Fingers in pies aplenty for entrepreneur

Otago Daily Times

16-05-2025

Start counting the various groups and organisations Madison Duffy is involved in and you quickly start to run out of fingers.
But there is a common thread; Ms Duffy (23), who is completing a bachelor of entrepreneurship at the University of Otago, is passionate about entrepreneurship, and that flows through to all her extra-curricular activities.
She has recently been appointed operations assistant for the Global Entrepreneurship Network (NZ), the national affiliate of the Global Entrepreneurship Network which operates programmes in 200 countries.
The organisation is aimed at making it easier for anyone, anywhere to start and scale a business. The New Zealand arm — which is a not-for-profit trust — was founded in 2019 to connect and grow the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Ms Duffy was excited about her new role, which would be remote — meaning she could continue to be based in Dunedin, a city she fell in love with while visiting a friend.
Originally from Tauranga, Ms Duffy moved to Wellington in 2021 to study at Victoria University, but she found it was not the best fit for her.
Spinal surgery, due to a congenital condition, meant she took a break from study as 28 screws and two rods were inserted in her spine.
Later, while visiting a friend, she was captivated by the city and the university campus and decided to "take a leap of faith" and move south.
Studying politics, economics, finance and management were all subjects that interested her, along with a minor in sustainable business. She also quickly got involved in the city's entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Growing up, she loved business studies at secondary school and was involved in the long-running Young Enterprise Scheme for two years. She loved the environment of building a business and learning all the different aspects involved.
The first year in the scheme, her company made recycled glass cheeseboards featuring an image of Mount Maunganui, followed by bamboo straws the second year.
Last year, she did the Audacious business challenge with a business idea for accessible period products for those with mobility issues.
This year, she is co-president of the newly-established Student Innovation Collective — which she hoped would be around for a long time — set up to bridge the gap between the polytechnic and university, and wider ecosystem, and running the likes of networking events and pitch nights.
She also did a workshop with The King's Trust Aotearoa New Zealand several weeks ago and enjoyed being with a broad range of both students and non-students with different business ideas.
She is also back to Audacious this year, her project looking at whether one platform for entrepreneurs and funders to go to and find everything they needed was viable.
And then there is Momentum, the national student-led investment committee programme which provides access to advice, connections and investment opportunities to students and start-ups throughout New Zealand.
She has been on that committee for about a year and she enjoyed the mix of students and industry professionals.
If that was not enough, then she was also a volunteer with drug checking service provider Know Your Stuff, and has a part-time job.
Ms Duffy acknowledged it could be a challenge finding a balance with all her studies, along with extra-curricular activities but she seemed able to do it, despite her planner being "very full all the time".
"I'm doing something I'm really passionate about and really enjoy and it doesn't feel like hard slog. I know myself a lot better and what I need to do to maintain that balance," she said.
Hopefully she would finish her degree at the end of the year and, while she was still keeping her options open, there was a possibility of doing a master's degree in sustainable business next year.
Eventually, she would like to work in sustainable consulting or sustainable policy, and having her own business or women-led business for that would be her goal
In the meantime, she said she had found the "perfect place" to be in Dunedin, and she had been inspired by other entrepreneurs in the city, such as the "gin ladies" behind Dunedin Craft Distillers.
A university paper on social and sustainable entrepreneurship involved field trips to Southern Youth Development and Cargill Enterprises, which she particularly enjoyed.
"Just seeing how business can be for good as well as profit — there doesn't have to be the trade," she said.
This week, Ms Duffy received a top student award for that work which she was delighted about, particularly as it was her preferred area of business.
[e-mail]