Hello, my dear Frankies! 💜

Do you remember being young and feeling like the whole world was at your feet? Like you could do anything, build anything, become anything?

The sad thing is, that feeling can definitely start to fade as we get older. Which is one of the reasons I love writing this newsletter so much. Every week, I get to see people around Franklin building lives, businesses, events, ideas and dreams, and still acting like the whole world is right there for the taking.

And this week, I’m so privileged to share the story of two local groups of students who are building their very own businesses, finding their own way, and learning so much in the process.

​Second Shot - a group of students from Pukekohe High, and Tangled, a group of friends from Waiuku College ♥

So please give these clever young Frankies all the support you can. Follow them on social media, visit them at local markets, order the products they’ve been pouring their time and energy into, and help keep that gorgeous Franklin entrepreneurial spirit going!

The dream is well and truly alive, and these kids are proving it. ♥

See you all out there!

R. and The Frankie Fam xx

Franklin's Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

Today you get to meet eight Year 13 students from Franklin. They're juggling NCEA, sports, part-time jobs, family commitments and everything else that comes with being a teenager - and somehow still finding the time, energy and courage to launch two businesses from the ground up. And yes, they are REAL LIFE businesses, with real customers, real money, and real pressure to get it right.

That's the challenge at the heart of the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES), a nationwide program where students pitch, produce, sell and problem-solve their way through everything a business throws at them. And today we're featuring two awesome Franklin teams who are doing exactly that this year.

Their stories are so special to me because it's a reminder that chasing your passions and building a life on your own terms doesn't have to wait until you're "grown up."

Second Shot: Giving Coffee Grounds a New Life

Meet Dacie, Hayley and Hannah, three Pukekohe High School students behind Second Shot - a coffee-ground soap business built on sustainability and a good bit of kitchen-chemistry trial and error.

The idea started with a simple question: what's going to waste locally that could be turned into something new? With Pukekohe's thriving café scene producing endless used coffee grounds, the team saw an opportunity - coffee grounds are a natural exfoliant - and just like that, a cosmetic soap brand was born.

"We decided it would be a good idea to save the used coffee grounds from being wasted and give them a second shot at life." They explain.

Getting the recipe right wasn't easy. Balancing fragrance, shea butter base and coffee grounds - and adding them at exactly the right temperature for even distribution - took plenty of adjusting. But the payoff has been worth it: glowing customer feedback, market stalls at Pukekohe Raceway, and stockists as far away as Second Chance in Hokitika!

Beyond the soap, the trio say the biggest win has been the people - mentors, fellow young business owners, and a Franklin community that's cheered them on every step of the way.

"The Franklin community has been extremely welcoming and supportive, allowing us to build valuable connections with other local businesses and allowing us to thrive."

These young entrepreneurs have learned that building a business actually builds many important skills for the future - skills that can't always be learned in a classroom. As Dacie says, "Being a part of Second Shot has also allowed me to build other skills like marketing and customer service as well as building my confidence, which has opened a world of opportunity."

You can find Second Shot on Instagram, at local markets, or in stores including Your Local Coffee Roasters, Your Local Bakery and Brew & Bar Pukekohe.

Tangled: Turning Leftover Thread into Something Beautiful

Over at Waiuku College, four friends - Clarissa, Rylee, Gaby and Georgia - have built Tangled, a business handcrafting bracelets from recycled embroidery floss.

What began as Georgia's idea to make knotted bracelets grew into a full team effort, with each member bringing a different strength: Clarissa leading, Rylee on production, Gaby handling finances, and Georgia running marketing and branding (and check out their instagram page - it's super cute branding!). Their mission is simple but meaningful - take embroidery thread that would otherwise sit unused in a drawer, and turn it into something vibrant and wearable.

As Georgia says, "It's been the most fun for my team and I to create the bracelets itself — coming up with the perfect designs and teaching them all how to make the actual bracelets."

The girls say the real challenge hasn't been the crafting itself, but finding the time and materials to keep up with it all while balancing school and life. But learning teamwork under pressure has helped them through. "If one of us falls behind, it affects all of us — yet we work together, and if someone is struggling, we're there to help or fill in."

Still, they've leaned on each other, and on their community - locals donating unwanted embroidery floss have become part of the Tangled story, directly fueling their mission to reduce waste. "It feels good knowing we're building something within our own community, and that local people are backing young entrepreneurs like us." They say.

For the tangled team, the experience has been as much about self-discovery as business: realising that even at 17, they're capable of building something real. "We've realised we're capable of more than we thought, and that even at 17 we can create something real if we put the work in." And that is priceless.

Find Tangled on Instagram and TikTok @Tangled_.knots, through word of mouth, and at local markets - with online sales on the way!

Why we love them

Both teams point to the same thing when asked what support from their community means: confidence. Every purchase, every market conversation, every bit of encouragement tells these young entrepreneurs that their ideas are worth backing - and keeps their money circulating right here in Franklin!

