Our Story

I'm Brendan Brink. In many ways, this idea has been quietly following me around since 2003, back when I was at university, sitting in lecture theatres and getting far more excited about emerging SMS technology than was probably healthy.

At the time, text messaging felt revolutionary. The idea that you could send something instantly to someone's pocket, something useful and valuable, completely fascinated me. So I started building an idea called Textvouchers.

The concept was simple:

• What if small businesses could send discounts directly to consumers via text message in a fun, social way?
• What if technology could create a win for both sides?

Around that same time, Air New Zealand launched Grabaseat, which meant cheap flights around the country were suddenly within reach. So I did what any slightly over-enthusiastic young founder would do: I booked flights and started travelling around New Zealand meeting small business owners in person.

I wasn't a polished salesperson. I didn't have a slick pitch deck. What I did have was genuine belief in the idea and a lot of energy. I'd sit down with café owners, retailers, hospitality managers, and talk through how SMS discounts could bring people through their doors.

To my surprise, people liked it. The response was encouraging. Business owners understood the value straight away, especially when they realised it wasn't about discounting for the sake of it, but about creating movement, atmosphere and loyalty.

Then, as it tends to do, life shifted.

Sell2Cell, the company I had started to power the idea, began evolving into a broader software development business. Clients needed systems. Projects got bigger. Responsibilities grew. Somewhere along the way a mortgage entered the chat. Adulthood had officially arrived.

Textvouchers didn't disappear. It just quietly moved to the back shelf while I focused on building custom software solutions for clients across New Zealand. In fact, I still own the domain after all these years.

But here's the thing about certain ideas.

Some of them don't go away.

So in 2025, my good friend Tony set me a challenge: Get a proper MVP live by the end of the year.

No more talking. No more sketches. No more “one day”.

Just build it.

Now, I won't pretend that was easy. Running a business, juggling commitments, balancing life: it's never the “perfect time” to start something new. But I realised that if I kept waiting for perfect timing, I'd still be talking about it in 2035.

So this time, I committed.

When the name Perkie came along, it just felt right.

It captures everything I've always loved about the idea:

• Perks, the practical side: discounts, benefits, rewards.
• Feeling perky, upbeat and positive, that small lift in your day when something good happens.
• And yes... there's a slightly cheeky layer in there too, which felt very on-brand.

That's where our blue seal mascot was born.

Perkie the Seal is curious. Adventurous. A little mischievous in a family-friendly way. He's always out exploring, supporting local businesses, finding great deals and celebrating small wins. He's not flashy or corporate. He's approachable, fun and proudly local.

In many ways, he represents the kind of customer small businesses actually enjoy serving: loyal, engaged, and happy to spread the word.