NZ Entrepreneur Issue 2

SECTION NEW ZEALAND’S E-MAG FOR ENTREPRENEURS AND BUSINESS OWNERS

October 2012

10 Questions

with GrabOne founder

Shane Bradley

Spotting the Gap - How to have better business ideas Boost your confidence as a leader Choosing the right business structure Profile: Vicky Ha Plus heaps more inside!

1

Get more predict-a-bill bills with 2degrees. es. e r g e d 2 from l a u s u r u surprises Yo No nasty e Great valu

ility Predictab

If your mobile business bill is unpredictable, you could be on the wrong plan. 2degrees could help you control your costs, so you know what to expect in your bill. With a range of great value plans and handy services like Free Calling Groups, long life Mobile Broadband and Shared Data, 2degrees could offer you more predictability and certainty in your mobile business bills.

Get in touch with us today to join 2degrees Business and get the heads up on keeping your overheads down.

0800-FOR (367) 022

2

predictabill.co.nz

predictabill@2degreesmobile.co.nz

Contents 4

From the Editor

6

Spotting The Gaps

10

Interview: 10 Questions With Shane Bradley

12

IP / Innovation

14

Lead, follow, or get out of the way!

16

Taking The Plunge: Vicky Ha from The Dumpling House

18

Competing with ‘E’ase

20

Offline principles for online shopping

22

We Go Where We Look

24

How to choose the right Business Structure for your busines

26

Lightning Lab Business Accelerator

27

The Pitching Session: Bruce Aylward from Psoda Ltd

28

How to read our e-mag

30

Parting Shot 3

ABOUT / Short and sharp, New Zealand Entrepreneur is a free e-magazine delivering thought provoking and enlightening articles, and industry news and information to forward-thinking Entrepreneurs.

EDITOR / Richard Liew ART DIRECTOR / Jodi Olsson GROUP EDITOR / Trudi Caffell CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER / Alastair Noble CONTENT ENQUIRIES / Phone Richard on (09) 522 7257 or email richardl@espiremedia.com ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES / Phone Richard on (09) 522 7257 or email richardl@espiremedia.com

From the Editor

ADDRESS / NZ Entrepreneur, C/- Espire Media, PO Box 99758, Newmarket, Auckland 1151, NZ WEBSITE / nzentrepreneur.co.nz

ISSN 2253-5683

Wow! What a great response to the first issue of NZ Entrepreneur!

Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome and positivity. With the help of our partners we’ll be doing our best to continue to provide you with fun, informative, easy to digest, resource to support and inspire you on your entrepreneurial journey.

This month I met with one of NZ’s most successful young entrepreneurs, Shane Bradley, and I was impressed with how open, honest and downright nice he was. In fact, the more entrepreneurs I meet and work with, the more I’m convinced that contrary to what most people think, nice guys don’t finish last. (Don’t mistake that for not being ferociously competitive tho!) In fact, I would suggest that if you want to be a successful entrepreneur in the long term, building a reputation as one of the nice guys or gals is absolutely essential, as only with the support and trust of the people you engage with along the way, will you get there.

We’d love to hear your comments and suggestions so get involved in the conversation and don’t forget - if you like us, share us!

24/7/365 NZ Entrepreneurs... Choice!

Richard Email richard@nzentrepreneur.co.nz LinkedIn http://nz.linkedin.com/in/richardliew

4

NZ Entrepreneur is a GREEN MAG created and distributed without the use of paper so it’s environmentally friendly.

Please think before you print. Thank you!

NZ ENTREPRENEUR IS PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

about ideas ideas protected iPiPisisabout protected iP is about ideas protected Great ideas shape our world if they are harnessed, protected With over 120 years experience helping innovative Kiwis and nurtured in the right way. protect and grow their ideas, we are confident we can find you t h e r i g ht pat h f o r your i n t e l e ct u al pr o per t y , f r o m pat e nt s At AJ Park, we take the time to understand your idea, and t r a de mar k s t o ec ommer c e and of f s h or e cont r a ct s . invention or business and where you want to take it. So you get sound iP advice for a better shot at commercial success. For clear, concise and jargon-free iP advice about turning your ideas into commercial assets, talk to our team.

0800 257 275 I www.ajpark.com I New Zealand + Australia Great ideas shape our world if they are harnessed, protected and nurtured in the right way.

At AJ Park, we take the time to understand your idea, invention or business and where you want to take it. So you get sound iP advice for a better shot at commercial success.

Great ideas shape our world if they are harnessed, protected and0800 nurtured in the right way.

257 275 I www.ajpark.com I New Zealand + Australia Great ideas shape our world if they are harnessed, protected

With over 120 years experience helping innovative Kiwis protect and grow their ideas, we are confident we can find you the right path for your intellectual property, from patents and trade marks to e-commerce and offshore contracts.

For clear, concise and jargon-free iP advice about turning your ideas into commercial assets, talk to our team.

With over 120 years experience helping innovative Kiwis protect and grow their ideas, we are confident we can find With years experience helping innovative Kiwis youover the 120 right path for your intellectual property, from pate protect and grow their we are confident we can find and trade marks to ideas, e-commerce and offshore contracts.

At AJ Park, we take the time to understand your idea, and nurtured in the right way. invention or business and where you want to take it. So you you the right path for your intellectual property, from patents AJ Park, we take the time toshot understand yourprotected idea,success.

AJ Park is about iP • intellectual property • igniting •for ideas pervading •at innovation • integrated processes • intelligent people • increasing potential get At sound iPpassion advice a better commercial For clear, concise and jargon-free iP advice about turning and trade marks to e-commerce and offshore contracts. invention or business and where you want to take it. So you your ideas into commercial assets, talk to our team.

AJ Park is about iP • intel ectual property • igniting passion • ideas pervading • innovation protected • integrated processes • intel igent people • increasing potential get sound iP advice for a better shot at commercial success.

0800 257 275 I www.ajpark.com I New Zealand + Australia

For clear, concise and jargon-free iP advice about turning your ideas into commercial assets, talk to our team.

0800 257 275 I www.ajpark.com I New Zealand + Australia

AJ Park is about iP • intellectual property • igniting passion • ideas pervading • innovation protected • integrated processes • intelligent people • increasing potentia AJ Park is about iP • intellectual property • igniting passion • ideas pervading • innovation protected • integrated processes • intelligent people • increasing potential

5

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Had a great idea? Cool! But think carefully before investing your life savings trying to turn it into a business.

