It’s hard enough to chase a scientific breakthrough. 

But as New Zealand company Ārepa found out it's even harder and more expenisve to defend your breakthroughs time and time again.

Ārepa was founded in 2017 and the so called “brain drink” company was growing at a rapid pace when at the end of 2023, they hit a massive speed bump.

That's when the Ministry for Primary Industries and an Auckland University scientist came out and said the company hadn’tactually proven better brain function at all.

Ārepa found itself in the headlines, but for all the wrong reasons.

The company's co-founder and co-chief executive Angus Brown told their story with Kerre Woodham on the latest episode of Bosses Unfiltered.

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NOTE: This interview was recorded on June 4th 2025.

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New Zealand produces enough food to feed 40 million people. Some of it we consume and some some we export.

 But a staggering 30% of the food we make or grow goes to waste. 

Fruit and vegetables need to look a certain way to make it onto supermarket shelves – or they get tossed.  

Angus Simms and his partner Katie Jackson wanted to tackle that problem - so they started Wonky Box three years ago. 

This is the subscription food box full of wonky fruit and veg that’s delivered to your door. 

Their business has grown way bigger and faster than they ever thought, but it hasn’t been smooth sailing along the way.  

Angus joined Kerre Woodham in the latest episode of Bosses Unfiltered to share his story. 

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What do you do, when you have invested all your money into an idea you thought was going off, and then the whole world shuts down?  

Do you try to fight on? Or do you completely change your business to survive? 

That’s the decision Aidan Bartlett faced.  

He’s the co-founder and chief Executive of online marketplace Designer Wardrobe. It was, once upon a time, a designer rental shop.  

Covid-19 wrecked the business but also gave it a new life.  

Aidan Bartlett joined Kerre Woodham in studio in the latest episode of Bosses Unfiltered. 

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Five years ago, Port of Auckland was struggling with a shocking health and safety record.

Three people had died and many more had been injured at work.

Financially, the company was dealing with a costly but flawed automation project, and COVID added plenty of headaches for the global shipping industry too.

The company needed a complete turnaround, and Roger Gray was picked as the new chief executive to get on with the job.

With a background of 20 years in the Australian Army and roles at Goodman Fielder and Air New Zealand, Roger came with experience in leadership, but this was a big job with big problems.

Roger Gray joined Kerre Woodham in studio for the latest episode of Bosses Unfiltered.

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They say when one door closes, another one opens.  

That’s certainly been the case for Lisa King. In the same breath she closed her first business Eat My Lunch and started a drinks brand AF Drinks.

AF stands for alcohol free - and it's a range of booze free cocktails.

The brand has picked up on a huge rise in people who want to drink less or not at all.  

It’s a change not just seen in New Zealand, but across the world. Within two years in the US market, AF Drinks are now available in 4000 stores in America. 

Lisa King joined Kerre Woodham in studio for the latest episode of Bosses Unfiltered. 

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Rod Duke has been selling things since he was 16. First shoes, then appliances, and eventually homewares and sportswear.  

Born in Adelaide, Duke came to New Zealand in 1988 to spruce up a flailing Briscoes for sale. Two years later he scored the best Briscoes deal ever, he bought the whole company himself for $2.  

He ended up with 12 shabby stores, where dusty wine glasses were sitting on the shelf for $2.71 each.  

But it didn’t take long for Duke to turn the business around.

Today, there are almost 100 Briscoes and Rebel Sports stores around the country, and Briscoes is a listed company that’s been defying the odds of the economic downturn. 

The Briscoes boss unpacks it all with Kerre Woodham on the latest episode of Bosses Unfiltered. 

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Dame Wendy Pye is one of the most successful businesspeople in New Zealand.

She’s a rich-lister, her publishing company Sunshine Books has sold over 300 million books worldwide, she's met countless more world leaders, and she was the first living woman to be inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame.  

But it hasn’t all been easy. Dame Wendy has gone through a life changing redundancy, legal battles, and had many deals that couldn't be closed.  

She joined Newstalk ZB's Kerre Woodham in studio for the first episode of Bosses Unfiltered. 

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Kiwi businesses have been navigating the biggest economic turmoil in decades. Wherever you look, business leaders are making tough calls: staff cuts, putting payroll on the credit card, or worst case… closing the business altogether.  

They thought they had it all: a great idea, solid marketing, and a healthy amount of capital.  So where did it all go wrong?  And can they ever turn things around? 

In Bosses Unfiltered, Kerre Woodham, interviews prominent Kiwi businesspeople who’ve experienced failure and adversity and lets them tell their story.

When did they realise their dreams weren’t coming true?  How big was their fall from grace?  How did they pick themselves up and where are they now?  

Bosses Unfiltered tells the real story behind the headlines.  About what it’s really like being in business, in a raw and vulnerable way, while showing that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that success can quite often come from failure.

Listen to Bosses Unfiltered every Thursday morning from 11:30am during Kerre Woodham Mornings, and follow the podcast on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.

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