The average New Zealander will spend a third of their lifetime working and up to 160 hours commuting every year. They're a business' greatest asset. To get the best out of this human resource requires a human connection. So we're about to drop a range of New Zealand bosses into an experience that will show them what life is really like for their workers. Will this experience inspire the boss to make meaningful change for their workers? And will employees see their boss through new eyes? Tonight ` founder and CEO of All Star Cheersport Kimberley Ramsay heads to the Waikato heartland to live the life of regional cheer coach and dairy farmer Dania. Yeah, I think they're gonna think I'm a prissy Aucklander, but you know... But what will this Auckland businesswoman learn about her provincial branch, and how will she cope with life on the land? Moo moo! That is cool! It will be a journey of surprising revelations. So that must be tough. Yeah, no, it makes things interesting. But will this boss be affected by the experience? I feel a bit emotional, to be honest. Will it make her want to change and improve things throughout her national business? It's not just about making great athletes; it's about making great business people. And so... www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2020 My name's Dania Smart. I am 28 years old, and I am a cheerleading coach, an assistant manager at a cheerleading gym and a dairy farmer. I am very busy helping manage All Star Extreme, which is in Hamilton. It's one of the branches of All Star Cheersport. It's an afternoon-evening job. I go in, and I coach anywhere up to 30-odd kids. So I do that every day, except for Saturdays. I also travel to Auckland and coach up there as well, so that can be really really crazy and busy. On top of her six days a week cheer coaching job, Dania, with her husband Paul, keeps busy with the day to day running of a dairy farm, milking and caring for more than 250 cows. It definitely does, at times, feel like I'm living a double life. You know, I am on the farm, and I'm in my gumboots, and I look like a bush pig, really ` (LAUGHS) like, just messy as. And then I transition and head off to coaching, and cheerleading is quite, sort of, like, glitz and glam. It is completely different. (COWS MOO) PAUL: Come on! The other side of our life is, obviously, we are parents. Between my husband and I, we have seven children. Four of them currently live with us. I don't really get a lot of time to myself. Some people do say to me, you know, 'When do you get downtime?' What is downtime? (LAUGHS) Having no downtime and hard work is how Dania's boss grew a successful business. I'm Kimberley Ramsay, and I'm the founder and owner of All Star Cheerleaders. I started the sport of cheerleading in New Zealand about 15 years ago. I actually used to be a lawyer, a tax lawyer, and I wasn't super passionate about that and wanted to do something that I loved and, you know, wanted to be able to get up in the morning and look forward to going to work, so I put an ad in the paper for party planning and cheerleading classes. And nobody called me for party planning, and everyone called me for cheerleading classes. 15 years ago, it was kind of a one-man band. I coached every single team. I was out every night. I also ran my first competition as well and made uniforms and kinda did the whole lot. So when I look at how far we've come... We're now in nine locations around New Zealand. We run events in New Zealand, Australia, and a huge global event in Hawaii. We're one of the biggest cheerleading and dance suppliers of apparel, you know, down this way of the world. So, yeah, it's definitely come a long way from when I first started. So what does this boss fear most about living with one of her 50-strong staff for a working week? Yeah, I guess I'm scared to` I don't wanna look like a dick on TV (LAUGHS) or come across as... I don't know. You know, not genuine, I guess. That's probably the biggest scare. But for me, I think` I'm very grateful for the opportunity to be able to go and learn and see what her life is, or, you know, be the fly on the wall in someone else's life. That's kinda cool. DANIA: So, while I know Kimberley fairly well, obviously we live very different lifestyles, and I don't know how Kimberley will see me... (LAUGHS) after. It might change her opinion on me a little. (LAUGHS) (BRIGHT MUSIC) The first day of the social experiment is here, and in Devonport, Kimberley Ramsay is getting ready for a farm stay that will test the limits of her wardrobe. I did go out and buy myself some gumboots, cos I didn't own any. And then I am packing some cute little white shoes. I don't know. (LAUGHS) Hoping I'm not gonna have to walk in the mud in those. But, you know, just wanna be prepared. (INTRIGUING MUSIC) This city-dwelling CEO is going to live on a working dairy farm in the Waikato heartland alongside cheer coach Dania and her family to see if there are ways to make the provincial branch of her business work better. I do enjoy my Devonport lifestyle and the cafes, and I'm more of a city girl. Haven't been to a farm before, so I'm a little bit nervous about what I'm going to have to do. I'm definitely not a morning person. (CHUCKLES) 4am starts really will be interesting. But, again, it's all part of