Growth by digital design

Two years after leaving corporate life, Josh Burgisser built Burgs Digital into a full-stack marketing agency. He talks to David Nothling-Demmer about the attention economy, why video isn’t optional for small businesses showing up online, and convincing his own father to become a client.

Small goals, global ambition

Kiwi innovation meets smart marketing. Telescopicgoal is transforming the way football is played and trained around the world, all with a clever, adjustable aluminium goal and a creative, targeted approach to reaching customers.

Hospitality with heart

Taupō’s The Cozy Corner isn’t just a café, it’s a community hub where inclusivity, wellness, and sustainability meet. With a menu that caters to every dietary need, a great team culture, and a commitment to values-driven business, owner Camilla Baker has built an eco-friendly café that sets the standard for hospitality with heart.

The IP paradox: When IP helps and hinders entrepreneurship

New Zealand research into scientist-entrepreneurs has identified an “IP paradox”: Intellectual property is seen as essential to start-up success, yet often experienced as a costly, complex barrier. Here’s what the findings mean for founders, investors and the wider SME community.

Forget the AI hype, follow the data

AI is having its “peak hype” moment, but beneath the noise there is a very practical question most New Zealand business owners are asking: Will this actually help my business run better, or is it just another shiny tech distraction?

Getting your SME business AI-ready

Most of the AI conversation right now is about what the technology will eventually do for everyone. Not much of it covers what you should actually start doing, this week, to make sure your business can use any of it. Let’s change that.

Turning personal experience into purpose

Keynote speaker, educator, author, recording artist and Solo Meo Award winner Julia Grace, has turned her mental health journey into inspiring talks, workshops, and performances across New Zealand and beyond. She’s also made a success of being an entrepreneur in the process.

Beyond survival

After a punishing economic cycle Kiwi businesses are emerging into something of a stabilisation period. Cautiously optimistic, past the worst, but with operating costs still biting and reinvestment held back. Why the next six months will define the recovery, and what business owners need to be doing in that period.

Glow and grow

Turning a dreaded parenting challenge into a science-powered solution, ISpy Nits is making head lice detection accurate, stigma-free, and even fun for kids, and in the process earning Kate Ricketts a well-deserved David Award.

When hard work stops creating value

New Zealand’s productivity gap with countries like Finland isn’t about effort, it’s about clarity. Elliot Royce argues that as businesses grow, complexity quietly crowds out a shared understanding of what actually creates value, turning productivity into a symptom rather than the real problem.

open banking nz

Kiwibank flips the switch on open banking for SMEs

Kiwibank has become the first New Zealand bank to roll out open banking across all its digital channels for both individual and business customers, delivering most of the data‑sharing capability required by regulators six months ahead of its statutory deadline.

Napier sml

NZ’s events industry finally re-connects

‘Eventing the Future’ and the NZEA NZ Event Awards are scheduled for late July, as those events calendars roar back into action. The NZ Events Association (NZEA) is thrilled to announce its ‘Eventing the Future 2022’ conference is taking place at the Napier War Memorial Centre on 26 and 27 July. Nearly two years in the making, the premier National Events Industry Conference is finally back after multiple postponements forced by Covid restrictions. Initially planned for 2020, the conference has drawn an enthusiastic response as industry figures welcome the chance for an in-person meeting of minds and ideas. Ségolène de Fontenay (pictured below), NZ Events Association General Manager says postponements and cancellations have been all too familiar for those in

BOINZ

BOINZ 2022 Conference & Exhibition

BOINZ 2022 Conference & Exhibition has a great line up of speakers this year! We look forward to seeing you at this fantastic industry event where the opportunity for networking and collaborating in person is happening once again. Rotorua, August 8th-10th, 2022 Registration closes at 5pm on Sunday 17 July register today to secure your spot at our conference. 

Handshake

Negotiating with Confidence Workshop

Price is only one lever in a good negotiation. Are you considering all the other facets you could use during a negotiation? Boost your negotiation skills to create more value and build win-win partnerships with our one-day immersive workshop – Negotiating with Confidence. This workshop offers fundamental and practical negotiation techniques applicable to negotiation in many contexts and situations. Participants will gain hands-on experience in a risk-free and interactive environment. For more info, please read the brochure here – Negotiating with Confidence. Location: Hyundai Marine Sports Centre, 8/10 Tamaki Drive, Okahu Bay, Auckland 1071 Date: 25 Aug 2022 Time: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm This workshop will be facilitated by Michael Fooks, Indicator Head Trainer.  

James Fuller

Self-employed Kiwis pessimistic about Economy

Self-employed New Zealanders are losing around two million hours a week (approximately $3.2 billion per year) in productivity, due to the burden of tax and financial administration.  Meanwhile 75 percent believe the 2022 Budget would have either zero or a negative effect on their business, according to the latest results from the independent Sole Trader Pulse survey. Sole traders are a significant part of New Zealand’s economy, making up almost 20 percent of the workforce. The independent survey, commissioned by Hnry, also reveals many have a pessimistic outlook on the economy’s health, with just over 40 percent saying conditions will be poor, or very poor, in six months’ time. James Fuller (pictured), CEO and co-founder of accountancy firm Hnry, says despite increased earnings