Sometimes your biggest leap becomes your best training ground for business, for marriage, and for the life you’re building.
Eighteen years ago, Jonny and I bought our first business together, The Rock Adventure Cruise, an overnight experience in Northland, NZ that offers snorkelling, kayaking, fishing, phosphorescence, island exploring, sunrise magic, and sleeping right on the water.
We bought it with no money.
No safety net.
No backup plan.
Just loose change, blind optimism, and a dream we didn’t fully understand yet.
It was the most reckless, brilliant decision we ever made.
The Impulse “Yes” That Changed Everything
The Hard Reality: The Moments That Nearly Broke Us
How We Survived (and Thrived): Playing to Our Strengths
What I Would Tell 2007 Sarah
The Real Lesson: Big Leaps Are Survivable
and Often Magical
If You're Standing on the Edge of Your Own Big Leap… Let’s Talk.
Ignorance + Arrogance: The Superpowers
We Didn’t Know We Had
We were on the boat as guests. Just two young travellers on holiday, exploring New Zealand after running a kayaking business in Thailand.
The owner mentioned he might sell.
I didn’t think. I didn’t plan. I just said:
“We’ll buy it.”
Jonny kicked me under the table (he still swears there was no table).
I had loose change in my bank account.
We had no plan, no savings, and definitely no strategy.
But in that moment, it just felt right.
And I’ve learned this lesson over and over in business:
Sometimes the thing that feels right before it makes sense is exactly the thing that transforms everything.
The owner mentioned he might sell.
I didn’t think. I didn’t plan. I just said:
“We’ll buy it.”
Jonny kicked me under the table (he still swears there was no table).
I had loose change in my bank account.
We had no plan, no savings, and definitely no strategy.
But in that moment, it just felt right.
And I’ve learned this lesson over and over in business:
Sometimes the thing that feels right before it makes sense is exactly the thing that transforms everything.
If we had known what was coming?
We never would have bought it.
But we didn’t know.
We had no smartphones. We weren’t plugged into news cycles. We weren’t scrolling Instagram for reasons not to try.
We were blissfully unaware of:
What we did have was belief.
Belief in the experience.
Belief in adventure.
Belief in ourselves even when we had no business believing yet.
Sometimes arrogance gets a bad rap.
But early in business?
A little arrogance keeps you moving when logic would tell you to stop.
We never would have bought it.
But we didn’t know.
We had no smartphones. We weren’t plugged into news cycles. We weren’t scrolling Instagram for reasons not to try.
We were blissfully unaware of:
- The Global Financial Crisis about to hit
- Compliance that would double overnight
- The tax bill waiting around the corner
- The fact the crew were… volunteers (yep.)
What we did have was belief.
Belief in the experience.
Belief in adventure.
Belief in ourselves even when we had no business believing yet.
Sometimes arrogance gets a bad rap.
But early in business?
A little arrogance keeps you moving when logic would tell you to stop.
Buying the business was the romantic part. Running it? That’s where the real growth happened.
The 60-hour “days”
During peak season, we weren’t working long hours
We were living the business.
Up at 6am.
Hosting guests until 1am.
Sleep. Repeat.
For weeks.
The tax bill from hell
We'd only worked four months of peak season, and then came the provisional and terminal tax personal AND company.
And the money?
We’d used it to pay down debt like good little overachievers.
Ouch.
Compliance stacking like Jenga blocks
Maritime audits.
Liquor licence.
Food control plan.
DOC concessions.
Qualmark.
Surveyor splits.
Fees doubling with no improvement to show for it.
Living on the boat
We shared a cabin with the previous owner.
He got the double bed.
We got the bunks.
We ate porridge, leftover sausages, and tenderised beef for months.
It was wild.
It was exhausting.
It was glorious.
The 60-hour “days”
During peak season, we weren’t working long hours
We were living the business.
Up at 6am.
Hosting guests until 1am.
Sleep. Repeat.
For weeks.
The tax bill from hell
We'd only worked four months of peak season, and then came the provisional and terminal tax personal AND company.
And the money?
We’d used it to pay down debt like good little overachievers.
Ouch.
Compliance stacking like Jenga blocks
Maritime audits.
Liquor licence.
Food control plan.
DOC concessions.
Qualmark.
Surveyor splits.
Fees doubling with no improvement to show for it.
Living on the boat
We shared a cabin with the previous owner.
He got the double bed.
We got the bunks.
We ate porridge, leftover sausages, and tenderised beef for months.
It was wild.
It was exhausting.
It was glorious.
Those early seasons revealed the truth of who we are:
My strengths:
🔥 Fast thinker
🔥 Fast learner
🔥 Systems brain
🔥 Big-vision strategist
Jonny’s strengths:
🔥 Calm as a monk under pressure
🔥 Natural connector
🔥 Operational anchor
🔥 The stability to my chaos
We were a walking contradiction that somehow worked:
Opposites don’t just attract, they build empires when they learn to communicate.
