Issue 154
update
A new year, new starts, and new ways of doing business
An EPIC new start The ICT sector’s shared solution Why the cloud is great for start-ups Advice from a “messy teenager” How big should we be? Tackling sustainable development Restoring the romance Rebuilding our Theatre Royal Setting your sights high NZ’s first treetop walk
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21 A new way of thinking Collaboration instead of competition. David Cartwright from Lane Neave shares firsthand the advantages of business clustering. Page 21
29 Responsive web design With the increasing popularity of smartphones, online marketing guru Owen Scott looks at the benefits of responsive web design. Page 29
34 Behind the brand We talk to the founder and designer/director of Lyttelton’s famed designer clothing label, Dual. Pages 34-35
36 Setting your sights high New Zealand’s first treetop walk has just opened its doors to visitors keen to experience Westland’s native forest from a new perspective. Page 36
4 To a new year, new starts and new ways of doing business CECC chief executive Peter Townsend discusses why he believes 2013 will be a year of significant economic activity and excitement. Page 4
37 Restoring the romance of our Theatre Royal Neil Cox from the iconic Isaac Theatre Royal describes for us the past and possible future of our city’s Grand Old Lady. Pages 37-40
10 An EPIC new start The brainchild of two visionary business owners, EPIC Innovation in the CBD offers a new start and new opportunities for the local ICT sector. Pages 10-15
19 Why the cloud is great for start-ups A startup themselves, hairyLemon’s new offshoot provides a tech guide with helpful hints for start-ups. Page 19
30 How big should we be? Export expert Catherine Beard welcomes a debate about population growth policy. Pages 30-31
41 Guiding a great idea to market In our Small Business section, chocolate aficionado and new business owner Lucy Bennetto shares her journey and advice for other start-ups. Pages 41-42
Pages 4-9 Business Opinion
Feature Pages 10-15
An EPIC new start
Pages 10-15 Feature Pages 16-22 General Business Pages 23-27 Your People Pages 24-26 Events and Training Pages 28-29 Sales and Marketing Pages 30-31 Export and Import Pages 32-36 Member Profiles Pages 37-40 Arts and Culture Pages 41-43 Small Business Pages 44-46 New Members
CEO Comment
Update March 2013
4
To a new year, new starts and new ways of doing business Most of us will be glad to see the back end of 2012. While many businesses have adapted to the new environment and some are already doing well, the frustrations of delay and perception of inertia have certainly taken the gloss off the past year. However, it is firmly my opinion that 2013 will present a different scenario.
Every economic indicator you look at would tell you that we are right on the cusp of a significant lift in recovery activity in our economy. The low hanging fruit, the $3 billion contract that Fletcher has with EQC to repair houses with damage of between $10,000 and $100,000 is work in progress and about 30 percent complete. This will continue to ramp up in the new year. More importantly, houses with an excess of $100,000 worth of damage will start to be repaired in early 2013 as insurance payouts are made and money starts to flow. This is an enormous undertaking that will require years of application and support years of enterprise. In addition to that we have, of course, 10,000-15,000 houses that will have to be replaced in total. We know the insurance companies have hundreds of new houses in various stages of planning and you can expect construction in this area to increase this year.
The $2.4 billion plus horizontal infrastructure programme continues to be very visible in our streets. This work is about 15 percent complete – still a long way to go and still being ramped up. We are also starting to see serious construction going on in the circumference of the central city – Moorhouse Avenue and Lincoln Road are very good examples of that. Negotiations are also well advanced regarding certain key pieces of infrastructure in the central city and commercial buildings, particularly around the retail hub.
All of this tells me that 2013 is going to be a year of significant economic activity and excitement. In fact, we will have serious constraints placed on our activities as a result of labour shortages and resource availability. There is no doubt that we lack the scale in Christchurch to manage the rebuild alone. We will be looking at various collaborative models with entities from outside our city joining entities inside our city to accelerate the recovery programme. We need to be realistic about timeframes – housing stock will take five to seven years to repair and the central city is realistically being redeveloped on a 20 to 25 year timeframe. Of course, that doesn’t mean that we stand aside crying into handkerchiefs as our city is rebuilt. It means that we will all be positively engaging in the biggest economic development programme this country has ever seen. Everyone, including Government, now accepts that we are talking about a $30 billion plus total damage bill to the city. It is a cost that has been incurred and a cost that is largely covered by central government funding, local government funding and insurance payouts. This means that a lot of that cash is locked in to the future of Christchurch. Everyone right across New Zealand understands the importance of the greater Christchurch recovery and the positive economic benefits that can flow right across New Zealand from a well organised recovery programme.
CEO Comment
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Those businesses that have adjusted their business models to cope with the new environment will be well advantaged in the recovery process. And it is not just construction. The roll on effects of the Christchurch recovery will impact on all business including retail, construction, manufacturing, service, tourism and hospitality. Of course we need to ensure that the rebuild of Christchurch is in concert with the accelerated economic development of our region and we need to make sure that the citizens of Christchurch city understand the importance of that interdependency. There is no point in undertaking the rebuild of Christchurch in isolation from the region of Canterbury and, in fact, the whole of the South Island. As I have said many times, we are not going back to where we have come from; we are going somewhere new and it is looking increasingly exciting from where I sit. There will be a requirement for different ways of financing rapidly growing businesses, different ways of resourcing business activity and different ways of recruiting new people to assist us with
the rebuild. Let’s hope as we work our way through this exciting phase of our city’s history that we lock in economic activity in our city and across our region, which will provide permanent opportunities for those people who have joined us in Christchurch to assist with the rebuild.
Peter Townsend Chief Executive petert@cecc.org.nz http://petertcecc.blogspot.co.nz/
Business Opinion
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Update March 2013
Business Opinion
7
A city of new starts While much of the conversation around Christchurch over the last two years has been of rebuilding and reconstruction, the reality is – for many businesses at least – what lies ahead is much more of a new start than a redevelopment.
The CBD in particular is a stark illustration of how much we will be a new city – probably the first modern city built almost entirely in the 21st Century outside of the economic powerhouses of the developing world. In many ways, this is a fantastic opportunity for individual business owners and the whole region. A fresh start is in itself a chance to build something not just new, but in many ways better than what has been before – reflecting the lessons of the past, but unencumbered by layers of history. A new start offers many things. It's a chance to rethink – and rewrite – the rules. It’s an opportunity to target investment in the areas that can bring the most benefit to both your business and your community. And it can enable new, modern and efficient processes and thinking to be brought to bear, without having to tear down established systems. But new starts also require a lot of careful planning and support. Even for established businesses and experienced professionals, a new venture can be fraught with risk if the right resources aren’t put into place. When planning something new, it’s also important to avoid throwing out the lessons learned over generations. Although our city is being made anew, our community – despite the experiences they have dealt with over the past two years – remains much the same. Celebrating our shared history, recognising the lessons of the past, and respecting the sacrifices made to get us to this point will be very important – in everything from town planning to business development. In successfully creating a new venture out of an older organisation, there are also many elements that must be recognised and protected. Things like culture, individual IP and a team environment are extremely important to the success of any organisation – new or existing. Change is inevitable. In the extreme circumstances we have faced in the past two years, the scope of change can be enormous. But it can also be a fantastic opportunity, provided you invest in the right things, understand the potential impacts, and make sure you protect and value your most important asset: your people. If you are about to embark on a new venture, or planning significant change in your organisation, whether you are a business, a community organisation or an individual, we can help. As a starting point, for anyone looking to support
the ‘new beginnings’ in Christchurch, we’ve put together a range of resources that can be found online at: www. westpac.co.nz/international-migrant/christchurch-calling/ As ever, if you’d like to get in touch with me or any of our expert business team, who are highly adept at planning for change or starting a new venture off right, please drop me a line.
Martin Brennan Area Manager Business Westpac Banking Corporation martin_brennan@westpac.co.nz
Business Opinion
Update March 2013
8
Looking forward Businesses considering their prospects for 2013 may see a mixed environment ahead. On one hand, the immediate forecast may be rather flat. But, on the other hand, medium and long-term prospects are positive.
As a trading nation, New Zealand is greatly affected by the world economy, and global growth is plateauing. However, growth prospects are good for China and some other Asian economies, creating positive opportunities for New Zealand businesses. In a number of other countries business prospects are uncertain. In the wake of the global financial crisis, many countries are experiencing low growth, low confidence to invest, expensive but ineffectual stimulus measures, and more regulation. By contrast, New Zealand’s situation is relatively hopeful. We have low growth – less than 1 percent annual GDP growth over the last couple of years – but not as low as many other countries. Our largely Australian-based banking sector came through the global financial crisis in better shape than banks elsewhere that were compromised by shaky derivatives and other financial instruments. New Zealand businesses continued to have access to stable, affordable finance for business expansion and growth. Interest rates, although higher than in many other places, remain low. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s continuing attractiveness to investors is based on that relatively slim margin between our interest rates and those in other parts of the world. The high dollar has been the cause of much criticism this year, as some manufacturing and exporting firms have downsized. Company difficulties of this kind are always distressing, both for those involved and for the exporting sector generally.
However, claims of crisis in the manufacturing sector are an exaggeration. While manufacturers exporting to the US are suffering from the NZ/US cross-rate, there are many other manufacturers who are exporting profitably to Australia – aided by the positive trans-Tasman cross-rate – and to other destinations.
Most manufacturers continue to display the resilience and creativity they are known for – seeking new markets, hedging appropriately, innovating products and services, and continually improving operations. Many of our larger exporters are in the food business – a good place to be, as the world continues to value safe, high quality food. The food export sector can be expected to continue to diversify and grow, bringing valuable foreign exchange. Businesses in the domestic sector may not have the immediate growth prospects of those in the export sector, but here too there is optimism for the future. New Zealand’s economic management, in contrast to that in many other countries, is set on a steady course of fiscal consolidation with a policy focus on growth. New Zealand’s response to the global financial crisis has been praised as balanced, comprising modest stimulus measures along with medium term deficit reduction. New Zealand businesses and households are acting prudently, saving and paying down debt. This means economic growth in 2013 is likely to be incremental rather than bullish.
Business Opinion
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For more information on the blueprint, please visit: www.ccdu.govt.nz/the-plan
Also, new costs for business are becoming apparent. Many businesses now face higher insurance costs as insurers react to New Zealand’s changed risk profile following the Christchurch earthquakes. And some will be affected by council requirements to bring commercial premises up to the new standards required under the Building Act. These changes will require active management by businesses. But there are also opportunities arising from the Christchurch rebuild, which will provide a good economic stimulus over the next couple of years or more. The rebuild will also supply a much-needed jolt to industry training, with construction skills more in demand. Investment in infrastructure and skills over the next few years will bring many opportunities for local businesses. Investment has been a fraught issue in New Zealand for some years now. With a fairly large government sector and with many businesses structured as cooperatives, there have not always been many options for New Zealanders wanting to invest in business. At the same time, many businesses seeking investment have missed out because of the Kiwi tendency to invest in housing rather than business.
The partial sell-down of Mighty River Power in 2013 will be a positive development, providing more options for investors, and bolstering NZX growth. The minerals industry is also poised to bring growth, with legislation being updated to allow for better development of our mineral and petroleum resources, with more streamlined permitting processes and updated safety and environmental standards. The economic potential from developing resources including petroleum, coal, iron sands, phosphate, precious metals and rare earths is huge, and could bring long-term prosperity from 2013 onwards. In all, prospects for 2013 contain many positives for business in New Zealand.
Phil O’Reilly Chief Executive BusinessNZ www.businessnz.org.nz
Feature
Update March 2013
10
An EPIC new start A central city initiative driven by two technology business owners is on track to help position Christchurch on the global innovation map. The Enterprise Precinct and Innovation Campus (EPIC) is a two-stage development project to create a world-class centre for innovation and collaboration in Christchurch’s central business district. Stage one – Sigma – is a single building facility housing almost 20 companies at the corner of Tuam and Manchester streets. Stage two – Sanctuary – is a more ambitious multi-building campus, which will be constructed on the same site over the next five years.
Feature
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Feature
Update March 2013
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The brainchild of Colin Andersen, executive director of IT consulting firm Effectus, and Wil McLellan, chief executive of gaming company Stickmen Studios, EPIC has been designed to re-assert Christchurch as an innovation hub following the earthquakes.
“We were at an NZTE event in March 2011 and the room was full of chief executives of high-tech companies,” says Colin. “They were talking about the frustrations of working out of temporary workspaces dotted around the city and losing talented staff overseas. And we thought ‘there has to be a better solution’ – even if we have to build it ourselves.
