Like many 18-year-olds, Izzy Leighs had saved up and was looking forward to a gap year travelling after finishing school. But Covid-19 forced her plans to change, and instead she's used her savings for the trip to invest in a cafe.
The gutsy teenager told TVNZ 1's Breakfast this morning, with travel plans off the cards, she decided to make the bold call and start her own business last week amidst the global Covid-19 pandemic, despite being called "crazy" by some.
"The whole thing has been seriously such a crazy experience," she said.
"I'm 18, I came out of school last year and I was planning to go on a gap year, go travel America, do some work over there, but obviously due to Covid that never happened so with most of the money I saved up I put it towards this and somehow managed to buy a cafe in Level 4 lockdown.
"It's been pretty insane, it's been a massive learning journey for me but it's been so cool."
Her cafe, called Izzy's Cafe and Coffee Bar, opened on June 2.
And while it's not how the average 18-year-old gets thrown into the business world, Ms Leighs is making the most of it.
She's been supporting local businesses in Christchurch by stocking locally made food and locally roasted coffee, as well as providing a treat for those who travel two and a half hours south for Fairlie's Bakehouse's famed pies by selling them on site.
The experience hasn't been without its laughs though, Ms Leighs said in talking about "endless phone conversations with the bank" and having her parents being mistaken for the owners instead of her.
"For any young people in my position, do what you love, give it your best shot. To be honest I had no idea what I was doing when I started this," she said.
"I feel like I've been completely thrown in deep end but one door closes and another opens.
"Try your hardest, work super hard, do what you love and you never know what can happen, so this has been pretty amazing."
SHARE ME