Spotting The Gaps HOW TO HAVE BETTER BUSINESS IDEAS

By Richard Liew

T

hey say that ideas are “a dime a dozen” and it’s true - there’s

with ideas, that they try and run with every idea they have!

certainly no shortage of people with good business ideas out

Both of these traps can be a recipe for disaster and help explain

there. But having an idea, and having an idea that will enable

why many successful entrepreneurs fail again and again before they

you to build a great business are two completely different matters.

Just ask anyone who’s tried to start a business!

achieve real success. But as time goes by and they learn from their mistakes they get better and better at choosing (and executing) the right ideas to act on.

Two of the most common traps that new

6

entrepreneurs fall into is that they either:

So where do the best ideas for new businesses

1.

come from?

Invest everything they’ve got into the first idea they have

(because they are only just learning how to come up with them) rather

The first step is to understand where money comes from. Money

than being patient and waiting for a better opportunity, or,

follows value. We earn money by exchanging something of value for

2.

money. In your job you are exchanging your time, sweat, brainpower

They get so excited about their new found ability to come up

"

Ive found that the best ideas come from finding a problem and sol ving it , or finding a need and filling it . create or invent something and then try and figure out what problems it will solve, rather than finding a problem to solve and then coming up with a way to solve it.

So how do you find a problem to solve? Many people start businesses

or other skills for money. For example, if you’re only providing $20 worth of value per hour to the market, you will earn $20 per hour. On

after being spurred into action by something that annoys them or to fill a need they’ve experienced in their own lives.

the other hand if you want to earn $200 per hour then you will need

You’ve probably heard the ‘urban legend’ of how Sam Morgan founded

to learn how to provide $200 worth of value per hour. The more value

Trademe.co.nz after not being able to find a second hand toaster for

you can provide to the market, the more you earn, and it’s exactly the

his flat. He got sick of ringing classified advertisers in the newspaper

same when you’re running your own business

only to find out what they were selling was already sold. [Apologies

So first things first, your idea must provide something of value to the market. If it doesn’t, you’ll have a hard time getting people to give you

Sam if this isn’t exactly how it happened but it makes for good reading...RL]

money for it.

How do you do this? Well I’ve found that the best ideas come from

But what if you can’t think of any problems

finding a problem and solving it, or finding a need and filling it. By

that really annoy you?

coming up with a solution to a problem that people want to solve, you

Well, the next best way to find problems (what I call “spotting a gap”)

will be ensuring that your solution is valuable. The bigger the problem

is to simply throw yourself into doing something you’re passionate

you’re solving - the more valuable the solution.

about and ask yourself how you might be able to improve it.

For example, in my second business, a sales training and recruitment

The thing with “gaps” is that in order to spot them, you need to be

firm, we identified that sales managers are expected to recruit great

close enough to see them. Think of your standard Kiwi wooden fence -

salespeople but aren’t being given any training or instruction on how

the kind separating hundreds of thousands of back yards up and down

to do it in the first place. As a consequence they are left to fumble

the country. Looking at the fence up close it’s easy to see the 4mm

along, learning solely by trial and error, costing the companies they

gaps between planks. But look at a fence from a few hundred metres

work for million’s of dollars in lost sales opportunities, recruitment

away and spotting the gaps is a lot harder.

costs and staff turnover. To solve this problem we created a full-day

For example, I have absolutely no interest and know nothing about the

sales recruitment workshop which managers could attend for less than the cost of a situations vacant ad in the newspaper.

The mistake many people make is that they do it backwards - they

industrial robotics industry. Therefore it’s almost impossible for me to identify what might be missing or what might need improving in that space - I’m simply too far away from the industry to spot any gaps. On

7

the other hand I have invested a lot of time, energy and passion into the sales profession and because of my involvement in the industry, I still see opportunities to add value to the sales profession everywhere.

Another good example is a friend of mine Paul Manning. At age 22 Paul founded Auckland based advertising company Metromedia. He started Metromedia when as an advertising sales rep he discovered there was no full service advertising company offering “end-to-end” services to NZ’s small and medium sized businesses. Paul was named NZ’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006 and Metromedia was acquired a few years later by advertising giant Ogilvy.

This is one of the reasons they say you need to find out what your passion is and do it. If you do this, and you commit yourself to being the best in your field, you’ll soon spot plenty of areas of improvement that you can contribute to.

On the other hand if you try and spot problems and gaps in a field you’re not passionate about, a) you won’t be able to see as many opportunities because you really don’t care, and b) you certainly won’t care enough to build a business to solve it.

This method of spotting gaps may take you a bit longer than simply sitting down one day and trying to come up with a list of things

So there you have two clues about where great business ideas come from. You’ll notice that these methods are quite different from simply coming up with ideas for the sake of having ideas. By starting with a problem you’ll ensure that your solution is creating value.

No matter how hard you try, you will not find any successful product or service that does not offer buyers more value than it costs them to obtain it.

to invent, but when you listen to the stories of many successful entrepreneurs you find that their business ideas were born out of

Next time... Ideas Pt 2: Once you’ve found a problem

personal frustration at a lack of products or services, or noticing what

to solve, how do you assess whether there’s a business

was missing in an industry. The saying, “Necessity is the mother of

opportunity worth pursuing? What are the final criteria to

invention” encapsulates this concept nicely.

consider before trying to turn it into a business?

Richard Liew is the editor of NZ Entrepreneur

8

INTERVIEW

10 Questions

Shane Bradley with

Shane Bradley has a reputation as one of New Zealand’s hardest working young entrepreneurs and is the founder and CEO of GrabOne, New Zealand’s leading group buying site.

Growing up in Rotorua, Shane left school after sixth form and started his first business two years later. Prior to starting GrabOne in July 2010, he founded Finda in 2004 and Sella in 2008, both of which were subsequently acquired by media giant APN. Leadership expert Gilly Chater, hit Shane with 10 questions on entrepreneurship and leadership.

Gilly Chater: How old were you when you started your first business and what was the business? Was it successful?

Shane Bradley: I was 19 when I started. It was an aluminium joinery business. It was successful for about 3.5 years with it getting up to about 45 employees. I got hit with a large number of bad debts and that made the business impossible to continue.

GC: Do you think anyone can learn to be a successful entrepreneur? Why or Why not?

SB: Anyone can be successful, but they have to be prepared to put in the hard yards to be successful. Just like a person doesn’t just turn up and hope to run a 3 hour marathon without the training, a person shouldn’t expect a business to be successful just because they start it.