“We came up with the idea to create an innovation campus that will be the equal of any other facility in the world, while offering access to Canterbury’s unique lifestyle opportunities. And the more people we talked to, the more we saw this as an opportunity to kick-start the sector after the shakes and help Christchurch become more relevant globally.”
We asked a few tenants what they thought of EPIC and here’s what they had to say…
Memia Ben Reid, Director and Principal Consultant “We are really enjoying being in our new EPIC offices – back in the CBD after losing our Cashel Mall premises in the Boxing Day 2010 earthquake. It’s been a hard road of nearly two years of temporary office space and mobile working practices to finally get a new base again. Probably the most significant change is that we have been able to regain a sense of relative stability for the business and start planning forward with more confidence. “As a specialist consultancy working with high growth tech companies and their investors, Memia is already seeing the benefits of being co-located with many other businesses in our segment and being in the centre of the new Innovation Precinct. There is a determined energy in this building, and we’re seeing synergies from extended networks of contacts, corridor conversations, getting pulled into meetings at short notice and just having the right space to meet, collaborate and create. Plus, no longer do we need to drive from one end of Christchurch to the other to get to and from meetings!
“Another exciting aspect is seeing the new Innovation Precinct start to take shape around EPIC: several new offices are going up and it’s not just tech companies moving in but cafés, watering holes and green spaces that all go towards making this an attractive place for staff to work. Right now we’re feeling pretty optimistic for the future of the Christchurch tech industry and there’s a feeling of momentum that we’re only just at the beginning of what is possible. The key challenge for our industry is to attract the right talent and investment into the region and EPIC is a big step towards making this happen.”
www.memia.com
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“Innovation is a major economic driver in Christchurch, creating high value jobs that will be key to the region’s recovery and sustained growth. But to achieve this, we needed to change the mindset to more action and less talking.” Gaining support Wil and Colin are both successful business owners; however Colin says they were aware early on that they would need to bring in an expert team with a slightly different skill-set to succeed. “We’re not property developers. In some respects it helps being a ‘newbie’ – being able to look at new ways of doing things to actually get something happening, but we were also mindful of the negative connotations – of the project not being taken seriously as a credible, viable development. “That’s why we called in the professionals – a high-powered advisory group, including Duncan Cotterill, Warren and Mahoney, Google, Colliers International, Deloitte, Octa Associates, Murray and Company, Canterbury Development Corporation, and CCC.” The first priority was generating interest – with interest from potential tenants, they could approach funding agencies for support. But to gain that interest, they first needed a site for their vision. Looking around the region, there were opportunities to join established campuses, or to start fresh in the outlying suburbs, but Colin says they kept coming back to the central city. “The CBD is the heart of the city, and that’s right where we want to be. We wanted to provide a positive reason for going back into the central city, and create a buzz to reinforce that the city is alive and happening. “ICT and high-tech professionals seem to be attracted to creative environments located in typically up-and-coming areas, with cafés, retail and easy, alternative transport access – so this has been top-of-mind in looking at possible sites for the campus. While other sites could have shortened the build process, the feedback from our ICT community was 100 percent in favour of a CBD location to show their support for local businesses and contribute towards the rebuild.” The Christchurch City Council initially offered a prime Manchester Street real estate site rent-free for three years. After a number of iterations and funding analysis this was generously extended to five years. They then went to relevant government agencies to pitch for funding support.
“EPIC is not just a recovery project,” explains Colin. “It’s a collaboration; an opportunity to do things differently. It’s about a network of people working together – not just in the same workspace, but working to create solutions and opportunities in a fun, creative and productive environment. So we needed to be able to do something special. “The suggested option was prefabs, but that wasn’t going to cut it. So we settled on a customised ‘super barn’ that would encourage more interactivity – and at less cost than prefabs.” The total build cost was $4 million. They were able to secure $900,000 funding grants from both the Ministry of Science and Innovation (MSI) and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE). And the Canterbury Business Recovery Trust and Humphry Rolleston are jointly underwriting parts of EPIC, which has enabled the project to secure funding. The Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) has also been pivotal in the success of the project, both as a primary funder and a mentor on property development and funding.
Feature
Update March 2013
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Launching Sanctuary The 18 EPIC tenants moved into their new workspaces in October 2012, with the site officially opened the following month by Minister for Science and Innovation Steven Joyce. The tenant businesses range in size from an owner/operator to two fast growing companies with 50 plus staff. All are within the ICT, high tech and innovation sector, and the majority are export-focused. Colin says the companies are already seeing the benefits of their new accommodation. “Being housed at EPIC probably provides a 25-30 percent saving from the shared amenities alone, but for most of our tenants, the benefits are much more than just cost savings. After only a few weeks, we were seeing the setup encourage networking, collaborations, and referrals – and the advantages of clustering when it comes to competing for business globally or attracting funding.
“We wanted to go bigger – initially, Sanctuary was a lot bigger – but it came down to the number of committed tenants on the cut-off date in December 2011. We had 17 signed up, so that was our build capacity and funding model.” Twelve months later, the waiting list numbers are significant, and over one hundred prospective tenants – including multinational companies – have registered interest in the next phase, ‘Sigma’. “After the five year land rental period is over, the Sanctuary building will be deconstructed and taken away, but in half that time, we hope to open to doors to Sigma,” says Colin. “Where Sanctuary housed 250 people, the Sigma campus will accommodate over 3000. It will be a world-class innovation campus.”
The vision for Sigma is very closely aligned with the Christchurch Central Development Unit’s Innovation Precinct. In fact, the development is based in the corner of the new precinct. The objective of Sigma is to be completed and tenanted in stages, from mid-2015. Unlike its predecessor, the $150-200 million development will be commercially funded. The team has already started the formal public communication process to generate interest. As part of lifting the bar, the EPIC team has been expanded to include nationally recognised property and investment experts.
We asked a few tenants what they thought of EPIC and here’s what they had to say…
Concentrate Owen Scott, Managing Director “We were initially attracted to EPIC because we had no permanent office! Concentrate has had to relocate six times since September 2010, including leaving a newly fitted-out office in Hereford Street on 22 February, just six days after moving in. Our most recent location was in Antigua Street. “We work exclusively in the tech sector so the opportunity to be part of this community was attractive. It’s about being connected with the technology sector again. People we would normally bump into at Cashel Mall, or tech community functions, are now in the same place. We’ve caught up with more local tech companies in the last month than the previous year. Increasingly it seems to be becoming a hub for local tech companies, whether they are located here or not, with lots of events for them to participate in.
“Being in the centre also makes visiting clients in different parts of the city easier. Just being part of the CBD rebuild is exciting and interesting in itself. Our staff members are all happy with the move, and enjoy being close to some cafés and shops again. “Long term, Concentrate wants to be part of Canterbury strengthening its reputation as the country’s innovation powerhouse. We have so many smart people and smart companies located here, the challenge is to grow more of them into quality international technology companies like Tait, Aucom or Jade. EPIC will help support this. “We really appreciate the way local and central government agencies, and a whole lot of commercial partners like BNZ, have backed EPIC and made it possible for affected businesses like ours to find a long-time home. Above all though, credit has to go to Wil McLellan and Colin Andersen for their incredible efforts in getting the whole project off the ground.” www.concentrate.co.nz
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“The actual building has been the easy bit – relatively speaking!” The development team has been very fortunate to have the support of Christopher Coleman, Google’s director of global real estate, and Craig Nevill-Manning, engineering director in New York. “We know ICT professionals respond well to creative workplaces and flexible work styles, so we wanted to re-create the ‘cool factor’ of so many of Google’s campuses, while heeding their lessons learnt,” says Colin.
Taking a collaborative approach While Colin and Wil’s vision of a world-class campus is on track to become a reality, Colin is only too aware of what has always been one of the sector’s major limitations – resourcing. “In the past, there have been constraints on learning and qualified ICT professionals have been in short supply. According to a recent CDC report of 62 ICT Sector companies, 48 percent1 are constrained by resources. “That’s why we have developed close connections with the region’s educational institutions. By working with education providers and government agencies, we are able to better streamline that transition from education to employment while ensuring the industry is adequately resourced for the future. There are also a lot of skilled people offshore who are keen to return and be part of the rebuild of our city. “It’s really the primary impetus behind EPIC – the attraction and retention of quality staff in our local ICT sector to support future growth.” 1
“It’s great to have Christopher and Craig as a sounding board. The other day WiI asked Craig – who grew up in Canterbury – about setting up a climbing wall on-site, but their trials showed the downsides of noise and OSH risks far outweighed the positives, so it’s back to the drawing board. They did, however, donate a state-of-the-art espresso machine to fuel the creativity at EPIC, which has already had a lot of use. We have been overwhelmed by the support shown by the ‘ex-pat connection’.” Weta Workshop has also shown support for the project through their donation of original artwork, which now line Sanctuary’s hallways. To date, the project has attracted over $250,000 worth of sponsorship, and over $500,000 in pro bono professional services work. The generosity and support has been humbling, says Colin. “Wil and I have received the accolades for the project but, in all honesty, it has been a huge team collaborative effort. We are incredibly grateful for the time, support and resources of so many people.”
>> www.epicinnovation.co.nz
CDC, ICT Sector Workforce Survey Report, 2012
LeftClick Alan Cox, Chief Executive “Being housed at EPIC is great. It feels so good to be back in the city and surrounded by like-minded businesses. There is a real energy and vibrancy in the space, and people genuinely seem to be happy when you meet them. “Prior to the February earthquake, we were operating from a beautiful three-storey character building in the central city. LeftClick House was a labour of love that took two years to complete. The earthquake was a devastating blow that killed the building, most of our equipment, and forced us to operate from a rear section townhouse in suburban Riccarton. “We heard about EPIC very early on and it was an easy decision to want to be a part of this new and exciting venture. For us, it was about the opportunity of working with likeminded innovative businesses, driven by the passion to succeed in the world of technology. We have previously worked in an innovation incubator and recognised the value of collaborative working environments and how this translates
into better business. This was the main attraction. The tenant mix means we can draw on a huge amount of resource, everything from 3D animation to scientific research through to systems design. Essentially for businesses, EPIC is a onestop technology shop. “As a company, our service offering is focused on business growth and this is part of a wider goal of helping Canterbury grow. The EPIC concept resonates completely with our ideals and we see the long-term benefits that EPIC can bring to the region as a whole. This is why we are here and it’s already working. Since being at the EPIC centre we’ve caught up with more old contacts than we had for the last two years, talking business. We’ve also significantly increased our network and that’s growing all the time. It’s nothing but positives. “We’re feeling really positive about the future and we’re really thankful to those involved in making EPIC a reality. It was an almost impossible task, but somehow they did it.” www.leftclick.com
General Business
Update March 2013
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On track with consents The Christchurch City Council’s efforts around consents, particularly around pre-application meetings, checking applications and providing online services for high volume customers, are paying off, says building operations manager Ethan Stetson. But the challenges of the rebuild mean a continued focus on improving the Council’s track record.
Christchurch City Council has given itself some of the toughest targets in the country around speed and quality for building consents. We are making steady progress towards these targets despite our increased workload. It’s interesting to note that, three years ago, about 80 percent of building consents were processed within the statutory time frame of 20 days; now, in a post-earthquake environment we are processing 96 percent within this same timeframe. This includes a far greater proportion of applications for large commercial building projects where the value of consented work is over $500,000 – showing us an important trend for the rebuild. By the end of 2012, the Council was handling building consent volumes at 90 percent of peak levels for 2007, which was considered to be a busy pre-earthquake year.
Although the Building Operations Team has approval to recruit up to 70 new consenting staff, as demand increases these results were achieved without any staff increase. This is all great news for our consents customers. Some recent publicity around the audit of our consenting processes by International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) perhaps overstated any chance we might lose our accreditation as a consenting authority. Christchurch City Council is a typical Building Consent Authority and, like most councils around the country, we have had some corrective actions identified by IANZ in their regular audit. They are certainly not causing undue concern and we welcome any scrutiny that provides us with information on achieving best practice. Work to improve our building consent processes was well underway before IANZ’s report and the audit team recognised we’ve made major improvements since they last visited.
