Q&A with Amber Taylor ARA Journeys – Wāhine in Tech and Entrepreneurship: From Pitch to Success
Te ao Māori through new media with Amber Taylor, ARA Journeys
ARA Journeys brings history to life through gamified experiences that promote connection, education and exploration. Using the latest immersive technologies, it works with Indigenous peoples around the world to retell the stories of the land. We ask founder Amber Taylor about the steps in her entrepreneurial journey.
What inspired you to set up ARA Journeys?
Growing up in Tāmaki Makaurau, I felt a disconnect from my own Iwi stories. Watching my tamariki grow up even more disconnected than I was, I began thinking about how we use technology to connect to culture. At the same time, I also met my business partner, Dr Isaac Warbrick, who is deeply fascinated by our Māori stories of the land, pre-colonisation. Isaac was also thinking about how technology might be used to connect or reconnect people to the whenua. The more we unpacked the issues surrounding Māori, e.g., loss of land, the passing of kaumātua, urbanisation, struggles with cultural identity, etc., the problem became apparent: How do we create a safe space for Māori to connect to their pūrākau – their stories – and how do we preserve this knowledge for future generations?
How prepared were you for a journey into entrepreneurship?
Before ARA Journeys, I was working in a university research and innovation department, in a role across both the commercialisation and research teams. The office was charged with managing the university research portfolio and funding, as well as tech transfer and commercialisation of university intellectual property. So I wasn’t new to entrepreneurship, and was fortunate to have been mentored by the CEO of the commercialisation office right up until he retired. Through my role, I met many successful investors, founders and funders, whom I still keep in contact with today.
What challenges did you face pursuing an entrepreneurial career path, and how did you overcome them?
Back in 2018, the biggest challenge was not getting too excited, because we had a lot of interest upon launch. Many people don’t realise that I kept my full-time job for two years after the launch. I’d seen a lot of other founders give up their 9–5 straight away and go all in, but I wasn’t leaving my job until I could match the salary I was on. I have a family and I didn’t want to make any sacrifices to the way we were living or the things we’d become used to. So, I ended up working 80-hour weeks until the company was in a stable position and I could match my salary. I had full-time staff before I was in the company myself.
That shows a lot of focus and planning on your part…
It was much perseverance. Sometimes I worked more than 80-hour weeks, because the interest was there, and I had to keep the momentum going in the company. It’s incredible how much extra time you have when you are not mindlessly scrolling online or watching television. I learnt how to use my time wisely, and how to say ‘no’ to anything that wasn’t going to help me achieve my goals.
Have you encountered any barriers as a female entrepreneur in tech in Aotearoa?
I think I’ve got off relatively lightly, because I have heard other female founders share some horror stories about their experiences. However, I had well-established networks already and I wasn’t afraid to reach out to people when I needed advice, an introduction, or reassurance that I was on the right track.
There has only ever been one occasion where I left a meeting thinking, WTF. It was during the early days of starting ARA. Isaac and I were in a meeting, and the male parties would naturally just look to Isaac for answers, or talk over me and cut me off mid-sentence. Fortunately, Isaac was always quick to call people out and create a safe space for me to be heard.
With the tech world moving at such a rapid pace, how do you keep your business up to date?
We don’t build products for today, we build products for the future. We intentionally create with our future mokopuna in mind! We do our own R&D and have formed great partnerships with global organisations. We’re a small team, which enables us to move quickly with little to no bottlenecks in our workflow. Having mutually beneficial partnerships with global organisations in our industry gives us access to international experts, and opportunities to test new products and suggest new features for future releases.
How do you keep up with industry trends?
I focus a lot on what’s happening globally – what are the market trends, what hardware is in development, what companies are investors backing. I reach out to our global partners, industry experts and academics in my networks, to stay up to date with what’s happening in their respective fields.
Do you see an increase in wāhine in tech in Aotearoa?
