The Playbook for Queenstown: 10 Experiences That Will Supercharge Your Business and Your Life
There is a question I have asked myself countless times over my four decades in business. It’s a question that often surfaces late at night, when the glow of the laptop is the only light in the room, and the immense weight of responsibility for your team, your customers, and your family feels like a physical force pressing down on you.
The question is this: What is the point of building your dream if you are too exhausted to live it?
As entrepreneurs, we are wired for the hustle. We are driven by a relentless passion to build, to create, to solve problems. We wear our "busyness" as a badge of honour, and we tell ourselves that rest, holidays, and "unplugged" time are luxuries we will afford ourselves after the next big milestone is hit. But as we all know, the milestones never stop coming. The finish line is always moving.
I have lived this reality. I have pushed myself to the absolute brink building RedBalloon from a simple idea in my living room into a national brand. I have sat in the Shark Tank and seen the same potent combination of exhaustion and fire in the eyes of hundreds of brilliant founders who were running on fumes. And I have learned the most important and non-negotiable lesson of my entire career: your personal wellbeing is not a distraction from your business; it is the very foundation of its success.
Your energy, your creativity, your resilience, and your clarity of thought are your company's most valuable and most finite assets. A burnt-out founder cannot lead an inspired team. It is an impossible equation.
This is the very reason I started RedBalloon. It was born from a deep, personal conviction that shared experiences are the powerful antidote to the clutter and chaos of modern life. They are not frivolous indulgences; they are strategic, essential investments in our memories, our relationships, and our own mental and spiritual fuel tanks.
And there is no place on this earth that embodies this philosophy more powerfully, more viscerally, than Queenstown, New Zealand.
Queenstown is not just a holiday destination; it is a pilgrimage for the soul of an entrepreneur. It is a place that challenges you, inspires you, and ultimately, recharges you in a way that a week lying on a beach never could. So today, I want to take you beyond a simple travel guide. This is my handpicked playbook of essential things to do in Queenstown. It’s framed as a strategic investment portfolio for your most important asset: you.
Portfolio 1: Investing in Courage & Resilience
The Goal: To deliberately push your boundaries, face your fears in a controlled environment, and build the mental fortitude that is the bedrock of the entire entrepreneurial journey.
The life of a founder is a series of terrifying leaps of faith. Quitting your secure job, making your first hire, launching your product—these all require immense courage. Practicing courage is like exercising a muscle; the more you do it, the stronger it gets. Queenstown is the ultimate gym for your courage muscle.
1. The Ultimate Leap of Faith: Tandem Skydiving
There is no moment more clarifying than the one where you are sitting on the edge of an open plane door, thousands of feet above the breathtaking canvas of the Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu. Every rational instinct in your body screams, "This is a terrible idea!" It is the physical embodiment of the fear of the unknown that every founder feels.
But when you make that leap, you are not just falling; you are surrendering to a calculated risk. The minute of chaotic, exhilarating freefall is pure adrenaline. Then, the parachute opens, the world goes silent, and you are gifted with a moment of serene, unparalleled perspective. A Tandem Skydive over Queenstown is a profound lesson in moving through fear to find clarity. For those who want to push their limits even further, the 15,000ft option offers an even longer freefall—a testament to pushing just that little bit further.
2. The Original Act of Courage: Bungy Jumping
Queenstown is the spiritual home of bungy. It is where the commercial bungy movement was born. To stand on that ledge, whether at the historic Kawarau Bridge or the dizzying Nevis, is to participate in a legacy of courage. A Bungy Jump in Queenstown is a different kind of challenge to skydiving. It is more personal, more internal. It is a singular, deliberate decision to trust in the system, to trust in yourself, and to take the plunge. The confidence you gain from this one, iconic act will ripple through every other challenge you face back in the boardroom.
Portfolio 2: Investing in Perspective
The Goal: To physically lift yourself out of the day-to-day weeds of your business, gain a true "30,000-foot view," and reconnect with a sense of awe and wonder that can often get lost in the daily grind.
Founders, by necessity, live in the details. We are obsessed with the small stuff, and in doing so, it's dangerously easy to lose sight of the horizon, of the big "why" that started it all. These experiences are the ultimate antidote.
3. The Leader's Vista: A Scenic Helicopter Flight
There is no better way to get a literal "big picture" view of your world. A scenic helicopter flight is an experience that will stay with you forever. The thrill of lifting off vertically is incredible, but the true magic happens when your pilot takes you over remote, inaccessible terrain, perhaps even landing on a snow-dusted alpine peak. The silence is absolute. The view is endless. In that moment, standing on top of the world, you are gifted with a moment of perfect, uninterrupted clarity. It’s in these moments of quiet awe, far from the noise of your inbox, that your best and most creative strategic thoughts emerge.
