Chamber News Oct-Dec 2017

OCT - DEC ‘17 | ISSUE 9

chambernews

Ohhat w a t! h g i n

INSIDE THIS ISSUE.

07.

12.

15.

17.

Simply the Best – HR Documentation

Waipa Networks Business Awards 2017

Not Just About The Money

New Member Profiles

AFFORDABLE PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTING

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oftware savvy

U

tmost professionalism

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lient & community

C

ommunication & honesty

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thically trusted

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xperienced & respected

D

ynamic friendly culture 30 Duke Street, Cambridge p. 07 827 5192

www.accounted4.co.nz

presidents corner

PRESIDENT Phil Mackay Rouge Cafe E. phil@rougeempire.co.nz M. 021 337 255 P. 07 823 9178

VICE-PRESIDENTS Susanne Lorenz Meraki Workspace E. susanne@thesmartva.co.nz M. 021 022 81845 Lesley Nielsen Lewis Lawyers E. lesleyn@lewislaw.co.nz M. 021 524 824 P. 07 827 5147

TREASURER Janine Peters Ag Technology NZ Ltd E. janinepeters@agtechnz.com M. 021 957 418 P. 07 827 9295

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Caro Gatley Ravenswood Manor E. caro@caroandco.co.nz M. 021 977 489 P. 07 823 4574 Fran Larsen Evolve U E. evolveu@xtra.co.nz P. 07 823 1972 Greg Wallace Rocketspark E. greg.wallace@rocketspark.com M. 0800 76 25 38 ext 2124 Jim Goddin Grinter's Funeral Home E. jim@grinters.co.nz M. 027 579 2050 P. 07 827 0065 Joel Boyte Tag Business Services E. joel@tagusin.co.nz M. 021 123 1778 Rebecca Jenkins Livewire HR E. Rebecca@livewirehr.co.nz M. 021 918 331 P. 07 394 5933 Sue Duignan Sue Duignan Consultant E. sue@sueduignan.com M. 021 0233 8696

CEO Tania Witheford E. ceo@cambridgechamber.co.nz M. 021 636 536 P. 07 823 3460

MEMBERSHIP CO-ORDINATOR Loren Bennett E. info@cambridgechamber.co.nz P. 07 823 3460

Sustainability

It’s one of those buzz words we hear so much of, but what does it really mean?

Tree huggers? Hippies? Nope. Greenies? Not really.

How about “a strategy for business success”? Probably not what you were thinking, but it’s surprisingly accurate.

When you get right down to it, sustainability really just means doing something in a way that you can continue indefinitely, or at least for the foreseeable future. In a business context, that means running a business in a way that enables it to continue.

To dig a little deeper, sustainability means using all of your available resources as efficiently as possible. It means reducing waste, reducing inputs, and doing more with less. It means prioritising those activities that are the most productive, and working smarter not harder. It means high value, not necessarily high volume. In this sense, being more sustainable should mean lower costs, increased revenue and better profitability.

A truly sustainable business, however, is one that is sustainable in every sense.

Obviously, a business needs to remain financially sustainable in order to continue operating. For the business owner, sustainability means achieving a reasonable return on investment.

For staff, sustainability means more than just getting paid for work done. It means a good worklife balance and feeling valued. From a management point of view, a happy staff is more sustainable through higher productivity and lower recruitment costs.

For customers, sustainability is all about receiving value for their money, and about feeling valued themselves. And again, happy customers are more sustainable for the business, generating repeat custom and positive word of mouth.

To be sustainable for the community, a business needs to have a positive impact. That might simply be a case of providing a new service. Or it may be sponsorships, donations or supporting the community in some other way. My own experience is that when a business contributes to a community, the community repays that and more in goodwill and regular custom.

Finally, environmental sustainability is about good stewardship. It means taking and using resources in appropriate ways and amounts. It also means taking responsibility for waste. Using the environment, but not depleting it, allows a business to remain sustainable.

Viewed in this light, sustainability is indeed a strategy for successful business. A business that is sustainable for staff, provides value for customers, contributes positively to the community and preserves the environment, will continue to be financially successful not just right now, but well into the future.

