Blog Layout
The Big Idea - Block Dock
Words Lucinda Diack

I can’t help but smile listening to Clare Wilson on the success of her ‘big idea’. She is personable, driven and forward-thinking in her approach to design, and business. And she is taking her sector of the market by storm.


For 20 years Clare Wilson worked in the leadership team at the Otago Museum, in roles, and a community that she loved. In 2013, however, a change was on the cards and she headed offshore to plan her next move. ‘I gave away 90 per cent of my belongings,’ she says, ‘and went travelling. I made the decision to have a period of no worries and to go to the places I felt like going. For two years I had no plans or obligations. I read a lot of books.’ 


After two years she settled in Asia working for the Thailand’s National Science Museum. It was during this time that health issues forced her hand. ‘I knew I needed to come back to New Zealand to get better. It was also time to get serious about the next part of my life,’ she explains. 


Part of getting serious was ‘finding the big idea. I knew I had a strong skill set that I could apply to something, I just needed to find that something. I kept thinking other people are making money on the internet and having sovereignty over their own time, why aren’t I?’ 


On her return to New Zealand after getting her health back in order, she headed south again, this time to Riverton. ‘We have a family crib there so I stayed there for a while before buying my own house. It is a place that makes my soul happy.’ Walking the beach every day Clare was still plagued by finding her ‘great idea’. 


She also wanted to be more environmentally focused. ‘I wanted to be using less bottles and had tried some shampoo bars but noticed they didn’t keep very well. I wasn’t very happy with sogginess.’ A concept many bar users will be familiar with. ‘I did some research and understood it was a genuine issue for a number of people. I realised storage of bars was a problem I could solve; it was a real problem with a growing market.’ 


While the quest for a decent soap dish may seem simple now that Clare’s product has taken the bar market by storm, the initial planning process was exhaustive. ‘I knew it needed to drain quickly and have good air flow on all sides, be compact and of course look nice,’ she continues. ‘But it took a couple of months to nut it out. I was thinking about it all the time – when I was walking, when I was driving ... Then one morning I woke up and just had it.’ An open triangular metal frame held in place on the wall or inside a sink by a suction cup. 


‘I drew it out on a bit of paper then jumped online. I literally google-searched sheet metal companies in Invercargill, selected the one that had the nicest website and jumped in the car.’ 


Once inside the selected sheet metal company Clare laughs as she recalls telling the woman on reception that she had a ‘million-dollar idea’ but needed someone to make it.


‘A lovely man ended up coming out to talk to me. He agreed it was a good idea and sent me around the corner to another company as he didn’t have the machine required to make it.’ 


The next company ‘were wonderful’, explains Clare. ‘They worked with me on making several prototypes, but they weren’t in the business of producing home goods – their business is large-scale engineering solutions, so it wasn’t a long-term solution. But they got me to the point of knowing the idea would work and then it was up to me.’ And so the Block Dock was born.

A shower head with a blue towel hanging from it

With contacts in Asia, Clare investigated the viability of production in China. ‘I got some samples made, which were great as I used them in my market research, sending them to friends and family for feedback, but my gut said I needed to make it in New Zealand.’ 

Looking back on this decision Clare couldn’t be happier, with production of the Block Dock range now in Dunedin. ‘It has never been so important to support local and I am thrilled I am able to contribute to that.’ 


Aside from the environmental and manufacturing aspects of her business, Clare also contributes in a far more positive way, with her distribution managed by Southland disAbility Enterprises, an Invercargill-based business enriching the lives of people with disabilities by providing meaningful employment. ‘I was at the point where things were going well, the business was growing but as a one-women band my time was better spent on the business rather than fulfilment. I saw Southland disAbility Enterprises in the news and thought they might be able to help.’


It has been a collaboration that has exceeded expectations and is easily managed from afar, with Clare now residing in Tasman. ‘They receive all of my products direct from the manufacturer in Dunedin, check them, prepare them for sale, add the suction cups, pack the orders and send them out. It is a really positive relationship. They love it and I love it. I am always looking for what more I can be doing with them.’ 


Like all good entrepreneurs, Clare hasn’t stopped at the production of beautiful wall-mounted soap dishes, and has expanded her range to include toothbrush docks and even razor docks – which have the added benefit of being dual-action with the bar dock inbuilt as well. ‘I solved one problem and more have emerged,’ she laughs. ‘The range has grown, and I have plenty more ideas on the list,’ including a holder for reusable paper towels and dish cloths. As Clare highlights, ‘We all want to do our best for the environment, but for the majority of people that means it has to be easy and rewarding. That’s what we offer with Block Dock products. They all do what they say they will – this is what cements the behavioural change we are after.’


Clare is passionate about being bottle-free and has proudly been so for the last two years. ‘The only thing I still use in a bottle are face products,’ she says. ‘I haven’t quite found the right bars … yet.’ I get the distinct feeling an upcoming collaboration with a local bar maker is on the cards to solve this. Mia Belle and Dear Heart are Clare’s go-to’s when it comes to favourite bar makers, and she encourages everyone to give bottle-free a go. It’s easier than you think. What have you got to lose?


theblockdock.com

Recent stories

A cookbook is sitting on top of a wooden stand on a kitchen counter.