the experience, which I'm looking forward to. And... I bought gumboots, so I'm excited to wear them ` cute gumboots. So, yeah. DANIA: Kimberley being on a farm is something that she doesn't usually do, so I think it's a great time to really show her, like, this amazing lifestyle. I'm nervous for it, because it's kind of like a role reversal, but I'm excited. I think it's gonna be fun. (LAUGHS) Maybe. (LAUGHS) But the big question is ` will the experience allow Kimberley to get an insight into how the business is run outside of Auckland and the needs of her regional staff and clients? And what changes can the experience bring? I guess, for me, the challenge will be... just being in someone else's home and, like, living in their life and trying not to be annoying, and, you know, I just wanna make sure I'm being helpful and, you know, just really mindful of the fact this could be quite disruptive for them. Hi! Hey, Dania. (CHUCKLES) Welcome. Kimberley arrived at the front door, and my heart went a million miles an hour, and it sort of really hit home that we were actually doing this. This is Reagan. Hi, Reagan. This is Paul. Hey. Nice to meet you. Hi, Paul. Nice to meet you. Thanks for having me. Welcome. Mason. Kayden. Hi, Kayden. Hi, Kimberley. Nice to see you again. Kimberley is walking into a household under pressure. Paul and Dania have just taken over management of the farm, and with their income tied to milk production, the dry period they're currently in puts them under financial stress ` particularly with plenty of mouths to feed. How old's Reagan? Reagan's 3. And how old's Mason? 2. Oh, wow. Yeah, they look the same age. You had them close together. Yeah, I know. (LAUGHS) We've just got the three here at the moment, so it's nice and quiet. Oh, nice. (BOTH LAUGH) So, how did you end up on a farm? Like... Um... Paul. (LAUGHS) Blame me. Yeah, I'm not a farm person at all. So how long have you been a farm person? The last five years, I think. Yeah. Yeah. Long enough to know I love it. OK. Yeah. How many staff and stuff do you have? Oh, no staff. Just Dania. (LAUGHS) Just me. (LAUGHS) Yeah. Just me and Dania. Oh, OK. I thought it was, like, people. Like, you know, people. No, yeah, it's just the two of us. No, you are the people. (LAUGHS) Yep, we are the people. Nobody helps us. Before settling in, it's time for a tour of the farm Kimberley will be living at over the coming week and some milk production 101. We take them off their mums. Oh. And we feed them. Oh, of course, cos you need to milk. Yes. Oh, it all makes now. That's why they're having calves ` so they can produce milk. Yeah, so they can produce milk. (LAUGHS) I feel like such a bimbo. (LAUGHS) I never even got the connection. Oh, yeah, yeah, so that's why we have calving time. That's why you have calving time. Yeah. So that they can have babies and make milk. Yep. Holy crap. (LAUGHS) Farming might seem strange, but the wide open landscape feels just right. It's just soo cool to be, like,... (CHUCKLES) ...in nature, you know? (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) Yeah. It's just really hard not to be present and mindful when you're, like, you know, here. (CHEERFUL MUSIC) PAUL: Are you gonna hold the bowl? CHILD: Yeah. Thank you. Back at the farmhouse, husband Paul is on domestic duties while the girls construct Kimberley's bed, which comes with questions that help them get to know each other. So, what were you like at school? Like, what was school like for you? I liked school. I was a bit geeky and a little bit nerdy, and I didn't really like to do anything wrong, so I would study and do what you're supposed to do. (CHUCKLES) Wasn't super popular. I would not have picked Kimberley as a geek at school at all. Like, obviously, I know she's a very successful woman, so she must've done well at school, but definitely not a geek. I would've put her as one of the popular kids. What's been the best day and the worst day of your life so far? That's a really tough question. I think the best day has probably got to be the birth of my kids. Yeah. Ditto. And I think the worst day is probably the birth of Reagan. Yeah. Because she was born so early. So I think that was probably the worst day, because we were literally told she wasn't going to make it, so... She was born at 23 plus 5 days. She was 1lb 2oz. So she could fit in the palm of my hands. So I literally was rushed into theatre. Paul wasn't even there. He'd just left the hospital. Reagan was born, and then I saw her get wheeled in this massive spaceship thing past me, and that was it. I didn't get to see her again for, like... It was over 24 hours before I got to go and see her. It was a very scary time. Oh, it's so cool to see her now, and just bouncing around and cartwheel` forward rolling and backward rolling and... Yeah. Yup. Yeah, definitely. It's amazing to see how far she's come. Yeah. Amazing. We're very, very lucky. Yeah, she's a miracle. Yup, she is. Making the bed and making connections. After the long trip and her first taste of farm life, it's an early night for Kimberley. It's strange being in someone else's home. I guess I feel a little bit uncomfortable and awkward that I've taken up space in their home and stuff, but they're so welcoming. I just feel really grateful that they've given me this opportunity