Commerce Comment — Winter 2023

COMMERCE COMMENT

WINTER 2023

CORNERSTONE PARTNERS:

Chamber Board:

President: Peter Pattullo

Vice President: Manoli Aerakis

Board Members: Chris McGeown, Venus

Guy, Sharon McGuire, Louise Walsh, Alfredo Puche, and Richard Butler.

From the CEO

The winter season sees a full calendar of events on its way to support and celebrate our regional businesses.

One of my favorite quotes, and I have quite a few, comes from the American composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein.

He said “To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time.”

As a mistress of procrastination, I can very much relate to this as it is only when time is getting tight that positive action becomes the only option.

The notion of taking action is very much part of the theme of Aspire 2023. This year we are looking at everyone’s favourite topic ‘disruption’, and how to use it as a power for good. As always, it is a full programme featuring a wide range of presenters including a futurist (naturally), an Emeritus Professor from Victoria University School of Psychology, experts in creative, adaptive and resilient communities, a government minister and so much more.

See page 5 for the full programme. As in previous years we are expecting a full house so don’t miss out.

Running with the theme of time passing quickly, entries for the 2023 Nelson Pine Industries Business Awards open on Monday 12 June. I know right! We are holding an information session on 20th July for anyone who is interested in entering and wants to find out more. And it is great to see the 2022 Supreme Winner, Snap Group going from strength-to-strength. In case you missed it, they recently secured investment of $2.5m through the Government’s Kānoa - Regional Economic and Investment Unit fund. Hat tip to them.

As always, we are very conscious of the increasing pressures that face businesses on a daily basis. Although to be honest, I just don’t always want to dwell on increased costs and staff shortages straight off the bat. However, as I have said on previous occasions, a key role of the

Findex

Chamber is to support and advocate for all businesses and we are here to help. So please get in touch if there is anything you need advice on, or even just a friendly ear. And on a practical note, we are offering a Workplace Mental Health First Aid course later in July. This focuses on building the knowledge and capability of individuals to provide first response support for their workmates experiencing mental health challenges, and connecting them with professional services. Check out our website for more details.

Stay warm.

Ngā mihi,

AliBoswijk

Chief Executive Chamber of Commerce

BA5 & Chamber AGM

When: 25 July 5:00 – 7:00pm

Where: Port Nelson, 8 Vickerman St

“To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time.”

• FOR A GOOD IDEA •

The Chamber of Commerce is pleased to oversee a new pilot programme in our region. ‘PRIMETIME’ is a Senior Enterprise Programme aimed at empowering and supporting entrepreneurs aged 50 and over who are looking to start or scale up their business ventures.

Anyone who remembers (or is old enough) the Blackadder series from the 1980s will recall Baldrick’s penchant for a cunning plan. Baldrick wasn’t aged over 50, though he lived a hard enough life in Blackadder’s shadow that he looked like he was. What’s that got to do with the Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce? With our habit of diversifying into every business arena that we can help with, we have once again lined ourselves up with a national pilot project that sees us assisting entrepreneurs aged 50 or over who want to start up or scale up, a business venture. People with cunning plans.

This unique programme will provide the tools and resources people in their prime need to turn their business ideas into reality, including:

One-on-one mentorship from experienced business leaders Access to a network of successful entrepreneurs and industry experts Educational resources and training sessions on topics such as marketing, finance, and business planning Connection to local business organisations through the Chambers of Commerce

Project Manager, Stephen Broad-Paul says the Chamber is looking forward to helping senior entrepreneurs “bring their ideas to life.”

“We recognise the incredible value and experience that senior entrepreneurs bring to the table, and we believe that age should not be a barrier to entrepreneurship. That’s why we’ve opted to become involved in this programme to provide the support and resources that senior entrepreneurs need to succeed.”

“Our Senior Entrepreneurship Programme is designed to help older entrepreneurs overcome any obstacles they may face and achieve success in their ventures. We are excited to support this growing community of senior entrepreneurs.”

Applications for the Senior Entrepreneurship Programme are open now, and interested entrepreneurs can apply online. We’d like to encourage all senior entrepreneurs who are looking to start or grow their businesses to apply and join a community of inspiring entrepreneurs with very cunning plans. Register for PRIMETIME here

Kūmānu Environmental (Kūmānu), a division of Nelmac, is embracing innovative new technologies to secure its future ability to continue to grow new business and deliver high quality services within the environmental contracting space.

Taking to K

THE

ūmānu Environmental has taken to the air with the latest commercial drone platform released from DJI, a DJI Matrice 300 RTK Remote Pilot Aircraft System (RPAS), commonly referred to as a drone.

Drones can easily fly over large areas of land capturing various types of data to aid mapping and environmental monitoring. Drones can complete this type of work far more swiftly and cost effectively than other conventional methods. Drones were essential in providing fast, accurate and up-to-date critical information following recent serious environmental events, including

in Tasman after the August 2022 flood event and across Aotearoa following ex Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle.

Equipped with a Zenmuse P1 45 megapixel photogrammetry camera, the drone can capture spatially accurate, high-resolution images for both 2D and 3D applications. This high-quality imagery can then be utilised by other technology solutions such as AI to efficiently analyse and classify imagery with a much greater level of accuracy and confidence than lower resolution satellite photos.

