The zero-cost loyalty strategy: The humble gift card is your secret weapon

Talk to almost any New Zealand franchise network and bring up customer loyalty, and you will likely hear a chorus of predictable groans. You’ll hear about eye-watering development costs, complex data integrations, and frustrated franchisees.

In a tight economic climate, Kiwi businesses know they need a way to keep customers coming back. But in a franchise network, we hear a common refrain: “Our franchisees question the value in central marketing initiatives,” or “A loyalty programme is just too expensive to roll out right now.”

Why AI is no longer just a tech conversation

As AI rapidly shifts from experimentation to operational reality, AI start-up founder Dave Howden says the businesses that move first – and rethink how work gets done – will hold the advantage.

Healthtex kiwi entrepreneurs

The pharmacist who listened

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.

Preparing for the coming payroll changes

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.

Narmadhaa Palanisamy with Lisa Wall

Walks give women access to female leaders

Senior and diverse Christchurch female leaders will ‘walk and talk’ with aspiring female leaders when Mentor Walks launches its first New Zealand event in Christchurch on Thursday 19 May. Mentor Walks is a simple idea designed to have a big impact on women’s careers – a one hour walk and conversation with an exceptional female leader – to help women get clarity on career and business challenges and opportunities and build networks. Christchurch is the first city to launch a Mentor Walks programme in New Zealand, with the support and partnership of Christchurch-headquartered global software company Seequent. “When one of our team members reached out about Mentor Walks, we jumped at the opportunity to partner with them,” says Lisa Wall, Chief

Short Notice

Short Notice initiative keeps small businesses busy

Short Notice is a brand new service designed to help small businesses find staff… at very short notice.  Do you know your way around a cash register or a coffee machine? If you do, your local might be looking for you. Neighbourly has devised a clever little service to help keep the community economy ticking, propping up small businesses with a resource that is proving hard to find: people. Short Notice is designed to help small businesses find staff… at short notice.  Neighbourly is a proudly Kiwi-owned social impact platform for individuals and communities to interact with each other with a goal to do more ‘local good’. The initiative is not about providing long-term recruitment solutions, but rather a helping hand

SSL Certificate

Improving your website protection

James Rowlands shares his top five tips for securing and protecting your business website in 2022. For most businesses, a website is the key part of an online presence, and increasingly the way the business communicates and sells to customers. For these reasons, it’s crucial a website is well-built, so it is able to attract and convert customers. It’s also vital that a website is secure, since any website is vulnerable to hackers. Hacking attacks can be devastating for a business, so here are five key ways to protect a website from attackers: Install an SSL Certificate An SSL certificate is a piece of code on your web server that provides security for online communications. When a web browser contacts your secured website,

NZIBA 2022

Top exporters’ time to shine

Entries and nominations are now open for the New Zealand International Business Awards 2022, the country’s most prestigious national awards for export businesses.     The NZIBAs celebrate the global success, vision and determination of New Zealand businesses, and over the past two years the resilience and innovation of New Zealand’s export community have mattered like never before.   As New Zealand reconnects with the world, the NZIBAs aim to celebrate and acknowledge some incredible achievements – and look ahead to the future.  Special award categories in 2022 have been refreshed to include; Excellence in Integrating Digital Commerce for Growth, Excellence in Innovation; Excellence in Brand Storytelling; Excellence in Sustainability; and Leveraging Investment for International Growth.   These join general award categories for Best

lucy-arnold-felt-founder sml

Aotearoa’s ‘Business For Good’ turns 15

Thousands of makers at Felt.co.nz collectively make more than $1 million in sales every year. New Zealand’s largest online marketplace for locally made goods and gifts has its 15th birthday this June. This creative hub of craftsmanship has ensured thousands of New Zealand makers have a platform to connect with customers, and in turn, their own businesses are thriving. Felt is a one stop shop, where you can buy direct from Kiwi makers, 24/7. One visit will show you everything from jewellery and art, to homewares and toys. Your Felt purchase could very well be made by the passionate artist next door or a work-at-home parent. It could be the side hustle of a self-employed designer, or the project of