to be here, so, you know, bring on tomorrow. Coming up ` Kimberley calls it as she sees it. No, actually, that wasn't good. Those High Vs were horrible. And so do the Hamilton parents. But to start with, it was absolutely terrible. We're still part of the Xtreme family, and we'd like to feel a little bit more of that. * Founder and CEO of All Star Cheersport Kimberley Ramsay is out of her comfort zone on a farm. Seeking to live the life of a regional cheer coach, she's exposing herself to the pressure of the provinces to see if she can make the business better for her staff. Today she'll be joining the All Star Hamilton team. But classes will have to wait. Dania's just headed off to help with the cows. Paul just gave her a call. Apparently they've jumped the fence, so she's rushed off to do that. I think I heard someone head off this morning at 5.30 in the rain, so... And then Dania's out there, and the kids are fed, and yeah. The work's never done on the farm. (CHUCKLES) Dania's already clocked up a few hours before her day job leading cheer classes gets underway. Boy, it's chilly out here. So cold! Really like the get-up today. It's great! (LAUGHS) Very sexy. (LAUGHS) With Dania's car out of commission, she takes the family's only vehicle, leaving Paul stranded on the farm. The hour-long commute gives Kimberley the chance to hear about the pressure Dania faces from the local cheerleading community. Because there's a lot of parents in this team, so it can be really intimidating and full on with so many parents sitting so close to... right where we're training. Well, you know, some gyms and dance schools don't let their parents watch, but I really think they should, because it's an experience you get with your kids. So if my kid was doing cheerleading, I'd like to be a part of it. But I guess we just have to get them on the right page ` and not 'dance mum' page. (LAUGHS) Like, 'let's be friends' page. (LAUGHS) Yeah. I definitely feel like the parents are more on my side now than what they were a few months ago. But, yeah, I definitely feel like a lot of my parents at Xtreme are on different pages and totally different books. (BOTH LAUGH) And so I feel like if we can get them all on the same page, reading the same book, it's gonna combat a lot of issues. Like, I hope that they still do what they normally do... (LAUGHS) ...and they're not, like, super well behaved, because then I'm gonna look like I'm crazy and... (LAUGHS) (ENERGETIC MUSIC) Taking part in this experiment is a unique opportunity for Dania to open up to her boss. I'm hoping that I can bring up that... you know, what's really going on with Xtreme and really just be able to show her that I would love to be able to, like, take control of Xtreme as the manager. Like, I hope I'm brave enough to bring that up with her. (CHUCKLES) We'll see. (LAUGHS) Five, six, seven, eight. One... But one Hamilton parent gets in first, singing Dania's praises to boss, Kimberley. With Dania, we know that within probably minutes or within an hour, we're gonna get a response. Yep. But yet she can't always answer it. Yeah. So, yeah, if she was empowered... Yeah, no, cos we've got eight different locations, and having eight different managers, I was like, 'Oh, it's actually a lot of people to manage, 'and I can't do it effectively.' That's so true. Yep. So we decided to go, 'Well, let's have regional managers so that we can talk to them, and then the managers`' But in hindsight, that doesn't work for out-of-Auckland locations because you guys aren't getting the same stuff if Michelle isn't as present, so, OK. Yep. There you go. OK, right. 'So, we have nine locations across New Zealand, and we've split them into three regions, 'and we have regional gym managers who, kind of, look after each one of the regions. 'Dania reports to one of those gym manager, who does`' She does kinda South, East Auckland, all the way through to Hamilton. She doesn't get down to Hamilton as much as she might like to, and I think perhaps that probably isn't the best service for our parents, and I don't know whether I've empowered Dania enough to make the decisions that she might need to. How well do you feel informed about competition and things like that? It is better now, but to start with, it was absolutely terrible. Yeah. And, look, to be honest, Teal and Irish didn't even know they were competing until, like, term two. OK, yeah. And it wasn't till I was speaking to some parents, and they were like, 'What?! Are you kidding me?' Yeah. So definitely communication on that. We'd love to see more of Kimberley. We'd love to see more of our managers from Auckland come down and see us here in Hamilton. We're still part of the Xtreme family, and we'd like to feel a little bit more of that. Five, six, seven, eight. TEAM: One. Three. Clean. Five. And that's just what they're getting today. Kimberley is quick to assert her expertise with the girls as she joins the session. Good job. That was much better. Um, no, actually that wasn't good. Sorry. Those High Vs were horrible. So that's the thing that we do when we're doing our stunts, so that's the one motion that has to be perfect. All right, let's see the High Vs again. Five, six, seven, hit one. No. There's no standing back and observing for this boss, who sets the bar high for staff