Commerce Comment — Autumn 2024

COMMERCE COMMENT AUTUMN SPRING 2024 2023

And the winners are...

CORNERSTONE PARTNERS:

AUTUMN ISSUE — CONTENTS

What’s Inside 03

From the CEO

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Business Awards Winners 2024

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Bowater Hyundai

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Be Part of Nelson Tasman Monopoly

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Supporting Our Regional Economy through Government-funded Research

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What's Next in AI?

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The Path to Empowering Communities

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NBS

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Locally-owned, Family-owned, or New Zealand-owned — So What?

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Collaboration is Key as Flight Demand Flattens

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Incorporated Societies are Changing

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Social Snaps

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Upcoming Events

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YES: Bright Ideas in Young Minds

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Meet our Members

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Regional Business Partners Network

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Membership Deals

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Your 2024 Business Awards winners What impressed the judges about Nelson's best

The career path that's empowering communities

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Is it actually good to advertise as "locally owned?"

For all enquiries please contact: Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology 322 Hardy Street, Nelson PO Box 1121, Nelson 7040 Phone: 03 548 1363 Email: britt@commerce.org.nz Web: www.commerce.org.nz Chamber Board: President: Venus Guy Vice President: Manoli Aerakis Board Members: Chris McGeown, Peter Pattullo, Sharon McGuire, Louise Walsh, Alfredo Puche, and Richard Butler.

Publication Design: Tizza Design

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Snaps from the night that was See all the best moments from the awards night

AUTUMN ISSUE — FROM THE CEO

From the CEO Wrapping up the 34th annual Business Awards as another great success, new venue and all.

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n Friday, we celebrated the 34th annual Nelson Pine Industries Business Awards at a gala dinner event.

It was a great opportunity to celebrate the achievement of all the businesses that entered, and we are very aware of the time and commitment that it takes – let alone running a business at the same time.

Congratulations to all of the winners, and if the social media feeds are anything to go by, people really did seem to have a good time. And there was dancing which always helps.

This year we held the awards at Annesbrook, a venue that we normally use for Aspire and last year also for our Strong Community Symposium. Moving the event to a new venue does not come without its challenges and this is where our strong relationships with local suppliers really showed their true value.

As a relatively small team we rely on their experience and expertise to deliver an event at the scale of the Business Awards and so I really must give a shout out to the teams at On-Cue, Got it Covered, Gourmet Catering, Kono, Shuttlerock and Gravity Events for managing all of the logistics, making the room look fabulous, providing delicious things to eat and drink and making sure the entrants had their moment of glory on the big screen. We really could not have done it without you.

During the awards ceremony, our MC Nick Rado officially ‘launched’ our Nelson Tasman Monopoly Game.

I realise that some of you are already aware of the project as we have talked about it to our partners and Chamber members – now we are going further afield and giving all business in the region the chance to get involved.

You will see more information in the coming weeks and if you would like to know how to secure your business spot on the board, or to appear as a Community Chest / Chance card, please contact Kim Odendaal at kim@chamber.org.nz.

And just to whet your appetite, here are a couple of fun ones that we whipped up for the awards night: “Keetrax helps you get more online sales.

Now that you are rich, pay each player sitting next to you $50.”

“It was a great opportunity to celebrate the achievement of all the businesses that entered. We are very aware of the time and commitment that it takes."

“It’s thirsty work buying houses. Stop for a fruity delight from one of Pete’s Natural Sodas. Advance to Mapua to sip it on the wharf.”

Congratulations again to the winners.

Applications will open this autumn so we can recognise more great local organisations next time!

Follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn so you won’t miss hearing about it.

AliBoswijk Chief Executive Chamber of Commerce

Community & Chance Cards Help us re-write an action card, which could include reference to your $2000 business, a local activity, or location.

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What’s an awards night without laughter, tears and plenty of dancing like no one’s watching?

