Let’s Talk with Winny Vee
Welcome to the ‘Let’s Talk’ Podcast. I’m your host Winny Vee, and on each episode, I’ll be talking to various guests about their life journeys, experiences and achievements in the hope that they can inspire others to pursue the reality of their dreams. So with that in mind… ‘Let’s Talk!’
Let’s Talk with Winny Vee
Let's Talk - Episode 4: Neemia Tialata
Prepare to be taken on a captivating journey as I sit down with my good friend Neemia Tialata. From the hard-hitting field of Rugby Union to the challenging world of business, Neemia inspired me with his life story, filled with resilience, hard work, and passion. As a boy who faced heartbreak at a young age and found solace in sports, to becoming a celebrated Rugby Union star, Neemia's tale embodies the spirit of perseverance.
In our lively discussion, Neemia recounts his childhood, his thrilling experiences with the Super Rugby - Wellington Hurricanes and, of course, his unforgettable moments with the New Zealand All Blacks. An unexpected twist in his life journey was becoming a father which, according to him, was a game-changer. He shares his journey of fatherhood and how it changed his life, while also juggling his own businesses in France, an inspiring feat in itself.
As we wrap up our compelling conversation, Neemia gives us a peek into his future plans, which include his Pharmacy he operates with his wife Sally, his Clothing and Sneaker brand and his Wine company to name a few. Hear about his journey, the hurdles he overcame and his vision for the future. Join me for this engaging talk with Neemia Tialata and be prepared to be inspired by his journey of resilience, hard work, and unwavering passion.
Welcome back, fam, to the let's Talk podcast. I'm your host, winnie V, and in this episode I have the honour of sitting down with a childhood friend who just happens to be the first cousin of my wife, ginny. I have none other than Nermia Tealada, who most will remember for his rugby union professional career playing for the Wellington Hurricanes in the Super Rugby comp and the Mighty Orblacks on the international stage, and then he headed off to France to play in the top 14 competition. Now, while he enjoyed a great rugby career, nermia is so much more than just a rugby player. He's also a father of three and happily married. And he's also got his fingers in a few businesses running the chemist store with his wife Sally, a clothing and shoe brand MLX 1060, I think it is and also a wine company, tho Cevue. I hope I'm pronouncing that right, bro. So sit back, relax as I speak with Nermia about his life journey, experiences and achievements on let's Talk with Winnie V. Hey Barry, how are you man?
Speaker 2:Yeah, good, what an intro man. Oh, thanks, bro, did you come over there?
Speaker 1:Well, I actually asked my wife. I said, oh, can you help me with an intro? She sent me something. I looked at and said you know what? I'm just gonna go off the fly and write something up real quick.
Speaker 2:But welcome bro and thanks for jumping on.
Speaker 1:Let's start off with your childhood bro and family, if that's okay. You got an interesting family dynamic, bro, is it okay if you can just share a bit about your family and how that, how it all started with your own immediate family and then moving in with the Sol Lele family as well?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so we'll dive straight in.
Speaker 1:Sorry bro, I'm going to put you on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but I've got three sisters and I'm actually the only boy. I've got two older sisters and I'm she, a younger one that's actually living there in the Melbourne. I was, she, our parents. They passed away a couple years later. So there we were. I was moved in with my auntie and she's got two boys and three girls and yeah, pretty much it.
Speaker 2:So going from a small family to well, back then small family to a massive family was a pretty cool sort of experience and transition. Now it was tough times. I'm not going to lie about that. But looking back at it, you know a lot of great memories. Obviously, when you've got a full house, there's always a sibling that you can sort of hassle and or pick on or get picked on, picked on by and get bullied by. So no, it was, was quite full on.
Speaker 1:Okay, thanks for sharing that, bro. Can I ask how old were you when your parent had passed on bro?
Speaker 2:So I was probably about the age of seven. My father passed on seven or eight Terrible numbers and then, obviously, my mum died a couple years after that. So, yeah, really young at the time.
Speaker 1:It must have been a lot, bro, especially at a young age and sort of you know, having to take all of that. And then you move into Auntie Loppa's family, who are now your brothers and sisters, all these years together and yeah, like you said, bro, what have been a big change. Small family to a big number, how many of yous all together?
Speaker 2:Four, how many of us? So there's me and my sisters of four, so yeah, ten plus my aunts. We've been with her for the last 25 odd years, plus which we call her our mother. Obviously, she's a special bond with her, but yous.
Speaker 1:Oh no, that's all good, bro, and thanks for sharing that man. Now I wanted to ask, bro, because we grew up in the same neighborhood back in New Zealand Waianui, oumata, and you went to Parkway College, but then you went to Wellington College or Wellington Boys College, which is a pretty prestigious school back home how did that all come about, bro? How did you get from Parkway to Waianui, to Wellington College?
Speaker 2:Question what do I start? Pretty much was advice to leave in a nice way, parkway College, waianui. I still remember to this day my mother tried to enroll me down at St Bernard's Lower Hut and it sort of got turned away from the headmaster there and then my uncle, which is my mother's brother, took me out to Wellington College. In the rest of history so obviously his connection with Wellington College was a lot of the boys' fathers that went to the school at the time. He knew them. So, yeah, and it was just by chance, we walked in. I still remember the day we walked in and, yeah, pretty much just asked the headmaster at the time, roger Moses, great man, yeah, he took me in with open arms.
Speaker 1:That's really cool, bro. And man Wellington College that was yeah. For us boys where we grew up, man Wellington College was like the school you dreamed of going to. Now it's all sort of come full circle with you back at Wellington College, part of the rugby union program there. What's that been like, bro? All those years as a student and then going back as a coach, part of the rugby team there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's been really good. Also, I was finishing up rugby professionally up over in France the last five years ago and sort of we moved back and I was quite adamant like getting back into, well, you know, being involved with any form of rugby, you know footy or anything like that. So they were on the phone to me, you know I still remember they were trying to call me, contact me and even reaching out to close friends, but I sort of turned them down only because I obviously me and Sally had the girls over in France quite young and I sort of wanted to put some more time into them after she finished up and then sort of, yeah, that's what happened. I said no to them the first year and then the second year. So they pretty much got sick of their phone calls and then I'll shoot up the answer.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, so I've been been part of the program for two, three years now and it's been really good. I'll actually stop playing rugby. I didn't really want to be involved. But going back to sort of, yeah, it's been good process in terms of giving back and you know that fire will always be burning yeah, so it does get competitive, especially when you're coaching and the boys aren't going too well, so, nana, it's been really good.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's really good to hear, bro, and I'm happy you're enjoying it. I did want to touch on rugby now. So how did that all come about, bro? When did you first start getting interest with your rugby during the schoolboy days? Who first approached you? And? And something that was always interesting and something I wanted to ask is so we are from Waianui. Obviously, we got a rugby club in our neighborhood, but you ended up playing over the hill in Patoni. How did that?