How to Make an Adjustable Cookbook Stand

By Klaudia Krupa • 22 May, 2024
With its sliding base, this stand can snugly hold any recipe card, tablet or cookbook – no matter how chunky or slim. Choose your favourite colours to ensure it is the perfect match for your kitchen or as a great gift idea. Plus, when it’s not in use, you can easily store both parts flat! What you need: 1 x 300 x 230 mm sheet of pine board, 18 mm thick (backboard) 1 x 300 x 150 mm sheet of pine board, 18 mm thick (baseboard) 1 x 120 mm pine dowel, 12 mm thick 2 x 40 mm pine dowels, 8 mm thick Drill and drill bits Drop saw Drop sheet Jigsaw or reciprocating saw Measuring tape Paintbrush and mini roller Resene testpots – we used Resene Gold Dust and Resene Apache Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel paint, tinted to your choice of colour – we used Resene Bokara Grey Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer Ruler Sandpaper Wood glue Step 1: Cut your wood to the sizes listed above. Step 2: Measure and mark out a 155 x 25 mm slot, positioned 40 mm up from the base of the backboard, as shown. Step 3: Drill a hole in each corner of the marked slot to give your saw a starting point. Then, use either a jigsaw or reciprocating saw to carefully cut out the slot. Step 4: Smooth out any rough edges with sandpaper. Step 5: To make the handle, drill two 8 mm holes in the 12 mm dowel. Each hole should be drilled three quarters of the way through the dowel, centred and positioned 20 mm from each end. Begin by drilling small pilot holes to guide the larger drill bit.
A dog is laying on a dog bed in a living room next to a couch.

Too Good to be True?

By Nathan Miglani • 22 May, 2024
We are on the cusp of a once-in-a-decade influx of properties on the market. Nathan Miglani, Director of NZ Mortgages, explains. As we have discussed, in the aftermath of the election we saw immediate momentum in the market. Since March we have seen this start to drop as the reality of interest rates remaining high dampened buyers’ appetite. Petrol prices are high, the cost of living continues to increase and while the OCR is holding, and forecasted to hold for the next few months, people are hurting, which in turn sees the property market slow. But there is hope on the horizon – we are predicting that by September/October we will start to see interest rates slowly start to come down, but do not expect them to drop as quickly as they rose. We are seeing some banks offer as low as 5.99 per cent on a three-year loan, and while this might sound good now, my advice is still to only fix for a short term to avoid costly break fees. The most active market we are seeing right now is in the $800,000 – $1.3 million range with lots of buying and selling happening. This is set to ramp up come 1 July with the changes to the bright-line property rule when it comes to being taxed on capital gain – dropping from 10 years (or five years for a new build) to two. For many it will seem too good to be true, but it is! This is set to put in motion a once-in-a-decade influx of properties to the market from Mum-and-Dad investors who are currently hurting with the high interest rates, creating massive opportunity for both first home buyers and first-time investors. Other sectors of the market continue to feel the pinch and as an advocate and passionate developer it was important to me to be able to assist the construction sector, which sees the launch of our construction division, Construction Loans. This is for those who have decided to build their first home, right up to those developing a subdivision. It is about helping everyone achieve their goals – which underpins everything we do. For this sector, it is about ensuring that the finances are in order before it is too late. Arranging finance for building a property is different from securing finance on an existing home, and it is critical to consider the best way to structure repayments on the section and the build while maintaining lifestyle.  It is about empowering builders, developers and everyone to make informed decisions that work for their unique situations. There is no one size fits all, which is why it is imperative that you seek professional advice before it’s too late. We are here to help you avoid pitfalls.
A group of young boys are playing soccer on a field.

The Future of Happiness

By Dr Cheryl Doig • 22 May, 2024
Dr Cheryl Doig explores why a holistic approach, when it comes to educating, parenting and governing should be considered. It’s a complex world that our young people are growing up in. Societal change, the impact of social media and technology are colliding with climate change, misinformation, disinformation, and warfare. Trust in governments has deteriorated and the world is more polarised. It’s no wonder wellbeing and happiness are such a focus in our schools, our homes and our businesses. The recent results from the 2024 Global Happiness Index showed that happiness in Aotearoa New Zealand has fallen significantly for all age groups, but by twice as much for the young as for the old. In 2021–2023, our young people were the least happy age group. Females under 30 have one-third more negative emotions than males. Our young people are not thriving. Contrast this with 2006–2010 results, when the young were happier than those in the midlife groups, and about as happy as those aged 60 and over. The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt provides some insight into what might be happening here. Haidt refers to our young people as ‘the anxious generation’ and outlines the following as contributing factors: Technology – constant connectedness and the facade of always appearing happy and successful on social media. The cult of safety – overprotective parents and risk aversion – not developing resilience nor the ability to cope with challenges. The loss of play – the decline of unstructured play and outdoor exploration, critical factors for social, emotional and cognitive development. The pressure to succeed – intense academic and extracurricular expectations. The loneliness epidemic – social isolation is more prevalent even though our children appear more ‘connected’. These are deep social issues that have no simple solution. What is needed is an holistic approach to parenting, educating and governing. A focus on literacy, numeracy and sciences alone is not going to lead to a wellbeing economy. Supportive relationships and acceptance of diversity matter more than ever. Creative and critical thinking, play and physical exercise cannot be forgotten. Futures thinking is one way of developing resilience, risk taking and autonomy, as it explores alternative world views and encourages anticipating a range of scenarios. Many of our teachers know this but struggle with the ever-changing pendulum swings of successive governments. They’re exhausted and not so happy in their work. Schools need that sense of community support. We are overdue for a bipartisan collective vision for education in order to create a future where our young people thrive, are hopeful and happy. It’s not all doom and gloom. We can make a positive difference! As parents, whānau and communities, my challenge to you is to consider one item from the bullet point list above. Lean into it and give your children a bit of space to be children and have joy in their lives. Don’t crowd them, cosset them and control them so much. Walk alongside and guide them. Let them learn from failure with you as their coach. Celebrate successes.
Share by: