Category Archives: Latest News

Latest Hawke’s Bay business news

Conroy’s keeps moving forward

Posted on by
Reply

Family-owned business Conroy Removals celebrate 50 years in 2022 and despite one of the most challenging times in their history, dealing with both the COVID pandemic and a flood wreaking havoc at their Onekawa, Napier base, the father and daughter-run operation has emerged stronger than ever. Just prior to COVID, general manager Fiona Conroy followed in her father David’s footsteps, joining The Icehouse business owner’s Programme at the Hawke’s Bay Business Hub.

Growing up, there was a hard and fast rule for Fiona Conroy – no joining the business until she had been out in the world to decide if it was a path she was really interested in.

Ever since she can remember, Fiona has been immersed in the family business. “That was just life, there was always the trucks and holiday work in the office.” After a “much-loved” OE and finishing a Bachelor of Business Studies, an opportunity came up to join the Wellington branch. “I thought I’ll give it 12 months and see how it goes” plus having finished uni’ studies meant there was a back-up plan “just in case things didn’t work out”.

Fiona eventually took the Conroy’s sales rep’ position in 2003 covering the Wellington, Manawatu and Wairarapa regions. Now back in Hawke’s Bay, Fiona is Conroy’s GM, based in the original Lipton Place Onekawa offices, juggling three children and being a director of local business, Pacific Powder Coating run by husband Joe Koenigsberger.

Off the back of the property market, this year’s growth at Conroys has been significant.

“There is a big push for house moves out of the cities. The continual lockdown for Aucklanders meant if they have the opportunity to leave, then it into the regions.

“The trucks are definitely seeing a north to south flow. We thought our international part of the business would tank post-Covid but Kiwis are coming back from all over the world.. “In August last year the inquiry for the sales team from Aussie spiked and it really hit us in December. Then we saw a plateau because people couldn’t get a booking in a quarantine hotel but now, with the bubble, we are seeing another lift of Trans-Tasman traffic. But the international shipping is a real headache. We have a contract as a moving group for preferred rates and space and it’s still a real struggle to to get any space at all.“

The commercial side of the business was also busy with people buying new furniture and doing home renovations.

Looking back on the lockdown Fiona admits initially it felt like a panic. “Getting everybody home, we had a full diary – there was massive pressure. Only some small elements of the business were considered essential and effectively 70% of our work stopped at Level 4.”

“Dad and I came into the office and sat at opposite ends of the boardroom and just worked through how we were going to make it work.”

Fiona had joined the Icehouse in early 2020 to develop her management and leadership skills.

“I had enrolled in the Owner Operator Programme but suddenly when Covid hit, I felt overwhelmed with the unknown ahead and thought, what am I doing starting now but actually in hindsight the timing was ideal. We have been foot down ever since and that’s where I have appreciated being in the Icehouse. I have been able to step out of the office for a few hours or Zoom with the other owners in the programme while also having the one on one coaching with Michaela Vodanovich. The coaching time has been totally invaluable to pause and reflect. Michaela is so experienced and has been direct and straight up. You tend to lose focus when you are really busy and the strategic plan gets lost, so now I have been able to work on the plan during coaching sessions instead of trying to do it in the weekend. Being able to do the Programme in Hawke’s Bay has also been a godsend.”

And then there was the November flood to deal with – repairs are on-going.

“It’s a disruption and a whole layer of something we didn’t need to deal with. Our main challenge this year is keeping up with demand for moving services and recruiting staff. The driver shortage nationwide is huge and we need to focus on enticing people into the transport industry and learning our trade – not easy when there are so many jobs opportunities available. We are hoping the government will ease border restrictions in the months ahead – we need people which is a challenge we share with many Hawke’s Bay businesses.”

Where to now for regional economic development

Posted on by
Reply

Economic Development in Hawke’s Bay is set for a big shake-up. However, Minister for Regional Development and local MP Hon. Stuart Nash is urging the region’s councils to have a new delivery model for economic development up and running faster than the proposed timeline of 12–18 months. He is also telling the councils they’ll need to contribute more money for it to be effective.

