When you’re a small business owner, you get used to people giving you advice. Sometimes you seek out their insights while other times they share whether you want them to or not. While the advice is almost always well-intended, it’s not always good. In fact, sometimes it’s downright awful. Here are some tips that well-meaning people give to small business owners that definitely should not be followed. 1. Never turn… Read more
Hello again – welcome to the latest edition of our Weekly Digest. Read on for this week’s update. Survey: NZ Businesses Prepared to Innovate In an Asia Pacific survey by Microsoft, about a quarter of 420 New Zealand businesses were leaders in promoting innovation, significantly more than the Asia Pacific average of 8%. It was also found that nearly two-thirds of New Zealand organisations were speeding up the adoption of… Read more
The COVID-19 pandemic has caught most of us off guard. Who would’ve thought that the world would spend the year battling a virus? This unprecedented global crisis is a reminder that these business threats are very real and acts as a wake-up call for business leaders. Even if the scenario may seem far-fetched, it pays to prepare for the worst. When a pandemic hits, businesses play a crucial role in… Read more
Hello again – welcome to the latest edition of our Weekly Digest. Read on for this week’s update. Auckland Moved to Alert Level 1 Auckland moved to Alert Level 1 at 11.59pm on Wednesday night. Under level 1, Aucklanders will now be able to go about life as usual, which is great news as it will likely mean business activity will pick up. However, it is important to note that… Read more
Managing cash flow is a vital part of running a successful business. Some business owners think managing cash flow simply means keeping track of how much money enters and leaves their business, but there’s actually more that goes into it. Cash flow forecasting, for example, is an incredibly valuable tool that helps you anticipate cash flow issues, plan for days when your cash flow is limited, and show the bank… Read more
Reminder: Put Your QR Codes Back Up The rest of New Zealand, excluding Auckland, moved to Alert Level 1 on September 21. This means most temporary restrictions and requirements for businesses were eased. However, after receiving almost 200 complaints about missing QR codes and lack of physical distancing through WorkSafe, businesses are reminded that displaying NZ Covid Tracer app QR codes is required at all alert levels. If you want… Read more
As you know, the COVID-19 pandemic is not just a public health issue, it’s also caused lockdowns and financial worries on a global scale. Small businesses are not strangers to the impacts of the pandemic. In a survey by the International Trade Centre (ITC) among 1,200 businesses in 109 countries between 20 April and 4 May, the pandemic has strongly affected 60% of the businesses. The results of the survey… Read more
Hello again – welcome to the latest edition of our Weekly Digest. Read on for this week’s update. NZ Begins Lifting COVID-19 Restrictions From Monday, all remaining COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted except in Auckland, which will continue to have some restrictions for at least another 16 days. Under the plan, the limit on social gatherings in the largest city will be increased from 10 to 100 on Wednesday, and… Read more
More and more people are leaving their office jobs and setting up an online business these days, especially because of COVID-19. Running an online business offers a way for you to work from home and be your own boss. It may sound like an overwhelming process, but many entrepreneurs find it fulfilling. Here are some tips to increase the chances your small online business will be a success, and you’ll… Read more
Hello again – welcome to the latest edition of our Weekly Digest. Read on for this week’s update. Restrictions to be Lifted in Most of Country on Sep 21 COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted across the country on September 21, except in Auckland, which has been the centre of the second wave of infections. However, cabinet will review the current rules for Auckland at its September 21 meeting, potentially increasing… Read more
We started 2020 with optimism and hope that this year was going to be better than the last– but then, COVID-19 happened and brought sudden massive changes worldwide. It has disrupted the way we interact, shop, work, and transact. Businesses of all sizes have been plunged into darkness, with some even having to shut completely Meanwhile, others managed to find dynamic solutions to shelter their businesses from the harsh impacts… Read more
Hello again – welcome to the latest edition of our Weekly Digest. Read on for this week’s update. Keeping Auckland at Alert Level 2.5 Mayor Phil Goff says keeping Auckland at Alert Level 2.5 is the right decision and is asking residents to continue playing their part. Moving too early can cause further resurgence of the virus, so everyone is urged to stay the course. At Alert Level 2.5, social… Read more
As small business owners look to operations after COVID-19, there are some important business questions to ask. These questions will help you determine what adaptations you want to keep, whether your business model is working, and if there are additional changes you want to make to keep your company operational through future economic downturns. It’s not always fun to do this sort of examination, but the answers to these questions… Read more
Hello again – welcome to the latest edition of our Weekly Digest. Read on for this week’s update. Auckland Lockdown Lifted While schools and businesses reopened this week in Auckland after the lifting of the recently imposed lockdown, face masks were made mandatory on public transport across the country. This move is intended to contain the resurgence of COVID-19. Limits on social gatherings in Auckland also remain, while the rest… Read more
If you’re like many small business owners you’re probably astounded by how the world has changed in a very short time. While we can all hope that the pandemic is a once-in-a-lifetime scenario, the truth is there is a lot in life and in business that is uncertain, and there is a great deal we can learn from the response to COVID-19 to help plan for the future. Yes, your… Read more
Hello again – welcome to the latest edition of our Weekly Digest. Read on for this week’s update. 4-Day Extension of Auckland Lockdown The lockdown in Auckland, which had been originally scheduled to end on Wednesday, has been extended until Sunday night. The city has been gradually going to Alert Level 2 restrictions from Monday. Together with this extension is the introduction of mandatory mask wearing on public transport across… Read more
Hello again – welcome to the latest edition of our Weekly Digest. Read on for this week’s update. COVID-19 Outbreak After 102 days without community transmission, we’ve all been a little shaken by the return of the coronavirus. According to health officials, COVID-19 may have been circulating in Auckland for weeks, as 13 new community cases were confirmed. All these are linked to the initial four cases announced last week.… Read more
Hello again – welcome to the latest edition of our Weekly Digest. Read on for this week’s update. Call for Calm Amid Auckland’s Return to Alert Level 3 Four new COVID-19 cases have been detected in Auckland this week ending our 102 day streak without a locally transmitted cases. Level 3 restrictions have been reintroduced in Auckland as at 12pm Wednesday until midnight on Friday. While health officials determine the… Read more
Hello again – welcome to the latest edition of our Weekly Digest. Read on for this week’s update. NZ Government Relaunched Campaign to Raise COVID-19 Awareness Although life feels a bit closer to normal than before, the government has relaunched a campaign to raise community awareness about the coronavirus, instructing people to be ready and take a COVID-19 test when given the opportunity. Top health official, Dr. Ashley Bloomfield, said… Read more
Hello again – welcome to the latest edition of our Weekly Digest. Read on for this week’s update. Exemptions From Managed Isolation A small number of people may be eligible for an exemption from the required 14-day managed isolation for people entering New Zealand, such as those with serious medical conditions that cannot be managed in the accommodation provided. The following are the general rules for those granted an exceptional… Read more