Phil Mackay President - Cambridge Chamber of Commerce DISCLAIMER: The information in this publication is of general nature only and readers are cautioned not to act or rely on it without first seeking professional advice. Similarly, any opinions expressed in this publication should not be construed as official policy of the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce.

chamber news / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2017 / 3

bits n bobs

CEO’s Message

Growth

Cambridge growth is apparent at every angle, from road and paving enhancements, to new commercial buildings. Retail and commercial space that becomes available is generally snapped up quickly, demonstrating continued pressure on desirable and affordable commercial and office space.

We watch with interest as Lakewood starts to take shape at the top of Lake Te Koutu. We have recently seen an explosion of hospitality offerings, enhancing the Cambridge experience and customer choice. With this growth comes pressure on the ability to source the right employees to fill newly created positions across a wide range of sectors. Couple this with the need for affordable, available housing and expansion considerations for council to meet infrastructural needs as demand grows, we have some work to do.

The key issues for us in coming months: • Working with interested groups

Mr Shift It & Co

and members to attract and retain employees to Cambridge to support our growth. The source of which may be existing residents who commute to other towns each day – what will it take to employ them here? We can look to larger markets like Auckland and pitch the Cambridge and the Waipa story as a great place to live, work, play and invest. Interested?

• Continuing to drive for the completion of fit for purpose commercial and industrial sites to enable business to choose Cambridge as their key location and encourage a full update of the

YEARS OF SERVICE EXC ELLE N C E

town concept plan to bring this into alignment with the 2050 plan.

• We have opportunity to grow our base and to provide more support services and options to you. Strategic Partnership with the Chamber is an option you may wish to consider that would help us to continue to deliver relevant support to our growing business community.

Tania

Tania Witheford, CEO - Cambridge Chamber of Commerce

a special thanks

Furniture Moving Specialists

“we carry your load”

Use the friendly caring team with the ‘can do’ attitude.

• Caring, Trained Staff • Household Furniture Moving • Professional House Packing • Piano, Spa, Trampoline Moving • Trade and Individual Deliveries • North Island-wide • Office relocations

to Karen and the amazing team at Kaz Graphic Dezign for their support and expertise.

WE’RE BEHIND THESE BRANDS: Cambridge

Lifeskills

Cambridge based with North Island wide coverage

Creating great design solutions since 2002. www.kazdezign.co.nz CALL ONE OF THE TEAM AND LET’S CHAT. KAREN, KYLIE OR PENNY ON 07 823 4932

4 / chamber news / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2017

calendar

important dates

calendar

OCTOBER 03

NETWORKING OVER COFFEE

12

OPTIMIUM

18

BUSINESS AFTER FIVE PAUA

25

SEMINAR AFTER FIVE

26

FIRST XV

NOVEMBER 02

BUSINESS BREAKFAST

07

NETWORKING OVER COFFEE Carrick’s Financial Partners

15

JINGLE & MINGLE

16

OPTIMUM

23

Interested in hosting a Chamber Event?

Lewis Lawyers

BUSINESS AFTER 5 Noel Leeming

29

SEMINAR AFTER FIVE

30

FIRST XV

DECEMBER 01

NETWORKING OVER COFFEE

07

BUSINESS AFTER 5 Little Flower Shop

For more information contact the Chamber P: 07 823 3460 E: ceo@cambridgechamber.co.nz www.cambridgechamber.co.nz

chamber news / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2017 / 5

topics

key to future growth

Providing you with certainty of achieving your goals and aspirations, regardless of unexpected events.

Our friendly team is based in Cambridge and has been in the insurance industry for 28 years, working with our clients to ensure they have a policy tailored to their needs. We invite you to call us for a chat about your future aspirations.

Faye Thornton

Nicky Revell

David Cooney

22 Dick Street, Cambridge p: 07 827 8130 www.cooneyinsurance.co.nz

6 / chamber news / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2017

The innovative TV series, “What Next? NZ”, recently highlighted some of the technologies that are rapidly transforming business across all industries, creating new opportunities and jobs, and replacing old jobs.

The effect of these technologies is predicted to get wilder, with greater and faster job destruction and construction - in a study last year, the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research predicted that 46 per cent of jobs in New Zealand are at risk of automation over the next 20 years.

Advances in computer vision have enabled self-driving cars and better cancer detection; advances in Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) have enabled robots that can train themselves - these advancements not only improve safety and reduce repetitive work, but also free us up to do more fulfilling work.

