MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING

Michaiah Simmons

Entrepreneur, I Am Hope Event Manager & Mental Health Advocate

Michaiah Simmons is an Auckland-based entrepreneur, speaker and mental health advocate who has spent two decades in events while openly sharing her own lived experience of depression and recovery — and now channels that into her work with Mike King's I Am Hope foundation.

Who is Michaiah Simmons?

Michaiah Simmons is a New Zealand entrepreneur, speaker, columnist and mental health advocate. She is the founder of Auckland events company Deluxe Events, which at its peak employed around 100 staff and worked with clients from NZ Fashion Week to national trucking firms. She now also serves as Event Manager for I Am Hope, Mike King's mental health foundation. Drawing on lived experience — including a suicide attempt as a teenager and the loss of her partner to suicide at age 22 — Michaiah speaks openly about depression, recovery, self-care and the realities of running a business while looking after your mental health. She is a regular NZ Business Magazine columnist and a familiar voice on resilience podcasts including The Nutters Club.

Career Highlights

  • Founder of Deluxe Events, Auckland (20+ years in event management)

  • Event Manager, I Am Hope foundation (founded by Mike King)

  • NZ Business Magazine wellbeing columnist

  • Featured on The Nutters Club, NZ Herald, Now To Love and other national media

  • Co-owner of Al Volo Pizza, Auckland

  • Long-time mental health and suicide-prevention advocate

  • Public speaker on resilience, recovery and entrepreneurship

Key Speaking Themes

  • Lived experience of depression and recovery

  • "Wellness whatever it takes" — self-care for business owners

  • Suicide prevention, hope and finding support

  • Resilience and starting again after loss

  • Building and rebuilding a business with mental health in mind

What Your Audience Will Gain

Michaiah is honest, warm and refreshingly real. Audiences leave with a deeper understanding of mental health in the workplace, practical self-care tools used by a business owner who has lived through the highs and lows, and a renewed sense that recovery and meaningful work can coexist.

Ideal For

  • Mental health, wellbeing and suicide-prevention events

  • Business owner and entrepreneur conferences

  • Women's networks and women in business events

  • Workplace wellbeing days and HR conferences

  • Charity galas, fundraisers and not-for-profit events

Frequently Asked Questions about Michaiah Simmons

What does Michaiah Simmons speak about? Mental health, depression and recovery, suicide prevention, self-care and running a business with wellbeing in mind.

Where is Michaiah Simmons based? Michaiah is based in Auckland and travels nationally for engagements.

What is Michaiah Simmons best known for? Founding Deluxe Events, her work with Mike King's I Am Hope foundation, and her open advocacy on mental health.

Is Michaiah Simmons suitable for corporate audiences? Yes. Michaiah works extensively with corporate, government and not-for-profit organisations on wellbeing, leadership and mental health themes.

Can Michaiah handle sensitive topics on stage? Yes. Michaiah is highly experienced in speaking sensitively and safely about lived experience of mental health and loss.

Is Michaiah Simmons available for international events? Yes. Michaiah is available for offshore engagements and virtual keynotes.