The SME Stream

As business owners, you know how hard it is keeping up with your business, let alone the news. Join Wilhelmina O'Keeffe each week as she gives you a rundown of the biggest stories that could impact your business, so you can make informed decisions with expert advice.   This week … It’s all go on the campaign trail - National unveils its roadmap to help SMEs and Labour shares its...

How do you become the kind of leader people genuinely want to follow? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Laurent Sylvestre to explore leadership, trust, human dynamics, executive development, and what it really takes to lead well.  Laurent challenges the traditional view of HR and People & Culture, emphasising that leaders ultimately own people and culture, while P...

Diving deeper on one of episode 8's topic. Mike and Scott dig into the real mechanics of funding a business - when you actually need outside money, and what trading time, margin or control really means. Over Garage Project's Mon P'tit Chou and a steak and mushroom pie from Gladstone Butchery, they map out loans, VC and everything in between. You'll learn: -The three ways to fund growth - revenue,...

In business, and in the innovation game, experience is valuable. But sometimes, not knowing how exactly things are supposed to be done can be a superpower. This week’s episode of The Business of Tech celebrates three young New Zealand designers tackling problems that established businesses have overlooked, with fresh eyes, tight budgets and a willingness to ask basic questions. Sophie West,...

You don’t need years of industry experience to build a successful product brand. I had never worked in a salon, formulated a haircare product or built an electrical product before starting Tidal Hair. In 2023, the brand did $5.6 million in annual revenue. In this episode of Make It Happen, I break down exactly how I entered an industry I knew almost nothing about and built a multi-million-do...

When the price of moving goods around New Zealand rises, who picks up the bill?  Increasing fuel prices are putting pressure on the trucking industry, with fuel now accounting for up to 30% of operating costs.  And that cost can travel far beyond the petrol pump, into the price of groceries and other everyday essentials.  So how much can freight companies absorb, and how much gets p...

Chris Hipkins reckons there was no easy answer to this week's leaders debate question on whether it's okay to be a billionaire.  Former Prime Minister Sir John Key says it's "nuts" to think billionaires are "morally offensive".  Key told the Herald's Future of New Zealand debate last night that we should be celebrating business success like we celebrate sporting and musical success.&nbsp...

Simpson Grierson Corporate Partner Anastasiya Gamble says global uncertainty is drawing investors back to familiar markets, keeping NZ firmly in the mix. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister of Agriculture and Trade reflects on PGG Wrightson’s 175-year history and the importance of farming to New Zealand’s economy. He also defends investment in AgriZeroNZ and discusses redirecting foreign aid funding toward medicines for Kiwis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wealth Watch with Generate - Is the economy turning a corner? Greg Smith KiwiSaver investment and Managed Funds specialist from Generate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Historically, equities have done okay under left-leaning govts as looser policy sees stronger nominal earnings at least offset higher discount rates. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2026 election campaign is a big topic for Kiwis, but it's not the only political topic impacting the economy. France and the US are facing their own mid-terms and the results are likely to have wide-reaching economic implications. Milford Asset Management expert Brendan Larsen explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A tick of approval for the National Party's small business plan.  It's released a 47-point plan to cut red tape for them around things like employment disputes and health and safety.  Small Business New Zealand Founder Phil Wicks says it creates a fairly cohesive plan.  He told Andrew Dickens while any help is appreciated what businesses really want is a growing economy.  Wicks...

Labour has suggested that if elected, everyone in the public service would be paid the living wage of $29.90 an hour - $6 more than the current minimum wage. Economists have raised concerns with this proposal and claimed this could likely lead to inflation going up. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

Pressure's on the next government to keep the momentum going on business confidence.  The NZIER's latest Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion shows 40% of firms expect the economy to improve in the coming months.  That's up from just 14% last quarter.  Business Canterbury Chief Executive Leeann Watson told Andrew Dickens businesses want policies that lift productivity, and more cert...

New Zealand’s housing market remains subdued, but the building work hasn’t stopped. NZ Herald property editor Anne Gibson joins Liam Dann to discuss the housing slump, the opportunities for first-home buyers, and how falling property values affect the wider economy. They also explore the growth in build-to-rent apartments and hospital developments, signs of life in Auckland’s CBD...

Waitomo CEO Simon Parham says a law change giving up land for petrol stations would be helpful, but price gouging rules won't make much difference. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seniors@work founder Ian Fraser says we haven't had the hard conversations about working longer, which come with a potential retirement age increase. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An independent economist comments on exchange and interest rates, inflation, the fuel crisis and why writing off student loans is not the best use of the education budget.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi slips under US$0.56 as bond rout continues; $15m government equity stake depends on private investment in Rotorua BioFactory. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour has used an error in its fiscal plan to echo its support for an independent policy costings unit. The party has admitted accidentally recording a cost as a saving, and a saving as a cost - and will correct it. The Taxpayers' Union pointed out the plan labelled the costs for reversing accommodation supplement changes as a $44.8 million dollar saving. Labour Finance Spokesperson Barbara Edmon...

Businesses could be spending more increasing staff next year.  The latest NZIER Quarterly Business Survey shows a net 40 percent of companies expect general economics to improve. NZIER Principal Economist Christina Leung says businesses are finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, despite domestic concerns.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informat...

City and town centres are busier than they were after Covid.  Latest Paymark data shows retail spending in the past few months has been down on the same period last year.  But new Experian data shows shops, bars, and restaurants in most cities have been seeing business pick up since Covid – Wellington being an outlier.  Retail NZ CEO Carolyn Young told Mike Hosking that in New...

A live economic experiment where Australian businesses absorb surcharge while NZ continues to show it at the till. 2degrees Business wrap - Garth Bray. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is there really such a thing as HR best practice? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Ronel Jacobs, Chief People and Safety Officer at Access Partners and Property, for a wide-ranging conversation about what effective People & Culture leadership looks like in the real world. With more than 20 years of experience spanning HR, recruitment, health and safety, environment, q...