Monthly Archives: November 2022

Start-up business leverages opportunities from the beginning

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Brothers Izaiah (25) and Shae Lange (33) (Ngāti Kahungunu) launched their Napier-based business TH!NK just over a year ago.

Izaiah had returned from playing cricket overseas because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the young entrepreneur saw an opportunity to start a business with his brother Shae, a talented tattoo artist providing the service and him managing the day-to-day operations of the business.

He explored options for upskilling and building his business skills and together they approached the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) to inquire what opportunities were available to them in the business start-up space.

MSD’s Flexi-Wage for Self-Employment product was identified as an option for the Langes. The process is thorough, recognising the investment of public funds and to ensure that businesses have the best chance of success. Locally the Flexi-Wage for Self-Employment was being under-utilised and strategically MSD wanted to see more Hawke’s Bay entrepreneurs access the funding, especially Māori. “One of the ways we could increase the number of Māori businesses completing the application process successfully was by working with providers who could provide culturally appropriate support for whānau.

One of those was Tipu Ake Tonu, through their Whanake Ake service,” says MSD’s Regional Commissioner Karen Bartlett.”

The Langes worked with Tipu Ake Tonu to access Flexi-Wage which provides a weekly income for 26 weeks as well as a grant; an agreed amount of capital funding based on the business plan applicants complete. Izaiah and Shae were able to secure their CBD premises through the grant and manage the start-up commitments and living costs with TH!NK, their tattoo and apparel
business being their main source of income.

It allowed us to focus on getting things off the ground straight away. We didn’t have to worry about wages or paying ourselves as we knew what was coming in. It 100 percent took the pressure off and allowed us to free flow,” explains Izaiah.

TH!NK has survived the tumult of the past year, after initially having to close just after opening due to Covid and theirs being a close contact business.

“Being open and staying open through a time like the last year and a half has been crazy. Our best business learning has been to persevere with what we know will work.”

Tattooing is a service that lends itself to social media marketing and word of mouth. There is often an emotional, sentimental, and expressive element to it and the brothers agree that there is no easily definable demographic that uses their services. They quickly included the addition of lifestyle apparel brands to their offering to diversify and complement their key product- Shae’s art and his ability to interpret what the customer wants.

They are excited about the next offering they are looking at bringing to market, tattoo removal. While it may seem ironic it is the market who have driven the service expansion. After a conversation with a friend they saw potential with a gap in the market, leveraging an opportunity to positively impact whānau and community.

“People’s situations change and one of the avenues for removals is for those people who are looking to reintegrate back into the community after rehabilitation or prison and want their tattoos removed.” Not only does it help give people a second chance, but it is also a savvy business move with early projections showing it could equate to around 25% of their turnover in the first year of service.

Without Flexi-Wage for Self-Employment TH!NK might not be in the position to expand their offering. Providing options in the start-up space aligns with the Ministry’s focus. Karen Bartlett said, “while MSD is known for our income, housing and employment services, we do offer a range of support for people and creating self-sufficiency and independence for whānau is always a priority.”

Sir Graeme Avery recognised for contribution to Hawke’s Bay

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Visionary sport, community and business leader Sir Graeme Avery has been acknowledged for his immense contribution to developing over $80 million in high performance and community facilities, tackling community health issues and supporting youth to reach their potential.

The newly completed 72 bed hostel, part of a campus of sport and health facilities at the regional sports park in Hastings will be officially known as the Sir Graeme S. Avery House.

The announcement was made by the Hawke’s Bay Community Fitness Centre Trust (HBCFCT) and Hon. Stuart Nash, the Minister for Economic and Regional Development at a special event to open the hostel. The hostel was funded by the Government through a $5m Provincial Growth Fund grant, managed by Kānoa, the Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit.

Sir Graeme’s vision is for the hostel to be used by sport organisations as well as to be used for the delivery of programmes that bring about positive social change and enhance job prospects for Hawke’s Bay’s most disadvantaged young people across Waipukurau, Flaxmere, Maraenui, and Wairoa.

