Losing myself to find my leadership: why cultural integrity matters in business
By Wai – Arotahi Collective
By Wai – Arotahi Collective
When I first stepped into business, I believed success was about doing more, moving faster, and pushing harder.
I chased strategies that promised quick growth. I listened to the noise that said hustle was the only way forward. And for a while, it felt like I was doing all the "right" things.
But somewhere along the way, I started to lose myself.
I was following templates, ticking boxes, and measuring success by someone else’s version of it and my wairua (spirit) felt it. The further I drifted from who I was, the less fulfilled I became.
That was the moment I realised, it is not enough to build a business. I needed to build one that was true to me true to my whakapapa (ancestral roots), my kaupapa (values and purpose), and the legacy I want to leave for my whānau (family).
🌿 Cultural integrity is essential for sustainable leadership
When we enter business as Indigenous leaders, we often find ourselves walking between two worlds.
One world tells us to prioritise speed, profit, and competition. The other reminds us to prioritise connection, balance, and collective good.
For a long time, it felt like I had to choose between the two. But what I habe come to understand, through experience, and through completing my BSB40320 Certificate IV in Entrepreneurship and New Business — is that the real strength lies in building both.
✨ Strategy with soul
✨ Structure with spirit
✨ Business with wairua
✨ Structure with spirit
✨ Business with wairua
Leading a business with cultural integrity does not limit us — it anchors us. It gives us the clarity to create, the confidence to grow, and the resilience to move forward in ways that honour where we come from.
🌱 Rebuilding with purpose: the birth of Arotahi Collective
After reconnecting with my cultural values and realigning my vision, I knew I couldn’t continue building the old way.
I refocused everything around what mattered most:
- Arotahi (focus and clarity)
- Kaupapa (values and purpose)
- Wairua (spiritual grounding)
This journey led to the creation of Arotahi Collective — not just a business brand, but a movement that empowers Indigenous leaders and entrepreneurs to lead with authenticity, intention, and impact.
Through Arotahi Collective, I want to show that business success and cultural identity don’t have to be separate journeys. They are stronger together.
✨ For those walking the same path
If you are an aspiring leader or entrepreneur feeling caught between external expectations and your internal truth, know this:
You don’t have to choose between your culture and your success.
Your culture is your success.
Your leadership is strongest when it reflects your whole self.
Your culture is your success.
Your leadership is strongest when it reflects your whole self.
It is not about fitting in — it is about standing tall in who you are, and building from there.
🔎 What’s next
As I continue shaping Arotahi Collective, I have found myself leaning into something deeper, something I am not quite ready to announce just yet, but it is coming.
Quietly, behind the scenes, I am developing the next evolution of this kaupapa: a space for Indigenous entrepreneurs and leaders to explore what it means to grow a business and lead with cultural integrity, clarity, and confidence.
I am not rushing this. I am building it slowly and intentionally — the same way I want others to feel when they lead their own journeys.
If something in this kōrero resonates with you, stay close.
There is more to come, and when it’s ready, you’ll be the first to know.
Poipoia te kākano, kia puāwai.
Nurture the seed, and it will blossom.
Nurture the seed, and it will blossom.
#ArotahiCollective #LeadershipWithWairua #IndigenousBusiness #BusinessWithPurpose #CulturalLeadership