We have an excellent relationship with the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment housing team (formerly Department of Building and Housing), working with them as we transition to the National Building Consents Authority Competency Framework. The corrective actions are very important, but I would note that they are of a size that can be resolved fairly quickly. For example, at the time of the audit, our new technology systems were throwing a few blips our way – as anyone who has introduced new technologies will understand. Resolving these is not a problem. The big picture around the use of new technologies is that the Council continued a successful transition towards ending a paper-based system. This will push us forward and, furthermore, we are now leading nationally in some aspects of technology. It’s an exciting time to be reaching new targets. In the rebuild environment, our personnel are considering standards and specifications that are new, innovative and never-before seen in New Zealand. This includes multistorey timber structures and new foundation designs. All our staff members have received training around new requirements for foundation design and floor levels in flood prone areas. External consultant engineers from nationallyrecognised companies are also working closely with our staff to lift their specialist knowledge. This initiative was underway before the audit. This audit will assure our customers that the Council is up to the job and we look forward to providing further public updates. In the meantime, the hard data shows that the Council is on track with the consents process and ready to face the challenges of the rebuild together with our customers. Ethan Stetson Christchurch City Council Building Operations Manager
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Geeks On A Plane touches down in Christchurch Speed dating with geeks may not seem like the best way to grow your start-up company, but a group of around 20 Canterbury companies are hoping it will lead to success for them.
As part of a weeklong tour, the Geeks spent a day at Christchurch’s Enterprise Precinct and Innovation Campus (EPIC). Ben Reid, chairman of the Canterbury Software Cluster, opened the event by telling the Geeks the story of EPIC, the earthquakes and the ICT cluster. This was followed by a ‘Geek to Geek’ speed-dating session where companies and the Geeks had five minutes to get to know each other and their businesses. The morning finished with an interactive session on the US market. The Geeks also toured the red zone, before afternoon panel sessions on ‘Taking your idea to market’ and ‘Funding your business from the US’.
Local companies recently played host to the ‘Geeks on a Plane’ tour – a group of tech entrepreneurs and investors from the United States, who were in New Zealand as guests of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE).
Geeks on a Plane was founded by Dave McClure of start-up accelerator 500 Startups in early 2009, and takes the Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and investors out of the US to immerse them in technology cultures in other countries. The programme has now grown into a global network and has travelled to cities such as Tokyo, Shanghai and London. The Geeks who came to New Zealand included Living Social co-founder Aaron Batalion, TechCrunch writer Ryan Lawler, Silicon Valley investor Charles Hudson and prominent angel investor Andrea Zurek. The aim of their trip was to explore opportunities between the US and New Zealand in the technology space, and link up with other geeks to learn more about New Zealand’s technology capabilities and strengths.
Cheyne Gillooly, director capital services at NZTE, said “New Zealand has a healthy and vibrant start-up and innovation scene, however we are very far away from the rest of the world. The Geeks are key influencers in Silicon Valley and by introducing them to Kiwi start-ups and investors, they were able to learn about local trends in internet, mobile and other technology platforms, and gain an insight into New Zealand’s market, demographic and business models. “For the New Zealand companies, it was a great opportunity for the entrepreneurial ecosystem to come together and establish connections with top tier investor networks in the US. They can learn from these guys what it takes to grow a tech business and get practical insights into the global marketplace and the competitive edge they will need. The tour also profiled New Zealand and opened doors for these companies in the US.” Over 90 New Zealand companies were given the chance to network with the Geeks, who visited Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown. Ben Reid from EPIC says such meetings are invaluable. “For me, the best thing about events like GOAP is the opportunity for New Zealand tech companies to make direct contacts and learn from some of the leaders of Silicon Valley’s world class venture capital scene. This can only benefit our local industry – highlighting the investment opportunities, growing more NZ companies and encouraging investors to keep coming back!” www.geeksonaplane.com
Dave mcclure’s top tip for entrepreneurs pitching their business “Talk about your customers, if you have any. If you have traction, lead with traction."
General Business
Update March 2013
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hairyLemon’s “messy teenager” Christchurch IT service provider The I.T. Team offers the full spectrum of services from IT support, service and maintenance to the hosting and management of cloud and data centre systems.
The I.T. Team grew out of the IT division of web design agency hairyLemon. Affectionately referred to as the ‘messy teenager’ to its mature older sibling hairyLemon, the businesses are now completely separate, with the split finalised in July 2011. In August 2012, the team moved to a brand new office space on Manchester Street – the result of a decision by The I.T. Team’s board to position the business within the four avenues of the central city. The staff is excited to be one of the first businesses to return to the city centre and to be positioned in the midst of the action of the inner city rebuild. One of only a handful of businesses on their block, they’re never short of visitors – as well as clients, there is a steady stream of tourists who come in seeking directions to Re:START.
Two key growth areas of the business are cloud and data centre services, and Microsoft Office 365. The I.T. Team’s general manager, Connon Daly, sees the advent of online software as hugely positive for start-ups. As a start-up themselves, The I.T. Team understand the challenges facing businesses starting out.
General Business
19
To help other businesses, they’ve provided a tech guide with helpful hints for start-ups. Why the cloud is a great option for start-ups Cloud computing allows start-ups flexibility and the opportunity to achieve the same IT functionality and uptime previously only available to larger-scale corporates. In a nutshell, ‘cloud computing’ refers to the internet, and ‘cloud’ essentially involves the delivery of resources, hardware and software online. 1. By choosing to go online, this enables you to access your software wherever you can connect to the internet. The experience of hairyLemon and The I.T. Team following the February earthquake is an excellent case in point – by enabling remote working and computer access for staff, this meant that the two businesses were operational within three days, with staff able to work from home until a new office space was secured. 2. It’s best not to buy a server and pre-packaged software straight up – there are a number of different options to explore that will save you money. 3. Do your homework – the more time you spend researching the best possible IT solutions for your business the better. Determine which tools will work best for you and your business’ requirements first rather than buying tools before testing them out. Most cloud services offer free trials – this is a good way to determine their suitability for your requirements. 4. Research the history of the provider and read customer testimonials and reviews. Some providers appear to be reputable, but they may not have the technical depth to manage your system effectively. Even we have been burnt by providers that appeared genuine but were in-fact one man bands with impressive websites. The end result was they didn't have backups and we lost a year’s worth of data. 5. Scalability is another huge benefit of using cloud services. The beauty of the cloud is that companies only pay for services based on the resources they require. This enables customers to scale based on the size of their operation – as demand increases, so can the scale of the cloud services. This will allow you to minimise your costs during the start-up phase. Another bonus is that setup or implementation fees are generally minimal or free.
Connon Daly General Manager The I.T. Team www.theitteam.co.nz
Other things to consider... While cloud products and services are now an important part of IT, there are other elements of your IT needs that should be considered.
1
Choosing hardware – desktops vs. laptops While laptops are appealing due to their portability, many staff keep their laptop at their desk at all times. It’s important to note that desktops are cheaper to buy and upgrade, and have a far greater life span. However, if you are purchasing a laptop make sure you obtain a three year warranty. Many laptops don't make it to the end of three years.
overlook the importance of security 2 Don't It is vital that this aspect of your business is not neglected. Whether your data is located in the cloud or on your home office server, simple or default passwords will cause you to be vulnerable. Sovereignty Currently there are debates 3 Data in New Zealand about the legality of storing your data (especially financial) on servers outside the country. It pays for you to do some research on whether your type of data is legally obliged to be in the country. Cloud providers will generally specify where their data is held geographically. If it is not specified, contact their support team.
General Business
20
Update March 2013
Free one-on-one advice for businesses moving back into the city Wynn Williams has generously extended their offer of free clinics on the Central City Recovery Plan (CCRP) for local business owners keen to move back into the CBD.
Wynn Williams partner Margo Perpick says the information provided in the one-on-one clinics will help business owners gain a better understanding of new zoning changes. “The earthquakes caused many businesses to relocate to the suburbs, but most are keen to return to the central city,” says Margo. “CERA released the Central City Recovery Plan in July 2012, which has made significant changes to the central city zones in the Christchurch City Plan. Businesses need to understand the new rules when making their decisions about where to set up new premises.” Major changes include building height limits, requirements for outline development plans, parking restrictions, and zones in which noise limits are increased. Retail and offices are strongly encouraged in the Central City Business zone, while those activities face restrictions in the Mixed Use zone. Much of the central city has been designated for CERA's Anchor Projects, where land is subject to being acquired by CERA. Assessing the suitability of land for proposed uses can be a complex task, says Margo. “The Central City Recovery Plan is not a stand-alone document. It is a series of changes to the existing City Plan. So, understanding the Recovery Plan means sitting down with the existing Plan, and the Recovery Plan, to work out what is allowed where.
“Businesses trying to come back to the central city are faced with zoning provisions which are very different from what they knew before the quakes. On top of that, much of the space in the central city is now vacant land, or has buildings that are waiting to be demolished. “Business owners have a difficult job before them. The clinics are providing a helping hand to businesses, so they have the information they need to start the search for new central city premises.”
When: 27 February, 13 March, 27 March Where: CECC offices in the Westpac Business and Community Hub To book your place in one of the clinics, contact: Margo Perpick 03 353 0222, 027 227 2026 margo.perpick@wynnwilliams.co.nz
General Business
21
construction dispute resolution environment
tax
A new way of thinking The Canterbury rebuild – it’s the biggest construction and infrastructure challenge this country has ever seen, and this has lead to new, innovative thinking between businesses to meet the unprecedented demand.
For real progress to be seen, and for the rebuild to start, there is an urgent need for business to find real solutions to fill demand for services, people and resources. We are all aware that traditional business models have suppliers competing against each other, however, a new way, a collaborative way, has emerged.
The collaboration between South Island firm Lane Neave and national firm Minter Ellison Rudd Watts, both with international connections, is an example of two businesses helping each other to succeed, for the benefit and success of Canterbury. A significant amount of the rebuild work is specialised and there’s much more involved than just constructing roads, buildings and homes. There is a minefield of legal obligations that need to be met in a wide range of expertise areas, including funds management, construction, insurance, environment, dispute resolution and tax. This specialised work has wide ranging implications for Christchurch, and collaboration means the strength and depth of available resources of two separate firms are brought together to provide the best possible solution for clients. Lane Neave has an on the ground presence with contacts and a trusted reputation in Canterbury. They are accessible to the community and local media, and are well-known to local government and key Cantabrian organisations. They have the skills and the connections, but with the volume of work predicted they will not always have the resources available to cope with the demand for legal services in the coming months and years.
Collaborating with Minter Ellison Rudd Watts makes good business sense – not just for each firm, but also for the entities that need legal advice. Minter Ellison Rudd Watts has access to a large pool of legal experts (nationally and internationally) and the firm has relationships with most of the big players in the rebuild, including banks, construction companies, insurance firms and the other national law firms. For example, they have a specialist funds management practice that can advise and establish a wide range of wholesale investment vehicles, including private equity and venture capital funds, angel groups, hedge funds, property syndicates and other specialised investments, as well as a reputable infrastructure and construction law team. They have an office in Wellington and a well-known public law practice, as well as relationships with government agencies and policy makers. However, the advantage of collaboration for these two firms is more than just expanded technical expertise. There are benefits to be had by combining marketing efforts, pooling clients, sharing resources and dividing costs. Hometown advantage is combined with international credibility. The two distinct cultures, systems and experience that exist between the two law firms is another advantage. There are two sets of leaders; which results in robust discussion, strategy and direction for both the clients and firms – but not at twice the cost! This business diversity encourages innovation as people with different backgrounds challenge each other’s underlying assumptions, the way they do things and the results they are trying to achieve. Businesses that change their strategy to adapt to the new market demands will thrive and be best poised to take advantage of the opportunities that the Christchurch rebuild offers.
David Cartwright Business Development Manager Lane Neave www.laneneave.co.nz
General Business
Update March 2013
22
A changing landscape At SEEK, we revealed some research in September 2012 that found 43 percent of Kiwis intend to secure a new job in the next twelve months. That’s a high number of potential candidates who could be looking for work, but what we are finding most interesting is the way in which people are looking and applying for jobs is rapidly changing.
Already, we’re seeing more Kiwi jobseekers accessing seek. co.nz on the go, with one in five people applying for jobs using a mobile device. This change in jobseeker behaviour is echoing global trends, and it’s only going to become more pronounced. The expectations of consumers and how they interact with companies is of critical importance. Consumers are becoming increasingly time poor – they don’t want to have to wait two weeks for their online shopping to arrive, and they don’t want to have to apply for a job solely through their desktop computers either. The release of the SEEK applications for iPhones and iPads are just some of our recent product developments which have been driven through an evolution of jobseeker behaviour. SEEK takes the job application process seriously – it’s a core part of the jobseeker experience and we know that first impressions last. If applying for the job is a seamless experience (anytime, anywhere), it leaves the jobseeker feeling more positive towards the company and more willing to apply for the job. A frustrating experience can prevent them from following through and applying. This leads into another dynamic in the industry – standing out from the crowd. One thing that candidates have in common is that they are all interested in what you have to say. A job advertisement should be viewed as your company’s chance to stand out from the crowd. This is particularly important in Canterbury where we have seen six percent year-on-year growth in job ad volume. Jobseekers have demands and it’s important that hirers are aware of what these are, because they might not be what you expect. For example, we know that 43 percent of Kiwis surveyed by SEEK claim a good work-life balance is a deal breaker when considering taking on a new job, while salary is less important, coming in a distant second at 29 percent. Use the job ad as a starting point to position your company. Include key selling points that highlight what it is that makes your company and the advertised role unique – jobseekers will always be looking at it from a ‘what’s in it for me’ perspective. From there, it’s all about delivering on your company’s brand and culture, through the entire hiring process.
