ebrate..
running and building a loyal following, so
I tucked it away in my dream-basket for
another day. As my family began to grow,
my desire to continue to work in an industry
I loved, while still being be able to put the
needs of my family first, became more of
a necessity than a wish (for both my sanity
and families wellbeing). I knew it would be
hard to find that balance, unfortunately the
opportunities are very rare. I was incredibly
lucky, after making some hard choices, doors
of opportunity opened and I didn't hesitate to
dive on through!
I’ve never been one to turn down an
opportunity, no matter how small or
insignificant it might have seemed at the
time, I've learned that even the most random,
or what might have seemed time-wasting
opportunity, could in fact be what starts
a chain of events that could change your
life. Even if it doesn't work out the way you
wanted it too, it’s never a waste of time.
Instead you have had a life experience that's
either taught you something new or allowed
you to have a different perspective, both of
which could come in handy down the track.
Summa MacDonald with hubby Neil
& child ren, Brodie, Hadley & Maisie
Focussing on the future...
August 2018
Now I couldn't imagine doing anything else.
I love everyday that I get to talk to a client
and find out how their business is going,
I get a real thrill when a client has had a
successful win or their business has impacted
the community in a positive way. Local
business is such an important part of our
community, so when one has a reason to have
a song and dance, we should all join in too…
metaphorically I mean.
The past three years have truly flown by.
It feels a little surreal to think back to this
time three years ago when I took the leap into
owning a business and taking on responsibly
of a popular local magazine which, by luck
would have it, was something I had always
wanted to do. At the time, I had two very
busy young preschoolers and the opportunity
was pretty daunting, but my admiration
for Nadine and her total faith in me, gave
me the belief that I could do this. It was a
fairly smooth transition, I had already been
working with Nadine for a few months and
with my experience in radio, newspaper,
working overseas in print and television
media and more recently, graphic design,
I felt I was armed with the tools I needed to
face this exciting new challenge, I was also
lucky to have Nadine, who not only became
my mentor but an incredible friend, guiding
me along the way and a supportive family
cheering me on. I’ve also been lucky to work with some very
inspirational people who have contributed
in one way or another to the magazine. We
currently have a diverse and dedicated team,
along with regular contributors who each
offer their own special touch to the magazine.
I remember moving to Marlborough in 2013
and seeing this&that in a local pharmacy and
thinking, ‘I would love to publish a magazine
like this one day’. Utilising my passion for
creative writing and design, my love of all
things local and most of all, meeting and
working with people in the community, a
magazine of this type is exactly what I could
see myself doing! At the time it didn’t feel like
a realistic dream, I knew the huge amount
of work it took to get a publication up and So, what’s next?
And of course, I must acknowledge those in
the community who are reading and taking
part. I am constantly in awe of the incredibly
humble and dedicated people in our region,
working so hard to provide goods and services
to our community. I get to meet and speak
with these people who become part of our
stories each month. I feel honoured that I get
to tell the region about these locals, to share
their experiences and pass on their advice or
knowledge that can benefit or inspire a reader
along the way. I like to think the magazine
can be a voice for our community, a way of
communicating between each other and
showcasing our amazing Marlborough region.
It’s been an exciting few months. We have
focussed on broadening the content and
rebranding the magazine following on from
the introduction of the Marlborough App,
which has proved to be a popular community
platform. Now with Marlborough Magazine
and the Marlborough App both working hard
to represent the local essence of our region,
we want to ensure that ‘keeping it local’ spurs
on the spirit of our community.