Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
2 mins ago
Sulia Rasa runs her business from her Napier home.
An increasing number of entrepreneurs, creatives, and change-makers are studying EIT business qualifications online in partnership with eCampus NZ.
Graphic designer Sulia Rasa is no exception. Sulia decided to enrol with EIT and complete online the NZ Certificate in Business (Introduction to Small Business). Now she is studying towards the level 4 Certificate in Business (Small Business) with the ultimate goal of gaining a degree in business.
Sulia is the Director of Vakaviti Dzine, a growing made-to-order clothing business with a focus on sportswear and traditional Fijian graphic design. Sulia is also mother to three high-school-aged boys. She says that the key to juggle work, study, family while achieving set goals is “time management and the willingness to make sacrifices”.
After graduating from the Fiji Institute of Technology with a qualification in graphic design, Sulia worked in commercial printing before finding her true passion in 2010 when she joined an Australian sportswear business with operations in Fiji and began working with textiles.
Sulia decided to launch Vakaviti Dzine after she moved to New Zealand in 2014 and saw demand in the Fijian community for apparel that incorporates traditional Fijian design. “In Fiji, we tell stories through our designs. I put those traditions into our garments,” Sulia says. And that’s how Vakaviti Dzine began.
Word of Sulia’s talent and professionalism quickly spread and her design skills are in hot demand. She has designed uniforms for a number of New Zealand sports teams, including the Tailevu Sevens Rugby tournament and the Hawke’s Bay Fijian rugby team.
Outside of sportswear, Vakaviti Dzine has also worked with clients such as Adi Cakobau School Old Girls in New Zealand and Australia, and Fijian RSE workers in Hawke’s Bay.
Sulia gets great pleasure from working with her clients to produce custom designs. “We always want to make our customers happy by giving them what they want. In return, when they appreciate it, that just makes our day and we always want to do more for them,” said Sulia.
As her business grows and evolves, Sulia plans to sell her clothing in shops across New Zealand before expanding into international markets. It’s this drive and ambition that led Sulia to enrol with EIT and study online.
These business qualification helps learners to set themselves up for success through learning about small business planning, regulatory and legal requirements, and managing effective relationships with suppliers, customers, clients, staff, and contractors.
“I really wanted to learn the business of business,” said Sulia. “The courses are really useful and set me up to become a successful business owner.”
With a business to run, a qualification to finish, and a busy family calendar to organise, Sulia has a lot on her plate. But for her, it’s all worth it when her clients see their garments for the first time.
“For me it’s also a service to my people. Putting smiles on their faces is always a pleasure to see,” said Sulia.
