Looking in the Rear View Mirror

Looking in the Rear View Mirror

A very dear friend said to me recently that it’s important to take a moment to, “look in the rear view mirror”. Grab a cuppa, here is the story so far…

The recent lockdown has challenged us all again in many different ways. Though we are privileged to have this beautiful country on our back doorstep, it can be hard to comprehend just how much our world has changed in the space of two years. A bubble is no longer what kids blow with chewing gum, an elbow bump is a new handshake and the latest on-demand accessory is a face mask. The game has changed and we have been forced to adapt, rethink the norm, and draw on our resilience. Part of this process, for me, has been to reflect and focus on the things for which I am grateful both personally and professionally.


Being from an education background, I have always been goal oriented and future-focussed, with a drive to continually do better. The job is never “done” or “complete”, especially when the next peak is in sight. It has been interesting watching the synergies unfold between this philosophy, and this next phase of my career. Software development, too, is an evolving piece - the gift that keeps on giving, that is never quite finished. Consequently for the past few years, as a growing company, we have been so focussed on looking forward and striving to do better (whilst allowing ourselves to celebrate the wins along the way) that perhaps it’s timely to reflect on how far we have come and what we have achieved.


A very dear friend said to me recently that it’s important to take a moment to, “look in the rear view mirror”, something that she, as a principal, creates space to do. So, I’ve created a timeline to share with you that marks significant milestones on the journey that Paul and I have experienced, as partners and founders of Hero.


Grab a cuppa, here is the story so far…


2007 - The origins… 

Paul and Aimie move back from London, with Paul appointed as Principal of Fendalton Open Air School and Aimie as English Teacher at St Margaret’s College in Christchurch. Frustrated by reporting options for schools, as technology begins to enable better options, Paul creates a solution to support his role as principal, his teachers and community.


2013 - The hobby becomes a business! 

LINC Technologies is incorporated and LINC-ED is born to help schools to Learn, Inform and Connect. Our board is established and three schools begin using LINC-ED for online, real time reporting - Te Kura o Huriawa Thorrington Primary, St Albans Primary and Fendalton Open Air.


2014 - LINC-ED becomes an approved Student Management System by the New Zealand Ministry of Education. 

This is to be the game changer for schools, allowing them to bring all learning, communication and student management information together. The need for multiple systems and double handling is significantly reduced, allowing future focussed pedagogy to thrive.


2015 - Breakthrough moment! 

Linc Technologies is recognised by Vodafone as a start-up with potential and, following a Dragons’ Den style pitch day, is accepted onto Vodafone’s start-up accelerator - Xone. Out of the spare room and into Vodafone’s new post quake building in Christchurch. Linc Technologies is one of ten companies across New Zealand on the first cohort of the Xone programme.


2016 - We have a team! 

Paul and Aimie create a small founding team. At this time, the development of Hero (Version 4 as it was referred to then) begins with a great vision, originally estimated to take 4-6 months to build. That is another story altogether!


2017 - It’s time to leave the flat… 

The now larger LINC-ED team has grown out of the Xone space and it’s time to create our own home. Now known as Hero HQ.


2019 - Hero is released!

Our baby is born and in its infancy but she takes her first steps and learns to grow fast. Hero is not simply a copy of LINC-ED. She has a similar face but has been designed differently using the cutting edge, modern, secure API driven technology. The key feature all of our LINC-ED schools have been requesting is now possible… a mobile app.


2019 - Going global! 

Hero is now in Hong Kong.


2020 - A challenging but rewarding journey… 

Our team works closely with our LINC-ED schools to migrate our early supporters to Hero.


2020 - The news of Hero reaches Malaysia. 

Welcome to the club Penang!


2021 - Crossing the ditch! 

Schools in Australia are now donning capes as Hero enters New South Wales.


This is only the beginning of our story and heroic journey with our schools. We are immensely proud of the team and culture that we have created and our core values still underpin all that we do. Just as it was when we were educators, student learning remains our “why” and is at the centre of our development of Hero. We have built a team of passionate educators and former administrators, to ensure that strong pedagogy and best practice continues to drive the use of the platform.


One of the greatest highlights of doing what we do is the valued relationships we have formed with heroes in schools up and down the country. We are grateful for your shared vision and ongoing support. Your dedication to seeing our young ones fly continuously inspires us.


We will continue to listen and set our sights high, we will continue to look forward, and we will continue to strive to do better... but, for a brief moment, it is rewarding to look in the rear vision mirror.