Five Questions with Connor Archbold, Co-Founder of Tracksuit
News from the NZ startup ecosystem, straight to your inbox.
Welcome to a new week, Caffeinators!
Hope it wasn’t too much of a stretch to wake up this morning but we can almost smell Summer! Last day of September and plenty of news to share from the NZ startup world today.
Why are GEN Z miserable at work; the kiwi app selling surplus cafe food; NBR explore if our financial services are fair; 5 questions with Tracksuit Co-Founder Connor Archbold [and a job if you want to join him]; the latest events in October [tomorrow - eeek!] and we want to know if remote work has influenced the productivity of your startup?
Here’s to a great week ahead.
Lauren & the CAFFEINE team
Why Gen Z Employees are miserable at work: New research from SEEK’s Workplace Happiness Index reveals a generational divide in workplace satisfaction, with only 52% of Gen Z employees (aged 18-27) reporting happiness at work, compared to 72% of Baby Boomers. While key drivers of happiness across all ages include purpose, responsibilities, culture, salary, and stress levels, Gen Z prioritises salary and an employer’s commitment to ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance). Despite ESG being highly important to Gen Z, only three in 10 are satisfied with their company’s efforts in this area. Additionally, only four in 10 Gen Z workers are happy with their salary, reflecting challenges like high living costs and unemployment, contributing to their overall workplace dissatisfaction. Read more here.
Foodprint App Expands to Taupō and Tūrangi, Selling Surplus Food at Discount Prices: Foodprint, a Kiwi-owned app that allows consumers to buy surplus food from cafes at discounted prices, has expanded to Taupō and Tūrangi. Launched in 2022, the app aims to reduce food waste by providing local eateries a platform to sell surplus and imperfect food, with discounts ranging from 30% to 90%. Supported by a waste minimisation grant from Taupō District Council, participating cafes include Cozy Corner and The Storehouse. Founder Michal Garvey says the app helps reduce costs for consumers and prevents food from going to waste, benefiting both people and the environment. Read more here.
FMA Report Explores Fairness in Financial Services and its Impact on Regulatory Decisions: The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) published a report in July titled Understanding Fairness in Financial Services. Based on a survey conducted by Ipsos with nearly 3000 New Zealanders, the report highlights consumer perceptions of fairness in financial services, collected in 2023. The research aims to enhance understanding of fairness in the industry and promote more confident participation in financial markets. NBR has launched a four-part series exploring how perceptions of fairness are shaped, the challenges retail investors face, and the role fairness plays in driving regulatory decisions. Read more here.
Time for round #5 of our new Founders in 5 series — five questions with NZ’s startup leaders. Today we’re chatting with Connor Archbold, Co-Founder of Tracksuit. His short and sweet bio describes him as a Girl-dad 👨 Sandwich lover 🥪 and Saas and brand nerd 📈 His coffee is an Oat Flat White and he drinks a Whiskey Sour.
What do you wish you had known before becoming a founder?
Start your investor / stakeholder update as early as possible and get people bought into the journey 🚀
What's the most useful advice you've ever received [and followed]?
Give away your legos! Read here 👷
And the worst? [Followed or not]
In the early days of a startup, I think a lot of us over-index on seeking advice and often it's conflicting! Key thing to do early on it to find one or two sources of truth (for advice) and back yourself outside of that! 💜
What do we need to do to take the NZ startup ecosystem to the next level?
Allow our ambition to grow to levels we're currently uncomfortable with.
What's the hardest thing about being a founder?
Prioritising the right things at the right times.
🤖 Exploring the Future of AI in Public Service: Insights from the GovGPT Pilot | Tue 1 Oct | 3-430pm: Be part of a pivotal conversation on the future of AI in New Zealand's public service at an exclusive live event on the GovGPT pilot. This event will explore AI's potential to make government services more accessible and drive efficiency and innovation in the public sector. Attendees will hear directly from the experts leading the project and gain insights into its early stages, with a live Q&A session offering further engagement with the GovGPT build team. Register here.
💻 Navigating 'Engineers are from Venus, Operations are from Mars' | Wed 16 Oct | 2-530pm | Grid Auckland / John Lysaght Coworking Startup space: Join the Movac Engineering Chapter event, a deep-dive workshop designed for Kiwi tech company growth leaders to enhance collaboration across departments. Hosted by Ben Gracewood and Paul Shingles, this session will address common misunderstandings between Engineering teams and other departments like Operations, Sales, and Executive Leadership. Through real-world examples, you'll learn practical tips for navigating conflicts, handling KPIs and deadlines, and resolving feature prioritisation debates. Open to professionals in engineering, sales, marketing, and operations, the workshop runs from 2:00-4:00 pm, followed by networking drinks from 4:00-5:30 pm.
🎟️ Auckland SaaS & Tech Chapter Meetups Return: Help Shape the Future! | Wed 23 Oct | 430-630pm | Parallo Office | Auckland: Join the re-boot of the Auckland SaaS & Tech Chapter meetups, now driven by the community following the disestablishment of kiwiSaaS. Hosted by Parallo, this grassroots event will feature socialising, discussions on industry trends, and a collaborative conversation about the future direction of the meetups. Sam Fielden and Korey Rubenstein are leading the effort to continue building this valuable network. Don't miss the chance to connect and help shape the community's future. Limited spots. Register here.
Brand Champion (Customer Success Manager) at Tracksuit: Feeling inspired by Connor? Join the Tracksuit team as a Brand Champion. Your primary goal is to ensure marketers get maximum value from their dashboard data. You’ll build strong relationships, provide ongoing support, and help customers use the data to achieve marketing goals. The role focuses on driving retention, growth, and engagement while contributing to Tracksuit’s expansion in New Zealand. You'll onboard new clients, manage renewals, identify upsells, and collaborate with marketing leaders to enhance their brand strategy. Ideal for someone passionate about branding and client success, this role offers growth in a fast-scaling startup.
Learn more about the role and apply here.
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On!' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”
~ Calvin Coolidge
That’s it for today, thanks for reading. Want to get in touch with a news tip, a slice of feedback or just to chat? Email hello@caffeinedaily.co.