and students. For me, I have the same expectation of, like, say, an Olympic athlete as I would a 5 or 6 year old. You can still expect them to do amazing things. So we've got an expectation of excellence and greatness, and I was noticing some of the kids just doing things good. And, you know, the enemy of great is actually good. If you're gonna do a backwards walkover, please do it with a straight leg and pointed toe. Cos as a judge, when we're looking at that, you're not gonna get good points if you've got a bent knee and a flexed foot. So I know that you guys could do perfect backwards walkovers, but you have to bring it into practise. So, it's not OK just to be good; you wanna be great. So if you're gonna do something, do it great; not good. OK? So, I'm pretty sure you could do one with straight legs and pointed toes. Five, six, seven, eight. One, two, three... It was definitely a special thing to have Kimberley here today. She's just such a wealth of knowledge. And to have her share that with me and, you know, let me know things that I can do better to make me a better coach is amazing. And also you could see it on a lot of our kids' faces, like, that it was just such a cool thing for them to have her here. GIRLS: Five, seven. KIMBERLEY: Wow. I'm really impressed. You guys have a very talented team. I haven't been down here for a while, so it was great to kind of see what it's like in the regions. And having experience like this is definitely eye-opening. But there's definitely some changes that I'll make. I had some really great feedback from parents, and from the kids as well. So I think there's some` yeah, some exciting things that we can do. A big day with some key lessons, but there's something else on Kimberley's mind. I was, like, kinda cold yesterday, last night, so I was wondering if we could, like, stop and buy a heater. Yes, we can. (LAUGHS) (LAUGHS) Thank you. It's very prissy of me; I know. (LAUGHS) A drafty farmhouse is a far cry from the centrally-heated Devonport lifestyle Kimberley is used to. This one looks like a good one. OK. That one. So... did you wanna take that? Yep, I'll carry that one. And look. And a bed heater. OK. A heater, an electric blanket and another duvet might just do the trick. (GENTLE MUSIC) Back at the farm, there are plenty of chores waiting. So I'll just drive slowly forward,... Yep. ...and then I'll tell you when to... Kimberley has arrived in the quiet season of the farm. Good. Milking's over, and calving is still to come. But there's plenty of work to do maintaining the farm and looking after the health of the animals. So, what does a good season make? Sorry for asking these questions,... No, no, you're fine. ...but I'm interested in business and money and how it all kinda works and stuff, so... So we can make about... sort of between 80 to 95. Wow. Depending on how good the cows do. Yeah. So that's, like, our goal. So, you were telling me you guys don't get paid... No. ...when you're not milking? No. So nothing? No. Not at all. So you do all of this work, and so when's your next pay? Like, obviously, they start calving in July, so you wait, like, a month. So our first pay check will be around August. How do people survive when they're not having...? A lot of the time, they've done the season before. OK. So you have to be budget-conscious with your money and stuff. Yes, very. OK. Yeah. So, obviously, cos this is our first season,... Yeah. ...it is a little bit different. So we are living off my cheerleading income. So that must be tough, cos I know that you're not full-time cheerleading coaching, so that's, like... Yeah, no, it makes things interesting. We just have to budget. Yeah. Her next pay from, you know, all the hard work they put in isn't until August. So, I just had no comprehension of how that kind of all worked, and it was actually really nice to hear that, you know, they're living off her cheerleading wage. It's not the highest-paid (CHUCKLES) profession, so I can imagine that's really hard to provide for a family of six on a cheerleading wage. So, now that we've put the fence up,... Yep. ...I'll get you to walk down to the gate and let the cows in. OK. Yeah, the gate will protect you. They'll run past` OK, so put the gate in front of me? Yeah, yeah, and you'll be fine. OK. OK, here I go. It's time for Kimberley to put her legendary coaching skills to the test... with cows. (COWS MOO) Come on, girls! Come on, cows! Moo moo! (COWS MOO) Come on, cows! Oh wow. (UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC) That is cool. (LAUGHS) Wow. They're really quite big animals. Come on, girls. As another night closes in, Kimberley's still coming to terms with her role as a guest, not the boss. It's still a bit awkward being just a random person in someone's house ` like, being in their life. I still feel a little bit like a third wheel, so I'm gonna make sure I do the dishes. I just feel like I wanna be a bit more helpful and not, you know, like a guest, I guess. PAUL: How did your guys' day go? Awesome, actually. Really, really good. Cool. The parents had nothing but great things to say about Dania, and they were awesome and so supportive and helpful and taught me lots. So no crazy cheer parents there, Dania. (LAUGHS) Yeah. They made me look like... I made it all up. (LAUGHS) My parents