Find your kind of somewhere
A mobile-friendly map and list view, region filters, category search and individual place pages. A useful starting point, not another endless directory.
King Country & Waikato · Proposed pilot
Good places.
Not just the
usual places.
A little local knowledge goes a long way. We’re planning a New Zealand discovery map for tucked-away cafés, independent businesses and places worth taking the slow road for.
Local first. Starting small. Nothing booked or launched yet.
Less checklist. More discovery.
A new perspective on your own backyard.
What you can expect
Independent places in the spotlight
Sponsored listings clearly labelled
Local tips, checked before publishing
A map with a local point of view
Make room for
a small detour.
The first release would keep things simple: useful places, easy browsing and a way for locals to add what we’ve missed.
Planned map features
Two regions.
Plenty to find.
Start with King Country and Waikato. Filter map pins by region and category, then open a place page for photos, practical details and directions.
CafésSmall businessesViewpointsMarkets & events
Pass on a good discovery
A submission form with photo uploads and local notes, held for moderation. Reviews and reporting can follow once there is enough activity to manage them responsibly.
Give local businesses a fair spotlight
Shareable place links and regional guides. Paid placements would be clearly marked; ordinary discoveries would remain free to browse.
Small start. Sensible groundwork.
Worth exploring.
Not proven yet.
A regional pilot is feasible to build. The harder part is keeping information fresh and attracting enough visitors to make a listing valuable. Local relationships and a tightly curated first collection matter more than nationwide coverage.
Treat this as a demand test, not guaranteed income. The project should only expand after repeat visitor interest and actual advertiser willingness to pay are demonstrated.
A working pilot budget
Planning estimates in NZD, not supplier quotes. Allow for GST where applicable.
Lean, founder-built setup
Domain, tools and initial content expenses$300–$1,500
Domain, tools and initial content expenses$300–$1,500
Outsourced pilot build
Alternative to doing development yourself$5,000–$15,000
Alternative to doing development yourself$5,000–$15,000
Early monthly running costs
Hosting, map usage, storage and email$50–$250
Hosting, map usage, storage and email$50–$250
Founder time is additional: allow 5–10 hours a week for curation, outreach and moderation. Travel, professional legal advice, paid advertising and growing usage would increase costs.
Revenue to test, not assume
Test featured listings at $25–$60/month, local ad slots at $100–$250/month and sponsored guides at $300–$750 each. These are proposed validation prices, not live packages. Ten listings at $40 plus two ads at $150 would bring in $700/month before costs and tax—if those buyers can be secured. Selected affiliates could add a small, variable income later, with disclosures.
What needs outside services
The site, filters, place pages, submission flow and moderation interface can be built. Live maps need a tile provider; accounts, photos and data need a backend; email and payments need providers. Free tiers may cover testing, but limits and usage fees must be checked. Reviews need moderation and privacy safeguards. Nothing here is a connected map or payment service yet.
The road to a first release
- 01
Listen first. Talk with 10–15 locals and business owners; test discovery needs and willingness to pay.
- 02
Choose the essentials. Agree the budget, provider choices and privacy approach. Obtain approval before any paid commitment.
- 03
Build a small collection. Curate 30–50 verified places, obtain photo permissions and check opening details.
- 04
Test the pilot privately. Build map browsing and moderated submissions; check mobile usability, accessibility and data handling.
- 05
Launch only with approval. Share through local relationships, track useful visits and enquiries, then test paid placements before expanding.
The next turn
Start local.
See where it takes us.
First, validate the idea with people who know these places best. Review the pilot scope and budget before choosing any services or taking the project public.
No purchases, paid advertising or publication without your approval.