Dec 2020 - Bay of Plenty Business News

DECEMBER 2020 VOLUME 4: ISSUE 12 

WWW.BOPBUSINESSNEWS.CO.NZ 

FACEBOOK.COM/BAYOFPLENTYBUSINESSNEWS 

HEILALA VANILLA TOPS 

TAURANGA BUSINESS AWARDS 

Overall winners Heilala Vanilla celebrate their 

awards. Photo/Salina Galvan Photography. 

Rotorua Chamber Commendation Award winners Kaitiaki Adventures. Photo/Michelle Cutelli Photography. 

For full coverage of the success 

stories of the Bay of Plenty’s leading 

businesses at this year’s awards in 

Tauranga and Rotorua, please see 

pages 3 and 10-19. 

EDITORIAL 

Tenby Powell mayoral 

resignation shakes up 

Tauranga council. 

P4 

KIWIFRUIT 

New investment fund 

kicks off. 

P5 

FRANCHISING 

Know your motivation 

for buying. 

P21

2 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS December 2020 

Your 

business’ 

network is 

important 

So we invested 

$1 billion into 

ours 

Sound fair? 

Call Shawn for a chat on 022 200 0141 

FOR KIWI BUSINESS

westpac tauranga business awards 

December 2020 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS 3 

Bay’s 

Businesses 

celebrate 

fightback 

from Covid-19 

at Westpac 

Awards 

Heilala Vanilla was named Business of the Year at the 

recent Westpac Tauranga Business Awards 2020. 

Heilala Vanilla chief executive Jennifer Boggiss with Alan Neben and Pete Wales from Bay of Plenty Business 

News. All photos from the Tauranga Westpac Business Awards 2020 were taken by Salina Galvan Photography. 

The Te Puna-based manufacturer 

and exporter of high-end vanilla 

products also picked up two 

other accolades: the Business, Digital 

& Technology Innovation Award, and 

the Manufacturing & / or Distribution 

Award, which was sponsored by Bay 

of Plenty Business News. 

Meanwhile, in the recent Rotorua 

Westpac Business Awards, Tim 

Rigter, General Manager of Red Stag 

Timber picked up the award for the 

Rotorua Business Person of the Year, 

and the Rotorua Lakeside Concert 

Charitable Trust received the Outstanding 

Contribution to Rotorua 

Award. 

n For full details of the two Bay of 

Plenty Awards events, please see 

pages 10-19. 

26 Fourth Ave 

Tauranga 

0800 225 999 

LINKBUSINESS.CO.NZ 

Large Turnover Roast Shop $599,999 

Bay of Plenty 

· All meals prepared and cooked on site 

· Meals have wide appeal, large customer base 

· Cross trained staff 

· Simple style, allows low costs 

· Great location, high foot trafc 

linkbusiness.co.nz/BOP00124 

Theresa Eagle 021 289 0949 

theresa.eagle@linkbusiness.co.nz 

Specialist Automotive $800,000 


· 2020 turnover exceeded $1.8M incl gst 

· Strong net prot of $440K+_ 

· Supplier contracts in place 

· Prole & customer base constantly expanding 

· Currently run as a managed business 

· Asking price plus stock 


Grant Jacobson 027 454 0432 

grant.jacobson@linkbusiness.co.nz 

Architectural Design $865,000 


· Longstanding, highly recognised 

· Extensive track record of quality service 

· Highly skilled, experienced team 

· Signicant earnings, conrmed forward orders 


Steve Catley 021 341 117 

steve.catley@linkbusiness.co.nz 

Award Winning Business 

$955,000 Health & Supplements $600,000 Desirable Mount Cafe 


· High demand service based business 

· Avg $500K pa to working owner 

· Well established, impressive client base 

· Training supplied 

· Includes extensive plant and equipment 

Winner 

Small Agency 

of the year 

LINK Business Brokers 


Neil Cammell 027 213 3100 

neil.cammell@linkbusiness.co.nz 

Tauranga 

· Online sales, excellent e-commerce website 

· 1 full-time working owner & 1 part-time 

working owner, net surplus approx $200K 

· Uniquely formulated health products 

· Homebased, relocate anywhere in NZ 

· Asking price plus stock approx $200K 


Camella Anselmi 027 445 4121 

camella.anselmi@linkbusiness.co.nz 

A clean sweep for LINK! 

Humbled, ecstatic, and proud to take home the 

full house of awards for our industry sector 

Winner 

Large Business 

Brokerage of the year 

LINK Ellerslie 

Winner 

Medium Business 


LINK Bay of Plenty 

Winner 

Small Business 


LINK Christchurch 

Winner 

Business Broker 

Salesperson of the Year 

Bruce Cattell 


$POA 

Mount Maunganui 

· Well-established, sort after mount location 

· Coffee sales avg 30 - 40 kgs per week 

· Sales $1M+ incl gst for YE 2020 

· Fabulous summer ahead, YTD surpassing last 

year 

· Rent is less than 5% of turnover 


Theresa Eagle 021 289 0949 

theresa.eagle@linkbusiness.co.nz 

Winner 

Business Broker 

Rising Star of the Year 

Jeff Wiley 


All LINK NZ ofces are licensed REAA08


www.bopbusinessnews.co.nz 

CONTACT INFORMATION 

PUBLISHER 

Alan Neben 

Ph: (07) 838 1333 Mob: 021 733 536 

Email: alan@bopbusinessnews.co.nz 

EDITOR 

David Porter 

Mob: 021 884 858 

Email: david@bopbusinessnews.co.nz 

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Copy/Proofs/Graphic Design 

Times Media – Clare McGillivray 

Ph: (09) 271 8067 

Email: clare@times.co.nz 

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES 

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Mob: 022 495 9248 

Email: pete@bopbusinessnews.co.nz 

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Bay of Plenty Business News has a circulation 

of 8000, distributed throughout Bay of Plenty 

between Waihi and Opotiki including Rotorua 

and Taupo, and to a subscription base. 

www.bopbusinessnews.co.nz 

Bay of Plenty Business Publications 

309/424 Maunganui Road, 

Mount Maunganui, 3116 

Bay of Plenty Business Publications specialises 

in business publishing, advertising, design and 

print media services. 

Tauranga’s future 

as a city of strategic 

importance to New 

Zealand cannot be 

left to a small group 

of petty politicians 

who have a long track 

record of hindering, 

or even worse, 

stopping progress.” 

– Tenby Powell 

From the editor 

It is with great pleasure and pride in the Bay that we bring you our 

annual Westpac Business Awards coverage for both Tauranga and 

Rotorua. We truly occupy an enviable position in New Zealand. 

We have mostly decent 

weather, the best port 

in New Zealand and 

a supportive and collaborative 

business community that produces 

a wide range of products 

and services, from smart tech 

entrepreneurs to some of the 

country’s most accomplished 

manufacturers and exporters. 

As I write this, the US is 

preparing for a presidential 

transition from Donald Trump 

– surely the least competent 

leader the country has ever 

endured – to Joe Biden, whose 

most redeeming characteristics 

at this point appear to be the 

old-fashioned virtues of practical 

experience and sanity. 

Watching the outgoing 

president’s “strike force” of 

low-quality legal buffoons 

stumbling their way through a 

succession of failed challenges 

in their attempts to overturn 

the vote has been both fascinating 

and appalling. Nothing 

so much summed up the past 

four years as Trump’s refusal 

for weeks to accord the incoming 

president the same courteous 

handover of power that he 

experienced himself at the end 

of the Obama presidency. 

His decision to throw 

“strike force” member Sidney 

Powell under the bus 

was much in keeping with his 

behaviour throughout his presidency. 

Staff members could 

typically be lauded one week, 

fired the next. Even although 

admittedly Powell managed 

to, in one observer’s words, 

“separate herself from the 

pack with conspiracy theories 

that reached nonsensical new 

heights”, her real contribution 

to the transition debacle was 

as an example of why working 

for Trump was seldom a great 

career move. 

It has been a very perplexing 

four years for all observers 

who welcome America’s 

return as a functioning western 

democracy, now better-equipped 

to help deal with 

the pandemic that is infecting 

the world. 