10

GC: When it comes to decision making, how much do you

GC: And what is your strategy for retaining talent in your

rely on gut instinct as opposed to logic, and why?

companies?

SB: I tend to reply on gut feel, but also on the fact that for any

SB: In a nutshell, treat them with respect, be honest and truthful in all

decision I have to make, I would have thought of every possible angle

dealings with them.

for it to go good or bad. I think a lot and don’t sleep a hell of a lot so its good thinking time! The biggest thing I do is I don’t stuff around making the decisions. I’d rather fail fast than procrastinate.

GC: You’ve started a wide range of businesses over the years – most recently Finda, Sella and GrabOne – where do you get your business ideas from and how do you know when you’ve got a good one?

SB: I’ve always wanted to be in business, both my parents are self employed and have been for as long as I can remember, so its in the blood you could say! The ideas for online businesses come from looking

GC: How do you develop your people to become leaders?

SB: Empower them to make their own decisions. I give them the freedom to be able to make mistakes and not worry about losing their job over it. Always try new things, if some don’t work, don’t do them again, but if we aren’t failing we aren’t pushing hard enough.

GC: When things get tough and you feel like giving up, what do you do to hang in there?

SB: I never give in, fullstop. Giving up is not even in my vocabulary.

around the world and seeing what’s happening in other markets then bringing some of that learning and tailoring it to the kiwi culture.

GC: What is your secret to having a successful personal life, as well as being a successful entrepreneur and business

GC: Sooner or later all entrepreneurs are confronted with

person?

personal challenges they have never faced before. What has

SB: I believe everyone can focus on and be successful in two

been the biggest personal lesson you’ve had to learn as an

things – anymore and one of the three tends to be left out. For

entrepreneur?

me that’s business and most importantly my family. I don’t focus

SB: Going broke at age 23! It tests your mettle, but I made a promise to myself that I would be back in business for myself within one year.

A lot of people may have given up, but for me that wasn’t an option.

GC: In your leadership role as Founder and CEO of GrabOne, what is the most important focus for you?

SB: Focusing on the next leaders coming through. We have 130 Grabsters now (staff) and for me a lot of time is focused on working with my senior team to identify and retain great people. People make businesses, lots of businesses forget that.

on much else. I’m lucky that business for me is not work, it’s as much a hobby as anything. I am also lucky that I have an amazingly supportive wife and two beautiful daughters who make any tough day a good day.

GrabOne was started in July 2010 and currently employs over 130 grabsters (staff). They have over 1 million grabbies (members) and have sold over 5 million coupons representing over $250 million worth of savings for their customers. www.grabone.co.nz

“

I believe everyone can focus on and be successful in two things – anymore and one of the three tends to be left out.

11

I P / I nno v a tion

By Corinne Blumsky

If you are an entrepreneur you have certain responsibilities

Would-be angel investors and venture capitalists also clearly see IP as a

that come with that role and having an IP strategy that

key business asset.

supports the direction your business is taking is essential.

So while having a clear strategy around IP is critical to modern businesses, it is of concern that a significant number of New Zealand

Why should your business have an IP strategy

businesses do not have a documented IP strategy.

at all?

This thinking needs to change and a sound IP strategy supported by an IP

Value in a modern business relates more to intangible assets than

policy outlining how IP matters are to be handled, is a must.

building, plant and product. While the industrial economy saw an

Your IP strategy should be documented and needs to address some of the

emphasis on control of raw materials, products and markets the modern

following common but critical areas.

economy focuses on the control of ideas, brands, innovation and markets.

Whether brand names, trade secrets, or patents for inventions, intangible assets now make up major assets of a modern business.

12

"

An IP policy should match your current business strategy. IP is only a tool to assist businesses achieve their commercial objecti ves

What have we got?

Carrying out an annual IP audit will tell you what IP you own. The audit also helps the

asset valuation process.

How do we capture it?

An IP policy should address the process for capturing IP and monitoring its release.

Who is responsible?

Your IP policy should identify the person or team that: •

Captures IP for your organisation, seeks and maintains protection and makes enforcement decisions;

•

Monitors agreements impacting on IP which can include agreements like employment agreements, research contracts, distribution agreements, confidentiality agreements, licenses and material transfer agreements;

•

Monitors legal and regulatory changes impacting on IP policy and business strategy; and

•

Checks for infringement of third party IP rights.

What are we doing with the IP? An IP policy should match your current business strategy. IP is only a tool to assist businesses achieve their commercial objectives. It is easy to collect a portfolio of IP rights, but these can come with significant costs.

You should also address how your marketing and research teams are aligning IP policy with the business strategy.

Competitive intelligence A regular review of IP databases can provide some valuable information.

You may be able to gain insights on who your major competitors are and what they are doing, ideas about product development and how to minimise infringement risks. You may also be able to identify potential business partners or acquisition targets.

Conclusion The value of IP for a modern business is undisputed, and IP strategies need to be given a higher profile by business owners because the risks and rewards are too important to ignore.

Corinne Blumsky is a trade mark Partner at AJ Park, specialising in cosmetics, fashion, food & beverage and clean technology. Contact Corrine at http://www.ajpark.co.nz/our-people/corinne-blumsky

13

GROWTH/MANAGEMENT/LEADERSHIP

Lead , follow, or get out of the way!

HOW TO BE A MORE CONFIDENT LEADER

By Stephen Lynch

A

s an entrepreneur, your ability to lead a team is

4) Demonstrate courage, even when you

key, and your confidence as a leader is essential.

d o n ’ t f e e l i t o n t h e i n s i d e . We are all afraid at times

But what if you’ve never led a team before? Here

are seven suggestions to boost your confidence as a leader from management expert Marshall Goldsmith, with our additional insights added: 1 ) D e c i d e i f y o u r e a l l y w a n t t o b e a l e a d e r . MBA graduates might be great technicians, but many find the uncertainty and ambiguity of being a leader very unsettling. They are looking for the “right answers” - similar to what they learned in business school.

Not everyone is cut out to lead people, and that is OK. Some people will find more fulfillment being an expert in a specific area. Do not

- that is just part of being human. If you are going to lead people in tough times, you will need to show more courage than fear.

When direct reports see worry and concern on the face of a leader, they lose confidence in the leader’s ability to lead.

