Blog

Tech-savvy businesses are taking big strides in making software, AI and automation work for their enterprise. Going digital could be one of the smartest moves you make. In this series, we’ll look at some key ways to optimise your business, exploring different avenues to evolve your enterprise and create a legacy you can be proud of. Let’s explore how embracing the latest software tools helps you optimise your business. Going…  Read more

  Our success in life depends largely on our mindset. Those who wait until conditions are perfect are unlikely to achieve their goals as they’re always waiting for the right time and never take that first step. There are three small words whose order can heavily influence the outcomes we achieve: be, do, and have. After deciding on your goals, the next step is to consider who you need to…  Read more

Productivity is a term associated with strong economies, robust businesses and the efficiency gains of clever staff. If only businesses were efficient, then we would have fewer of them failing, more employment and better incomes for owners and workers alike. In New Zealand, according to The Xero Small Business Insights Special Report, Small Business Productivity: Industry and Regional Trends 2023, Kiwi business productivity fell by 6.1% in 2023. Unfortunately, not…  Read more

The holiday season is a great time to highlight the year’s achievements. But with every Christmas party comes great responsibility for employers. Four top tips for ensuring a Christmas party is remembered for all the right reasons: Remind staff about drink-driving laws. Ensure that staff have a transport plan travelling to and from Christmas work events. Reiterate the rules about alcohol and company vehicles. Staff are under your watch. As an employer,…  Read more

A Bank reconciliation involves a comparison of your sales and expense records against the record your bank has. It is a critical financial process to identify and rectify any discrepancies or errors between your internal financial records with the transactions recorded in your bank statement. Bank reconciliations keep your bookkeeping accurate and can help lower your tax, alert you to fraud, and allow you to track costs. They are essential…  Read more

When you started in business, what did you imagine your lifestyle would be? How does your current lifestyle compare? Many business owners assume that after a few years in business they should be able to achieve another financial milestone such as buying a house, upgrading the car or taking the family on an epic holiday. Reality may be different. Is financial stress common in your business? You invested a significant…  Read more

There’s a simple concept called The Knowledge Pie. This concept segments one’s personal knowledge into three key areas; what we know, what we know that we don’t know, and what we don’t know that we don’t know. You might want to read that again. An example to better explain: Jane, a young qualified plumber and business owner, knows how to do plumbing. She also knows that she does not know…  Read more

If you’re just starting a new business, or are taking your first steps towards hiring your first team members, being confident about your role as a new employer is essential. As your new business grows, you’ll inevitably need to expand your team – and this means taking on staff and becoming an employer. But are you ready for the tasks and responsibilities you have towards your new employees once you…  Read more

Days and nights punctuated with the ping of notifications? Just because your dashboard’s right in front of you, are you sure you have the full picture? Say your income figures are running at an all-time high. Well done! Before you break out the bubbly, run some queries to make sure business is as good as it looks. Expenses: If your income has gone up, have expenses increased too? What about when…  Read more

Heard of The Five Ways to Wellbeing? They are simple and proven actions you can introduce in your workplace to help staff find balance, build resilience, and boost their mental health and wellbeing: Connect: feeling close to and valued by others boosts wellbeing. Take a moment every day to connect with colleagues. Be Active: being physically active improves physical health and can improve mood and wellbeing, decreasing stress, depression, and…  Read more

Are you a yes person? Even when you’re snowed under with work, family, and life admin, do you find yourself saying yes to things you don’t really have time or headspace for? The downside of being a yes person: You can enable others to develop a dependency on you You may be susceptible to people taking advantage Stress and burnout can zap you and your energy levels Your time can…  Read more

One of the inescapable realities of running a small business is your impact on the environment. The carbon footprint of your delivery vans, the effect of your packaging on the natural world, or the amount of energy you consume as a company all add up over time. The good news is that the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority (EECA) is making it easier for your small business to navigate energy…  Read more

In today’s digital times, you’re probably used to having unrivalled access to your financial numbers, key performance indicators (KPIs) and cashflow metrics. Without good bookkeeping, the speed and quality of your reporting can quickly fall down. So, why is fast and accurate bookkeeping so important? And what are the main bookkeeping tasks that your business should be getting right? The financial importance of good bookkeeping Bookkeeping is a fundamental part…  Read more

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make up 97% of all businesses in New Zealand. As the owner of an SME, you’re doing your bit to provide employment, aid the economy and put Aotearoa on the map in an increasingly globalised world. But running your own business can be incredibly stressful! New research from RFI Global research, commissioned by Prospa, shows that seven in ten New Zealand SMEs are feeling stressed…  Read more

Leadership development and lifesaving skills? Consider both for your business. One of New Zealand’s top business training providers, the Icehouse’s Leadership Development Programme aims at professionals wanting to become more effective leaders with: Techniques to improve leadership, communication and management skills. A better understanding of challenges for owner-managers. How to think strategically to grow your business. A better understanding of business functions including marketing, finance, and operations. How to execute…  Read more

Business confidence soared in August, rising 23 points to +51, the highest level in a decade! Against the backdrop of dire economic outlooks and the ’Survive to ’25’ mantra that’s been so prevalent in business circles, this jump in New Zealand business confidence is a genuine boost for small business owners and the economy in general. But with tough times potentially still ahead, what can your business do to ride…  Read more

Three steps to ensuring data is meaningful for your business Raw data describes the facts and figures that a business processes every day. Over time, every business hoards a certain amount of data and it only becomes meaningful to a business after it has been processed to add context, relevance and purpose. For example, in a restaurant, every order will be recorded. However, a restaurant won’t learn much by looking…  Read more

In this series, we’ve been looking at how three questions for business success are approached and provide some practical tools and techniques for the SME owner to answer them. Since businesses have been in existence, these questions have perplexed most of their owners. Before AI, before the internet and even before electricity. Who is my ideal customer? What makes my product or service attractive? How should I be pricing my…  Read more

  Contracting or freelancing requires you to wear a lot of hats. Relationship-building, keeping track of your time, marketing your skills and actually doing the work. But one of your priorities should also be establishing how you handle your money and setting the groundwork for good habits. Understand your deductions Before you start, it’s essential to understand what expenses you can and can’t claim. This means you’ll keep the right…  Read more

About the standards. The healthy homes standards, which became law on 1 July 2019, introduced minimum standards for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress and drainage, and draught stopping in rental properties. Landlords are responsible for ensuring their properties meet the standards and continue to do so over time. When you need to meet the standards. All rental properties will need to comply with the healthy homes standards by 1 July…  Read more