However, jobs will change rapidly, new skills will be required, and more people will be “in-transition”. Survival will depend not only on experience and knowledge, but also on how fast you can adapt and learn - your Adaptive Quotient (AQ) or Change Velocity (CV). This means we need to keep learning, strengthening our determination and curiosity, as well as our teamwork and problem-solving skills - these are the skillsets and mindsets top companies are looking for.

And while we have a fantastic Education Curriculum that encourages these mindsets, it may be problematic for a vast number of our adult workforce - those who don’t believe in their ability to learn, never learnt how to learn, or find it difficult to change habits of a l ifetime. As an employer, you want the people you employ to achieve maximum productivity, but sustainable productivity comes from continuous up-skilling. As Nat Torkington, the Kiwi who ran the first server in New Zealand recently said, “If you’re not learning, you’re burning”.

The cheapest way to do this is to develop a culture of curiosity, by regularly sparking and stirring the imagination of your staff, inspiring them to learn more through exposure to new ideas, whether it’s via talks from guest speakers, or simply bringing something unusual into the workplace.

We need everyone to become life-long learners, to develop those skills and mindsets that will enable us to adapt and survive, to support investment in education and training, stay abreast of technological trends and discuss their implications, so we can reduce the risk and take advantage of the exponential opportunities.

Geoff Bentley | 021 256 3648 E. techleapnz@gmail.com TechLeap.nz

topics

My number one rule for HR documentation is document, document, document! I can’t emphasise it enough. Quite simply, a successful business needs great documentation.

This is followed closely by rule number two, which is to make sure your documents are easily understood – that means plain English.

If you want a good test for simplicity, ask a soon-to-be working teenager to have a read of your documents. A good one to start with is your employment agreement. Does it make sense to them? If it doesn’t, then perhaps it’s time to review it.

Simplicity and Transparency As an employer, there’s a lot to be gained from keeping it simple. If your documents are written in plain English, there’s less confusion and everyone is more likely to be on the same page.

There is more to good documentation than just being simple. It’s also really important to be transparent. These days we have the complexity of KiwiSaver, and this is a perfect example of when transparency is needed.

For example - there is a growing trend for employers to use total cost remuneration (which might be inclusive of KiwiSaver). This means if the employee has signed up to KiwiSaver, and their remuneration is $20.00 per hour including KiwiSaver, their actual rate of pay is $19.42, with KiwiSaver $0.58.

Equally it means if the employee doesn’t sign up for KiwiSaver, their base hourly rate is $20.00. But if they later decide to sign up to KiwiSaver, then their actual rate would reduce to $19.42 as their rate of pay is KiwiSaver inclusive.

The problem is that a lot of employees don’t understand what a KiwiSaver inclusive rate is and this can cause confusion if they decide to join KiwiSaver later. To ensure there’s no confusion you may even want to include a worked example in your agreement. By doing this, nothing is hidden.

Another example of the need for transparency that comes up all the time is when employees are funded to do professional development. Let’s use the scenario of the employer sending an employee overseas to do some

specialist training. At the time of agreeing, the employer might have had a verbal discussion about the arrangements (funding, leave, etc). What happens if the employee leaves the company shortly after doing the training? The employer may want to claw back the dollars spent. Who is paying what? There was the employee’s time and the cost of the training, but what was considered work time and what was on their own time? Chances are, there was no documentation which outlined what would happen if the employee left the company. Even if the employment agreement had a blanket clause about recovering costs, the employer can’t rely on this as each deduction must be discussed and agreed with the employee at the time.

Being simple and transparent are key to maintaining a healthy HR practice in your business. Employees rely on their employers to provide them with information – about their work conditions, pay rates and their job. So, take the time to review your documentation and ask yourself the question “How simple and transparent is my documentation?”

