CAANZ x UCE Connect events are a regular series of events that seek to build connections with CAANZ members, UC students and founders. Join us to gain key industry insights and connections to real opportunities.

Each event brings together an engaging guest speaker, UCE Founder, and UCE Club to share their stories and insights, alongside the opportunity to network with 50+ industry professionals and company leaders.

Our featured guest for September is:

Di Foster Coaching | Accidental Business Owners (Between Two Beers)

Di will deliver a highly engaging and entertaining talk surrounding:

Radical Responsibility - it might not be your fault, however it is your responsibility.

I get it, s*&^ happens. And while that stuff might not be our fault, it certainly is your responsibility.

Not only taking responsibility for where things are at, but our ability to respond.

When we are reacting to situations and not responding, we are stuck in a cycle that may not be leading us in the direction that we want our life or business to go.

With the fast-changing face of the business world with global economics driven by AI, generational transition of businesses, workforce dynamics and generational business disruption, the landscape is moving at speed.

About Di:

Di Foster is a coach to accidental business owners, keynote speaker and herself an accidental podcaster.

With a career in business strategy, specializing in all aspects of business, personal development, and earning a fourth-degree black belt, Di knows a thing or two about discipline, resilience, and making things work. She’s coached business owners from all walks of life and shares a front-row seat to powerful conversations as the Between Two Beers podcast business coach.

Di’s superpower? Simplicity. She cuts through complexity, distils big ideas into actionable insights, and helps people get unstuck— with powerful perspective shifts. Business has been in her blood since she was 13, learning the ropes from her dad. And she knows that business isn’t just about numbers, strategy, or growth; it’s about people. And that’s where she starts—by putting you at the centre of the conversation.

Expect to leave her keynote with fresh clarity, a few ‘aha’ moments, and no-nonsense advice to act. While her wellness journey hasn’t always been enviable, her perspective, grit, and zest for life certainly are.

https://www.difoster.com/

Additional Speakers:

UCE Founder: Amber Scott – Founder of Piq

Amber Scott is a 3rd year law student who started Piq out of a personal frustration. She loved coffee, but didn’t love the anxiety, crashes, and mid-day slumps that came with it. Talking to friends, colleagues, and fellow students, Amber realised this was a shared struggle.

Piq aims to Transform your Coffee Experience - as a functional coffee additive that supports the reduction of jitters and crashes while enhancing focus and sustained energy.

Piq exists to make caffeine work for you, not against you. We have created this simple, convenient product that upgrades your coffee ritual like adding a splash of oat milk or a shot of vanilla. One small addition creates massive impact, giving sharper focus, more energy, and better control over your day.

https://www.addpiq.com

UCE Club: UC CryptoSoc

UC Crypto Soc, summoned as New Zealand’s first university DAO (decentralised autonomous organisation) in 2024, empowers and unites the University of Canterbury’s Bitcoin, crypto and blockchain student body through decentralised governance, educational events and collaboration with the broader NZ industry.

UCCryptoSoc were awarded for their excellence in cryptocurrency and blockchain education at the 2024 Web3NZ Awards as Web3 Academic Institution of the Year.

https://uccryptosociety.org.nz