In February, all five councils across the region – Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Napier City Council, Wairoa District Council, Hastings District Council and Central Hawke’s Bay District Council – agreed to complete a review by Giblin Group, at a cost of $40,000, which will further develop the preferred option of a Council Controlled Organisation (CCO). The proposed shake up and likely move to a CCO has brought to an end to Business Hawke’s Bay (BHB), an independent business-led economic delivery agency (EDA) but funded by councils. Following the decision by council’s to complete the review, BHB chair Stuart McLauchlan made the tough call to bring the organisation to an end after 11 years.

“The board has wrestled with this decision, as BHB has made a genuine and significant contribution to Hawke’s Bay over the past decade, delivering much needed services to the region’s business community and the wider economic development eco-system. “We are disappointed that we won’t be playing a part in the future economic development of our region and we’re sorry for the impact this decision will have on our people, who have given their all, and put up with considerable uncertainty for a long time.”

He says the board will now work collaboratively with Councils to try and preserve as much value and IP from BHB’s activities as possible; including its people and securing the future of the two Business Hubs, as well as BHB programmes serving start-ups, the food and fibre and hi-tech sectors, along with regional talent attraction and retention.  The date of the wind up will be determined as part of the transition arrangements to be negotiated with the Councils. BHB, which has also operated the shared Business Hub in Ahuriri since 2015, has received a total of $320,000 a year from the councils – just 3 percent of a total $10 million investment by councils. Hawke’s Bay Tourism receives 15.7 percent of the total funding.

The review recommended the disestablishment of BHB and the establishment of a CCO instead. The report also stated at least a further $1.6 million in funding was needed for it to be effective. It also recommended that the Business Hubs in Ahuriri and Hastings continue to be funded. Councils will now independently receive the final report before deciding how they will each participate and contribute to the delivery of economic development.

However, it’s likely that Hastings and Napier will be asked to stump up the most cash, with Wairoa and Central Hawke’s Bay ratepayers already expecting a significant rate increase.

In an exclusive interview with The Profit, Stuart Nash, who also holds the portfolios for small business and tourism, has put the acid on councils to have a new organisation structure, including the appointment of a new chief executive, within six months.

“Twelve to eighteen months is far too long. I can’t see why a new chief executive can’t be recruited within three months and a new organisational structure up and running within six. What this would require, of course, is for the councils to quickly agree on a new way forward and divert some of their current local economic development budget into a region-wide organisation.

“This is certainly what I would like to see as Minister. The region runs the risk of missing out (again) if we don’t have a highly functional EDA operating for 12 to 18 months.”   Stuart also believes the council’s current approach of operating their own economic development resources isn’t helpful and that a better coordinated approach is the best way forward.

“My understanding is that there is around four to five million dollars spent directly across the region by the various councils on economic development.

“As Minister of Regional Economic Development, I would like to see a more coordinated approach taken by councils across our region to economic development. So, it’s not so much a matter of money, but rather a strategic agreement – and then operational implementation – on the way forward that is of highest importance.   “The fact that around five million dollars is spent by the various councils on their own economic development strategies, and yet there is no regional EDA, is incredibly frustrating and counterproductive to regional economic growth.

“Let’s face it, if one of the Bay’s towns and/or cities does well, the whole region benefits.” Stuart also hopes that the councils consider the inclusion of the strongly performing entity Hawke’s Bay Tourism as part of the new economic development model. “Hawke’s Bay Tourism does a fantastic job and really stepped-up post-Covid to maximise the region’s tourism potential.   “There are around 15 EDA that also have the regional tourism organisation (RTO) incorporated within their operational structure.

“As minister for both Tourism and Economic Development, I have asked my officials to provide me with an analysis on the most optimal structure given the ability to compare the different models across the country.

“I am certainly not against the concept; in fact, I may well recommend this structure to the councils going forward.”

Stuart adds that Hawke’s Bay Tourism also has a high level of transparency and accountability back to the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, whereas none of the councils have representation on the board of BHB and yet BHB demanded ratepayer money for operational funding.   “With regards to BHB, there was perhaps a disconnect between private sector and public sector understanding of the important role of key stakeholder accountability.”

Meanwhile, as this council consultation works its way through political decision-making and community consultation, Business Hawke’s Bay is likely to cease operating – either prior to or after the current funding ends in June – as well as leave much in limbo. Something that Minister Nash will keep a very close watch on.

 

All Blacks help kickstart new local business

Posted on by
Reply

A small Hawke’s Bay business has been able to use some heavy weights influencers to help launch their business. Sensory Haven 4 Kids sells quality, affordable products that can provide comfort and security for both children and adults who are challenged by Sensory Processing Disorders, Anxiety, Fetal alcohol disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Dementia and Autism.

