A while back I sat down with a business owner we work with. Cracking little business, glowing reviews, the kind of local reputation most people would give their right arm for. And they were undercharging. Not by a bit, by a mile. When I gently suggested it might be...
There is a moment most business owners hit at some point. Things have been turbulent, a chapter has closed, and suddenly you find yourself wondering if you still have it. The drive, the clarity, the spark that built the thing in the first place. Here is the truth that...
The email landed just after lunch. Three lines. A supplier needs paying this week, there are two payrolls right behind it, and the money to cover all three does not currently exist. Twenty minutes later, the follow-up arrived: do we have a backup plan? Names changed...
If you are in the trades right now, you will already know the pressure. Fuel is climbing, supply is tightening, and prices have jumped off the back of transport costs flowing through everything. The question is not whether to pass those costs on. It is how you do it...
Running a business in New Zealand often means wearing more hats than you’d like. One minute you’re talking strategy, the next you’re chasing invoices or fixing a systems issue. It’s part of the journey, especially in the early stages. But there’s a point where wearing...
Most Kiwi business owners do not struggle with ambition. They struggle with capacity. It is one thing to build a business. It is another thing to build a business while raising young kids, protecting your relationship, and keeping the wheels on at home. In this Beyond...
Understanding the different paths into business ownership Many people assume starting a business follows a single path. You come up with an idea, launch the business, and gradually grow it into something successful. In reality, business ownership paths NZ...
Most Kiwi businesses do not start with spreadsheets and strategy decks. They start with an idea, a few good people, and a willingness to give something a crack. Parrotdog is one of those stories. I first connected with Matt Stevens through a FinTech accelerator...
As the end of the financial year approaches, most business owners fall into one of two categories. Some feel organised. Their numbers are up to date, documents are where they should be, and year end feels like a natural checkpoint. Others feel that familiar pressure...
Raising capital is frequently misunderstood. From the outside, it can look like a well-designed pitch deck, a handful of meetings, and a signed term sheet. In reality, it is a disciplined process that rewards preparation, structure, and credibility long before money...
Recently, while watching Niko sing a number of Rage Against the Machine songs at Rockstock in Tauranga, I was struck by something that had nothing to do with music. It was about presence. Confidence. And the ability to hold a room without sounding rehearsed or forced....
Big changes are coming to KiwiSaver, and they’ll affect more than just your retirement savings. Whether you’re a high earner, an employer, or a younger employee, it’s worth understanding how these shifts could impact your cashflow, payroll obligations, and long-term...
Most of the Kiwi businesses we work with aren’t short of work. They’re busy. Order books are full. Teams are flat out. On paper, things look great—but the cashflow often tells a more complicated story. Over the past year, business liquidations across New Zealand have...
Every business owner knows the feeling. January arrives with a bit of breathing room. After a summer break, everything feels possible. You have fresh energy, space to think, and big plans to make this year different. Then February shows up. The inbox is full again....
Growing a business is exciting. It signals momentum, demand, and opportunity. But behind the scenes, growth can also bring a very real kind of financial strain. If you're hiring faster than revenue lands, or investing heavily to scale up, your cash position can feel...
Marketing looks different for everyone. For some, it means strategy decks and ad campaigns. For others, it's something much simpler: being seen. You don't need to be everywhere or do everything. But if no one knows what your business is up to, they can’t refer you,...
As the year winds down, Christmas and summer in the Bay of Plenty arrive all at once. For some business owners, it's a mad rush to the finish line. For others, it's the quiet wait before everything starts again. This season looks different for everyone and that's the...
Running a business in a small town can be one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do—and one of the loneliest. In a previous column, I shared thoughts on burnout, referencing a Massey Business School study that found 57% of Kiwi workers are at high risk. Here in...
Many business owners I speak to around Whakatāne are running flat out — long days, full books, and still not much left at month’s end. It’s a familiar challenge. And more often than not, the issue is that their hourly rate doesn’t reflect the true cost of labour in...
As a finance broker, it’s easy to stay focused on client deals and commissions—but what about your own numbers? A mid-year financial review for brokers is the ideal moment to step back, review your position, and make smarter moves around tax and cashflow. Waiting...