Congratulations to all the winners from our 34th awards ceremony, and to all our entrants for doing so well in their respective fields. Being in business can be tough so awards nights, are rewards nights.

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COMMERCE COMMENT

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Congratulations to all our award winners

APEX ACCOUNTING

PETE'S NATURAL

START-UP BUSINESS AWARD WINNER

SMALL BUSINESS AWARD WINNER

The passion of the team at Apex Accounting is obvious and they have a very clear business model which is built on an absolute focus on the needs of each client. This is matched by a simple payment structure customised to individual needs. The significant growth in the number of clients over a very short time frame demonstrates the model is working.

Pete's Natural is a company committed to delivering premium products that are healthy alternatives to many other juices in the market.

This coupled with their strong focus on sustainability and the reduction of food-waste has placed them in a strong position to compete in the current environment. Their innovation is impressive which extends beyond the products they produce and was also a key driver in their response to the pandemic.

Highly commended: Boost Your Learning 6

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KEETRAX MEDIUM BUSINESS & SUPREME BUSINESS AWARDS WINNER The growth of Keetrax since 2019 has been consistent and impressive with a 93% increase in the last year alone. The scalability of the company is clear and they are going from strength to strength. A key metric for Keetrax is client success, which means that as the companies they work with grow, so do they. A win:win.

MILESTONE HOMES NELSON BAYS LARGE BUSINESS AWARD WINNER This was an impressive entry for several reasons, including the company's strong growth and absolute clarity of where Milestone Homes sit in the market, coupled with their commitment to delivering on time and on budget in what can be a volatile, unpredictable sector.

Highly commended: Dancing Sands Distillery COMMERCE COMMENT

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JB HILLS / GOLDEN BAY SOLAR FARM ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS AWARD WINNER As a business that has strong environmental goals the judges were impressed that this has been translated into action with the development of a solar farm. This was not a project without significant challenges and issues to overcome, but with determination it came in, on time and under budget, and is now making a tangible contribution to the environmental health of Golden Bay.

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THE FOOD FACTORY COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD WINNER The Food Factory has been instrumental in helping start-ups and more established food companies in the region to develop and grow.

By removing the barriers to help anyone with a passion for food they are providing valuable skills and industry connections that give individuals and small companies the best start for their business to succeed.

ONEFORTYONE

UNDER THE HOOD BBQ

COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD WINNER

INNOVATIVE BUSINESS AWARD WINNER

As a significant investor in a range of projects, OneFortyOne takes a strategic approach to their support of the Community Sector. This support ranges from financial grants to supply of materials and equipment, to access to forest trails. Consequently, the judges could see that the impact of OneFortyOne is extensive and helps a wide range of community organisations to achieve their individual goals.

Judges were impressed by the innovative solutions employed by the team to take it from a small backyard ‘side hustle' to the business it is today.

Their creative approach to keep the company going through the pandemic when catering jobs and classes were put on hold is testament to the team who pride themselves on saying ‘yes’ to new opportunities as they arise and deliver with a spirit of excellence.

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COMMERCE COMMENT

Be a part of the Purchase an iconic local attraction, help us write your own Community Chest / Chance card, or create a collectible token.

Community & Chance Spaces

Properties

Premium Properties

Industry & Utility Square

Add your business logo to either the Community Chest board spaces (3) $2000 OR Chance board.

Sponsor a property square (20) and add your business logo on the relating Property title deed card.

Sponsor a premium property and add your business logo to the relating Property title deed card.

Sponsor a regional industry or utility space and add your business logo to the relating Property title deed card.

Community & Chance Cards

Monopoly Money

Collectable Tokens

Chamber Members Pre-Order

Help us re-write an action card, which could include reference to your $2000 business, a local activity, or location.

Have your logo on all the Monopoly money! Denominations include $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, and $500.

Sponsor a custom Nelson Tasman token, i.e. Split Apple Rock, Boulder Bank lighthouse, Fifeshire Rock.

