BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//NZBusiness Magazine - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://nzbusiness.co.nz X-WR-CALDESC:Events for NZBusiness Magazine REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Pacific/Auckland BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1300 TZOFFSETTO:+1200 TZNAME:NZST DTSTART:20240406T140000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1200 TZOFFSETTO:+1300 TZNAME:NZDT DTSTART:20240928T140000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1300 TZOFFSETTO:+1200 TZNAME:NZST DTSTART:20250405T140000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1200 TZOFFSETTO:+1300 TZNAME:NZDT DTSTART:20250927T140000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1300 TZOFFSETTO:+1200 TZNAME:NZST DTSTART:20260404T140000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1200 TZOFFSETTO:+1300 TZNAME:NZDT DTSTART:20260926T140000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1300 TZOFFSETTO:+1200 TZNAME:NZST DTSTART:20270403T140000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1200 TZOFFSETTO:+1300 TZNAME:NZDT DTSTART:20270925T140000 END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260528T070000 DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260528T093000 DTSTAMP:20260610T152755 CREATED:20260401T005619Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260514T024836Z UID:13439-1779951600-1779960600@nzbusiness.co.nz SUMMARY:Ready to Rise Business Breakfast - May 2026 DESCRIPTION:Growth in 2026 looks different. Ready to Rise spotlights the businesses making it happen now – sharing honest insights\, smart strategies\, and real-world lessons on building momentum in a changing market.\nAfter several years defined by caution\, cost control\, and uncertainty\, many New Zealand businesses have entered 2026 with a different mindset – one that’s more focused on traction than survival – albeit within the context of global uncertainty. Not every business is booming\, but there are clear signals of progress\, and for those willing to adapt\, real opportunities are emerging. \nReady to Rise returns in 2026 as a business breakfast series focused on what it actually takes to move forward in this environment. Less about hype\, more about practical growth. \nThis May\, the focus turns to the businesses that are gaining momentum right now. Not in theory\, but in practice. You’ll hear directly from founders and leaders who are navigating today’s conditions and finding ways to grow – what they’re doing differently\, where they’re placing their bets\, and how they’re managing risk along the way. \nJoin us for an energising morning of practical insight\, honest conversation\, and forward-thinking strategy. We’ll unpack: \n\nHow New Zealand businesses are finding pockets of growth in a still-challenging market\nThe decisions and trade-offs shaping stronger performance\nWhere the most immediate opportunities for growth lie in 2026\nWhat it takes to shift from steady to scalable in the current climate\nHow new tech and AI is powering a new type of growth for small business\n\nWhether you’re looking to unlock your next phase of growth\, sense-check your strategy\, or learn from those already making progress\, this event will leave you better equipped to move forward with clarity and confidence. \nIn 2026\, it’s not just about staying the course – it’s about how you rise. \nSpeakers\nThroughout the morning you’ll hear from inspiring founders with different but equally compelling growth stories. Including\, a candid conversation with James Fuller during which he’ll discuss building one of Australasia’s fastest-growing fintechs\, scaling through shifting market conditions\, and what founders should prioritise as growth accelerates. Vicky Cullinane will share insights from launching Lemon & Beaker into the Korean beauty market\, including export lessons\, common misconceptions around international growth\, and the importance of maintaining momentum locally. And\, Shyr Godfrey will unpack how Forty Thieves continues to achieve strong growth in the often challenging FMCG space through practical decisions around product\, pricing\, and market expansion across New Zealand\, Australia\, and Asia. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n James Fuller is Co-founder and CEO of Hnry\, a fintech platform simplifying tax and financial admin for sole traders. After early roles in technology\, strategy\, and consulting with Thomson Reuters and Deloitte\, James experienced firsthand the challenges of self-employment — leading him to co-create Hnry in 2017. Since launch\, Hnry has grown to become New Zealand’s largest and Australasia’s fastest-growing accounting service\, processing billions in payments and supporting thousands of self-employed individuals. The company’s mission is to make self-employment simple\, affordable\, and accessible\, freeing up time for people to focus on what they do best.