Business owners Lynair Bergman and Angela Howlett launched the business in February 2020 and became one of 100 businesses across New Zealand that got to use the marketing grunt of the All Blacks and ASB Bank to launch their products.

“We created the business because we have always had a passion for working with and supporting children and adults with sensory differences.

The products that were available on the market were hugely expensive which made them unreachable for many of the families we worked with. This was the driving factor to starting the business.”

Although some may think the timing of a launching a business wasn’t ideal, just business prior to a six week lockdown, thanks to ASB’s Borrow the All Blacks campaign, the idea of getting one of the world’s most recognisable brands, the All Blacks, helping out, is something that is usually well out of reach for small businesses.

“When the All Blacks competition came along  we were looking for ways to promote our business and thought what better way to promote ourselves than to have NZ’s sporting stars showcase what we have to offer.  “COVID lockdown allowed us the time to stop and think about our passion and what we wanted to do. We knew there was a need for reasonably priced products to support children and adults with sensory processing differences.

“We researched and sourced online quality affordable products and for the items we couldn’t access we found people within the community that helped us to have these products made locally. “Having the All Blacks involved was hugely exciting  and a real privilege to have them showcasing some of our products. It means further exposure for us and will draw attention to what our business has to offer.   The business is now kicking goals and they’re confident that they’ve got a product range that’s making a positive difference.

We know that our products will make a real difference in people’s lives as already we have had some fabulous reviews, and the positive changes they have made. “We would like to thank you ASB and the All Blacks very much for the opportunity. ASB reviewed nearly 2000 entries to select the 100 small to medium Kiwi businesses that will get a share of the bank’s New Zealand Rugby sponsorship through the ASB Borrow the All Blacks campaign. The bank’s executive general manager of Business Banking, Tim Deane, says the campaign was an innovative way the bank can lend a hand beyond the financial. “Borrow the All Blacks is our way of lending more than just money to hardworking SMEs who are the very backbone of New Zealand’s economy.

 

Flightpath – Hawke’s Bay Airport update

Posted on by
Reply

Bay Espresso is set to land at Hawke’s Bay Airport in 2021, much to the excitement of local coffee lovers.

The stalwart of the Hawke’s Bay coffee roasting and café scene will form part of the airport’s desire to tell the story of the region, its culture and history.

Bay Espresso owners Chris and Jonelle Jarvis have built the brand and a strong reputation for award-winning coffee, great food and, more recently, have added craft beer to their offerings as owners of Roosters in Omahu Road, Hastings.

Jonelle says they’re looking forward to adding character, flavour and their unique inclusive offering to visitors to the region, as well as their loyal following.

“We want visitors to arrive at the terminal and go ‘wow, I’m in Hawke’s Bay’.

“Our aim has always been to position our brand as a brand for everyone and we’ve designed our offering to be suitable for all tastes and budgets,” Jonelle says.

The café will be open from early in the morning through to the evening, offering customers their favourite morning coffee shot through to an ice cold beer or wine in the evening.

“We’ve been keen for a long time on having a café at the airport and the timing is much better now than ever before, with the airport being redeveloped as well as us having a few more years of experience of running a business under our belt.”

Jonelle says the couple and their staff are particularly proud of creating a business model that caters for a very broad customer base.

“We have never wanted to be positioned at the high end of the market. We’ve always believed that a café should be for everyone to enjoy, providing different food styles and a wider range of prices.”

Chris and Jonelle have owned and operated nine cafes on the go. They have pared this back to the iconic Bay Espresso café in Karamu Road, a new roastery/café in Ellison Street, Hastings, a café at the new Hastings Health Centre as well as Roosters.

“We will be looking to create a rustic look, which we’re known for in our other cafes, and the airport team are keen to see this style introduced at the airport.

“Although the airport will be stunning, they are also keen to ensure there is a character and a strong sense of what Hawke’s Bay is famous for – its food and variety of coffee, wine and beer.”

Hawke’s Bay Airport commercial manager Dean Smith says Bay Espresso is an exciting addition as they look to transform the visitor experience at the airport and tell the story of the region.

“When you think of coffee, you think of Bay Espresso, it’s a brand that has played a big part in the development of the café scene.”

