Waikato Business News October/November 2020

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS October/November 2020
3
From the editor
Kia ora.
At the start of
October I viewed via
Facebook a Waikato Māori
economic summit. It included
economist Ganesh Nana
talking like I’ve never heard
an economist before - about
how comprehensively the
system has failed Māori over
the past four decades, and
how it is time to hand control
back to Māori.
“You couldn’t do any
worse than us,” Nana said.
This was chiefly in reference
to training, but with
resonance across a wider
economic range. I was particularly
taken by his suggestion
to the Reserve Bank
about what it could do with
the money it is splashing
around in an attempt to keep
the economy on its feet: Stop
baling out investors, and start
buying housing stock in order
to rent it out at reasonable
prices.
This month, using the economic
summit as a springboard,
I have talked to Māori
business owners about their
approach.
Designer Nichola Te Kiri
has built a healthy business
by meshing her love of being
creative with a single minded
focus on putting the right
building blocks in place.
Mike Jenkins from The
Instillery, meanwhile, has
been racing ahead full steam
growing his Māori tech company
and this year making it
onto the prestigious TIN 100
as well as being identified as
one to watch.
I also talked to Craig
Barrett from Te Waka, who
stressed the long-term, intergenerational
view taken by
Māori in their approach to
business. The figures suggest
the Māori economy in the
Waikato region has ground to
make up, and it was great to
talk to some of those who are
bringing the kind of approach
Barrett suggests.
“We are resilient. And we
have the concept of mana
motuhake and rangatiratanga
- that we will determine our
own future,” he said.
As Nichola Te Kiri said
of her cooperative approach
to doing business: “There’s
enough of the cake for all of
us to eat.”
This month I am also
delighted to introduce a new
column, The Business Edge
by business adviser Brenda
Williamson, who will be
sharing tips for small
and medium enterprises.
I asked her
to share a little
about herself for
this issue:
“I have had a very long
association with the Waikato
and I am so proud to be part
of the team of 400,000! I
enjoy the best of both worlds
as I live on a hill country
farm situated between Hamilton
and Raglan and work
in my business advisory
practice, based in Hamilton.
I sidestep academic theory
and corporate speak wherever
possible, instead focusing
on practical solutions
for small and medium sized
businesses. As a co-driver
for a NZ rally team, I know
how important teamwork
is, how to manage
stress and how to
get results.”
Brenda’s first
column is on
page 5.
PUBLISHER
Deidre Morris
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EDITOR
Richard Walker
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ELECTRONIC FORWARDING
“We often think online buyers have a linear
journey – they search, click and buy. But the
reality is there are often many more touch
points in the journey. This journey, between
when someone is first
triggered to start looking
for a solution and when
they order a product, is
affectionately called
‘The Messy Middle’.”
- What happens when
columnist Josh Moore
buys a new tripod
- Jack Ninnes on his 50 year career
My days at WEL
are almost
finished but
it’s been good
fun - seriously
good fun. For me
it’s all about job
satisfaction. It’s what
you make of it.
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