Kia ora ,
One of the things we spend time on at the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce is connecting and advocating with local and central government. This work is all about pushing the business interests, the issues and the opportunities that we hear from you.
Today for example we are reporting to the Hutt City Council Policy, Finance and Strategy meeting on our work in the last 6 months. This is an opportunity to both talk about the business community but also talk about the challenges and opportunities we hear of. This week I have also secured an appointment with Minister Andersen to talk about our Small Business community, immigration, and also the digital economy. I am looking forward to both of these opportunities as they are a chance to represent your feedback.
It is also election year of course. Part of what we do is to provide opportunities for you to come and hear from and ask questions of politicians from as many parties as possible. This year we have a great lineup of senior politicians set to speak here in the Hutt Valley as part of Gibson Sheat Lawyers political series. The events we already have planned for you include:
- Business Lunch With Christopher Luxon, Leader of the National Party
Monday 20th March | 11:30am | Silverstream Retreat
Register for Christopher Luxon here - Breakfast with David Seymour, ACT Party Leader, spokesperson for Finance and Covid-19 Response and Damien Smith MP
Thursday 4th May | 07.30am | Silverstream Retreat - Pre-Budget Breakfast with Nicola Willis Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Party Spokesperson for Finance and Social Investment
Monday 15th May | 07.00am | Silverstream Retreat - Post Budget Breakfast with Hon Grant Robertson, Leader of the House, Minister for Finance, Sport & Recreation and Cyclone Recovery
Tuesday 23rd May | 07.30am | Silverstream Retreat
These events will be a fantastic way for you to interact with these senior politicians and ask them your questions.
Gibson Sheat Lawyers are one of our Platinum Partners here at the Chamber and are hugely supportive of bringing senior Members of Parliament and Ministers to the Hutt Valley. We are very grateful for their support.
Finally, we want to acknowledge that today is a special day, International Women’s Day. Please take a moment to celebrate the work and achievements of women in your business and in your family life. It’s a day we should celebrate all of the amazing wahine in our Hutt Valley community (and we should do this every day).
In this edition of the Hutt Valley Business Weekly:
- Chamber Updates
- Celebrating our Bronze Partners
How To Prepare Your Business For Sale In 2023?
- National Updates
An Update from the Hawkes Bay – What’s Happening For Businesses there?
Understanding & Working To Address The Workforce Development Industry Needs
Does Your Business Want & Need R&D Funding?
Share Your Diversity Views and Win
Increase To The Minimum Wage
- Events
- Following The Euro - Doing Business In The EU
- A Business Lunch With Christopher Luxon
- Training Workshops
- Upper Hutt Business? Smash Your Revenue Goals In 2023 With Smarter Marketing
- Discover the power of Project Management: Unlocking Big Success for Small Businesses
- Creating A Safe Environment For Your Employees
- Member Offers
From Excio, Ana Lyubich and Westpac
- Employment Opportunities
- Are You Hiring?
CHAMBER UPDATES
Celebrating Our Bronze Partners
This week, we want to put the spotlight on our Bronze Partners who play an important role in the work that we do here at the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce. They are great Hutt Valley businesses that have chosen to provide additional support for the Chambers' work to help connect, advocate for, and inform the business community every day.
As partners of your Chamber of Commerce, we encourage you to connect to them when you need the specialist services they are offering.
The following businesses have chosen to become Bronze Partners of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce.
I-Payroll
- iPayroll is a proven cloud-based payroll solution developed in New Zealand, for New Zealand businesses of all sizes. They provide an easy-to-use, feature-rich payroll solution so you can focus on your business.
- They make it simple for you to run each pay and manage leave, tax, and employee records.
- And they make it easy for your employees to view their payslips, pay history, tax summaries, and apply for leave using the Employee Kiosk.
iPayroll offer a special Chamber benefit of a free set-up and training for up to 10 employees valued at $100. Discounts are available for larger organisations. To receive a free personalised demo for you to see the benefits of changing with one of iPayroll’s team simply, click here.
For more information – https://www.ipayroll.co.nz/
Red Hot - Business Coaching & Consultancy
- Red Hot specialises in coaching business owners to become better at the strategic and management side of things.
- Their knowledgeable support and trustworthy advice help to transform under-pressure businesses into remarkable success stories.
For more information - https://www.redhot.co.nz/
Survive-it
- Survive-it was established in 2006 and is today one of New Zealand’s leading specialists in the provision of Civil Defence emergency solutions to deal with a range of natural and man-made hazards.
