Blog

Business Profiles
Growing a market for hemp foods in HB
Chefs and foodies have been quick to develop a taste for Otane-based Kanapu’s premium cold-pressed hemp seed oil. But that’s just the beginning. The company’s founders want to put Hawke’s Bay on the map as a global supplier of top-end hemp foods. Having to ramp up your target production because product demand significantly exceeds initial forecasts is one of those...
Business Leaders
Pro Q&A with Tim Aitken
Tim Aitken is the new chair of Horse of the Year (HoY). Tim has farmed in Central Hawke’s Bay for many years and is also a CHB district councillor. Tim has had a strong involvement in equestrian being a “Brony”, see below to what that stands for... What are your key aspirations for the event? Firstly I have to acknowledge...
Pro Property
The value of building your own home
Hawke’s Bay is growing. We can see that by the numerous new infrastructural construction that is going on around us. So, it’s no surprise our region is growing residentially as we need to house a growing population. It is generally accepted that new housing stock is now a vital part of keeping up with a growing New Zealand. So, the...
Pro Business advice
Construction sector in good health but …
The construction industry in New Zealand has been experiencing a period of sustained growth and the highest activity levels ever. This is evident on our back door steps too as we see many new developments underway or planned here in Hawkes Bay. The question is whether the businesses in the industry have adequate margins, staffing and cash flow to sustain...
Pro HR
First Impressions Count
Organisations generally invest significant amounts of time on the recruitment process to fill vacancies, plus checking the credentials of the preferred candidate and getting them signed up. After investing all that time and money it’s important to get your new employee off to a good start. It may be timely to review your induction process, or if you don’t really...
Pro Legal
Franchising – what’s in the fine print?
Despite being prevalent throughout New Zealand, there is no legislation that governs or regulates franchises, with the result that there is no requirement for the terms of a franchise to be fair and reasonable. What is a Franchise? Every franchise should be a replica of the Franchisor’s business, therefore giving customers of the franchise a consistent experience. The Franchisee gains...
Pro IT
5G – the need for speed
There has been quite a bit of discussion and some excitement around 5G coming and what that might mean for us here in New Zealand. Firstly, what is 5G. Simply 5G is the fifth- generation mobile network. In 1987 1st generation was deployed in New Zealand and this was all about voice, 2nd generation in the 90s was digital enabling...
Pro Education
Entrepreneurs Alive and Thriving at EIT
The Hawke’s Bay economy is changing and EIT is adapting to meet the era of the entrepreneur. “Over the past decade there has been a massive global shift to entrepreneurial ecosystems,” said Jonathan Sibley, EIT’s Director of Research and Associate Professor, School of Business. “It’s been estimated that 50 percent of all jobs created in OECD countries over the last...
Pro Finance
Making cents of the market
It is the process of anticipating what could lie ahead, and the creation of methods and processes to help minimise the potential negative effects of future influence... but can you ever truly 100% futureproof a portfolio? The truth is you can’t completely 100% future-proof any portfolio, because investment involves risk no matter how low, and the future is uncertain. But...
Pro RMA
What’s New in Planning?
Proposals for developing a ‘national planning template’ were first introduced following a 2013 discussion document ‘Building Competitive Cities: Reform of the Urban and Infrastructure Planning System’, with consultation on the development of National Planning Standards commencing on 6 June 2018 and submissions on Draft Standards closing on 17 August 2018. The themes emerging from the consultation indicated that: current plans...