Speaker 2:happen bro. How did?
Speaker 1:you being in Patoni work instead of playing for our hometown in Waianui.
Speaker 2:Well, I really didn't play rugby up until college. Like, as you know, we grew up in a rugby league over there and pretty staunch rugby league to the town, and so I started off playing league when I was young. I come across a guy by the name of Pity Whippew who was a good friend growing up and then she came through all the sort of rugby grades as well, so I started off there and then what happened was, I think, tanu Manga. He was. He's a good local man boy, the same church as myself, so I knew his family quite well.
Speaker 2:He debuted for the Orblacks and back then I didn't even know who the Orblacks were. But all I remember was going over to Tanu's parents house down the village here in Waianui and we were just celebrating his obviously announcement being, you know, being part of the Orblacks for the first time. And that was pretty much where it started from, just following his footsteps and his career. And then she got involved with school rugby and I think it was the age of 17. I decided when my uncle made me decide whether it was legal rugby union. So I think he decided for me and it's probably the best thing that ever happened.
Speaker 1:Yeah man, yeah, we come from a neighborhood where rugby league was the dominant sport. Probably changed now over the years, but yeah we had so many greats, whether it was union or or rugby league, and Tanu was proof of that as well he was a guy that started off from rugby league and he most likely would have had a career in rugby league but changed to rugby union and now, going back to you, mentioned that you guys were from the same church and I just wanted to have a very how much church had played throughout your law, religion in general.
Speaker 1:How much has that played in your life from you know as a young kid till now?
Speaker 2:Baptized in I don't know for which is American Samoan church, obviously had the privilege to you know my, my father, was a minister and we were in American Samoan for a few years, actually starting there, and then we moved back to New Zealand and we had a church out in Porirua that was, up until the past, away, and then that was why we moved back to Waianui and it was just by chance, like the Umangas were probably one of the settlers there and first Samoans in Waianui, amada and yeah. Well, that's that's the connection. And to go back to your question before why I ended up over the hill here in Petone, I was because of Tanu. That was the influence. So I ended up at Wellington College, coming out of there. Obviously I didn't have a, a rugby club, because I never played Union when I was young yeah so a lot of people expected I'd go back and play for Waianui.
Speaker 2:But, um, yeah, a lot of my friends and that um from Wellington were joining up with the Petone rugby club. Was there was their junior junior club. Yeah, and me, I just followed that's all good man.
Speaker 1:Petone massive club. Anyone who knows Wellington rugby knows that Tony are one of the premier clubs of the competition. Um, now, bro, let's get into your professional rugby union career. When did you first find oh, can you talk us through the the day you were advised that you had made, uh, the Wellington Hurricanes. What was that experience like, barron? How did that all unfold when you were told that, hey, you're gonna be a hurricane and this is when you're gonna debut?
Speaker 2:oh, um, that was huge. I'll see back then it was. It was a big thing like playing for your provincial sides, playing for Wellington Lions. I know that was a massive achievement as well. But finding out after that season my first year in 2003, that I was going to be a part of the Hurricanes the team that sort of we all followed when we were young yeah, man, and I guess half of the people in Samoa, people back in Samoa and Auckland, I guess capital of Samoa only because there was a lot of islanders that played for the Hurricanes and that was the team I grew up supporting as well, when I sort of got into rugby and so making it, it was huge.
Speaker 2:I still remember getting that phone call from Colin Cooper, who was the head coach back then, and this was before Christmas, the end of 2003. So you can imagine me like after coming off the NPC season, thinking that I was going to have a good break and enjoy Christmas with a family. So that didn't happen because obviously a week later we had to assemble and go straight into camp for Super 12 back then the following year. So yeah, all I remember was getting that phone call, I hand up and then my phone goes off again and I was pretty again. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, just checking up if I got a phone call, that 14. Yeah, yeah, so that was awesome. Yeah, it was awesome. Yeah, I can't explain.
Speaker 1:No, that's great, bro, and yeah, you're right, it would have been awesome, man, you know, proud moment for yourself all the hard work you had put in, and your family as well, everyone that was involved in bringing you up and things like that. And yeah, it's funny, you mentioned Pitty or Powell, another childhood friend from our neighborhood, known to many rugby union fans out there, and he had debuted with you in the same year, or was he a year before you?
Speaker 2:Because, yeah, same year, because we both went to we went to under 21s trolls for New Zealand that same, around that same period. So we missed out and obviously we made the lines together straight after that and then, following year, we made the year when we both played for the Hurricanes.
Speaker 1:Awesome man. And what was that experience like? Because, bro, looking from the outside in, you were living the dream, bro to a lot of our boys back home, you know, and all us boys were really proud of you guys and what you were achieving on the field. And what was that experience like, especially when you were with greats like Tana, and there was that period where you had Rodney Jerry and New Flankers Cullen at the back. What was that all like, bro, playing with some of the religious and.
Speaker 1:And were you at first, in the first year? Were you Starstruck, were you shy?
Speaker 2:around these big guys. Oh yeah, hard, yeah, big time. So that first year with the Lions, 2003, that guy was like Jonah Long with you, but Jonah was on the backing of his career in New Zealand. Christian Cullen was there. Peter Latini of Tana Mamamoo was there. Paul Steinmetz all these, you know, hedges that you.
Speaker 2:I remember watching them a couple of years ago on TV when I was still at Clodge, and then walking through the changing room doors and you see Christian Cullen and Jonah in the corner, you know, and me and Pity sort of like, had to find our own, you know little corner, you know. So we actually found a spot like directly opposite from those big guns and I remember us sitting there just watching them in awe. You know, like fuck man, there's Jonah Long right there. You know Everything you dream of like as a kid growing up, you know, back then man was like awesome, like those were real superstars, you know. So, being a part of that whole setup with those boys, man, it was good times. You can imagine, as a young kid, you know, coming in late at all the hard yards. We were just there just to, you know, just keep signatures and photos and sending it back to our boys. Oh man, that's good times.
