NZAMERICA
Business Opportunity Consultants
Testimonials
Andrew J Burger
Barrister & Solicitor
Ararat, Victoria
Australia
This testimonial serves to introduce you to Ian Handricks whom I have known since 2007. Ian is one of life’s true and unique mavericks. He is a man of exceptional intellect who seldom follows conventional thinking or strategies. Ian has a style that differs from the ordinary – an inimitable approach that introduces a new dimension of thinking, with accurate big picture focus that visualises issues in their simplest form.
Throughout my association with Ian I have found him to be a reserved person with a rapacious appetite for dealing with issues of complexity – whatever their genesis. Invariably, when general discussion on complex challenges seems exhausted and all ideas spent, Ian will contribute fresh piercing reflections and thought provoking posers. He is the person to have on hand for problem-solving issues or when seeking unprecedented solutions to seemingly irresoluble challenges.
In my erstwhile capacity as a Director of the Auckland District Law Society Inc. in 2008/9, I commissioned Ian to conceptualise a working model through which lawyers could engage in the sale of real estate, based on newly promulgated legislation. After a brief meeting, Ian returned two days later with a meticulously detailed framework and presentation. This demonstrated Ian’s extraordinary conceptual skills and his seemingly effortless ability to comprehend the mechanisms of the legal profession.
I am aware of Ian’s ground-breaking contributions in the field of optometry, and also that he is a noted genealogist of wide repute who has also distinguished himself as a public speaker. Ian’s hobbies include photography, photoshopping, reading, general knowledge, bridge and poetry. He excels in every such capacity.
Ian is a pleasant person, well liked by my friends and associates, with a delightful sense of humour. He is also an innately generous person who shares his abundant talents and advice openly and freely, but on the flip side he is infuriatingly modest. This is perhaps why he has never aspired to or become the widely renowned or affluent person that his exceptional talents would evidently demand. Mainstream worldly goals matter little to Ian.
Helen Steemson
Copywriter
Company Director
Words for Breakfast Ltd.
In business, as in life, you’re only as good as the people around you. I count myself lucky that my path happened across Ian Handricks.
Six years ago, as a fledging business owner, I was inspired and motivated by his positivity, his motivation and above all, his experience. Here, I thought, was a man who could teach me a thing or two about business.
My first reaction proved correct. We’ve kept in touch over the years, and I’ve watched Ian lead successive business ventures to fruition with his big picture thinking, and the tightknit group of contacts he’s maintained. The longevity and value of these relationships is proof enough of Ian’s track record and above all, his deep sense of integrity in his business dealings.
He has been undyingly supportive of Words for Breakfast, in business past my way, in the trust he puts in us and in the value he puts on our service. His word alone has been instrumental in winning significant business for my company – testament to the respect he can garner, and the authority he holds.
I thank Ian for all the time and support he’s given me, and look forward to many more brilliant years to come!
Kathy Kell
Managing Director
Legal Accounting Bureau Ltd
.
I have known Ian Handricks for close to five years. I was first introduced to Ian by a business colleague when I was starting up my own business – Legal Accounting Bureau Limited.
Ian’s guidance and encouragement over the last five years have been invaluable to me in getting my business to where it is today. Ian acted as my business mentor offering so much valuable advice regarding the set up of the business and his assistance in marketing strategies and techniques has been fantastic. He was always encouraging and persistent to ensure that I understood what was needed and also put it into practice.
Ian was able to also give me many very valuable referrals to other people who could assist me in different areas such as setting up a website and getting brochures printed.
Ian has always kept in touch to see how things are going and is always able to offer new ideas to consider. If he ever comes across someone or something he thinks may work for me, he always passes it on.
We have become good friends over the last five years. I would not hesitate to recommend Ian to anyone who is in business. He has huge energy and enthusiasm and is so willing to help anyone who shows interest.
John Shennan
Former director and
co-owner of Hirstlens
.
I have known Ian Handricks for some forty years. I first met Ian when we were under the employment of Hirst Contact Lens NZ Ltd. At that time the company was entering an intensive growth phase, experiencing a similar growth path to that of the fledgling computer industry. Among Ian’s many talents is his superior knowledge of applied mathematics. This in itself propelled him within the company when he converted much of the company’s optical formulae from manual processing to more efficient methods as provided by the then newly developed programmable calculators. This was pre Apple Mac and PC
Ian went on to continue to develop contact lens manufacturing techniques for the company never short of suggesting changes in traditional manufacturing methods to gain greater efficiencies. Because of his ability to think laterally and question the norm he was offered a position within the company’s new research and development facility in the United Kingdom assisting in the development of state-of-the-art contact lens machining systems, some of which were patented. With his R& D duties complete, Ian took up a role in sales and marketing in the company. This virtually took him world wide where he gained an excellent reputation based on his first hand knowledge of the contact lens industry.
As Ian’s family grew he considered the time was right to return to New Zealand re joining me to take up an opportunity to enter into a management buyout of Hirstlens. We restructured the company and with Ian’s sales and marketing skills, built a strong foundation to develop the company, massively expanding its product range.
At this time Optometry was new to computerisation. A facility was formed to address this. The profession was quick to embrace the advantages of building their own data bases guided by Ian, which in turn gave us the opportunity to form a separate division within the company leading to further development integrating computers into the photographic industry. Ian was the sole driving force in this initiative which was of great benefit to the company.
Much is owed to Ian’s foresight and enthusiasm to succeed, instilling in others the desire to reach their potential. His ability to face challenges in a positive manner has been of great benefit to many of his colleagues.
I consider myself privileged to have worked with Ian, a man of excellent character, blessed with high intelligence and never to avoid an opportunity to help others.
Andrew Willis
Director
Azzmax Ltd
.
I first came into contact with Doug Dickson in 2001 as an investor in a company where he held the position of Business Development Manager. Over the time of my involvement with that organisation Doug was promoted to General Manager and after the company was purchased by an offshore group progressed to the position of Director of International Production overseeing operations in New Zealand, India and China.
During 2007 I worked with Doug after he started his own business offering IT, management services to New Zealand companies. In this period Doug provided invaluable support to my business (Azzmax Ltd) and facilitated a production facility in India to rewrite and expand our existing asset management software into a world class software solution.
We have maintained a close working relationship with Doug and the software development team in India for more than 7 years now. This relationship has enabled my business to expand with many companies becoming our clients including, Fisher and Paykel, Sanford and Countdown to name just a few.
From 2007 right up to today Doug has provided support when approaching these large clients to facilitate the development of their business requirements. We continue to work together and I would highly recommend Doug to any future client or project.
Howard Beech
Sales & Marketing
New Products & Growing Companies
.
Ed Bernstein’s ability to find new products and to overcome obstacles in getting them to market has always been a key reason for wanting to work with him. He recognized emerging markets in consumer software (gaming at Broderbund and Genealogy at Palladium) in the photo business (online sharing at PhotoPoint, digital restoration and photo gifting at PTLC) and was able to pull together the capital and the talent to launch these new products and companies.
Ed really understands the needs of customers and continually comes up with ways to solve their problems. He thinks through the overall relationship and almost always develops solutions that work for both parties. His has a sincere "win-win" attitude that our customers always found refreshing.
Ed has the ability to maintain a sense of humor during a crisis and the stamina to do whatever it takes to solve an issue. I've grown a great deal thanks to his support over the years. I've also found Ed to be a very fair negotiator and a man of integrity. It's been a pleasure working with him all these years.
Associated Companies
