Taisei Shimizu
Backstory
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Te Anau, the gateway to Fiordland — Milford Sound, the Great Walks, some of the best wilderness in New Zealand. Being surrounded by that shaped my love of the outdoors and a real interest in conservation. I also grew up in a Japanese household, so I’m fluent in Japanese and bring a cross-cultural view into everything I do.
What did your parents do, and what did you take from them?
Both my parents migrated from Japan to New Zealand. Dad worked as a guide and as 2IC at a crayfish factory — I got my work ethic from watching him. Mum ran our household, and her sacrifice, along with both of their adaptability settling in a foreign country, is something I carry with me.
What did you spend the most time on as a kid?
Tramping in the hills around home, playing football, and maths. I’ve always liked problems with a clear shape to them — something to actually solve.
What did you do before TakeoffQS?
I studied Computer Science at the University of Canterbury. Before and during uni I worked as a hiking guide on the Great Walks of Fiordland, which taught me to communicate, lead, and solve problems on the fly. After that I walked Te Araroa — the length of New Zealand — which did a lot for my resilience and adaptability.
How did you end up at TakeoffQS?
After the trail I wanted real grounding, and an environment that would challenge me both mentally and physically. Brett was a regular at my partner’s café, I got to Bruce through him, and the timing fit. A lot of the trail was me asking why I was even out there — the answer was that pushing myself and picking the hard path is what gives me meaning. TakeoffQS was that path.
What I care about
What’s broken in estimating that you want to fix?
Quoting takes days. People with real industry knowledge end up stuck filling out spreadsheets instead of using what they actually know. That’s the bit worth fixing.
What do you look for in the companies we work with?
Partners who treat it as a partnership, not a vending machine — people who’ll give us feedback while the product grows, rather than expecting a finished, set-and-forget tool.
A mistake you see builders make repeatedly?
Trusting a number in a spreadsheet that nobody’s double-checked. There isn’t enough structure in the pricing workflow, so a lot of quoting ends up done on vibes instead of grounded numbers.
What gets you fired up about this work?
Making a real difference in the industry, and helping our partners get ahead alongside us. Doing it together is the part that matters.
What values matter most in how we build TakeoffQS?
No cutting corners. Growing together — with each other and with our partners. What the customer wants comes first; AI comes second.
The human bits
Favourite mantra in a work context?
“Pick the hard but exciting path — that’s where the meaning is.”
Secret skill?
I’ve walked the length of New Zealand — Te Araroa, around 3,000km.
Dinner with anyone, alive or dead?
Cristiano Ronaldo — my football idol growing up.
What can you nerd out on for hours?
Japanese food and culture. Ask me about the best ramen spots in Christchurch and we’ll be there a while.
How do workmates describe you?
Resilient, adaptable, dependable, curious, collaborative.
Meet the rest of the team