My strengths:
🔥 Fast thinker
🔥 Fast learner
🔥 Systems brain
🔥 Big-vision strategist
Jonny’s strengths:
🔥 Calm as a monk under pressure
🔥 Natural connector
🔥 Operational anchor
🔥 The stability to my chaos
We were a walking contradiction that somehow worked:
- I was the visionary. He was the anchor.
- I saw opportunity. He saw risk.
- I said yes fast. He thought deeply.
Opposites don’t just attract, they build empires when they learn to communicate.
Two things:
1. Who Not How
Stop trying to figure everything out alone.
Speed comes from support, not self-sacrifice.
2. Profit First From Day One
You must pay yourself.
You must create profit.
If your business can’t support both, the model needs attention.
This single shift would have saved us years of stress.
1. Who Not How
Stop trying to figure everything out alone.
Speed comes from support, not self-sacrifice.
2. Profit First From Day One
You must pay yourself.
You must create profit.
If your business can’t support both, the model needs attention.
This single shift would have saved us years of stress.
From the outside, buying The Rock looked reckless. From the inside, it was alignment, adventure, and a shared belief that we could build something beautiful together.
We didn’t just survive it. We grew through it. We built a life from it.
And that’s why I coach the women I coach today:
Because I know what it feels like to be on the edge of a big decision, wondering if you’re crazy and knowing in your gut it’s time.
We didn’t just survive it. We grew through it. We built a life from it.
And that’s why I coach the women I coach today:
Because I know what it feels like to be on the edge of a big decision, wondering if you’re crazy and knowing in your gut it’s time.
You don’t need to do this alone. You don’t need to stay stuck in overwhelm or burnout. You don’t need to sacrifice your wellbeing or your family to grow your business.
If you’re ready to turn your big vision into a sustainable, profitable reality book a Moxie Breakthrough Call.
👉 Book your call now
Let’s map out your next step with clarity, confidence, and a whole lot of Moxie.
Because sometimes the leap you’re scared to take? Is the one that changes everything.
If you’re ready to turn your big vision into a sustainable, profitable reality book a Moxie Breakthrough Call.
👉 Book your call now
Let’s map out your next step with clarity, confidence, and a whole lot of Moxie.
Because sometimes the leap you’re scared to take? Is the one that changes everything.
Sometimes your biggest leap becomes your best training ground for business, for marriage, and for the life you’re building.
Eighteen years ago, Jonny and I bought our first business together, The Rock Adventure Cruise, an overnight experience in Northland, NZ that offers snorkelling, kayaking, fishing, phosphorescence, island exploring, sunrise magic, and sleeping right on the water.
We bought it with no money.
No safety net.
No backup plan.
Just loose change, blind optimism, and a dream we didn’t fully understand yet.
It was the most reckless, brilliant decision we ever made.
Eighteen years ago, Jonny and I bought our first business together, The Rock Adventure Cruise, an overnight experience in Northland, NZ that offers snorkelling, kayaking, fishing, phosphorescence, island exploring, sunrise magic, and sleeping right on the water.
We bought it with no money.
No safety net.
No backup plan.
Just loose change, blind optimism, and a dream we didn’t fully understand yet.
It was the most reckless, brilliant decision we ever made.
The Impulse “Yes” That Changed Everything
Ignorance + Arrogance: The Superpowers
We Didn’t Know We Had
We were on the boat as guests. Just two young travellers on holiday, exploring New Zealand after running a kayaking business in Thailand.
The owner mentioned he might sell.
I didn’t think. I didn’t plan. I just said:
“We’ll buy it.”
Jonny kicked me under the table (he still swears there was no table).
I had loose change in my bank account.
We had no plan, no savings, and definitely no strategy.
But in that moment, it just felt right.
And I’ve learned this lesson over and over in business:
Sometimes the thing that feels right before it makes sense is exactly the thing that transforms everything.
The owner mentioned he might sell.
I didn’t think. I didn’t plan. I just said:
“We’ll buy it.”
Jonny kicked me under the table (he still swears there was no table).
I had loose change in my bank account.
We had no plan, no savings, and definitely no strategy.
But in that moment, it just felt right.
And I’ve learned this lesson over and over in business:
Sometimes the thing that feels right before it makes sense is exactly the thing that transforms everything.
If we had known what was coming?
We never would have bought it.
But we didn’t know.
We had no smartphones. We weren’t plugged into news cycles. We weren’t scrolling Instagram for reasons not to try.
We were blissfully unaware of:
Belief in the experience.
Belief in adventure.
Belief in ourselves even when we had no business believing yet.
Sometimes arrogance gets a bad rap.
But early in business?
A little arrogance keeps you moving when logic would tell you to stop.
We never would have bought it.
But we didn’t know.
We had no smartphones. We weren’t plugged into news cycles. We weren’t scrolling Instagram for reasons not to try.
We were blissfully unaware of:
- The Global Financial Crisis about to hit
- Compliance that would double overnight
- The tax bill waiting around the corner
- The fact the crew were… volunteers (yep.)
Belief in the experience.
Belief in adventure.
Belief in ourselves even when we had no business believing yet.