Speaker 2:And then, obviously, the year after the hurricanes, obviously playing most of what all my career with the hurricanes, with the likes of, like Jerry Collins, but like Jerry Collins, rodney Seralo there, chris Masoya, all these boys, that was another experience that I always tell these, my, you know the boys I'm coaching now. Like, just imagine being in a pack and you and all you can hear my drink in the scrum is your back, three arguing over a mistackle, you know, or a sister tackles. They used to, they used to, they used to argue between each other because one one would jump in to help a sister tackle and they used to remember them fighting and argue behind, you know, while we're packing down, like I say, the crusaders or something like that. Yeah, good times, oh man.
Speaker 1:That's awesome and I love hearing that stuff because you know you never really get to hear it and whenever we all used to catch up in that, we never really talked about footy. Anyway. A bro, can I ask during your super rugby career, what were some of the challenges you had faced and how did you overcome them? Just in regard to injury and stuff like that, bro, the mental side, with any hurdles that you had to overcome, bro, if you don't mind speaking on that, there were lots.
Speaker 2:It's all part and parcel of you know, contact sport. Yeah, there's lots, man, and lots of learnings that I could sort of think about. They're the one that sort of stands out the most was probably my early years, when dealing with compartment syndrome, okay. So back then I realized that I was the only one that was suffering from not being able to feel my toes. Oh, okay, yeah, during warm-ups I had to go down and everyone used to think I'd be faking it because you know I'd be tired. But I didn't realize that I was suffering from compartment syndrome.
Speaker 2:So compartment syndrome is obviously when the muscle obviously it was on my calves, so the muscles too big for the sheath, they're around there, the actual calf. And so the process of you know the medical process to that is that you have to obviously release some of that pressure. So the only way to do that is obviously slicing through the sheath and then releasing and then you know, let it rebuild and reform around the actual muscle. So I did that and I sort of missed the end of 2004 season and the start of 2005 season. So that took me out of sort of any like rep rugby, and also missed out on the lines when they tore yeah, so they played. They tore New Zealand 2005 or that early, yeah, so I missed out on all of that.
Speaker 2:So it was a tough time because obviously you go from being around the boys pretty much 24-7, because if you're not training you're hanging out with the boys all the time. So I'll go from that to like being at home. And back then was when cell phones sort of come to the market. Yeah, back then when the old it wasn't the camera phones, it was the old noses, yeah, that's it. So the only updates that you'd get was by text messages, and those text messages just could only probably like only two lines.
Speaker 2:So keeping up with what was going on at trainings was probably one of the toughest times, sort of feeling useless, helpless, being at home and not being able to be a part of all of that, but mainly just being a part of what's going on with the boys. You know the bands yeah, that was the only toughest. But I think that later on in my career the biggest one that I sort of suffered from was what do you call it? I did both of my ankles at the same time. It's pretty much ended me. So, yeah, looking back at it, it's all part of the class of the trade. But if you've got the right support network around you you know people that love and care for you then that's I think that's the most important thing that you can have as a professional rugby player, just to keep you sane.
Speaker 1:Yeah and yeah that's cool because there's a lot of and I imagine it's even worse now with social media and all the comments that you know fans put out there on plays. It is really important to have that great support network. Hey, it must be dark times or lonely times when, when you're injured, like you said, you're at home, when everyone's getting amongst it. And, yeah, it's a massive thing these days, mental health everyone's talking about it and doing all. I think, especially with us Polynesians. We need to talk about it because, man, you know what it's like, bro, you just keep that stuff inside man and carry yourself when there is help out there, whether it's family or professional outfit.
Speaker 1:But thanks for speaking on that, bro. Now I don't. I do want to talk footy and eventually get to what you're doing now, but we'll just stay on footy for now at the moment, and let's cannot and sorry, bro, I'm just going to go back here and this is schoolboy rugby, because this was a question that one of the also London that asked me to ask if she had ever played against your brother Farsil in first 15 rugby.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and what was that?
Speaker 1:Was that where that home was? I should have asked us earlier, but I'll ask it now.
Speaker 2:Anyways, that was weird because my family were like, they were staunch Wellington College supporters and also, you know, with St Bernards. But there was a, there was one time when, obviously, seal was part of the first of the and was it 2000?, 99. Oh, it was 2008. And they played, they played us at Wellington College and obviously my whole family turned up and and up until then, that being to all my games, supporting me. Then obviously that that one day I looked over and they were all supporting like because they went I look at it down, I think it's because they weren't doing too well that year. So now it was funny, weird playing at your brother, but it was good because then they, we won.
Speaker 1:Then you get the brand, you're right to home.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, that same team of she went on to do well the following year. Yeah, and that was the first and the last one ever one competition.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, that was a great team and that was against Wellington Co as well. I remember Dre was still playing back then.
Speaker 2:But anybody talk about that guy.
Speaker 1:Okay, back to rugby, super rugby. In that environment, traveling to other countries such as Australia and South Africa, can I ask well then, the hurricanes, who was one of the best trainers? Who was the who's the fittest guy, who was the strongest you can even say yourself if you were the strongest guy on the bench and who were some of the guys that you came across that always gave you trouble in the scrum or just in general, one of the hardest guys on the field, whether it's a teammate or an opposition player, and what were? One of the teams that you really enjoyed playing against and beating and one of the venues you love playing at. I know it's a lot of questions thrown at you, but yeah, one of the fittest blokes you've ever come across on the field and one of the strongest guys in the gym.
Speaker 2:Oh, the easiest one, for the fittest one would have to be Conrad Smith. He was crazy man, like I remember everyone pulling up one of the BTES sessions that we did and it was obviously the last one still standing and then I think we got. I'm not even going to try and remember and say the level that he got to, but it's so ridiculous. But all of us will stand there watching and I remember him running and he would look over to us boys and he'd be looking at us and asking why am I running on my own? Well, this is just stupid. But we're egging him on to keep going. And Conrad Smith's style he walks off. But he was one of those players. He was a freak when he came to fitness.
Speaker 2:Another one, too, surprisingly, was Ronny Soialo. Okay, he's the always give-em crap. He was the guy that never sweat. He's one of those guys. You know All the pools. He'd be dying and looked like he just dumped in the pool. They got all cut in like dry hairs and he was still pretty fit. Who else, oh what was the other one's? Strength, strength? Yeah, well, the strongest guys. One of these guys is when Conrad Smith ran. I'm going to call him now. What have to be? Do you remember that hooker slash prop from Waikato?
Speaker 2:Mmm the Malmosh Do you?
Speaker 1:remember him? No, really, no really.
Speaker 2:He was a freak man, but then he used to throw around some serious tin. Yeah, he funny story with him. He had similar thing to me with the Compoundment Syndrome, but he had it in his forums. Wow, yeah, so you can imagine. So he was a hooker but he couldn't throw the bullshite. And that was why, because forums were too big.