Kūmānu has also invested in ESRI Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

software products including Drone2Map and ArcPro for data processing and analysis, which compliments a growing GIS capability within the wider Nelmac Kūmānu business. One of the impressive features of the P1 camera is the Smart Oblique flight mode. When the drone is in flight the camera takes a traditional straight down (bird’s eye view) photo then automatically transitions to a 45-degree angle capturing images from 0o, 90o, 180o and 270o. This provides a greater level of detail on the edges or faces of objects that may be obscured from a bird’s eye view only e.g., riverbanks or building details below the roof overhang such as fascia details.

The opportunities and applications for drone data are almost endless and an exciting space to be entering into for Kūmānu. Some of our most recent work with the drone has been to provide imagery for our landscaping team of their

work site to enable them to provide upto-date locations of new water services; mapping of private property for use by our landscape architect team; and surveying and mapping of waterways to perform gravel accumulation analysis.

With Ground Control Points (GCP) and Real Time Kinematics (RTK) we can consistently achieve < 3cm accuracy, which is the standard required for construction and civil works projects. We also have a RTK base station allowing us to fly our drone outside of cell phone coverage in more remote locations and still achieve the same levels of accuracy.

During a recent survey in the Maitai River from a survey height of 120 meters Above Ground Level (AGL), we were able achieve an average Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) of 1.27cm. GSD is how we measure the quality of the resolution of the images captured.

In this case each pixel in the imagery is on average 1.27cm of actual ground cover, which allows you to zoom in to an exceptionally high-quality image.

We are excited to see where this investment into technology can take the business, we know it can improve current services and we are looking forward to seeing what new clients and business we might generate from deploying our drone services across Aotearoa.

Nick Sparks Operations Manager - Monitoring Kūmānu Environmental www.kumanuenviro.co.nz

Image 1 (left): Miyazu Pond relining. Image 2 (top): Flight training for NZCAA RPAS Part 101 Certification.

Image 3 (bottom): DJI Matrice 300 RTK and Zenmuse P1 camera

The creative

continues

The creative careers initiative ArtWork celebrates its second year in Nelson/Tasman. ArtWork is for creative practitioners and artists who are looking to establish a financially viable career — to find employment or be successfully self-employed for the long-term.

ArtWork has entered its third year and with the recent announcement of ongoing funding for another 12 months, it is going from strength to strength.

Launched as a joint initiative between the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) and Ministry for Arts, Culture and Heritage (MCH), five service providers across Auckland, Waikato and Nelson/Tasman were set up to lead pilot programmes in 2021.

The mission was not to teach creativity but to build sustainable, thriving careers through adding crucial tools to the kete of artists and creatives - the rarely taught skills that play a vital part in building a business or a living.

The difference made so far cannot be understated - and there’s still so much more potential to deliver more careerchanging support that can be achieved.

From painters to potters, sculptors to singers, actors to axe makers, blacksmiths to bookbinders and designers (graphic, fashion, interior or otherwise) — no creative field

has been out-of-bounds for inclusion in the programme. Since April 2021, 202 local creatives have registered for the programme, which includes one to one mentoring, business workshops, bi-monthly Art/Talks and much, much, more.

Here is some of the feedback we have received from ArtWork participants:

“Thank you so much for giving me this wonderful opportunity to progress in my business. For the first time in ages, I feel positive and excited to forge ahead.”

“I highly appreciate your advice and support. You are providing me with incremental steps in moving forward without adding overwhelm. This helps me enormously to take it slow but sure.”

To register for 2023, go to www.artwork.org.nz .

Watch participants’ experiences with ArtWork here.

“I was painting for some time in a painting closet, wondering how to get out. Being part of the ArtWork programme has given me the confidence and belief in what I am doing.”

Helping businesses settle up to succeed

Paul Burt, Managing Director at CNX is describing a consideration faced by many businesses anticipating a growth phase.

Having the systems, processes and philosophies in place to ensure the expansion is a logical first stage but more often its growth first and structure sometime after that. In the interim, there can be bottle necks, frustrated customers and overworked staff.

But Paul was fortunate, he says, that someone mentioned the Regional Business Partner Network (RBP) programme to him.

RBP helps New Zealand businesses innovate and grow. It makes it easier for businesses to access early-stage support that may be available.

The network is made up of 14 Regional Business Partners around New Zealand and is supported by the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) and Callaghan Innovation to

support business innovation and growth for business in New Zealand.

Sandra Crone is the Chamber contact for local businesses looking for support.

Paul shared his company vision with Sandra and it was her funding application recommendations that guided him into the next stage.

“She was very clear with the expectations and she was very genuine and you can feel that she wanted to help us. That made a big difference through the whole process and then when she came to the party and said that she could help us it was really at the time we wouldn’t have been able to fund it 100% and it just made such a difference.

“Initially she said she’d be able to apply or potentially put a submission forward to provide support around the organisational structure of the business to set the business up to succeed moving forward. It’s basically given us a really good platform for the business to grow.”

And grow, it has. When Paul applied for the RBP funding two years ago, there were five employees of the IT service provider. They now have 23 staff and have clients across the top of the south.

“There’s no way that the business could work at the quality, speed and efficiencies that we have without having engaged the RBP funding. It all started from Sandra aligning us with a third party that could help shape the business, really to settle up to succeed, to give it a proper platform and a proper structure.”

Paul went on to apply for RPB funding twice more and was successful with his requests and subsequent provider relationships. Overall he received RBP assistance with organisational structuring, business coaching and strategic planning.

“Sandra’s been absolutely outstanding. We wouldn’t have been able to do we have done without the support of the regional business network. I can’t sing its praises high enough.”

