Entrepreneur Henare Akuhata-Brown seemed to have lost everything in the devastating quake that hit Christchurch on February 22 2011, but a week later he and fiance Angelique Valentine discovered they had gained something – or someone - of immeasurable value.

“We lost two businesses and our house was red zoned – but then on the February 28, after having gone through IVF, we found out we were going to have our first child.”

Henare or “H” (Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Tahu) says the couple got in their car and were soon driving around the quake hit city planning where to start again. With a background in marketing, more than a decade before Henare identified a gap in the city’s hospitality cafe market, particularly ones that catered for corporate clients. Bean Scene Cafe opened in the heart of Christchurch’s CBD in 2003 and Lyme Cocktail Bar soon after, but both were left in ruins after February 22.

By April that year, the couple had leased new premises in Addington and Cargo Bar - the city’s first shipping container bar - was born. Not long after, Bean Scene Cafe reopened. Launching in time for the Rugby World Cup, Henare says turnover tripled with corporate tables – at $1000 each – quickly sold out. To add to the jubilation of the All Blacks RWC victory and the success of two new businesses, October 2011 also saw Henare and Angelique welcome their baby daughter, Danni. Henare says the backing from Te Puni Kōkiri’s Maori Business Facilitation Service was priceless.

“Te Puni Kōkiri was there for us. Their information and mentoring help is invaluable, we aren’t stopping and [will] reopen Lyme Cocktail Bar in a couple of months. They gave us the push in the right direction, they were there with support that at first, just wasn’t there,” says Henare.

He says relationships and people are crucial to the sustainability of their businesses.

“Hospitality, service and product is most important. We were able to hold on to eleven of our fulltime staff. Our crew, our people are the key to our success.”

In tribute to the fighting spirit of his fellow Cantabrians - “so many are worse off than me” – Henare’s also done something he’d never done before, even after years of living in Christchurch.

“Last year I took off my Hurricanes jersey and wore a Crusader’s one for the first time in my life, I’ve been wearing a Hurricanes jersey since 1998. But when you go through a disaster together you re-evaluate things and yeah, I’m staunch Canterbury now and forever.”