Sir Graeme was the founding chair of HBCFCT, establishing the Trust alongside Bruce Mactaggart in 2016 to develop community sport, education and health facilities and programmes in Hawke’s Bay. Since then the Trust has built the EIT Institute of Sport and Health that boasts the Royston Health and Fitness Centre, the new $32 million Hawke’s Bay Regional Aquatic Centre and now the Sir Graeme Avery Hostel.

“I don’t do things (for the community) to receive recognition or even a gong from the Queen or King. Gaby and I do it to help people to be the best they can be in sport or individually with their health and wellbeing, that’s all the recognition I need.

“I was very reluctant to accept this honour but having talked to my family, especially my son Nigel, I agreed that it would be a fantastic legacy for the family, as well as continue to tell the story of our vision to create opportunities for youth in sport and in life generally, as well as combat some of the poor health statistics in Hawke’s Bay.

“I have to stick around at least another decade to see some of that happen. There’s been some early success with athletes representing New Zealand from here but some of the health programmes are research based and the fruits of those are 10 plus years away,” Sir Graeme Avery said.

Minister Stuart Nash congratulated Sir Graeme, Bruce Mactaggart and the Trust for completing an impressive campus that benefits all Hawke’s Bay residents.

“I’d like to congratulate everyone involved in bringing the vision for this hostel to life and creating such a valuable asset for Hawke’s Bay. This is a magnificent facility that is already supporting our young people to realise their potential, develop leadership skills and build self-esteem through sports and physical fitness,” he says.

“This well-designed accommodation also adds another crucial and unique element to the set of sporting facilities that are strengthening Hawke’s Bay’s reputation for delivering and hosting great sport events alongside ground-breaking support for youth wellbeing and development.

“I would also like to sincerely thank Sir Graeme Avery for his visionary leadership and support for this community and New Zealand over many years. The naming of this facility in his honour is a fitting tribute to his drive for showing what can be achieved when communities work together to help a region and its people realise their full potential.

“The future lies in our young people. It’s up to all of us to help them make the most of opportunities to be the best they can be, in the regions and places they call home. That is a legacy we can all be proud of supporting.”

“A force of nature” is how Sir Graeme Avery is described by fellow founding Hawke’s Bay Community Fitness Centre Trust Trustee Bruce Mactaggart.

Bruce recalls a casual coffee catch up with Sir Graeme Avery in 2015 that sparked the vision of creating a regional version of Auckland’s AUT Millennium Sport Institute and National High Performance Training Centre.

“As I often say Sir Graeme is a force of nature with boundless energy and can easily do the work of at least four people.

“He’s proven time and again that he can bring dreams and visions to reality, never taking no for answer.”

Sir Graeme was knighted in 2014 for service to business and sport, having been involved at the time in athletics locally, nationally and internationally for over 45 years and leading the fundraising and development of AUT Millennium.

Bruce says Graeme saw the potential of creating quality local facilities and programmes that would benefit up and coming athletes as well as all improving community health and well-being outcomes along with youth development programmes.

“Ultimately for Hawke’s Bay Sir Graeme is driven to provide young and old, able or disabled, advantaged and disadvantaged with access to world class facilities and programmes. For Graeme it’s not just about building fantastic facilities for elite athletes but just as important is improving community health outcomes and tackling issues like obesity as well as developing inspirational programmes to ensure youth reach their potential.”

Sir Graeme has stepped down as chair of HBCFCT but remains actively involved, whether it be setting up new sports to the region such as water polo, which now has a schools competition and also recently hosted the national masters event,  to sharing a coffee with Bruce, just like in 2015, and coming up with new ideas to improve sport opportunities and health and wellbeing outcomes.

New HBCFCT chair Iain Taylor said Hawke’s Bay wouldn’t have some of the best sport facilities in New Zealand if it wasn’t for Sir Graeme’s vision, commitment and energy.

“What makes it even more incredible is that in only six short years he and the Trust have created over $80 million in facilities that will benefit the health and well-being of Hawke’s Bay people of all ages, as well enabling athletes to be the best that they can be,” Iain said.

