My Business Stars podcast renewed for season 2
CCS Disability Action is thrilled to announce a new season of the popular podcast series, My Business Stars, starting Tuesday 11 February 2025.
Created in partnership with the Disability Business Network and hosted by “That Blind Woman” Julie Woods, the podcast delves into the diverse experiences of successful entrepreneurs in the disabled community. In each episode, guests from all walks of life sit down for a conversation about the ups and downs of their journeys and how they got to where they are today.
With guests ranging from technology entrepreneurs and digital marketers to creatives, this podcast will provide unique insight into the lived experience of disabled business owners all over the country – not to mention valuable motivation and insights for those working towards their own goals in 2025.
“We are excited to be doing a second season of My Business Stars as it’s so important for successful business stories to be told,” says Woods.
“I am thrilled we have a great geographical distribution of guests from all over the country. We have ten guests ranging from a neurodiverse digital accessibility expert to a low-vision wheelchair user making doggie treats!”
Woods believes that the podcast is a valuable medium for amplifying the diverse lived experiences of disabled people in business.
“I have many conversations with non-disabled people who are not confident being around disabled people, so this podcast series is a great opportunity for them to learn.”
Season 2 of My Business Stars will open with well-known Nelson entrepreneur, Pic Picot, founder of Pic’s Peanut Butter. In this fascinating interview, Pic shares details about his entrepreneurial journey and how he got to where he is today.
“Pic Picot has such an inspiring business story. He has so much experience and has no hesitation in offering his unique perspectives about business and life,” says Woods. “I can’t wait for people to hear how he navigated his way through vision loss and peanut butter.”
CCS Disability Action Chief Executive Mel Smith says that the podcast is an important opportunity for people to learn about what it’s really like for disabled people in business and the physical, social and attitudinal barriers that affect employment equity – something that is all the more important in the current economic landscape.
“We firmly believe that disabled people have the same right to meaningful employment as every other New Zealander,” says Smith. “We are proud to be partnering with the Disability Business Network to create another season of this podcast, which uplifts the voices of disabled business owners and provides a space where they can have authentic discussions about their experiences.”
“Now, more than ever, it’s essential to highlight disabled people having autonomy and self-determination in their careers and financial futures.”
The My Business Stars podcast is being produced by Dunedin community access station Otago Access Radio. Commencing 11 February 2025, new episodes for season 2 will broadcast weekly at 12:00 pm on Tuesdays and replay at 9:00 am on Thursdays on OAR 105.4FM, and the podcast can also be found on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Additionally, an episode catalogue and full transcripts will be available at: https://www.ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz/my-business-stars
For further information contact:
Julie Woods
Phone: 021 913 513
Email: Julie@ThatBlindWoman.co.nz
CCS Disability Action Background Information
CCS Disability Action is the largest disability support and advocacy organisation in Aotearoa New Zealand.
We support people with all types of impairments and have been working alongside disabled people since 1935. We are at the forefront of service provision, advocacy and information sharing in the disability sector. We partner with disabled people, their families and whānau to remove barriers at an individual, community and national level. Our vision is to see every disabled person and whānau hauā interwoven into the lives of their whānau and community.
We provide direct support to around 5,000 children, young people, and adults through our 18 branches, which operate from Northland to Invercargill. Our support focuses on breaking down barriers.
We also run New Zealand’s nationwide Mobility Parking Permit scheme. This scheme currently supports more than 160,000 people to access their communities and facilities more easily. Our subsidiaries, Lifemark and BarrierFree, advocate for and provide universal design consultancy to improve the accessibility of New Zealand’s housing and built environments.
We receive a mixture of government and charitable funding.
For more information, please visit www.ccsDisabilityAction.org.nz