Speaker 1:Man, that's crazy.
Speaker 2:What was the other questions you had?
Speaker 1:Oh, just a team you like to play against in Super Rugby and a venue in Super Rugby, or just in general.
Speaker 2:Good question. My favourite stadium would have to be during Super 12 days would have to be, well, obviously, keaton back then. Yeah, but that count, that was the best when it was good. Back then we used to get full house, something different. Eh, oh right.
Speaker 1:Glory days.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so Keaton, if not, it would have to be Pretoria. Oh yeah, the year where the bulls were from Tough place to play Out of tune, the heat and the crowd too, they just yeah, can't describe it Passionate yeah.
Speaker 1:The favourite team to play would have to be.
Speaker 2:Yeah, obviously the Crusaders, because they were the benchmark. Yeah, and obviously the All Black captain. They had all the pretty boys there, dan Carter and all them, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's always been that rivalry with us in Canterbury, especially, you know, npc. Yeah, those were good games and good rivalry.
Speaker 2:And both teams would always get up for it. You know, yeah, it didn't matter who started, it was always some of the best games that you'd always watch or play in. So, yeah, the hardest player that I'll come up against would have to be someone like Tony Woodcock. Oh, yeah, yeah, he was good man. That guy reformed his shape, the proper precision. He wasn't big at all, he was tiny considering being a proper front-roller, but he was relentless, say, the amount of understanding of scrambling and his right BIKU. As well as a pro, he was a pretty good man.
Speaker 1:He was like a guy that would have fitted in the old days, like Sean Fitzpatrick days and that. Yeah, no nonsense. Yeah, he didn't have flair, but he was just a worker, right. Yeah, just spotting those dark places that you probably didn't see bro.
Speaker 2:They could mix it up with the big boys. Like you know, keep in mind he was by the end of his career. He was probably one of the top tri-scorer for a front-roller. Yeah, that's true. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Bro. Let's talk about your all-black career. When did you get that phone call, bro, and what did that mean to you after all the success you had had early on at a young age? You know you pretty much made it straight out of college, so you know that's a lot of success to take right after school. But what was that experience like, bro, coming in all black and a dream that every kid in New Zealand has. Bro, can you just give us a bit of that experience?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's everything you dream of Fools. You dream about it so long that it's you know. It's like you're expecting it. Sort of my experience that I had with Wellington College sort of prepped me for that moment, yeah, and for being in that environment. Not talking down where I come from, why not but all the values that I learned at Wellington College was that prepared me for that day and, like I said, it was everything that you dream of, you know as a kid. But, um, I think that was it.
Speaker 1:No, no, not kid going bro.
Speaker 2:No, so it's so interesting that, um, yes, I expected it, but I actually worked my ass off of it. Yeah, yeah, of course, there were a lot of lonely nights where my siblings, can you know, they can speak about this. Yeah, they, um, a lot of sacrifice went into it. A lot of lonely times, like I said before, dark times where I started questioning myself if this is worth it. And one of those things that I used to do was one of my weaknesses was, was, was, was, obviously was my fitness. Well, that's all Islanders, maldives. So I made that as a strength, so I worked on that every single night. So you probably know the route, but the route that I used to run was um, was up on the main road and then down the strand and then around the extension, the back there, and I used to um. I used to always push myself every single night and I'd run this every single night too. Yeah, no.
Speaker 2:I remember If I'd, if I'd missed it, if I'd missed run, I would always make up for it the next morning and it became an obsession and, like I said before I I questioned myself many times while I was doing it. But then fast forward a few years later getting that phone call from, from Darren Shandy, you know like is everything you expect.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:We, we need put all, put all the hard work, effort into something, into a goal that you sort of set out for yourself and just you can't explain it. Yeah, I can't even imagine bro.
Speaker 1:And that's what I was going to ask her, or go back on Um, if it was a phone call that you got getting told during the ABS. Or was it like the old days and I think they might still be doing it now where it's all on the radio or on TV?
Speaker 2:No, it was Sorry about that. So I was announced on TV before I even found out. So I remember, um, I don't know why, but my whole family sort of expected me to be named in the end of year tour, so you had a big party ready, or something like that. I wouldn't say party, but just by accident, everyone was there.
Speaker 1:Those are the deals, no pressure, oh, tell me about this, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So, uh, by the grace of God too, you know, uh, he blessed me that night, um, um, obviously, name got read out. And then, not long straight after that, pretty much, I got a phone call Um from from the manager, darren Shan, and, yeah, just congratulating me, um, and then the emails came up straight after that and then I think I got over something crazy like 100 plus text messages and all these missed phone calls from everyone, just family friends, um, just congratulating me, you know, um. So that's funny when, when I look back at it now, because it wasn't only my dream that I was trying to fulfill was everyone else that was attached to me. Uh, that knew me, um, that knew that. Um, if I wasn't down at the league, the league room playing touch, is because I was out running the roads or um, academy training or anything, um, um.
Speaker 1:I remember you know I'll be driving in the car and I'll see you along the road. I remember one time you you told me um uh, all you did was you'd run for 40 minutes and wherever you hit the 40 minutes, then you'll turn back and just head back home from there, or something like that, and try and beat it back. Yeah 40 minutes just get out there and then try and get back before that. Um, and yeah, I remember we used to work for furniture removals company kids grace removals.
Speaker 1:Shout out to the boys, oh yeah, shout out to our Norman. Norman, I know that, all the boys, all the boys, because everyone worked there as a kid. We all worked there as a kid, oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Um, but I remember one time you boys had grabbed me and said, oh, we're going to the gym after work and I was like, nah, nah, I'm not going to. You guys help me in the van. And we went to the. I know, um, I saw your hard work firsthand, even, pal, you know you'd see power running around or pretty around the streets or back back home. But man, all blacks, that's a dream that we all have growing up as a kid back home. And what was that experience like? Was that just a different level from super rugby in regard to culture and stuff like that? Oh, and what was it like, um, in your first test bro? That experience of getting your Juicy going out there here in the national anthem, doing the Haka and then playing your first game. What was that like for you?
Speaker 2:Oh, um. So I was lucky because we actually toured Europe, um, no, the UK, my first tour. So the first game was was was Wales and Cardiff, and, and man, I was 80,000 plus. Yeah, and it's a, it's, it's, what do you call it? It's one of those stands with the roof, but they can also, they can also open it up.