were so well behaved, and my athletes were really well behaved, and the things that I had told Kimberley that were sort of going on didn't happen, (LAUGHS) so I looked a little crazy. Coming up ` hubby Paul opens up. She's putting in as much commitment, if not more than me, to keep us going. Come on. And it all gets too much for the boss. I feel a bit emotional, to be honest. Come on, cows! All Star Cheersport founder and CEO Kimberley Ramsay is spending a working week with cheer coach Dania and her family. This boss has traded the comforts of the city for the rigours of farming life to get a unique insight into some of the challenges faced by her employees. She's had a taste of how much Dania is juggling with family and farm work on top of her work commute and six days of cheer coaching each week. Today she's going to be pushed outside of her comfort zone by Dania's husband, Paul. What am I wearing today? What's the plan? Today we are going to go and get some cows in and drench them, so you get to get up nice and close. After she drops the kids at school. Yeah, I'm gonna drop the kids at school first. But first you get to drive the tractor. I've never driven a tractor before. You get to do that with Paul. Cool. Yeah. Put your tractor-driving clothes on. For tractor driving. All right. But it seems tractor-driving clothes are in short supply. Sparkly top ` not needed for farm. Fur jacket ` also not necessary for farm. I was very smart to bring really cute heels ` probably not appropriate for the farm. I guess I don't wanna look like a dick out there. (CHUCKLES) I really didn't probably pack appropriately, so, yeah, I think they're gonna think I'm a prissy Aucklander, but, you know... It's time for the boss to ditch her big city glamour to get down and dirty with some concreting prep at the cow shed, and Paul has the perfect vehicle for the job. So, this lever pulls the steering wheel down towards you. OK. Find where you're comfortable. Yeah, it's fine. (CHUCKLES) About as comfortable as I can be. Yeah. OK. (LAUGHS) Paul is relatively calm to hand over the tractor reins to me ` rightly or wrongly. (CHUCKLES) OK, so, that's my clutch. That's my brake. My gas. That's for the bucket. That one's the gear. That's the drive. Correct. And that's your steering wheel. So I just go for it? Yeah. OK. So grab it down a bit. Ooh. Yep. Now pull it back to you. Yeah. A bit more. (QUIRKY MUSIC) So, I'm driving up, and I'm gonna drop my bucket. For perfectionist Kimberley, her first time behind the tractor wheel is proving to be a bit of a challenge. No, no, keep coming. Go forward a bit more. Ooh. (LAUGHS) That wasn't very good. (LAUGHS) Sorry. Nah, you're fine. You're just trying to climb the concrete, so... OK, I don't wanna climb the concrete. Oh, I got some. (LAUGHS) Yep. OK. And that one into reverse. This one. Kimberley's a bit nervous with controlling the levers, cos there's so many things you've gotta do ` you've gotta watch where you're going and bring the bucket up and bring it down and... But all in all, I think she's doing a great job. I would struggle to be completely out of my comfort zone as much as she is. I honestly would struggle. Got it. I don't know, it was very nerve-racking, cos if I'd went just a little bit too far, I could've, like, taken out the whole milk shed. So he's really brave (CHUCKLES) to let me... you know, to give me the keys. You're doing a great job. Very slow. This must be so painful for you. Nah. So, how long does this normally take you to do? Probably 10 minutes, I'd have it moved. Just getting it out of the way so we can use the yards again. With the job finally finished, it's time for a cuppa and a chance to ask Paul about the pressure the family is under. She's working two jobs. She's putting in as much commitment, if not more than me, to keep us going and get towards our goals. It must be really hard with Dania's car broken at the moment, because, like, if the kids got sick or anything, what, you'd drive them to town on the tractor? Like... That's rough. Yeah, it's hard. It's not rough; it's just hard. We have to plan everything, obviously. Yeah. Yeah. But, you know, I was just thinking about that last night. Like, wow, that's hard to just have the one car, you know? Yeah. Yeah. And then, you know, with all the kids at home and stuff, so... Dania's very modest and just goes about her time doing what she's doing, and it's good having Kimberley here learning how much we do sacrifice as a family and Dania sacrifices to do the job she loves. (UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC) With the day winding down, it's time for everyone to muck in together. Come on! Come on! This is cheerleading guru Kimberley's chance to shine as a farmhand by getting up close and personal with the cows. Come on. Come on. Come on. (KISSES) Come on. Come this way. Come on. (QUIRKY MUSIC) They're not really listening to me. Your voice isn't deep enough. LOW-PITCHED: Come on! Yeah, that's better. (LAUGHS) Come on. Tsh, tsh, tsh, tsh. Come on. Kimberley takes drenching of the cows in her stride,... Oh, sorry. I don't wanna` Don't look at me. (CHUCKLES) ...which earns her a tick of approval from the expert. DANIA: Kimberley is genuinely farm material. She really had a natural knack for it. I would have her as a farm worker