{"id":297151,"date":"2026-02-22T21:32:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-22T21:32:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/297151\/"},"modified":"2026-02-22T21:32:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T21:32:08","slug":"tiki-beach-mangawhai-wellness-club-founder-amy-calway-on-burnout-and-balance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/297151\/","title":{"rendered":"Tiki Beach: Mangawhai wellness club founder Amy Calway on burnout and balance"},"content":{"rendered":"
We have multiple different hot tubs at different temperatures, a medium-sized six-person sauna, a fire pit and dining area, treatment rooms and an ice bath, all looking out to sweeping views of Little Barrier and Great Barrier Islands.<\/p>\n
What inspired you to start the business?<\/p>\n
It just emerged from doing hospitality. I used to work on super yachts, and I used to run the New Zealand Polo Open. My last gig was doing all of the events for wellness and culture at Auckland Grammar, so I\u2019m quite used to holding space for large numbers of people doing large things. <\/p>\n
But doing big events requires a lot of planning, promotion and post-analysis, which is really stressful and not good for your health. I got burnt out and then Covid hit, which also didn\u2019t help. During that time I retrained as a health coach and I got a real passion for living a purposeful life and being close to nature. I couldn\u2019t do the city life anymore.<\/p>\n
Now being in Mangawhai, it\u2019s one of the fastest-growing towns in New Zealand. I wanted to get ahead of that curve and make sure there was a hospitality offering, but one that tapped into the wellness trend, which is on the rise.<\/p>\n
Tiki Beach is Mangawhai\u2019s first wellness club and day spa, presenting a mix of wellness experiences in a natural outdoor setting.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ve only been open a short time, how has it been?<\/p>\n
We opened on Labour weekend, so it\u2019s still very early on but it\u2019s been really good. We\u2019ve been breaking records every week, which is what you want to hear.<\/p>\n
My background is in marketing, so I do like to work towards an event or deadline. We worked on something for Valentine\u2019s Day where people could reconnect as a couple, and then we\u2019ll be working towards Mother\u2019s Day. We also worked on Christmas gift vouchers using social media, which did pretty well.<\/p>\n
I like to think that it was a really good concept, experiential gifts as opposed to getting cheap stuff from overseas. I\u2019d rather go down the road and connect with my loved ones and make some memories than just buy something online.<\/p>\n
How big is the team?<\/p>\n
I use different contractors depending on the job. They\u2019re mostly people who live quite locally, and when I get a booking I\u2019ll arrange with them to come and practise. I do host the occasional retreat, so a group who want to do something like a sound journey or yoga. I\u2019ve just got a big list of practitioners who come in as needed.<\/p>\n
I would like to have full-time people here living on-site, but I need to be a lot busier for that to happen.<\/p>\n
Visitors can use Tiki Beach’s stainless steel spas, ice baths and Finnish dry sauna.<\/p>\n
What has been the biggest challenge in starting the business?<\/p>\n
Just before I left Auckland I had quite a major brain injury, and as someone who is used to doing really big projects, it\u2019s been hard for me to slow down. It\u2019s quite ironic as someone always in a rush and really driven that I\u2019ve opened a wellness centre where you slow down.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s weird recovering because you feel like you\u2019re lazy or something, but it\u2019s just a really complicated relationship with oneself. It\u2019s been an interesting personal journey of my own evolution, and connecting my spirituality and hospitality knowing that I\u2019ve got to honour myself in this. I\u2019m a big part of the brand. <\/p>\n
What would be your advice to a budding entrepreneur wanting to start a business?<\/p>\n
The same advice that was given to me \u2013 do what you love and you won\u2019t work a day in your life. If you\u2019re having tough times and you\u2019re really obsessed with what you do, that drive is going to carry you through.<\/p>\n
I always knew I was going to be an entrepreneur, this is just its next evolution.<\/p>\n
Do you have a small business story you want to share? Send your pitches to tom.raynel@nzme.co.nz.<\/p>\n
Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for the Herald, covering small business, retail and tourism.<\/p>\n