Speaker 2:So I remember at the start they were walking in and hardly anyone was in the stadium. This was just before, maybe 40 minutes before kickoff, you know. And I remember walking around the stadium and I was asking Ali Williams, I said, oh, I thought everyone was talking about how awesome the stadium is, you know, like it's always packed. And he was telling me I'll just wait until we come out. You know, you'll understand. And so I remember just the warm up in there Same thing there was hardly anyone there. And then, going back inside, the changing rooms got changed and all I remember after putting my boots on before we came into a hotel, before we come, running out onto the grass, was just the people there singing, chanting. I remember them singing Bread of Heaven, because that was one of our school songs that I used to get up at Wellington College, so that helped me really good. So I remember running out.
Speaker 2:There's still a photo online because someone tagged me onto it of myself running onto the pitch and I still remember this because it had Joe Rokafoka was in front of me and Rodney Soiala was behind me and as we were running down the tunnel because you can't see the field until you hit the first steps, because there's a couple of steps before you get onto the pitch and it's covered by, like you know those, what do you call it? What do you call those things? It's like like like tents, where they go. It's a long. You know the cover. So then the crowds can't throw anything to the players, but they go all the way out towards where the stick was. You know the first step. So when you're running out of there, you can't see or hear much, you know. So all you can see was just the tip of the grass.
Speaker 2:So there's a photo of myself. I remember cutting a step onto the pitch and I actually tripped over myself because of the volume and everyone's singing in that sort of hit me and I've got a shock. And this photo you can see me like looking down on the grass. I was actually like tripped up and like trying to act cool. Yeah, so I remember that. And then they're here in the National Anthem singing, and then I can't remember after that, from the hooker onwards it was still like a blue. I still can't remember because it was just written just like that. All I remember was was playing full game. I started that test alongside Anton Oliver at Hooker, cole Heyman was at Tarhead and Ali Williams was behind me and Oshie, jerry Brodney and Chris Marsoy was playing the ball.
Speaker 1:So now yeah, it would have. Yeah, bro, just awesome man, just awesome.
Speaker 2:The other question. You said sorry.
Speaker 1:Oh, bro, oh, in general, that's all good In general, bro. What's it like performing the hooker in front of the opposition, bro? Because were you part of the team that did the hooker in the Sheds one year, yeah yeah, that was in 2006.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was, yeah. So what happened? There was, the Welsh decided to make us do the hooker, perform the hooker before the anthem. Yeah, it doesn't work that way. So they try to make it about you know, about them and around that. So we decided look, Hucka is not for anyone else, it's for us as players. So the leadership group decided, you know, it was best to just to perform it in the changing rooms with the rest of the boys, which you know. All I remember was you could hear the crowd booing hey, yeah, and then, but that was out of our control, we did was, was did what was best for us and what was best for the jerseys? Yeah, but performing it, you know, like who's going up for New Zealand. That's the first thing you sort of learn. Me growing up is is is how to hook up. Even though it's not the right words or the right actions, you still go with it. But, yeah, man, special, special times.
Speaker 1:Now, ladies, you had a great career, bro, at the end of the all blacks Korean and your rugby in general, in New Zealand. Was it hard when you were told that you, your services, were no longer required in the black jersey, and was it hard when you had to make that decision to move on from New Zealand rugby.
Speaker 2:Of course, bro, you know something that you work hard for all your life the dream of when you're young to be told that you know that's. You know we've got someone else better here to do the job. But in saying that, I was quite lucky that my Sally with me at the time there when the announcement happened, and I remember us taking the. We took our time going up to Auckland because we were it was in Hamilton when, when they announced that and instead of going on a team bus, I decided to go with her. Yeah, so then I could avoid the media. Yeah, so I was snuck out through the back door, the hotel and made our way up to Auckland and then we chilled out there for a couple of days, I think, or a day, and then we came back home, Back to Wellington. It was all. We got together with family in there and that was awesome, having that support there.
Speaker 2:But yeah, it is tough times. It was tough times, but as a professional rugby player, you know your time is limited. So, yeah, just like with anything, I guess, in this world that we live in, you know you never know when your time is up. Yeah, and that's my attitude with everything. So that's why I sort of never taking the ground. I'll try and do the right thing most of the time, but as you do, you learn and you move on. So yeah, it was a bit like that. It was hard, but yeah, it's all part of life.
Speaker 1:No, no, that's all good, bro. Thanks for sharing that. So you moved to France, bro. You ended up playing rugby there for a few years. What was that like, bro? What was it? Was it a massive culture shock moving to France and what's it good? And this is something that would have been happening during your time as an all black? The players, a lot of them. You started seeing a lot more brown faces in the all blacks during those years that you're going coming up through the game. Yeah, In France, was it? Was it good, knowing that there were a lot of Polynesians also making the move over to the UK and France and playing there, the rugby over there? What was that like, bro? Playing in France and the different culture and having to learn a new language as well to get by while you're there?
Speaker 2:Man, massive culture shock, especially when you come from one new mother where there's only a few hundreds there living there, to go into a country that's I don't know so many people. Obviously they have their own way of life over there and how they do things and how they keep by. But in saying that, I'm quite open minded to everything, to anything really, and my sort of mentality going over there was obviously to play footy, but at the same time it was a great opportunity to see the other side of the world. Obviously you do a lot of that with the all blacks and other teams that you play with Super, super 12, but to go over there, experience living and playing rugby there, it was an awesome opportunity. Looking back at it now, we've met my Sally. She had our two little girls over there.
Speaker 2:We got stuck into it, into the culture and just everything about the French life was it sort of? They sort of live like islanders. Some respects, like family is really important to them over there. That's cool, yeah, yeah. So what do you call it? You know, with us islanders, sundays always the day we're everything is on hold. Everyone goes to church and then you come home, have your big, big feeds and then you go to sleep. That's pretty much the same over in France. Like nothing's open on Sundays yeah, families and they get together at lunchtime and they carry on until late in the evening. That's something that we couldn't get used to at first, only because shops in that went open. Just different things like that, little things. That that's huge.
Speaker 2:You know, you go from New Zealand and being able to do a lot of things in one day, get over there and you can only do I've seen to the people that's been over there experiencing it, experienced it, the way of life over there, as you get over there and can only do one thing at a time, and if it's going down to the post office, then that's what you do for the whole day. What I mean by that is they yeah, they're pretty, they're pretty riftless. Here in France A lot of places don't operate with computers. They're still writing things down, peace, yeah.