5) Accept the fact that you are going to fail on o c c a s i o n . Build feedback into your decisions to test how they fare against actual events. Even good decisions have a finite lifespan. All assumptions become obsolete sooner or later. Reality does not stand still for long.

feel obligated to become a leader.

6) Once you make a decision, commit and go for 2) Make peace with ambiguity in decision m a k i n g .There are usually no clear right answers when making business decisions. Even your best decision has a high probability of being wrong.

i t . Act or do not act. The surgeon does not take out half the tonsils.

You either operate or you don’t. Don’t continually second guess yourself. If you really have to change course, then change course. If you never commit, all you will ever do is change course. The hardest part of any decision is not making it, it is executing it.

3 ) D o w h a t y o u t h i n k i s r i g h t . Gather a reasonable amount of data, involve other people to generate a range of options, and encourage robust debate. If everyone agrees at the outset, tell them to go away and come back with some counter viewpoints. Then

7) Life is short.

H a v e f u n ! Why should you expect your

people to be positive and enthusiastic, if they don’t see it in you?

follow your gut and do what you think is right.

Stephen Lynch is Chief Operating Officer of business execution and growth specialists, Results.com

14

15

TAKING THE PLUNGE

Profile: Vicky Ha THE DUMPLING HOUSE Profile by Nick Harley

Each month, we talk to an up and coming New Zealand entrepreneur who has set about turning their idea into a real business.

V

icky Ha can often be spotted pedalling along Wellington’s

passionate about something, believe in yourself. Just do it.

streets each morning as she does the delivery rounds for

There is no point in thinking “Oh, I have got this amazing

her handmade dumplings. Vicky realised she had the

idea” and never getting chance to implement it. As for

opportunity to act on a cool business idea after giving her friends

dumplings, I saw nobody was producing them authentically

the chance to try her Mother’s authentic dumpling recipe. She

in this country. So I decided that I am going to do it,

hasn’t looked back since.

someone has to.

Briefly tell us about your business. How

What have you found to be the most

did you first come up with the idea?

challenging aspect of building your

The Dumpling House handcrafts dumplings, and we try

business so far?

our best to provide a sensational, sensory experience

It is a lot of hard work and hard work doesn’t always pay the

to our customers. Last year, I decided to feed a couple of

bills. You’re not an employee any more, you have to make

my chef mates something ‘outside the box’ for dinner – so

sales in order to afford putting food on the table.

I served them dumplings (my mum’s recipe)! We finished about 100 dumplings between three of us. It just blew them away, and they wanted more. So I started serving them at Caffe Laffare (where I worked at the time) and they were really popular. I realised I had something special.

I am the dishwasher, graphic designer and the accountant all on the same day. Running a business is not always glamorous. For me, I know the start-up of a business idea is always tough, but I am willing to work hard to get there.

What keeps you going when you feel like giving up?

You shouldn’t give up. I have quit way too many times in my

What is the big goal for your business?

life and as a consequence I didn’t get anywhere. I realised I

To embrace the dumpling / street food culture in New

have to take myself seriously if I want to succeed. If you have

Zealand. Serving healthy comfort food using the best

a bad day at the office, get a good nights sleep and the next

possible ingredients and with no shortcuts.

morning you will be surprised how much better you feel, it

What inspired you to take the plunge?

is never as bad as you think. You are always going to be the

I gain satisfaction from achieving things. If you are

16

toughest judge on your own actions.

What advice would you give to any people reading this who are thinking of starting a business?

1.

Find out your weakness, and don’t feel afraid to ask for help.

2.

Do you research first. Plan for everything before you start spending any money.

3.

Start small and be creative.

For more information you can check out Vicky’’s business, The Dumpling House, at http://dumplinghouse.co.nz

Are you a New Zealand entrepreneur that has recently “taken the plunge?” Would like to tell our readers your own story? Get in touch with Nick at nick@nzentrepreneur.co.nz

17

SALES

Competing with ‘E’ase Go BeyoND The Four P’s For A Competitive Edge

By Hannah Samuel

Being able to differentiate your product, service or company is essential for capturing the market share you need. Hannah Samuel tells us why the traditional “Four P’s” of marketing theory won’t cut it in today’s ultra-competitive markets.

T

raditional marketing theory tells us we can gain a competitive edge by adjusting one or more of the four Ps: Product, Price, Place or Promotion. The only problem is, your competitors use

the same four Ps to create a competitive edge against you! Whilst the 4Ps shouldn’t be ignored, in today’s highly competitive markets, they rarely give us a truly competitive edge for any length of time.

Change the product, and before you know it someone else will have an almost identical one in the market-place too. Change the price and risk eroding your profit margins or pricing yourself out of the market altogether. Change the place, and your products and services may get lost amongst similar offerings competing in the same place and changing the promotion may or may not provide the returns you want for the time and money spent.

18

Most of us are more critical and more cynical than ever before and it’s way more competitive than it’s ever been. To create a truly competitive edge we need to deliver more than the 4 Ps, we need to deliver what I call the 4 Es.

1 2 3 4

Emotion Above and beyond the 4 Ps we need to connect with customers on an emotional level. We all want to feel good about the transactions we enter into. Why should they choose you from an emotional perspective? How will doing so make them feel great?

Demonstrating your values in practice will attract people with similar values to you.

Experience Research suggests the actual or perceived customer experience accounts for around 50 percent of a purchase decision. You can have the best product or sharpest price, but if the experience the customer has lets you down, not only are you likely to lose that customer in the future, you’re also likely to miss out on everyone they tell about it.

Esteem Nobody wants to be treated like an idiot, yet so many businesses treat their customers like numbers without any manners or respect whatsoever. Genuinely caring about your customers and treating them with respect will place you way ahead of competitors who focus solely on ‘closing the sale’ at any cost.

Ethics Acting with integrity is one of the most important differentiators you can provide in a world full of ‘it doesn’t matter’ thinking and behaviour. Things won’t always turn out the way you’d like them to, but when you find yourself under pressure, and held to account, how you choose to respond will show what you’re really made of. Stepping up to the plate and maintaining open, honest communications is essential if you want to maintain a positive reputation.

By acting with integrity and focusing on the 4 Es at both a business and individual level we can create a truly competitive edge; attract loyal staff, customers and investors and build a sustainable business. Make it ‘E’asy on yourself and watch your competitive advantage grow!

Hannah is an Auckland based specialist reputation advisor, professional speaker, author and founder of online performance-based service directory, TRUSTcite. Visit her website at www. hannahsamuel.co.nz for more info.

