Wiggy's World - June 2025: Focusing on what you can control - FCANZ

As I sit and write this, Ashburton is lining up for over 100mm of rain in the next 3 days. I think, “Geez, we have had enough rain this summer,” and then I gave myself a face-palm slap, realising that places like the Waikato and Taranaki, even summer-safe Raetihi (my old home town), have been desperate for rain!

It reminds me that cycles in life come and go, and how we ride through the storm and then enjoy the warmth of the sun reminds us not much in life is in our control, but how we make the most of each situation is paramount to our success and wellbeing.

My life has had many changes, from the ole hometown days of driving a tractor in the market gardens, working in the woolsheds, and trying to impress a very busy father who didn’t need to be impressed, as the work ethic he had instilled in me was his legacy. Kindness, compassion and community spirit were also imprinted into me in those early years, along with frustrations and temper at the challenges I face.

I do my best to feed the good and not empower the bad, but we all have failings, and not being too tough on oneself is the best thing we can practice as we try our best to succeed and be resourceful for those who rely on us!

We have sold up and downsized to allow the Lean on a Gate campaign, the Rural Health and Wellness work to be the places I direct my workload, and to ensure this fast growing-up family of mine becomes more of a focus than it has been.

I feel an amazing amount of privilege to be in all of these spaces. Some days I wake up to messages of thanks from people we have helped. The people we meet that really have no idea their health is in need of further medical analysis. The cowboy coming out in me on track. The already-better family engagement since selling means life is in a good space.

For those of you who are struggling with one or more parts of your life or workload, please look for advice, develop an understanding of the cycle you may be in and what you can control. There are people out there who love and rely on you. You also rely on yourself to be the best you can be, to allow success, and to enjoy the sun when it shines, or the rain when it’s needed!

Changing tack here, I’ve watched with interest the online debate the American Fencing Association (AFA) is going through at the moment, as they question the relevance of how their organisation is run and what it does for the industry. We here in New Zealand face the same grumblings occasionally, but here is where we are lucky…

We are a small country where reputation is King. Social media has recently showcased some really poor work, and FCANZ members have righted some wrongs. We don’t have 52 states with 52 governance bodies controlling what’s used and where. Up until recently we all had more than enough work, so we recommended others to customers when we were too busy.

We have ONE ORGANISATION looking after the industry, run by volunteers as Kaitiaki, wanting only the best for those who make a living out of the occupation and those who engage in their services.

What can we as members do to support this organisation? The members of the AFA feel frustrated that no customers ask if they are members of the AFA, and in fact have no idea that there is a governing body. I hear you all say, “It’s a bit like that here!” That’s possibly our fault!

I challenged members at last year’s conference to share on social media the work they do, the beautiful places they work, and the passion they have for the occupation they chose. But also share the information FCANZ put out to raise awareness of what’s happening, where it’s happening, and why. But today, I scrolled through the FCANZ pages to see one post with 62 likes and only 3 shares, and that was to do with an industry day.

If I get 100 plus shares on a post, I normally get over 100k of views and engagement; less than 10 shares, it goes nowhere and is deemed a fail. Rather than just liking something good about the industry, share the shit out of it! The sponsors love the increased traffic, FCANZ gets in front of more people, and it also encourages more involvement from peers and customers.

How do we ensure success and wellbeing? Control what we can.

Let’s take control of our good reputation and share it with those who may not know just how good an FCANZ fencer can be!

Published in WIRED issue 77/June 2025 by Fencing Contractors Association NZ