A new national productivity programme is aiming to back more than 4,000 Kiwi SMEs into AI adoption. But the most useful lesson for business owners, says ASB’s Ben Speedy, may be the simplest: Think small first.
Three decades behind the counter taught pharmacist turned entrepreneur Tim O’Donoghue that patients know exactly what they want. They just rarely get it. Now, with an FDA-listed product live on Amazon and a 14-strong self-care platform behind it, the Healthtex Co-founder is raising capital through PledgeMe and inviting Kiwi investors into a corner of the global pharmaceutical industry usually reserved for big backers.
Digital and AI experts will share practical strategies to help businesses stay visible and competitive as AI transforms online search and customer behaviour.
A former delivery driver who started at HELL Pizza straight out of school has become one of the brand’s youngest franchise owners, taking over the Kāpiti store at just 21 years old.
Satisfaction among SMEs with the Coalition Government has declined for the second consecutive year, according to new research from MYOB.
Entries are now open for the 2026 David Awards, with this year marking a new chapter for the long-running small business awards programme as NZBusiness steps into the role of Official Steward.
When consumers start watching every dollar, many businesses reach for familiar tactics: Bigger discounts, louder promotions and more urgent calls to buy.
As New Zealand businesses enter a new financial year, the economic outlook remains mixed.
A new survey reveals most SME operators are already taking action as Middle East tensions push fuel costs higher.
Over 300 entries mark another milestone year for the 2026 NZ Hi-Tech Awards, with the Gala Dinner set for May in Auckland.
As brands compete for attention in a crowded market, Marvel Experiences is helping businesses reconnect through thoughtful, high-impact real-world moments.
Read the March issue of NZBusiness, focused on intentional growth — with practical insights, expert perspectives, and real-world stories.
When petrol prices surge, the national conversation usually focuses on motorists. But the real economic risk isn’t the family car, it’s the systems that keep the country moving.
Canterbury has claimed the title of New Zealand’s strongest-performing region for the second quarter running according to ASB report.
New data from small business platform Thryv reveals that while AI adoption among New Zealand SMEs is now mainstream, the majority are still struggling to turn experimentation into real productivity gains.
Many successful SMEs rely heavily on their founders, leaving businesses vulnerable if key decisions suddenly can’t be made. Clear governance and succession planning are crucial to protect both the company and the family.
From hyper-growth to near-collapse, Ārepa co-founder Angus Brown shares the hard lessons, tough calls and strategic pivots that helped steer the business through crisis and back toward stability.
Joseph Darby is reshaping investment management and financial advice for goal-driven Kiwis, here’s what he believes it takes to achieve financial freedom.
Payroll changes from 1 April 2026 will affect wages, KiwiSaver contributions, and ACC levies. Shannon Goodwin and Brendan Clough of Baker Tilly Staples Rodway explain what SME owners need to check now to stay compliant and avoid surprises.
Gen Z entrepreneurship isn’t just about tech start-ups or chasing scale. For young Kiwis like Stuart Savage, it’s about creativity, culture, and community – building ventures that carry meaning, craft, and legacy.
As AI changes how customers research and choose brands, traditional marketing is being upended. Auckland’s The Optimisers highlights the rise of AI answers, agent-led recommendations, and the need for “machine legibility” to stay visible and relevant.
EMS says the introduction of the Employment Leave Bill to Parliament marks a long-awaited step toward resolving ongoing issues with New Zealand’s Holidays Act.
While New Zealand SMEs are up on confidence, Elise Balsillie says this alone is not enough to secure growth, and that credibility is key.
MTF Finance Board Chair Mark Darrow will retire at the end of his current term in mid-2026, bringing to a close a six-year tenure at the New Zealand-owned lender.
Discover practical tips to build trust through authentic sustainability communication, and examples of businesses leading the way.
Small business sales in New Zealand climbed to a three-year high at the end of 2025 according to the latest data from Xero.