Sometimes arrogance gets a bad rap.
But early in business?
A little arrogance keeps you moving when logic would tell you to stop.
The Hard Reality: The Moments That Nearly Broke Us
Buying the business was the romantic part. Running it? That’s where the real growth happened.
The 60-hour “days”
During peak season, we weren’t working long hours
We were living the business.
Up at 6am.
Hosting guests until 1am.
Sleep. Repeat.
For weeks.
The tax bill from hell
We'd only worked four months of peak season, and then came the provisional and terminal tax personal AND company.
And the money?
We’d used it to pay down debt like good little overachievers.
Ouch.
Compliance stacking like Jenga blocks
Maritime audits.
Liquor licence.
Food control plan.
DOC concessions.
Qualmark.
Surveyor splits.
Fees doubling with no improvement to show for it.
Living on the boat
We shared a cabin with the previous owner.
He got the double bed.
We got the bunks.
We ate porridge, leftover sausages, and tenderised beef for months.
It was wild.
It was exhausting.
It was glorious.
The 60-hour “days”
During peak season, we weren’t working long hours
We were living the business.
Up at 6am.
Hosting guests until 1am.
Sleep. Repeat.
For weeks.
The tax bill from hell
We'd only worked four months of peak season, and then came the provisional and terminal tax personal AND company.
And the money?
We’d used it to pay down debt like good little overachievers.
Ouch.
Compliance stacking like Jenga blocks
Maritime audits.
Liquor licence.
Food control plan.
DOC concessions.
Qualmark.
Surveyor splits.
Fees doubling with no improvement to show for it.
Living on the boat
We shared a cabin with the previous owner.
He got the double bed.
We got the bunks.
We ate porridge, leftover sausages, and tenderised beef for months.
It was wild.
It was exhausting.
It was glorious.
How We Survived (and Thrived): Playing to Our Strengths
Those early seasons revealed the truth of who we are:
My strengths:
🔥 Fast thinker
🔥 Fast learner
🔥 Systems brain
🔥 Big-vision strategist
Jonny’s strengths:
🔥 Calm as a monk under pressure
🔥 Natural connector
🔥 Operational anchor
🔥 The stability to my chaos
We were a walking contradiction that somehow worked:
My strengths:
🔥 Fast thinker
🔥 Fast learner
🔥 Systems brain
🔥 Big-vision strategist
Jonny’s strengths:
🔥 Calm as a monk under pressure
🔥 Natural connector
🔥 Operational anchor
🔥 The stability to my chaos
We were a walking contradiction that somehow worked:
- I was the visionary. He was the anchor.
- I saw opportunity. He saw risk.
- I said yes fast. He thought deeply.
What I Would Tell 2007 Sarah
Two things:
1. Who Not How
Stop trying to figure everything out alone.
Speed comes from support, not self-sacrifice.
2. Profit First From Day One
You must pay yourself.
You must create profit.
If your business can’t support both, the model needs attention.
This single shift would have saved us years of stress.
1. Who Not How
Stop trying to figure everything out alone.
Speed comes from support, not self-sacrifice.
2. Profit First From Day One
You must pay yourself.
You must create profit.
If your business can’t support both, the model needs attention.
This single shift would have saved us years of stress.
The Real Lesson: Big Leaps Are Survivable
and Often Magical
From the outside, buying The Rock looked reckless. From the inside, it was alignment, adventure, and a shared belief that we could build something beautiful together.
We didn’t just survive it. We grew through it. We built a life from it.
And that’s why I coach the women I coach today:
Because I know what it feels like to be on the edge of a big decision, wondering if you’re crazy and knowing in your gut it’s time.
We didn’t just survive it. We grew through it. We built a life from it.
And that’s why I coach the women I coach today:
Because I know what it feels like to be on the edge of a big decision, wondering if you’re crazy and knowing in your gut it’s time.
If You're Standing on the Edge of Your Own Big Leap…
Let’s Talk.
You don’t need to do this alone. You don’t need to stay stuck in overwhelm or burnout. You don’t need to sacrifice your wellbeing or your family to grow your business.
If you’re ready to turn your big vision into a sustainable, profitable reality book a Moxie Breakthrough Call.
👉 Book your call now
Let’s map out your next step with clarity, confidence, and a whole lot of Moxie.
Because sometimes the leap you’re scared to take? Is the one that changes everything.
If you’re ready to turn your big vision into a sustainable, profitable reality book a Moxie Breakthrough Call.
👉 Book your call now
Let’s map out your next step with clarity, confidence, and a whole lot of Moxie.
Because sometimes the leap you’re scared to take? Is the one that changes everything.
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Hot Off the Moxie Mic
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Get to know your host...
SARAH
is a business owner who has gone from overwhelmed and overbooked to successfully running a business AND being a great mum and wife.
Through years of trial and error and PLENTY of mistakes, she’s learned how to create powerful frameworks that help businesses run sustainably, giving back time and energy to their owners.
Now, she brings her knowledge to other female and mum entrepreneurs so they too can have a business that works perfectly with their life!
