Noeleen's baby business 'DREAMS DO COME TRUE'

The South Auckland mum has reconnected with her culture and created her dream company

- Cloe Willetts

Noeleen Tuala is the first N to admit her South Auckland home is usually messy with scattered toys and piled up dishes from loved ones visiting. After a full day's work as an executive assistant, she often walks in to find grandchildren racing around, before she juggles dinner duties with entertaining a busy 10-year-old son on the spectrum.

When the chaos finally settles in the evening, however, it doesn't mean relaxation for the mum-of-five and nana-of-four. Instead, she puts on her entrepreneurial hat and sits at a laptop, working on her dream business that exploded after she launched it in December. 

Noeleen, who has Samoan and Tongan heritage, is the founder and owner of PELE, a small at-home company that sells culturally designed baby items. As well as providing Polynesian families with gorgeous products that express their young ones' culture, the Manurewa local is proud to celebrate her own family roots.

"When I was a child and my parents split, I went to live with my dad and it sort of defined my values because I saw him struggle as a Samoan solo father, who couldn't read or write in English that well," says Noeleen, 38.

"I was always the one who had to fill out the Work and Income forms for him, and read the letters. It wasn't until I grew up, I realised we hadn't had much and he had to ask others for money on occasions. That helped me push for what I want in life, so those struggles weren't in vain."