In November, she invested most of her $7500 life savings into a mobile coffee-cart business, 63Bean, and began selling refreshments at events and sports fixtures around the Upper Clutha district.
"It is something I've always wanted to do: have enough money to buy a house or a small business.
"From a young age, I've wanted to leave school with a decent amount of money," Zoe said.
Zoe invested $6000 of her money into 63Bean, which cost about $24,000 to set up.
Her business partners are her mother and stepfather, Maxine and Brent Makeham, of the catering company 63B, and former cafe owners Barbara and Paul McAndrew.
Zoe's savings were accumulated through several years' working as a part-time assistant in a camera shop, baby-sitting and saving her pocket money.
"Mum always told me to save my money and buy big things. But I never bought big things. I just kept saving."
Under her mentors' supervision, she has progressed from cleaning and taking inventories to making coffee, serving customers and planning.
She has also saved $3000 towards her goal of buying out her parents and mentors.
"We step back," Mrs Makeham said. "We are there but, personally, we don't want to be that involved."
Zoe also wants to save money because she and her parents are going to Greece in June to visit her birth father's family and her grandmother.
Zoe has the same name and birthday as her Greek grandmother, who she has not seen since she was 18 months old.
The vivacious sportswoman is concentrating on her business venture this year because she is recovering from major surgery to correct curvature of the spine.
In November, Dunedin Hospital surgeons broke eight ribs to insert two rods down either side of her spine.
She emerged from her 10 days in hospital 2cm taller (she is now 160cm), and almost immediately began channelling her energy into 63Bean.
Although Zoe cannot play football and netball this year and will never be allowed to play rugby again, she is already taking dancing lessons with Dance Wanaka.
The year 11 pupil is also studying for her NCEA qualifications and, for the first time, is taking economics.
"I enjoy it. It is giving me a different perspective of what goes on in small business and not just the money side of it," she said.