Speaker 2:So it was a massive culture shop for us too that we had to sort of get used to and pretty much dive into and enjoy and which we did me and Sal did Tushy, living down on the south there, the border of, you know, spain, was just like a 15 minute drive from where we lived and then that was in Berets, bayonne, and then we moved to Toulouse they're crazy there with the rugby, they love the rugby there to rugby town and to wonderful what do you call it? Fan base there. And also the history of the club there, toulouse, and just the success they have over there at their club. It's pretty cool.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I would say it would be cool. The south of France beautiful area, you see it on TV and stuff and you've got a man. We'd love to go over there for a holiday, but living there, and then there's food and the culture round, food and wine, things like that.
Speaker 1:So that would have been awesome, bro, and a good experience. And now today, in today's rugby game, you see a lot of players that they just skip the New Zealand Southern Hemisphere professional rugby scene and go and play their trade overseas and make a fairly decent career out of it. So there's a few boys from back home that have done that. But let's touch back there. You had mentioned you and Sally, your wife. You had your two girls over there in France.
Speaker 2:You had a family over there.
Speaker 1:Now family, bro. I just wanted to ask well, how's that experience, bro, being for your parenthood and you recently had a son, what's the experience you've had as a father, and how did that change everything you do? Because obviously you would have been living the life, bro, for a lot of years as an international player here in New Zealand and then in France, you know, started off with you and your wife and you would have been able to go and do things that couples do with no kids. But what was that like, bro, when you first had your daughter, and everything changing around you, just even your mindset, bro. We straight into that. That's it, man. Everything I do now is for my babies. That's the mindset going forward. If you don't mind talking about parenthood, bro, and how that shaped you and changed your life since you've become a father, oh, massively.
Speaker 2:As you would know, actually, I had my kids quite late. In terms of the friends that I have around me, they all had their kids quite young, quite early. Should I say yeah, we had our kids quite late, but in saying that we got to tick off everything that we wanted to do, yeah, you know, got to experience the, you know, france and the world over there and being able to travel. And then when we decided, yeah, it was time to sort of, you know, put some kids in the picture in the mix, yeah, everything changed. But, like you said, the mindset changed. You weren't playing just for yourself or your partners and stuff like that you tend to. It gives you another less of because another reason to get up even more to go to trainings. You know those days where you feel like you're sick and can't make out of bed to go train, you know that sort of puts things in perspective and keeps you sort of grounded in some ways.
Speaker 2:So, having Sadie over there and Beirut or Bayon, it was awesome. We're, you know, actually being over there, don't have much family members over there, didn't have much help. So what you guys might do with the friends that you make, the teams that you play for. Over there we were quite lucky. Sadie's parents would visit quite often and they would stay extendedly over, like one month or two months. Yeah, it was good. They sort of took the pressure off me as well, having to train, play and be there for our kids. And then, yeah, we moved to Toulouse and we had Taylor who's our youngest oh, she's the second one, now the middle kid.
Speaker 2:And yeah, like you said, just recently we had our first boy, jack James. Yeah, he's awesome man. It's a different story when you have two girls and then you get a boy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're lucky man. Yeah, man, I'm still asking the wife. You know she's like nah, nah, we're done. That's awesome, bro. I'm happy to hear that. You know the kids are doing well and I have no doubt you're a good father, bro, I know you're good, I try, I try.
Speaker 1:Hey, we all try. Yeah, that's cool to hear you know the mindset changes, because it would have been, you would have played with a lot of guys during your days, as you know. No kids, the guys with the kids. Things would have been different around, maybe the drinking party culture. Oh, these guys aren't going to join, or Well sure.
Speaker 2:Not that I'd do any of that stuff, but yeah.
Speaker 1:But now that's cool, bro, and so you have the family over there and you also that's where. Well, you have. Let's get into the business side of things and what you're doing now. So you have a wine company and I don't know if I'm pronouncing it correctly, bro Dochevue, or dochevue, pretty close, okay, well, I'll let you pronounce it, bro. What's the wine business called Dochevue? Oh, okay, okay, and what does that exactly mean?
Speaker 2:Yeah, two horses in French, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:So obviously France, you know, world renowned for their wine. How did that all come about, bro, getting into the wine business while you're in France?
Speaker 2:Well, I started, yeah, well, as my mother knows that I don't drink, I hope she's not watching this. She doesn't watch this. I met Ogre Wobb. Part of the French life is around family, culture and all that, so they do a lot of sitting down and eating and drinking, and so wine is massive over there, whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner. Yeah, that's just that's what they do. It's part of their life, it's part of their upbringing and it's there's a lot of quality to come out of sitting around.
Speaker 1:They're working. They're working around a bottle of red.
Speaker 2:Yeah, a lot of good discussions, a lot of good business decisions are made around a bottle of wine. But no, actually towards the end of my career over there, I was injured and recovering from ankle surgery and I met a French, french guy over there. He was a footy player as well, and what do you call it? Ended up being one of my best mates. Camille Blanc is his name. I actually met him at this rehab place, not alcohol rehab, but sports rehab. So he was in the room across from me at this place and I paid the old Ireland card and pretend I didn't speak French, and then he was the only guy that could speak English, so he would try and speak English to me. You know broken English, but I understood everything you were saying because my French isn't that bad, you know. So I got to know him quite well there and then, funny enough, he only lived a couple of villages down from where we all stayed, in Narebonne, and he got to bond with him pretty closely and met his family, went up there and, you know, did the full what do you call it? Harvesting and all that.
Speaker 2:His family owns a vineyard, obviously up in Vinistos, up in Narebonne, there. And oh, I remember one of our sessions that we had or lunch, lunch sessions sitting down and drinking the family wine and all that I said to him and his father that it would be an awesome idea to create our own wine here and bring it back to New Zealand, you know, and they laughed at me, thinking you know whatever you're talking about. Yeah, so that's pretty much how it started, of course, so moved back to New Zealand when I finished up and got, came over here to come and have a look at our how it's all set up here in Master Turn and took them down. Nelson took them to a few vineyards, tasted a lot of wine around here, and then we decided to bring Rose, because Rose is massive in that area where he is from. Okay, and that's where we drunk over there too, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And, yeah, that's where we started off.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's cool, very. And how's the business going now, bro? Because I see that you've entered with two wines, the red and white wine, but you've also got I don't know what you would call them. I would call them lolly drinks, your new product. How's the business going now at the moment?