- Their philosophy is to help people to “prepare now to survive later” through the provision of quality products and services, specifically designed to minimise the impact of emergencies and disasters.
For more information – https://survive-it.co.nz/
How To Prepare Your Business For Sale In 2023?
If you’re thinking of selling your business this year then this handy guide by Malcolm Galloway of Gibson Sheat Lawyers is for you.
How to prepare your business for sale in 2023 (gibsonsheat.com)
The article sets out some of the things that you (as a vendor) can do to help make your business more attractive to prospective purchasers.
If done well, these steps will also help for a smoother and more economical sale process.
If you're thinking about selling your business, contact our Bronze Partner Link Business Brokers Wellington.
NATIONAL UPDATES
Understanding & Working To Address The Workforce Development Industry Needs
Hanga Aro Rau, the Workforce Development Council for the Manufacturing, Engineering and Logistics sector are undertaking in-depth research with Deloitte into the logistics sectors to further understand and work to address the workforce development needs in the industry.
Their top priority is to have the research best reflect the industry; to do this, they need to hear from you.
Your answers to this survey will help them to develop research that reflects, acknowledges, and understands the needs of your industry and support the further development of existing kaimahi and pathways for rangatahi to thrive in the logistics sectors.
We welcome all responses by 5 pm on Wednesday 15 March 2023.
Does Your Business Want & Need R&D Funding?
‘It’s complicated’, ‘It takes ages for my business to access funding.’
These are some of the things we hear about the government incentives landscape for businesses conducting research and development or seeking to accelerate projects in NZ.
The research and development tax incentive (RDTI) offers a 15% tax credit on expenditure incurred to conduct eligible research and development (R&D). If your business is thinking about developing new or improved products, processes, or software, then you need to join hundreds of businesses of all sizes and industries across NZ that have claimed and received money since 2020.
The Government has recently announced that RDTI claimants will soon have the option to access an interest-free government loan as R&D is conducted, so businesses can receive support closer to when R&D costs are incurred. Claimants will be able to draw down the majority of the value of the expected R&D tax credit for a particular income year in up to 3 regular payments.
There are also new grants available to support businesses starting off on their R&D journey and a range of other non-dilutive grant opportunities that can accelerate business sustainability initiatives.
Come and hear more about how your business might be eligible for these government incentives from the experts at EY who have a combined 70+ years of dedicated grants and R&D tax incentives experience.
When: Wednesday 15th March
Time: 8:00am to 9:00am
Where: Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce,
Level 3, 15 Daly Street, Lower Hutt
A light breakfast will be served.
An Update from the Hawkes Bay – What’s Happening For Businesses there?
Chambers of Commerce across Aotearoa play an important role to support businesses in their local region. We often do work which is unseen but is very valuable to businesses, business leaders, and the community in which the businesses operate. This is most valuable in times of crisis, one of which occurred in Hawkes Bay last week.
The Hawkes Bay Chamber of Commerce has provided a perspective on what they have seen which I thought would be a useful update for you. Indeed 5 out of 7 of their small team have been displaced or are having difficulty getting into work due to the limited access between Napier and Hastings. However, they are still working
This is their summary of the situation.
- Only pockets of HB were devastated. These pockets were primarily homes and growers situated near rivers and surrounding hills
- Part of the reason for the devastation was due to our river banks (stop banks) giving way (Very topical for the Hutt Valley)
- Bridges were swept away between parts of Napier and Hastings and surrounding rural areas
- Eskdale – our road to Auckland is closed (this is our artery for most of our truck's for re-export and manufacturing). We now need to go to Palmerston North to get to Auckland. A 5.5 hour trip is now 9 hours
- The reason for the bridge destruction appears to be water volumes and slash from forestry – there need to be legislation changes preventing forestry slash – Advocacy – I have started but it would be great for the Chamber network to get on board here
- Access between the two cities only has 2 possible roads and 1 of those is only for essential/emergency management people. There is major congestion that is having an impact on business and wellbeing
- Power – mostly Napier but other areas went without power for approximately 1 week. No Wifi, no internet, no mobile service for approximately 2-3 days.
- This has affected business in many ways, especially our primary industries and SMEs who live hand to mouth
- I love power! I now have power but those remote areas are still without
- Wellbeing – people are fragile. They have been through a natural disaster and are connected to people who have lost lives, livelihoods, and homes.