“To get where we really wanted to get in the next two to five years, we needed better structure, better vision, better values and basically to settle up to succeed.”

Image: Paul Burt (back row, second from left) and the CNX team.

ENTRIES OPEN ON JUNE 12

The annual Nelson Pine Industries Chamber of Commerce Business Awards recognise innovation and creativity in the business sector and is a highlight of Nelson Tasman’s business calendar. As well as providing exposure and recognition for your organisation, the awards provide the opportunity to benchmark your business. Entries open online on June 12th.

Award Categories

Start-Up Business

Small Business

Medium Business

Large Business Environmental Innovative Business

Community Impact

Supreme Business

What Entrants Say

“The awards process was managed by a number of members of the team, which I think worked really well as people were able to contribute to different sections based on their specific roles and responsibilities. We were thankful to have won and the team really enjoyed the night given that most of those who attended were directly involved in the application process. This was one of the few chances to celebrate as a group and bring back the trophies for the team that didn’t attend. Overall we were blown away. People do notice this award and it has in many ways had more cut through for us than others we have been involved in. Thank you Chamber team!”

Chris Rodley, Founder & CEO Snap Group, 2022 Winner Large Business & Supreme Award Winner

“We found the process of entering the Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce awards a valuable experience. While we had already done a lot of the steps included in the application over the years, it was great to go back through our processes, bring them up to date, reflect on goals we have achieved and ones we haven’t, also bringing all this information together gave us a new complete oversight of where we are and where we are heading. The awards evening was a fantastic experience, being able to showcase who we are to some of the best company owners in the region and the recognition of our fantastic clients. We highly recommend any and all businesses to enter, if for nothing else it will give you a moment where you can work on your business, instead of in the thick of it.”

Jo Logan & Mike Duke (Wobblie)

Aroha Chocolate, 2022 Small Business Award Winner

Cyberattacks are indiscriminate and if you are unprotected, your business is at risk.

More staff working remotely = more risk.

More staff bringing their own devices (BYOD) to work = more risk.

Hackers becoming more sophisticated and indiscriminate = more risk.

As we gain more awareness of the risks of operating technology, we require a more professional management approach to cybersecurity.

What shouldn’t you do?

Don’t be complacent. A basic password is not all the cybersecurity you need. An undetected hacker on your network is like having an unwanted guest living rent-free in your home.

Don’t allow anyone to connect their devices to your business technology without protection. Who is paying for the ensuing clean-up operation?

What should you do?

Protect your assets. Install and run fitfor-purpose cybersecurity software that actively protects you and your assets.

Operate the right tools available to you efficiently. Are you utilising multi-factor authentication? Do you have Managed Detection and Response? The wrong tools are costing you money, even if that’s “how you’ve always done it.” Are you too busy for innovation?

Educate your employees. Google doesn’t call you to reset your password, that email offering you a voucher for a lifetime supply of pizza is a hoax, as is that text message from a bank you don’t bank with! As unbelievable as this is, the “Nigerian Prince” email scam offering you the chance to deposit kilograms of gold into your bank account is still catching people out to this day.

Patch regularly. If this is too complex or time-consuming, allow IT professionals to manage the process for you. Patching is often postponed by users out of frustration — “I wanted to check my email, not have my time wasted on yet

another system update. I’ll do it next time, if I have time...” Unpatched systems are easy targets.

Get cybersecurity insurance! Contact your insurance company for more information. In the worst case, a cybersecurity breach can leave your business inoperable for months. Could you still operate your business if all of your data was held for ransom?

Artificial Intelligence tools are now being used by hackers for advanced attacks. But what does this mean to us? Bots are indiscriminate and target as many systems as they can find. Within seconds of connecting any computer to the internet, a bot is trying to find vulnerabilities to breach your system.

In the past 12 months alone there has been a 715% increase in ransomware attacks. These ransomware attacks impact businesses every 11 seconds with 30% of all breaches impacting small businesses. You are not too small to be a target.

BlueberryIT answer all your cybersecurity questions, and provide answers for the questions you didn’t know to ask. Contact us regarding the latest in cybersecurity solutions.

Before you do anything with any kind of technology, ask — is it safe, is it secure, and is it backed up?

Mark Holland Service Delivery Manager BlueberryIT www.blueberryit.co.nz

It is no longer a question of “if” your business will be attacked, it is now a case of “when, how often, and are you prepared?”” BlueBerryIT outlines what to watch out for, and how to be prepared in protecting your business.

Giving back & inspiring our young people

Imagine what could be discovered if more young people were given the opportunity to explore the greatest challenges facing our environment? That’s why at Cawthron, we connect our scientists with the community to inspire the next generation.

Each year in the spirit of our founder Thomas Cawthron, our Trust Board invests in a number of science education and community initiatives in Te Tauihu o Te-Waka-a-Māui. We want to make sure we are fostering the next generation of scientists to carry on the legacy of Cawthron and to deliver science solutions to address some of the most pressing challenges impacting our freshwater and marine environments – climate change, biodiversity loss, and threats to our food systems.

Our annual education initiatives include our undergraduate Summer Scholarships, the Cawthron Scitec Expo (school science fair) and the Year 13 Biology Workshops which took place at Cawthron Aquaculture Park this month. We also host regular free public science talks, run an annual Cawthron Open Day and support other community events such as Ministry of Inspiration’s INSPIRE festival.

