[SPONSOR LOVE] Flick: Electrical synchronicity

Flick is all about power, but their energy isn’t limited to the stuff that makes your coffee grinder work. The Wellington-based electricity provider also wants to make sure young riders, trail builders and Kiwis are empowered to get out and ride.

To get in touch with trail builders around the country, Flick decided to invest at the source by teaming up with Trail Fund on a promo deal – for each riding top sold, Flick donated $30 for building and maintaining trails.

Trail Fund used the money to fund electric wheel barrows, a decision Flick’s chief executive, Steve O’Connor, says is a sweet bit of electrical synchronicity.

“It’s super cool to see the smart electrification that is happening around New Zealand and it’s lovely to see it being applied in different ways,” says O’Connor.

“The last time I helped out with trail maintenance, my body was really stuffed the next day, so I think it’s really important to get products out there like electric wheelbarrows.”

Part of Flick’s motivation for getting involved with Trail Fund is its belief in flourishing homes.

“The reason we started Flick in the first place was to provide a safer and more fair approach to energy provision in New Zealand. Our goal is lofty – to help bring an end to energy poverty in New Zealand through choice, control and smart tech – but we believe it’s part of a wider role for businesses which is to help households flourish.

“We think one way to help do that is by encouraging access to the outdoors and helping people to get some exercise.

“This approach also suits Flick from a personal point of view because there’s a bunch of us who ride at Flick and get involved in building and maintaining trails – plus we just think that Trail Fund is doing amazing stuff around New Zealand so it’s a good thing to support.”

Flick also supports WORD – a Wellington-based non-profit organisation that encourages children and young people into mountain-biking.

Steve O’Connor says most businesses want a healthy New Zealand and want their staff to be healthy and happy.

“Why wouldn’t businesses want to provide an environment external to their business where their staff, families and communities can get out in the environment and get some exercise at the same time. It’s the smart long-term view on building sustainable business and sustainable communities – everyone should be into it.”

For a company that has only been going since 2014, Flick is really in its infancy, but Steve says it is absolutely committed to staying involved in the mountain bike scene.

“It can be challenging to find ways to support the wider community when we are such a fledgling business at the moment but there’s no doubt that it’s worthwhile.

“We’ve just got a different view of what success looks like, and I think it’s got to include supporting communities and doing things like this – it’s built into our values and so I can’t see us stepping away from this.”

Photo by Jo Boyle