So next time you're at a local market, keep an eye out for Second Shot's soap or a Tangled bracelet. You won't just be buying a product - you'll be backing the next generation of Franklin business owners as they turn their passions into something real.

gonuy dreasle

Unscramble the letters above to find the Franklin-related phrase! Answer at the bottom of the newsletter!

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👉 Want a featured note on the notice board? - Simply book your feature here or just send us a quick email and we'll help you out!

Thursday

📒 Make Your Own Notebook — Waiuku Zero Waste, 8 Hosking Pl, 10am–12pm. Turn recycled paper and card into your very own notebook. More info here​

✂️ Make a Mini Workshop — Pukekohe Library, 2pm. A hands-on school holiday craft session for the kids. All the details here​

🍸 Thursday Cocktail Happy Hour — Little Ed, 6–7pm. All your favourites, just a little bit cheaper!

🧠 Quiz Night — Pukekohe Golf Club, 6.30–8.30pm. Round up your team for a fun evening of trivia. More info here​

Friday

♥

Saturday

🛍️ Tuakau Community Market — Tuakau Hall, 9am–1pm. Browse local stalls and support your community traders.

🎨 Souls of Art Exhibition — Franklin Arts Centre, 9.30am. An exhibition showcasing work by Pukekohe High School art students. Check it out!​

🔔 Sanctuary Sound Bath — Sanctuary Retreat, 2–3.30pm. Sink into stillness with a calming sound bath designed to quiet a busy mind, ease stress and leave you feeling grounded and restored. All the details here​

Sunday

☕ Your Local Coffee Run — Your Local Coffee, 7am. Start your Sunday with a social run and a great coffee. More info here​

🥕 Franklin Country Market — Pukekohe Park Raceway, 8am. An UpMarket experience with homegrown produce, handmade crafts, antiques, food trucks, live music and car boot stalls. Check it out!​

🎯 Open Airsoft Game Day — 58 Bird Rd, 8.30am–3pm. Get out amongst it for a full day of open airsoft action. All the details here​

🧘 Winter Wellness Event — Connemara Country Lodge, 8.50am. Stretch and mobility with a top NZ athlete, contrast therapy, guided meditation, lunch and shopping with The Stretch Collective. More info here​

🐄 Crafty Cow Market — Poleno Hall, 10am. A crafty market full of handmade goodies from local makers. All the details here​

🍰 Coffee and Cake Decorating Class — Your Local Coffee Roaster, 10am. Learn cake decorating with E Bakes over a delicious coffee. More info here​

🖌️ Abstract Landscape Workshop with Lepakshi Jaiswal — Stable Light Gallery, 12.30–3.30pm. Embrace the fluidity of watercolours and mixed media to create expressive landscape paintings, with all materials and afternoon tea included ($65pp) — email thestablelightgallery@gmail.com to book.

monday

🏃 The Wellness Run Club — Your Local Coffee, West Street, 5.45am. A 5km loop open to all levels — start your week moving!

🧠 Monday Quiz Night — The Good Home Pukekohe, 65 Edinburgh Street, 7pm start. Gather your team for quiz night — booking recommended.

Tuesday

🏺 Cookies and Clay — Your Local Coffee, 10am. A fun pottery class for kids, paired with a sweet treat.

🕊️ Lions NZ Peace Poster Competition — Pukekohe Library, 10am. Get creative for this year's Lions Peace Poster Competition. Check it out!​

🚀 Robogals Elastic Catapult Workshop — Waiuku Library, 10.30am. A fun, hands-on STEM workshop where kids build their own elastic catapults. All the details here​

💼 Empower Her Business Event — Little Batch Wax Co, 11am. This month's networking topic is "Own Your Presence" — visibility and confidence for local businesswomen. More info here​

👟 STRIDE TRIBE Run Club — 21 Martyn Street, Waiuku, 7pm. A fun, free, pressure-free 3km walk or run for absolutely everyone — come for the run, stay for the community. Check it out!​

Wednesday

🌱 What's in Your Backyard Workshop — Waiuku Zero Waste, 8 Hosking Pl, 10am. Discover what's living and growing right in your own backyard. All the details here​

🎲 Warhammer 40K Intro Session — Waiuku Library, 2pm. A beginner-friendly introduction to the world of Warhammer 40K. More info here​

🔥 Fire Station Run Club — Fire Station Eatery, Pukekohe, 5.30pm. Choose the 2.5km or 5km option, with spot prizes and bar menu discounts afterwards.

🪴 Plant Lingo — The Last One! — The Good Home Pukekohe, 6.30pm. Don't miss the final session of this popular plant-lovers series. All the details here​

🍺 Malt N Steel Quiz Night — Malt N Steel, Waiuku, 7pm. Teams of 2–8 with prizes to be won — book now!

Word Scramble answer: Young Leaders

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