They will also need to believe in the abilities of the former 42 Below executives Geoff Ross, Grant Baker and Stephen Sinclair and former 42 Below Australia head Craig Schweighoffer, who are all behind the Ecoya bid.
Air New Zealand chief executive Rob Fyfe, Australian fashion designer Collette Dinnigan and former Walt Disney Television chairman Rich Frank round out the star-studded board as independent directors.
Ecoya uses natural ingredients to create environmentally friendly products for consumers and their homes.
The prospectus seeks funds to develop Ecoya's international markets targeting the eco-luxury segment of the body and bath and home fragrance markets.
The prospectus was registered last Thursday.
It is offering 10 million shares at $1 each to the public in New Zealand and Australia with the option to accept over-subscriptions of up to a further three million shares.
A detailed look at the prospectus shows that the company is expecting revenue of $3.9 million in the year ending March 2010, with cost of sales at $2.7 million, giving an operating profit for the year of $1.2 million.
Once expenses of $3.4 million are taken out, the balance sheet moves to a pre-tax loss of $2.26 million for the year.
In the year ended March 31, 2011, the operating profit of $3.9 million turns into a loss of $5.2 million once expenses are taken out.
The bulk of the expenses in both years are for administration and sales and marketing.
This year, sales and marketing and administration will take around $1.6 million each.
Next year, sales and marketing will cost $3.9 million and administration $4.2 million.
Ecoya is being advised by investment bankers Cameron Partners Ltd, and lawyers Chapman Trip.
It also has the support of First NZ Capital Ltd and Craigs Investment Partners, who are co-managers of the public share offer.
Mr Ross, the executive chairman, said the company was targeting a growth segment within a growth category.
"Ecoya operates in a multibillion-dollar industry globally.
The board considers that factors such as Ecoya's business performance to date, the growth forecast in the category and the brand's Australasian origins make a strong case to accelerate our growth plan."
A public company structure, with visible reporting and good governance, suited the strategy and would help build brand profile and instil confidence among suppliers, he said.
The company considered the key areas to win ground in were brand and distribution, areas that were fundamental to 42 Below's success.
The company believed the best people to be selling Ecoya were its own people, a model that had been successfully deployed in Australia and which it anticipated rolling out in new international markets, Mr Ross said.
Ecoya was a high-value brand in the affordable luxury segment with efficient distribution and that should help to drive a strong gross margin - probably around 49% on sales by next year.
The company already had more than 600 outlets in Australia and more than 100 outlets in New Zealand stocking its products.
The allocation of shares is intended to be:
• A public pool of one and a-half million shares.
• A pool of two and a-half million shares for the independent directors and private investors.
• A pool of six million shares for allocation to NZX firms and selected institutional investors.
Existing substantial shareholders, The Business Bakery LP and Paunui Holdings (Mr Schweighoffer's company) are restricted from selling their shares until after Ecoya has released to the NZX its financial results for the year ended March 2011.
The offer opens today and closes on April 26.
Proceeds are primarily for developing markets, recruiting staff, investing in infrastructure, providing working capital funding and repaying bank debt of $1 million.
