The Emperor’s new clothes
Ben Keyes pays tribute to the ‘real’ small businesses of New Zealand – the ones holding up our economy in the most difficult of...
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Opinion
112 Articles
How to choose the right clients and why it’s important
James Nicolle explains why it’s important to choose clients who align with your business’s purpose, vision and values. It isn’t...
Embracing new ideas
The history of Formula 1 has some lessons for franchisors on managing innovation, suggests Simon Lord. The 1970s were a fertile time in...
Marketing mileage: a Nike case study
Nike’s latest marketing achievement in Southeast Asia demonstrates the absolute power of...
The wages of sin
Employment issues continue to dog the franchise sector in Australia. Simon Lord asks if New Zealand franchisors are prepared? Last...
Franchise File – Bad bed-fellows
Mixing private equity and franchising rarely works, says Simon...
Time to sit in the bath
Brian H Meredith gets to the heart of poor customer experiences, and explains how it takes hard work and a paradigm shift from the CEO down...
Is the TPPA really in our best interests?
Will the TPPA have an impact on New Zealand’s SME sector? Ashley Balls has concerns. On the assumption New Zealand has signed the...
Two, four, six, eight… time for us to legislate?
More laws are not the answer to stopping law breakers, suggests Simon Lord. In the 1960s, the great Tom Lehrer wrote a song about the...
Taxing land transactions: where’s the bright side?
On 1 October some of the most significant changes to taxing land and property transactions since the abolition of stamp duty, came...
Employment Matters – Secret recordings, where do you stand?
In a unique case before the Employment Relations Authority, it was ruled that an employee’s secret recording did not amount to...
Export Report – Standing out on the export stage
At ExportNZ we believe it’s important to celebrate Kiwi exporters’ success, which is why, once a year we get to hold...
Marketing Maestro – Make your brand work
Brian H Meredith reminds us that a brand relationship is driven by the sum total of every behaviour, however large or small, that...
Franchise File – Are you cut out to be a franchisor?
To succeed in franchising, you need good people skills as well as a good model, says Simon Lord. Let’s say you have a great...
On Accounts – Start owning your systems
Philippa O’Mara reminds us that systems need to be documented so that everyone involved can deliver a product or service...
Employment Matters- A lesson in procedural fairness
When going through a formal disciplinary process with an employee is it important to provide them with all relevant information relating to...
Export Report – Winning with smiles around the world
Magic Memories took out three award categories and the Supreme Award at the NZ International Business Awards. Catherine Beard has...
Franchise File – When support pays dividends
Every small business owner knows the feeling when you have to make a critical decision outside your everyday operational experience. Will...
On Accounts – Going for growth
Philippa O’Mara explains the principles behind business growth, and which levers are most effective. There’s a great deal of...
The fallout from short notice resignations
Most individual employment agreements (IEAs) state that where an employee fails to give the full contractual notice period when...
Marketing Maestro – Mind what you say, and do
Every behaviour in which an organisation engages has a marketing effect. Plan for it or pay the price, says Brian H Meredith. Vodafone...
October 2014: Employment – Trial period on trial
Ashleigh Nelson highlights the importance of knowing and understanding the strict interpretation of 90-day trial periods. Ninety-day...
Marketing Maestro – Maori wisdom and marketing
When it comes to finding, building and nurturing relationships with customers and potential customers, Brian H Meredith reminds us...
Franchise File – The dangers of do-it-yourself
The dangers of do-it-yourself Franchising can be a great way to grow your business – but, asks Simon Lord, how do you set up...
Customer Excellence
The essentials of great customer care I have been writing this Customer Excellence column for eight years and I am...
Business Employment Matters
How to handle a bully Ashleigh Nelson reviews the new guidelines on workplace bullying recently released by WorkSafe NZ. Along...
Export report
Epic export adviceThe 2014 Go Global conference is a unique opportunity to tap into a large pool of export knowledge. Catherine Beard has...
Marketing Maestro
Build it and they will come. Or will they?Marketers are failing to assume leadership roles within commercial enterprises, which leads to...
Employment Matters
The unexpected costs of trying to buy a resignationBrandon Brown uses a case law example to examine the issue of “without...
Export Report: If you’re going to San Francisco
San Francisco, home of the Kiwi Landing Pad, is an ideal staging post for New Zealand tech firms into the US market. Catherine Beard offers...