19

WEB/SOCIAL/ONLINE

Offline principles for online shopping

Why brick and mortar retail principles still matter

By Linda Coles

For many people, the idea of owning an online business where you don’t need to deal with customers trudging in an out of a bricks and mortar store, is very appealing. But there are some very clear retail principles that you should still be following. Do they apply to your business?

The shop window In a retail environment, your shop window and the outside of your shop is the very first impression for a new customer passing by. Is the window clean, is there rubbish outside the store, is your signage looking worn? A website should still have clear images, a good looking structure and clear graphics. If it is looking tired and dated, it will need re-doing.

20

“

Just because we now live in an online world where you can get just about anything off the web, it’s no excuse for not keeping your standards high.

The window display

Making your selection

A shop will change it’s window display every month if not more,

In a shop it is easy to make your selection of what you want, and

particularly if it is in fashion. Why? To entice more customers in, show

then take it to the checkout operator to take your payment. Is your

new product, keep the window fresh, or some display items will not

online selection and payment process as simple? Do you have to click

sell and need to be replaced. When did you last look at your bounce

through several pages to find the relevant information about a product

rate or page views and think you had better change something because

you want, then it’s made difficult to add it to the shopping cart and

it’s not working? Is that the same image on your home page that you

pay? What about delivery options and costs, is it all visible? What

put there 3 years ago?

about your returns policy, is there one?

The greeting

Getting in contact

How often have you ever walked into a store and the sales person

If you want the telephone number of the shop you have just

has asked “What size do you want”? There is usually a little pre-

purchased from, it will be on your till receipt, their sign and in the

amble, chit chat or at least a welcome before they ask this question.

telephone directory. On your website, are your contact details on

Does your site get straight down to business, or does it make you

your homepage, is your “contact us” button the last thing on the

feel welcome, have a firm hand shake and great eye contact? Where

navigation, are you hiding your details because you don’t want to

is your chit chat?

get spam? Well what about those visitors that DO want your contact details? Do they matter?

The customer flow Shops usually make you follow a path through the store, and you

Just because we now live in an online world where you can get

may not even notice it! If you go to my local Pak “N” Save, you

just about anything off the web, it’s no excuse for not keeping your

enter through the vegetables and you have to walk all the way

standards high, because if you don’t, someone else will take over

around to get to the bread that you really want. They do this for a

your market share. They will be slicker, tuned in, and ready to take

reason, so that you buy other products on your way through, and do

over.

you know what? It generally works! With your website, the visitor lands on your home page, and if they decide to go further on in to your site, you leave them to their own devices. They can click all

Linda Coles, Speaker, Author and Consultant

over the place. By letting them do this, they may miss all of the

at Blue Banana, building relationships

exciting bits you really want them to see and purchase / enquire

online. www.bluebanana.co.nz

after, but they miss them. Where is your visitor path? How are you controlling your visitors?

21

PERSONAL TRAINER

We Go Where We Look

Are you looking at the track or the wall?

By Sandy Geyer

I

t is fairly common knowledge that racing car drivers are trained

Yet ask a three year old at Christmas time what he wants and his world

not to look at the wall when tearing around a circuit at high speed.

comes alive with endless possibilities. The difference between the

Why? Because they go where they look. We all do subconsciously

three year old and the adult is that the three year old still believes he

and “don’t look down” might also sound familiar in this context. Where

can have what he wants. The adult has had that belief de-programmed

we look has a lot to do with where we find ourselves today. More

and has been successfully taught to provide for his needs only.

importantly, understanding this intuitive reaction can make all the difference as to where we find ourselves tomorrow.

The majority of entrepreneurs are not in touch with their “wants” and this manifests very clearly in their results. There is a significant reason for this breakdown. We all have ingrained mental programming that goes back to our early development as we learned to understand the meaning of words. The most consequential word we came to recognize early was the word “No”.

“No” is a very understandable response to a newly mobile little person intent on discovering every available manner of injuring themselves.

As parents we all understand the necessity of saying no - and our intentions are good- but it’s an unfortunate start to a child’s psyche.

This negative programming continues throughout our childhood development as in most cases our needs are fulfilled ahead of our wants. This parenting supposedly teaches us to strive harder for what

When starting a business we often set it up to cater for our needs, and in many cases, this is all that we achieve. Anyone who feels as if they have “bought a job” might recognize this situation.

The major difference between the entrepreneurs who make enough money to survive and those who achieve a successful lifestyle lies with what they focused on, and where they were looking, before they took their first entrepreneurial step.

Starting next issue Sandy will be answering commonly asked questions from new entrepreneurs. If you have a question for Sandy to do with entrepreneurship, building successful businesses or the challenges and difficulties faced by entrepreneurs, email the editor at richard@nzentrepreneur.co.nz.

we want but it often achieves the opposite, and ultimately renders us completely useless at identifying our wants with any conviction. In my business seminars, I often ask my audience to write a list of what they want. I do this because I want them to look at those wants, the first important step to attaining them. The reaction, across culture and nationality, is very similar and involves a lot of head scratching, shifting uncomfortably and grimacing uneasily. Very little actually gets written down!

Sandy Geyer is an entrepreneur and mentor and teaches the principles of entrepreneurial intelligence (EnQ), to entrepreneurs in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. You can visit Sandy’s website at www.enqpractice.com

22

N

Enjoy nZ EnTREPREnEuR? Check out these other great Espire E-Mags ISSUE 6 March 2011

nZ FISHER DO YOU LIKE fIshIng? If you love fishing you'll love NZ Fisher, the fresh e-magazine for Kiwi fishing enthusiasts... and it's free! Packed full of tips, ideas and stories to see you through to your next fishing outing, you'll land a shiny new issue direct in your email inbox every four weeks!

Unlocking the Secrets of Rarotonga//

www.nzfisher.co.nz

// Working the jigs

ww w. nz fis he r.c o. nz www.nzfisher.co.nz 1

Issue 1

nZ PHoToGRAPHER

KIWI

M.I.L.K.

KEEn phOtOgraphEr?

www.nzphotographer.co.nz

KIWI PHOT OG WIN 4 PLA RAPHERS CES WORLDWI IN THE M.I.L.K. CO DE FRESH MPETITION

TOP TIPS

HOW TO BU RIGHT CAMEY THE RA FOR YOU

PHOTO ES SAYS

WHAT ARE TH ARE YOU WA EY & WHAT ITING FOR? !

