Our team of storytellers
Meet our team of storytellers

Steve
To say I was raised in an environment rich in stories would be the understatement of my life. From biblical roots, Sunday School, sermons and parables through to the wonderful faraway lands of Narnia and Beatrix Potter, stories – and storytelling – is part of my fibre. In adulthood, a love of hiking has taken me on many journeys and adventures. I’ve garnered tales from strangers met along the way as well as from my own hair-raising, soul-searching and death-defying experiences.
With the art of business storytelling tucked under my arm, I have gone about my career proving and testing my ideas in this field, involving myself in 8 business start-ups… some worked brilliantly, others not so well. And this is precisely where my own personal brand of value lies – in the great sense of commercial reality I bring to everything I do. And I wouldn’t change a thing, because all roads have led me to this point – the point at which I can spread and share my skills with companies and leaders who so desperately need to compete. Are you one of them?
Our team https://www.officemax.co.nz/ https://lockwood.co.nz/ https://storyiq.co.nz/blog

Nicqui
A multi-talented advertising superhero of 30 years… a writer, editor, project manager, media manager, grammar Nazi, estimator and nit-picker extraordinaire. And clearly an inflated sense of greatness. But it’s true, I’ve spent more than half my life labouring in both small and multi-national agencies, video production and direct marketing, while at the same time co-founding NZ’s first 0900 surf reporting company (WaveTrack), Surf.co.nz and NZ’s first mobile car audio & security business.
Our team https://www.officemax.co.nz/ https://lockwood.co.nz/ https://storyiq.co.nz/blog

Marilyn
Aside from my soft spot for dogs, my interests and experience lie in bringing the Yin and Yang to digital marketing. Now, what do I mean by that? Well, as the MD of Austin Digital, Story IQ’s sister company which specialises in building websites and digital marketing, it’s my job to deliver the best of both worlds to my clients – that being, a deep understanding of the technical aspects of building stand-out websites with supporting digital marketing campaigns, balanced with an innate ability to…
Our team https://www.officemax.co.nz/ https://lockwood.co.nz/ https://storyiq.co.nz/blog

Kern
Gamer, husband, father, Star Wars fan, hero of Azeroth and fantasy fan. I am a tireless seeker of knowledge, occasional reader and also, coincidentally, a graphic designer/web designer. Operating at the junction of simplicity and function to answer design problems with honest solutions. I got my BA Degree in Graphic Design and Multimedia, and since then I have been working in the industry both locally and abroad for over 10 years and on this creative journey, I’ve handled various projects ranging from…
Our team https://www.officemax.co.nz/ https://lockwood.co.nz/ https://storyiq.co.nz/blog

Ashton
Having a more-than-slight addiction to being highly organized and keeping everyone on their toes is only a small part of what makes me tick. A digital marketing guru with 9 years in the marketing industry, and marketing strategies coming out of my ears, I’ve been told I’m a force to be reckoned with. With my South African heritage, I like to bring the “Howzit” to all things marketing.
P.S. “Stay human, stay compassionate and don’t forget the little guys.” – Captain America
We help CEOs and their executive teams align around a high-level narrative that clarifies strategy and powers success, in sales, marketing, fundraising, web design, product development and recruitment. Our team is led by Steve Ballantyne.

Lizzie
What is life without stories to tell? Over the last four years as a Creative Copywriter (+ free spirit + serial remote worker) I’ve made it my own personal mission to make memories that will last a lifetime, and stories that will last generations – for start-ups, B2B brands, entrepreneurs and… myself.
You see, in my eyes, brands shouldn’t strive for anything less than a real and genuine connection with their audiences
Our team https://www.officemax.co.nz/ https://lockwood.co.nz/ https://storyiq.co.nz/blog

Mindi
It all started with story. A fascination with imaginary worlds and endless possibility was fueled by the gift of a typewriter at age 8. My creativity was sidetracked while earning a master’s degree in Nutrition Science, publishing three papers and realising the best days were the ones spent researching and writing. Done with the degree and at loose ends, I managed a restaurant for a Kiwi chef where I developed a love of wine,
From the U.P. of Michigan to the mountains of Montana and now beautiful sunny Nelson, I’ve tumbled down a rabbit hole and ended up in Wonderland. Today I write, read, am spoiled by my partner’s cooking, and indulge in whims, wine and conversations with my cat (Alice, of course) – while looking forward to the next challenge.
Our team https://www.officemax.co.nz/ https://lockwood.co.nz/ https://storyiq.co.nz/blog