The Year 13 Biology Workshop is a twoday, hands-on science programme that Cawthron offers to all secondary schools

in Te Tauihu. Tutors from University of Otago’s Centre of Marine Studies support students to experiment with mussels and spat which are donated to the programme by Sanford. Participants also tour SpatNZ’s facilities at the Aquaculture Park and hear presentations from Cawthron scientists.

Our undergraduate Summer Scholarships provide students the opportunity to contribute to an active scientific research project and be mentored by top Cawthron scientists. These scholarships are important to support the future of scientific discovery and they give practical science experience to our future innovators. We’ll be opening up our 2023-24 summer scholarship applications later this year, so keep an eye on Cawthron’s Facebook and LinkedIn channels for more information.

The Cawthron Scitec Expo is back in 2023, supporting Nelson Tasman students to explore science with experiments, research, technology or art projects. The expo is free for any primary, intermediate and secondary school student to enter. Entrants get to talk to specialist judges

– including Cawthron scientists – about their mahi and can win up to $500 in cash prizes. This event is only made possible with the generous support of sponsors and volunteer judges. We encourage you to visit the expo during the public viewing session at Founders Heritage Park in Nelson from 3.30pm to 6pm on 22 August. More information is available at cawthron.org.nz/Scitec

It’s not just all about our young people! We want to share our science with all members of our community. In collaboration with the Nelson Science Society, we host free public science talks on a quarterly basis at Cawthron. And let’s not forget the Annual Thomas Cawthron Memorial Lecture, now in its 80th year. This year’s lecture is being held on Tuesday 27 June.

Keynote speakers, Professors Tim Naish and Richard Levy, will speak about adapting to rising sea levels with supporting presentations from Cawthron speakers Dr Anna Berthelsen and PhD student Jacqui Stuart.

This free event is almost full. More information is available on our website at cawthron.org.nz/annual-lecture. We will share a recording of the presentations on Cawthron’s Facebook and LinkedIn channels after the event. Sign up to our Friends of Cawthron newsletter if you wish to be notified of these events in future.

Image: Cawthron Scitec 2022 Science Communications Prize winners (left to right); James Wills, Arturo Neale and Max Harrington from Nelson College exploring the Cawthron Institute Envirotech Laboratory.

FLYING HIGH

on the post-Covid travel boom

Nelson Airport is ending the 20222023 financial year on a high, thanks to the strong return of traveller demand and the delivery of a raft of exciting projects.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the end of Covid travel restrictions has released a wave of pent-up demand from travellers. While there are signs that demand may be slowing as we head into winter, Nelson Airport has made the most of the return of activity.

A strong airport is good for our whole community, and we want to make sure our success is shared.

We’re proud to have supported more than 20 local organisations and events through our sponsorship activities this year.

We have provided $45,000 in sponsorship plus an additional $140,000 of in-kind digital advertising support to many more groups. In addition, this year we supported the Originair NelsonBlenheim service through a landing fee waiver during the closure of State Highway 6 to help ensure continued connectivity with our neighbouring region.

In 2022-2023 we were excited to add several improvements to our customer service offer – including our new purpose-built rental car kiosk, a dedicated Customer Service – Manaaki Kiritaki desk, a Kids Zone play area, a more practical seating layout, and more mobility parking spaces close to the terminal. A world-class customer experience is an ongoing area of focus for us, and we expect to add more improvements in the coming years.

We want our community to enjoy their experience with Nelson Airport, and we’ve had a lot of fun this year with events such as the Walk the Runway fundraiser, an Ice-Cream Social to celebrate Nelson

Anniversary Day, and our current Nelson Airport Plane Spotting Photography Competition.

We also loved the creativity and enthusiasm people showed during our Name the Truck competition to come up with a name for our new fire truck. Our Rescue Fire Service have made the most of the interest in “Flick” with appearances at the Nelson and Richmond Santa Parades, as well as hosting visits from early childhood centres and other groups.

You may notice increased use of te reo Māori around the airport. Te reo is a taonga/treasure and is part of what makes Aotearoa unique as a nation and a destination. Tourists are increasingly interested in authentic cultural experiences, with respect for and preservation of culture top of mind. Nelson Airport is committed to embracing the use of te reo Māori. You’ll see more te reo on our signage, our website and across all our communications as we work to embody this commitment.

Finally, the lodging of our Project 2-Zero planning application with the Nelson City Council was a milestone in 2023. The future of aviation relies on moving to a sustainable model powered by low-emissions fuels. We’re getting ready for that by seeking planning approvals that ensure we will have the ability to extend our runway when we need to in order to cater for nextgeneration aircraft.

There will be a public consultation process for our application. If you’re interested in learning more about Project 2-Zero, including how to make a submission when the time comes, please keep an eye on our website for all the details: nelsonairport.co.nz/project-2zero

Mark Thompson CEO Nelson Airport www.nelsonairport.co.nz

“We want our community to enjoy their experience with Nelson Airport, and we’ve had a lot of fun this year with events.”

How forestry slash can become a positive resource

Cyclone Gabrielle has had a devastating impact on Aotearoa, bringing major concerns to the fore about climate change and forestry management. The news reports from February will stay long in the memory, particularly the huge volumes of slash that contributed to our worst floods this century. As managing slash becomes an urgent nationwide issue, one company has devised a solution that can turn the problem into a positive.

Forestry and timber company

OneFortyOne is a business with a plan — to turn its unwanted forestry slash into biofuel. According to the business, slash has huge potential to be used as biofuel when salvaged, recycled, and repurposed. The biofuel made from slash can also help organisations move away from coal and fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources, it says.

