Nineteen years ago this month with ! Where has the time gone?! When I started as a graphic designer in 2005 at Via Media’s predecessor, Parkside Media, working on , and New Zealand Classic Car magazines, it was a swarming mass of photographers, designers, salespeople, accounts people, managing directors and owners. Around 2010, I was made head of ‘social engagement’. In this role I was responsible for making sure that everyone was having the best possible time at work. We had an indoor cricket pitch designed that was carpeted in the appropriate colours and proportions, a huge 25-metre-long slot-car track, which took up most of our design studio, and a BBQ which seemed to always be in the ‘on’ position, pumping out sausages (often spiked with habanero ghost chilli seeds). It was a time that no one who was there will forget. It was a fantastic place to turn up to work. Every week there were a number of ‘next level’ builds being shot in the purpose-built car photography studio. It was the people who made it the best place to be. Our design studio seemed to be the heartbeat of this very large magazine factory. Later, Covid came and people worked from home, then the realisation that everyone could actually work from home became a reality. To be honest, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I get to do exactly what I want outside of magazine production schedules. There is a bunch going on! I try to get out for a surf a couple of times a week, I’m in the process of building my own fully landscaped slot-car track, while learning how to be a videographer and busy being a dad to three cool-cat kids. Catch you around, and thanks Deven for having me as your ‘hero’ this month. You’re a ledge bro!
