Interview with Eleanor Bekesi – Connect Health

LIFE Business: What is your business?

Eleanor Bekesi: Connect Health is a team of health professionals working to help people achieve maximum potential in their health. It's about health care that extends beyond the scope of mainstream medical solutions. We use NIS (neurological integration system) which is based on principles of neuroscience to assess and treat a wide range of health issues.

LB: What's your background? How long have you been in business?

EB: I trained and worked as a physiotherapist initially and then did specialised training for a year using NIS system. I started Connect Health in 2004.

LB: What are the benefits for you of having God involved?

EB: God involved means that I don't stress out about the business. I trust him completely – he covers the big decisions and small day-to-day issues. For example, if I don't have room to fit someone in who is desperate for help, I pray for cancellations and someone always does!  I find that no issue is too small for his care.

LB: What has been one of your biggest challenges?

EB: The biggest challenge for me is finding good quality staff to meet the demand. It is imperative for me to have the right team to meet clients where they are at. Many people come in needing more than a physical solution and I consider the personal connection aspect of treatment as being the highest priority. God has brought the right people across my path, usually someone personally known to me – either a friend, acquaintance or client – which means I know there will be a fit, beyond technical ability.

LB: What is one thing you've learned along the way?

EB: That I can't be everything to everyone all the time. It's hard for me to say no and I have had to learn to erect boundaries in order to maintain my own priorities. This has been a hard lesson to learn because my heart is to help everyone!

LB: You've become a mother since you started the business. What sort of challenges has this presented?

EB: I love my business and I love being a mother. The biggest challenge in juggling the two is learning how to delegate aspects of my role to others, and keeping them trained to a high level, while remaining an integral part of the business and maintaining client contact.

Saione Greer - Director of Creation House and Viva Latino

LIFE Business: Can you give us a brief summary of your various business endeavours?

SG:  I started Creation House (graphic design) in 1994.  In 2005, I started Viva Latino - a dance studio and Big Song & Dance (event management) to run "NZ Pacific Salsa Congress 2010" in 2009.

SG:  I went into business 15years ago because I believed that’s what God wanted me to do and I still believe that now, even though it's had its highs and lows. The benefit is that whatever season the business is going through I can just go to God for direction or help, so I have a peace that whatever happens He knows what’s going on.

LB:  What has been one of your big challenges and how did you respond/overcome/get past it?

SG:  Sooo many challenges... Staff, clients, premises, bad debtors, tight finances, fraud etc. But the biggest business challenge I’ve faced to date was in 2001 when I bought another company believing it was what God wanted me to do, but it turned out to be a real sour deal because the previous owner was dishonest.  All of a sudden I had huge debts and a long legal battle on my hands. I questioned whether I heard God right, whether I was meant to be in business at all, and how on earth was He going to get me out of this mess.  God DID show up in the end and provided something of a miracle which confirmed to me that He can do anything anytime, and that yes - I was supposed to be in business but that that little experience was all part of my schooling!  It was a painful and expensive lesson which cost well over $200k and 5 years to get through. But I felt God say that one day it will seem a cheap education, and it was His money anyway!

LB:  What is one piece of advice you've learned along the way?

SG:  Apart from doing proper due diligence and having a good lawyer, one of the valuable lessons I’ve learned over the years is found in Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”

www.vivalatino.co.nz     www.creationhouse.co.nz

Kirsty Harkness
Creative Director & Lead Photographer - Tiger Tiger Ltd

I bought my first camera about 9 years ago while living in London and became a keen amateur photographer. My full time job was as a Nurse Manager, managing a busy Radiology department in central London - worlds apart from photography, I know!

I began photography at church (Hillsong London) and by the time I left London, I was running a photography team of 8 amazing photographers and was shooting every weekend (when I was not off exploring Europe).

After a while, I realised people were waving money at me, and I started accepting jobs like family portraits and weddings, and my passion, talent and experience grew. When I moved home to NZ, I had a desire to do more with my photography and started Tiger Tiger where we specialise in both the business world of commercial and corporate photography, and the domestic world of portraits and weddings.

Tiger Tiger has been running for three years now, and we have just recently moved into our own studio in Kingsland, which is a total miracle and blessing from God in itself! I have high hopes for the business, but it is a daily requirement to pray for blessings and wisdom, and put one foot in front of the other as anyone else in business would know. I also have to make a conscious decision daily to trust in God and not fear man or man's words.

Since returning from London, I have been coming to LIFE Central, which I absolutely love, have been involved in LIFE Business. I also run the welcome teams at LIFE Central. Life is busy and challenging, but blessed and full.