Gustavia Lui

'''Gustavia Nia Lui''' (born {{c.|1988}}) is a New Zealand businesswoman of Samoan and Tuvaluan descent.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.thecoconet.tv/coco-talanoa/humans-of-the-islands/humans-of-the-islands-gustavia-lui/|title=Humans Of The Islands - Gustavia Lui — Coconet|access-date=2018-04-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.gayexpress.co.nz/2016/04/young-kiwi-entrepreneur-says-plus-sized-shoes-everyone/|title=Young Kiwi Entrepreneur says her Plus Sized Shoes are for Everyone {{!}} express Magazine|date=2016-04-13|work=express Magazine|access-date=2018-04-02|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="SugaMagazine">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sugamagazineonline.com/plus-size-shoes-keeps-entrepreneurs-feet-firmly-on-the-ground/|title=Plus-Size shoes keep entrepreneur's feet firmly on the ground|website=www.sugamagazineonline.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-04-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160320102522/http://www.sugamagazineonline.com/plus-size-shoes-keeps-entrepreneurs-feet-firmly-on-the-ground/|archive-date=2016-03-20|url-status=dead}}</ref> She is the founder and owner of Staavias, a footwear company specialising in plus-sized shoes for women.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://pacificwomeninbusiness.com.au/blog/snapshot/gustavia-lui-managing-director-staavias/|title=Gustavia Lui, Managing Director, Staavias - Pacific Women in Business|work=Pacific Women in Business|access-date=2018-04-02|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Early life == Lui was born in Wellington and grew up in South Auckland, New Zealand, with nine brothers and two sisters. She attended James Cook High School, leaving when she was 14 years old, had her first child when she was 16 years old, and got married when she was 19.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="SugaMagazine"/>

== Career == After working in office jobs, including for Work and Income New Zealand, and struggling to find professional footwear in her size, Lui decided to start a shoe design business.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201835306/designer-shoes-for-larger-feet|title=Designer shoes for larger feet|date=2017-03-03|work=Radio New Zealand|access-date=2018-04-02|language=en-nz}}</ref> In 2013, she applied for and received the AMP Scholarship People's Choice Award, and used the prize money to travel to China, Las Vegas and New York City, and to buy equipment and supplies.<ref name=":0" /> Lui launched her company as an online store in January 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://talanoa.com.au/staavias/|title=Staavias CEO and Founder, Gustavia Lui - Talanoa|date=2017-04-07|work=Talanoa|access-date=2018-04-02|language=en-US}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lui, Gustavia}} Category:1980s births Category:Living people Category:People educated at James Cook High School Category:New Zealand people of Samoan descent Category:New Zealand people of Tuvaluan descent Category:21st-century New Zealand businesspeople Category:Businesspeople from Wellington City