Chamber members have the opportunity to pre-order the Nelson Tasman Monopoly board game.

COMMERCE COMMENT

To find out more or download a sponsor pack, please visit our website here.

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Image: Cawthron Freshwater Scientist Dr Susie Wood, co-leader of the ‘Our Lakes, Our Future’ programme.’

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Supporting our regional economy through Government-funded research L ast year Cawthron was thrilled to announce that five of our bids to the Government’s Endeavour Fund – New Zealand’s largest contestable science fund – were successful.

This is a fantastic success rate and one we are very proud of. It reflects our consistent ability to deliver science that has a real world impact.

Every year our scientists spend many hours scoping multi-year research programmes that will make a difference to our communities and environment. We work alongside collaborators and suppliers to design research programmes, cost them out and craft compelling proposals.

These are submitted to a national panel of expert assessors who make final recommendations to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, which then distributes more than $220m of Endeavour funding per year to universities, crown and independent research institutes around the country.

At this very moment, many of our scientists are putting the final touches on proposals that have been years in the making. Because we are an independent science institute with a mixed-funding model, contestable Governmentfunds support much of the work we do too. And although we are looking to diversify our revenue streams, we will always seek Government support to deliver science that benefits society.

Two of our successful bids in late 2023 were for five-year, multi-million dollar collaborative research programmes – one which will support the finfish aquaculture industry’s climate adaptation strategy through selective breeding and another that aims to develop new approaches to lake management and restoration based on best-practice environmental monitoring approaches.

The other three were ‘Smart Ideas’ projects –three year projects with smaller budgets that aim to tackle specific challenges, and our successful bids include a project to develop a new kind of testing kit that detects marine toxins using a smartphone device and reusable tests, a project that will develop a dashboard for lake monitoring data that will provide usable insights to end-users, and a project to develop a vaccine to protect Pacific oysters from OsHV-1 or oyster herpes virus.

The brilliant thing about research programmes like these is that they produce multiple benefits not only for Aotearoa New Zealand, but also for our region. As well as producing new knowledge and tools that protect our environment and help our people thrive, they also generate direct economic benefit. We work with a wide range of local businesses to deliver this research, from engineering and manufacturing firms, to marketing and branding agencies. In this respect, when we succeed in securing funding for our research, everyone in the Nelson Tasman

business community succeeds with us.

We also depend on those relationships to be successful in these bids, drawing on the skills and expertise we have within the business community to pull together expert teams that can develop innovative new solutions to shared challenges.

For example, we’ve been working with Trinder Engineering in Richmond on prototype open ocean aquaculture farming structures through the Ngā Punga o te Moana research programme that is funded from 2021-2026, and our Lakes380 research programme scientists worked with Nelson’s Upshift on a web app that converts data about lake health into insights for end-users. It’s amazing to see the range of talent and expertise our small region offers, and how national research funding can generate new opportunities for us to work together.

So thank you for your support and collaboration – we hope to have another successful round this year that will enable more world-class research, science and innovation to be produced right here in Te Tauihu.

Volker Kuntzsch Chief Executive Cawthron Institute www.cawthron.org.nz

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What's next in AI? A

rtificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most rapidly evolving and influential fields of technology in the 21st century.

AI has progressed remarkably in the last couple of decades, achieving humanlevel or even superhuman performance in various domains, such as language, vision, speech, and games. AI has also transformed various industries, such as healthcare, education, entertainment, and finance, by providing innovative solutions and enhancing productivity.

What are the current trends of AI in 2024, what might be next, what has worked in the past, what has failed, and what is ultimately successful?

Quantum AI is the integration of quantum computing and AI, which

aims to leverage the power and speed of quantum algorithms. Quantum AI has already shown promising results in some applications, such as drug discovery, climate change, and natural language processing. Big problems require big solutions, and Quantum AI will be big!

of human society, such as justice, beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and dignity, frameworks that support ethical AI include the IEEE’s Ethically Aligned Design, the Partnership on AI, and the Montreal Declaration for Responsible AI.