\n \n \n \n \n \n Vicky Cullinane is Co-Founder of Lemon & Beaker\, a skincare brand bridging native New Zealand botanicals with advanced Korean skin technology. Her leadership has taken the brand to the global stage\, launching into South Korea in 2025 – one of the world’s most saturated beauty markets with over 33\,000 competing brands – where Lemon & Beaker generated $1.9M in sales within three hours of going live on local channels. In the US\, Vicky led a spa-first rollout strategy that has driven significant commercial momentum\, including a multi-year distribution agreement valued at NZD $20 million. Today\, she continues to lead Lemon & Beaker’s international expansion.\n \n \n \n \n \n Shyr Godfrey is the Co-owner and Co-founder of Forty Thieves Nut Butters. Together with her husband Brent\, Shyr has built Forty Thieves into one of New Zealand’s leading premium nut butter brands. Their multi-award-winning range is now stocked in 500+ supermarkets nationwide and exported to Singapore\, Malaysia\, Taiwan and Hong Kong with Australia coming onboard in June. Shyr is a problem solver and true hustler with a creative approach to business. She has focused on shaping their family business into a values-driven brand with a strong identity. Through a community-focused marketing strategy\, Forty Thieves has established itself as a trusted brand for adventure\, performance\, and everyday wellness. Shyr has built strong connections with key FMCG decision-makers and plays an integral part in the Forty Thieves expansion strategy globally. Most recently\, Shyr launched a podcast – Smashing PBs\, where she chats with inspiring Kiwis who are consistently showing up as their Personal Bests.\n \n \n\nPanel\nGrowth\, rewired: AI\, automation & the future of business\nAI is rapidly changing how businesses operate\, compete\, and grow. In this panel discussion\, Dave Howden (SupaHuman)\, Andrew Fairgray (2degrees)\, and Ana Ivanovic-Tongue (academyEX) will explore how SMEs can move beyond the hype and start thinking strategically about AI\, automation\, workforce capability\, and what business leadership looks like in an AI-enabled future. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Dave Howden is the CEO and Co-Founder at SupaHuman\, leading a team building the first AI-operating system for vocational education and regulated industries across Australia and New Zealand. Dave is a seasoned technology leader and creative engineer with over 20 years in emerging tech. SupaHuman works with trades training providers\, polytechnics\, geotechnical consultants\, commercial providers to make job development more effective\, accessible\, and more connected to what employers actually need.\n \n \n \n \n \n Andrew Fairgray was appointed Chief Business Officer at 2degrees in September 2019. Andrew is an industry veteran\, having formally run his own business JETA Group. Previous to that was the head of corporate and government sales at Vodafone. He has also held a range of executive roles in New Zealand and overseas with multi-national operators such as Alcatel Lucent\, Nokia\, and IBM. He currently is also an Independent Director of New Zealand Racing Board. Andrew joined 2degrees in their 10th year\, with a strong brand and a significant opportunity to grow market share and Fight for Fair for Kiwi Businesses. Most recently through the merger with Vocus\, he continues to lead the 2degrees Business team to improve the overall productivity of New Zealand Inc. through leveraging 2degrees world class mobile and fixed networks.\n \n \n \n \n \n Ana Ivanovic-Tongue is Chief Delivery Officer at academyEX\, where she helps New Zealand businesses and government organisations build AI fluency and skills for the future. With 25 years in arts and culture and a decade in digital transformation\, she champions the enduring human skills of creativity\, critical thinking\, curiosity that define an agent-native future.\n \n \n\nEvent sponsor URL:https://nzbusiness.co.nz/event/ready-to-rise-business-breakfast-may-2026 LOCATION:New Zealand International Convention Centre\, 101 Hobson Street\, Auckland\, 1010\, New Zealand CATEGORIES:Ready to Rise ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://nzbusiness.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Ready-to-Rise-222-scaled.png ORGANIZER;CN="NZBusiness magazine":MAILTO:editor@nzbusiness.co.nz END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20251127T070000 DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20251127T093000 DTSTAMP:20260610T152755 CREATED:20250915T230209Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260429T213353Z UID:12940-1764226800-1764235800@nzbusiness.co.nz SUMMARY:Ready to Rise Business Breakfast DESCRIPTION:Step into 2026 with confidence. Join NZBusiness for the Ready to Rise Business Breakfast and discover strategies\, insights\, and inspiration for SME growth.