The café will be in the central retail and hospitality area at the airport and will open when the expansion is completed in April.

Hawke’s Bay Business Hub turns 5

Posted on by
Reply

In May 2020, in the midst of New Zealand’s COVID-19 lockdown an important milestone for the Hawke’s Bay business community slipped by, unnoticed.

Opened five years earlier, in May 2015, by the then Minister of Economic Development Stephen Joyce, Hawke’s Bay Business Hub Ahuriri, has spent the past half decade as a unique, highly regarded example of regional collaboration, supporting thousands of businesspeople and businesses along the way.

Commenced as key initiative of Business Hawke’s Bay with the aim of unleashing the region’s business potential, the Hub has a vibrant member community, comprising 17 business support agencies, providing many business support services across the region.

The Hub is a one-stop-shop for business. It’s place where businesspeople come to learn, share, connect and grow their business skills. In addition, the Hub is a well appointed and modestly priced co-working, meeting and training venue. With everything and everyone in one central location, it’s very easy to find out about, and to access business growth and support services.

Hub members include Hawke’s Bay Regional Business Partners,  Business Mentors NZ, Callaghan Innovation, Business Hawke’s Bay,  Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, NZ Food Innovation Network, Business Central, Export New Zealand, Te Puni Kōkiri, The Icehouse, Te Taiwhenua o Te Whanganui-a-Orotū, Young Enterprise Scheme, and economic development officers from local councils.

The model is unique, as far as we know, and recognised nationally as an outstanding model of regional collaboration. Nowhere else in New Zealand have as many business support agencies come together under one roof to collaborate and connect. It’s about working together to provide the best possible support to our business community. Because when business wins, so do we.

Activation of the Business Hub is a key deliverable under Pou 4 Economic Growth of Matariki, Hawke’s Bay’s Regional Development Strategy for economic, inclusive and sustainable growth. Supporting our businesses and sectors to grow, and to be innovative, productive, sustainable and inclusive is a major focus of Matariki HBREDS. The objective is to create a comprehensive enterprise and entrepreneurial support eco-system for start-ups, small and medium business and Māori business, to strengthen the regional economy, and to develop more skilled and higher value jobs,.

In the Hawke’s Bay Business Hub we have the infrastructure and the community of support agencies not only gathered, but engaged, to help the region and its businesses to succeed. We have a resource that our region can be tremendously proud of. Many thanks to the Hub’s member agencies for the enormous role they play in supporting and helping to develop the capability, innovation and productivity of our business community, and to the funders and commercial partners who, through the funding of Business Hawke’s Bay, make the Hub possible.

As we look forward to the next five years, we are excited to share the news that Hawke’s Bay Business Hub will soon be establishing a presence in Hastings, with the support of Hastings District Council. After five years of very successful operation across the region, it is great to be extending the physical presence of Hawke’s Bay Business Hub to Hastings.

The impact of COVID-19 on our regional business community gave impetus to delivering Hawke’s Bay Business Hub Hastings quickly and effectively to support business across the region.  It aligns Hastings District Council’s plan to support business recovery and to enable access to business support services in Hastings.  Hawke’s Bay Business Hub Hastings is planned to be part of a wider geographical presence for Hawke’s Bay Business Hub  (a hub and spoke model) in the region as we work towards a Business Hub presence in Waipukurau, Wairoa and at the planned FoodEast Innovation Hub.

Hawke’s Bay Business Hub Hastings is a pilot programme operating initially from November ’20 to June ’21. The aim of delivering a pop-up was to enable establishment of service delivery in a very timely way, drawing on learnings from the management and activation of the HB Business Hub Ahuriri and to ascertain ongoing demand levels and needs.

If you’d like to find out more, visit
www.hbbusinesshub.nz

Event champion on search for new events

Posted on by
Reply

ourism and events have been the two sectors that have been hit hardest due to COVID-19.

In Hawke’s Bay, the events sector dodged a bit of a bullet in part due to our busy events period running between October and March. However, iconic events such as the Hawke’s Bay Marathon and the Big Easy were cancelled.

Although there’s no accurate economic data, it’s believed the events sector contributes about $22 million to the local economy.

For event organisers like Kevin Murphy, who is responsible for Napier City Council’s event portfolio that utilises venues such as McLean Park, COVID-19 has created a once in a lifetime disruption.