AI legislation is the development and implementation of laws and regulations that govern the use and development of AI systems necessary to ensure the safety, accountability, transparency, and fairness of AI systems. Currently there are no AI-specific laws in New Zealand. An emerging AI legislation framework is the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights for Artificial Intelligence.

Augmented working is the collaboration and integration of human and AI workers, which aims to enhance the efficiency, quality, and creativity of work processes and outcomes. It is based on the idea that human and AI workers can complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses, rather than compete or replace each other.

Examples of augmented working include AI-powered chatbots, virtual assistants, recommender systems, and smart devices.

Ethical AI is the design and development of AI systems that adhere to the moral and ethical principles and values

The next generation of generative AI is the advancement and innovation of AI systems that can create novel and original content, that is expected to surpass the current state-of-the-art models, such as ChatGPT, DALL-E, and DeepFloyd, in terms of quality, diversity, and creativity.

In conclusion, AI is a dynamic and exciting field of technology that has achieved remarkable progress and impact in the past and continues to do so in the present and future. The current trends of AI in 2024 reflect the opportunities and challenges of AI, as well as the aspirations and expectations of human society. It may come as a surprise to many that they are already benefiting from AI without knowing it. Ultimately, the success of AI depends on how well it can serve and benefit human beings and the world, in a safe, ethical, and responsible manner.

Want to know more about AI? Contact BlueBerryIT for advice you can trust.

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

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The path to empowering communities H

ayley Veatupu, a New Zealand-born Tongan, completed a Bachelor of Social Work in 2018 at NMIT Te Pūkenga. She is now back on campus as a social worker funded by the Ministry of Health.

“The care and energy invested into learners here at NMIT is massive.

We want to see ākonga succeed,” she says. “We value relationships here and recognise that people have their own lives to live. We help study work for you.”

Growing up, Hayley was inspired by the mahi of local community social worker, Eddie Fa’avae. She saw his positive impact on the Pasifika community but recognised that much of his work was not seen. This inspired Hayley to get qualified, work in her own community, and push for more funded programmes.

“You can do the work, but by having the

right training and qualifications, such as an internationally recognised degree from NMIT, doors are opened. It’s a real game changer,” she says.

Hayley was offered no less than four different jobs after graduating.

“It was very easy to get a job. I also felt industry-ready. That extra year and the two placements make a world of difference.”

Hayley chose to study social work because she loves working with people.

Like many, she had life experience and was ready to give back to her community.

“By having the right training and qualifications, such as an internationally recognised degree from NMIT, doors are opened. It's a real game changer.”

“Most people we see studying social work are down-to-earth, kind people. We come from all walks of life.”

Visit our website or contact us to learn more about studying social work at NMIT.

COMMERCE COMMENT

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For wherever life takes you That’s banking for life.

Term investments That’s banking for life.

Home loans Transactional accounts Savings accounts Business banking

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COMMERCE COMMENT

Locally-owned, family-owned or New Zealand-owned — so what?

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any New Zealand businesses use locally-owned, family-owned or New Zealand-owned as their point of difference. They feel that this is a strong position to take against a bigger corporately-owned competitor.

But do customers care?

Saying you're locally-owned can be a weak default because you can’t think of a stronger reason for customers to choose your product. Saying you’re locally-owned may make you appear small, lacking the buying power, support or efficiencies of larger businesses.

Customers may wonder if you are up with the latest trends. They may question the depth of your knowledge or training that corporate-owned enterprises provide.

On the positive side, saying you are locally-owned may make you appear more trustworthy because you are part of the community and you are more likely to spend your profits in the local economy. Locally-owned businesses often pride themselves on providing personalised service or curated products that are unique to their region. You can adapt quickly to changes and respond to customer demands more directly.