4. The Slower Perspective: The Spirit of Queenstown Scenic Cruise
If a helicopter flight is about a sudden, dramatic shift in perspective, a scenic cruise is a lesson in the power of a slower, more deliberate journey. The Spirit of Queenstown Scenic Cruise takes you across the majestic waters of Lake Wakatipu, allowing the epic scale of the surrounding mountains to unfold at a gentle pace. It’s a reminder that not all progress has to be at breakneck speed. Sometimes, the most profound insights come when we allow ourselves the time to simply sit, to observe, and to let the landscape work its magic on us. It’s a meditative experience that calms the founder's perpetually racing mind.
5. The Wings of an Eagle: Queenstown Scenic Flight
A 20-minute scenic flight in a fixed-wing aircraft offers yet another unique vantage point. It’s a chance to see the intricate tapestry of the Wakatipu Basin—the braided rivers, the dramatic valleys, the stunning patchwork of gold and green—from the perspective of an eagle. This experience is a fantastic and accessible way to appreciate the geography and sheer beauty of the region, helping to put your own daily challenges into a grander, more beautiful context.
Portfolio 3: Investing in the Art of 'Play'
The Goal: To deliberately break free from the seriousness of adult responsibility and rediscover the power of pure, unadulterated fun. Play is not the opposite of work; it is the essential fuel for creativity and innovation.
As founders, we live in a world of high stakes and immense pressure. We can forget how to simply let go and play. This is a strategic mistake. A playful mind is a creative mind.
6. The Forest Flight: Ziplining and High Ropes
See the world from the perspective of a native bird as you fly through the forest canopy. A Zipline Eco-Tour in Queenstown is a unique blend of adrenaline and nature. It’s an exhilarating way to experience the stunning native forest while navigating a series of challenges. It's a fantastic lesson in trusting the system (the harness and the cable are your business systems!), staying focused on the path ahead, and enjoying the thrilling momentum of moving from A to B.
7. The Water Dance: Tandem Paraflighting
This is a different, more serene kind of aerial adventure. A Tandem Paraflight in Queenstown sees you gently lifted into the air from the back of a boat, soaring peacefully above the brilliant blue of Lake Wakatipu. It’s a lesson in a different kind of letting go. You are not in control; you are being guided. It’s a beautiful metaphor for the trust a founder must place in their team, allowing others to lift you up so you can gain a new and beautiful perspective.
Portfolio 4: Investing in Seasonal Adaptation
The Goal: To embrace the different seasons of business and life, learning to find opportunity and beauty even in the most challenging conditions.
Business is not a constant, sunny summer. There are winters. There are periods of slow growth, of challenging market conditions, of hunkering down. A great leader doesn't just survive the winter; they learn to thrive in it.
8. The Winter Wonderland: Queenstown Snow Sport
When the mountains are covered in snow, Queenstown transforms. And while skiing and snowboarding are the main events, I want to recommend something different: a Queenstown Snowshoe Experience. Strapping on snowshoes and walking through the silent, snow-laden backcountry is a unique and magical experience. It's about finding a different way to move forward when the familiar paths are covered. It’s a lesson in adapting to your environment, in finding the beauty in the quiet season, and in the steady, determined progress that is required when the conditions are tough.
Portfolio 5: Investing in Your Wellbeing
The Goal: To actively invest in the deep rest and rejuvenation that fuels high performance and prevents the burnout that is the disease of our industry.
9. The Sanctuary of Calm: A Hot Pools Experience
I cannot overstate the importance of intentional recovery. In Queenstown, a hot pools experience is the ultimate way to soothe a tired body and a racing mind. Soaking in geothermal waters while looking out at the epic alpine scenery is a profound act of self-care. It’s a moment to let the stress of the past months literally melt away, leaving you feeling recharged and ready for the next challenge.
10. The Ultimate Freedom: Designing Your Own Adventure
Sometimes, the best experience is the one you curate for yourself. This is why I believe so deeply in the power of choice. A RedBalloon gift card or voucher for Queenstown gives you or your team the ultimate freedom to design their own perfect day of recovery, adventure, or indulgence. It is a powerful act of trust, empowering them to choose the experience that will be most meaningful and motivating for them as an individual.
An Investment in Your Most Valuable Asset
Queenstown is so much more than a collection of thrilling activities. It is a philosophy. It is a powerful, living reminder that a life well-lived is not measured in hours worked or deals closed, but in memories created, fears conquered, and moments of genuine, breathtaking presence.
Your business cannot outgrow you. Your energy, your health, your creativity, and your resilience are the true fuel of your success. Investing in experiences that replenish these precious resources is not a cost on your P&L; it is the highest-return investment you will ever make.
This is why RedBalloon exists. It was created for places like Queenstown and for experiences exactly like these. It was designed to give every Australian and New Zealander the permission and the opportunity to step out of the daily grind and into a moment that truly matters.
So, I ask you to look at your calendar right now. Amidst all the meetings, the deadlines, and the obligations, where have you scheduled the time to truly recharge? What is the experience you will invest in to fuel your next chapter of growth?
Your business, your team, and your family will thank you for it.
What is the one Queenstown experience that calls to you the most, and why?