- Crime – there has been increased activity however we do not have gangs running through
town shooting people.
- We are more on alert as have heard stories and admit to the increase but the over-exaggeration of crime is stupid
- Crime is not my lane but if the need for backup is needed then bring them in
So that is the broad overview of the situation, what are we doing?
- The Chamber team is ringing every member with a questionnaire asking if they are operating and what is their need
- Let’s ask businesses what they need first before making up solutions of our own
- HB Tourism is also ringing their members and we will share our data
- I am working with the REDA (Regional Economic Development Agency) board which has only just been established – we don’t have an actual agency yet
- I have connected with our local iwi Ngati Kahungunu of which I personally belong. My plan is to include iwi in the conversation going forward
- MBIE in HB have connected with me and we are working together
Your Chambers of Commerce are here for your business now and in a time of crisis. If you would like to support our work please get in touch.
Share Your Diversity Views and Win
We are helping Diversity Works New Zealand gain a deeper understanding of the diversity and inclusion issues that really matter to New Zealand businesses by asking our members to complete the 2023 New Zealand Workplace Diversity Survey.
Everyone who completes the survey can enter the draw to win one of five $200 shopping vouchers.
Plus, we will share the results of this important research with you later in the year.
The survey closes on Friday, March 24 so have your say here.
Increase To The Minimum Wage
The Government have announced that from 1 April 2023 the minimum adult wage in New Zealand increases from $21.20 to $22.70.
But what does this mean for your business and what are some of the things you need to consider?
The Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce Silver Partner, Tony McKone from McKone Consultancy has some great advice.
EVENTS
Following The Euro - Doing Business In The EU
When: Tuesday 28 March | 7:45am - 9:30am
Where: Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, Level 3, 15 Daly St, Lower Hutt
Cost: $10
With negotiations officially concluded on the NZ-EU Free trade agreement, there are significant new economic opportunities for NZ businesses within the 28-country block.
The EU is New Zealand’s third largest trading partner, and bilateral trade is expected to grow by 30% from the first year, and a massive 80% growth is predicted for EU foreign direct investment into New Zealand.
Hutt Valley Chamber Of Commerce and the German New Zealand Chambers Of Commerce have collaborated to bring you an update from MFAT and NZTE on how they can support you to optimise your reach into these markets.
Hear about the accessibility and benefits that the Fair Trade Agreement brings to NZ Businesses from Vangelis Vitalis, Deputy Secretary, Trade and Economic, MFAT who led the conclusion of negotiations for the New Zealand European Union Free Trade Agreement
Learn how to connect to these markets and what support is available from NZTE.
Nina Obermaier, the European Union Ambassador to Aotearoa New Zealand along with Representatives from France, Germany, and Spain (plus more to follow) will also provide short country pitches highlighting the opportunities within their respective countries.
A lite breakfast will be served.
A Business Lunch With Christopher Luxon
When: Monday 20th March
Time: 11:30am - 1:30pm
Where: Silverstream Retreat, 3 Reynolds Bach Drive, Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt
Cost: $48 for Members / $58 for Non-members
Business Lunch with Christopher Luxon, MP for Botany and Leader of the opposition. Sponsored by Platinum Partner Gibson Sheat Lawyers.
Christopher Luxon entered parliament in October 2020 as Member of Parliament for Botany and assumed office as Leader of the opposition in November 2021.
Christopher is a businessman with an extensive career at the highest levels of global corporate leadership including an 18-year career with Unilever before being appointed CEO of Air New Zealand in 2011.
Join us to hear from Christopher about the issues that business currently face and how National intend to support businesses in a future government.
TRAINING WORKSHOPS
Upper Hutt Business? Smash Your Revenue Goals In 2023 With Smarter Marketing
When: Tuesday 21 March 2023 | 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Where: Upper Hutt Libraries, 844 Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt Central, Upper Hutt 5018
Cost: None
As 2023 gets into full swing, now is the time to prepare for the year ahead and put in place the marketing strategies and tactics that will ensure that you smash your revenue goals over the next 12 months!
In this workshop, Richard (Director of Synthesis Marketing) and his team will cover the following areas:
- Marketing your business in 4 easy steps
- Where to put your marketing effort and budget
- Tips on creating a successful action plan
- Marketing trends to watch for
- These sessions are not only informative but they are also a great opportunity to network with others in the room and share ideas.
Walk away with resources to keep your marketing efforts on track
Synthesis Marketing is the official Digital Partner of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce for 2023.