Speaker 2:I'm going to be on the suicide side at Don Hold. Covid wasn't good for our business. We had a shipment that was brought over here, got fermented, was fermented out at sea. Obviously, when they opened up the containers exploded. So we wasted half a year on that, half a year's work on that. We've got another container of wine that's sitting here at the moment. I'm just waiting for just going through the process of getting all the paperwork loaded up onto the portal with food stuff in New Zealand. So we are in the process of trying to get it into supermarkets here in New Zealand. So that's actually ready to go pretty much. So all the hard work, the ground work leading up to that, was good and it's at a stage now where I can actually get it out there to a big audience.
Speaker 1:That's massive Barry. If you get it into the supermarkets, even the bottle stores around the country, that's big Barry. So it sounds like things are going to start happening Now. Another business of yours, barry, is you run a chemist or your wife runs a chemist out there in Wellington. None of that will come about because I do not take you well. Obviously you would have been on a lot of meds and had a lot of surgeries during your footy career, but how did you get mixed up in the chemist game, barry?
Speaker 2:I call it a legit drug dealer. No well, Sally's a qualified pharmacist. So when we left for France, she completed that, obviously, and then we knew that was all part of our plan. Was she go over there and live the luxury life and enjoy it while I was still playing, keeping in mind that our plan was always to come back and buy a pharmacy? So that's pretty much what we did. We moved back to New Zealand four or five years ago. We bought a pharmacy out of Brooklyn and Wellington and now we're looking at hopefully, if it all goes well to our second one. Oh, awesome man. Yeah, so I'm not the pharmacist, she is. So I was actually doing COVID and that's I was doing the rounds with dropping off the meds to the old people. So I did get pulled up a few times from the police. Yeah, so you can imagine that conversation. That's funny. Yeah, it's quite funny.
Speaker 1:It's really cool to hear that that's going really well, bro, and that's something that. What makes it even cooler is that you're doing it with your wife, or your wife's doing, and you're like you said, you're the delivery boy. But that's awesome, bro, and that's really cool, because it's a hard thing, I'm guessing For a lot of players. When they retire, what are they going to do you?
Speaker 1:know, do professional. Obviously, you're getting, you're getting contacted throughout your career of different business ventures and what to pick and choose and decide outside of footy when the footy's over? Was that ever hard for you? Or was that something you had already drawn up as a plan with your wife? Like you said, the plan? Was always to come back to New Zealand, but did you have those plans ready to go, or did you know what you were going to do in regard to life after footy?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, we did. Actually, as you do when you're playing rugby professional rugby sort of you find all the excuses to say I'm too busy to do anything else, but that's just an excuse, man, I find I look back at it now the times that I did have where I could have used, you know, in a better way to study or to work, yeah, there was a lot of times and a lot of opportunities to do that, but obviously they didn't capitalize on it. But these boys nowadays they're well supported with that sort of stuff. If not, then they should be looking or like reaching out to guys like myself that's been there, done it for a long time. But in terms of a plan, in there I did actually well, I did try and study in a degree of visual arts that I only managed to finish two years and then obviously the third year I had to pull up because I was full time, you know, playing footy, so I couldn't be there. So I knew that, playing rugby, I knew that at some stage I was going to go back and finish that degree and then, oh shit, that didn't happen, made the all blacks and then even got more busy, you know, like it was cut full on.
Speaker 2:So then, when Sally came in the picture, we drew up what our plan was going to be like.
Speaker 2:You know, after rugby, what kind of age we're looking at, because then that's where our kids, in that sort of, came in the picture. We did actually talk about it numerous of times, like how we're going to plan for the future, what that would look like. So, knowing that Sal had a degree, you know, with chemists, with pharmacy, and that I knew that we had time to fall back on in terms of taking the pressure load off me when rugby was finished or if it was taken away all of a sudden, but that didn't stop me, you know, with the drive that I had not to just label myself as a rugby player. And I think when I look back at it now, that's where I get my drive to get up and get myself into all these adventures. Because then that flows on to what I was going to say. Next is that a lot of people laugh at me because, you know, I don't have a degree, I don't have any diplomas, but I do have a master's in YouTube.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I got a master's too bro.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you try your best to plan and all that, but obviously a lot of times it doesn't go pan up the way that you want it to. So you've got to have a plan A, b, c or you know, I don't like to limit myself to which is in a good way, it's a good trait, when the bad way at it is not that good, because I do like to get myself involved with a lot of things. I'm just that type of person. I hate sitting around dwelling on something that I can't be in control with.
Speaker 2:So after rugby we came back, bought the farm, said I set a sale. I've got to give me two years of just trying to figure out what I want to do next. So those two years I thought I'd go back and study, which is perfect time, and another example, you know. But then I had there, got COVID hit obviously, and then I obviously had different other ideas of what my career would look like. And that's where I'm at now. I've got the wine business with Kimmy. I've started my own sneaker brand with MLX, so 1060 is my all black number.
Speaker 1:Okay, so that's where there's my brand.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's where it comes from.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:That's cool, and I've also. Two weeks ago, who was a good friend of mine, joe Joseph Olive we just bought another business, icon Sports. So Sports Apparel it's a cricket brand, but yeah, they look after a lot of other sports, so we've got ourselves into that, that's cool. Yeah, so pretty buzzed yours.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's cool. I was going to touch on the clothing brand there, but that's cool. You know a little exclusive there, you and Joe Olive, another guy who's doing my name.
Speaker 1:Yeah, a guy from our neighborhood, childhood friend, doing a lot of good stuff out in the community and doing his own business. I believe he's started in the electrical field. Yeah, his little business there, but he's doing great things. Actually he's another guest that's going to be on the podcast where we've sort out date times. But MLX 1060. So that clothing shoe brand is named after. The inspiration behind the name is from your all black number.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Now, what have been the challenges with the clothing shoe brand, bro? Because there is, and even I thought about it at one time, like, like you said, you hate being sitting down and doing nothing, and that was me, for that's where I got my YouTube master Just watching YouTube on how to start a podcast and all sitting on this for good two years, and it wasn't until, I think, either my birthday or Christmas, and my sister-in-law or your cousin, nikki, she wouldn't got me a podcast mic and she goes oh no, no excuse. Now I said, okay, well, let's, let's do it. So, yeah, nikki and London, they really kicked it off, because I probably spent another year just mulling around watching YouTube how to videos. And now, with clothing, it seems like it's like podcasting. It's like every second person has a clothing brand or a podcast show now. So I wanted to ask, bro, what was the inspiration behind the clothing and shoe brand? What have been some of the challenges and future looking like for your clothing and shoe brand?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I've always been what do you call it? I've always been into my drawing, designing all of that stuff for my background, especially, you know, during my career as well, I was doing a lot of that stuff, you know, just to my free, free, free time and space as well. So, yeah, during that, those two years, I decided actually I've always loved sneakers that I had a passion for sneakers.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I've got a sneaker collection there that I sort of did a thing for a friend of mine over in France. That's on YouTube. Yeah, I was showing my shoes shoe collection that I had. But what people didn't realize, the shoes that I actually showed on that on his, on his program, was shoes that I was wearing like every day, so that wasn't including any of my other shoes that I had in another room. Right, that was all the boxes. I didn't want to be that guy.