While Tauranga politics 

hasn’t descended to quite such 

bizarre and vitriolic depths, 

Tenby Powell’s recent resignation 

and its repercussions, have 

not done the city any favours. 

Many in the business community 

supported Powell, 

and had hopes that he would 

unplug what some see as a 

log jam in decision-making 

that has held up infrastructure 

development. It now seems 

clear that Powell’s approach 

has not been workable. 

His supporters argue that, 

from the beginning, Powell 

was opposed by several other 

councillors – several of whom 

were failed mayoral candidates. 

There was also some 

residual resentment that Powell 

had been able to return to 

Tauranga after a long period 

of absence, and had received 

a clear local mandate for the 

mayoralty. That, suggest his 

backers, essentially doomed 

him because a majority of 

councillors worked to frustrate 

his plans from the outset. 

Opponents, on the other 

hand, decried Powell as being 

high-handed and being naive 

in coming into the city and 

expecting a military style of 

leadership to work in a council 

in which he has only one vote 

and must at times encourage 

and conciliate. 

We do not at the time of 

writing know which of several 

options the government will 

take with regard to the Tauranga 

City Council. 

Council voted – with Powell’s 

casting vote – to request 

that the Minister of Local 

Government, Nanaia Mahuta, 

appoint a Crown Manager and 

Observer to assist the council 

to address the behavioural 

issues and underlying growth 

management problems. 

The Council has adopted 

a range of recommendations 

proposed by the Review and 

Observer Team – which was 

scathing about the Mayor and 

council’s inability to work 

together. The aim is to address 

elected member behaviour 

and performance and assist in 

addressing the city’s underlying 

growth and development 

issues. 

Powell said on resigning 

that Tauranga’s future as a city 

of strategic importance to New 

Zealand cannot be left to a 

small group of petty politicians 

who have a long track record 

of hindering, or even worse, 

stopping progress. 

David Porter 

As it stands, a by-election 

will be held for both the 

mayoralty and the vacancy 

created by resignation in Pyes 

Pa/Otumoetai. However, that 

will depend upon the extent to 

which the Labour government 

wishes to become involved in 

the issue. Potential contenders 

such as Greg Brownless, 

who told me he plans to contest 

both elections, said it was 

impossible to make any decisions 

on the issue until the 

government reached a decision 

on whether or not it planned to 

appoint a manager. 

It seems unlikely that the 

Single Transferable Vote structure 

adopted by council for the 

last election was a success, 

since by definition, the most 

popular candidates did not 

always win, but in some cases 

simply the least unpopular. As 

in most local body elections, 

electoral turnout is low. 

It is unlikely to improve 

unless a new council emerges 

that shows itself as being more 

inclined to collaborate and 

maintain a more civil approach 

to establishing a workable plan 

for the city’s long term future 

prosperity. 

From ballet lessons 

to university funds, 

everyone’s investment story is 

different. We can help you with yours. 

0800 272 442 / craigsip.com 

Craigs Investment Partners Limited is a NZX Participant Firm. Adviser Disclosure Statements are available on request and free of charge. Please visit craigsip.com


New kiwifruit 

investment fund kicks off 

A new investment fund targeting SunGold kiwifruit orchards is rapidly approaching its initial subscription 

target as assorted investors, growers and institutions are drawn to the fruit’s promising rate of return. 

By RICHARD RENNIE 

Origin Capital Partners 

aims to raise $50 

million in its first 

fund-raising round before 

Christmas and has an initial 

three orchards signed up to 

purchase. The investment 

company is fronted by some 

high-profile Bay kiwifruit 

identities, including ex-Zespri 

chief executive Lain Jager 

and ex-Zespri chairman Craig 

Greenlees. 

Other principals include 

current Zespri chairman Paul 

Jones and ex-banker Dominic 

Jones, who has recently 

returned from the UK to head 

up the group’s funding process. 

Jones said in contrast to 

some syndication schemes, the 

Origin Capital model involves 

first raising the capital, then 

going into the property market 

to source suitable orchard 

investments, rather than raising 

funds on a deal-by-deal 

basis. 

Known as a “committed 

fund” model, this offered better 

access to debt, which could 

be secured over the property 

purchased. It also meant the 

fund could move more quickly 

on properties as they became 

available, rather than identifying 

a property, then having 

to go to market to source the 

funds on a deal-by-deal basis. 

Jones said the group was 

already well on its way to raising 

the $50 million targeted 

in its first funding tranche, 

and had unconditional offers 

in play on two orchards and a 

third orchard site in play. 

Low interest rates 

fuelling demand 

He said the low deposit rate 

environment most investors 

faced right now was spurring 

increased interest, given Sun- 

Gold orchards can return from 

10-13 percent in cash returns 

per annum. 

“And gold kiwifruit are 

hard to replicate elsewhere,” 

he said. 

“You have a fruit that has a 

high market value, supported 

by an industry structure with 

a single marketer, and a co-operative 

structure for growers. 

New Zealand is proving the 

best place to grow this fruit in 

the world.” 

Jones said the principals 

had been concerned when the 

fund was first mooted in March 

that the global pandemic might 

affect the fund, but investors’ 

appetite for sector investment 

had not been dampened. 

Zespri has enjoyed surging 

on-line sales of the SunGold 

fruit in China particularly, as 

consumers seek out health-giving, 

easily consumed fruit 

products in response to the 

threat of Covid-19. 

The ability of SunGold to 

grow over a relatively wider 

climatic zone than Green kiwifruit 

has added to the fruit’s 

flexibility, and Jones said he 

anticipated the group would 

have about 65 percent of its 

orchard portfolio based in the 

Bay of Plenty, with the rest 

spread between Northland and 

Gisborne. 

About 85 percent of the 

industry’s fruit is sourced from 

the Bay of Plenty. 

Plans to expand the fund 

Longer term, the fund group 

has a wider portfolio in mind, 

with its second offering targeting 

a $100 million fund raise, 

and a third targeting $250 

million. 

Jones said investor interest 

has ranged from smaller retirees 

seeking to put in $100,000, 

to larger investment groups 

with several million, and 

included growers wanting to 

expand their investment in the 

sector. 

Each tranche of fundraising 

could be matched dollar for 

dollar with a debt provision, 

and 50 percent debt was not 

unusual in the sector, Jones 

said. 

By 2030, the group is aiming 

to be New Zealand’s leading 

provider of premium primary 

sector investments. 

The group is confident the 

Dominic Jones 

You have a fruit that has a high market value, 

supported by an industry structure with a 

single marketer, and a co-operative structure 

for growers. New Zealand is proving the best 

place to grow this fruit in the world.” 

 

– Dominic Jones 

growth in licensed area for 

growing SunGold will continue 

after the remaining two 

years’ worth of licences have 

been tendered. 

“[Zespri] have not put a 

position in the ground beyond 

that, other than that they 

expect a further 2000 ha over 

the following four years,” he 

said. “We have three years to 

spend what we raise.” 

The Zespri licences for 

SunGold reached record 

heights in this year’s tender 

round, selling for $400,000 per 

ha, well up on the $290,000 a 

year before. 

Jones said the main constraint 

for green fields kiwifruit 

conversions was water 

access, and issues around 

labour tended to be very seasonal 

in nature. 

Typically, the group was 

seeking orchards with scale 

to them and that were either 

already in SunGold production, 

about to be grafted to 

SunGold, or offering a site for 

establishment. 

Operations could be run 

by a third-party management 

group, or if running successfully, 

they would be left as they 

were. 

“The sector continues to 

perform outstandingly really 

and if the world continues to 

look like it does now, Zespri is 

likely to continue to roll out its 

licences.”


Defensive options 

in New Zealand 

Investment market update (for the quarter ended 31 Oct, 2020) 

WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR MONEY 

> BY BRETT BELL-BOOTH 

Investment Adviser with Forsyth Barr Limited in Tauranga, and 

an Authorised Financial Adviser. Phone (07) 577 5725 or 

email brett.bell-booth@forsythbarr.co.nz. 

October capped off a 

good quarter for the 

New Zealand equity 

market, with the earnings 

reporting season signalling 

better than expected results for 

many companies. 

The government’s relative 

success in navigating 

the Covid-19 pandemic was 

rewarded in October’s election. 