With a distinctive brand image, you have the opportunity to stand out from chain stores and franchises. Customers appreciate the attention to detail and the ability to connect with business owners directly, creating a more intimate and customer-focused experience.

Family-owned takes locally-owned a step further. Family-owned infers a set of traditional values about how the business is run and how people are dealt with. For family businesses that have been running for a long time, there may be an intergenerational aspect too.

On the negative side, customers may think family-owned means limited resources, conservative thinking, succession planning issues, family politics, and lack of professional

management and accountability.

When it comes to ‘New Zealand made’ we know that it does make a difference on certain products. As part of a research project we did for a food product, we tested the use of ‘New Zealand-made’ on the packaging, and it was very important. Participants believed that many products sourced and made here are more trustworthy, particularly food and similar consumables.

However, they weren’t prepared to pay more than imported products of equal quality but if the price was comparable, they preferred the New Zealand-made product. But it does depend on the category you are in. We may be far less trusting of more sophisticated products like New Zealand-made computer components, medical equipment or motor vehicles.

reason for customers to choose your products just because you can’t think of any better reason. You will stand out more with a selling proposition that is unique to your business and more appealing to your customers; local ownership may be one of your secondary messages.

But if you are locally-owned and it really matters to your customers, then plaster it everywhere, making sure you unpack the benefits of local ownership, such as local knowledge and how you contribute to your community. Choosing the right path always comes back to understanding your audience and knowing what they want.

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

Don’t settle for the local tag as the main COMMERCE COMMENT

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Collaboration is key as flight demand flattens T

he financial year from July 2022 to June 2023 saw a huge return of traveller demand in the initial post-Covid era, outstripping all our expectations.

In this period, 915,000 passengers travelled through Nelson Airport, putting us back on track to achieve our pre-Covid high of more than 1 million passengers within the next few years.

Over the past six months however, the market has changed.

Cost of living challenges have dampened domestic travel demand, while our national carrier Air New Zealand has capacity constraints due to issues with engines on their jets, which has impacted the availability of the turboprop fleet.

The end result has been a flattening off in travel demand, with passenger numbers through Nelson over the period from July through January up about 2% on the previous period.

We expect this trend to continue over the remainder of 2024, and have adjusted our expectation of when we will once more hit the 1 million passenger mark to 2028.

Strong partnerships and collaboration are needed to ensure our region remains top of mind as a destination for tourism, trade, education and as place to live. This has been a key focus for Nelson Airport this financial year.

We’re proud to support the work of the Nelson Regional Development Agency, recently providing both in-kind and financial contributions to the NRDA’s autumn “Fall in Love with Nelson-Tasman” campaign. We also work closely with the airlines that service our region, Air New Zealand, Originair and Sounds Air. Over autumn 2024 we partnered with Air New Zealand on destination awareness and conversion campaigns to encourage travel to our region. In collaboration with Sounds Air and Uniquely Nelson, we offered a national audience the chance to win flights, accommodation and tickets to attend Marchfest, showcasing the region’s outstanding craft beer offer. And over the coming year we’ll be working with other New Zealand airports and regional tourism organisations on innovative ways to market our region, particularly over the shoulder and off-seasons.

This is one of the many ways we fulfil our purpose as an organisation, which is to contribute to a sustainable and prosperous Nelson-Tasman.

We love to collaborate and work with other passionate members of our community towards this goal and believe this is critical to supporting our region’s wellbeing, particularly in challenging economic times.

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

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Incorporated societies are changing All not-for-profit Incorporated Societies, including sports and social clubs, cultural groups, and special interest and activist organisations, are subject to new regulations under a new Act which will see the need to reregister and adhere to new requirements.

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f you are involved in the management of an existing Incorporated Society then you need to be aware that the (new) Incorporated Societies Act 2022 and the (new) Incorporated Societies Regulations are now fully in force – and what they mean for you.