>> www.seek.co.nz
About SEEK SEEK Limited is the leading online employment and training site in New Zealand. SEEK is a media company using the internet as its distribution channel. SEEK (NZ) Ltd was incorporated in September 1999. SEEK (NZ) Ltd manages seek. co.nz, New Zealand’s largest employment website and one of the best-known internet brands. Currently over 13,000 employment vacancies are advertised on seek.co.nz and the site notched up more than 2.9 million visits from jobseekers in September 2012 (based on Total Market Visits to seek.co.nz (source: Nielsen Market Intelligence, September 2012) and Visits to m.seek.co.nz (source: Omniture, September 2012)). Source: SEEK December Job Ad Index SEEK Job Market Update, independent research conducted by GFK, Base: NZ Q4/2012.
Your People
23
Youth coaching CECC is eager to assist and support Christchurch youth into work or training opportunities. In conjunction with the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, CECC is running a pilot Youth Coaching programme.
The key objective of this 12-week programme is to assist 16-18 year old youth to move closer to independence by providing individual coaching that will support and guide them in their efforts to achieve either a job or enrolment in a relevant training programme. An integral part of the Youth Coaching programme will be assigning a volunteer Youth Coach to work alongside each young person to provide guidance, direction and generally be a ‘go to’ for any questions or support they require. After our Youth Coach Coordinator has assessed the young person their profile is matched to a Youth Coach, such as a business leader, retired businessperson or mentor. The Youth Coach will then work with the young person on a one-onone basis, as their time permits, to help them find solutions and opportunities that will enable, encourage and support them to reach their goals and unique potential.
Youth coaching is not about rescuing young people – it is about encouraging them to make sensible choices and to reach their academic or workforce potential through aligning young people with positive, non-judgemental role models. Effective youth coaching relationships are generally built on three key qualities: •
Mutual respect
•
Being genuine
•
Empathy
An effective Youth Coach will ‘walk the talk’ and empower young people to take charge of their lives and be better able to cope with daily challenges in a positive and constructive way.
We are currently seeking volunteer Youth Coaches who will give their time (1-2 hours per week for 12 weeks) to work alongside these young people.
Engaging youth in good employment outcomes is one of the critical issues facing our community and we need your help to achieve our goal of supporting youth into work or training opportunities!
To register your interest in becoming a Youth Coach, please contact our Youth Coach Coordinator Bridgette Smith on 03 366 5096 or bridgettes@cecc.org.nz
Feature Seminar/Event
Training
Essential leadership skills programme This programme will provide you with a strong foundation in leadership, enabling you to reflect upon your leadership style and learn how to develop your leadership capabilities for more senior roles. As a Senior Manager it is important to develop the capability to provide leadership, including leading teams through change, handling conflict in the workplace, leading a diverse workforce and managing performance. You can elect to attend the whole course or individual modules according to your needs. Please note we can also deliver this as an in-house option.
May-June 2013 6 modules – each Tuesday for six weeks 7 May 14 May 21 May 28 May 4 June 11 June
Your business needs you to be an expert.
Module Module Module Module Module Module
1 2 3 4 5 6
Focusing on the Leadership Role Engaging Teams and Individuals Leading Teams Through Change Handling Conflict in the Workplace Leading Four Generations in the Workplace Managing Performance
Time: 9:30am to 1:00pm MEMBER price: $225.00 + GST per module, $1,125.00 + GST the whole course Non-member price: $395.00 + GST per module, $1,975.00 + GST the whole course Presenter: Victoria Barkway Venue: Copthorne Commodore Hotel
Our TRAINING
makes it possible.
>> T o make a booking or for more information, please visit www.cecc.org.nz or contact the team on 03 366 5096.
Upcoming Training Calendar >> February-May 2013
Make the most of our Early Bird discount of 10% for bookings made 30 days in advance of course date.
February 2013
May 2013
26 Feb U-Turn Performance
1-2 May
Essential Training for Health and Safety Representatives (Stage 1)
7 May–11 Jun
Essential Leadership Skills Programme (6 Modules)
8 May
Employment Relations Kit
8 May
Marketing on a Shoestring
26-27 Feb
Advanced Training for Health and Safety Representatives (Stage 2)
27 Feb
Complying with Health and Safety
March 2013 5 Mar
Effective Workplace Communication
13 May
Interview Skills
5-6 Mar
Essential Training for Health and Safety Representatives (Stage 1)
14-15 May
Advanced Training for Health and Safety Representatives (Stage 2)
11-12 Mar
Essential Training for Health and Safety Representatives (Stage 1) (North Canterbury)
16 May–13 Jun Essential Supervision Skills Programme 21-22 May
13-14 Mar
Advanced Training for Health and Safety Representatives (Stage 3)
Essential Training for Health and Safety Representatives (Stage 1)
22 May
Analysis and Interpretation
13 Mar
Time Management and Productivity
29-30 May
Effective Workplace Communication
18 Mar
Employment Law for Managers
29-30 May
19 Mar
Negotiation Skills
Essential Training for Health and Safety Representatives (Stage 1) (North Canterbury)
20 Mar
Smart Marketing
27-28 Mar
Advanced Training for Health and Safety Representatives (Stage 2)
April 2013 4 Apr
Accessing Personal Power
9 Apr
Accounting for Non-Accountants
9 Apr
Essential Skills for the In-house Trainer
10-11 Apr
Essential Training for Health and Safety Representatives (Stage 1)
10 Apr
Hanging on to the Tiger’s Tail
11 Apr
Presentation Skills
16 Apr
Sales Power
17 Apr
Strategies to Motivate Staff and Grow Productivity
18 Apr
Event Management
23-24 Apr
Essential Training for Health and Safety Representatives (Stage 1)
cebook: Like us on Fa raining ok.com/CECCT >> www.facebo ents ok.com/CECCEv >> www.facebo
>> A ll events must be registered for. Email: registrations@cecc.org.nz or 03 366 5096
Business Performance
Update March 2013
26
Your Employers’ Chamber membership card delivers exclusive savings The Employers’ Chamber not only offers a full range of assistance, there are also many other ways to make your business dollar go further. Below are updated offers from the New Zealand Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s key national partners and local Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce supporters – covering banking services, fuel, office supplies, vehicles, telecommunications and health insurance. We also recommend that you check the noticeboard in the member-only area of the website (www.cecc.org.nz), which lists offers from members for members.
Westpac Card Services
Southern Cross Health Society
OfficeMax
Westpac offers special prices to CECC members requesting merchant business facilities, extremely competitive deals on EFTPOS hardware, and other special offers from time to time. For more information on ways to save money with Westpac, please contact the Westpac EFTPOS Solutions Team on 0800 800 066 option 3 or email eftpossolutions@westpac.co.nz.
Did you know that as Southern Cross members, your employees can enjoy many special benefits? To find out more, call 0800 GET COVER (438 268).
Purchase your office supplies from OfficeMax and take advantage of the special pricing available only to Chamber members. For details, email chamber@ officemax.co.nz, freephone 0800 426 473, freefax 0800 226 473, or visit www.officemax.co.nz.
Ford
Telecom Access to the special CECC member mobile calling plan ($25/month and 0.25c/ minute – any network, any time) from Telecom (available regardless of your call volume) – and choose from a range of handsets. For more information, contact Telecom Business Hub on 0800BUSHUB or email info@hubchristchurch.co.nz or info@hubcanterbury.co.nz.
Your CECC membership entitles you to a discount off the recommended retail price of a new Ford vehicle from selected Ford dealerships (Offer excludes FPV range, and retail promotions from time to time). Contact Avon City Ford, Team Hutchinson Ford, Gluyas Motor Group or GreyFord today. www.ford.co.nz.
Noel Leeming Group Noel Leeming has partnered with the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce to bring you fantastic savings on products in its Noel Leeming and Bond+Bond stores nationwide. Use your Chamber membership card or quote your membership number to get Cost+9% storewide at Noel Leeming and Bond+Bond stores. Some exclusions apply.
Z Energy (previously Shell) The ‘Shell Card’ is the smart way to minimise your refuelling costs. If you’re a GST registered business, spend more than $150 per month on fuel and are direct debit enabled for account payment, it’s easy to arrange – just call 0800 474 355, or visit http://z.co.nz/keeping-business-on-themove/z-card/ and get smart reporting options AND 5c per litre off the pump price.
SEEK Ltd Get the staff you need, at half the price. SEEK offers an exclusive price to CECC members to place a standard online job ad for $90 – that’s almost 50% off! Choose SEEK to have your job ad live within hours, in the market live for 30 days, plus enjoy great personal service and access to New Zealand’s largest pool of job seekers. Contact Chris Squire on 03 343 0370 or chchsales@seek.co.nz.
Please ensure you have your Employers’ Chamber membership number handy when contacting any of the offer providers.
resources & publications • training & events • advice • consultancy • advocacy www.cecc.org.nz
Your People
27
Health and safety in the construction sector The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has established a Construction Sector Action Plan 2010-2013. This plan sets out specific actions to reduce the work toll in the construction sector and has a particular focus on slips, trips and falls from height. It has been prepared in partnership with the Accident Compensation Corporation and the Construction Safety Council, and is closely aligned to the council’s own strategy.
In Canterbury, MBIE is working closely with key stakeholders to ensure the plan is adhered to, and inspectors are also visiting construction sites to observe work practices. MBIE and the Safe Rebuild Forum have identified SMEs as the group that needs the most assistance with managing health and safety. Preventing falls from height is a priority for the MBIE, with employers and self-employed contractors who have staff working at height expected to actively manage this significant hazard. Falls from three metres or less off roofs and from ladders account for most of the serious harm accidents reported from the construction sector. More injuries happen on residential building sites than any other workplace in the sector. The Ministry’s Preventing Falls from Height campaign aims to reduce harm by raising awareness about the safe use of ladders and safe working on roofs. Contractors tendering for work Contractors tendering for work with any of the major PMOs (Fletchers, MWH Mainzeal, Hawkins, Naylor Love, Stream, Arrow) need to be aware of their health and safety requirements, and the new processes that are being followed. The PMOs are working collaboratively with the government, and together with Site Safe, to improve health and safety in the construction and related trades sectors in line with the Construction Sector Action Plan. A database of preferred contractors has been established that all PMOs are able to access. This database provides information relating to each contractor’s health and safety compliance and is administered by Site Safe. Contractors can register (pre-qualify) at www.appcon.co.nz. Step one – Pre-qualifying Entry to the database requires a pre-qualification stage. This involves the completion of a questionnaire, with some questions also requiring examples of completed forms to prove that a company is implementing a health and safety programme. Typical examples include copies of job safety analysis, accident reports and tool box meeting minutes. Site Safe then reviews the completed pre-qualification application and scores contractors on their level of compliance with the HSE Act 1992, giving a green, amber or red light.
Step two – Site specific safety plan When a PMO selects a contractor, they can access this database and see what level of compliance the contractor has. When the tender is accepted, contractors are required to supply a Site Specific Safety Plan (SSSP). SSSP documents manage safety aspects relating to the job and specific hazards associated with job tasks. It includes details about managing visitors at a site and requirements for health and safety tool box meetings, as well as the need to have an accident register on site. Step three – Identification All employees who work on a site are required to have, as a minimum, a Site Safe Construction Passport (or a Security ID tag for Fletchers work). To qualify, employees must complete the Site Safe Building Construction Passport course designed to improve safety awareness and the actions of everyone working on a construction site. How can CECC help? CECC is a key stakeholder in the Safe Rebuild Forum together with PMOs and the EMPU, and provides fully funded Health and Safety Champion training courses for construction and related trades. This half-day course provides attendees with knowledge and information to confidently apply and implement health and safety in their company. To register your place on one of these courses in 2013, phone 0800 4SafeRebuild or 0800 472337. We also provide consultancy services to assist companies in meeting their obligations under the Health and Safety in Employment Act. These include the provision of specific construction sector templates and tools that can be tailored to your organisation: •
Health and Safety Manual
•
Hazard Register
•
Job Safety Analysis
•
Site Specific Safety Plan
•
Accident Register
•
Health and Safety Forms
For more information, please contact Helen Mason on 027 255 5638, or helenm@cecc.org.nz or Sandy de Vries on 021 990 688, or sandydv@cecc.org.nz.