The shift by centre-right 

voters towards Jacinda Ardern’s 

Labour Party resulted 

in the first one-party majority 

government in New Zealand 

since the first MMP election 

in 1996. This clear-cut win and 

its political ratification of a 

more centralist policy platform 

would likely have comforted 

most investors. 

Inflation data for September 

quarter was lower than 

expected at +1.4 percent, boosting 

expectations the RBNZ 

will likely ease financial conditions 

even further. Investors’ 

search for income provided 

further support for defensive 

dividend yield stocks including 

listed property, which had a 

very strong quarter. 

A strong housing 

market flow benefits the 

economy 

In addition to stock markets, 

another beneficiary of 

ultra-low interest rates is the 

housing sector. Around the 

world, house sales, prices, 

and construction demand have 

all recovered strongly. The 

importance of housing to the 

broader economy should not be 

underestimated. 

Increased housing activity is 

reflected in areas such as retail, 

manufacturing, and transport. 

Stronger house prices and 

the positive wealth effect for 

homeowners boosts consumer 

sentiment and retail sales. It 

supports stronger construction 

activity, and demand for 

durable goods such as house 

furnishings. This has all contributed 

to the better-than-expected 

resilience of economies 

this year. 

Learning to live with 

Covid-19 

To date, activity in the global 

economy has exhibited a 

V-shaped recovery in areas 

such as housing sales, construction, 

retail sales, and manufacturing. 

Many companies in 

New Zealand and offshore are 

experiencing better-than-expected 

outcomes, which is 

translating through to better 

employment demand. 

The recovery may face 

a setback over the next few 

months as the latest wave of the 

pandemic sweeps back through 

the Northern Hemisphere. 

However many businesses and 

economies have adapted to live 

with the virus. 

The “working from home” 

theme is becoming an, at least 

semi permanent, theme in 

many economies, with numbers 

of people moving out of 

the cities and into the suburbs. 

While many countries are 

seeing new virus cases hitting 

new highs, hospitalisations and 

deaths are at a fraction of levels 

seen earlier in the year. 

The risk of most economies 

being completely shut down 

again is low. There also continues 

to be a number of vaccine 

prospects in late-stage human 

trials – the potential for a treatment 

being available at some 

stage in 2021 remains reasonable. 

Investors should be confident 

that, in general, the trough 

in earnings is behind us, and a 

recovery is underway. 

Uncertainty still ahead, 

but stick to the plan 

The commentary above all 

sounds pretty positive. And 

clearly equity markets have 

responded favourably. But 

these remain unprecedented 

times. 

We’re still navigating the 

first global pandemic in over 

a century. Interest rates are the 

lowest in history, which may 

lead to economic imbalances 

longer-term. 

Governments are spending 

money with abandon, funded 

largely by central banks printing 

money, but this can’t last 

forever. 

Given the recovery in 

equity market values since 

March, we note that: 

1. Markets are able to remain 

resilient in the face of bad 

news. 

2. Share prices reflect the 

long-term earnings companies 

will generate over the 

years and decades ahead, 

not just the next six to 12 

months. 

3. It’s not possible to consistently 

time or predict 

short-term movements in 

markets. 

Overall, it’s important to 

establish and remain committed 

to an investment plan that 

meets your longterm goals. 

This column is general in 

nature and is not personalised 

investment advice. 

This column has been prepared 

in good faith based on 

information obtained from 

sources believed to be reliable 

and accurate. Disclosure 

Statements for Forsyth Barr 

Authorised Financial Advisers 

are available on request 

and free of charge. 

Clean Sweep for LINK at 

Annual REINZ Awards 

ADVERTORIAL 

LINK celebrated another incredible evening with six wins at the 2020 REINZ Awards. 

For the fifth year in a row LINK were awarded Large Business Broking Office of the 

Year! On top of this, LINK won all available awards for the business brokerage industry. 

With the year it’s been, 

LINK truly appreciates 

these successes and the 

people behind it all – an exceptional 

way to the end the year. 

Aaron Toresen, LINK’s chief 

executive officer, was excited to 

share the evening with the team. 

“While 2020 has been extraordinary 

for lots of reasons, our performance 

at this year’s REINZ awards 

was nothing short of sensational. 

“Winning every category against 

our competitors in this marketplace 

was a very welcome reminder of 

the great company we are all part 

of. ” 

Among the 41 awards that 

were presented, LINK won: 

• Large Business Brokerage of the 

Year – LINK Ellerslie 

• Medium Business Brokerage of 

the Year – LINK Bay of Plenty 

• Small Business Broker of the 

Year – LINK Christchurch 

• Small Agency of the Year (All 

Disciplines) – LINK Business 

Brokers 

• Business Broker Salesperson of 

the Year – Bruce Cattell, LINK 

Ellerslie 

• Business Broker Rising Star 

of the Year – Jeff Wiley, LINK 

Ellerslie 

LINK Directors and team representatives at REINZ Awards. Photo/REINZ 

• Finalists also included: 

• Medium Business Brokerage of 

the Year – LINK North Shore 

• Business Broker Salesperson 

of the Year – Lindsay Sandes, 


• Business Broker Salesperson of 

the Year – Martin Plom, LINK 

Ellerslie 

• Business Broker Rising Star of 

the Year – Steve Catley, LINK 


Bindi Norwell, chief executive 

at REINZ says: “Every year 

we have a significant number of 

high-calibre entries, many of whom 

have won their own local or agency 

awards making for some extremely 

tough competition. 

“It has been great to be able to 

come together and celebrate success 

from across the country. To 

win one of these awards is to be the 

best of the best, and that is a noteworthy 

achievement. 

With a growing reputation for 

the highest level of customer service, 

LINK has become the most 

trusted brokerage focusing on service, 

value and integrity. The team 

at LINK is proud of the company’s 

history and is committed to continuing 

the tradition of selling businesses, 

as only LINK can. 

Aaron Toresen said “Whether 

a member of our administration 

team, marketing, finance, management 

or of course the brokers – who 

make it all happen – every member 

of LINK can be enormously proud 

of this achievement. 

“Winning any award when 

pitched against your competitors 

is a great moment, but to have 

a clean sweep of every business 

broking category was the ultimate 

validation. It takes real teamwork 

to achieve results like this and my 

deepest thanks go to every person 

who makes up part of this special 

group.” 

LINK’s size and reach mean that 

its brokers have the opportunity to 

utilise their knowledge, experience 

and connections to successfully 

sell any business. “We have the 

best brokers in the business; from 

the rising star (and the runner up!) 

to the broker earning the most in 

New Zealand (and the runners up!) 

to each category size of office and 

even an all disciplines award…this 

was a defining moment for LINK. 

“With the world changing, 

LINK’s business model has 

returned to a focus on NZ, so rest 

assured the best is yet to come” 

says Toresen.


To consumer or 

not to consumer 

You don’t need me to tell you that it’s been an extraordinary year… 

Covid-19, the whole country working from home, several high-profile 

data security breaches, Privacy Law changes, general elections, and 

Australia and Argentina beating the All Blacks. This year has certainly 

had its trials. 

But, as businesses, we 

have learned a lot as 

well. Probably the main 

shift that we have all seen has 

been the move to a more flexible 

workforce. 

Whether we like it or not, 

widespread remote working is 

here to stay. For a number of 

years there has been a massive 

focus on mobile working. 

Ironically, thanks to the 

pandemic, we may now actually 

be “on the move” less. 

For many, our homes have 

now become our workplaces 

and offices are emptier than 

they were before, or are being 

shared. 

As we move away from 

constant mobility, and with 

more businesses embracing 

video conferencing, and measuring 

productivity through 

outcomes rather than time 

spent in the office, personal 

computer (PCs) sales have 

increased, whereas mobile 

device sales have slumped. 

A Recent IDC New Zealand 

report shows commercial 

PC sales jumped up a massive 

61.5 percent from last year and 

worldwide mobile phone sales 

dropped 12 percent in the first 

quarter this year. Businesses 

and schools sent people home 

to study and work. The Ministry 

of Education handed out 

17,000 notebooks to students 

studying online, and product 

lines ran out. 

