Our story began in mid-2021 when Sam received the news that the Paper Mill, where he had worked for 21 years, would be closing in July, rendering him redundant. While this outcome was not entirely unexpected, it was still a shock.

Motivated to generate income from home, Sam became intrigued by laser cutting. It was then that we purchased our first laser cutter, the Emblaser 2. From this small yet powerful machine, the name Emblazing Laser Work was born. We produced our very first set of earrings, and by September, we had established a range of Māori-inspired earrings that excited us immensely. We also developed a cheese platter and felt confident in our ability to take on the world, or at least our backyard.

At that time, we were living in Rotorua. However, due to Covid-19 restrictions affecting market activities, we had to venture outside of Rotorua to engage with the market scene. We decided to participate in the Whakatane Sunday Market, where we were warmly received by the community. It quickly became our market of choice, and we still try to return to Whakatane once a month in the October to April season to maintain that connection.

As part of a ten-year plan anticipating the potential closure of the Tasman Mill, we devised an exit strategy for full-time employment that involved purchasing land in Tolaga Bay. We developed this land by building two B'n'B studios with the intention of creating our retirement home while using the studios for potential income. With Sam's redundancy, we were able to realize this dream six years ahead of schedule, and we are now living permanently in Tolaga Bay (Ūawa).

What are we doing now…