Māori-Led Profound Group Shows Success Comes From Putting Future Generations First
10 minute read“My business model is not so much financial success-driven – I see my success as being more about creating a legacy for our mokopuna. I would rather leave this earth knowing I’ve created opportunity.”
Isiah Reynolds (Taranaki iwi, Ngāti Mutunga, Te Ātiawa, Ngā Ruahine), founder of Taranaki building company Profound Group, knows the commercial realities of the trade. However, that intergenerational focus on putting people first, training up young people and mentoring other small construction businesses, has seen Profound Group grow in strength and buck the industry downturn.
The company does a huge variety of work, from award- new builds to marae and commercial. Right now, the team is pouring slabs for the 22-unit Te Katonga Nui housing development at Ōkato for Taranaki Iwi, in partnership with Māori small business, Wano Building.
“Both Wiremu Wano and I descend from the hapū of Ngā Mahanga a Tāiri, the very hapū connected to this housing development, and it was so important to us to be involved – we couldn’t see any other business building homes for our whānau. So, we bid for it as a joint venture. Some smaller businesses would never get the opportunity to work on these size projects, but my capability as a larger business gives me the ability to share opportunities with SMEs,” Isiah says.
School was never where Isiah thrived. Living with learning difficulties, he found the classroom challenging and left school before starting seventh form to join the army. That decision became the turning point in his life – and carpentry was where he discovered his passion. After leaving the army, he started a BCITO apprenticeship, and was so driven to prove himself that he actually completed his advanced carpentry qualification via night classes before he finished his level 4 certificate. During the downturn in 2009, he re-enlisted in the army as a trades instructor, training soldiers through their own BCITO apprenticeships before founding his own business.
Driven by his own experiences, Isiah also helped establish Ngā Waka Whiria, a not-for-profit network dedicated to mentoring emerging Māori businesses, supporting rangatahi into trade careers, and uplifting te ao Māori across the region. The Tuakana/Teina (Big Brother/Little Brother) approach is something he carries into every part of his work.
As well as the eight apprentices currently training at Profound Group, the firm is also providing work experience to four school students through the Gateway programme, an initiative for Year 11–13 students that combines structured workplace learning with school-based studies. Isiah’s own son William is now in his second year of a BCITO apprenticeship. He loves working for a company with seniors who go above and beyond to take younger ones under their wing.
“Profound has its own values, and it’s really putting Māori identity into the building trade. We do a lot of work for iwi as well, and that’s really special to me,” he says.
Fellow apprentice Jade Murray, who is Pākehā, says the company’s approach is just as valuable for non-Māori. He credits much of his success, which saw him come third in last year’s Master Builders Apprentice of the Year awards, with his environment.
“The culture’s really good on-site – the foremen do a great job of keeping you positive. It motivates you to come and do your best work. I know people my age who work at other companies and they don’t seem to have the same culture. Also, because we’re working across so many areas from renos to new builds and commercial, you don’t have to jump from job to job to get that experience, as others often do.”
Isiah says it’s important to him to help non-Māori people on his team feel comfortable in te ao Māori, bringing them into hui and iwi projects and seeing them feel the wairua of the experience.
“Having been in the army, I understand the value of connections and a supportive team environment. There’s no one on site that should feel isolated or not connected.”
Knowing the importance of relationship-building has also won Isiah important business. To mark the arrival of Puanga, celebrated in Taranaki in place of Matariki, he took part in the sacred ceremony of whakamoe i te whare, putting the existing Te Paepae o Te Raukura wharenui at Parihaka "to sleep" before its redevelopment by Profound Group. The ceremony honoured the history, memories, and wairua held within the whare, respectfully closing one chapter before a new one begins. That honour came from two and a half years of numerous hui, visiting on weekends, informally getting to know the Whanaunga involved.
“The values of Profound Group are delivering outcomes that genuinely serve our people. However, collaboration and the ability to work well together are really important for the delivery of any project, which is why Isiah and his team are so successful in business as well,” says Tony Greig, BCITO Kaitohutohu Māori for the Central North Island.
Adds Isiah: “Many apprentices I’ve trained now have their own business. by creating opportunities for them to grow, build capability, and eventually take on apprentices of their own. Those are the things that are important to me – not necessarily driving nails!”