OneFortyOne recognises that slash can cause significant environmental problems. The business is on a mission to harness classic Kiwi ingenuity and turn unwanted waste into a fuel source that can power communities into a cleaner future.

OneFortyOne collects binwood, the larger pieces of slash measuring over 600mm long and 100mm wide that don’t meet the required log grades or dimensions for sawmills or pulp mills. After salvaging the wood from skid sites, OneFortyOne stores it in safe storage sites across its estate. The binwood is then dried over many months. Once moisture content is at the right level, it can be chipped and used as an energy source.

Since November 2021, OneFortyOne has invested almost $500,000 into its binwood collection project, accumulating 15,000 tonnes of wood. That’s enough to fill 405 logging trucks or cover two rugby pitches piled three metres high. Not an insignificant amount.

The slash initiative requires meticulous care and attention. The removal of wood has to be balanced with wise management of soils and slopes, and enough biomass has to be left on the slopes to provide nutrients for future planting. The extraction of logs and binwood must also be done in a way that prevents erosion of the slopes until the next rotation of trees is established.

Removing binwood reduces the amount of slash on-site post-harvest, which significantly decreases the likelihood of skid failures and potential damage by slash in the event of intense weather events, such as Cyclone Gabrielle.

OneFortyOne’s binwood collection project delivers an energy source that can help NZ businesses move away from coal and has removed 15,000 tonnes of slash from our forests. The group is keen to work with industries across the country to reduce the impacts of slash and mitigate climate change by embracing biofuels that are less damaging to our environment.

The timber business initiated this project because it believed it needed to continually look for ways to improve how slash was managed, it also knew it had a valuable product that was previously only viewed as a problem.

Replacing fossil fuels with bioenergy alternatives can help New Zealand meet its greenhouse gas emission targets and create new opportunities for the local economy. The business says the project, when scaled up, could be a game-changer for New Zealand in creating a sustainable, endlessly renewable source of bioenergy.

As it looks to the future and further innovation to help the environment, OneFortyOne is ready to work with other organisations to reduce the impact of slash, prevent climate damage, and turn a negative into a positive.

For more information and to collaborate with OneFortyOne NZ, email Kylie Reeves, kylie.reeves@onefortyone.co.nz.

Create the future you want

With career conversations now available in-person at all Te Pūkenga NMIT campuses, we’ve made it easier than ever to make the most of your time, your way.

career chats are an engaging way to learn more about NMIT and have any questions answered. There are multiple, flexible study options available in many of our programmes and our career advisors can help find the best way to fit study into life.

Following her career chat, Nina Barbezat, a Whanganui-based high school teacher, plans to enrol in the Graduate Certificate in Career Development at Te Pūkenga NMIT.

Nina found she can study both remotely and in her own time, so she can continue working while she upskills. “I’m looking to future proof my later years,” she said, “I don’t want to be in the classroom teaching when I’m 65.”

Nina already supports ākonga with career advice, using her vast experience, and Google to learn as she goes, but she believes it is time to put some accredited theory behind her conversations. “I’m looking forward to walking the walk, since I’m talking it.”

After discussing her work experience, Nina discovered she will be granted permission to enter the Level 7 graduate certificate, providing her with the learning experience she needs, rather than spending her time on concepts she

is already familiar with.

Nina enjoyed the career chat as she was able to talk to a real person and accurately get her thoughts and questions out on the table. “I loved the chat— it felt like I was talking to an old friend. I’m old school, so I don’t want to talk to AI,” she said.

Book a phone conversation or a face-toface meeting from our website homepage at either our Richmond, Nelson or Blenheim campuses. Conversations last 15-20 minutes with any follow-up information provided via email.

A free career conversation can put you on the right path to meet your career goals.

“I loved the chat — it felt like I was talking to an old friend.”

Arecent survey found that a whopping 74% of people in the US will choose to trust someone with an established personal brand. I am sure that is true for New Zealand too.

Personal branding has become crucial for both personal and professional success. Whether you’re applying for a job, seeking a promotion, or looking to grow your business, your personal brand significantly influences others’ perceptions of you. It’s not just what you say about yourself but what people say about you when you’re not around.

Developing and managing your personal brand is essential to ensure that the narrative created about you accurately reflects your true value and differentiates you from others.

Building a strong personal brand has numerous benefits. It increases your visibility among the people who matter to you and your goals. It helps you expand your network and attract new opportunities. Moreover, personal branding allows you to discover, celebrate, and share your unique abilities with the world.

Here are seven steps to help you build an effective personal brand.

01

Clarify your value: Establish a long-term vision and mission. Identify the difference you want to make personally and professionally. Craft a personal value proposition that outlines your target audience, unique value, competitive landscape, and distinctive capabilities.

02

Review your brand: Assess your existing brand by cataloguing your credentials, social connections, and cultural capital. Identify adjectives that describe the real you and evaluate how well your self-assessment aligns with your desired brand identity. Seek feedback from trusted individuals.

03

Create your best story: Craft meaningful stories that illustrate your brand. Share experiences where you felt authentic and made a difference. These stories will effectively communicate your personal value proposition.

04

Be your brand:

Recognize that every social interaction contributes to your personal brand. Be mindful of the messages you convey verbally and non-verbally. Respond intentionally, focusing on your positive attributes and reinforcing appealing aspects of your brand.

05

Share your story:

Develop a media plan to convey your brand through owned, earned, and paid media. Leverage social media, personal websites, and content creation to increase the discoverability and awareness of your brand.