LesleyAnn Thomas is a Human Resource Consultant with People in Mind. If you have any queries about this article you can contact LesleyAnn on 07 823 3250 or by email to lesleyann@peopleinmind.co.nz

chamber news / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2017 / 7

topics

I CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY THAT DESPITE THE NUMBER OF ARTICLES AND BLOG POSTS I HAVE READ ON SUCCESSFUL NETWORKING, NONE HAVE SAID TO GRAB A TRICYCLE AND ATTEMPT TO NAVIGATE AROUND AN OBSTACLE COURSE. HOWEVER, IN MAY THE CAMBRIDGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 1ST XV DONNED HELMETS AND RE-LIVED THEIR THREE- YEAR-OLD SELVES, PROVING THAT NETWORKING IS MUCH MORE THAN SMILES AND CHAT ABOUT THE LATEST DONALD TRUMP SCANDAL. The 1st XV (the name referring to the members being in the first 15 years of their careers rather than a rugby team) is aimed at providing a platform for Cambridge’s young professionals to meet other like-minded people who they may not otherwise cross paths with. With most members suffering from some form of Peter Pan Syndrome, the monthly events have a focus on fun activities where we can have a laugh and catch up on the hot gossip without the pressure of distributing a wad of business cards before the night ends. One of the highlights for me was the event held at Jump Trampoline Park in Hamilton last year. Having 20 or so adults bouncing around perfecting flips and cartwheels on the trampolines was hilarious, not to mention the giant foam pit, where we could somersault from a trampoline without

the risk of breaking a limb. They say being visible is key to building your professional brand. I’m not sure how well I did that night as I spent most of the evening buried in foam squares after many unsuccessful attempts at mastering some flashy gymnastic trick. At least people could see my bright green Jump socks that were sticking out post-attempt.

Since joining in 2015, I have officially become an expert at making pizzas at Alpino, beer tasting at Good Union, cooking with Emma’s Food Bag as well as kayaking to see glow worms with Karapiro Adventure Tours, cartwheeling at Jump, riding a tricycle at the Avantidrome and celebrating the Winter Solstice at Rouge.

After attending a couple of events I joined the steering group which plans and coordinates the monthly events and at the end

of last year became the Secretary for the group. The 1st XV also help out at a number of events such as fundraiser quiz nights and putting up the Christmas decorations around Cambridge. As a member it is also great to see Cambridge businesses getting involved with our events and in return we try to showcase the great things Cambridge has to offer.

Our next event is our Annual Movie Fundraiser where we are raising funds for New Lives Animal Rescue. Watch out for further details on our Facebook page. If you are finding it difficult to meet other young professionals in Cambridge, come along to one of our next events, make some friends, have a laugh and most importantly get involved.

Jennifer Robinson is a Solicitor at Lewis Lawyers. You can contact Jennifer by email at Jennifer.robinson@lewislawyers.co.nz or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Chambers1stXV/

8 / chamber news / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2017

topics

In 2010 a group of Year 5 and 6 Cambridge Primary boys created a business named the Big C. The C stood for Calendula, the flower grown, harvested and made into ointment by the students. The idea originated from Debbie Harper, who had approached the school and gifted her business of making Calendula ointment.

Each school year, Year 6 boys are encouraged to apply for a position within the business. They are interviewed and successful applicants then operate the Big C for that year. Throughout the years, Big C is fortunate to have had the support of the Cambridge community. The boys have received mentoring and advice from people such as Sir Patrick Hogan from Cambridge Stud, Mr McFaggen from Strawberry Fields and Robert Clancy from Amber Garden Centre.

The boys attend regular board meetings, set budgets, plan product marketing and set production goals. The business was initially supported financially via a loan from Cambridge Primary’s Principal, Mr Pettit. Since then, the group’s objective has been to generate enough revenue to give funds back to the school.

The Big C Boys are looking for other businesses to sell our product as a community initiative so please contact Cambridge Primary on 07 827 5316.

chamber news / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2017 / 9

topics

Amber Garden Centre

one year on...

IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE IT HAS BEEN A YEAR SINCE WE WON OUR AWARDS. SINCE MOVING TO OUR PRESENT SITE ON PEAKE ROAD IN JUNE 2013, WE HAVE USED THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THE SIZE OF OUR GARDEN CENTRE SIGNIFICANTLY. In April 2015, we began trading as Amber Garden Centre and reduced the number of wholesale customers we supplied, giving us the space to grow on landscaping plants, grasses and hedging and enabling us to reduce the price of these plants in our garden centre.

The Waipa Business Awards process gave us the opportunity to pull our business back to its bare bones and highlight areas of success, but more importantly, areas that we could significantly improve on. We have experienced significant growth in all areas of our business since 2013 and with the Awards wins, we have continued to experience an upward growth trend. The Awards process has challenged us to strive more and to seek higher objectives than we thought we could achieve as a medium business. The in-depth evaluation allowed us to cover all areas and aspects of our business and prompted us to set greater short and long term goals for the future. We are happy to say that we have achieved and implemented many of the goals that we had set for two years during the past 11 months.