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst says the people of Hastings and Hawke’s Bay are deeply indebted to the vision and commitment of Sir Graeme, backed by the support of wife Gaby and family, in creating facilities and programmes that will have a hugely positive impact for many years.

The facilities are on council land and have been instrumental in elevating the Sports Park to world class status and the envy of regions across New Zealand.

“Sir Graeme is a treasure for Hawke’s Bay and his contribution will create many future international sport stars, attract teams and events to compete, train and stay at the park as well as uplift our youth in the delivery of youth development programmes.”

In a Volatile World – Make Sure You Have the Right Values Insured

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The world is increasingly volatile with newspapers being filled with stories of economic doom and gloom. Continuing issues with supply chains are impacting the availability of all imported goods including building materials, replacement parts, and machinery.

Inflation is set to hit levels not seen since the late 80’s and early 90’s.The consequence of this is that prices continue to rise increasing the cost of living and doing business here in New Zealand and globally. Your Insurance Values Need to Keep Up With all of these changes it is essential that your Material Damage (Property) and Business Interruption policies are reviewed regularly to ensure that your cover is at the right level. These policies will include limits that you select for your assets and loss of profit, and typically these will be variations of:

  • Buildings
  • Plant/ Machinery/Equipment
  • Stock
  • Loss of Gross

The amounts detailed in your policy schedule and shown against these items are the maximum amount that the insurer will pay in the event of a claim. Insurers confirm this within the policy by stating that the maximum payable in the event of a claim is the amount included within the schedule provided by you.

It may be tempting in a time of generally increasing costs to leave insurance values as they are. However, come claim time, you may find that the insurance policy is insufficient to reinstate the loss incurred and ensure the continuity of your business. Underinsurance Under insurance is very common in New Zealand and can happen for a number of reasons:

  • Not understanding the basis of the values to be insured;
  • Not including all costs in the sums insured e.g. debris removal and/or site improvements;
  • Currency fluctuations where businesses are heavily dependent on imported machinery;
  • Not accounting for delays or shortages in the supply chain;
  • Not reviewing values annually;
  • Not factoring in increasing prices.

Under Insured Claims Reports in the UK show that:

  • 70% to 80% of business that suffer a major disaster go out of business  within three years
  • Companies that are not open again within 10 days are unlikely to survive

A good disaster recovery plan, together with properly insured assets/revenue to provide adequate funds for recovery, will increase the chances of survival.

Deliberate underinsurance will be a problem at claim time and may impact the decision of the insurer on whether to pay the claim, and if so on what basis. While insurance concepts such as
“Average” do not, in the main, apply in NZ, insurers are not obligated to settle claims where there has been deliberate misinformation/underinsurance.

Next Steps

Getting the sums insured correct for your business is critical to its survival in the event of a loss. We recommend:

  • Talking with a professional valuation firm and/or
  • Implementing a valuation programme with a qualified valuer to ensure  sums insured are regularly reviewed.

If you arrange premium funding for your insurance programme then it may be possible to fund the cost of the valuations at the same time.

Whirlwind two years for duo

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Ma mua ka kite a muri, ma muri ka ora a mua. Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead

Through their kaupapa to support others, working out of their Maraenui base, Tipu Ake Tonu directors Theresa Carter and Sally Crown know firsthand the power of the whakataukī (proverb) above. The business has had a whirlwind two years in operation and both agree that the outcomes and impact their services deliver keep them driven to succeed.

“The whānau and organisations we have worked with, their success literally gives our pakihi (business) life. That’s the reciprocal nature of not just business, but Te Ao Māori. There’s a natural balance.” says Sally.

Established out of the 2020 Covid rāhui (lockdown) the business is serving a range of whānau, funders and businesses who all resonate with their approach.

“The indigenous Te Ao Māori framework that we apply to our business support services, incorporating concepts such as atua (deities), whenua (land) and whakapapa (lineage) work for all people. It’s win-win,” explains Theresa.