06

Get social:

Seek the support of influencers, promoters, and personal brand communities. Build relationships and ask for assistance when appropriate. Identify individuals who can help you reach new audiences and open doors for you.

07

Rinse & repeat:

Personal branding is an ongoing process. Conduct regular audits to identify areas for improvement and leverage your strengths. Seek feedback from trusted sources to ensure your brand aligns with your goals and make adjustments accordingly.

If you are not already building your brand, I encourage you to jump in and start doing it. Just take the first step you never know where it might lead you.

Tony Downing Owner and Director Downing Creative Marketing www.downing.nz

Who’s collaborating at MAHITAHI?

Based on the NMIT campus, the Mahitahi Colab is a gathering place for digital nomads, offering flexible coworking options for new, growing or flexible businesses. Surrounded by so many diverse organisations and individuals, a desk at the colab enables those ‘incidental’ conversations that allow businesses to thrive. Here’s a few of the regular faces you might see next time you pop in to the Mahitahi Colab.

Thomas Gillman

My name is Thomas and I have been a collaborator at the Mahitahi Colab for almost a year. I work as a grant coordinator for the Asia Pacific Network of Refugees. We provide grants for refugee-led organisations across the Asia Pacific. It is highly rewarding as we are able to provide much needed assistance to refugeeled groups and leaders to enable them to continue their impactful and important work. In my spare time I really enjoy exploring the mountains around Nelson.

Marion McNeilly

I’ve returned to Nelson this past year having spend the last 10 years living onboard a boat around NZ coastline. I work for Aquatiq who are a global leader in the Food Safety and hygiene technology space. My role is Technical Account Manager, but I am mostly working on introducing NZ food manufacturing companies to Aquatiq to bring our products and systems to their attention. I love working with people from different countries and cultures, there’s always so much to share and learn. Our two teenagers keep me busy as I manage the kitchen cafe open 24/7 and the mum taxi service on call. After Nelson, my next favorite place is Kaikoura, where you’ll find me in the surf or under the sea.

Alex Drummond

Kia ora e te whānau, Ko Alex Drummond toku ingoa. I work remotely for New Zealand sustainability fintech startup Cogo. We provide carbon management technology that enable individuals and businesses around the world to measure, understand, and reduce their carbon footprint. I’m the Client Delivery Director for the APAC region, which means I oversee the implementation and delivery of Cogo products into our clients environments throughout New Zealand, Australia, and Asia. My role includes supporting pre-sales, project planning and management, and working directly with clients. I love cycle touring holidays, knitting, and living in a tiny house with my partner Emily.

Erik Mulder

Hi, I’m Erik Mulder, a software engineer from The Netherlands. Our family with four children migrated to Nelson a few months ago for the adventure, the nature and the lifestyle. We are loving it here so far and are really enjoying our new surroundings. I’m working as senior software engineer at Canva - www.canva.com - an Australian based online design platform. My job is to create and facilitate the technology behind their text-to-image feature. I work fully remote from the Mahitahi Colab, a great place to focus and keep work and private life separated. I’d love to meet more people in Nelson, see you around!

What you should know about the Accredited Employer Work Visa

Do you need to hire skilled migrants to fill vacancies, grow your business or move into that new direction? Since the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) opened last year, there have been multiple tweaks to immigration rules to understand — and pitfalls to avoid.

There are also a number of significant changes on the horizon that will have a dramatic impact on businesses throughout New Zealand. These include the changes to work rights for partners of temporary visa holders, who will generally only be able to work for an accredited employer in a role paying at or above the median wage, effective 31 May 2023, as well as the planned expansion of employer accreditation to all employers who hire migrants due to commence in 2024.

If you previously considered that it wouldn’t be necessary for your business to gain accreditation, now is the time to re-evaluate.

Factoring in median wage increases

The median wage increase, in place since February 2023, has affected wage thresholds for businesses who fit into AEWV sector agreements construction and infrastructure, meat processing, onshore seafood processing and the seasonal snow and adventure tourism.

A new transport sector agreement, finalised in April 2023, grants a median wage exemption to enable employers to fill critical truck, bus, and maritime transport roles.

The ins and outs of accreditation

One positive development is that Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is now granting automatic extensions for employer accreditations. If your organisation applied for its first accreditation before 4 July 2023, that accreditation will automatically be extended by 12 months, and will be valid for 24 months from the approval date.

You should ensure that your organisation holds the correct accreditation type, suitable to your needs and circumstances. Without the correct type, you must apply to renew or upgrade your accreditation, and pay the full INZ application fee. To avoid this hassle, we recommend seeking expert advice before you apply.

Don’t get caught out by postaccreditation checks

In April 2023, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) announced the start of post-accreditation audits to monitor compliance with the AEWV rules.

Any accredited business may be selected for an audit, where you will be asked to provide evidence. Fail to do so and your business could have its accreditation status revoked or suspected.

The range of information that MBIE can ask for includes, but is not limited to:

• financial statements to demonstrate financial viability

• evidence of PAYE payments to your migrant employees

• evidence about how offshore recruitment agents were paid

• evidence that settlement information was provided to migrant employees

• logs of hours worked by migrant workers

• information about your key business people and their role.

From our experience, when it comes to compliance it is advisable to keep comprehensive records. And given the potential implications for businesses (in serious cases, MBIE may prosecute) –always take expert advice.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Failing to pay migrants the requisite hourly rate can lead to considerable problems under both employment and immigration law. You risk losing your accreditation status and could face a very costly claim against your business in the Employment Relations Authority.