Kevin is also a New Zealand Events Association board member. Locally he’s seen as a champion of the events sector, having event managed a wide range of music and sport events for well over 20 years.

As part of the Government’s COVID-19 recovery, a $50 million Regional Events Fund has been created to stimulate domestic tourism and travel between regions through holding events. This is intended to support the tourism and events sector and replace some of the spend from international tourists as a result of COVID-19.

The Fund has been split across International Marketing Alliances (IMA) groupings based on their share of international visitor spending prior to COVID-19. Hawke’s Bay is part of the Pacific Coast cluster, which includes Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne, which has received $2 million, with the Bay’s share being $600,000.

“Unfortunately Hawke’s Bay doesn’t have a huge major events portfolio that attracts international visitors, unlike Auckland and Northland which are getting $19 million, and I think it’s a bit out of kilter.

“I’m sure they’ll find ways of spending the money but perhaps it would have been better to distribute it more fairly.”

Hawke’s Bay’s share will be managed by RTO Hawke’s Bay Tourism, which will allocate funds to its own events such as FAWC and the Big Easy but can be used for event funding for new and existing events that drive ‘out of region’ visitation; capability or capacity building for event management (eg. manage event programme) for a lead entity or panel member, fund management/secretariat, Event strategy development, event feasibility studies and event development.

This work can be completed by using RTO staff, or by external resource or third party.

A wide range of events can be considered for funding. This includes new or one-off events, and across a broad range of sport, arts, cultural and business events. However, it will be up to the EIP to determine what events will receive funding, as all events that drive out-of-region visitation are eligible to receive funding.

Kevin says New Zealand doesn’t really have many major events and he believes that the $50 million could well stimulate new event ideas from event promotors and creatives.

“It shouldn’t be treated as a way of having to give the money out to existing events but also enable people to throw up some new ideas. There’s nothing to lose from this approach.”

Kevin cites the likes of event promoter Duco Events which has created unique events such as the Rugby League World Cup and more recently, the Black Clash cricket game featuring former Blackcaps and All Blacks, which McLean Park hosted at the beginning of 2020.

Kevin says ultimately content is king and as a region there are limitations from trying to create events from within.

“If you create a new event, the first year is so hard and it’s usually only cobbled together and it can be hard work, so you end up bidding for events that have been successful elsewhere.”

Napier City Council, Hastings District Council and Hawke’s Bay Tourism have signed up with Sports Marketing Australia (SMA), an organisation that match-makes councils and tourism organisations with events.

Sports Marketing Australia has worked with over 62 councils and tourism organisations across Australia and placed over 700 events in 2019.

The company has been given a list of local venues and their capabilities and has already put forward several potential events such as a yoga festival, that’s proven to be successful in Byron Bay, New South Wales and an adventure race.

In Australia SMA has developed an events placement programme that aims to attract and host major events that provide economic, community and branding benefits for regions.

“It’s only early days but it’s looking really positive and it opens a door for us to new events. It’s not a silver bullet but it’s certainly an opportunity as the events are proven and can be replicated elsewhere such as Hawke’s Bay.”

Kevin says the councils and the RTO will continue to build relationships with local and national promotors such as Duco Events, Live Nation, SMC Events and Nitro Circus, and the region will also get opportunities to host sport events that move around on a cycle such as Phoenix football games, international cricket matches and Super Rugby games.

“We haven’t had an Australia A League football match at McLean Park since 2013 so that’s something I would love to see.”

To find out more about these events visit
 www.hawkesbaynz.com.

Flexibility the key to employment – insight into youth development

Posted on by
Reply

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected business in different ways, including impacting employment rates across the country. According to a recent report from Statistics New Zealand*, unemployment rates for men actually fell for the June 2020 quarter. However the same could not be said for women. Unemployment rates for women rose in the same period, and the number of women who want to work but can’t find employment (known as the under-utilisation rate) has increased to almost 15 percent. Astonishingly, around 60 to 70 percent of those who lost jobs during the height of the pandemic were women.

Hawke’s Bay local Sarah-Jo Barley is on a mission to increase employment opportunities for wahine in the district. Three years ago Sarah-Jo founded The Development Hub, an organisation that offers training and support for women looking to enter or return to the workforce. She says a lot of The Development Hub’s work is about helping participants find the confidence to value their own inherent skills and abilities. “We help our participants to understand their ‘why’, to think about how they can achieve their personal goals and identify the skills they already have. We also work hard on creating support networks and tools that are with these women into the workforce, and support them once they are working,” she says.