Sales and Marketing
Update March 2013
28
Get your start-up right, right from the start Being too busy to work on the business is a common problem for many SMEs. According to Deb Fahey, managing director of Novo Advertising and Design, robust brand and marketing practices – and crossing off the common sense boxes – will set a start-up business on the right track from the outset.
Six recommendations to get your business on the right track: 1. Know your business Be clear in your mind about the who and what of your business – your products, services, strengths and weaknesses, what the market wants, and where you sit in relation to your competitors. Know your competitors, and your market. Establishing your brand personality will help develop your marketing strategy.
4. Know the value For start-ups in a new market, customers aren’t necessarily looking for a bargain as much as meeting a need. But they will not pay more than they perceive it to be worth. Ensure your price is right before you begin to focus on marketing. If it’s not, it won’t matter how good your marketing is, your customers won’t bite.
2. Create your brand identity Invest in the good stuff from professionals, even if your 17 year-old is a dab hand with InDesign. A well considered brand identity – name and logo, and the look and feel of your design platform and communications – will set you up effectively and drive the desired response. How you look and what you say matters. Whether you’re building an app, a website or designing business cards, the savvy market can spot a half-baked effort a mile away. Advertising, design and creative communications professionals will make you look good and ensure your market understands you, likes you and feels you meet their needs.
5. Work on your relationships Successful businesses today may harness new technologies and marketing mediums but they back it up with good oldfashioned commitment, service and care. It’s always about relationships. Nothing beats customer interaction. You have to connect with your customers, make it personal and build equity. Take time to understand and know your clients, and you’ll know how to meet their needs.
3. Live your brand Think like your customer. Your brand is how they see you, think of you and feel about you. Whereas your logo is a visual element of your brand identity, the word ‘brand’ actually refers to perception. Next to your staff, your brand is your most important asset. But it’s only as strong as the consistently good service, products and impression you deliver. People like doing business with companies and people who reflect their values and interests. The customer thinks WIIFM (what’s in it for me). Positive touch-points and experiences earn your brand brownie points. Negative experiences do the opposite. We all remember how we felt that time the waiter was sullen and distracted.
6. Fish where the fish are Your marketing efforts have two goals: reach potential customers and help them find you. A traditional hands-on approach, and a strategy that includes a mix of traditional media and social media for both broad and targeted coverage, works well. Get help from professionals and you’ll get this just right. Deb Fahey Managing Director NOVO Advertising and Design www.novo.co.nz
Sales and Marketing
29
NEW » Online marketing
Responsive web design In 2011, on average, four percent of all mobile search traffic was on a mobile device. In 2012, it was over 10 percent. By 2016, it's expected to reach 26 percent. There’s no denying that the transition to mobile devices is moving at a staggering rate and businesses really need to take notice.
Not so long ago, if you wanted to publish versions of your website for mobile platforms like smartphones and tablets, the traditional approach was to create alternate versions of your site, such as m.mysite.co.nz. Multiple sites meant multiple sets of costs and management overheads. Consequently, very few Kiwi businesses have invested in mobile optimised websites.
Do I need a responsive website? Maybe the bigger question here is “does my site need to be optimised for mobile?” For almost any business this question is becoming harder and harder to say “no” to – consider the following: •
48 percent of consumers said they feel frustrated with a company when their website isn't mobile friendly
Enter responsive web design… ‘Responsive web design’ is a relatively new technique that adapts the website design and content to the screen real estate offered by the browsing device. If you view a responsive website on your desktop and adjust the size of your browser you should see the page layout magically adjust itself to fit more comfortably into the new width of the browser – even if you make the browser as narrow as a mobile phone. So a well designed responsive website will suit almost any device.
•
67 percent of B2B users said they’d be more likely to engage with a company when they’d had a good mobile experience
The great thing about responsive web design is that it uses pre-existing, well-proven technologies like javascript and CSS. So barrier to entry and risks are low.
into customers.
What does it cost? Whilst it takes more thought when designing a responsive website and more effort to implement, they are a very attractive solution for businesses. The cost of a responsive website is typically 25-50 percent higher than a non-responsive site. The extra cost goes into extra design work and extra coding, but it is still significantly cheaper than developing multiple sites. Furthermore, it means ongoing costs are lower as there's just one website to manage, not multiple.
• 69 percent of IT decision makers use a mobile device for work-related searches for B2B content •
For mobile searches, Google gives preferential rankings to sites that are mobile optimised.
Simply put, mobile friendly sites turn more website visitors Given the rapid rise in tablet and smartphone adoption, 2013 is likely to be the year of responsive web. Companies that have a responsive website will have more chance of attracting and engaging customers than those that don’t. Whether you’re B2C or B2B, responsive web design has the ability to give your business a distinct competitive advantage. Alan Cox Chief Executive LeftClick www.leftclick.com
Export and Import
Update March 2013
30
How big should we be? You may have caught a bit of debate on the news recently about how big the New Zealand population should be by 2060. This was sparked by a report ExportNZ commissioned from the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research called Lifting Export Performance.
While many Kiwis may ponder this question from a personal preference point of view – perhaps relating to things such as nostalgia or fear – it’s really a question of what’s necessary for the country to develop into the best it can be in a sustainable way. This includes addressing the things that are holding it back.
The two big things holding New Zealand back, as the report highlights, are its smallness and isolation. One of the obvious ways to overcome these problems is to make New Zealand a bigger country with bigger companies.
DOES YOUR MESSAGE NEED AN UPDATE? The Agency Communications is a full service agency providing the skills, expertise and creativity to help shape your message for today's market.
+64 3 341 5841 info@theagencynz.co.nz www.theagencynz.co.nz Marketing | Communications | Graphic Design | website design Proud to support the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce.
Export and Import
31
How do we keep successful companies of scale in New Zealand? The report outlines a variety of issues New Zealand policymakers and firms need to address, now and into the future.
Key points: •
The Government is already doing a lot to support export capability. We need to assess the effectiveness of existing policies and programmes before throwing more money at the problem. Let’s aim to do a few things really well rather than spreading the capability spending too thinly.
• Part of the reason for the high exchange rate is that growth in government social spending tends to favour domestic consumption instead of saving and investment. Ongoing efforts to cut less vital spending like Working for Families and interest-free student loans will ease the pressure on the Kiwi dollar. •
Public spending has acted like a tax on the export s e c t o r. D u r i n g t h e 2 0 0 0 s , t h e g ove r n m e n t administration share of GDP grew by 60 percent, driving up the demand for labour and sucking resources away from businesses that were already struggling to grow.
•
New Zealand needs to hold a serious debate about its optimal population. NZIER is on the record as saying that 15 million by 2060 would be a good start.
• There is merit in investigating policies to reward high-performing firms that retain capability in New Zealand rather than move offshore.
•
Regulatory risks around the primary sector won’t go away: New Zealand primary exporters need to front-foot these issues so that unnecessarily draconian policies aren’t imposed upon them that would restrict their efforts to grow and export.
•
New sources of scale could come from the minerals sector and Ma-ori-owned businesses.
•
Smaller New Zealand companies need to collaborate onshore to compete offshore.
I welcome debate about population growth policy. In fact, it’s a vital national debate that needs to be had. We need to decide now how big we should be by 2060. The report is a sobering reality check on the state of the nation’s export performance and how vital it is to get the policy framework right.
“We need to ensure existing capability-enhancing policies are delivering value for money. Our immigration, tax, welfare and foreign investment policies need to enhance rather than restrict the ability of New Zealand firms to gain scale. And we need to see more examples of firms working together in strategic alliances to build presence offshore.”
We need more people and skills in order to grow more companies of scale. Once grown, the challenge is then keeping larger companies in New Zealand so the country benefits from them. The alternative is selling out to other countries and losing talent overseas for better jobs and better pay.
I look forward to working with all stakeholders to use this report’s findings to help develop New Zealand into a bigger, more successful exporting nation; better able to offer interesting and competitively paid jobs to future generations. Let’s have a national debate now.
NZIER deputy chief executive John Ballingall said, “Boosting our exports requires first-rate policy settings and creative, collaborative actions from New Zealand firms. There is no silver bullet, and a medium- to long-term perspective is required.
Catherine Beard Executive Director ExportNZ, a division of BusinessNZ cbeard@exportnz.org.nz 027 463 3212 www.exportnz.org.nz
The full report is available at www.exportnz.org.nz
Export and Import
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Update March 2013
We’re on a mission to introduce more people to all the benefits of trade, travel and tourism with our fantastic region. As the gateway to the South Island, we open our doors to some of our country’s best visitor regions. And as the key travel hub for nearly 1 million Kiwis, we sit at the heart of the regional tourism industry. But the numbers only tell part of the story… What they don’t communicate is the passion we, and the millions of people who have visited or make their home here, have for this place – and the love Kiwis have for seeing the world. That’s why we believe that Christchurch deserves more connections to the world’s biggest markets.
With your support, we can make it happen. If you’re a local business that would like to make more direct connections between the South Island and the world, show your support at www.flysouthisland.co.nz. Become one of our official supporters by contacting Mel Wong, Visitor and Trade Development Manager at: mel.wong@cial.co.nz.
www.flysouthisland.co.nz
Get o & Fly nboard So Island uth !
Member Profile
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A win-win solution for employers and school leavers Glenda Lorimer is helping to get young people into work, while training the skilled workforce that Christchurch needs for the future.
Glenda is the regional manager for Launchpad, a programme to help motivated school leavers find employment experience. Young people in the Launchpad programme are provided with entry-level employment for a year, and take one morning off each week to study towards a business administration qualification at CPIT. Glenda says Launchpad’s young workers are also provided with mentoring and training, making them a real asset for employers. In a recent survey by the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce, 44 percent of local businesses said they were having issues with skills shortages, and 13 percent said they were having “major issues”1. “One of the big issues facing Christchurch, not just for the rebuild but looking into the future as well, is the real shortage of skilled workers throughout the city,” says Glenda. “For employers, the appeal of a programme like Launchpad is not only are they able to provide a job for a motivated young worker, but they are also helping their employees to access mentoring, skills and training that will enable them to be more productive and valuable in the long term.” Glenda says the Launchpad programme has been successful because it offers major benefits for both workers and employers. “For employers, they are gaining trained staff who are motivated to improve themselves and build their skill set. For young people, Launchpad is really about providing opportunities for the future. Of the young people who have taken part in the programme, 30 percent have gone on to full time tertiary study, while others remain and advance through the organisations they are working in, or move onto other opportunities. “At the end of twelve months you have an employee with real-world experience, a tertiary qualification and who has developed professionally and personally through the mentoring and training in the programme. For everyone involved, it’s a win-win.”
>> www.launchpad.org.nz 1
CECC Member Survey 2012 (see Update 151)
Originally founded in 2000, Launchpad has built strong relationships with schools throughout the region that help to identify potential candidates that could benefit from the programme. “We’ve got a really great relationship with Canterbury schools, working mainly with career advisers,” says Glenda. “For many young people, Launchpad is very appealing if they are coming up to the end of school and aren’t looking at tertiary study right away, or are worried they maybe don’t have the skills or experience to start a career. Our role is to help bridge that gap and open doors for them they might not be able to get through otherwise.”
Launchpad has also built up strong networks with Canterbury’s business community, and enjoys a lot of repeat business from organisations that see the value of well-trained young staff. “We have a number of companies that come back to us quite regularly because of the value they see in the programme,” says Glenda. “The positive thing for us is that we are able to provide staff across a range of sectors, so we can form relationships with everyone, from smaller local companies like Laser Plumbing to major businesses like Fulton Hogan. These are businesses that see the benefit in building a skilled workforce through employing and training young people and are happy to do so on an ongoing basis.”
Member Profile
Update March 2013
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Behind the brand Introducing DUAL founder and director/designer Caro Allison What is DUAL and how did the business come about? I started making wide leg trousers for the young urbanite males of Christchurch, who would knock on my Lyttelton cottage door, claiming in exasperation that their mums would not make their skatey pants wide enough. Soon they started bringing their girlfriends, then the skatey urban stores saw them on the street and got hold of me… they weren’t able to import them fast enough. The label was DEMO, but in 2000, I changed it to DUAL. At the same time, the fashion boutique market was moving into casual, wide leg pants; the young girls’ mums started wearing their pants, and I was called every week or two by a new boutique wanting me to supply them with DUAL pants. It was solid business for the next six years. I had to turn boutiques down as we could not keep up with the demand. What were the challenges you faced when setting up your business? Growth. You start solo, doing everything, but the demand outgrows your output and you can’t afford to let people down. The business has always expanded organically, which places a huge demand on the owner. People ask how did I get into this and my standard reply is that I am crazy enough, and have with that the dogmatic determination to succeed.