Yes. When I started ARA Journeys back in 2018, there was only one other wahine Māori founder (that I knew of) in the games industry, and that was Maru Nihoniho of Metia Interactive. I’m not sure of the exact number now, but there are many more wāhine in the tech sector as a whole. This is evident from the rise in number of female tech founders.
What’s your advice to young women who are starting out in the industry?
I’m not sure if this is helpful or not, but here are my top five non-negotiables for navigating business and life.
- Make decisions based on facts, not emotions.
- Have a small circle of people and mentors whom you can run ideas past and go to for advice. Ensure these people are comfortable giving honest feedback and telling you when they disagree.
- Focus your time on the areas in life where you have control and influence, i.e., ignore the opinions of those who don’t know you, and don’t spread yourself too widely.
- If it doesn’t align with your values, don’t do it.
- It’s OK to ask for help!
How do you stay on course and maintain your focus?
If something doesn’t align with our company values, we don’t do it. I apply this to all areas of decision-making, be they events we showcase at, keynote invitations, collaboration opportunities or new clientele; it all comes back to alignment with our values.
I also set big, audacious goals every year. I then break my goals into smaller milestones and manageable tasks to stay motivated. I write my goals on Post-it notes and stick them on a wall in my office where I can see them every day. I prioritise the tasks that get me one step closer to my goals, and I eliminate unnecessary clutter from my thoughts by keeping a journal. Routine, and having areas of interest outside of work, like sports, enables me to switch off from work.
What are ARA Journeys’ company values?
At ARA Journeys we hold a deep reverence for our Māori heritage and endeavour to incorporate this wisdom into our every endeavour.
We embrace the sacred Māori principle of Kaitiakitanga, which underscores our responsibility to care for and protect our digital landscape and the content we create. We recognise that, as content creators, it is our duty to be stewards of the digital realm, cultivating it in a way that benefits not just our company but the entire ecosystem. We strive to empower individuals not merely as consumers but as creators, nurturing their potential to contribute positively to the digital world.
Our commitment to Whanaungatanga emphasises the importance of fostering connections, not just through technology but also by understanding the deeper connection between people and the land. We aim to create digital technologies that facilitate meaningful interactions, further strengthening the bonds between individuals, their communities and the environment. We are committed to enhancing digital education that deepens our connection to the land and empowers people to make informed, sustainable choices.
As true Kaitiaki, we are dedicated to the well-being of people, place and planet. Our technology is designed with a holistic perspective, striving for harmony with the environment. We are mindful of our environmental impact and work diligently to develop sustainable solutions that minimise harm while maximising benefits for all stakeholders.
We recognise the profound ancestral knowledge encapsulated in Māori wisdom (the wisdom of our tūpuna) and acknowledge the significance of integrating this wisdom into our ventures. We understand that by drawing upon this rich tapestry of traditional knowledge, we can create digital content and technologies that respect the past, enrich the present, and prepare us for a sustainable future.
Are you optimistic about the space wāhine in tech are building for themselves?
I’ve witnessed an apparent increase in the number of female tech founders and entrepreneurs during my time in the tech industry. Many organisations and initiatives have been established to support and promote women in tech, including mentorship programmes, funding opportunities, and networking events. I’m currently mentoring three female tech founders, as well as a group of four females in tech. During one of the lockdowns, I started the Women Tech Founders Aotearoa Network with Jo Fair, later joined by Dil Khosa. We now have 370+ followers on both Facebook and LinkedIn.
Additionally, there has been an increase in the number of women pursuing education and training in STEM fields, which are essential for tech entrepreneurship. Co-working spaces, such as Manzana, are providing support programmes and safe spaces specifically for female entrepreneurs. The tech industry has undergone a cultural shift, with more companies recognising the benefits of diversity and actively working to create inclusive workplaces. Although progress has been made, there is still work to be done to achieve gender equality in the tech industry. Nevertheless, I am optimistic about the future of women in tech.