Computer makers used up 

stock in weeks that would normally 

take months. 

The requirement to technically 

tool up our workforce 

to enable them to work from 

home has brought with it a new 

set of challenges and options 

for businesses and organisations 

to consider. 

To ensure you support your 

workforce and protect your 

business, it’s important that 

your choice of IT equipment 

and technical set up, firstly, 

works for you, and, secondly, 

does not compromise you from 

a security perspective. Far too 

often we have conversations 

with businesses having issues 

with IT set ups and security 

inconsistencies purely based 

on the hardware and licensing 

decisions being made. 

One of the main issues 

is the purchase of consumer 

grade products for commercial 

use. Consumer-based products 

can look great, but the clue is 

in the name – they are made 

for consumer/domestic use – 

not business. 

So what are the fundamental 

differences and why should 

you buy business-grade technology 

for businesses? 

Home v pro, business 

and personal 

Licensing for operating system 

(e.g. Windows) and office 

products are different for 

home use. There are different 

end user licence agreements 

(EULAs) for these and one 

key element is that you should 

not be using personal or home 

licenses for generating an 

income. 

But even more important 

is the security, integration and 

business functionality you 

get with the correct licensing, 

especially if needing to 

connect to a remote office or 

headquarters. 

What’s in a laptop? 

Business laptops typically 

cost 10 to 20 percent more 

than consumer laptops with 

similar hardware features, 

but the premium is a smart 

investment. 

Business laptops have key 

advantages and are made with 

commercial use in mind. 

• They are more robust and 

made to go in and out of 

bags everyday and to work 

eight hours-plus per day. 

• They have options to connect 

to multiple screens, 

docking stations and wireless 

connectivity are easier. 

• Their business grade software 

has features that 

make it easier to manage, 

TECH TALK 

> BY TONY SNOW 

Tony Snow is chief executive and co-founder of Stratus Blue. He 

can be contacted at Tony@stratusblue.co.nz. 

connect to the network, 

and has enhanced security 

options. 

• They have a longer lifespan 

due to swappable components 

and configuration 

options – unlike consumer 

models. 

• Due to the longer expected 

lifespan they also come 

with longer warranties and 

preferential treatment from 

suppliers – like getting a 

replacement machine while 

yours is getting fixed. 

Desktop PCs in the 

future? 

As we are moving less, desktop 

PCs are coming back into 

fashion, not just because the 

gamers are taking this option, 

but also because they have 

real advantages. 

• PCs last much longer than 

consumer laptops. 

• They are easier to upgrade 

or to replace components. 

• It’s harder to break or drop 

a desktop – even the micro 

or mini versions. 

• You tend to get a lot more 

for the same money as a 

laptop. As a rule of thumb, 

a $2000 desktop will have 

better features than a 

$3000 laptop. 

If your staff are moving 

less and most of the computing 

may be done in one location, 

it is worth discussing 

all hardware and licensing 

options with your IT provider. 

Emotions do not improve business 

communication 

In my time in the debt collection and dispute mediation industry I 

have had many instances where we step into a dispute that has 

been literally raging for 12 months with personal insults and at times 

threats or even instances of violence only for us to step into the fray 

and have the whole dispute resolved and paid within hours. The 

client asks us in amazement: “ How the heck did you get that so and 

so to back down and pay?” 

We often find the source of the aggression and anger 

comes from both parties’ inability to see past what 

they believe is happening and discuss what has 

actually gone on that led to the disputes. 

CREDIT CONTROL 

> BY NICK KERR 

Nick Kerr is Area Manager BOP for EC Credit Control NZ Ltd. 

He is also a director of International Private Investigations Ltd. 

Nick can be reached at nick.kerr@eccreditcontrol.co.nz 

There is no magic trick or 

special talent, it is simply 

that we are trained 

to de-escalate the situation 

by removing the emotion – 

and therefore the emotional 

response. 

Once the emotion is 

removed you are left with facts. 

And as well-known American 

political commentator Ben 

Shapiro says: “Facts don’t care 

about your feelings.” 

An analogy of this, is water 

spilling on someone. If Mr X is 

walking down the street after 

having a few of his favourite 

beverages at the local tavern 

and a big fat raindrop falls 

on his shoulder he will most 

likely brush off the water and 

get on with his travels. 

Let’s now put Mr X back 

in the tavern putting his best 

efforts into impressing Miss R 

with witty repartee and smooth 

dance moves. 

During a particularly 

impressive move, Mr G bumps 

into Mr X and spills a small 

amount of water on him. This 

time Mr X reacts with anger 

and pushes Mr G, starting a bar 

brawl resulting in injuries and 

a few arrests. 

You see the problem in the 

outlandish scenario above is 

not the water spilling – it is the 

perceived disrespect bestowed 

and the perceived embarrassment 

suffered. The same factors 

apply to many other personal 

and business disputes. 

Once we get a chance to 

sit down with both parties in a 

dispute, we often find that the 

source of the aggression and 

anger comes from both parties’ 

inability to see past what they 

believe is happening and discuss 

what has actually gone on 

that led to the disputes. 

“I didn’t understand that the 

extra work I asked for would 

cost that much” – turns into 

“you are a ripoff artist that 

tried to con me.” 

And “I really didn’t budget 

for the extras that I needed as I 

didn’t even think that I would 

need them” turns into “this bottom-feeding 

customer is trying 

to ruin my business that I have 

spent 20 years building.” 

If the conversation was 

begun calmly, with both sides 

acknowledging a mistake had 

been made, and a plan was 

made to rectify the problem as 

soon as it was noticed, then 

the emotions around the fear, 

embarrassment and frustration 

would not even occur. And 

before you knew it, the whole 

situation would be resolved. 

As humans, we can be a 

reactive and emotional bunch, 

but there are a few things that 

you can do to avoid the emotional 

escalation of disputes. 

1. Focus on the facts not on 

feelings or opinions in any 

communication. 

2. Use the three-draft method: 

in the first draft, write 

using the most extreme 

emotions, strong language, 

insults etc you can come 

up with. Download every 

raw emotion into words, 

then once you have finished, 

press DELETE. In 

your second draft, write a 

still emotional, but more 

fact-based and polite message 

and again, once finished 

push DELETE. In 

the third version, write only 

about facts and suggestions 

of what could be done to 

rectify the situation. Only 

then do you press SEND. 

Using this method you can 

get out all of the frustration 

off your chest and still 

keep your composure and 

professionalism. 

3. And if you feel that the positions 

held by both parties 

are too far away to come 

together or if de-escalation 

does not seem possible – 

especially if the dispute 

involves large amounts or 

key relationships – then use 

a third-party mediator. 

Just a thought. 

As always, this is not meant 

to be prescriptive or legal 

advice.


Embracing new ways to 

work – Suburban desk talk 

The way we access and use workplaces 

was already undergoing change prior to 

the pandemic outbreak, but the global 

health crisis has accelerated some of 

those trends in the office sector. 

Advances in technology, 

a more diverse workforce, 

a flight to quality, 

the importance of global 

marketplaces and changing 

expectations around property 

requirements, were all having 

an impact on the space that 

companies and office-based 

operators were committing to. 

There was never a “one 

size fits all” template in the 

office market. However, what 

is becoming clear is that businesses 

that embrace new ways 

of working, are flexible, and 

leverage technology, will 

thrive in the post-Covid-19 

economy. 

Those businesses with a core + flex 

model in place, will be able to have 

different teams working safely from 

different premises for a far more efficient 

use of time and resources should other 

disrupting events occur in the future.” 

– Lloyd Budd 

The work-from-home mandate 

saw office workers plugging 

in from widespread locations, 

and since then, there has 

been serious reconsideration 

about where employees could 

be based going forward, with 

CBD premises not necessarily 

being the sole answer. 

Opting to positively 

fragment footprint 

This emphasis on having a 

more distributed workforce is 

a trend being seen globally and 

in New Zealand, as corporates 

and larger businesses opt to 

positively fragment their physical 

space footprint beyond the 

usual centralised head office 

model. 

Lloyd Budd, Bayleys’ 

director Auckland Commercial 

& Industrial, believes that 

the way offices are designed, 

how occupancy costs are 

approached, and this evolving 

distributed workforce model 

will structurally change office 

space dynamics and the suburbs 

will take on new meaning. 