Most importantly: 1.

Existing Incorporated Societies are required to re-register under the New Act any time from now through until 5 April 2026.

2.

If existing societies don’t re-register by 5 April 2026 they will cease to exist.

3.

As part of the reregistration process, societies will need to review and update their rules (now called their “constitution”) to ensure they comply with the requirements under the new Act.

2.

There are a few things that you should think about when deciding exactly when to make a start on this process: 1.

Happily, until a society has reregistered under the new Act, it will continue to be bound by the operating and reporting requirements of the (previous) Incorporated Societies Act 1908.

This means that until you re-register, nothing changes for you. But don’t

3.

use this as a reason to wait too long…

If you haven’t undertaken a more general review of your society’s rules for some time now, you may want to use this as a prompt to consider whether your existing rules remain fit for purpose or whether other changes could be usefully made to better align your society’s founding document with its current aims, practices and operations. It may even be a good time to assess whether or not an incorporated society remains the appropriate type of entity through which to carry out the activity you are carrying out – or whether a charitable trust or company might be more appropriate.

The more substantive the changes you need to make, the longer they will likely take to put in place, and so the earlier you need to start.

You don’t want to have to hold an additional general meeting of members just to approve a rule change. You should therefore be

looking to have your amended rules approved at your last annual general meeting before 5 April 2026, at the latest. You should look to work back from there in terms of timing.

4.

There is no time like the present.

We are available to assist with reregistration under the new Act, reviewing and updating of society rules or providing brand new constitutions, assessing the suitability of currently registered incorporated societies and providing advice regarding alternative structures and helping to create them.

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.

Geoff Caradus Partner Pitt & Moore www.pittandmoore.co.nz

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Social Snaps

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FINDEX BUSINESS AFTER 5: NELSON TASMAN HOSPICE 01 Tony Gray entertaining attendees 02 Eunice Creswell, Kay McPherson &

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Debbie Armatage

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03 Donald Bennett & Lisa Charles 04 Julia Mak & Bea Pole-Bokor 05 Tony Gray, Densise Hartley-Wilkins & Richard Wilkins

06 Rikki Smith & Nikki Neate 07 Tony Downing, Stephen Broad-Paul & Victoria Downing

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FINDEX BUSINESS AFTER 5: WARWICK HOUSE 01 Host Dani Ferrier with Ali Boswijk

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02 Trina Zimmerman and Frank Witowski 03 Rishi Pandey and Tanja Wiles

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04 Vitaliano Escobedo, Caleb Geddes & Paul Brockie

05 Chris Davies and Alice Ridgen 06 Dani addressing attendees 07 Mingling in the grounds at golden hour

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08 Alex Lowans and Deliese Mackay 09 Dani Ferrier and Paul Brockie

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Upcoming Events MARCH

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APRIL

STARTING BLOCK WORKSHOP: ADMIN SYSTEMS FOR BUSINESSES 9:30am - 11:30am Mahitahi Colab

FINDEX BA5: HARVEST KITCHEN 5:00pm - 7:00pm Harvest Kitchen

7 WAYS TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS 9:00am - 10:00am Mahitahi Colab

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INTEPEOPLE BUSINESS WOMEN'S NETWORK 5:00pm - 7:00pm

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PRINCE2 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOUNDATION TRAINING 25 Mar (9:00 am) to 27 Mar (4:30 pm)

NMIT, G Block

Mahitahi Colab

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PORT NELSON EXPORT HUB: DIGITAL IN NORTH ASIA WORKSHOP 8:00am - 12:30pm Tides Hotel

STARTING BLOCK WORKSHOP: BEING UNSTOPPABLE 9:30am - 11:30am Mahitahi Colab FROM "OH NO!" TO "LET'S GO!" 9:30am - 11:30am Mahitahi Colab

MAY

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PEOPLE RETENTION & ATTRACTION 9:30am - 11:30am Mahitahi Colab

MARKETING VIA EMAIL 9:30am - 11:30am Mahitahi Colab

Bright ideas in young minds O

ur annual Kickstart from the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) encourages senior students to share their ideas with businesspeople from their local community and get some useful feedback in return.