Another area where employers fall into strife is giving advice or assisting with migrants’ work visa applications. Generally, employers must not provide migrants with immigration advice, such as which visa to apply for, or how they should complete the application form questions.

At Pitt & Moore we have also seen the fall-out for employers who fail to check that migrant workers have the right to work on an interim visa. This is not always the case and there are serious penalties under the Immigration Act for wrongly enabling migrants to work.

Expert advice is readily available

If you have any questions or would like assistance with your company’s accreditation or job check applications please get in touch with Pitt & Moore’s specialist employment and immigration team: 03 548 8349.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this publication is of a general nature and is not intended as legal advice. It is important that you seek legal advice that is specific to your circumstances.

Elly Fleming Associate Pitt & Moore www.pittandmoore.co.nz

Findex BA5 by Nelson Prov. Museum

Pure Hold — Nayland College

After going through the YES Kickstart session this team identified a problem, maintaining curly hair comes with a big price tag! Their solution is, they have carefully formulated a hair gel product, ensuring it is made from 100% natural ingredients, is paraben and sulphate free, looks and feels good and is more affordable than alternative products.

YES students in the region have now completed a validation process for their business ideas, and the below teams won a cash prize for this first challenge. The cash injections will go towards the production of their products. They are presently securing business mentors and working with advisors to develop and help turn their ideas and ambitions into reality. Next month they will pitch their business plan and products to a panel of judges.

PTT Honey — Nayland College

This business, first formed in 2020 has a new set of directors on board who seek to further develop their offerings, they have a new product this year, a honey health drink incorporating natural Māori medicine. The original ambition for PTT Honey was to support Nayland College Kapa Haka and they intend to continue donating proceeds to this cause from their Manuka Honey and also their popular Honey Ice Cream.

Fruitbay — Waimea College

Focused on making use of waste fruit and producing a low sugar product, the students of Fruitbay are working on a low sugar sorbet substitute. The product is for people who value low sugar snacks, such as older people and diabetic people on restrictive diets, who still want to indulge in tasty desserts.

Winter Events

JUNE

21

VISION, PURPOSE & VALUES

9:00am - 10:00am

Mahitahi Colab

WESTPAC SMARTS: Artificial Intelligence

10:45am - 12:00pm

Tides Hotel

FINDEX BA5: BESEENMORE

5:00pm - 7:30pm

BeSeenMore

JULY

ASPIRE 2023

8:15am - 5:00pm

Annesbrook Event Centre

7 WAYS TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS

9:00am - 10:00am

Mahitahi Colab

19

PERFORMANCE, PAY & REWARDS

3:00pm - 5:00pm

Mahitahi Colab

BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT SEMINAR

10:00am - 11:00am

Mahitahi Colab

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID

Mahitahi Colab 21

9:30am - 4:30pm

FINDEX BA5 & CHAMBER AGM

Port Nelson 25

07 19 20 28

5:00pm - 7:00pm

MĀORI PROTOCOLS & PHRASES IN BUSINESS

9:30am - 11:30am

Mahitahi Colab

WESTPAC SMARTS: THE BLUE ECONOMY

10:45am - 12:00pm

Tides Hotel

Meet our Members

Meet our Members

Introducing some of the newest members to our community.

Mindset Coach, Taumauri me Tahi creates a supportive and safe space to guide and empower their clients from all walks of life.

Where the intention is to break down the belief systems which are holding them back. Freeing them to become the person they were born to be so they can walk, talk and live from a place of power every day.

Taumauri me Tahi has a passion for working with Change Agents and Forward Thinkers, from CEO’s and entrepreneurs to entire business teams, aligning them to their desired outcome.

E: kiaora@taumaurimetahi.co.nz

T: 027 262 4212 W: taumaurimetahi.kartra.com

Number One Electrical Solutions was established in 2016 by Tahi Spinks in Waihi. Since moving to Māpua early in 2021 and running the business remotely the decision was made to open an additional Branch servicing the Nelson/Tasman region late in 2022.

Number One Electrical Solutions is committed to delivering a quality service to customers in a professional yet friendly manner, while holding strong to their “people first” based values. Covering most aspects of the trade from residential through to heavy industrial they have developed an experienced team of diverse trades people ready to tackle your projects, large and small.

E: admin@numberoneelectrical.co.nz

T: 03 539 4994 W: numberoneelectrical.co.nz

At Dani Ferrier Coaching, I work with business owners to create positive and proactive solutions to grow their businesses through culture development.

If you want to grow your business but you don’t have certainty that the team is on the same page then I will create a leadership strategy that suits you and your team. You can create a thriving environment and be the market leader once your culture is in place and you will have amazing results after adding real value to the lives of your team.

E: daniferrier@daniferriercoaching.com

T: 022 173 9128 W: daniferriercoaching.com

Forbidden Beauty is a premium beauty and skincare brand comprising three sophisticated moisturising creams and three associated beauty products. The company has been several years in the making and the invaluable input from experts within the beauty industry, and countless women’s focus groups, have been paramount in what Forbidden Beauty has achieved to date.

The beautifully presented product and gift set packaging has an eco-friendly emphasis with this strong ethos carrying through to our thoughtful selection of natural and powerful ingredients.

E: info@forbiddenbeauty.nz

T: 027 920 0594 W: forbiddenbeauty.nz

The Cooper Group has fast become one of Nelson’s preferred premium real estate agencies, finding their way on to the short list of many of the region’s finer homes.