any day. (CHUCKLES) Now, this time, before you spray them, give them a pat. They're quite soft. They feel kind of like a horse. (GENTLE MUSIC) It takes a little bit to get the cobwebs out, and then once the cobwebs are out, it's all flowing mint. The cows are behaving. She's doing a great job. And she just got poo on her, so she's gonna have to scrub that off at home, but I think she'll live. SADLY: Mm. Poop on me. (CHUCKLES) (PEACEFUL MUSIC) Cleaned up and ready to eat, Kimberley's realising that it's a team effort that makes Dania a stand-out part of her team. Well, I think it's really cool that you support Dania to do cheerleading and to drive to Auckland, and now you're running a farm, and then you're taking on all this extra responsibility too. It takes a team of, you know, good parents to raise children, so I do my share. So, how many nights are you at home? Saturday. You're only home one night? (LAUGHS) Yeah, cos... You come home every night, just not` I come home every night, just I'm usually, like, later. Like, I'll leave the gym` Classes usually finish about 6. And that's about an hour from here. But by the time you've finished talking to parents and locking up and stuff, I'm not usually home till, like, 8, 8.30. You don't get burnt out or think it's too much... Some days. ...and miss out on family time or...? I have my days where I'm just like, 'I can't.' And it's usually the days where I've dealt with something hard, like a parent's come and been like (WHINES) at me... MASON: Mum. Mum. Mum. ...or something's gone wrong on the farm, and I'm just like... (GROANS). (MASON CHATTERS INDISTINCTLY) But nine times out of 10, I'm pretty grateful, because not a lot of people get to do what I do. I feel, um, a bit emotional, to be honest. I guess I'm overwhelmed with emotion that she would give herself to the business, and it's not the highest-paid profession. But, you know, I guess she loves cheerleading as much as I do, so it's... Yeah, it's very touching. Hi. Coming up ` staff at All Star HQ question the boss. Where have you been? It's kind of, like, been a secret. And later, Kimberley reveals all. It would be great if you were all on this journey with me together. * LOW-PITCHED: Come on! PAUL: Yeah, that's better. (LAUGHS) It's been almost a week on the farm for company boss Kimberley Ramsay, who's been living with worker Dania to discover what life is like for her out-of-town cheer coaches. Off you go. (RELAXED COUNTRY MUSIC) Farm life has been exhausting for this boss, who's tried to keep up with the relentless workload of Dania's everyday life. I'm just catching up on some work I was supposed to do last night, but I just absolutely zonked. I just... After... Yeah. After dinner, I went straight to bed. I came to bed to do my work, and just... out. I think that farm work was a lot more tiring than I expected it to be. Morning. Morning. How'd you sleep? Yeah, good. Really good. I was so tired. Like, I literally went to bed at, like, 9, pulled out my computer and just put it away. (LAUGHS) Just so tired. Too tired? Yeah. Yeah. Paul and I literally went to bed straight after you. With the kids. (CHUCKLES) Yeah, with the kids. Yeah. (CHUCKLES) Today Kimberley's joining Dania on one of her twice-weekly training sessions in Auckland. My travel today is about... three and a half hours in good traffic to get over to the Shore to the gym. So three and a half there and three and a half back, and then I've got five hours at the gym. So it's a really, really long day. I love it. Like, I think that helps. But it definitely makes for a very long day. It's time to hit the road on a 400km round trip. To do what you do ` run the farm, have the 2-year-old and the 3-year-old and the other two children and drive to Auckland is just... Like, you're superwoman. You really are. It's so inspiring. I can go home now and feel just a little bit more relaxed about my life. (BOTH LAUGH) Well, I'm glad that I could help. (BOTH LAUGH) But there'll be no relaxing. After the long trip from the provinces to the city in Dania's rugged farm vehicle, it's straight to work. This afternoon, Dania is taking a class of mini cheerleaders. Clean. Yay! Meanwhile, Kimberley can't resist the urge to check in with the team at All Star HQ. Hey, Harry. Hey, how are you? Good. Where have you been? Staying at Dania's. OK, that's interesting. (CHUCKLES) Why were you at Dania's? And it's not long before the cat is out of the bag. It's kind of, like, been a secret, but I've been at Dania's on the farm learning how to do, like, farm work and stuff. OK. Wow. And how did that go? (LAUGHS) It was awesome, actually. It was super good. I drenched cows. I, like, moved cows' paddocks. I made fences. Oh my gosh. Yeah, yeah. Wow, that's intense. Yeah, it was cool. Yeah, it was definitely shocking to hear that Dania and Kimberley lived together on the farm. When I think about Kimberley on a farm, I definitely would like to see the proof of it. I don't think it's her typical Saturday afternoon ` spending some time on a farm. So, how did it go wearing heels with your Louis' on the farm? (LAUGHS) Yeah, so I had to drag my Louis' through the mud. And I didn't own gumboots, so I had to go shopping. And I wanted to buy, like, real fancy gumboots. Not just some standard` Yeah. No, just, like, real` Like, you