Part of The Development Hub’s approach is to find suitable employment opportunities for their programme graduates. “We often contact businesses who are seeking new staff and work through different flexible employment options. For many women, flexibility is really important as it means they can balance family and work commitments.  A lot of the wahine that come through our programme have young children and can’t work a standard 9am to 5pm 40-hour week. By being flexible, employers can access a whole new base of skilled and willing candidates who can offer real value,” says Sarah-Jo.

The Development Hub helps employers access funding for training and development, ensuring those placed in roles also have an opportunity to grow their skills. “Employers put our participants through the same interview process as other candidates, so they are judged by the same standards. We know we’re doing a great job when our wahine successfully land the job they want, and when employers return to us for more candidates. The Development Hub places over 80 percent of our candidates into employment and we are immensely proud of these wāhine. Our graduates go on to become loyal and reliable team members that deliver incredible outcomes for the businesses they work in,” says Sarah-Jo.

Recent Development Hub graduate Rawinia Sullivan has recently taken on a customer coordinator position at Switched on Housing, a lead contractor for Housing New Zealand. “Before I came to The Development Hub I was really shy,” says Rawinia. “On the first day of the course they asked me to stand up in front of the class and introduce myself. I was so nervous! But then I looked around the room and realised that everyone was there to help each other,” she says.

Rawinia says her time at The Development Hub helped her clearly articulate what she could offer an employer. “During the interview I was able to talk about my knowledge of the community that Switched on Housing support. I knew I would be able to talk with customers in a way that they could connect with. And although I didn’t have on-the-ground experience, I told them that I was really keen to learn” she says.

Switched on Housing was able to offer her flexible working hours, meaning Rawinia could balance work and home commitments. “I was quite nervous about asking for flexible hours but they were really good about it. My manager understands that my son is important to me and that I’m a mum as well as a team member. It’s such an awesome place to work – my team is great and I love my job,” says Rawinia.

Sarah-Jo says Rawinia’s success story is one of many. “We’ve now partnered with over 50 Hawke’s Bay businesses to support their staffing needs, and have successfully worked with over 400 candidates. What we’re seeing is that when employees are treated well and supported, they work hard and are immensely loyal to their employer. It’s a real win-win outcome” she says.

*Source: https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/labour-market-statistics-june-2020-quarter

For more information contact Sarah-Jo Barley
sarahjo@thedevelopmenthub.nz or call 022 368 8771

Whare for all – insight to Youth Development

Posted on by
Reply

For a growing number of Hawke’s Bay residents, finding a place to call home is an ongoing struggle. Like many areas around New Zealand, our district is experiencing a chronic housing shortage. Although the construction sector is ramping up to meet demand, the focus is often on building larger up-market properties. This leaves very few affordable housing options for first-home buyers and renters.

Aayden Clarke and Rawinia Lewis of Ngāti Kahungunu property management company K3 are determined to change this. “We established K3 as a way to start making real progress in building affordable homes for those living in the Kahungunu rohe. We believe all whānau should have the opportunity to live in a warm, dry and beautiful home,” says Aayden.

K3’s broader goal is to provide training, employment and business opportunities for Māori, increasing living standards and income levels. Employees on K3 construction projects will be paid at least the living wage, and there will be a number of apprenticeships available for those looking to get started in the industry. “Over the coming months we’re likely to see more people losing their jobs. Homelessness is becoming a real issue for our district. Having a home and a job is such an important way to break the cycle. Our vision is for Māori to build homes for Māori, and to help whānau to achieve home ownership and stable employment in the process,”
says Aayden.

Prior to taking on the position of business manager at K3, Rawinia Lewis was working on housing projects at the Ministry of Social Development (MSD). “Part of my role at MSD included overseeing emergency housing,” says Rawinia. “Between March and June 2020, the Ministry spent nearly $3 million on emergency accommodation for over 500 homeless people in the Hawke’s Bay. These are people living in our rohe that need a home. Ngāti Kahungunu has decided to take an active role in finding better solutions to this problem,” says Rawinia.

The organisation sees building homes as a way to achieve many additional benefits, including improved living standards, long-term employment opportunities, and training for iwi in trade and professional services. K3’s apprenticeship programme recently received $2 million from the Government’s Māori Trades and Training Fund. This $50 million fund was launched as part of the 2020 Budget’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery strategy.