In Nelson (170) and Marlborough (70), students were taken through a Design Thinking Dash exercise to test and validate their business ideas and then got to pitch their ideas in valuable speed coaching sessions.

Our thanks to the 60 Te Tauihu coaches who gave up their time to support our students. Special mention to our panel of judges: Lu Khani from Business Navigators, Emma Fryer from FutureEcology, Marina Kere from KDM Digital Marketing, Anton Drazevik from Nelson Environment Centre, Bess Cuddon-Corlet YES alumni student, Tracy Atkin for Angel Investors Marlborough, Chris Walbran, and Tony Katavich.

We’ll keep you posted as the YES business ideas become reality.

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Meet our Members

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We love trucks, we really do! We love driving, grooming, refurbishing and presenting them to our very high standards. We love buying, trading, leasing, selling (either directly or on behalf) and financing them – here, there and all over New Zealand. We love tippers and flat decks, trailers and curtainsiders, tractor units and chillers, flat decks and box bodies, crane trucks and log trucks. Star Trucks has been around since 1995, that’s 28 years of delivering the right truck at the right price, every time and loving every minute of it. If you are looking for a truck to rent or buy, if you want your unit groomed or your alloys polished - come and see the truck-loving team at Star Trucks.

Based in Nelson, we serve as a platform for SME leaders and professionals understand what AI is and how to leverage it within our increasingly digital world.

E: admin@startrucks.co.nz T: 021 968 538 W: startrucks.co.nz

E: markb@aimagineers.io T: 0210 820 7173 W: aimagineers.io

I’m Denise, the founder of Shine People Consulting, a people development consultancy based in Nelson, serving clients nationwide. With over 25 years global people development experience, I know that you don’t create great organisations, you create great workplaces.

Ones with outstanding leaders, cohesive teams, and vibrant cultures where people thrive.

We strive to provide cycle tours with a gentle touch.

Taking time to talk and tailor an experience that connects people to our favourite places whilst being gentle on the planet. From family friendly loops with sea, swings and smoothies to bespoke wine tours in the rolling hills of the Moutere we cater to all great tastes.

We specialise in training, strategic planning, and custom AI solutions to facilitate sustainable growth.

Our vision extends beyond an ambitious dream of being a tech company that enables positive change within our community. We advocate for ethical use of AI, honouring the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and embracing sustainable business practices. We aspire to lead SMEs towards a future where AI is a force for positive change and inclusivity in our society.

A seasoned leadership coach and expert in team development and culture, I bring deep understanding of what it takes to develop leaders who inspire, teams that excel, and workplace cultures that shine. Reach out for a chat!

Collaborations with Paddle Nelson and Wilson's Abel Tasman have helped the Gentle Cycling Company grow and evolve over its 15 year existence. Chris and Bernie have relocated the business to Tahuna Beach Holiday Park, the tourism hub of sunny Nelson. The improved connection to the coastal route of the Great Taste Trail has made it stand out from its urban competitors.

E: denise@shinepeople.co.nz T: 021 1371 589 W: shinepeople.co.nz

E: info@gentlecycling.co.nz T: 0800 932 453 W: gentlecycling.co.nz

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Introducing some of the newest members to our community.

We provide integrated healthcare services, supporting New Zealanders to live happier healthier lives. Our multidisciplinary team can support physical and mental health at work or at home. Physiotherapy, psychology, occupational therapy, occupational health, and counselling are some of our easily accessible health and wellness services to keep your people healthy. This includes pre-employment testing, annual health monitoring, flu vaccinations, drug and alcohol testing, on-site nurse clinics and other preventative services.

