Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand. This week he talks to Jimmy Hayes from Minaal.

This week’s podcast guest is a Kiwi making a big impact on the global travel scene.

You might remember a few years ago a couple of New Zealand lads blew up on Kickstarter with their clever carry-on bag. With a short fun video and a cool traveller-friendly bit of kit, they achieved more than ten times their fundraising target and then managed to deliver on that much larger-than-expected order. And then they did it again with their second bag, outperforming the success of their first.

The brand is Minaal, and their bags have become much-loved essentials for in-the-know travellers thanks to their premium tech-friendly features and minimalist design.

The two founders landed on the idea as a way to continue living abroad, and it’s still working. This week’s podcast guest is co-founder Jimmy Hayes, who we caught up with in Auckland on a trip back from Japan, one of Minaal’s biggest markets and one of his home bases. He stopped by to chat about making a dream into a life, global success, taking on an industry with massive incumbents and the power of the crowd.

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