Bianca Ranson
Ngapuhi, Ngati Kahu ki Whaingaroa
Bianca Ranson is the founder and director of Potiki Adventures. In 2003 Bianca came up with the concept of creating a company offering tours and outdoor adventures within the natural environment from a Maori perspective. As a Maori woman Bianca did not want to compromise her beliefs and values when going to work, so starting Potiki Adventures was a way to incorporate these into her workplace. Potiki Adventures now offers employment to people in an environment that celebrates being Maori and living and working by Maori values, customs and traditions.
Bianca has a passion for working with Maori young people as well as international visitors to Aotearoa by engaging them in the outdoor environment and Maori arts & culture.
TEDx Talk – Potiki Adventures Director, Bianca Ranson
Potiki Adventures wins prestigious Outdoors NZ Award for 2014
SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSWOMAN: Complete with her award, new van and a recently built new office outside her Surfdale home, Bianca Ranson is ready to rock Potiki Adventures to even greater heights.
Bianca Ranson is looking forward to another successful year after running away with a top award. Her business, Potiki Adventures, is the first outdoor adventure tourism company based solely on Maori culture to win the New Zealand Outdoor Awards 2014.
The award is presented annually and was the climax of the week-long World Outdoors Summit in November at the Energy Events Centre, Rotorua. It is attended by leading people in the outdoors tourism industry from New Zealand and abroad.
Bianca is thrilled with the award on its plinth and the framed certificate that goes with it. She had no idea the company was going to get it before the announcement at the formal dinner, which marked the summit’s close. “Both finalists were in the room – Adventure Specialties was the other one. “Potiki is the first Maori organisation to win it. It shows if you get on and do good work, you’ll be recognised. “We’re not massive. It’s a pretty cool acknowledgement for work my staff and I have been doing.”
It is not the only highlight of Bianca’s year. In October, she went off to have dinner with Prince Edward at Windsor Castle in connection with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award. Bianca runs its Bronze, Silver and Gold levels for Maori youngsters and received a grant from the award’s International Special Project’s Fund to run it in Kawerau in the Bay of Plenty. Kawerau teenager Keesha King, who is close to finishing her bronze, went with Bianca to England to speak at the Windsor Castle dinner. It had been organised to raise money from philanthropists for the special projects fund. “The trip to London was awesome,” Bianca says. ” We raised $472,000 on the night in the space of a dinner. It will go to projects all around the world. “Sophie, Prince Edward’s wife, she’s cool and he’s very down to earth. We sat at his table. He’s primo – a really cool guy.”
Maori television
Bianca Ranson awarded for work with youth: Click here to watch the video