“Larger companies and 

businesses with scale are proactively 

looking to the core + 

flex model of office space with 

a consolidated central location 

supported by smaller satellite 

flexible spaces in the suburbs 

that can expand and contract to 

cater for varying staffing and 

work flows,” he said. 

“Those businesses with a 

core + flex model in place, will 

be able to have different teams 

working safely from different 

premises for a far more efficient 

use of time and resources 

should other disrupting events 

occur in the future. 

“Many office-based businesses 

operate on a project 

basis rather than an office 

hours basis, and so can accommodate 

flexible ways of working 

in the suburbs – with one 

upside being fewer cars making 

the commute in and out of 

CBDs.” 

n Courtesy of Bayleys Workplace 

Insights https://www. 

bayleys.co.nz 

ALTOGETHER 

At Bayleys, we believe relationships are what businesses are built on and how they 

succeed. We understand that to maximise the return on your property you need: 

Professional property management 

A business partner that understands your views and goals 

Contact the Bayleys Tauranga Commercial Property Management team today. 

Bayleys Tauranga 

Commercial Property Management 

07 579 0609 

jan.cooney@bayleystauranga.co.nz 

SUCCESS REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008 

ALTOGETHER BETTER 

Residential / Commercial / Rural / Property Services


Welcome to summer! 

Summer is just around the corner and so 

is the sizzling line-up of Summer events at 

Trustpower Baypark. 

Bring People Dancing is 

about connecting people 

through positive experiences 

and setting future goals 

that let those with mental illness 

know they are not alone. 

New Zealand – its time to 

chat, it’s time to korero. No 

more sweeping under the carpet, 

no more stigma. Tauranga 

will open the conversation… 

and right now, in this country, 

we need to talk more than ever. 

Join mental health advocates 

Sir John Kirwan and 

Mike King on December 12. 

Take in the superb sounds of 

kiwi sensations: Mitch James, 

Alayna, Thomas Oliver, Dan 

Sharp and more, with amazing 

production to match. Let’s 

chat, let’s bring people dancing 

and let’s make a difference. 

Speedway 

Speedway Season is now in 

full swing. Upcoming summer 

dates for all adrenaline junkies 

are December 5, 26, 29, January 

5, 8, 9, 16, 29 and 30. 

To enjoy watching the races 

in style, we have a number of 

Corporate Boxes available to 

comfortably entertain your 

guests. 

With the box you get an 

exclusive, spacious and comfortable 

box with an outdoor 

balcony for up to 20 guests, 

full kitchen facilities and 

fridge. 

A corporate box also offers 

ongoing inbox bar service 

with dedicated catering stewards, 

along with a high quality 

catering service delivered 

to your box. Please contact 

us on events@bayvenues. 

co.nz or 07 577 8560 for more 

information. 

Bay Dreams 

As we look forward to Bay 

Dreams on January 3, 2021, 

we reflect on the most unpredictable 

year of our lives – 

2020 has truly brought it all. 

Due to the changing international 

travel restrictions 

around Covid-19, we have 

called in 30 more acts to give 

you the summer you deserve, 

including a few of the biggest 

international DNB (Drum ‘N 

Bass) and hip hop artists we 

could convince to quarantine, 

plus many kiwi legends. 

Exemptions for these artists 

have been approved by the 

government. 

In true Bay Dreams fashion, 

we are proud to present 

you with the biggest international 

line-up in the country 

again this summer. 

Colour Dash 

Bring some colour to your 

summer and register for the 

Colour Dash on January 24. 

This is a 5km non-competitive 

fun run – or walk – for people 

of all ages where participants 

are splashed with a hurricane 

of special colourful dust at 

each kilometre. Every registrant 

gets: a free t-shirt, a bag 

of colour and an explosion of 

fun. 

Bay Dreams 

Macky Gee 

Smashing through the barriers 

of the conventional and carving 

a path for himself, Macky 

Gee has turned the heads of 

some of the industries biggest 

players; to become one of the 

most promising and spectacular 

artists in DNB music today. 

From weekly radio shows 

to playing gigs around the UK 

and Europe, Macky wanted to 

carry on building on this creative 

vibe and soon found himself 

going to college to study 

Music Production learning 

his craft and honing his studio 

skills to give him both the 

desired confidence and knowledge 

to push forward making 

his own original tracks which 

would eventually change the 

sound of DNB. Macky will be 

performing on January 31. 

Premier conference 

venue 

Trustpower Baypark is Tauranga’s 

Premier Venue for conferences, 

meetings, entertainment 

and exhibitions. Offering a 

complete package in one convenient 

location that features 

state of the art meeting rooms, 

in-house catering, audio visual 

services, professional conference 

organiser (PCO) and marketing/promotional 

services. 

New Year – New Meetings 

Trustpower Baypark are 

pleased to offer a “New Year – 

New Meetings” promotion as 

a fresh start to 2021 for all of 

your strategic planning, training 

and team building needs. 

On offer is a 25 percent 

discount for small meetings 

confirmed before 23 December 

2020 and held between 5 

January – 31 March 2021. 

The discount applies to 

Venue Rental, Audio Visual, 

Catering and Baystation and is 

subject to availability. 

Virtual meetings 

“Bring your events online” 

with our Virtual Meetings. 

The range of onsite and offsite 

services include: Remote Presentation, 

Video Conferencing, 

Web Streaming and Streamed 

Hybrid Conferences. 

The Virtual Meeting 

services also include purpose-built, 

broadcast standard 

studios and offer competitive 

packages to enable you to continue 

to stay connected to your 

audience. Ask about our competitive 

packages today. 

For more information on any events, enquiries for Trustpower Baypark venues, BayStation activities or service on/off site from BayCatering, BayAudioVisual 

or to book our New Year – New Meetings promotion visit www.trustpowerbaypark.co.nz, email events@bayvenues.co.nz or call 07 577 8560.



Heilala Vanilla wins newlook 

Westpac Business 

Awards 

Heilala Vanilla won the Business of the Year 

Award at the recent Westpac Tauranga 

Business Awards 2020, which were 

reconfigured to take into account the impact 

of Covid-19 on the region. 

n-nz 

freight 

ny/mainfreight/ 

nfreight/ 

David Maris from Trustpower, award sponsor for the Business, Digital & Technology 

Innovation Award, with chief executive, Jennifer Boggiss and Ruby Grant from Heilala Vanilla. 

The manufacturer and 

exporter of high-end 

vanilla products also 

picked up two other notable 

awards – for Business, Digital 

& Technology Innovation, 

and for Manufacturing & / or 

Distribution. 

There were significant 

changes from the usual format 

this year by Westpac Business 

Awards organisers the Tauranga 

Chamber of Commerce, 

to take into account possible 

Covid-19 disruptions and keep 

social contacts safe. 

Given that 2020 has been 

such an unusual and challenging 

year for business and the 

wider community, the Chamber 

saw this as an opportunity 

to reset a number of elements 

of the awards. Chief executive 

Matt Cowley said high on that 

list were changes to the judging 

process. 

This year the Chamber 

introduced a Head Facilitator, 

KPMG Wellington’s Sven 

Pannell, who spent a week visiting 

all the entrants and making 

an initial assessment. He 

then chaired a panel of judges 

made up of local business 

leaders in a “pitch weekend”. 

In an additional break with 

tradition, the award winners 

were announced at a Love 

Local cocktail event at Trinity 

Wharf, which showcased food 

and beverages from around 

New Zealand. 

Total attendance numbers 

were smaller than usual to 

take into account the need for 

crowd distancing measures. 

Cowley said he was 

delighted to see the business 

community come together and 

support local success in what 

had been a tough year. 

“This year was not necessarily 

about huge profits and 

major growth, but more about 

our people, the way everyone 

has worked to come through 

the challenges presented to us 

and how we supported each 

other to achieve this,” he said. 

Sven Pannell spent a full 

week visiting all the entrants 

and making an initial assessment, 

before chairing a judging 

panel of local business 

leaders in a ‘pitch weekend’. 