What is your approach to fashion? Personally, to look good and be confident with the least amount of effort. It’s cringe worthy, discomfort with fashion – where’s the style in that? I am learning to have more fun again, whether I am dressing up or down. How I dress evolves with personal growth, also external influences – political, financial and obviously environmental, which we are all so aware of in Christchurch after the earthquakes. At the moment I want to mix high fashion, so DUAL is using more and more exquisite Italian fabrics with extreme casual – the quintessential DUAL merino or pant. Why do you think DUAL garments are so well received by the market? I grew up as an observer. Due to shyness, I became very visual and developed an innate ability to design – not without an insane amount of work being put into one garment to create the best quality, look, and fit possible. DUAL is product driven – the main form of marketing has always been word of mouth. Where do you get your inspiration for new styles? Designing pants with a point of difference, that look good on everybody, for me requires huge patience, as I will want to develop an idea that has not worked initially to my satisfaction. But if I leave it, I then seem to work it out on a subconscious level and my next attempt will be a winner.
Member Profile
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DUAL is now branching out into dresses, tops, skirts, jackets and coats. I can afford to be more flamboyant with this fashion. Fabric’s a big influence in this area – we are very fortunate to be sourcing limited, top-of-the line fabrics from Italy. I have not seen this same quality of fabric for several decades of my life.
Why is it important to keep production in Christchurch/ New Zealand? If the production is close, then we have no excuse not to be accountable. On a personal level, I don’t need the extra stress of production being anywhere but Christchurch, let alone offshore.
‘Accountability’ is a major theme for DUAL – how does this fit into your day-to-day business operations? Presently, sourcing the same great quality in everyday fabrics is difficult, and some manufacturers are cutting corners due to tough times. Fortunately it has not gone unobserved by the discerning public. DUAL has always put quality first; we replace any faulty stitching or hardware on the garment no matter when it breaks, and will receive five to ten year old DUAL garments to have something replaced. I love that longevity with garments – the natural wear and tear. It looks good on a sturdy well-made garment.
It obviously feels right working locally for personal, environmental and financial reasons.
We are small and accessible – albeit a little dysfunctional of recent times, with buildings, stock and paperwork being destroyed. However, we are getting back on track as we slowly put better systems into place, to be completely accountable on every aspect of a purchase, from concept through to manufacturing, to the best sales experience possible. We want the customer leaving DUAL happy. What do you consider to be key to your success? Quality.
>> www.dual.co.nz
What is your current role at DUAL – are you still directly involved in garment production? More so than ever, as I have discovered the benefits of working in a one-storey work/retail shop, maintaining a tight ship. We have been temporarily forced into a small space, but it works. We all – including the customer – are well informed about the whole process of manufacturing, as we do it all here in this little space. My main role is still designing and patternmaking, which only gets more exciting with increasing DUAL’s range of fashion. What are your plans for the future of DUAL? To carry on working at maintaining happy customers – if we get that right the rest will follow naturally. DUAL will remain a small business, achieving the highest standard of fashion possible without going through the roof with the retail price. What advice would you give to others starting out on their own? Really think about what you want from self employment and then get as much advice as possible as to the best steps to get there. If you are afraid of hard work, don’t go there.
Member Profile
Update March 2013
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treetop walk
Setting your sights high The Westcoast Treetop Walk is the first of its kind in New Zealand, offering visitors a unique way to experience Westland’s famous native forest.
Opened in December 2012, the treetop walk takes visitors along a 450-metre walkway through the canopy of native forest 15km south of Hokitika. The walk culminates in a climb up a 47-metre high spiral staircase to the Southern Alps observation deck, providing panoramic views of the forest, the Alps and nearby Lake Mahinapua. The group behind the Coast’s newest tourist attraction is Australian company Canopy 01, which has spent $7.7 million developing the project. Director Shane Able says the treetop walk will allow visitors to experience New Zealand’s natural environment in a completely new way. “It’s a really fantastic way for people to experience the forest and the scenery, and it’s completely unlike anything else in New Zealand at the moment. Being elevated right up into the canopy and looking down on the forest as you walk, and then going up the one hundred and fifteen steps to the observation tower is a totally new way of seeing New Zealand." Shane says Canopy 01 has launched a number of successful treetop walks in Australia, and is excited about bringing the concept to New Zealand. “We had been looking at expanding into New Zealand for a number of years now. Previously we had set up three different tree top walks in Australia; one in Tasmania, one in Victoria and another in New South Wales. So we knew that there was a real demand for this kind of experience, and that these projects could be very successful.
“We were very lucky because we found the perfect location, and received a lot of support from the Department of Conservation and the Westland District Council. They saw the potential of the project and provided a lot of support in helping to get set up.”
>> www.treetopsnz.com
The Department of Conservation granted Canopy 01 a 45-year concession to use the site for the treetop walk, which is set to be a real boost to the local tourism industry. Canopy 01 estimates the attraction will bring in over $7 million to the region and attract 175,000 visitors every year. As well as the treetop walk itself, Canopy 01 has also built a large visitors centre on the site, with a café that can seat 80 people, with an extra 40 seats available outside. Shane says Canopy 01 is excited about the future of the Treetop Walk. “Already the walk has attracted crowds of visitors and locals alike. We’re very confident it’s going to become a real mainstay of local tourism and will help more people to discover this stunning corner of the world.”
Arts and Culture
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Restoring the romance of a Theatre Royal As a ‘Theatre Royal’, Christchurch’s Isaac Theatre Royal shares its title – a direct endorsement by royalty – with a select group of performance venues worldwide. It’s this level of recognition, combined with astute management, that has enabled the century-old building to be fully reinstated following significant earthquake damage.
Originally built in 1908, the Isaac Theatre Royal has been a key performing arts venue for national and international shows – from ballets and opera, to concerts and even comedy acts.
In the late 1990s, the theatre underwent major earthquake strengthening and fire protection work costing $1.2 million – a move that general manager Neil Cox firmly believes saved the theatre from certain collapse following the Canterbury earthquakes.
“After September fourth, the theatre was closed for a month for minor repairs, but scheduled shows went ahead in October; in fact, 2011 was shaping up to be one of the best years for us, for quite some time,” says Neil. “When the February quake hit, the impact was much more significant. We could see that the damage was extensive – particularly where the new stage and backstage part of the building joined the old heritage auditorium. We could also see that our investment in earthquake strengthening had paid off though, as the building was still standing. That work proved absolutely vital.” The theatre is currently in the process of being almost entirely rebuilt. With a total reinstatement cost of the central city venue estimated at $30 million, Neil says they were very fortunate to have an up-to-date insurance policy in place to support the majority of that cost.
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Five years ago, the theatre was re-valued and their insurance renewed accordingly to a $22 million reinstatement value plus $1 million plant (contents) value. They also negotiated a well-structured business interruption insurance policy, to cover a 36-month period to a maximum indemnity of $1.5 million.
“Raising funds for general business operations is quite difficult compared to raising money for a specific project, so our Board’s foresight was an absolute lifesaver,” says Neil. “After February 2011, based on two excellent previous business years, we had the time to put together a comprehensive business case reviewing estimated ticket sales and rebates, bar revenue budgets, merchandise sales and so on. We essentially had three options to consider with our insurance company – to restrengthen and repair the old parts of the theatre in full; in part; or deconstruct all the old masonry of the auditorium and foyers in their entirety, and essentially rebuild and reinstate from scratch. All round, the general consensus was that the best case was to deconstruct and reinstate the theatre for the best long-term solution, as opposed to weaving new steelwork through the old structure.
Update March 2013
“Vero has been exceptionally professional and supportive to deal with; they have the right understanding of what we are trying to do and how important the survival of the theatre is to the city. We have a great team working on the project from Warren and Mahoney, Holmes Consulting Group, Naylor Love, and our project managers, RCP. I take my hat off to all those people involved – they have done an awesome job.” Of the funding shortfall of approximately $8 million, the $4 million raised to date has come from various sources, including $501,000 from The Canterbury Earthquake Heritage Buildings Fund, $2.1 million from Lotteries Environment and Heritage Commission and a $1 million grant from the Prime Minister’s Earthquake Appeal Trust (CEAT). Neil says there was also an implicit awareness of what they were trying to do through the global theatre community. Sir Ian McKellen donated the entire proceeds of his recent 15 show New Zealand tour – over $350,000 – to the theatre’s rebuild and is now an ‘ambassador’ for the Isaac Theatre Royal internationally. Sir Peter Jackson, Flight of the Conchords, Miriam Margolyes and Richard O’Brien (writer and star of ‘The Rocky Horror Show’) have also personally donated to the theatre’s rebuild, all of them having performed there over the years.
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“As a Theatre Royal, you are part of a select group worldwide and there is a real affinity there. There is an aura about being part of something ‘regal’ and it touches everyone involved – from performers to supporters. It wasn’t a big task to get help – people were already aware of the beauty of the theatre and they wanted to help us to recreate the splendour and beauty of the venue. We have approximately $4-5 million still to fundraise, so we’re looking at developing sponsorships, such as ‘buying a seat’ in the new auditorium, or platinum and gold sponsor schemes that will enable people to play a part in reviving the city’s arts and culture scene.” The theatre will be fully reinstated, complete with the familiar heritage Gloucester Street façade, the ornate painted ceiling dome, original doors and leadlight windows as well as the 10-foot marble staircase to the Dress Circle foyer. Rebuild plans will also include modern refinements, says Neil. “All features that were salvageable will be reinstated. As well as being a Theatre Royal, it is one of only four theatres in the Edwardian style in the Southern Hemisphere, so preserving that historical link is important. But we’ve also taken advantage of the opportunity to enhance our technical capability.” The rebuilt theatre will feature an elevator to all three levels, an improved interior theatre configuration and additional function and foyer spaces. It could also possibly include new audio technology for the performance space to be cinema compatible, as well as a hydraulic stage extension so the theatre can be used as a transitional venue for orchestral groups like the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and NZSO. With the theatre out of commission, Neil says there has also been a significant knock-on affect for other performance venues. “The South Island – and New Zealand as a whole – needs the anchor of Christchurch to secure performances. Pre-earthquakes, we worked closely with Auckland and Wellington to be able to provide three national venues for key international touring acts, but without us, some of those shows just aren’t coming to New Zealand. It’s vital to be back on track – not just for heritage and business reasons, but because we are a world class venue that is a preferred choice for our many clients.” With the building consents for foundations in hand, and the design and structural plans in the process of being finalised, Neil says they hope to open the doors in mid-April 2014. The team is also planning a re-opening special event in early 2015. Neil says it will be a spectacular night, with a theme to befit a theatre of such standing – perhaps a royal gala.
“Our goal is to restore the romance and excitement of the Isaac Theatre Royal experience. There is nothing else to compare with a night out at our Grand Old Lady.”
>> www.isaactheatreroyal.co.nz
Small Business
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Update March 2013
Small Business
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Guiding a great idea to market Lucy Bennetto had a great idea for a new business and says support from CECC has been invaluable in turning that idea into a reality.
In 2010, Lucy, a long-time chocolate aficionado, developed her own range of organic and fair-trade chocolate made from high quality raw cacao beans. Lucy says she saw a gap in the market for a product that was natural, healthy, and ethically sourced. “I’ve always had a big interest and passion for natural foods, and a curiosity about how to make treats like chocolate actually provide some nutrition as well,” says Lucy. “Using raw cacao was a good start, as – unlike traditional chocolate – it meant that the valuable nutrients were not destroyed by the heat when roasted. I wanted to make chocolate, which I crave, a healthier option while still having it taste like chocolate.” Working with CECC provided Lucy access to the assistance and expertise she needed to begin turning her idea into a viable business venture. “Starting a business from scratch can be quite intimidating,” says Lucy. “So it was great to be able to work with the Employers’ Chamber and have some support. “I had been working overseas in Dubai which gave me a great insight into Middle East customers and the food and beverage environment – it’s all about food in Dubai and you get the privilege of sampling the top food items from all over the world. I knew that the Middle Eastern high-end consumer market would be a great place to target my business, and working with CECC gave me the tools to start exporting.”
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>>
To help Lucy get things moving, CECC was also able to arrange for financial assistance for her business. “There is actually a lot of financial assistance available for people trying to get a business up and running,” says Lucy. “My business qualified for a ‘technical assistance’ grant, which gave me the funds I needed to get development underway and create something I’m very proud of. Breaking into an export market requires an absolute top shelf product.” With her product development complete, her export strategy in place and her business ready to launch in earnest, Lucy has advice for anyone else looking to make the leap into starting their own business. “I think it’s really important you get the best advice you can. There are so many wonderful resources available to help you make the most of your idea, and get you on the right path. “The other big piece of advice is don’t be afraid to put yourself out there,” says Lucy. “If you really believe in your idea and love your product, you’ve got to persist and stick with it. It’s taken me two years to get my business off the ground, but it’s been absolutely worth doing.” . Lucy Bennetto Founder/Owner Bennetto Limited
Small Business
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How CECC can help you get started in business When considering going into business, you need to do your homework before taking the leap into the unknown. Your success may take longer and be harder than you envisaged, so your planning is crucial in order to account for many scenarios.
