Blog

You need to file your GST return at the end of every taxable period (this may be monthly, 2 monthly or 6 monthly depending on the frequency you have chosen for your business – you can check this with us). We can help you file your return and pay by the due date to avoid late […]

If you’re going to grow your company in the right way, pinning down your goals and having a clear vision for the business from the outset is vital. You may want to increase profits and create an income that supports your lifestyle, or you are looking to increase market share and aim for hypergrowth. You […]

Holiday breaks are a time to spend with family, friends & have a chance to recharge for the year ahead. But, for a business owner this time can be stressful without careful cash flow planning. Even if you do continue to operate through the holiday shutdown season, your customers’ financial behavior may not remain the […]

The most simple and cost-effective way to grow your business is so often overlooked; happy customers become your strongest advocates. They talk to their friends, family, and associates and refer business to you. Here are 10 ways to delight your customers: Meet with your customers more often and take a genuine interest in how they’re […]

Cash flow is essential at this time of year, so if chasing late payments makes you feel uncomfortable, outsource those phone calls to a trusted virtual assistant. To avoid late payments, switch up your invoicing processes. Offer discounts to customers for early payments, or multiple payment methods, or suggest split instalments to even out cash […]

Overseas businesses selling goods valued at $1,000 or less online to New Zealanders are now required to register for, collect and return GST where their supplies to New Zealanders exceed (or are expected to exceed) $60,000 in a 12-month period. This is good news for local businesses who may have been at a competitive disadvantage […]

What you need to do If you’re protecting your family property in a trust, there may be changes you need to make before the new Trusts Act comes into force in January 2021. The changes to the Trusts Act (the first in more than 60 years!) aim to make trust law more efficient and accessible, […]

Is less stress at the top of your Christmas list? For the sake of your sanity and the best interests of your business, follow these steps to remain calm and collected as the year comes to a close. Outsource! Look at everything you need to do before 25 December. Is it doable without losing the plot? […]

Do you have staff taking leave over Christmas? Are systems in place to make sure everyone gets what they’re entitled to? Even if someone else handles your payroll, you are responsible for making sure holiday pay and leave payments are handled correctly. Remember: Whether your staff work full-time, part-time, casual, on-call, or shift work, they’re […]

Got your staff Christmas gifts sorted? There’s still time! Think outside the box and be good to your people, and the planet, with these sustainable Christmas gift ideas. Gift an experience: Why not shout your staff a chance to try something new? Grab a voucher for a local eatery or attraction or check out www.redballoon.co.nz for inspiring experiences […]

Being the boss isn’t just about getting the strategy and financial management of your business right. It’s also about becoming a good leader who can get the best from your workforce. With the right leadership style, you keep your people engaged, happy and motivated to get the job done – and that’s good news for […]

It’s that time of year again when most of us are winding down and heading off for a well-deserved break. Here’s our daily top 10 things to help you maximise your holiday! Every day strive for:1 hour of exercise.2 litres of water.3 cups of tea (may be substituted for wine or beer).4 colours on the […]

Seasonal dips in income can be highly challenging when you’re a small business. But there are proactive ways to predict, plan for and overcome these dips in revenue. The key to dealing with seasonal dips is to know when they’re most likely to occur, and to have measures in place to spread your income and […]

How long do your customers take to pay you? A Xero Small Business Insights report showed that late payments to small businesses are improving. But overall, payments often still arrive after due date. Keeping on top of overdue accounts is vital for cashflow. There are some easy things you can put in place today to […]

Your company culture is founded on the norms, values and working environment you create within your business – and a positive culture can directly drive your bottom line. Companies with an effective culture perform 20-30% better than ‘culturally unremarkable’ competitors, according to research by Harvard Business School professor and writer, James Hecket. Why? Because in […]

A ‘she’ll be right’ attitude towards health and safety won’t cut it. You’ve got to make a conscious decision to be safe and get everyone in your team thinking about health and safety every step of the way. Here are a few ways to do this effectively: Get real. Sit down as a team (including […]

Top tips for working ON your business in 2019 When you’re head down in the day-to-day running of your business, it’s hard to know what needs to be done behind the scenes to ensure future success. You don’t have to set aside an entire day to get all your planning, accounting and networking done. Do […]

A Q&A with Mike Stephens, General Manager, Primary ITO Struggling to recruit ambitious workers? Find out how two new apprenticeships, developed by Primary ITO and Federated Farmers, could help you tackle your skill shortage. How does the Federated Farmers Apprenticeship Dairy work?We match apprentices to relevant farms where they can ‘earn while they learn’, develop their skills on-job and grow their […]

Sustainable business practices are good for the planet and its people, but can you make money from it? Here are three of the 2019 Ballance Farm Environment Award winners, who say – yes you can. For Dannevirke’s Simon and Trudy Hales, being sustainable is about future-proofing their 970ha beef and sheep farm near Weber. As the fourth generation […]

In an increasingly disrupted world, the laws surrounding consumer processes sometimes need to play catch up. From 1 December 2019, overseas businesses selling low-value goods to consumers in New Zealand may need to register for, collect and return NZ Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 15% on goods valued at or below $1,000. Low-value goods […]