While the pitch process was 

daunting for some entrants, the 

judges said it was a valuable 

and insightful exercise for 

them. The judges then had a 

vigorous discussion to land 

on this year’s finalists, winners 

and the Westpac Tauranga 

Business of the Year. 

The judges said the section 

process was challenging, but 

despite the problems of 2020, 

there was a very high standard 

of entrants. 

“It’s been an unprecedented 

year for businesses in the Bay 

and across New Zealand,” said 

Pannell. 

“It has required business 

leaders to dig deep into their 

emotional and, often, financial 

reserves. It’s also provided 

a range of opportunities for 

those with the capability, resilience 

and preparedness to take 

THANK YOU WESTPAC, THE TAURANGA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO. 

WE LOVE BEING A PART OF THE BAY AND ARE COMMITTED TO KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY MOVING FORWARD. 

We are proud to be the recipient of the 

2020 Westpac Tauranga Business Awards 

Corporate Leadership Award 

MAINFREIGHT 

3 Te Kakau Place (off Truman Lane) 

Kairua, Papamoa 3175, New Zealand 

Phone 07 574 0950 

www.mainfreight.com 

facebook.com/mainfreight 

instagram.com/mainfreight 

twitter.com/mainfreight 

linkedin.com/company/mainfreight



Corporate Leadership winners Mainfreight. 

them, so there were a lot of 

positive stories emerging from 

the finalists this year.” 

‘Bean to bottle’ creators 

Overall winners Heilala 

Vanilla operate a “bean to bottle” 

process that grew out of an 

aid project in Tonga started by 

founder John Ross. 

Unique to the market, their 

main competitors are synthetic 

products, while Heilala Vanilla 

is pure, grown and dried in 

Tongan. It is a highly scientific, 

unrefined process (cold 

pressed, slow extract), and 

Heilala Vanilla is constantly 

innovating, creating new products 

from the base product. 

Heilala Vanilla chief executive 

Jennifer Boggis told Bay 

of Plenty Business the awards 

were a great validation for the 

company’s strategy. 

“It’s great to get the confirmation 

from the judges that 

we’re on the right track,” she 

said. “And it’s great to get 

local recognition – it was a real 

boost to the team.” 

Because of Covid-19, the 

company hadn’t been able 

to travel to Tonga, where its 

vanilla is grown. But they 

were delighted at being able 

to successfully complete the 

harvest. “We’ve been operating 

there for 15 plus years and 

we’ve built up strong trusting 

relationships – it was a real 

testament to the Tongan team.” 

Sven Pannell said Heilala 

Vanilla continued to innovate, 

and the panel was excited to 

see what was in store for the 

team. 

The company also has a 

considered focus on corporate 

social responsibility. Heilala 

Vanilla’s mission is to build a 

better future for the people of 

Tonga, and through this, the 

world. The company has built 

a partnership with the Tongan 

King and the local community 

of farmers, who all grow and 

process the vanilla beans. 

In a population of 200,000, 

they employ more than 200 

women and are projected to 

support more than 1000 families 

by 2025. 

“[We] felt that Heilala 

Vanilla has many of the characteristics 

we see in New 

Zealand’s highest performing 

businesses,” said Pannell. 

“[The company has] a deep 

understanding of their global 

customers, what they care 

about and how to reach them; a 

focused and planned approach 

to international expansion; and 

a deeply-held purpose to transform 

the future of their vanilla-growing 

partners in Tonga.” 

Mainfreight – which 

recently opened an impressive 

new eco-friendly base in Tauranga 

– was recognised this 

year for its Corporate Leadership. 

While they move freight 

around the world, Mainfreight 

also maintains a strong local 

connection to their community, 

the judges said. 

The Kollective – TK won 

the Social Enterprise Award. 

It is New Zealand’s largest 

co-working space and is dedicated 

to the success of notfor-profit, 

social enterprise and 

charitable organisations. 

PMG Funds, which specialises 

in funds invested in the 

commercial property sector, 

received the Service Excellence 

Award, with chief executive 

Scott McKenzie attributing 

the win to having strong 

values and a commitment to 

customers. 

“At PMG, our core values 

matter,” he said. “Our 

values help all PMG team 

members have a singular and 

united vision that guides us. 

In a pandemic environment, 

it’s culture and commitment to 

our customers that have helped 

us all get through. I feel very 

fortunate to work with such 

a clever bunch of passionate 

professionals.” 

The winner of the Emerging 

Business Award was 

Undercover Industries, started 

Continued on page 13

12 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS December 2020



The Kollective won the Social Enterprise Award. 

Undercover Industries won the Emerging Business Award. 

From page 11 

by Gavyn and Shannon Burns 

in 2015. The company emphasises 

precision in creating a 

range of pergolas, awnings and 

shade covers. 

Flatwhite café and restaurant 

in Waihi Beach won the 

Sustainable Business Award, 

Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology 

received the Customer 

Experience Award, and Barrett 

Homes took out the ACC 

Workplace Safety Award. 

Two new awards 

This year also saw the introduction 

of two new awards. 

The People & Culture Award 

asked the public to nominate 

businesses that they felt, either 

as either staff or customers, 

demonstrated a great culture 

within. The nominated businesses 

then went out for public 

voting. 

The Chamber said the inaugural 

award received a huge 

response with winner Mount 

Skin & Body receiving just 

over a third of the total votes. 

The other new award was 

the Continuous Improvement/ 

Lean Award, which recognises 

the need for companies to be 

improving processes and systems 

to gain the productivity 

benefit. 

Award criteria said this 

could be through small incremental 

bites or with a breakthrough 

development. 

The inaugural winner of the 

award was Bake Shack, which 

makes and distributes between 

10,000 to 15,000 pies every 

day, which are then delivered 

throughout New Zealand. 

The company was constantly 

looking for ways to 

improve the process, while 

maintaining their high quality, 

the judges said. 

“This year’s entrants came 

in all shapes and sizes, but in 

their DNA is a set of common 

traits of high performance,” 

said Pannell. 

“Among these is a relentless 

desire to deliver value to 

their customers and people, 

coupled with the continuing 

motivation to be better tomorrow 

than they are today. 

“What’s been particularly 

impressive is the extent to 

which businesses are actively 

supporting their people and 

their communities. 

“It’s clear to me that being 

a business in the Bay means 

something special - that it is 

both a privilege and a responsibility. 

We wish all applicants 

and finalists a successful 

2021.” 

Westpac Tauranga Area 

Commercial Manager, Clare 

Basire congratulated the 

winners. 

“We’ve been amazed by 

the resilience and innovation 

of businesses big and small, 

who have connected with their 

customers and communities, 

overhauled their operations 

and adapted to the ‘new normal’ 

in a matter of weeks and 

months.” 

WINNERS OF THE ‘EMERGING BUSINESS’ 

AWARD – TAURANGA BUSINESS AWARDS 2020 

STRUCTURALLY ENGINEERED 

ALUMINIUM PERGOLA SYSTEMS 

Continuous Improvement/Lean Award winners Bake Shack.



Toi Ohomai winners of the Customer Experience Award. 

PMG’s Dennis McMahon and Scott Mckenzie with the team’s Service Excellence Award. 

Sustainable Business Award winners Flatwhite Cafe. 

Congratulations 

to to all all the the winners 

and and participants in in 

the the 2019 2019 Westpac 

Tauranga Business 

Awards! 

Barrett Homes won the ACC Workplace Award. 

Proud Proud sponsors sponsors of the of the 

Digital Digital Innovation Innovation and Technology and Technology Award Award



Mount Skin & Body, winners of the inaugural People & Culture Award as voted by the General Public. 

MOUNT SKIN & BODY 

Skin • Body • Well-being 

WINNER OF THE INAUGURAL ‘PEOPLE AND CULTURE’ 

AWARD – TAURANGA BUSINESS AWARDS 2020 

AS VOTED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC 

Thanks Bay of Plenty 

for recognising PMG. 

Mount Skin & Body is known for its 

beautiful environment and skin changing 

facial treatments. Owner Kelly Kingston 

ensures that each team member is 

fulfilled and challenged in their work, 

feeling valued and appreciated every 

single day. The team provides an inspired 

and energised personal service to their 

clients every time. 