And it is working here in Hawke’s Bay as well as across the motu (country). One of more than ten providers locally their Whanake Ake service designed to assist those looking to pursue business start-up through the Ministry of Social Development’s (MSD) Flexi-Wage for Self-Employment product was responsible for 42 percent of successful applications regionally in the 21/22 year. The service has been picked up by both Tāmaki (Auckland) and Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) regions too.

Helping applicants articulate their idea, research viability and present their case to vetters such as PwC, Tipu Ake Tonu have honed the process over the last 15 months. All the businesses they helped launch remain operational, with 12 of them now entirely independent of MSD assistance.

“For many of the whānau we work with it initially seems overwhelming. Whanake Ake is an intensive one-on-one service where we not only build their business capability but also their self-belief and resilience.”

Identifying ways to reduce barriers to start a business means Whanake Ake has provided a natural next-step for participants from their flagship business start-up programme Kurawaka that has been funded by Te Puni Kōkiri. The wāhine (women) focussed course continues to develop and has now delivered three cohorts. Sally says, “our 2022 cohort included a six-month mentoring component.

It’s a gap we continue to see in the market. Businesses get started with a bang but then what? Many just need someone to walk alongside them as they navigate the crucial first phase. We have been lucky to be able to build this into Kurawaka.”

The results of such support speak for themselves. Their 2022 cohort had a 100 percent completion rate, 40 percent of participants transitioned from being employees to full-time self-employment and all participants are operating in business. However, it is not just the success of the individual but also the ripple effect it has on the well-being of family and the wider community. Theresa adds, “one of our participants has now established two businesses, four of our wāhine are operating businesses with six-figure revenue and seven additional whānau have been employed in pakihi (businesses) established out of this cohort.”

Tis year they have also completed a covid related project working with 10 businesses to help them assess their current and future positions, with ongoing check-ins and recommendations all 10 are surviving despite a difficult couple of years. They also continue to work in business growth, community engagement and cultural capability, diversity and inclusion. “I had a client say the other day that I had said that when you authentically understand (Te Ao Māori) you will act differently; and now they are. It’s courageous and can be scary for some but once people get it, they just know it’s right,” says Sally.

The small team of contractors they work with are pivotal to their success and they are grateful to be connected to like-minded professionals who are one hundred percent committed to the kaupapa.

Sally praises their capabilities and work ethic, “we work in a perpetual state of change and innovation. Our team are flexible, knowledgeable and inspire us on the daily.” Collaboration and reciprocation are essential.

Theresa adds, “we couldn’t do this mahi on our own. Our partners and our team are key to the outcomes we are achieving. Mā whero, mā pango ka oti ai te mahi.” (With red and black the work will be complete.)

www.tipuaketonu.co.nz 

The +MORE team adding to your business

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+MORE, a business advisory and accountancy firm in Hawke’s Bay, believe every small and medium New Zealand business deserves access to business advice that is fuelled by technical capability and practical commercial experience.

That’s why their Hawke’s Bay team are here to provide local business owners with advice that has depth to support them through the challenges that come with being in business. Jess Tietjen & Sam Ogle are behind the +MORE team here in Hawke’s Bay. They advise clients on a wide range of business issues and are considered trusted partners when it comes to helping their clients succeed.

They are focused on providing advice that is practical, commercially driven, and the most relevant to the client. Invaluable support to Bay businesses Do you know your ‘why’ as a business owner?
An established business completed a business planning session with Jess recently after going years without having a plan in place. With no plan, the business owner lacked clarity around their future direction and what success looked like to them.

“One of the most important things that come out of our sessions is nailing down what success looks like for the business owner and looking into how they can make their business work for them, to achieve their versions of success, whatever that may be” says Jess. During the session they reviewed their past performance and future direction, as well as set realistic goals with clear strategies on how to achieve those goals. All these key learnings come together to make up their one-page business plan.

Following the session, the client now has clarity on what steps they need to take to achieve their version of success. To help stay accountable to the plan, Jess meets with the client every quarter to check in and help assist with any roadblocks or challenges along the way.

This is part of +MORE’s quarterly coaching service. A performance duo. Jess recently worked with a new client who felt they didn’t have a handle on how their business was performing at any given time.