IssUE 61

Jul 8

NZ SALES JUNE 2012

Sales ement Manag Myths success sales yourself for Reprogram personality n, sig de le Sales ro tisfaction and job sa age! body langu Cure boring ns tio m objec Learning fro

nZ SALES MAnAGER DO YOU WOrK In saLEs? Short and sharp, New Zealand Sales Manager is a free e-magazine delivering thought provoking and enlightening articles, and industry news and information to forward-thinking sales managers, business owners and sales professionals.

www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz lEadErs for salEs NZ’s E-mag

LL FU E TH H L: .K. D IT L .L A WWE .I S LO W K M N N IE C D S W Rv B L AH I N I OT I P T DO TEFF BE T I P FF S : I NE O N P E S H OS T U U A G M M TO L & E !

PL O R E OO NZ O Photogr O C T H C P H apher M 1

Introducing NZ Photographer - the fun, free and informative e-magazine for Kiwi camera owners every four weeks. Whether you’re an enthusiastic weekend snapper, a student of photography, or just want to learn more, NZ Photographer will help you take better photos and make the most of your camera!

July 8 th 200 9

anager.co.nz

1 / www.nzsalesm

G etting I t D one

How to choose the right

Business Structure For your business

By Adrian Nacey

When it comes to choosing the legal structure of your business, it pays to think ahead. There are various pros and cons to each choice, which you don’t want to find out once you’re already in business. We asked Business.govt.nz to lay out the options for us.

S

ome entrepreneurs simply start trading and then realise they

Here’s a rundown of those pros and cons to

need the security provided by a company structure. Others

help you make that decision:

assume setting up a company is the right way to go and only

There are three business structures used in New Zealand, barring

realise after the fact that they didn’t need to saddle themselves with the

trusts (which are a little more complicated) and non-profits.

paperwork that comes with it.

They are: sole traders, partnerships and companies.

The truth about business structures is that it’s horses for courses –

The key thing to remember is that sole traders and traditional

what suits one business won’t necessarily suit another. You’ve got

partnerships don’t offer ‘limited liability’, the legal separation of business

to stand back, weigh up the pros and cons of each option and make

from business owner that protects the owner from being liable for all the

a decision based on your own long-term goals.

business’s debts. In contrast, company shareholders – unlike a sole trader – aren’t responsible for debts more than the value of their shares.

24

Sole Traders

Companies

PROS

PROS

•

•

The quickest and easiest way to get into business – you don’t you might still need to register with Inland Revenue in other

•

Shareholders have limited liability. This makes it easier to grow the business and sell it.

register with government, you just start trading. Just remember, •

Companies have greater credibility in the marketplace because

ways (if you employ or want to be GST-registered, for example).

of the transparency provided by the publication of shareholder

You’re 100% your own boss. There are no partners or

and director details on the public companies register.

shareholders you have to listen to and you control all the profit.

•

Once you reserve a company name on the companies register,

CONS

no other business can reserve the same or a similar company

•

You’re 100% liable for all the business’s debts.

name to your own in New Zealand. This doesn’t mean, however,

•

Without limited liability, you’ll find it harder to secure

that you shouldn’t follow best practice and trade-mark your brand to protect it from more than just other companies.

investment, grow the business and sell it.

•

You are your business. If you can’t get out of bed on a Monday morning, neither can your business.

is profitable.

•

Compliance is more substantial, requiring company directors to invest time understanding and meeting their responsibilities.

PROS A partnership is traditionally two or more sole traders who’ve pooled resources to be more competitive. This means you have added security, because you’re spreading and sharing the responsibilities and costs.

•

Partners bring in capital to aid business growth.

•

Partnerships typically allow for specialisation and the offering of complementary skills, which is why this structure is often used by professionals such as lawyers.

•

Companies typically require more investment than other business types to meet compliance.

•

If you sell a majority share to raise investment, you lose control of the business.

This is a brief overview of the subject so if you’d like a more detailed look, head to the business structures section of Business.govt.nz (http://www.business.govt. nz/starting-and-stopping/business-structures) and then

CONS •

The business can grow beyond its founders and last as long as it

CONS

Partnerships

•

•

consult your accountant and advisers before making your

But again, there’s no limited liability. Each partner’s share of

final decision.

profits and liabilities is set out in a ‘deed of partnership’.

•

There can even be what is known as ‘joint and several liability’.

If none of the other partners are solvent or traceable, you could be left picking up the bill for the partnership’s debts.

•

You can apply to Inland Revenue to form a ‘limited partnership’ but whoever has limited liability then can’t have a say in the management of the business.

Adrian Nacey is an e-Business Advisor at Business.govt.nz.

25

T H E PA D D O C K What’s Happening in the NZ Entrepreneur Ecosystem

Lightning Lab

Business Accelerator

Got an idea for a new online startup but not sure how to

Wellington’s business incubator Creative HQ set up Lightning Lab in

get it off the ground? Lightning Lab, New Zealand’s first

collaboration with a founding group of professional investors because:

digital accelerator, and an initiative of Creative HQ, could

•

be for you.

Over 60% of the companies we see are in the digital space and their sustainable success globally relies on swift and efficient execution of go-to-market strategy in the face of competitors with

We asked Creative HQ General Manager, Steve O’Connor, to explain what an ‘accelerator’ is and tell us a bit more about

deeper pockets in larger better-connected markets; •

motivated, moving with pace, aiming high and going for it

Lightning Lab.

S

hammer and tongs!

tartup ‘acceleration’ is where the urgency and energy of The Amazing Race meets the structure and rigor of business

•

market partners (called Demo Day). Acceleration provides a structure that brings focused support at the right time for the business.

There is a need for a more efficient structured model for seed capital to build momentum and support in the early-stage

incubation, condensed into a 12-week timeframe.

At the end of it companies pitch to a room packed with investors and

Acceleration provides a structure that keeps companies

venture space.

•

We wanted to inject energy into New Zealand’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The core purpose of an accelerator is to prepare companies for

26

investors. Its key activities are to identify and select high calibre teams

KEY POINTS:

and support them to validate a market opportunity, build a prototype

Seed Fund

or ‘beta’ product and win initial customers in order to secure first

We fund teams not individuals (up to $18k per team in exchange for

stage external investment, commonly referred to as angel or ‘seed

8% equity). In New Zealand most startups ‘bootstrap’, working part

plus’ investment.

time on their ventures.