know. Yeah. Play them up. Yeah, yeah. They don't really sell them. So I had gumboots, and` No, it was` Pink gumboots? Leopard-print gumboots? No, just plain black` I was quite disappointed. I actually spent quite a bit of time looking for, like... Sparkly or something. Something fun. Yeah. (LAUGHS) Yeah, yeah. When Kimberley first started All Star, obviously she was very driven and wanted to make sure that she was doing the best by her company, and she was very strict and wanted things a certain way, and, you know, it was really important that her idea was, you know, brought across everybody and it was, you know, having to make sure that everything was really particular. Whereas now I feel like there's a lot more give and take, and she's a lot more open to feedback. In the past, she probably would've reacted to certain things in a different way. She might've not been as understanding. So I think she's done a lot of soul searching to, you know, be a great boss now, and it's a great place to work. I mean, everywhere has its ups and downs, and everywhere is challenging, but, I mean, we all really enjoy working at All Star, and we love the challenges that come with it. Maybe we should take our coaches down on the farm and do, like, a coaches' workshop. Yeah, yeah. Let's all milk cows. (LAUGHS) Yeah, absolutely. A competition out of something, I'm sure. Yeah, incredible. Leaving the bright lights of the city behind, Dania and Kimberley drive 200km back to the farm. But the day's not over for Dania. There's still homework to be done before bed. ...and the other half is...? An expense? SLOWLY: No. Oh. On top of everything else that she does, she's studying accounting. (CHUCKLES) She's constantly trying to self-improve. She has a really awesome attitude, which is so cool, cos I kind of share an affinity for that too. Like, everything's possible, and you can do anything and achieve anything. So I was glad that` cos I'd done accounting at university that I could help her out. So would it be this one? No? No. I'm so confused. Why did this confuse me so much? I definitely do lack a lot of confidence when it comes to anything with numbers or... reading or anything like that. Would that be asset and equity? Yes! (LAUGHS) See? You're a smart cookie. Yay. I got that right. She definitely encouraged me and was like, 'See, you do know this stuff.' But, you know, I definitely second-guess myself a lot. But what if it was a mat? Like a cheerleading mat. Well, I feel like that would be more like an asset. Correct. OK. (LAUGHS) See? You got it. Don't doubt yourself. Just be real confident. Yeah. She doesn't realise what she does is actually quite extraordinary ` being a mother with four kids at home, travelling every night to coach cheerleading ` at least an hour ` as well as running a farm and also learning accounting. Like, that's extraordinary. So, (CHUCKLES) you know, I just don't think she realises that that's really cool stuff that she's doing. (GENTLE MUSIC) It's been an eye-opening experience, and it really has got me thinking about the business and, (BREATHES DEEPLY) you know, how I can` what I can do for my staff and... Yeah. So, you know, bring on tomorrow. OK, another thing... Coming up ` things get emotional at the big announcement. A part of me wants to cry, and then a part of me wants to jump around like a crazy person, cos it's just amazing. (PEACEFUL MUSIC) (BIRDS TWEET) It's the final day of the social experiment, and it's time for Kimberley Ramsay to say goodbye to the farm and return to life as CEO of All Star Cheersport. Are you gonna sit with Mum? No. No? But what will Kimberley take away from the experience? And will changes be made as a result of the week spent living with Dania? I'm packing my bags and feeling grateful for the experience but also very excited to get home to my own bed and my own children. Not very many people get to go and live in someone else's life, and I feel like that's what I've got to do. I've kind of been a fly on the wall or a big fly in the middle of their home, I guess. Oh, I'm sad to be leaving. Yeah, same. I'm sad that you're leaving. It's been really fun. Yeah. Oh, thanks, guys. Thank you so much for having me as part of your family. No worries. You're more than welcome. Yeah. It's been really awkward and stuff, but you guys have made me feel really, really welcome. Well, that's good. Yeah. That's all we ever want. I have genuinely enjoyed having her here, so it is going to be, you know, a little different around the house not having her here. But at the same time, I am kind of looking forward to having my house back. After a week filled with farm life and the challenges faced by her employees, this boss has plenty to consider. (ENERGETIC, UPBEAT MUSIC) Back in Auckland, it's announcement time, and Kimberley is ready to share her thoughts with her team. But has the experience changed the way she runs her business? And will she make changes that benefit her staff? So, I just thought I'd let you know where I've been for the last week. I have been at Dania's house, living on the farm. Oh. (LAUGHTER) So... (LAUGHS) Hey, guys. (LAUGHTER) So, while it was quite awkward, Dania was awesome, and she was very open, and her family was great. I drenched cows. (CHUCKLING) I moved fences. (CHUCKLES) I moved cows. I` You