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Inspired by Auckland Grammar from the very beginning - Marc Ellison '00
Monday, 9 October 2017
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Marc Ellison '00 was inspired by Auckland Grammar School even before he walked through the gates for the first time as a Form 3 student. "Growing up, I was a huge sports fan. My dad took me to a 1st XV game before I attended Grammar and from that moment on, I was hooked on premier sports!" Sharing a natural connection and shared passion for what the School represents is of high importance for Marc, who was one of 40 out-of-zone students to be accepted to Grammar in his year. He was interviewed by former Associate Headmaster Mark Vella who he saw as one of his most influential teachers during his five years at Grammar. "He was my Form 7 History teacher - his hands-on style really pricked my interest in the subject and I won the Form 7 prize for New Zealand History in 2004." After receiving a Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours in History and Communication Studies from the University of Otago, Marc started working in the digital marketing and social media industry. As a member of both the 1st XV and 1st XI Cricket teams while at school, Marc used his knowledge to build connections and worked as a cricket reporter for the Otago Daily Times, as well as a Freelance Writer for Cricinfo, and a commentator for Radio Sport. Marc is now based in Belfast, working for Neurovalens, a start-up company that delivers innovative solutions in the fields of bioscience and neurophysiology. Landing the role was an achievement in itself, as Marc secured the job only four days after arriving in Belfast and just one day before Modius was launched on crowdfunding website Indiegogo. "Moving to Belfast with my wife who is Irish, and our three kids was no mean feat, so to have the financial stability that having a job allows made our lives easier. A lot of time and effort went into finding work, through researching opportunities within my industry and reaching out to people on LinkedIn. To have that effort rewarded with this opportunity made it all worthwhile." The company recently launched their trademark product Modius, which stimulates the body's vestibular nerve and helps people get leaner. Marc's role within the company is to tell Modius' story through social media. "I had to get up to speed on the product and the entire Indiegogo process pretty quickly. However, our CEO is really down to earth with a good sense of humour, so it's been a lot of fun. Whether it be sharing blogs and research about the impact the device can have on you, or putting together a GIF to say thanks to our many backers, it's a pretty cool way to make a living." Although his academic studies weren't always his number 1 priority - "rugby, cricket and socialising took its toll on my learning!" - his time in the 1st XV stands out the most for Marc. "The camaraderie we had as a squad hasn't been matched in any other environment I have been a part of. The hunger for success, the expectations on us to succeed, the quality of the players, especially the coaching staff (Grant Hansen, Richard Skelly and Grant McNeil) all made it a wonderful experience." Knowing how easy it is to keep up with friends via social media means that Marc is always in touch with his Grammar classmates. He and his friend Aneesh Kesha '00 went to the same intermediate school, took the bus together every day for five years and Aneesh was best man at Marc's wedding. "The beauty of social media is that keeping in touch and stay relevant to your personal and professional networks is not difficult." Marc has been fortunate enough to work and live overseas, learning to adapt to different situations and people. "To be able to work in another country is fantastic for your development as a person and as a professional. I was lucky enough to travel initially with cricket and do six-month stints in the UK and Ireland, and it certainly adds to your overall worldview being subjected to so many different ways of life."  Marc Ellison with Aneesh Kesha (both from the class of 2000) - Aneesh was best man at Marc's wedding |