There is an abundance of information available to assist you with your decision to either buy or start a business. The key is knowing where to look, what questions to ask, and who to ask. When you start to look at your business opportunities, it is an exciting and scary time. You need to bottle this enthusiasm, temper your expectations and work through a methodical, pragmatic process, ensuring you gain knowledge or definitive evidence along the way to assist in your decision.
Following is a range of questions you should be asking yourself and, by the end of this process, you should be able to answer them in complete honesty. Do you have the skills and the determination to be in business? Running your own business can mean long hours, thinking on your feet, unpredictable changes and it often takes longer than expected to reach your objectives. Whether you are buying an existing business or starting a new one, initially both are time consuming. You are the driver of the business and the person most passionate about its success. You are the business – are you ready for this? At some stage you may need to build a team to assist you, so do you have the skills to manage a wider team?
Have you identified and investigated your market? Is there a market? How big is it? Who are your competitors? Is there potential to grow market share? What is your point of difference? Who are your customers? How are you going to access the market and customers? Do you have a ‘go to market’ strategy? Is this business opportunity viable? Can you afford to start your own business? Do you have sufficient capital? Do the numbers add up? This is crucial, and cannot be stressed enough. Starting a business is always a risk; make sure you measure this risk. Are you aware of your legal obligations? You need to know about any relevant legal obligations. For example: Council bylaws and regulations, the Accident Compensation Commission, Inland Revenue, and Health and Safety regulations. Do your homework. A good place to start is to research their websites for information. Have you sought professional advice from an accountant, lawyer, local chamber of commerce or business banker? Whilst professional advice may cost you initially, in the long term it is an investment in your business venture’s health and will save you long term. Have you talked with other business owners? Connect with other business owners and ask questions. How did they get started? What barriers did they experience? What changes would they make if they were to start again? Do they have any suggestions or tips for anyone looking to start or buy a business?
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Here to help CECC can help. We are the largest business support agency in the South Island and your first source for business advice. We cover all aspects of business including business strategy, marketing, sales, finance, operations, and human resources, and will help guide your thinking in building or amending your strategic, business and marketing plan. We provide these services in a range of different ways to suit business requirements including advice and consultancy, training (over 140 sessions per year), events (up to 60 throughout the year), resources (over 100 free templates, checklists and guidelines covering the above topics), discounts and advocacy.
Directly, and through BusinessNZ and the NZ Chambers of Commerce and Industry (NZCCI), we advocate on our members behalf by lobbying local and central government, and championing policies that allow New Zealand businesses to succeed. CECC is here to help you in so many ways and is your first source of business advice. For more information, please contact Business Development Coordinator Lorraine Rouse on 03 353 0308 or lorrainer@cecc.org.nz.
Small Business
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Welcome to new members A key objective of the Employers’ Chamber is to encourage members to do business with other members. This will ensure that membership is successful and additional business is generated for our region. When liaising with fellow members to do business, please act professionally and respect their right to decline your services.
Absolute IT Grant Burlex Director
Aqua Environmental Hugh Chapman General Manager
Commec Ltd. Kevin Black Managing Director
PHONE: 04 449 7848, FAX: 04 496 6399 MOBILE: 021 506 181 PO BOX 23072, WELLINGTON 6011 LEVEL 3, 15 JOHNSTON STREET, WELLINGTON 6011 grant@absoluteit.co.nz www.absoluteit.co.nz Absolute IT is a specialist IT recruitment company with offices throughout New Zealand.
PHONE: +61 410 846 991 PO BOX 1, NSW 2050 3/1 GORDON STREET, CAMPERDOWN, NSW, AUSTRALIA hugh.chapman@puretechltd.com www.aquaenvironmental.com Aqua Environmental has won an 18-month contract with SCIRT.
PHONE: 03 366 1708, FAX: 03 366 1709 MOBILE: 027 223 3510 PO BOX 259, CHRISTCHURCH 8140 123 BURKE STREET, SYDENHAM, CHRISTCHURCH admin@commec.co.nz www.commec.co.nz Boiler maintenance/engineering.
Advancing Businesses Leigh Paulden Director
Ariki New Zealand Ltd. Denis Baird Managing Director
PHONE: 03 326 6723 MOBILE: 027 412 9051 PO BOX 25405, SUMNER, CHRISTCHURCH 8144 1 AWAROA LANE, SUMNER, CHRISTCHURCH leigh@advancing-businesses.co.nz www.advancing-businesses.co.nz Business coaching, consulting for companies wanting to grow fast or are growing fast with revenues of $1M to $250M.
PHONE: 03 577 8434 PO BOX 254, BLENHEIM 7240 103 MIDDLE RENWICK ROAD, SPRINGLANDS, BLENHEIM 7201 denis@arikinz.com www.arikinz.com Manufacturing jewellery and souvenirs.
Asset Management Limited Christine Conaghan Finance Director
Alawin Builders Ltd. Kevin Mason Sales and Finance Manager
PHONE: 03 962 1870, FAX: 03 962 1877 MOBILE: 021 434 511 PO BOX 1414, CHRISTCHURCH 8140 53 LUNNS ROAD, MIDDLETON, CHRISTCHURCH christine@assetmanagement.co.nz www.assetmanagement.co.nz Investment.
PHONE: 03 322 9005, FAX: 03 322 9004 MOBILE: 027 229 0372 PO BOX 37298, HALSWELL, CHRISTCHURCH 8245 UNIT 1/3 KENNEDYS BUSH ROAD, HALSWELL, CHRISTCHURCH admin@alawinbuilders.co.nz www.alawinbuilders.co.nz Mostly earthquake repair work for Fletchers/EQC, plus more recently involved in new home builds.
Aotearoa New Zealand Trading Company Andrew Henderson Managing Director MOBILE: 027 231 6815 36 MAIN ROAD, GOVERNORS BAY, LYTTELTON 8971 blue@nztradingcompany.com Exporting the best of New Zealand to the world.
A Plus Transport, Co., Ltd./Bath Bee Trading Co., Ltd. Ji Zhou (Billy) Owner PHONE: 03 351 1686 MOBILE: 021 270 6667 18 HUDSON STREET, BRYNDWR, CHRISTCHURCH 8053 aplustransport@hotmail.co.nz Long-haul and Christchurch run to deliver bread for Couplands Bakeries.
Balance Cargo Brent Forbes Group Manager
Computer Power Plus Kate Deans Area Manager PHONE: 963 0636 MOBILE: 027 226 0469 PO BOX 13834, ARMAGH, CHRISTCHURCH 8141 163 MADRAS STREET, CENTRAL CITY, CHRISTCHURCH kate.deans@computerpowerplus.ac.nz www.computerpowerplus.ac.nz Computer Power Plus is a tertiary provider of IT and business software education. We support our graduates and IT industry with work placement.
Design Plus Build Ltd. Kane Langdon Director/Financial Director PHONE: 03 343 6603, FAX: 03 343 6626 MOBILE: 027 339 4205 PO BOX 9409, CHRISTCHURCH 8149 2/89 VICKERYS ROAD, WIGRAM, CHRISTCHURCH kane.langdon@designbuild.co.nz www.designbuild.co.nz Building and construction.
PHONE: 03 335 0750, FAX: 03 335 0751 MOBILE: 027 520 2250 PO BOX 6722, UPPER RICCARTON, CHRISTCHURCH 8442 34 MAGDALA PLACE, MIDDLETON, CHRISTCHURCH brent.forbes@balancecargo.co.nz www.balancecargo.co.nz Freight forwarder specialising in air and sea perishable and dry imports and exports.
Dial a CFO Tony Rutherford Owner
Cla-Val Pacific Ltd. Glynn Nuthall Asia Pacific Manager
Domain Consulting Rosh Paji Director
PHONE: 03 393 6878 MOBILE: 021 270 0242 6 ST KEVERNE CLOSE, BURWOOD, CHRISTCHURCH 8083 LEVEL ONE, 306 PORT HILLS ROAD, WOOLSTON, CHRISTCHURCH gnuthall@cla-val.com www.cla-val.com Manufacture and sales of control valves for Asia Pacific region.
PHONE: 09 529 4959, FAX: 09 529 4950 PO BOX 109054, NEWMARKET, AUCKLAND 1149 8/53 DAVIS CRESCENT, NEWMARKET, AUCKLAND tanya@domainconsulting.co.nz www.domainconsulting.co.nz Construction of housing for employees as the rebuild of Christchurch begins.
PHONE: 0800 234 252 MOBILE: 021 222 7792 PO BOX 160001, HORNBY, CHRISTCHURCH 8441 craig@dialacfo.co.nz www.dialacfo.co.nz Temporary and flexible resources in senior financial and commercial positions.
Efd Elisabeth Fitzpatrick, Owner
Honeybeez Preschool and Nursery Limited Gayle Mansfield Manager/Owner
LBW Trust T/A Christchurch Accommodation Cathy Young Manager
PHONE: 03 325 1392 MOBILE: 027 535 7433 4267 CHRISTCHURCH- AKAROA ROAD, LITTLE RIVER, BANKS PENINSULA 7591 elisabeth@efdesign.co.nz www.efdesign.co.nz Interior design and fashion, including a retail shop where garments and some soft furnishings are manufactured.
PHONE: 03 327 5683 MOBILE: 027 454 1935 PO BOX 405, KAIAPOI 7644 208 WILLIAMS STREET, KAIAPOI, CHRISTCHURCH honeybeez.preschool@windowslive.com Early childhood education.
PHONE: 03 365 8181, FAX: 03 372 3408 MOBILE: 021 771 391 PO BOX 25 338, CHRISTCHURCH 8013 WEST FITZROY, 66 ARMAGH STREET, CHRISTCHURCH CENTRAL, CHRISTCHURCH accounts@christchurch-accommodation. co.nz www.christchurch-accommodation.co.nz Hospitality – specialising in providing quality accommodation from one night hotel style accommodation through to 12-month tenancy agreements.
Everist Gilchrist Lawyers Marilyn Gilchrist Partner PHONE: 03 307 7441, FAX: 03 307 7443 MOBILE: 021 904 154 PO BOX 307, ASHBURTON 7740 246 HAVELOCK STREET, ASHBURTON marilyn.gilchrist@xtra.co.nz
Every CV Ltd. Rob Ballantyne Managing Director MOBILE: 021 331 844 PO BOX 1350, CHRISTCHURCH 8140 297 JOWERS ROAD, WEST MELTON, RD6, CHRISTCHURCH robballantyne@xtra.co.nz www.everycv.com Posting CV’s online for employers to search and invite jobseekers to apply for jobs.
Exodesk Chris Willis, Director PHONE: 03 343 3124, FAX: 03 343 0939 92 MAGDALA PLACE, MIDDLETON, CHRISTCHURCH 8024 chris@williswhite.co.nz www.exodesk.com Business IT solutions – computers, servers, networking, telephony systems. Managed IT support focus. Application hosting and offsite backup. Your external helpdesk. Accountable. Leasing a speciality. Established over 20 years.
Irrigation House Ltd. Carmen Foster Office Manager PHONE: 03 975 8547 PO BOX 278, ASHBURTON 7740 131 ALFORD FOREST ROAD, ALLENTON, ASHBURTON carmen@irrigationhouse.co.nz Provides administration services to five shareholder schemes.
Kinetics Group Ltd. David Barron General Manager PHONE: 03 376 4377, FAX: 03 376 4778 MOBILE: 021 332 487 PO BOX 10172, PHILLIPSTOWN, CHRISTCHURCH 8145 251 MAJOR HORNBROOK ROAD dave.barron@kinetics.co.nz www.kinetics.co.nz Specialists in the installation and management of IT infrastructure to support your business. Provide coaching and training on Microsoft applications. Develop and deploy SharePoint solutions.
KwikKraft Boats NZ Kevin Jenkins Director PHONE: 03 313 3560, FAX: 03 313 3921 MOBILE: 027 577 4232 305 FLAXTON ROAD, RANGIORA 7400 kevin@kwikkraft.co.nz www.kwikkraft.co.nz Building and exporting alloy boats. Commercial jet boat tours, off-shore, family jet boats and race boats.
