Halo Feedback’s Tom Power
Building a global tech bridge from Queenstown
He’s built a global SaaS business from the ground up. Now, the founder of Halo Feedback is anchoring its next chapter in Queenstown.
Since launching Halo Feedback in 2001, Power has carved out a highly specialised niche in web-based platforms for competency-based feedback. These tools are used by enterprise giants like Bloomberg, Qantas and Westpac to power 360-degree leadership assessments. What began as a lean Australian operation has quietly become a global player, with 80 percent of business now offshore and operations spanning Europe, the UK and the US.
But as Halo Feedback’s international footprint expanded, so did the operational challenge: providing seamless tech and product support across vastly different time zones. For years, Halo relied on its Galway office to serve Europe and America, but covering the US East Coast from Ireland left unavoidable gaps.
“We were always chasing the day,” says Power. “We needed a way to bridge that timezone lag without compromising our standards. That’s when Queenstown came into the picture.”
Time zone logic, lifestyle upgrade
Queenstown’s position on the map proved to be the missing piece in Halo’s support puzzle. With Ireland covering Europe and part of the US day, there were always inevitable gaps. But Queenstown’s extra proximity to New York time helped bridge that, creating a near-perfect overlap with the hours Ireland couldn’t cover. Together, the two offices now provide full European support through Galway, complete US support via the combined coverage of Galway and Queenstown, and seamless support for Australia and Asia through New Zealand.
But the appeal wasn’t just logistical. Power’s relationship with Queenstown began in 2017, when a foggy morning arrival and the scent of woodsmoke reminded him of an Irish village, only set against an alpine backdrop. “It had this moodiness, this quiet energy,” he says. “We fell in love with it immediately.”
Since then, he and his family have visited 26 times. What began as holidays gradually evolved into longer stays, and now into a plan. Establish a Queenstown tech hub focused on product and platform support and eventually expand into client services and account management.
“This isn’t a workaround. It’s an upgrade,” Power says. “It lets us improve the quality of what we do while working from a place people love living in.”
Building teams differently
Power sees Queenstown not just as a base, but as a way to rethink talent. In Ireland, Halo built its team by hiring people from diverse, non-traditional backgrounds and training them into the world of SaaS. He believes Queenstown offers a similar demographic: people looking for flexibility, lifestyle, and meaningful work.
“We don’t need everyone to have deep tech experience,” he says. “We need bright, curious people we can invest in. And Queenstown has that.”
Halo has already begun mapping the talent landscape, connecting with local universities, recruitment agencies, and testing trial hires through local media. Power’s advice to other tech founders considering Queenstown is simple. “Do your homework. Partner with TQ. Talk to Otago and other South Island institutions. Build from the ground up.”
The broader appeal
The Queenstown proposition isn’t just about time zone coverage. For Power, it’s about alignment between business needs and human ones.
“If you're an outdoorsy person, it’s all here,” he says. “I go for long runs around Lake Hayes with a podcast in my ears. My wife loves the boutiques. My kids love the mountains. It ticks every box.”
And from a business lens, the infrastructure is more than sufficient. Co-working spaces, housing, reliable connectivity, and a growing ecosystem of entrepreneurs make Queenstown viable now, not just aspirational.
“We’ll be back in September,” Power says. “We’re ready.”