It is also an internationally proven model for growing a strong

Lightning Lab requires everyone working on the startup full time; this

entrepreneurial eco-system. It is a structure that enables investors

seed money allows dedicated focus to achieve the audacious goals set

and mentors to participate and grow great companies - but not carry

within the programme. The founding investors are : Phil McCaw, Dave

the burden of the startup journey. It enables efficient support for seed

Moskovitz and Stefan Korn, Marcel van den Assum, Trevor Dickinson

stage startups.

and Evander Management.

Focus on Team

"

We fund the people not the idea. There is a huge difference between that initial germ of an idea and the people that are actually able to take it forward and do something with it.

We wrap dedicated resource around the teams in the form of

technical and business interns who help the companies go even faster. Lightning Lab is based in Wellington, but is a national programme open to teams from

throughout the country. Over time we will seek to attract international

teams for whom being in New Zealand with its concentration of film and digital heavyweights is a major advantage.

Overseas experience shows 9/10 expat

There is a huge difference between that initial germ of an idea and the people that are act ually able to take it forward

companies relocate permanently.

Applications The programme is open to any team of startup founders across New Zealand and will run early Mentor-driven Model A pool of over 100 Lightning Lab mentors will wrap a powerful national and international network of expertise, experience and connections around the companies which will also help grow the

2013. Applications are open now, and close in December 2012. The top ten applicants will be selected by the founding investor group, all active and high-profile angel investors.

ecosystem and energy around startups. A set of these will be local dayin day-out mentors, while others will be leading entrepreneurs from

Timeline 2012-13

NZ and overseas flying in to inject energy and expertise.

19 September

Applications open

1 October

Accelerator Driver announced

Part of the Global Accelerator Network (GAN)

5 December

Applications close 11.59pm

Lightning Lab is a member of this exclusive network of 51 accelerators

4 February

First Day of the programme

across six continents. We are the only New Zealand member and one

28 April

Last Day of the programme

2 May

Lightning Lab Demo Day

of four in Australasia. GAN provides Lightning Lab with access to an incredible network of international investors and mentors.

Public/Private Model Lightning Lab is investor-led with a founding set of angel investors

To apply, or for more information, head to www.lightninglab.co.nz

providing venture backing and supporting funding from the Science and Innovation group within Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) for the programme.

27

T he P itching S ession Are you a New Zealand based company looking for early stage investment? Let us help and apply for The Pitching Session!

Get in touch with Nick at nick@nzentrepreneur.co.nz

Skin Ali ve

KEY FACTS

Approximate level of financial investment

C o m p a n y N a m e : Skin Alive Ltd

being sought?

I n d u s t r y C l a s s i f i c a t i o n : Consumer Brands - Sun Care

We are looking for a total investment of $500,000+ which can be

What stage of the startup/business cycle are

made up of one or more investors.

y o u a t ? Established / With Steady Revenues What is the main purpose of the funding?

ELEVATOR PITCH Skinalive is a New Zealand owned and operated sunscreen company established in 2006 that develops, markets and distributes New Zealand made sunscreen products.

Skinalive now has access to two of the largest sun care markets in the world, achieving all the regulatory requirements for each region and we have also set up contracts with distributors in each of these regions. Skinalive also has 160+ players on the US PGA Tour trusting Golfersskin for their sun protection (a big win for the company with the PGA Tour being recognised Worldwide).

BUSINESS OVERVIEW Skinalive was established following the loss of a friend to Skin cancer.

Skinalive markets and sells three brands of sunscreen products: Surfersskin, Golfersskin and Snowskin. The initial phase was to market and sell the products within New Zealand, with a view to penetrating the International arena. Skinalive now sells products in the USA, Great Britain, Western Europe and Scandinavia. The next step for us is to consolidate and expand within these markets.

What type of investment are you looking for?

We’re looking for investment from individuals or companies with expertise in consumer brands, sport and leisure and/or the US marketplace. We’re also happy to bring a passive investor on board.

28

Would you like to find out more about this investment opportunity or do you know someone who might be able to help them?

Please contact the Managing Director, Grant Lawrie, via the contact details below and mention NZ Entrepreneur, or visit their website for more info.

C o n t a c t E m a i l : grant@skinalive.co.nz P h o n e N u m b e r : +64 3 443 4201 W e b s i t e : www.skinalive.co.nz Note: The information in this article is not, and should not be regarded as, an offer of securities to the public.

T o m orrows E ntreprene u rs Book Launch

The economy needs you!

The Young New Zealander’s Guide to Entrepreneurship is an inspirational and practical guide to starting your own business.

Fully endorsed by the Young Enterprise Scheme, the book is filled with great advice from winning teams, business mentors, and some of New Zealand’s leading business people.

Terry Shubkin, CEO

Inside, you’ll discover:

Young Enterprise Trust

I

‹ Why being an entrepreneur is important ‹ Where good ideas come from, and how to kick‑start your own ‹ Ways to test your business idea in the marketplace ‹ How to put a winning team together ‹ How to write a business plan ‹ Top tips for marketing and selling your product/service ‹ How to manage your money ‹ How to communicate well and negotiate effectively ‹ How to manage your business through its different stages ‹ And much more

t’s a cliché, I know, but time flies when you’re having fun. Three

IAn hunTer

thousand students taking part in the Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) last week submitted their annual report

for the year. They have created 600 companies which have brought

I n s P I r I n g s T o r I e s , g r e AT A d V I c e

young

The

Today, entrepreneurship is a real career choice. Entrepreneurs establish and build business enterprises, they generate new ideas, create new wealth, new jobs, and new products and services.

And the skills of the entrepreneur‑creativity, insight, innovation, decision‑making, and the ability to see the big picture‑are valued by companies and organisations more than ever.

The young new ZeAlAnder’s guIde To enTrePreneurshIP

Young Enterprise

The Young New Zealander’s Guide to Entrepreneurship

new ZeAlAnder’s guIde To

enTrePreneurshIP Cr eati vi ty

what all students tell us is how beneficial the programme is. These students have worked with real suppliers and producers, and sold their products to real customers.

Earlier this year, we were approached by Ian Hunter of Hunter Publishing. We have worked with Ian to develop a new book, ‘The Young New Zealander’s Guide to Entrepreneurship’. This book will be an amazing resource for YES students in 2013 , and we’re hoping it will help develop more young entrepreneurs here in NZ.

visio

n

FOCUS

Ian hunter Ph.d.

