Writer, Community Advocate and Founder of Queenstown Life
Queenstown, New Zealand
This conversation was originally published in 2018 as part of the original Careering Conversations series.
We've lightly edited it for readability while preserving the original conversation and advice, and added an update on what Jane has been doing since we first spoke.
When people think of Queenstown, they often picture stunning scenery, adventure tourism and holidays. Jane Guy sees something more. Through Queenstown Life, she's spent years sharing the stories of the people, places and businesses that make the region unique, creating a loyal community of readers who know her writing style as well as they know the destination itself.
But writing is only one part of Jane's career.
Alongside running the blog, she also worked as a Regional Coordinator and Community Worker, supporting people whose experiences of Queenstown looked very different from the glossy tourism brochures. It offered a valuable reminder that every community has both opportunity and challenge, and meaningful work often happens behind the scenes.
One of the things we enjoyed most about our conversation was Jane's honesty about building something gradually.
Queenstown Life didn't become successful overnight. It grew article by article, reader by reader and conversation by conversation. Rather than chasing numbers, Jane focused on creating content that genuinely resonated with people. Over time, that authenticity became one of the blog's greatest strengths.
Jane also spoke about finding work that reflects your interests rather than trying to squeeze yourself into someone else's definition of success. Writing, community development and storytelling might seem like different careers, but for Jane they've always been connected by a common purpose: helping people feel more connected to where they live.
Careers don't always need to fit neatly into a single box. Sometimes they're built by combining the things you care about most.
Since we first spoke
Queenstown Life is still running, and Jane has continued writing and sharing local stories through it. She’s also published Lost in Silver Fern, and appeared as a guest on the Careering Podcast.
What Jane taught us
Building something meaningful takes time. Focus on creating value, stay true to your voice and trust that genuine connection will always matter more than chasing popularity.
