As the stars of Matariki rise across the pre-dawn sky, they bring with them a timely reminder: to pause, to remember, to reconnect, and to reset. To mark the occasion, we sat down with B Lab AANZ’s new Aotearoa Manager, Michele Wilson (Tainui, Ngāti Pāoa), to share why moments like Matariki are not just cultural milestones, but critical touchpoints for deepening our collective impact as a movement.
Image: Canva
“In Te Ao Māori, business isn’t just about profit. It’s about he tangata, our people, he whenua, our land, and future generations. We call it kaupapa-driven enterprise, where success is measured by manaakitanga, how we care for one another and our planet, whanaungatanga, our relationships and connections, and kaitiakitanga, our guardianship of these things.”
– Michele Wilson, Aotearoa Manager, B Lab AANZ
B Lab AANZ: Michele, we’re so glad to have you on board as part of the B Lab AANZ team. Before we dive in, can you tell the community a bit more about you and your journey?
Michele: Kia ora—it’s a privilege to be here. My journey into kaupapa-led business really began when I left my corporate legal career and started reconnecting with my whakapapa and the traditional Māori healing practices of my tūpuna (ancestors). That led me to create Frankie Apothecary, a rongoā-based skincare company, and later to co-found Certified B Corporation, AWWA Period Care.
Over the years, I’ve seen how powerful business can be as a vehicle for social change—but only if we do it differently.
“I didn’t get into business to be a CEO, I did it to make change; to centre care. To create things that my daughter could be proud of. I’m here to listen, to learn, and to help build a movement that’s not just doing good—but doing good, together”
Thank you for sharing. Matariki is fast approaching—a time of remembrance, reflection, and renewal in Aotearoa. What does it mean to you?
For me, Matariki invites a complete reset—not just for individuals or whānau (extended family), but for businesses too. It allows us to imagine a future where our success is measured by how well our people, our whenua, and communities are thriving.
Matariki is about cycles—of grief, of renewal, of possibility. And it teaches us that transformation is not only natural, but necessary. In business, we’re often in constant forward motion, focused on KPIs, growth, deadlines. But Matariki reminds us that looking back is just as important as looking ahead.
“It’s a chance to pause and ask: What did we learn from the past year? What do we need to let go of? What’s worth carrying forward?”
As a movement, it challenges us to be more than ‘sustainable’. It’s a wero (challenge)—to be restorative, to be relational, to lead with aroha (love, affection).
Image: B Lab AANZ
How do you mark Matariki, personally?
Each Matariki, my whānau gather on our farm in Mangawhai. After gathering kaimoana (seafood) and collecting kai (food) from the whenua, we sit together and reflect on the year just gone—our wins, our losses, and our learnings. We write them down and share these with each other. On another piece of paper, we write down what we hope to achieve in the following year.
The following morning, my Dad usually gets up early to light an outdoor fire. We place the kai that we have collected on the fire. We recite karakia (prayers) and acknowledge anyone that we have lost in the previous year. Then we open the kai to feed the Matariki stars, letting go and throwing our manifestations into the fire. We end with waiata (song) then usually head back to bed for a couple of hours before preparing a hangi for the day.
“It’s my happiest ceremony and holiday—a sacred moment of releasing and renewing.”
It’s also been heartening to see so many from the B Corp community gathering across the motu, from Ōtautahi, to Tāmaki Makaurau, to Poneke, to mark Matariki as a collective. Through korero, waiata and shared kai, these moments remind us that business can be a space for connection, culture, and community.
Image: B Lab AANZ
How have these traditions shaped your leadership and approach to business?
These practices have deeply shaped how I lead. I now make space for intentional endings—in projects, in business relationships, even in internal processes. I’ve learned that pausing and acknowledging what has been is a powerful way to open up space for what’s next.
Matariki gives us a seasonal reminder to renew our commitments, reset our compass, and stay accountable. To reflect on what we’ve learned. And to imagine what’s possible when we are truly guided by values deeper than capitalism, and richer than profit.
It’s an opportunity to wānanga with tangata whenua, to listen, and to ask: How can we embed Indigenous values, not just in celebration, but in systems?
LEARN MORE
How Te Ao Māori and the B Corp movement align for greater good
Discover Māori-owned B Corps leading with kaitiakitanga on the B Corp Directory
