the city and help bridge the shortfall in beds needed for Fieldays, the Southern hemisphere's largest agricultural showpiece festival coming to Mystery Creek and FIFA U20 World cup this month.

This month, NZ Entrepreneur Magazine talks to Dr Julia Charity – Founder of a Peer-to-Peer accommodation platform where guests can book accommodation with like minded hosts.  Now the largest and fastest growing Homestay Network in New Zealand, we ask Julia how she got started, what it’s really like to be an Entrepreneur in New Zealand and her hopes and dreams for the future.

Coined as the 21st Century’s ‘Collaboration Revolution’, global indicators point towards the rapid rise of the Sharing Economy.  This translates to both opportunities and warnings for New Zealand.  Julia Charity investigates. 

[published in Management Magazine, April 2015]

Scientist-turned-businesswoman says you have to know how long your runway is.

Rotorua scientist-turned-entrepreneur Julia Charity led a panel discussion of seven prominent Kiwi businesswomen to launch a female entrepreneur week.

TV Rotorua City News talks to Dr Julia Charity, about NZ's fastest growing Homestay network. 'Look After Me Ltd' - NZ's Homestay Network, has gained global exposure via reality television programmes that were aired in China and Korea.

The Chinese version of the show, 'Daddy, where are we Going' was filmed in Rotorua and at Hobbiton.

The show was watched by an estimated 404 million viewers live and 1.4 billion via global satellite. 

TV Rotorua's report Kiri Danielle visited Althea (a Look After Me Host in Rotorua) at her beautiful B&B 'Pohutu Vista'. Althea explains why she joined the Homestay Network and what she enjoys about hosting guests.

Watch Video

Published in NZBusiness Magazine: With strengthening relations between China and New Zealand and evidence for strong economic benefit – we take a closer look at the NZ-China Free-Trade Agreement, the rise of service industries and their possible economic impact. Julia Charity investigates.

Published in NZBusiness Magazine: From humble beginnings, Rotorua business ‘Look After Me’, has grown to become New Zealand’s largest, fastest growing Homestay Network.

It’s an on-line market place where homeowners offer short-term accommodation for paying guests in guest wings, self-contained units and spare rooms. ‘Look After Me’ provides accommodation on 18 of New Zealand’s 23 Cycle Trails and supports major events like Art Deco in Napier and Womad in New Plymouth.

Rotorua has landed a leading role in China's most popular reality TV show, which will be watched by millions of potential visitors.

The show, called Dad, Where Are We Going?, has been filming in Rotorua and the central North Island for a week, with its stars visiting some of the region's most picturesque locations. 

聚光灯下的Rotorua—中国的“爸爸去哪儿”

在中国的一档最受欢迎的电视真人秀“爸爸去哪儿”中，Rotorua 扮演了一个很重要的角色，因为目前这档将会被数百万的潜在观众观看的节目，正在这里进行着为期一周的拍摄，而节目中的明星们正也参观着当地最风景如画的地方。Rotorua这个地区的迷人风景将会呈现在“爸爸去哪儿第二季” 最近的两集中。但是由于双方合同的一些限制，具体拍摄的一些地方的细节问题还不能对外公开。

Second place and the People’s Choice award for the inaugural Rotorua Start-Up Pitch Night event went to Dr. Julia Charity, who founded 'Look After Me - New Zealand's Homestay Network. Accepting her award, Charity said she had worked tirelessly for three years to bring an idea from absolutely nothing into something.

“Rotorua really needs events like this. It helps create and support an entrepreneurial community,” she said.

“Through determination and grit I have created something from nothing. The world has changed and New Zealand needs its own Homestay Network. I'm doing this for the people of New Zealand and it's so wonderful to receive this award. 

Winning the People’s Choice provides awhi for me along my entrepreneurial journey.”

One of the below-the-radar categories for tourism across New Zealand is the Bed and Breakfast and Home stay market, which tourism experts suggest could account for significantly more than the officially monitored visitor bed nights. And new online apps and sites are allowing increasing numbers to access private household accommodation.