As founder and supervising agent, Debbie Cooper is passionate about providing people with a highly professional and personalised real estate experience.

“Collectively we have built a brand that understands the power behind collaboration, and through honest, transparent communication and unfailing values, we have become a regarded referral business. It is our ethos to always do more, offer more, and be better.”

E: hello@thecoopergroup.co.nz

T: 03 546 4706 W: thecoopergroup.co.nz

We are an advanced conscious education company designed to help small to large business’s increase their profit, improve work culture and become the authority in their area of expertise.

We do this by producing high quality programs to suit each Business’s individuals needs and requirements. These programs are delivered in person or online, either one-on-one or in a group environment.

Become a powerful authority by building team morale, individual focus, communication and punctuality.

E: info@gregjonesnz.com

T: 027 430 0626 W: gregjonesnz.com

Centrally located and set up for adventure, exploration or just walking the central city, the Hardy Street School House is the perfect base for discovering the beautiful Nelson / Tasman region, and its only minutes’ walk to Nelson’s best cafes, restaurants and bars.

Hardy Street School House also happens to be one of the oldest buildings in Nelson (1860), with a full renovation completed in 2023 to convert the interior into two contemporary, self-catering luxe apartments available as either 2 bedrooms, 4 bedrooms or a combined 6 bedroom private booking (all rooms ensuite) for larger groups.

E: book@hardystreet.co.nz

T: 027 2216 768

W: hardystreet.co.nz

Castle Trust Financial Planning opened their Motueka office 15 years ago and recently opened a Richmond office on Queen Street, next to the library. One of the most experienced firms of financial planners and advisers in New Zealand, the team of five have over 100 years of experience between them.

Castle Trust Financial Planning help clients with their insurance, savings and mortgage policies, and specialise in assisting clients plan for retirement. They also provide investment and spending plans for their older clients – to help make sure their money lasts longer than they do.

E: admin@castletrust.co.nz

T: 03 528 4184 W: castletrust.co.nz

Meet our Members

Introducing

Covering Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough regions, Cohesive Construction and their highly skilled team work hard to deliver expertly crafted buildings. They are the top of the South’s sole supplier of Wide Span Sheds, and they pride themselves on offering the region a fully customisable, high-quality steel shed product. Run by Kris and Bruce, and lifelong friend and colleague Abe, they bring together over 30 years of experience in the construction industry and have successfully completed large commercial projects through to double garages and bespoke homes. They offer clients a full in-house design and management service ensuring a smooth and comprehensive process from start to finish.

E: kristin.paterson@cohesive-construction.co.nz

T: 0800 COHESIVE W: cohesive-group.co.nz

Sandrine Savarit is a fully licensed Immigration Adviser helping migrants and companies successfully navigate the complex reality of migration and visa application saving time, stress, and worry. Passionate about selfdevelopment, people, and discovery, Sandrine sees in migration and its challenges huge potential for people and businesses to learn, grow, question, and fulfil themselves. Very pragmatic and honest, she offers valuable insight into the decision-making process, what factors migrants and employers seek in relocation, and defining what is in their best interest to reach the best long-term outcomes for all. She is tri-lingual, fluent in French, Italian, and English.

E: info@sandrinesavarit.com

T: 021 028 42933

SquareKicker is a unique design tool that empowers Squarespace website designers to create high-quality website designs without coding.

The first of its kind, SquareKicker has gained strong traction in overseas markets and the team has expanded to 10 talented staff working in Nelson.

SquareKicker is driven by a curious nature and a dedication to providing solutions to expand the businesses of those in the Squarespace ecosystem.

E: hello@squarekicker.com

Kind Mind Kai, trading as KMK Facilitation & Liaison, offers a range of opportunities and facilitation to understand and enact Te Tiriti o Waitangi, bicultural practice, anti-racism and allyship.

Director Jenny Bennett (Jen) has a background in educational leadership and facilitation. The philosophy behind her mahi is that transformational learning and change happen when we feed both the mind and heart.

We offer workshops, facilitation, liaison services, and professional learning development within education, health, workplaces, and across communities.

E: kiaora@kindmindkai.com

T: 021 024 72498 W: kindmindkai.com

We are all very future positive.

We live in exciting times of great technological change and advancements. There are new ways of getting things done, and new tools to help make the transitions to a more sustainable future easier. For some it is a great leap into the unknown. For others it is important that they lead the way, and be a shining example of easy change with great outcomes.

It was an easy choice to transition one of our cornerstone community partnerships into the new Hyundai Kona electric vehicle last time the changeover of vehicles came about. As an organisation devoted to positive change and growth for our region, it made sense for them to be using an EV

They cover a lot of ground week to week getting all around the region. Stephen is often over in Golden Bay, which the Hyundai Kona handles effortlessly, and the rest of the team are all eager to get behind the wheel of the futuristic Kona EV whenever they can. David Kerr has been measuring the carbon footprint of the Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce for the past year, and has assessed that the use of the electric vehicle has reduced their carbon footprint by over one third! That is certainly something to be very future positive about, and something the team at Bowater Hyundai can help guide you and your business into starting for yourselves. Change is easy with a great range of new, ex-demonstrator and used options available.

Are you making the most of your membership?

You and your staff can access big savings with our national partners.

There are plenty of special member-to-member offers from local businesses too!

Don’t

forget about the Stocard app!

The Chamber has now gone digital. With just a few simple steps, your membership card can be loaded into Stocard and taken with you, or your staff, anywhere.