Over the long-term, Aayden, a consultant to K3,  says it’s aim is also to help increase Māori business ownership. “Many whānau are living pay cheque to pay cheque and that can be incredibly stressful. When you see Dad or Mum waiting to be picked up each morning at 7am to head off to work for someone else, that becomes normal. We want more Māori families to be heading off to work in their own truck, with their own business name printed on the side,” he says.

K3 is working with partners such at Kāinga Ora, Habitat for Humanity, Napier City Council and Hastings District Council. “It’s really important that we join together to address the housing problem in our district. Our chairman Ngahiwi Tomoana’s vision for this mahi is to eradicate homelessness in our rohe. We need to start being brave and trying new ideas. There are some great examples around the world of how to build affordable homes and communities that people actually want to live in. It’s not about just dumping a box on a bare piece of land and hoping for the best” says Aayden.

K3 will be looking to prioritise suppliers and contractors that support the organisation’s mission. “We want to use these projects as a way to improve the long-term health and well-being of Māori. We’re keen to work with those who understand our kaupapa, and are particularly interested in hearing from Māori tradespeople and businesses,” says Aayden.

For more information about K3 visit www.k3property.co.nz

The PurSuit of excellence

Posted on by
Reply

Flaxmere-based job seeker service PurSuit is in hot demand. Not only has it seen the number of people it helps triple each year, but other regions are now asking them to start offering the service there.

PurSuit provides interview training and clothes for job seekers, and has helped over 800 people since beginning in late 2017. “Even though our focus is on employment and education, our job seekers gain life skills and confidence. We’re all about making positive changes permanently,” says founder and director Moira McGarva-Ratapu.

Job seekers aged 18 and over can get free help with pre-employment skills, including CV writing and interview preparation. In addition, PurSuit is now offering a ‘Digital Pathway to Employment’ programme targeted at those aged
18 to 24.

Funded through the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, it helps young people gain a Level 2 New Zealand Certificate in Computing from the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT), teaching them how to build websites, create social media content and about creative marketing. This is run by Moira’s husband Anaru Ratapu, who has previously set up his own online business providing Te Reo instruction.

“Anaru thought, if I can build a business from home, let’s teach our young people – they’re so bright and they’re so eager,” says Moira. Students are picked up and delivered to the programme, given a cooked lunch and taken home again. “We try to break down any barriers. Then as they move through the course, we move them towards independence,” she says.

The programme takes a holistic approach, dealing with everything from relationship and physical concerns to developing an understanding of their spiritual needs or wairua. The staff includes a social worker to provide this pastoral care.

Moira, a trained social worker herself, was inspired to start PurSuit after seeing the benefit of employment with her social work clients. “Once my clients got employed, they needed me less, they gradually became healthier, more independent and were able to participate in the community more.”

Moira had experienced these benefits first-hand, after being helped into a telemarketing job by a similar service in Christchurch when she found herself an unemployed solo mother following the break-up of a relationship. Now other young mothers like her are reaping the benefits of PurSuit’s efforts.

“One young girl, a solo mum, came to us with a variety of social and health issues. It was hard for her to concentrate, it was hard for her to study. Next week she will be finished her Level 2 in Computing at EIT. She’s gained her restricted licence and she wants to become a social worker. She is doing so well. The rewards of this work definitely outweigh the hard times,” Moira says.

Trade with China post COVID19

Posted on by
Reply

While the Covid 19 pandemic has brought unprecedented uncertainty, it has also demonstrated how we can turn a crisis into an opportunity. The Profit looks into how to grow our export presence with China, despite closed borders.

By Campbell McLean

China’s leading economic indicators point toward economic growth as consumer confidence rebounds into recovery mode. According to official data, China’s GDP grew 4.9 percent year-on-year in the third quarter, accelerating from 3.2 percent growth in the previous quarter. China’s economy is likely to grow about 2 percent this year, according to a recent statement from the Peoples Bank of China (POCB).

China was able to address and control the pandemic earlier than most countries and its recovery should help Hawke’s Bay exporters.

According to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, Chinese consumers increased their spending in August. Online retail sales also expanded over the first eight months of the year, with latest figures for industrial production showing a strong recovery.

