Remote from New Zealand
Growing up as an Australian, New Zealand was always the “place across the ditch.” As a young child, I almost thought of the two countries as the same, but later I learned how different they were. In the summer of 1999/2000, I travelled with four friends, Stu, Darren, Scott, and Sarah, on a road trip around the South Island. I was astonished by how beautiful New Zealand was. Camping in Wanaka, my now hometown, was particularly memorable.
Fast forward to 2025, and I now call New Zealand home. I look out the window and pinch myself at the beauty of wild snow-capped mountains, pristine lakes, and the peace of so few people. It’s a total paradox of my former life in Singapore, where I spent almost 18 years of my life on and off.
With the advances in technology and my early adoption of remote working, I began exploring New Zealand in 2013. Crisscrossing between Singapore and New Zealand, after purchasing my farm, Parihoa, in 2013, I spent longer and longer periods in the country. I was drawn to not only my passion and interest in the people and landscape of the country, but also the fact that I was very productive remotely.
New Zealand wasn’t a market that ChapmanCG or my business activities had a presence in, so the mantra of “if you can’t be somewhere, why be anywhere” held true. The timezone at the front of the world gave me the jump on Asia Pacific, allowing me to connect with Europe twice a day and practically work on the same timezone as the West Coast of the US.
I never voluntarily disclosed to my audience that I was in New Zealand. I wasn’t trying to hide it, but I preferred to focus on outcomes and impact through my company and our services, rather than where they were being delivered. Sometimes, the intermittent nature of remote dial-up internet or the sound of vicious storms that lashed Parihoa would give away that I wasn’t in a city.
For those seeking to emulate what I did in running a global company from New Zealand, here are some insights:
Embrace remote work: Remote work has become increasingly popular, allowing you to work from anywhere in the world.
Explore new markets: New Zealand is a growing market with a strong economy and a growing population.
Focus on outcomes and impact: Instead of just focusing on where you work, focus on the outcomes and impact of your work.
Be adaptable: The world is constantly changing, so be adaptable and open to new opportunities.
By following these tips, you can emulate my success in running a global company from New Zealand.
Establish your baseline beat and standards within your company first so you can experiment with remote work.
Choose the ultimate well-being location to be happy and focused (for me, that was Parihoa).
Develop a local New Zealand network of inspirers to balance your global life.
Ensure that you balance your work with learning about the landscape, people, and culture of New Zealand.
The efficiency of New Zealand was very different to Singapore, so I often had to build in more flexibility to get life tasks done.
Once you’re confident about it, talk about it, and that’s what I enjoy doing now.
When I look to my peers who stayed in Singapore, I see how I forked my life in a different direction and broadened my interests. A decade on, I appreciate being able to get back to my best creative juices but do it in an environment that is optimal to my well-being.
Now, as a proper New Zealander, I have greater respect for:
How the country operates, the mindset, issues, and opportunities.
I take New Zealand more “as it is” rather than comparing it to other places.
The focus and love of the environment for Kiwis to enjoy their lives.
The well-being-centric mindset that I see in many businesses and people.
Potentially how competitive New Zealand is to have a global business in the tech age of “one world.”