\nAs 2025 draws to a close\, New Zealand business leaders are looking beyond survival and focusing on opportunity\, strategy\, and growth – a sentiment reinforced by research from premier event sponsor 2degrees. The findings show the highest levels of business optimism since the telco began its annual Shaping Business Study in 2021\, with 45 percent of decision-makers feeling more positive about their prospects than last year. \nIn response to this emerging confidence\, the Ready to Rise Business Breakfast will give SME owners and decision-makers practical strategies\, insights\, and inspiration to move from survival mode into growth mode as they prepare for 2026. \nThe breakfast will feature talks from Sam Stubbs\, Co-founder of Simplicity\, on “Purpose and prosperity: Building the New Zealand economy we want”\, and James Boult\, Co-founder of Gravity\, discussing “Why now is the best time to be an SME”\, with great insight around AI and new tech. Sean Bell\, National Direct Sales Manager – SME for 2degrees will deliver an insights session\, as he unpacks the company’s Shaping Business Study results. The morning wraps up with a dynamic panel of experts – Neil Gaught FRSA\, Kate Wilson\, and Loren Tomlinson – who will explore “Purpose\, protection and growth for SMEs”\, unpacking how businesses can align purpose with performance\, protect intellectual property\, and harness digital strategy for competitive advantage. The morning will be hosted and guided by Marisa Fong\, co-founder of Madison Recruitment and mentor to female founders. \n\n  \nMC\, Speakers & Panellists\nMarisa Fong turns “I didn’t know that” moments into eight-figure exits. As co-founder of Madison Recruitment – NZ’s largest privately held recruitment agency\, sold for $38 million – she now backs female founders through her venture re:ampd with real-world\, battle-tested strategies. A past President of Entrepreneurs Organisation and Hall of Fame inductee for Women Entrepreneurs (2020)\, she has judged the New Zealander of the Year Awards and contributes to boards and networks including Global Women and Institute of Directors. \nJames Boult is the co-founder of Gravity\, an innovation studio that helps organisations build and launch new products at speed. After years working with global brands\, major corporates and fast-moving start-ups\, he’s seen first-hand what makes large companies stall\, and how small\, nimble businesses can out-adapt and out-innovate. His work turning “start-up speed” into a repeatable model for big clients gives him a unique vantage point on why this moment belongs to SMEs and how they can use it to get ahead while larger competitors are stuck. \nKate Wilson is a registered patent attorney\, educator and internationally recognised IP strategist. She is a former founding partner of James & Wells\, holds degrees in physics and chemistry\, and has extensive expertise in establishing and managing IP portfolios. An inductee into the NZ Women Entrepreneurs’ Hall of Fame\, she is passionate about helping businesses leverage their intangible assets. She is the Author of the recently published book The Hidden Mechanics of IP and currently works with James & Wells as an IP strategist and IP educator. \nNeil Gaught FRSA is an internationally recognised business and management thinker and a pioneer of purpose-driven enterprise\, best known as the creator of Single Organizing Idea (SOI®) — a breakthrough framework that enables organisations to embed purpose at the core of governance\, culture and longterm value creation. For more than two decades\, Neil has advised leaders and equipped organisations with practical tools to turn purpose into profitable outcomes that benefit all stakeholders. His work has taken him to more than 60 countries and every major sector. \nLoren Tomlinson is Founder and Strategist at The Social Collective\, a holistic marketing agency helping service-based businesses and personal brands show up with clarity\, consistency\, and strategy that actually works. With years of experience across digital strategy\, brand development\, and campaign execution\, Loren also host Coffees and Content\, a top marketing podcast sharing honest insights\, real conversations\, and practical advice for growing a business online without losing your voice (or your mind). \nSam Stubbs is Co-Founder and MD of Simplicity. Prior to that he was the CEO of Tower Investments\, a KiwiSaver default provider\, Managing Director of Hanover Group\, and spent 10 years working for Goldman Sachs in London and Hong Kong. He previously worked for Natwest Markets\, Fay\, Richwhite and IBM New Zealand. He has been a Board Member of the Financial Services Council\, and a member of the Government Taskforce on Financial Services. Sam has an MA (Hons) from the University of Auckland. He is the father of two children\, dreams of Simplicity and sailing around the world. \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n\n\n\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nSean Bell is the National Direct Sales Manager – SME for 2degrees based in Auckland. He leads a team of Business Development Managers across New Zealand. With a strong background in sales leadership and partnership development\, Sean drives performance through collaboration\, innovation\, and customer-centric solutions Sean is known for his results-driven approach and commitment to excellence. Sean thrives on building meaningful connections that deliver long-term value. \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nPremier Sponsor\nEvent Sponsors\n \n \n \n  \n \n  URL:https://nzbusiness.co.nz/event/ready-to-rise-business-breakfast LOCATION:Hilton Hotel\, 147 Quay Street\, Auckland\, New Zealand CATEGORIES:Ready to Rise ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://nzbusiness.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Ready-to-Rise-222-scaled.png ORGANIZER;CN="NZBusiness":MAILTO:editor@nzbusiness.co.nz END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR