#11 Aze & Lani | They Renovated Their First Home for $30K—Then Went Viral

“I think it should be more of a trend to try harder. Why not? Try hard in everything you do.”

— Aze & Lani

At some point, trying hard became something people were embarrassed to admit.

Put yourself out there, set a big goal or openly work towards a better life, and somebody will call you a “try-hard”—as though caring too much is something to be ashamed of.

Aze and Lani have taken the opposite approach.

They’ve been together since they were 14, married at 19 and bought their first home at 23. Neither of them is a tradie, but they still committed to renovating the entire house with a budget of just $30,000.

They asked people for advice. They found free and second-hand materials. They tracked everything on a spreadsheet and shared the process online—even when putting themselves out there felt uncomfortable.

Within three weeks, they had gained 30,000 followers.

Their story is a good reminder that looking inexperienced is often the price of becoming experienced.

You might look awkward when you begin. Some people might laugh. Others will tell you to slow down or wait until life gets harder.

But none of that matters if you’re moving towards the life you actually want.

Being called a try-hard is probably a compliment. It means you’re trying—and most people never get that far.

What would you attempt if you weren’t worried about looking inexperienced or being judged for trying?

🎙️ Episode #11: Aze & Lani — They Renovated Their First Home for $30K—Then Went Viral

At 23, Aze and Lani went from living paycheque to paycheque to buying their first home and undertaking a complete renovation on a $30,000 budget—despite neither of them being a tradie.

What began as a digital scrapbook for their family quickly took off. Within three weeks, they had gained 30,000 followers, and brand partnerships began helping them transform the house.

We talk about using KiwiSaver to buy a first home, refusing to borrow the maximum offered by the bank, budgeting every dollar and working full-time while renovating nearly every evening.

Aze and Lani also share what they’ve learned from being together since they were 14, getting married at 19, preparing for their first baby and choosing delayed gratification over the easier path.

If you’re interested in first-home ownership, renovation, relationships or building something online, there’s plenty in this one.

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Until next Monday,

Brent Henry
Founder, The Mile Extra

The hard way is the easy way.