Our EAP counsellors are able to assist in providing support for work and home issues, like anxiety or grief, financial guidance, and legal and career advice.

E: stoke@habit.health T: 03 547 2814 W: habit.health

Established in 2023, the two partners, Nick Mason and Mike McMellon, have decades of experience in immigration and employment law – and many of you will know them!

The firm prides itself on being approachable and responsive, with solutions tailored to clients’ individual needs. The partners are pragmatic and friendly, with a strong record of positive results for their clients. Nick and Mike take a great deal of pleasure in resolving issues for people. They act for a full range of clients, from employers with employment issues or immigration needs, to individual migrants and employees.

E: info@masonmcmellon.co.nz T: 021 226 7900 W: masonmcmellon.co.nz

Buying and selling is a big step, with Harcourts you have the very best New Zealand can offer in supporting you through your property journey.

Whilst the proud legacy of Harcourts goes way back to 1888, our focus is firmly on the future and continuing to offer our clients with the highest levels of personal and professional service, while achieving the best possible results. Our accolades include being voted New Zealand’s Most Trusted Real Estate Brand 11 years in a row.

If you’re thinking about your next move, contact our Harcourts Nelson and Richmond Team today.

E: admin.nelson@harcourts.co.nz T: 022 652 5152 W: nelson.harcourts.co.nz

Are you an employer, business owner or board that needs assistance with human resources and employment relations? From updating employment agreements to resolving employment-related issues and everything in between; Marie Tovio Consulting relieves clients of the stress that can come with not knowing if you are meeting your legal obligations or implementing policies and practices that support success. Marie is degree-qualified, has national governance experience, is a registered investigator, and has 30 years of experience in Human Resources. Reach out today for a no-obligation discussion.

E: marie@tovioconsulting.co.nz T: 021 932 332 W: tovioconsulting.co.nz COMMERCE COMMENT

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Meet our Members Jewellery Designer

We specialise in protecting your biggest assets, your health, and your ability to earn an income.

By working closely with you, we can assure you certainty in a time of uncertainty.

We have a claims promise — if you were in a situation where you needed to make a claim, we will be right by your side. Protection is what we provide, but relationships are what we build.

With us you are not just a number, you are our preference.

E: siby@preferential.co.nz T: 027 636 3450 W: preferential.co.nz

We're on a mission to heal the world one garden or farm at a time. We've created innovative products backed by our decades of research and commercial experience, products that team up with Mother Nature to give our green-thumbed friends the best results while working to make the environment healthier. Products that help to cultivate healthy and strong plants, that in turn produce healthier food. But beyond this, products with environmental benefits like reducing erosion and keeping nutrients in the soil and out of our rivers and oceans, and products that even play a role in offsetting greenhouse gas emissions. New to gardening or an experienced cultivator, we have everything you need to succeed.

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E: info@dct.co.nz T: 0800 432 8328 W: dct.co.nz

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Stacey Whale, a contemporary fine jewellery designer, operates from a charming boutique nestled in the delightful village of Upper Moutere.

Renowned for her expertise in transforming precious metals and gemstones into innovative, beautiful masterpieces, Stacey's artistry seamlessly combines nature, art, and architectural influences, and pushes the boundaries of fine jewellery design. With an illustrious career marked by international acclaim and multiple awards, her exquisite modern classic creations bring a breath of fresh air, introducing a new, distinctive and refined touch to the world of fine jewellery.

E: stacey@staceywhale.com T: 027 975 9204 W: staceywhale.com

Our mission is to redefine how businesses view their relationship with the environment to accelerate a transition towards a circular economy.

At Bluemoth we assess small to medium businesses environmental sustainability performance, create carbon inventory reports and implement actions to reduce emissions.

We can also help with particular sustainability projects from fleet to staff engagement.

E: lucy@bluemoth.co.nz T: 021 028 98985 W: bluemoth.co.nz

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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.

CORNERSTONE PARTNERS:

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