To experience this award 

winning business, make an 

appointment today 

TREATMENTS 

Advanced Facials 

IPL Skin 

Rejuvenation 

Collagen Induction 

Classic Beauty 

Treatments 

MOUNT SKIN & BODY 

Phone: 07 575 0777 

321 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui 3116 

www.mountskinbody.co.nz 

We are thrilled to be recognised for 

supporting our people, tenants and 

investors, while providing cash returns 

like clockwork. 

Winner 

2020 

Service 

Excellence 

Award 

Westpac Tauranga 

Business Awards 

0800 219 476 

pmgfunds.co.nz



Westpac tauranga Business AwardS 2020 

Westpac Tauranga Business of the Year 

Winner Heilala Vanilla 

Finalists PMG Funds 

Finalists Barrett Homes 

Finalists Flatwhite 

Finalists Bake Shack 

Corporate Leadership Award 

Sponsored by University of Waikato 

Mainfreight 

Manufacturing &/or Distribution Award 

Sponsored by Bay of Plenty Business News 


Finalist Bake Shack 

Finalist Barrett Homes 

Finalist Undercover Industries 

Social Enterprise Award 

Sponsored by Metro Marketing 

Winner The Kollective – TK 

Finalist Momenta 

Finalist Heilala Vanilla 

Service Excellence Award 

Sponsored by Zespri 

Winner PMG Funds 

Finalist WNT Ventures 

Finalist Flatwhite 

Finalist Momenta 

Finalist Mount Skin & Body 

Emerging Business Award 

Sponsored by Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology 

Winner Undercover Industries 

Finalist The Kollective – TK 

Sustainable Business Award 

Sponsored by EECA 

Winner Flatwhite 

Finalist The Kollective – TK 

People & Culture Award 

Sponsored by Lysaght Consultants & The Culture Co 

Winner Mount Skin & Body 


Finalist Salon One Hair & Beauty 

Customer Experience Award 

Sponsored by Holland Beckett Law 

Winner Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology 

Finalist PMG Funds 

Finalist Flatwhite 

Finalist Mount Skin & Body 

Continuous Improvement/Lean Award 

Sponsored by Ballance Agri-Nutrients and Productivity People 

Winner Bake Shack 


Finalist Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology 


Business, Digital & Technology Innovation Award 

Sponsored by Trustpower 




ACC Workplace Safety Award 

Winner Barrett Homes 


Finalist Bake Shack

westpac ROTORUA business awards 


Rotorua business awards 

celebrate resilience 

Leading businesses were acknowledged for 

their resilience and hard work throughout 

the Covid-19-disrupted year at this year’s 

Rotorua Westpac Business Awards. 

Rotorua Business Chamber 

Chief Executive 

Bryce Heard congratulated 

the 10 award winners 

and the finalists, saying the 

entries had been the strongest 

in year seen in years. 

He also thanked the judges 

for the excellent work done to 

determine the finalists and the 

winners, and to the sponsors 

whose support had allowed 

the awards to take place at 

the well-attended event at the 

Rotorua Events Centre. 

The annual awards were 

reshaped this year to reflect 

the impact of Covid-19. 

The organisers said the 

awards recognised and celebrated 

Rotorua business’ resilience 

to the trauma they were 

going through. 

This year the usual 18 categories 

were halved. 

However, the judges also 

awarded a special Chamber 

Commendation Award to 

Kaitiaki Adventures to celebrate 

a company that had 

been a finalist for the last few 

years and was recognised for 

its “continued excellence in 

business”. 

Watchdog Security winners of the Employer of the Year Award (with Brett O’Riley from the EMA). 

All Rotorua Westpac Business Awards 2020 by Michelle Cutelli Photography. 

Build Back Better Award winner Waimangu Volcanic Valley (with Leon Fourie from Toi Ohomai). 

Essential Business of the Year Award winners Rotorua Airport Limited.



Community Support/Care Award winners Piripoho Service. 

Rotorua Business Chamber team with Michelle Cutelli. 

WINNER OF THE ‘ESSENTIAL 

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR’ AWARD 

WESTPAC ROTORUA BUSINESS 

AWARDS 2020 

Appreciation Award for the Principal Sponsor Team, Westpac with 

Rotorua Business Chamber board members, Bryce Heard and Kiri Tahana. 

The Essential Business of the Year 

category recognises, thanks and 

celebrates those who supplied the 

community with “essential” goods 

and services during the lockdown, 

acknowledging the health and safety 

measures taken to protect staff, and 

how the operation benefited the 

Rotorua community. 

Rotorua Airport CEO Mark Gibb says 

that while the airport is honoured to 

have been nominated for the award, 

the win is on behalf of all Rotorua’s 

essential workers who worked through 

the lockdown period, supplying our 

community with much-needed goods 

and services. 

“It has been a year like no one could 

have predicted, and it started with 

many uncertain variables in front of us, 

but day by day we were able to tackle 

these head on”. 

“As New Zealand’s domestic flights 

all but shut down over April, our focus 

turned towards supporting essential 

air traffic and medical and emergency 

flights. Our business had to adapt 

at pace to our new world and we 

deployed our business continuity 

plan to ensure we could continue to 

operate, and our people, airport staff 

and customers, could continue to use 

the airport safely.” 

– Mark Gibb, CEO Rotorua Airport 

www.rotorua-airport.co.nz 

Red Stag Rotorua Business of the Year Award went to Tim Rigter, General 

Manager at Red Stag Timber (with Marty Verry from Red Stag Timber).



The NZME People’s Choice Award winners from Rotovegas Boxing Gym. 

Jenny Lux from Lux Organics won the 

Environmental Sustainability Award. 

The Rotorua Lakes Council Outstanding Contribution to Rotorua Award went to 

the Rotorua Lakeside Concert Charitable Trust (with Mayor Steve Chadwick). 

Kotihi Reo Consultants Anaha Hiini and Grace 

Hiini won the Bilingual Business Award. 

Westpac rotorua Business AwardS 2020 

NB: The Rotorua awards differ from some awards events in that they do not name an overall winner. 

Build Back Better Award 

Winner Waimangu Volcanic Valley 

Finalists Te Arawa Fisheries 

Finalists Speedy Signs Rotorua 

Finalists Interpine Innovation 

Finalists Glass Guys 

Finalists Hell’s Gate 

Finalists MDA Experiences 

Employer of the Year Award 

Winner Watchdog Security 

Finalists Ranolf Pharmacy 

Finalists Tamaki Māori Village 

Finalists Matai Restaurant 

Finalists Capers Café and Store 

Bilingual Business Award 

Winner Kotihi Reo Consultants 

Finalists Rotorua Lakes Council 

Finalists Te Arawa Fisheries 

Environmental Sustainability Award 

Winner 

Finalists 

Finalists 

Finalists 

Finalists 

Finalists 

Lux Organics 

VIP Realty 

Alsco 

Aura Accommodation 

Tatau Pounamu Collective 

Kaitiaki Adventures Aotearoa 

SPECIAL AWARD: 

Chamber Commendation Award 

Winner 

Kaitiaki Adventures 

Community Support/Care Award 

Winner 

Finalists 

Finalists 

Finalists 

Finalists 

Finalists 

Finalists 

Finalists 

Piripoho Service 

Rotorua Multicultural Council 

Ngati Pikiao Iwi Trust 

Te Arawa Lakes Trust 

Local Gecko Productions 

Rotorua TOP 10 Holiday Park 

Pak’nSave Rotorua 

Osbornes Funeral Directors & Advisors 

Essential Business of the Year Award 

Winner 

Finalists 

Finalists 

Rotorua Airport Limited 

Ranolf Pharmacy 

The CARE Village 

NZME People’s Choice Award 

Winner 

Finalists 

Finalists 

Finalists 

Finalists 

Rotovegas Boxing Gym 

Miss Rotorua Foundation 

Sukh Beauty 

Our House Rotorua 

SF-INK Face & Body 

Rotorua Lakes Council Outstanding 

Contribution to Rotorua Award 

Winner 

Rotorua Lakeside Concert 

Charitable Trust 

Red Stag Rotorua Business Person of the Year Award 

Winner 

Tim Rigter, General Manager, 

Red Stag Timber


CONNECTING 

BUYERS AND 

SELLERS OF 

QUALITY 

BUSINESSES 

First on the scene 

Networking photos from the recent B5 event held at The Kollective Tauranga 

by the Momenta Charitable Trust, a not-for-profit helping disadvantaged people 

to access a world of opportunities. 

