Audrey Shearer

Position: Managing Director

With more than twenty five years in the computer industry, six of those as a web designer with her own company, Audrey has experience of what works on the Internet and how to use technology for your organisation. She uses that experience to help our clients.

"My most significant achievement to date (outside of 2 gorgeous sons) is the success of Spiral which enables us to help with our clients success."

"I have worked in the computer industry for 25 years, first as a programmer and later as a systems analyst or systems architect as they are now known. There are not many problems I havn't seen before."

Business Background

Audrey's initial training was in the why and how computer software works.

"I wrote programs to perform sorting and searching functions. We learned to read machine code and find errors amongst the hexadecimal numbers. This means that when I use a tool like Google to find information or to help you get a higher listing I don't just know how to use the tool I know how Google delivers those results at speed and I understand the basics of a search engine."

Audrey progressed to designing and maintaining business computer systems for companies such as Westpac, Dalgety's and Shell Oil. One of her favourites was with Shell Oil in Melbourne where she was employed to solve a problem they thought they would never have. In 1987 the price of oil dropped below US$30 a barrel, all the sales forecasting and analysis software within the company was developed on the premise that this was impossible. Thus their sales and analysis information was incorrect.

"I devised a strategy to fix this, integrate it with their existing systems and I oversaw the successful execution of this strategy."

Audrey's strengths are

Problem solving
"I am a creative problem solver, able to see the big picture and appraise many different options to find the best solution for the particular situation"
Technology as a tool
"My long association with computing enables me to see past the technology (I am not wowed by the size of someone's RAM!) and to use software and computers as a tool just as we might use a calculator. "
Wanting to help
"I genuinely want to help people get the most value from any software or computer system they use. This has been part of my role for the past 30 years."
Passion for the Internet
"Back in 1992 I saw the potential of the Internet to provide tools, solutions and information to people around the world. I am still passionate about the Internet not the technology but what it can do for people."

Personal Qualities

Optimism, Integrity, Imagination, Innovation.

Values-driven, and creative with high professional standards, Audrey is both goal- and process- driven. A listener first and a talker second, she enjoys developing relationships with clients, being creative (not just arty'), solving problems, and getting things working. Once a client has decided to trust us with their site, Audrey derives great satisfaction from working out the best way to do it for them.

Since founding Spiral in 1998 Audrey has grown in business management experience as she has taken on new challenges. Major achievements during that time have been

Helping so many people with their business goals and getting such wonderful feedback from our customers
Employing staff and creating a team environment
Moving to our wonderful office in Jackson Street

"Outside of work I am a competent painter and can draw accurately. One of my paintings (Wellington Cloak) has been exhibited in a group exhibition at the Dowse Art Museum."

"I am a Baha'i ."

More About Audrey

Audrey was born in Suva. Her early childhood was in Christchurch, her formative years in Waiouru. Since then she has lived in Wellington, London and Melbourne before settling in Eastbourne.

Waiouru is her childhood home and her turangawaewae. "I carry the form of Ruapehu in my head always, and the Whangaehu River" she says. Growing up in Waiouru was idyllic.

Audrey's Values

Truthfulness. For Audrey, truthfulness is the foundation of all values.
Kindliness. Having a kindly tongue and an awareness of others.

For clients, this means that Audrey is honest, even if it's not what you want to hear. Her extensive experience with technology solutions along with a genuine desire to help local organisations succeed means she's a useful person to have batting on your team.

Audrey Talks on Blogs