Toi Pakihi: S&S Auto Detailing, Rose Rudolph and Jaydn Herbert

It’s said that it takes two flints to make a fire. No one understands this better than Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei uri Rose Rudolph and Jaydn Herbert.

Together, the couple run S&S Auto Detailing, providing a vehicle service to clean, restore, polish and make new vehicles that are a bit worse for wear. The service was started in April 2023, and over the last year, has seen a happy growth. Jaydn is the face of the brand and the one doing the detailing work, while his partner Rose supports in the background.

“I’m his cheerleader!” she exclaims.

It was Rose who encouraged Jaydn to turn his car hobby into a business. He got the knowledge from his valet father, and implemented it when he worked on his own Mercedes over the last four years.

And despite his own hesitations, it did not take long for Jaydn to recognise his strengths and delve into starting the business. It wasn’t always easy, but in his partnership with Rose, they found a way to work through the kinks.

“I sometimes hang back and say I can’t do it,” he says. “Having Rose behind me helps me a lot, keeps me moving forward.”

Rose says the venturing into this business opportunity was a stepping stone in progressing their lives towards a better future; especially if it provided a way to be role models for their two tamariki. Becoming parents helped motivate them to think more about their finances, and how to invest in their future.

They had heard of Toi Pakihi initiative driven by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Māia, but were hesitant to reach out for help, as they didn’t think they’d qualify. It wasn’t until they were encouraged by a whānau member to apply, that they did. It led to them registering their business, becoming co-directors, finding website developers – all that was needed to get their mahi up and running and thriving.

Initially, it was the support of their whānau, friends and iwi that helped get the business up off the ground. People started giving them work, growing their clientele, and soon they had a portfolio to show for it.

They then started uploading videos of their detailing work to social media. “It has been our big driver for clientele – it’s great for marketing,” says Rose. TikTok videos have been doing particularly well. “A lot of [customers] like the satisfaction of before and after of the vehicles. They watch them, and reach out about prices, and book in their own vehicles,” says Jaydn.

But social media has given them so much more than customers. “Sometimes, people will reach out asking for advice on how to start, and I’m more than happy to give it to them,” says Jadyn. Rose adds that he goes above and beyond to help others whenever they ask his advice.

This encouragement and partnership extend beyond the business and into their family life.

As a student nurse, under the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Māia Earn as you Learn programme, Rose is mostly busy on clinical placement at Middlemore Hospital during the week. Jaydn takes on the duties of the home, looking after their children, dropping and picking them from kindergarten, running through the week’s chores – and all the while fitting in some clients around these duties. But the majority of his detailing work is done during the weekends, which are the busiest for him. Then while he works on vehicles, Rose takes over the reigns at home.

Together they say they enjoy the satisfaction of having a vision, something they can call their own and work towards. And when asked if he had any advice for other people wanting to make the leap into entrepreneurship, Jaydn’s advice is pretty simple.

“The only way to move forward is to just do it. And if you make mistakes, you just learn from it and keep going forward, and that’s what I’ve done.”

If you’d like to know more about S&S Auto Detailing the services or book an appointment, click here for their website and here for their TikTok.

And if you’ve got your own mahi and need guidance on how to grow it, you can register for Toi Pakihi services here.