B2C e-commerce continued its strong growth as Chinese consumers became more accustomed to shopping online. We also saw Chinese KOLs connect with consumers through use of social e-commerce using livestreaming to sell products online.

China’s rapid modernisation and construction of urban infrastructure continues to surge while new innovations in mobile payments and e-commerce have showed signs of flourishing during the pandemic.

But developing new customer relationships and staying in contact with key trade partners in China remains challenging while borders remain largely closed.

As China rewrites its power dynamics, exporters here in Hawke’s Bay need to prioritise budgets that preserve and boost their lifelines in the China market, especially as international brands begin to face more competition from Chinese brands.

Face-to-face connections and relationship building will remain important. In lieu of that, anyone doing business with China is likely to be connected using the social messaging app WeChat. The app, which has over one billion active users, is more than a messaging tool because it effectively replaces the use of email in China. WeChat allows users to manage mobile payment transactions using the app on their phone and it is used by businesses to draft and send agreements and close sales.

But our need to be engaged and to keep in contact with partners in China goes beyond WeChat. Networking and building a sense of trust remains key to any business opportunity in China.

Ensuring mutual benefit has been important to every trading partnership since the early days of the China Trade. It is easier to build and nurture partnerships when you can share resources, skills and rewards.

Looking ahead, local exporters will need to embrace strategies for digital engagement as a means of keeping track of opportunities and shifts within China’s marketplace.

One of the key trends that New Zealand brands and local exporters need to understand about China is the shift to online has accelerated. China knows that it is doing very well, and consumers are becoming increasingly proud of their own culture and success. China is already two to three years ahead of the rest of the world in use of digital apps. It is already very clear that China’s domestic tourism market will also remain strong at the expense of international travel. Another emerging trend is an emphasis on health, which includes a growing interest in health-related pharmaceuticals and natural skincare products. Covid19 has also heightened food security concerns, which puts local exporters in a good position to promote a Covid-free food chain.

Local food and beverage producers here in the Hawke’s Bay can seize on this as an opportunity to focus on the premium niche mindset and continue to seek new partners and relationships based on an informative decision-making process that includes making it clear who you are, where you are, how good your product is, and how you propose doing business together for a win-win relationship.

This is all part of getting-to-know-you and building a friendship based on mutual trust and respect. Remember, dining out and picking up the tab for your guests is reciprocal, not one way.  If you have enjoyed being hosted in China then make plans now for when you can play host here in Hawke’s Bay, where it is easy to showcase and highlight the region’s key attributes. The time will come when your business partners in China will jump at the opportunity to get on the next plane and visit for themselves.

In the meantime, how can you promote your business to new partners? How can you create or add value to existing relationships? Sometimes that means reinforcing an emotional value as defined by your product story. Make the most of your brand’s local origins and sense of place, highlight the lifestyle attributes of your region, and share positive testimonials from business partners and customers.

It makes sense to continue to do business with China.

China currently accounts for around one third of New Zealand’s total exports. China will continue to outperform and with so many sales channels now converting to online, we need to continue our engagement with customers and seize the opportunity to develop digital strategies and stronger online relationships.

China has over 190 million consumers deemed to be in the upper middle-class bracket who are spoilt for choice. Do we concern ourselves about having sufficient supply to meet demand, or do we focus on creating good stories and building solid reputations around premium brands suitable for the top segment of the China market?

We also need to understand China – its culture and its markets – and how our products and services appeal. This requires two-way engagement. You can’t just show up and expect it to work. That first touch point may need to be online. Exporters in particular need faster access to buyers and more intel on the marketplace.

How do you remain agile and use online engagement to find positions of opportunity?

Two key milestones are approaching that could offer value for local exporters. 2021 will mark the 40th anniversary of New Zealand’s very first sister city relationship between China and New Zealand –– namely between Hastings and Guilin, while 2022 will mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and New Zealand. Both events will receive significant publicity, which may provide an opportunity to share your China story with a wider audience.

Seeking out new business opportunities and staying connected with existing trade partners also means making friends with the media and using social media to ensure the public share the same passion that you have for your brand or business.

New Zealand is highly regarded and remains a positive talking point in China. If there is a mutually beneficial story angle in there then talk about it across Chinese media. Good public relations at a time like this will help local exporters buy mindshare and loyalty. It will also help you pivot and navigate an ever-changing landscape in the years to come.