Business in Fiji: two compelling joint ventures
With Fiji’s economy growing strongly and a wealth of incentives and assistance on offer, 2023 is the perfect time for Kiwi businesses to build both value and capability there through
With Fiji’s economy growing strongly and a wealth of incentives and assistance on offer, 2023 is the perfect time for Kiwi businesses to build both value and capability there through
Twelve months after its launch, Richard Conway reviews the benefits of Google’s automated targeting technology. Multiple decades in the digital marketing industry have taught me that all marketing strategies begin
Logan Wedgwood shares some marketing tactics that can lift your business in a recession. When things get difficult financially, the natural response is to look for savings. Costs you can
Mat Wylie shares advice on how you can recession-proof your business by focusing on your customers. Right now, with high interest rates and less cash to go around, business owners
Jo Douglas describes how the new Fair Pay Agreements landscape affects your business. The Fair Pay Agreements Act 2022 is now law. Considered by some to represent the most significant
Buyers face a bewildering array of smartphone options and prices in 2023. Our technology specialist Bill Bennett provides a guide to the best phones.
Liz Wotherspoon delivers a unique perspective on New Zealand’s SMB sector. As we leap into 2023, The Icehouse team is building on the results of our November 2022 Pulse Check Survey[1], which gathered insights and reflections on the past two and a half years from more than 300 New Zealand SMBs. The narrative surprised a few, brought optimism to many, but most importantly sets a momentum to be cautiously optimistic about what businesses need and want for the next 12 months. Given the challenges and opportunities they have faced over the last couple of years, the story is heartening – 58 percent of survey respondents saw their annual revenue increase since Covid and, for 32 percent of those, the increase
Ackama is a forward-thinking Trans-Tasman software company with an inspiring track-record and a heart for positive social impact. Not surprisingly, like many significant software technology developers, Ackama has kept a relatively low public profile over the years, and comes from humble beginnings. Its journey began in September 2010 when Breccan McLeod-Lundy started out as an independent contractor and web developer in Wellington. His business name Rabid Technologies was a reflection of his eagerness and enthusiasm to produce great work. Josh Forde subsequently joined Breccan in the business, helping to grow more ambitious solutions, and rather than complain about government social good projects the two realised they would have to become an established and formidable influencer themselves. Around the same time
Looked at your business plans lately? Business growth specialist Fiona Clark dishes up some great advice for making 2023 one of your best years ever. What will 2023 bring? Should we be excited or concerned? We know the economy is tough, but what does that mean for your business? While there may be factors outside of your control, there are also many things you can do to have a strong year ahead. First of all, it’s time for Business Growth thinking, not Business as Usual thinking. There is a year ahead of you and a lot can happen in 12 months. This is the time to take a step back, look at your business objectively and with a fresh perspective.
An AI-powered chatbot built by hoteliers and targeting the world’s hospitality industry is finally gaining traction post-lockdowns. BookMeBob is a Kiwi success story four years in the making. When you look at David Thompson’s resumé, it’s easy to understand why he says hospitality management is in his blood. With a career stretching back 27 years and spanning New Zealand, Australia and the US, he’s got a pretty solid understanding of the industry and what drives it. And what drives it can be summed up in one word – bookings. This is where BookMeBob excels. Four years ago, after Air New Zealand’s AI-assistant Oscar had made its debut, David was encouraged to look into other verticals for artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
Clare Wilson’s soap dish business is proof that simple ideas expertly executed can enjoy commercial success. But the 2022 David Awards supreme winner still found her business strategy a massive learning experience. For 20 years Southlander Clare Wilson enjoyed a career in the museum sector. However, some clever product ideas that had been “rattling around” in her head made her increasingly restless. Inevitably something had to give, and when it did, she was already in her late 40s. The idea was The Block Dock, a business and a brand behind a range of smartly functional soap holders and bathroom wall-mounted accessories that people around New Zealand and overseas are quickly falling in love with. Clare explains that she also started
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