Speaker 1:Well one year to really show them on that YouTube video, and I'll probably put a link on their YouTube video.
Speaker 2:Man, that was a collection. So all of those years I gave away to like the young kids that I played with over in France. But yeah, on the other hand, I had another whole room of like shoes that were in boxes and still to this day. So that was my thing, was shoes that anyone that knows me well, yeah, always love my shoes.
Speaker 2:So that's where that yeah, that's where the inspiration came from doing creating my own. That was always my thing that I wanted to do. Yeah, was, was, was. One day I was gonna make my own shoe, design my own shoe, and make it and sell it or like give it out or whatever. So that was one of the business adventures that I wanted to get myself into. At the time we just bought a the pharmacy, so Sally was like there's no way now you're using any of our money to invest into that you can come up with that. So I said to me okay, I've got an idea, because during that time or everyone was getting into these basketball shorts a couple of years ago so the best at the moment.
Speaker 2:So that was the idea I did these shorts and that was the reason why I did clothing was to make make some money to fund my, my new project that I wanted to do. So that was what I pretty much did and made a bit of money with the shorts and invested in straight into the, this first collection that I did. That I launched the end of last year. So I'm still it's funny because I'm still learning all of, because all of the stuff is off new to me. Like I said before, I never went to school for design school or anything like that, but I learned everything from the process of making you know design point to like a, a tick pack to you know finding the manufacturer to speak into, finding the right one and then, speaking to the right people, finding out what the market is like. You know all of that stuff. I'm not even going to pretend that I know it all, but that's all good, you're learning.
Speaker 2:I did something sort of have worked out for me and so I'm in the process of now selling them online. So I've already sold quite a bit and what the future would look like with that is I'm planning to come out with another what do you call it? Another line that will obviously future. You know, some more new kicks or new sneakers that I've got, you know, for the future, but that's like a thing that I've. I really I was really creating that, not only for myself, but it makes sense now because my son's here yeah, I was really was anticipating having a boy and it's all worked out. I didn't have him up with a brand that that means something to not in, something to not in myself, but my, my, my father, who was to. That's, that's the reason why, and the MLX actually is actually Roman numerals for to 1060. And my father studied, you know, with the with the Ministry College over in the forward American. So I'm also all of that stuff. All sort of sort of relate to the twine. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Awesome, bro. That's a great story. Things happen for a reason, you know, of course. You know good man Good yeah. Yeah, god is good man and a lot of us Polynesians, we it's pretty much the same upbringing church and God and Jesus and things of that nature. But God really does work in mysterious ways, bro, and oh, hell yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah just even the name of how that all came together. That's an example, but that's awesome, bro. It's awesome to hear that things are going well in general in life. You know you're coaching a footy team, your family, your businesses, so I'm really proud and happy to hear that everything's going really good for you at the moment, bro. Now, just to finish it off, bro, what's your, what's your piece of advice to those that are? Well, here's it, here's the question for the young ones that are coming up in rugby or any kind of sport, what's the advice that you give to them? And what's the advice to those that are trying to get into business, whatever type of business it is, or just sitting on the sidelines and not chasing their dreams and, you know, not too scared to get out into the spotlight and put their hand up and then go after? You know their goals and stuff like that. What's your advice for those out there, or the listeners that may be listening to the podcast? Well, what's the advice, bro?
Speaker 2:Good one. I'm not even going to try and advise anyone. Okay, I think I think if this was a message to myself, a younger, nemiya Tealata, age of 17, it probably looked something like this what is it Trying to find the word to you all sorry, but believe in yourself. I know that sounds cliche, but we are all built differently, but we are all given the same opportunities as well. It doesn't matter what sort of situation God puts you in. We all go through adversity, but it's the individual. That's what it comes down to.
Speaker 2:Life is supposed to be hard. Life also is meant to enjoy and to learn from your mistakes. So don't be afraid of it. Don't be scared of it. Embrace it and actually take an action. Take an action and just believe in yourself. I'm just speaking not only to the younger me, but just in general, because us Islanders, we are built up like that To respect, and it's beautiful. Our culture is beautiful, but at times, too, it can hold us back from reaching stars. But I tell you what man, if I can do it, if Tana could do it, who was someone that I looked up to, if my mother or my auntie could become a mother of 10 kids all under the age of 17, I think at the time living in a three bedroom house. With a bit of sacrifice, that goes a long way.
Speaker 1:I love that bro.
Speaker 2:I don't know if that's going to help. That's a great message, man. That's how I'll sum it up. I'm not going to advise anyone because I'm not in that. That's not me, but I'll share what I have and have done. I'm forever grateful the good Lord have blessed me with a beautiful mother that cared for us, blessed with a beautiful wife who loves me and my kids unconditionally. I've got beautiful kids that have given me another sense of waking up and going after it and chasing whatever it is. But yeah, that's pretty much it also.
Speaker 1:That's awesome, bro. There you have the ladies and gents from the man himself, namiya Tealata. How about yourself? Get out there and just you know you would never Trust me. I've been in that position, man, where I'm just like nah, and even at times now I still doubt myself, even with this podcast Back yourself. You really don't know until you give it a go.
Speaker 2:Yeah, also To say to you you're doing an awesome job. I actually listened to your first one with Konga there, with those two. It was interesting to listen to and I must admit, man, hats off to you and what you're doing with us. You need to keep up with it. Yeah, I need to.
Speaker 1:Yeah, be, consistent, yeah, man, Whatever this may lead to man.
Speaker 2:Now that you know you can do it, you can do anything else that you really put your mind to and really want.
Speaker 1:Thank you, my bro. That's us from Namiya and I on let's Talk with Winnie Vee. Thanks for listening if you're still here. But, bro, all the best for your future endeavors with business. All the best with the kids, bro, can't wait to see more updates of your son and those will be some great milestones when they come around First pair of footy boots and first game on a cold, wet Wellington morning. But, bro, all the best to you and the family and Auntie and the rest of the siblings back home. Thank you very much for your time, bro. It's been an honour, it's been a pleasure. This is us here at let's Talk. Winnie Vee and everyone stay safe out there.