Blog

Pro Features
Mixing surfing and software development at Haumoana
A lifestyle property near Haumoana is the unexpected global headquarters of developer David Frampton’s Majic Jungle Software. Through Majic Jungle, David built The Blockheads simulation app that has been downloaded and played by millions of mobile gamers around the world. A game developer since 2003, David moved from Wellington to Hawke’s Bay in 2012 after a search for the perfect...
Pro RMA
New national standards for Forestry sector
National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry (NES-PF) will come into effect on 1 May 2018 in an attempt to get greater consistency across the country Plantation forestry is New Zealand’s third largest primary sector. According to the Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry for Primary Industries, it employs over 26,000 people and generates around $5 billion in export earnings...
Pro Features
New Hawke’s Bay business a game changer for women
Hawke’s Bay woman Robyn McLean is having fun with her new business venture that is a game changer in women’s health. Robyn and long-time friend Mary Bond, based in Wellington, have launched the Hello Cup Company producing a range of menstrual cups – something that has released them from their bugbear of buying single-use tampons. Hello Cups not only save...
Pro Education
NOW Co-Founder Embraces Study at EIT
Widely known in the business community as the co-founder of NOW, Ben Deller delights these days in telling people he is a student. Having left the successful telecommunications company early last year, the 38-year-old is now dovetailing business consultancy work with part- time postgraduate studies at EIT. Ben enjoyed his 14 years heading NOW’s sales and marketing team, but over...
Pro Finance
Goals-based Investing – A New Approach to an old Question
When discussing a client’s financial planning needs, and specifically what portfolio to establish, an adviser is required to navigate through the client’s specific needs and goals. This is with an ultimate view to provide a portfolio from within the specific discipline and processes that will meet the client’s expectations, while importantly avoiding as much risk as possible. While focusing on...
Pro Features
Co-working and Shared Spaces – Join the Movement
Co-working (shared worked spaces) is gaining in popularity in the Bay, with a wide range of businesses and people co- located in shared spaces. While it is common to attract start-up businesses, self-employed professionals or freelancers, for others it’s an opportunity to reconnect outside of working from home, or to further develop a not for profit or social enterprise. Cultivate...
Business Profiles
Building owners on shaky ground with new legislation
Due to the new earthquake-prone building legislation, building owners across the country could be facing a mandatory structural assessment to determine whether or not their buildings are earthquake prone. No longer will owners of older buildings be able to postpone structural assessments as the new legislation gives clear guidelines on time frames. Local councils are required to assess their building...
Pro Business advice
Addressing partner misalignment
Whether you want to grow, to retain market share or even explore exit options, it's important that you have a good idea of what's going on in your business now. Sometimes this can be difficult when you have more than one stakeholder, as is the case with many small to medium sized businesses with multiple owners. Certainly, it is important...
Uncategorised
Changing buyers bring changing values
The ‘leaky homes crisis’ is an ongoing construction and legal predicament in New Zealand. A perfect storm of trending building design features and the use of untreated timber culminated in many homes built between 1994 -2004 that suffered from weather-tightness problems. Hawke’s Bay has its share of homes built in this era but to date there has been relatively little...
Pro Legal
Where there’s a will, there’s a way
On death a person’s assets form their “estate” which is subject to the wishes or intentions of the deceased’s Will or if they do not have a Will by the “rules on intestacy.” While many would acknowledge that they should have an up-to-date Will, it is surprising how many people do not have a current Will or one at all....