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Jazz Singh runs Napier’s Creagh Street Store, otherwise known as the Bossman Dairy, alongside his father Jagjiwan “Boss Man” Singh.

The Singhs and their store are so appreciated in the Napier Community, Jazz was nominated for the Prospa Local Business Hero Award, which he subsequently won, making him the National Local Business Hero for 2021.

The Prospa Local Business Hero awards, in partnership with Neighbourly, recognise outstanding commitment to the community by small business owners throughout New Zealand.

“During the first lockdown we could see it was getting pretty tough for some people around here,” says Jazz. “We had two choices - help out or do nothing.

“We were able to access flour, milk and other supplies so we offered it to people in need and dropped it off to whoever needed it. That is part of our Sikh culture, helping in the community.”

Jazz says he was surprised to find he had been nominated for the Prospa Award and delighted to win, although he already knows how much he, his father and the store are appreciated by the community they serve, and the appreciation is reciprocated.

Jazz is keen to give back to the community who welcomed him when he first arrived in Hawke’s Bay with his family, 12 years ago.

“It can be quite tough being different. My brother and I were the only turban-wearing kids around here. There weren’t many Indians in Napier but people accepted us and helped us out. We even had people help us with school enrolments.

“Our customers started to call Dad, ‘Boss Man’,” says Jazz, “because of his catch phrase, ‘Chur Boss.’ Also Dad sponsored the First 15 Under 15s at Napier Boys High School, got involved with Te Awa School and Napier High’s Rugby Club, and helped out kids with their sponsorships. That’s how we got involved in the community and how people included us in the community as well.”

“We come from the ground,” says Jazz’s father, Boss Man. “We had nothing when we came to this country. This country and this community gave us everything. To win this award means the work we have done has come back.

“We are Sikh people, and our guru says when you work hard and make 10 dollars a day, you take one dollar out to help other people in any way, whether it’s clothes, food or anything we can do.

“One customer said to me, ‘Boss Man, karma will come back to you. If you do a good thing in your heart, a good thing will come back to you.’

“And here is the karma. It has come back to us.”