10 / chamber news / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2017

Changes to our business development have also seen us branch into residential and commercial landscaping opportunities, as well as established garden revamps and long term site development.

We have some exciting changes coming over the next few years, together with some even more exciting collaborations that we will be taking part in this year, and we look forward to continuing to support the Cambridge and greater Waikato communities.

bseen

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bseen in cambridge 1. Speed Networking at the Freedom Institute of Higher Education Ba5 2. A great morning at the Avantidrome for the High Performance Sport NoC 3. Chris Stevenson (Accounted4) won the business card draw at the Rotary Cambridge Ba5 4. Hearing from Hon. Louise Upston at the Post-Budget Breakfast 5. We got a sneak peek at the set of the latest Cambridge Repertory Society production 6. Lots of networking and fun at the Mediaworks WaikatoBa5, held at Sloth. 7. Martyn, Vaughan, Chris and Jane won the chance for a dual sulky race at Cambridge Raceway’s Ba5 8. A great introduction to the businesses in Walker House at the Nova Health NoC 9. Cambridge High School shared their strategic plan to help students be work-ready 10. Our AGM was held at Resthaven Community Centre in September 11. Local women celebrate Suffrage Day with Hon. Louise Upston at Meraki Workspace.

chamber news / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2017 / 11

business awards

THE WINNERS OF THE WAIPA NETWORKS 2017 BUSINESS AWARDS WERE ANNOUNCED AT THE GALA AWARDS DINNER, HELD AT MYSTERY CREEK EVENTS CENTRE ON FRIDAY 18 AUGUST.

YOU ARE INVITED...

Join award nominees, past entrants, winners and our sponsorship partners at the Waipa Networks 2017 Business Awards Launch People4Success, winnersHOW of Cambridge Edition Excellence in FIND OUT YOUR BUSINESS Medium Business and the Waipa Networks Supreme Award

Fiona Massey of Alpha Street Kitchen and Bar holds her NZME Excellence in New & Emerging Business trophy and certificate (joint winner)

4 MAY 2017 / 5:30PM MYSTERY CREEK

EVENTS CENTRE HEADQUARTERS Please RSVP by 1 May via www.waipabusinessawards.co.nz

Neeraj (Cheta) Mamgain of Onyx TheBE Lily Pad Café won the text-to-vote Vodafonewww.waipabusinessawards.co.nz Customer Choice CAN A WINNER THIS YEAR won People in Mind Employee of the Cambridge award Year Cambridge

Andrew McCathie & Sam MacKenzie of Nova Health celebrate winning InvestWaipa.co.nz Excellence in Digital Strategy & Implementation (joint winner)

Raglan Shuttle proudly display their certificate announcing their win in Vodafone Customer Choice Raglan

12 / chamber news / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2017

Richard Wright of Cambridge received the special honour of Waipa District Council Outstanding Services to Businessy voter

Amanda Hema of The Stakeholder Agent receives the Rocketspark Excellence in Sole Trader/Partnership award from representative Greg Wallace

Tim Sullivan of Vodafone Cambridge, Te Awamutu & Matamata presents Saleshni (Shelly) Prasad with a brand new smartphone as the lucky voter

business awards

Gener8 Solutions celebrate their Highly Commended in the Cambridge Edition Excellence in Medium Business category

Raglan Rock Ltd with their winner’s certificate for Trustpower Excellence in Customer Service Raglan

Terry, Joanne, Aroha, Cheta and the rest of the Onyx team took out Trustpower Best Customer Service Cambridge

Marie Scott won People4Success Employee of the Year Te Awamutu for her work and Guthrie Bowron

Stihl Shop Te Awamutu were winners in the Trustpower Excellence in Customer Service Te Awamutu category, and owner Matt Hird won the award for University of Waikato Management School Emerging Business Leader of the Year

Glenn Rawson (holding certificate) with his Steenson Plumbing team after winning People4Success People Manager of the Year Te Awamutu

Learning Matters took home NZME Excellence in New & Emerging Business (joint winner)

Kirsten Dundas (centre) of Air NZ gave two prizes of domestic travel to earlybird ticket purchasers Chris Place (Sign Boss) and Fran Larsen (Evolve U)

Xtreme Zero Waste were double winners NZ National Fieldays Society Excellence in Large Business and CSC Buying Group Excellence in Sustainability & Community Contribution

Jigsaw Professional Development won InvestWaipa.co.nz Excellence in Digital Strategy & Implementation (joint winner)

The ladies at SKIN Beauty & Day Spa won Vodafone Customer Choice Te Awamutu and the Overall Customer Choice Award

chamber news / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2017 / 13

Save more. Give more.

