The Univentures Team
The Univentures team has involved an expert group of Associates who have worked together to develop and deliver the STARTING A BUSINESS AT 50+ Programmes.™
Meet our Univentures Team
Dr Chris Kirk
Chris is an internationally qualified startup instructor and coach based in Christchurch. Since his retirement as Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Lincoln University, Chris has run multiple startup programmes. He is a natural coach, instructor and entrepreneur, who thrives on helping others to succeed. He has started 6 business ventures to-date, including Univentures® Ltd, a social enterprise that specialises in assisting those aged 50+ to transform their ideas into viable business startups. Chris was part of a 2021 research team that discovered the key skills NZ entrepreneurs over 50 needed to succeed, their unique starting position, and how they preferred to learn. Chris is currently an Adjunct Senior Fellow in the UC Business School. He has also set up a Later-in-Life Innovator Support & Networking Group in Christchurch.
Viv Poole
Viv Poole (MBA), originally from Canada, lives in England. She spent her UK career launching and running training businesses as well as being a marketing director in the further and higher education sector until starting her own small business consultancy in 2001. Today she is a semi-retired business coach and blog write for her own Silver Startups business. Viv worked very closely with Chris in the early months of 2022 to pioneer how to translate the NZ research findings into a viable startup programme She then contributed as both an instructor and a coach to the first two Starting a Business for 50+ Workshops that were delivered in 2022.
Lyndal Marshall
Lyndal Marshall is the owner of Value Creators, providing business coaching in the Canterbury region since 2021. With over two decades of experience in business, Lyndal is sharing her first-hand knowledge to inspire other business owners to have pride in the success and impact of their organisation. Her passion is deeply embedded in showing how business values help people to make decisions, so they can be proud of the impact that their business makes. Lyndal has contributed as a mentor, a coach and an instructor to the Start a Business at 50+ Programme.
Fiona Cole
Fiona Cole is an experienced copywriter and content marketing specialist based in Dunedin. She started her own business, BigWords, in 2007. Her expertise extends into building an effective online presence and designing marketing strategies. Fiona has been a business mentor, and is a recognised trainer in the digital space. Fiona has been heavily involved in the initial design and development of the Starting a Business for 50+ programme, in particular the module dealing with Digital Marketing. Fiona has been an instructor, coach and mentor for the programme.