Frank PKS NZ Limited Bryan Wilson General Manager PHONE: 03 382 6294 80 FRANCELLA STREET, BROMLEY, CHRISTCHURCH 8062 bryan@frankPKSNZ.com www.frankpksnz.com FrankPKS New Zealand are in the business of producing large bore polyethylene pipes for use in a wide range of infrastructure, industrial and rural applications.
Fraser Thomas Ltd. Mason Reed Senior Geotechnical Engineer
SECURE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
SECURE DATA STORAGE
Living Recruitment and Living Corporate Support Bronwyn Dawson Director PHONE: 02 628 2771 MOBILE: 0418 453 438 PO BOX 57, DEAKIN WEST, CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA 2600 LEVEL 1, UNIT 4, 39 GEILS COURT, DEAKIN, CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA bdawson@livingrecruitment.com.au www.livingrecruitment.co.au Recruitment consultancy – providing resources and HR for clients.
LK Business Services Ltd. Laszlo Kotan Director PHONE: 03 331 7301 MOBILE: 021 183 1203 PO BOX 30073, CHRISTCHURCH 8022 38 RAMAHANA ROAD, HUNTSBURY, CHRISTCHURCH laszlo@lkbs.co.nz www.lkbs.co.nz Business consulting, operation/manufacturing expert.
Marble Point Winery Sheryl Dennis Owner/Director PHONE: 03 315 7579 MOBILE: 021 859 938 PO BOX 87, HANMER SPRINGS, 7360 2254 MOUSE POINT ROAD, SH7, HANMER SPRINGS marblepointwinery@ruralinzone.net www.marblepoint.co.nz Vineyard.
SECURE DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION
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PHONE: 03 358 5936 MOBILE: 021 979 296 PO BOX 39154, CHRISTCHURCH 8545 121 ROYDVALE AVE, BURNSIDE, CHRISTCHURCH mreed@ftl.co.nz www.fraserthomas.co.nz Engineering and surveying consultancy covering structural, geotechnical, civil and environmental engineering, contaminated land investigations and surveying.
Geoscience Consulting (NZ) Ltd. Greg Martin, Director PHONE: 03 328 9012, FAX: 03 328 9013 MOBILE: 021 377 559 PO BOX 110, CHRISTCHURCH 8140 5 NORWICH QUAY, LYTTELTON, CHRISTCHURCH 8014 greg@nzgeoscience.co.nz www.nzgeoscience.co.nz Geotechnical, environmental and hyrdrological engineering for commercial, residential and large infrastructure clients.
Heartland Immigration Ltd. Victoria Broadway Director/Manager PHONE: 0800 469 8472 MOBILE: 021 969 055 LEVEL 1, 111 BLENHEIM ROAD, RICCARTON, CHRISTCHURCH 8041 victoria@heartlandimmigration.co.nz www.heartlandimmigration.co.nz Immigration.
Hereford Holdings Limited Anna Liddell Property Development Manager PHONE: 03 355 6855 MOBILE: 027 672 7474 PO BOX 1330, CHRISTCHURCH 8140 30 HEATON STREET, MERIVALE, CHRISTCHURCH anna@herefordholdings.co.nz Property development and ownership.
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Sales and Marketing
Update March 2013
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New Zealand Spinal Trust Anita Hamilton Operations Manager
Pitney Bowes New Zealand Limited Craig Walker Regional Account Manager
Safe on Sites Niki Henderson Sole Operator
PHONE: 03 383 6881, FAX: 03 383 7500 MOBILE: 027 612 2002 PO BOX 4708, CHRISTCHURCH 8140 ALLAN BEAN CENTRE, ENT. 3 255 MAIREHAU ROAD, BURWOOD, CHRISTCHURCH anitah@nzpsinaltrust.org.nz www.nzspinaltrust.org.nz Charitable trust that works with spinal impaired people helping them to live a happy, confident and productive life right now, through our many services and programmes.
MOBILE: 021 818 743 PO BOX 42041, TOWER JUNCTION, CHRISTCHURCH 8149 craig.walker@pb.com www.alresources.co.nz
MOBILE: 027 453 1574 23A DUNSTER STREET, BURNSIDE, CHRISTCHURCH 8053 safeonsites@xtra.co.nz
New Zealand Translation Centre Glenn Johnston Business Development Manager PHONE: 04 384 5047, FAX: 04 384 8554 MOBILE: 03 366 4000 PO BOX 27-312, WELLINGTON 6011 68 DIXON STREET, TE ARO, WELLINGTON glenn@nztcinternational.com www.nzcinternational.com NZTC International provides high-quality translation solutions to New Zealand exporters wishing to promote their products and services overseas.
Our Daily Waste Sharon McIver Director PHONE: 03 942 3397 MOBILE: 021 251 6123 40 FORD ROAD, OPAWA, CHRISTCHURCH 8023 smciver@clear.co.nz www.ourdailywaste.co.nz Our Daily Waste is a consultancy for recycling systems and waste reduction and education.
Pack and Send New Zealand Matthew Everest Managing Director PHONE: 03 982 7252, FAX: 03 982 7251 MOBILE: 021 799 783 PO BOX 9028, TOWER JUNCTION, CHRISTCHURCH 8041 1/213 BLENHEIM ROAD, RICCARTON, CHRISTCHURCH matthew.everest@packsend.co.nz www.packsend.co.nz Retail freight and packaging franchise system. Currently Pack and Send has nine stores throughout the country.
Paterson Pitts Group Chris Hopper Survey Manager PHONE: 03 928 1533 MOBILE: 021 242 2229 PO BOX 160094, CHRISTCHURCH 8441 UNIT 5; 4-6 O’BRIENS ROAD, CHRISTCHURCH chris.hopper@ppgroup.co.nz www.ppgroup.co.nz Paterson Pitts Group provides surveying services, land development and design, and resource management advice.
The Plan Room Jan Kenny Director FAX: 03 341 7918 MOBILE: 021 105 3458 PO BOX 11-257, SOCKBURN, CHRISTCHURCH 8443 230 MAIN SOUTH ROAD, SOCKBURN, CHRISTCHURCH theplanroom@clear.net.nz Professional and collaborative architectural practice offering unique design or redesign with emphasis on sustainability, practicality, beauty, light and flow.
Pony Parties Ltd. Bronwyn Harris Owner/Manager PHONE: 03 329 7266 MOBILE: 027 424 7768 127 PARK ROAD, MOTUKARARA, CHRISTCHURCH 7672 bronwyn@ponyparties.co.nz www.ponyparties.co.nz Specialising in children’s entertainment with ponies and farmyard animals.
Quinn Rees Decorators Limited Quinn Rees Managing Director PHONE: 03 348 5266, FAX: 03 348 5267 MOBILE: 021 0219 7511 PO BOX 36031, CHRISTCHURCH 8146 UNIT 5/11 PENN PLACE, UPPER RICCARTON, CHRISTCHURCH quinn@qrd.co.nz www.qrd.co.nz Painting and decorating.
Rangiora Pharmacy 1998 Ltd. Greg Knight Owner PHONE: 03 313 6366, FAX: 03 313 6155 MOBILE: 027 640 3245 PO BOX 76, RANGIORA 7440 120 HIGH STREET, RANGIORA greg@rangiorapharmacy.co.nz Pharmacy and homeware.
RnB Consulting Bridget Clarke Director PHONE: 03 337 5034 MOBILE: 021 137 9656 1/153B STRICKLAND STREET, SPREYDON, CHRISTCHURCH bridget@rnbconsulting.co.nz www.rnbconsulting.co.nz Career coaching, CV and interview skills assistance.
Sharp Corporation of New Zealand Jason Payne Christchurch Branch Manager PHONE: 03 964 6880 MOBILE: 021 871 420 PO BOX 1439, CHRISTCHURCH 8140 265 CASHEL STREET, CHRISTCHURCH jpayne@sharp.net.nz www.sharp.net.nz Sale and service of photocopiers, printers, scanners and provider of business software solutions.
Southern Eye Specialists Limited Kathleen Brown Business Manager PHONE: 03 355 6397, FAX: 03 355 6156 MOBILE: 027 294 9500 HIATT CHAMBERS, 249 PAPANUI ROAD, STROWAN, CHRISTCHURCH 8014 kathleen@southerneye.co.nz www.southerneye.co.nz Specialist ophthalmic practice, providing comprehensive eye care; cataract surgery, laser eye care and high tech investigations for all eye conditions.
Windsor Gallery Philip Wynands Owner/Director PHONE: 03 366 0724 MOBILE: 027 445 5312 3/1008 FERRY ROAD, FERRYMEAD, CHRISTCHURCH 8023 info@windsorgallery.co.nz www.windsorgallery.co.nz Windsor Gallery is a picture framing specialist company. Specialising in one-off customer framing to the larger corporate quantities.
Workwise Jacqui Skene Team Leader PHONE: 03 339 3781, FAX: 03 339 3783 MOBILE: 027 568 9784 PO BOX 22105, CHRISTCHURCH 8140 21 BIRMINGHAM DRIVE, MIDDLETON, CHRISTCHURCH 8024 jacqui.skene@workwise.org.nz www.workwise.org.nz Supported employment service working with people with experience of mental health find or return to work. Our focus is around finding the right match between jobseeker and employer, and providing support to both.
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Contact us Lobbying, advocacy, business strategy & policy Chief Executive Peter Townsend petert@cecc.org.nz General Manager Leeann Watson leeannw@cecc.org.nz EA to Chief Executive Anne McKee annem@cecc.org.nz PA to General Manager Heidi de Groot heidig@cecc.org.nz Communications, ICT, sponsorship and marketing Marketing and ICT Kate Trolove katet@cecc.org.nz Business advice, export & import, grants & funding, manufacturing and sector support Technology & Marketing Development Rob Lawrence robl@cecc.org.nz Business Development Coordinator Lorraine Rouse lorrainer@cecc.org.nz Technology Support Coordinator Carly Wheeler carlyw@cecc.org.nz Technology & Business Adviser Susan Cooke susanc@cecc.org.nz Business Adviser Shirley van Waveren shirleyvw@cecc.org.nz
Training, networking and events Business Capability Manager Richard Holstein richardh@cecc.org.nz Training & Events Coordinators Kelly Mackintosh kellym@cecc.org.nz Holly Andrews hollya@cecc.org.nz Training & Events Assistants Alexia Ferguson-Lees alexiaf@cecc.org.nz Mary Botting maryb@cecc.org.nz
Employment law, employment relations advice, health & safety, wage & salary information, human resources, seeking skilled staff Consultancy & Advisory Manager Nick Cimino nickc@cecc.org.nz Employment Relations Adviser Keith Woodroof keithw@cecc.org.nz Health and Safety Consultants Helen Mason helenm@cecc.org.nz Sandy de Vries sandydv@cecc.org.nz Migrant Employment Coordinator Jude Ryan-O’Dea juder@cecc.org.nz Settlement Support Coordinator Lana Hart lanah@cecc.org.nz Youth Coach Coordinator Bridgette Smith bridgettes@cecc.org.nz
Finance, membership support, event & training registrations, certificates of origin services, reception Finance Manager Steve Woodside stevew@cecc.org.nz Accounts & Membership Liaison Anne Jamieson annej@cecc.org.nz Executive Office Assistants Shirley Page shirleyp@cecc.org.nz Sinead Purchase sineadp@cecc.org.nz Ballantyne Haines ballantyneh@cecc.org.nz External relationships External Relationship Manager Anna Johnstone annaj@cecc.org.nz Recover Canterbury Kellee Berry kelleeb@cecc.org.nz
Behind you every step of the way. Westpac Business Community Hub 55 Jack Hinton Drive Addington PO Box 359 Christchurch 8140 Ph 03 366 5096 Freephone 0800 50 50 97 www.cecc.org.nz info@cecc.org.nz
Affiliated to: The Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce is a membership-based organisation providing assistance at all levels and in all areas of business. The current organisation is a combination of the local Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Association. This enables members to access both traditional Chamber assistance – international trade, lobbying, networking, commerce advice – and Employers’ Association assistance – employment law, employment relations, advocacy and HR – through one membership.
www.cecc.org.nz
Next issue June 2013 (155)
The Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce would like to acknowledge the support of our sponsors, who contribute to this organisation to ensure that membership subscriptions can be kept as low as possible. Each of these companies assists us to bring more services and better value to our members.
Deadline Booking: 22 March 2013 Copy/Adverts: 5 April 2013 Editor Kate Trolove katet@cecc.org.nz 03 366 5096
Major Sponsors
Update magazine is produced quarterly and has a distribution of 3,200 copies to business and other recipients. Employers’ Chamber members are welcome to advertise in Update magazine – see www.cecc.org.nz or contact the editor for details.
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update Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce Official Magazine