“Many business owners find it hard to step out of the day to day running of their business and take that essential look into how it’s performing” says Jess.

Firstly, Jess worked with them to ensure their financial information in their accounting software was accurate and up to date. From there, they developed customised reports and dashboards that were meaningful and easily understandable to the client.

The dashboards are integrated with the client’s accounting software, which is in real time meaning the client can now access accurate and up to date information whenever they need it.  This has been crucial to identifying issues before they become a major problem.

Pair dashboard reporting like this with +MORE’s quarterly coaching service and you have the perfect performance duo. +MORE’s quarterly coaching involves meeting every quarter to review reporting, assist with challenges, clarify areas for improvement, and develop a 90-day action plan to keep on track to achieving the client’s overall strategy.

Local firm with national strength and experience

“Being part of a nationwide firm means that we can tap into wider expertise if required, so we can continuously deliver the best outcomes for our clients.” says Jess. “Whether you’re an established business looking to grow or sell, or an entrepreneur just starting out, we can support you to achieve your goals through our extensive range of advisory services, while ensuring your tax requirements are well managed”. If you are an ambitious business owner and need an advisor that can coach you to success and help you reach your goals, then +MORE is the best place you can be.

www.plusmore.co.nz 

Architecture HDT adds Kaweka to impressive health facility design portfolio

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Architecture HDT has added Kaweka Hospital to its impressive CV of technically complex projects. Architecture HDT architect director, Shaun Thompson-Gray says the firm has been involved in many projects within the health sector and is part the team working alongside project manager Nick Ward of PML and lead contractor, Gemco.

Architecture HDT was given the opportunity to design Kaweka Hospital based on its experience on other technically challenging projects particularly in health such as New Zealand’s largest GP practice, Hastings Health Centre, and the Hawke’s Bay DHB’s Renal facility.

Both of these projects involved directors of Westside Health, the umbrella company of Kaweka Hospital. They were impressed by our design process and examples of completed buildings.”

Tracey Thomson-Gray, who headed the design team, said “the brief was to create a state-of-the-art environment that improves the health and well-being of patients, visitors, and staff. A ‘biophilic design’, philosophy, which is about human kinds innate biological connection with nature, is achieved through physical and visual connections with nature, thermal and air-flow variability where appropriate, the presence of water (in the Stage 2 courtyard), the use of dynamic and diffuse light, biomorphic forms and patterns, and material connections with nature.

“Our initial response was to create a master plan allowing for the continual growth of a health campus set in landscaped grounds, featuring native plantings, with the complex divided into four quadrants – a vehicular axis connecting Canning Road (Hawke’s Bay Regional Hospital) to Murray Place, and a pedestrian axis within a landscaped zone, pathways, rain gardens, an internal courtyard, public seating, sculptures, column carvings, and bicycle parking facilities.”

The overall form of the form of the building was inspired by the peaks of the Kaweka Range which are a significant Hawke’s Bay boundary condition. The solidity of the Kaweka Range is referenced through the roof form, brick cladding, and punched windows.

A counterpoint to the building’s solidity is the entry which is carved out of the solid form to create a glazed, light-filled, and welcoming space. Other key members of the HDT design team included Tom Nielson – who managed the technical aspects of the project and Emma Cox – who brings 19 years of hospital planning experience to the project.

“We are very happy with how the design elements of the building have come together and are most proud of the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the board, staff, and visitors. Patients, visitors, and staff can now experience the architecture we have created to bring the clients brief to reality. www.architecturehdt.co.nz

A quick look at HDT

We are a mid-size architectural practice founded by Burwell Hunt and Mike Davies in 1994. The Hawke’s Bay office opened in 2008 with Shaun Thompson-Gray and Ian Nelson as founding directors. It has gone from strength to strength with a current team of 17. It also has offices in Wellington and Christchurch. We are a client-focused, innovative, design-oriented practice with strong technical skills capable of providing full architectural and project management services. We are committed to providing a positive influence in the creation of a sustainable future for our community.