drove a tractor. I drove a tractor! Yeah, I literally drove a tractor, and I, like, lifted up sand, and, like... I'm good at this shit. It was so` (LAUGHTER) Kimberley always rocks the high heels, so I couldn't see (CHUCKLES) Kimberley in gumboots. Like.... It... does not comprehend. It's like oil and water. It doesn't quite go together in my mind. (CHUCKLES) So, I had a couple of announcements. I just wanted to thank Dania so much for letting me be a part of her experience and her home. But what I learnt being down there in Hamilton was that the parents really feel like they want` Like anyone who might have a complaint or not be happy about something, you want to have a real person to talk to, and that person needs to be the decision maker. And the way we have our regional gym managers, while it's made it easier for me, it hasn't probably made it as easy for our customers. So I'd like to help out our customers and also empower Dania. They love Dania down there. She does a great job. But I'd like to make Dania a manager and be a part of our leadership team, so... (EXCITED CHATTER, APPLAUSE) Thank you so much. This is amazing. Oh my gosh. Thank you. (LAUGHTER) And then one of the other things ` while I was down there, Dania drove me around. I know how much driving she has to do. And her car's broken, and she's been driving the farm truck. And literally ` I'm not kidding ` I was a bit scared for my life. (LAUGHTER) But All Star would like to get your car fixed for you so that you can` (CHEERING) Oh my gosh. That's amazing. You're gonna make me cry. (LAUGHS) It was really remarkable, the things that Kimberley's gonna do for Dania ` help her fix her car and obviously make her manager of Xtreme. I think that's awesome. I think that's a great idea. Another thing. I don't wanna cry too, so... (BREATHES DEEPLY) I'll take a minute. So, something I've been` You guys know that I do the business mentoring with Adrienne and how good that is. And our 'why' for All Star is to make great people. But for me, now that I'm working with, you know, all of you great people, it's not just about making great athletes; it's about making great business people. And so... (BREATHES DEEPLY) I'm talking to Adrienne about working out to make everyone a business owner and an entrepreneur and a business owner in All Star and rolling out an employee share option scheme, cos I think it would be great if you were all on this journey with me together, so... (APPLAUSE) Personally, I think it's a great opportunity. It gives us as, you know, younger people coming up in the business to have an experience as a business owner and have the opportunity to, you know, learn all the ins and outs and all the nitty gritty of owning a business. So, yeah, it's really exciting. It's quite exciting to be seeing that there's more steps within our career and that we're not just here to work; that we're here to have a career within the business and really get as much out of it as possible. I, myself, have been involved in cheerleading for 12 years, so know a few of the ins and outs of it. So to have shares in the business would absolutely be amazing, I think. Yeah. It's really good. It's time to break the good news to hubby, Paul. She is going to... pay to fix my car. Oh, wow! Yeah, like, that's amazing. Holy heck! I know, right? She said that she feared for her life with my driving in the truck. She's like, 'I wasn't sure if it was the truck or...' (LAUGHS) '...my driving.' (LAUGHS) (LAUGHS) And she has decided that she is gonna make me gym manager of Xtreme. Oh, wow. That's huge! (LAUGHS) I know. (CHILD SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) Oh, so proud of you. Emotionally right now, my mind is sort of everywhere. Like, I am in shock. Like, these are pretty big things to be, you know, announced. I.... Yeah, I don't know. A part of me wants to cry, and then a part of me wants to jump around like a crazy person, cos it's just amazing. So, yeah. (LAUGHS) (UPLIFTING MUSIC) KIMBERLEY: I know that my staff are really committed, and I'm very grateful and lucky to have them. All great businesses are made up of great people. So the fact that I can share this journey with, you know, really cool people in my business, like, that's what makes a business successful. So I guess I feel really grateful to have really great people here, and to bring them along with me is cool, you know. It just feels good. (UPLIFTING MUSIC CONTINUES) Next time ` Cityguard owner and director Ian Crawford heads to West Auckland to live the life of night shift worker and supervisor Afia. I think there's a little... apprehensiveness about going and doing something like this. But how will this Herne Bay business owner handle the pace of living with Afia... Is it cos your boss overworks you? ...and her brutally honest family? MAN: 15 seconds! It will be a journey of highs and lows. I'm a bit saddened by that. But will this experience affect the way he sees his workforce? I'm hoping that you were all together. Will it make him want to improve things for his workers at Cityguard? ON VIDEO: The experience that I've seen this week, I think it's just, you know, cemented it for me that it's the right thing to do. Oh! Oh! Oh my gosh! Oh. Oh, chur. Good on you, Afi! www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2020