Is your business missing out on big discounts on everyday expenses? Join CSC Buying Group and start saving today!

• FREE to join • Best prices on nationwide brands • No change to the way you buy • Your business spend helps us support community groups.

Together we can do even more - we are a not-for-profit proud of making a real, positive social difference.

The more you buy with us, the more you save, and the more resources we can invest where it really matters. Join us!

To find out more information visit our website

www.csc.org.nz

JOIN ONLINE TODAY

topics

It’s never just about the money ~ By David Slone, CSC Buying Group ~

IF YOU BELIEVE THE MOVIES, BUSINESS IS A WORLD OF CORPORATE CUT THROATS, PROWLING WALL STREET LOOKING FOR VICTIMS TO FLEECE. WE ALL KNOW THAT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE NOTHING LIKE THAT (IN FACT I DOUBT THERE ARE MANY IN NEW ZEALAND LIKE THAT), HOWEVER WE ALL STILL NEED TO PAUSE AT TIMES AND REMEMBER THAT BUSINESS IS ALWAYS JUST PEOPLE DEALING WITH PEOPLE. Staff, managers, owners, customers and suppliers are all just a collection of individuals, each trying to do the best they can for their organisation and themselves.

In our ever changing world it’s easy to get bogged down in the day to day and forget the things that really matter. Call me an optimist, but I firmly believe that most of us genuinely agree that people matter.

Being a good employer is expected these days, both by staff and legislation.

Employers know that it’s not just ticking a box, that there are real advantages to having a happy workforce. Staff quickly learn if you are genuinely interested in them or just playing the game as outlined in some text book. I find it odd that the reverse isn’t seen as so important – managers and owners are people too. They are important to the success of the business and it’s that success that flows onto employees.

Bosses will never be perfect and traditionally as they were perceived to be ‘in power’, they were, if not the enemy, certainly not an ally. What really springs to mind about this is where business owners go to great lengths to look after their staff and ensure a healthy work life balance – and then work all hours themselves, striving to make the business

a success. Somehow this needs to change.

Business success is usually driven by the sheer hard work and commitment of the owner, but at what cost? Their health and their families matter as much as everyone else’s.

Sales should always be about solving a customer’s problem, not pushing your products onto them. Let’s be honest, we can all tell a story about a pushy or dodgy sales person that we simply wouldn’t transact with again (and often even their organisation is on our ‘no go’ list).

Trust and a long term relationship is often the result of being told by a sales person that while I could try using one of their products, it wouldn’t be ideal and that there are better options provided by X and Y. A potential sale lost but a repeat customer gained, with the added bonus of a story being told that tells others about your honesty and desire to do what’s best for the customer.

No amount of advertising dollars can give you that!

Your suppliers may provide you with raw materials, but those materials aren’t who you transact with. The people behind those products can provide you with information and ideas to help grow your business or

overcome issues you’re facing. The people add value to the product, something easily missed if you just focus on price.

Lastly I’d like to just touch on mental health. It’s an area I know very little about, apart from hearing the sad statistics around it but it’s something we need to open up about.

This is especially true for us blokes, because in all honesty we’re simply terrible at seeking help. We’re not going to sit down with a “BFF” or social worker and share our problems until we find closure. Call it stubborn, pig headed or just not conditioned for that – it doesn’t matter. We need to find a way to address this (maybe a beer over a barbeque after a day’s fishing with a mate?). We’re losing too many good people to keep ignoring this issue.

All of the above is common knowledge and much has been written about this subject. People have designed models and fancy terms to describe what we should be doing. Personally I don’t think we need to get complicated about any of this. Treat people respectfully as people and I have no doubts that your business will gain from it.

At CSC our values are summed up by “people over transactions”. Most of us do it, most of the time – how about all of us do it, all of the time!

