More than 18 months ago Nora Moore-Kelly (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Te WhakatŌhea) decided to open her own fine dining café in Ōpotiki. Nora’s café, Rostcards 1914, is named after the nearly 100-year-old building in which it is located. The café is on the second floor overlooking Ōpotiki.

“Initially I sat down with the kids and asked them what sort of business shall we get into as a whānau and my nine year old said not farming mum it’s too much hard work so we eventually decided to open a café,” she laughs.

After spending an initial three months renovating the café and updating the interior, it was time for Nora to turn her attention to building a fantastic tasting menu.

“There are things that I would have done better, like do more research if I had a chance to start again, but it’s all been a good learning curve and now my business is doing really well,” says Nora. “I consider my business to be a whānau Māori business with all staff being Māori and having some level of te reo Māori fluency,” says Nora. In September 2008 Nora decided it was time to seek help with her café business. She jumped online and did a Google search and found Te Puni Kōkiri and the Poutama Trust.

“It was really cool. I needed help and Te Puni Kōkiri was fantastic – I realised that I have to do different things to really drive my business and they helped with a mentor and with their vast networks,” says Nora.

Te Puni Kōkiri’s Business Facilitation Service Account Manager Deanna Harrison says Nora “is a fantastic example of the modern-day business woman who provides for her whānau in her home town by getting stuck in and giving it a go despite having no experience in the hospitality industry”.

“Nora is quite the entrepreneur. Not only does she have the café business but she also runs a small gym with a private client base and does governance work with Māori organisations,” she says.

For more information or to contact Nora, phone 07 315 5914 or email rostcards1914@xtra.co.nz .