Discover the power of Project Management:
Unlocking Big Success for Small Businesses
When: Wednesday 22 March & Wednesday 29 March | 8am - 12pm
Where: Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, Level 3, 15 Daly St, Lower Hutt
Cost: Chamber Member: $575.00 | Non - Member: $695.00
This two half-day (total 8 hours) interactive workshop facilitated by Vered Ohanna, the founder of 'Success Engineering', will provide small business owners practical approach to implement the basics of project management in their small business create big impact by transforming to an outcome focused approach, better leadership and clearer communication, improve efficiencies within the business that increase value.
The workshop is designed for the business owners to bring from their own experience into the training, in a facilitated manner that increases close networking and the shared level of insight across different types of businesses, as well as creating the opportunity for collaborations between the participating businesses.
Click here to see testimonials from participants of previous workshops.
Creating A Safe Environment For Your Employees
When: Thursday 23 March
Time: 10:00am - 11:30am
Where: Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, Level 3, 15 Daly St
Cost: None
Every workplace should be a safe environment, most workplace incidents or injuries are preventable. A safe and healthy workplace benefits everyone.
As your business grows and adapts to new challenges, health and safety need to be your top priority. Without it, you expose yourself to potential claims, costly payouts, or business closures.
Now, more than ever it is important to manage risk through an effective health and safety management system.
To help you protect your business, the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce and Employsure have joined forces to bring you an informative event on how you can Gain Peace of Mind in your Workplace through an effective health and safety management system.
Attend this LIVE event to get pragmatic advice from industry experts who can answer all your questions and concerns specific to your business needs. To bring your business's HR to the next level.
Topics Covered:
- The latest changes to Health and Safety legislations
- Your obligations as an employer
- What are psychosocial hazards and how to manage them?
- Implementing effective safety and hygiene practices
MEMBER OFFERS
Free Expert Review Of Your Digital Presence
Looking to enhance your online visual presence with fresh and authentic local photography? Look no further than our Photo Library! For only $500, you can gain access to a vast collection of 500 high-quality images that are sure to make your website, social media pages, and marketing materials stand out.
But that's not all. We're also offering a special one-hour consultation with our experts to help you maximize the impact of your visual content. During this session, you'll learn valuable tips and tricks for using the right visuals to drive more traffic and engagement to your online platforms.
To take advantage of this exciting offer, simply sign up on excio.io and then send a quick note to hello@excio.io to book your free session.
Don't miss out on this opportunity to elevate your online presence with stunning, locally sourced photography and expert guidance from our team.
$50 OFF Your Lifestyle or Portrait Photoshoot
Whether you're looking to update your website, create compelling social media content, or produce eye-catching marketing materials, Ana Lyubich Photography has the skills and expertise to help you achieve your goals.
And now, for a limited time only, she is offering a special discount of $50 off your first lifestyle or portrait photoshoot if you are based in the Hutt area.
Don't settle for generic stock images or amateur photography. Trust the professional to help you create a visually engaging online presence that truly reflects your unique personality and style of your business.
Contact Ana today to schedule your photoshoot and take advantage of this exclusive offer.
To book just email ana@excio.io and mention the Chamber offer.
First Home Buyers Seminar
If you're a first home buyer, don't miss our home buyers' seminar.
We'll be covering:
• Local market update
• Tips for getting your deposit together
• Alternative ways to get on the property ladder
• What banks look at
• The home buying process including application.
Our local home lending experts will also be on hand to answer
any questions. We look forward to seeing you there.
When: Wednesday 29 March 2023
Time: 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Location: Westpac Lower Hutt, 210 High Street, Lower Hutt
RSVP by Wednesday 22 March 2023
Contact: Rebecca Dewar for further info on 021714638 or email rebekah.dewar@westpac
Cost: None
Want More Member Offers?
To see a list of our member's offers visit our Members Marketplace on our website here or check out our Hutt Valley Chamber App to see a list of all the deals we have on offer for Chamber members.
You can download our Hutt Valley Chamber App from the Apple App Store here and the Google Play Store here. Please contact Patrick patrick@hvchamber.org.nz for account instructions or questions.
EMPLOYMENT
Are You Hiring?
If you have a job suitable for a student get in touch with our Education to Employment Coordinator Amanda Walters at amanda@hvchamber.org.nz or call 049399821.
Thank you to all our Partners
As always, special thanks to all our Members and Partners for your ongoing support.