David Slone is the General Manager of Operations at CSC Buying Group. You can contact him at davids@csc.org.nz or 07 823 7979

chamber news / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2017 / 15

adverts

16 / chamber news / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2017

new members

new members A virtual CFO offering accounting and advisory services working locally in Cambridge with clients across the North Island.

With 30 years’ experience in large, medium and small businesses across several industries, I can offer support and advice that is more than numbers. My experiences include working at the CFO level however am more than willing to roll my sleeves up and get into the nuts and bolts of the business.

We see this as an opportunity to help you be more successful in your business giving you that support of managing the business while making sure all the back-office work is completed successfully.

Working from a home office, I can be flexible and offer competitive rates. >> Jeff Small M. 027 573 7643 E. jeff.small@finaction.nz

Pratts has Waikato's largest Heating, Cooling & Gas showroom, now open in Cambridge. Wood and gas fires, hot water GREEN BLUE heating, plumbing, solar, air conditioning and CMYK: 70/0/100/0 CMYK: 100/20/0/0 361it all! Pratts is locally PANTONE: 3005 more -PANTONE: we do owned and

NZHL is a 100% NZ owned and operated Home Loan and Insurance provider, focusing on helping our clients achieve their financial goals, become debt free faster and protecting those things that are most important to them.

Since its inception in 1996, NZHL has grown to become one of New Zealand’s top home loan providers with over $5 billion lent out to over 19,000 Kiwi families. We now have 80 offices across the country from Whangarei to Dunedin with each of our franchises being locally owned and operated.

The Cambridge Office of NZHL is owned and run by Darin Armstrong and Paul Hinton.

Darin and Paul have 20 years’ experience with NZHL and over 40 years in the Financial Services industry.

We take the time to sit down with our clients and really find out what is important to them, and their families, now, and into the future. We then work with them to put a plan in place that will help them to achieve this.

We show our clients how, by structuring your Home Loan properly, you could save $000’s in Interest costs and subsequently knock years off the term of your Home Loan.

We are passionate about helping families in our community achieve their financial goals.

focused on delivering excellence to urban and rural communities. Well-known and trusted in the market, our focus is on ensuring quality NAVY products and services that are delivered with CMYK: 100/66/0/33 PANTONE: 654 maximum convenience and value.

And it’s not just financial goals we help them achieve, through our Sponsorship of Parkrun (every Saturday morning at the Avantidrome) and X-Race, we are helping our clients, their families and the wider community achieve their Health and Fitness goals as well.

>> Darin Armstrong E. darin.armstrong@nzhl.co.nz P. 07 823 4512 M. 027 684 5125 W. www.nzhl.co.nz

>> Paul Hinton

E. paul.hinton@nzhl.co.nz P. 07 823 4512 M. 027 272 8333 W. www.nzhl.co.nz

>> Cambridge Showroom

P. 07 827 5400 E. cambridge@pratts.co.nz W. www.pratts.co.nz

chamber news / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2017 / 17

new members

I’m a third generation passionate cyclist and have lived and breathed cycling all my life. I have had 20 years mechanical experience, which has taken me all round the world to work with some amazing athletes (and their bikes).

I now want to share my passion with more cyclists out there and this has led me to starting this business, to offer toplevel bike servicing for all types and levels of cyclists. Whether you're a weekend warrior or an Olympic level athlete, we can get your bike running as good as the day you bought it.

If there’s something I enjoy almost as much has cycling, it’s coffee!! Call past the workshop to join me for a coffee and let me share my family’s passion and history in this beautiful sport...while I ensure your bike is tuned to perfection!

I’m offering full servicing and detailing on all models, styles and levels of bikes… all with good old-fashioned service and advice.

>> Ryan Hollows

M. 021 710 157 E. ryan@hollowsbicyclerepairs.co.nz W. www.hollowsbicyclerepairs.co.nz

Waikato Regional Airport Limited group is made up of three business streams: 1. Hamilton Airport: to operate a safe and profitable regional airport and to facilitate air services for Waikato business and leisure travellers and welcome visitors to our wonderful region. This is our core business.

2. Property (including Titanium Park): the development, sale and optimisation of returns on land surrounding the airport to support the core aeronautical business.

3. Hamilton Waikato Tourism (HWT): to develop and employ visitor attraction strategies which encourage visitors to enjoy the many great experiences our region has to offer and, in turn, contribute valuable economic, social and cultural benefits to our communities.