Nyssa Waters explains where SMEs are missing out on AI gains, and how to turn funding support into measurable business impact.
Expert says designing franchise systems around head office convenience rather than franchisee success is a mistake.
New research commissioned by Experian reveals that 58 percent of New Zealand organisations have experienced a year-on-year increase in fraud losses.
When Simon Squibb visited New Zealand earlier this year, he helped turn a local café worker’s dream into reality – and shared why small businesses, courage and community matter more than ever.
Education Perfect is a Kiwi global education company that has experienced impressive growth in 2021/22. Its CEO Alex Burke shares the top five fundamentals driving that growth. Over the past two years Education Perfect has employed an additional 100 people across 12 countries and expanded its service offering into a further 38 countries, bringing the total to 80. In mid-2021 it completed a successful investment deal, with global firm KKR taking a majority stake in the company, to the value of more than NZ$450 million. While many tech companies were handed a ‘blessing in disguise’ as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic which sped up the world-wide digital revolution. More people are spending time online working, learning, socialising and transacting.
Want to build relationships with your ideal international clients? Cynthia Dearin has four steps that will help get you started.
Newmarket is preparing to celebrate its best businesses from across its precinct – with a wide range of enterprises among the finalists announced for the 2022 Newmarket Business Awards. The rigorous judging process whittled down entries to an elite group of finalists across 12 categories. The 2022 awards look to be the most competitive in the awards’ ten year history. The independent judging panel includes some of New Zealand’s most prominent business leaders and influencers. Among the line-up is Anne Norman (James Pascoe Group), Stewart Sherriff (Former CEO 2degrees), Anthony Hoy Fong (Celebrity Chef), Cameron Bagrie (Bagrie Economics), Kelly Bennett (One Plus One), Koro Dickinson (Poutama Trust), Elena Kim (PWC), Michelle Vogt (Mint Consulting), Wynnis Armour (Armour Consulting), and four expert mystery shopper judges.
A culture of compliance does not necessarily make a safety culture, as evidenced by the ongoing problem of workplace accidents – a local workplace health and safety provider is warning. Jason Braithwaite, the General Manager of New Zealand health and safety training provider Besafe Training, says permits and signs do not protect workers, but actual health and safety measures are often forgotten in the rush to complete the paperwor “We have a culture of paper health and safety, but proper measures like assessing risk, putting in place appropriate controls and ensuring they are enforced does not get the attention it deserves.” Braithwaite says that in 2022 there is a lot of data and information to help improve how work is performed and
Kiwi job seekers and employees are prioritising flexible working hours over any other benefits companies may be offering, according to a new report. In Frog Recruitment’s 2022 Employment and Salary Trend report more than 1,000 job seekers and employees were asked what matters most to them in terms of salary packages, flexibility, learning and development and other benefits like bonuses. The results were equally in favour of flexible work hours and the ability to work remotely , while career development and training, bonuses and company-paid training rounded out the top five. Frog Recruitment 2022 Employment and Salary Trends Report: Top Ten employee benefits 1. Flexible work hours
Business and marketing strategist Judy Celmins explains the seven stages that can develop the heart of your business and grow it. If blood flow is restricted to your heart, you’re straight off to the specialist – it needs urgent attention to keep you alive! Your business heart is no different, and a timely diagnosis can be a life-saver. Especially as we navigate the tough times. Essential Fuel: First, you have to understand what’s driving the heart of your business. And the easiest way to identify that is to ask yourself, what can’t the business do without? And I’m pretty confident most of us would agree it’s customers. You can always find a new product or service to satisfy your customers, but
Upcoming event
Thursday 28 May 2026 | 7:00am – 9:30am
📍 New Zealand International Convention Centre, 101 Hobson Street, Auckland
Join us for a practical, insight-led morning exploring how Kiwi businesses are navigating today’s conditions and unlocking new growth opportunities in 2026.
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Read the March issue of NZBusiness, focused on intentional growth — with practical insights, expert perspectives, and real-world stories.
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