The SME Stream

The hunt is on for New Zealand's next big new start-up. Icehouse Ventures recently opened a $30 million seed round in an attempt to fund 30 new Kiwi-made business ventures. CEO Robbie Paul says they're looking to invest in new technology that can go from New Zealand to the world. LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or prof...

A welfare expert's pointing to the lack of jobs being the main reason more people are ending up on the benefit. Ministry of Social Development statistics show almost 8 thousand more were receiving a main benefit in June compared to March.  It follows the Government instating new requirements for beneficiaries in hopes of getting more into the workforce.  Former Welfare Advisory Group mem...

The former Work and Income boss says the Government getting 81 thousand people off the benefit is a big achievement, despite the overall number going up.  Ministry of Social Development statistics show almost eight thousand more people were receiving a main benefit in June compared to March.   It follows the coalition putting new requirements and sanctions in place for beneficiaries. &nb...

As business owners, you know how hard it is keeping up with your business, let alone the news. Join Wilhelmina Shrimpton each week as she gives you a rundown of the biggest stories that could impact on your business, so you can make informed decisions with expert advice. This week, Our Prime Minister defends the brain drain, the job market is tough for young Kiwis and food costs continue to creep...

One of New Zealand’s most ambitious startups, Zenno Astronautics, is undertaking pioneering work with superconducting magnets to address one of the most pressing challenges facing humanity’s future in space - space junk. On The Business of Tech podcast this week, Max Arshavsky, co-founder and CEO of Zenno Astronautics, charts his journey from the steppes of Siberia to the University of...

This week, Perpetual Guardian chief executive Patrick Gamble shares his best and worst money stories with Liam Dann, including his family's life changing move to Ireland when he was a toddler, his experiences dabbling in the property market while at university - and failing - and how he ended up as a Special Envoy for Ukraine.  The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general inf...

Should your job provide health insurance coverage?  There are calls for a fringe benefit tax break as a Council report reveals people are twice as likely to have car insurance than life or health.  It says 78% of Kiwis pay for their own insurance, rather than employers footing the bill.  Enriched Retirement Founder Liz Koh told Andrew Dickens that New Zealanders tend to think they&r...

Ryman Healthcare's share price has gone up for the first half of July, leading experts to speculate about the company's future.  This follows a downturn from earlier in the year. Milford Asset Management's Jeremy Hutton explains further. LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expresse...

Yesterday we were talking about Chlöe Swarbrick's grand plans for economic reform, and today brings another interesting suggestion for economic reform, this time from Sir Roger Douglas and Professor Robert MacCulloch. I wonder if now is the time to be seriously looking at reforming our taxation system. Over the years, we've experimented with, we’ve dabbled in various taxes on wealth: es...

New research from the Financial Services Council reveals that New Zealanders are quick to insure their cars, homes, and gadgets - but they're far less likely to protect their health, income, and lives. The report, titled Money & You: Valuing Belongings Over Ourselves, shows New Zealanders are twice as likely to have car insurance over life or health insurance. FSC CEO Kirk Hope says expan...

The Trump tariffs are inching closer and closer towards becoming a reality. While they were meant to kick into gear last week, they've been delayed again – this time to August 1. Despite being accused of “chickening out”, Donald Trump has reignited the tariff talk through a series of letters and social media posts – announcing new duties on dozens of countries, if they don&...

US President Donald Trump is renewing his threats to Canada, vowing to slap a 35 percent tariff on its goods. He says he'll impose the tariff on Canadian goods starting in August. Trump's also made threats of blanket tariffs of 15 or 20 percent on most trade partners. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly reveals how the markets reacted. LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Stream conta...

New reports show the to cost to build is up. The OCR was also left unchanged this week - and it's expected to stay at 3.25% Should buyers look into property now before the costs and OCR go up again, or should they wait it out? How can we make that call - is it on gut instinct, or the numbers? Infometrics Principal Economist and CEO Brad Olsen joins Tim Beveridge for the OneRoof Radio Show... ...

It’s one thing to decide to move on from a job or career, but what happens when you’re at the top of your game and your job just... evaporates?  After many years as a television journalist, Melissa Chan-Green was co-hosting The AM Show on Three when Warner Bros. Discovery announced it was closing Newshub and its associated shows.   So how do you navigate the financial si...

Should the ultra-wealthy pay more tax? It’s a debate that’s continued for decades, even centuries. From Ancient Athens to present day, the idea has been a constant when it comes to addressing inequality. Yet, no government has been brave enough to impose one. It’s a staple of the Green Party’s proposed Budget, which promises bold moves to make sure everyone has a warm home,...

 [VIDEO EPISODE ON YOUTUBE & SPOTIFY] Tracksuit just closed a US$25 million funding round to push its brand tracking tool into boardrooms, including in the epicentre of advertising - New York City. The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by B...

Many Kiwis are studying or training in skills that aren't needed in the job market.  That's the warning from Business NZ as the Government reviews New Zealand's vocational education system.  The lobby groups say graduates are being held back from gaining employment because they've trained in the wrong area.  They're calling for an industry-led vocational system, with more focus on w...

Mortgage-holders will be holding their breath in after yesterday's OCR announcement. The Reserve Bank's opted to keep the Official Cash Rate unchanged at 3.25% while signalling the possibility of further cuts.  But new ASB research suggests interest rates remain volatile, with several opposing forces at play.  Finance and Mortgage Association Country Manager Leigh Hodgetts told Andrew Di...

As business owners, you know how hard it is keeping up with your business, let alone the news. Join Wilhelmina Shrimpton each week as she gives you a rundown of the biggest stories that could impact on your business, so you can make informed decisions with expert advice. This week, the OCR holds steady as the Reserve Bank tries to balance our struggling economy with rising inflation, the governmen...

This week, the co-founders behind sexual wellness brand Girls Get Off, Viv Conway and Jo Cummins, join Liam to discuss how their different experiences at school and growing up lead to them crossing paths, and eventually starting a business that wants to change how people talk about sex - even if banks, insurers and social media companies aren't quite on board yet.  The podcasts in the SME Str...

The Finance Minister says businesses should be more confident about the economic recovery.  The Reserve Bank's been weighing up lower-than-expected growth and higher inflation in its decision to keep the Official Cash Rate unchanged at 3.25%.  Nicola Willis says businesses have been battening down the hatches.  But she told Heather du Plessis-Allan they’re maybe more wary than...

The Reserve Bank left the OCR on hold at 3.25 percent - with the bank claiming it was waiting for more economic data. Economists widely suspected the RBNZ wouldn't cut rates any further, and they believe there's more cuts to come. Milford Asset Management's Remy Morgan unpacked the market reactions. LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or prof...

Another cut to the Official Cash Rate still looks more likely than not, according to one expert. The Reserve Bank's kept the OCR unchanged at 3.25 percent today, following six consecutive cuts. It's waiting for more economic data, before further moves. But Infometrics principal economist, Brad Olsen, says the bank's explicitly signalling the chance of more cuts. "If things continue to evolve as th...

New Zealand isn't likely to get a better deal than we're currently getting, when it comes to trade with the US.  Almost all goods to the US now face a 10% base tariff rate.  Donald Trump's announced a 25% tariff rate for Japan and South Korea from the start of next month and may also raise tariffs on other trading partners.  Business NZ Advocacy Manager Catherine Beard told Heather...

The Reserve Bank of Australia has defied market expectations by leaving its cash rate target unchanged at 3.85 percent. Market expectations were for the central bank to cut its rate by 25 basis points. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham this came as a surprise to experts - but the central bank opted to wait ahead of the CPI release. LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Stream contain&nbsp...