Serving Hamilton, Waipa and MatamataPiako Districts, it provides counselling for teenagers, youth and adults (of all ages).

Counselling Waikato seeks to assist people to increase their understanding of themselves and their relationships with others, to develop more resourceful ways of living, and to bring about change in their lives (NZAC, 2002). It is a place to talk privately and confidentially. People come to counselling to talk about all sorts of things which may be troubling them, such as, facing difficult life challenges or decisions, feelings of anxiety, depression or grief, experiencing stress, or wanting clarity around life goals. Through therapeutic conversations, counselling can support people in figuring out where their life is going.

People are your most important asset. Livewire HR wants to give you the tools to build great relationships with your employees. We are a proactive and positive human resource company and can strategically align your business goals with your human resource requirements.

18 / chamber news / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2017

>> Mark Morgan

P. 07 848 9038 M. 027 562 3351 E. mark@hamiltonairport.co.nz W. www.hamiltonairport.co.nz

>> Vicky Finlayson

M. 021 414 989 E. counsellingwaikato@gmail.com W. www.counsellingwaikato.co.nz F. www.facebook.com/ vickycounsellingwaikato

We understand that every business is unique, so our relationship with you is personally tailored to meet your needs. Our size allows us to work closely with you. The more we learn about your business, the better equipped we are to put in place solutions that save you time and make a positive difference to your bottom line.

Whether it's engaging employees, increasing performance, recruiting your next superstar, or facilitating workshops, ask us how we can help you. Call us now!

>> Rebecca Jenkins M. 021 918 331

E. Rebecca@livewirehr.co.nz W. www.livewire.co.nz

chamber news / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2017 / 19

partners

new members Cherish Lingerie - Stacy Bax E. info@slipintoangels.co.nz Huntington Stables Retreat Accommodation - Robyn Chappell E. hunt.stables@xtra.co.nz Kelly Rd Cambridge Lodge Mindy James E. stay@kellyrd.co.nz Learning Bytes - Denise Brown E. denise@learningbytes.co.nz The Stafford Group - Karen Smith E. karen@thestaffordgroup.co.nz DTI Lawyers - Andrea Twaddle E. andrea@dtilawyers.co.nz Hollows Bicycle Repairs Ryan Hollows E. ryan@hollowsbicyclerepairs.co.nz Waikato Business Publications Jody Anderson E. jody@wbn.co.nz Livewire HR - Rebecca Jenkins E. rebecca@livewirehr.co.nz Tabak Business Sales Kim Prichard E. kim@tabak.co.nz Counselling Waikato Vicky Finlayson E. counsellingwaikato@gmail.com Pratts - Shaun Jameson E. shaun@pratts.co.nz Infinity Landscapes Byrce Alsemgeest E. infinitylandscapes@outlook.com Titanium Park - Mark Morgan E. mark@hamiltonairport.co.nz FinAction - Jeff Small E. jeff.small@finaction.nz Giddens Burge Ltd Andrew Buchanan-Smart E. andrew.buchana.smart@outlook.com Grow Early Education Jayne Dahlberg E. jayne@growcambridge.org Cube Media - Andrew Stevenson E. andrew@cubemedia.co.nz Sloth Ltd - Michael Witheford E. mwitheford@gmail.com Conach House - Lizz Hawkins E. conachhouse@gmail.com Sue Duignan Consultant E. sue.duignan@windowslive.com Ministry of Social Development Cathrine Henderson E. cathrine.henderson006@msd.govt.nz Manta5 - Louis Wilks E. louise@manta5.com Automative Doors Services Andy Marsden E. ads.hamilton@live.com Milk and Honey Media Jonathan Nickerson E. jonathan@milkandhoneymedia.nz Jennian Homes South Waikato Mark Watts E. markawatts@vodafone.co.nz RVC Driving Ltd Mark Revill-Johnson E. mark@rvcdriving.com Global Communications Ltd Paul Scoble E. paul@globalcommunications.co.nz Fegan & Co - Linda-Maree Drake E. lindamaree@fegan.co.nz

special thanks to our

strategic partners KEYSTONE PARTNER

CORNERSTONE PARTNERS

STEPPING STONE PARTNERS

TOUCHSTONE PARTNERS

NATIONAL SPONSORS

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