Some YES companies have sold thousands of units. Some have sold and market next year. Their experiences may be very different, but

EnEr gy Direction

In sp Ir at Io n

new products and services to market. just a few. Some have developed a prototype which they will produce

Pas sio n

Money

T

he team at Young Enterprise Trust have paired up with Hunter Publishing and Whitcoulls to launch ‘The Young New Zealander’s Guide to Entrepreneurship’. The book includes case studies

from YES alumni, and hints and tips from prominent New Zealand businesspeople including Sir Peter Leitch, Tony Falkenstein and Tim Alpe.

The book chronicles the new business startup process and has hot tips and practical advice on everything from generating business ideas through to successful marketing strategies. The book will be available in Whitcoulls stores from January 2013.

Dr Ian Hunter, whose previous books include Imagine:Innovation and Age of Enterprise, says researching and writing the book has been inspiring. “There are lots of case studies in the book from actual Young Enterprise companies. What some of these students have achieved in their first business is pretty amazing. I’ve also connected with some of New Zealand’s business leaders who have been all too happy to contribute and pass on advice to the next generation.

Young Enterprise Trust are running an Adopt-A-School campaign, which will see books gifted to students at low-decile schools. “We know that not every student will be in a financial position to buy this book, but we want all young New Zealanders to have access to it,” says CEO Terry Shubkin.

“We’re looking for local companies to invest $1,500, which will give 100 students a free copy of the book. This is a chance for local businesses to make a big difference in their community”.

Every student that receives a copy also goes into a draw to win a day with a leading CEO. Xero’s Rod Drury, Sir Stephen Tindall and Anne and David Norman (owners of Pascoes and Farmers) have all volunteered to host the winning students for a day.

If you would like more information on how you can adopt a school, please contact Eli Nana from Hunter Publishing on 09 636 6268 or email eli@hunterpublishing.co.nz.

29

CALENDAR Looking for help? Check out some of the following events and programmes for entrepreneurs

DATE/S

WHERE

WHAT’S HAPPENING

WHO

October 11 Auckland THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO RAISING CAPITAL e-Centre A workshop for any entrepreneur or business owner who needs to raise funds or attract investment now or in the near future. http://www.ecentre.org.nz/blog/2012/08/23/workshop-the-essential-guide-to-raising-capital/ October 16 Napier TAKING IT FORWARDS - EXPORT OPPORTUNITIES CONFERENCE Export NZ A one day conference including case studies of successful export businesses, practical hands-on workshops where you will hear how to choose a market and distributor in market, explore the opportunities of entering China directly or via Hong Kong and provide the ideas and inspiration for you to begin exploring export markets for your goods and services. http://hawkesbay.exportnz.org.nz/training-and-events/hawkesbay-events/Conferences/taking-it-forwards,-export-opportunities-conference-2012

October 17 Auckland

WORKSHOP: TERM SHEET & DEAL NEGOTIATION KiwiNet Using a mix of presentations and practical exercises, these workshops will cover the basics of using term sheets and some of the key considerations for deal negotiations. http://www.kiwinet.org.nz/activities/termsheet_workshop.aspx

October 17 Auckland

SPARK $100K CHALLENGE GRAND PRIZE GIVING SPARK Challenge After an intensive seven weeks, the 14 Spark Qualifiers return to show off their final ventures. Hear their elevator pitches, and meet the winners.

Vaughan Rowsell from VendHQ will be present to tell us about his entrepreneurial journey - raising millions of dollars and developing the world’s first HTML5 online and offline point-of-sale system. http://www.spark.auckland.ac.nz/

October 18 Auckland

POWER PITCHING e-Centre A workshop for entrepreneurs who want to improve their presentation skills and prepare themselves for pitching to investors, their board, or other stakeholders. This 4 hour workshop is interactive, practical and includes individual coaching. http://www.ecentre.org.nz/blog/2012/08/23/workshop-power-pitching/

October 18 Auckland LEADERSHIP FOR START-UP ENTREPRENEURS The ICEHOUSE The ICEHOUSE is opening up to ambitious entrepreneurs who want to take their business to the next level by developing their leadership strategies. Learn the What, When and Why in your business so the owner(s) can work on the right things in the right order and engage the right resources to help them achieve their goals. http://www.theicehouse.co.nz/leadership-for-startup-entrepreneurs/ October 18 Auckland & Christchurch GET CONNECTED IN HONG KONG NZ Trade & Enterprise As an ICT market Hong Kong has a significance above its size. Successful cut through in Hong Kong and China means having networks and technology infrastructure second to none. Hear from a range of speakers who will share their experiences, advice and perspectives on Hong Kong’s value for ICT businesses. http://www.nzte.govt.nz/features-commentary/In-Brief/Pages/Hong-Kong---an-ICT-presence-for-China.aspx October 18 Auckland ERNST & YOUNG 2012 ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR AWARDS BANQUET

Ernst & Young http://www.ey.com/NZ/en/About-us/Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneur-Of-The-Year October 23 Auckland

NZ ANGEL INVESTMENT SHOWCASE The ICEHOUSE A one-night event featuring presentations by 15 hand-picked start-ups to New Zealand’s largest gathering of angel investors. In 2011, the event featured 200 angel investors and presentations by start-ups around New Zealand. http://www.theicehouse.co.nz/nz-angel-investment-showcase/ November 1 Hamilton SODA POP SOCIAL CLUB Soda Inc A place where entrepreneurs can mingle over a refreshing drink and talk shop | 1st Thursday of every month. http://www.sodainc.com/events/soda-pop-social-club/

November 7 Auckland

FIRST WEDNESDAY The ICEHOUSE On the First Wednesday of every month, The ICEHOUSE opens up to ambitious entrepreneurs who are hungry to understand the steps to start-up business success. Spend an afternoon with the experts at The ICEHOUSE Business Growth Centre. http://www.theicehouse.co.nz/first-wednesday/

November 27 & 29, December 4 & 6 Auckland

ENTREPRENEURSHIP SKILLS

e-Centre

Learn about and practise the soft skills of entrepreneurship. Four sessions over two weeks starting November 27. http://www.ecentre.org.nz/blog/2012/09/26/entrepreneurship-skills-course/

3 0

PA RT I N G S H O T

“

Young, inexperienced and penniless?

Congratulations...

You stand by far the best chance of getting rich!

Felix Dennis

Felix Dennis, Founder of Maxim magazine and Dennis Publishing & Author of “How To Get Rich” 31