Photos/Laval Photo & Video Ltd 

When is the right time to sell 

your business? Right now. 

At TABAK, we promise to guide 

you through the sales process 

with focus, integrity and 

complete confidentiality. 

1 2 3 

1 Kerry Webb, Momenta Charitable Trust and Katie Richardson, Ministry of Social Development-Greerton. 2 Kate Terry and 

Belinda, Insightfull. 3 Robin Olivier, Robust Action Coach and Matt Cowley, Tauranga Chamber of Commerce. 

FOCUS • INTEGRITY 

CONFIDENTIALITY 

4 5 6 

4 Fiona Mackenzie, The Culture Co, and Paul Khosla, ACE Consultants. 5 Lyn Trail, Surveying Services and Claire Russell, 

Thinkplus. 6 Campbell Higgins, Momenta Charitable Trust and Katie Richardson, Ministry of Social Development, Greerton. 

WHY TABAK 

INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE 

REALISTIC APPRAISALS 

7 8 

7 Dave de Graaf, Momenta Charitable Trust, Liz Davies, SociaLink and Dan Allen-Gordon, Graeme Dingle Foundation-BOP. 

8 Brian Rowney, Results Unlimited, Rachael Gemming, EY and Tony Stack, Classic Group. 

TEAM APPROACH 

PRE-QUALIFIED BUYERS 

P5177Y 

147 Cameron Road 

p. 07 578 6329 

e. tauranga@tabak.co.nz 

w. tabak.co.nz 

9 10 11 

9 Linda Giltrap, TradeNZ, Chris Turner, Balanced Success and Sam Fellows, Momenta Charitable Trust. 10 Tanya Williams, 

Ministry of Social Development-Greerton. 11 Paul Curry, Momenta Charitable Trust.


12 13 14 

12 Gordy Lockhart, The Kollective. 13 Dahl Gurdit-Singh, Nrgized Nutrition. 

14 Brad Deane, Momenta Charitable Trust. 

Motivational 

analysis required 

before buying 

There has been a significant rise in the number of people interested 

in purchasing their own franchised business in the current Covid-19 

economic and social environment. 

FRANCHISING 

> BY NATHAN BONNEY 

Nathan Bonney is a director of Iridium Partners. He can be 

reached at nathan@iridium.net.nz or 0275-393-022 

15 16 

15 Nikki Moloney, Momenta Charitable Trust and Sally Blackler, EmployNZ. 

16 Shane McConigly, CreateLeap and Sara Stewart, Momenta Charitable Trust. 

17 

17 Tim Taylor, Houston Technology and Brent Trail, Surveying Services. 

18 Paul Bateman, Momenta Charitable Trust and Kevin Kerr, TABAK Business Sales. 

19 

19 Philippa Power, Anteris and Paul Bateman, Momenta Charitable Trust. 

20 Meg Jones, The Shine Collective and Lisa Gilmour, ABC Business Sales. 

21 

18 

20 

22 

21 Kurt Macalister, Momenta Charitable Trust and Frank Hekker, Kiss IT. 

22 Keira Nesdale, Bayleys and Dale Koerner, BlueOcean. 

I 

have previously stressed the 

critical importance of potential 

franchisee entrepreneurs 

undertaking thorough due 

diligence of the opportunity, 

including engaging specialist 

advice from accountants, 

solicitors and bankers. 

We are now seeing a large 

proportion of first-time business 

owners, and as such there 

is an additional level of due 

diligence required. 

However, I’m not talking 

about the due diligence that can 

be undertaken or outsourced to 

the specialist advisors. It’s not 

an in-depth evaluation of the 

market or the brand. It is far 

more personal and closer to 

home – a self-examination of 

one’s motivations for embarking 

on a journey of franchise 

ownership. 

At the heart of this is a need 

for what I call a motivational 

analysis. A good place to start 

is with Simon Sinek’s “Start 

With Why”. Reading the book 

or just watching the 18-minute 

TedTalk will provide you with 

a general overview of why 

some are extremely successful 

when others are not. 

The same philosophy and 

approach can be applied to 

make better decisions when 

buying into a franchise system 

and create better outcomes for 

entrepreneurs. In essence you 

need to look deeply at why you 

are wanting to acquire a franchise 

business. 

Map out motivations 

By looking at the profiles of 

franchisee entrepreneurs, we 

can map out their likely motivations 

and create a matrix of 

the type of franchises or business 

that will speak to their 

“why” and help you examine 

your own motives. 

There are two most common 

profiles, so let’s look at 

the kinds of franchise formats 

that tend to suit each of these. 

The first group can be called 

“Plan B-ers”. 

This group can typically 

include the recently made 

redundant, and those returning 

to work post children. Now, 

it can also include those who 

have had a taste of self-determination 

during lockdown and 

want to go it on their own. 

Their backgrounds will be 

varied as their skillsets. What 

is common with a majority 

of Plan B-ers is inherent in 

the title – this isn’t their first 

choice, so many will be looking 

to buy a job and/or some 

security. 

For some of this group they 

will use the opportunity to 

By looking at the profiles of franchisee 

entrepreneurs, we can map out their 

likely motivations and create a matrix of 

the type of franchises or business that 

will speak to their “why” and help you 

examine your own motives.” 

make that career diversion into 

something they always wanted 

to do. However most will be 

looking at playing it safe. The 

safest and most comfortable 

path for Plan B-ers is to look at 

their core skill and experience 

sets and apply these to a franchise 

structure. 

They are usually risk 

adverse, so well-structured, 

established systems will suit 

them best. This could be systems 

designed around a professional 

service such as HR, 

accounting or perhaps property 

management, if from a professional 

background. 

Home services and or 

trade-related options may 

be sought by those from the 

trades, and perhaps retail franchises 

if they are from hospitality 

or retail backgrounds. 

Other options or systems that 

have earning guarantees or 

income protection will be very 

desirable to this group. 

The second group can be 

described as Twilighters – people 

looking towards, but not 

quite ready to retire. Three factors 

come into consideration 

with this group. 

Preservation of capital is 

usually paramount, so key 

issues include how much the 

system is to buy into, and how 

safe it is as a business. Their 

general objective is likely to 

be protecting an asset base that 

has been created over a lifetime 

of employment. 

The second consideration is 

around earnings expectations. 

Quite often, the motivation 

for Twilighters is not solely 

income, but more a desire to 

stay involved and have a business 

interest. 

The third consideration is 

much more practical – what’s 

involved with running the 

franchise, how hard is the 

work, and how much time is 

involved to run it successfully. 

Combining these three 

objectives at various volumes 

produces a match with systems 

that are generally at the lower 

investment level, and often 

those that can have hours and 

attention varied to suit. 

Alternatively, for the well 

capitalized franchisee entrepreneur, 

secure high performing 

capital systems are also 

a consideration, key factors 

being their ability to be operated 

under management and or 

the ability to on-sell. 

We have touched on just 

two of the why profiles for 

potential franchisee entrepreneurs, 

but the commonality 

with these – or any of the other 

profiles – and the key to their 

success is to understand the 

motivation for purchasing a 

franchise and seek out systems 

that are able to speak to your 

“why”.


Is your retail business ready for the 

Christmas rush? 

Getting prepped for the holiday shopping rush is about more than 

just putting some tinsel on the store-bought Christmas tree and 

offering a silly season sale. 

Christmas specials matter, 

but if you don’t 

have the basics right, 

you will be missing out on 

revenue. 

In a physical store you will 

want to ensure you have adequate 

staff to maintain good 

customer service and reduce 

queues when things get busy. 

Online, you want the product 

descriptions and photos to 

be strong and your website’s 

check-out process to be quick 

and painless. 

Catering for the unique 

context of 2020 also matters. 

That means considering what 

Covid-19 means for your 

potential buyers. 

Covid-19 and the ‘buy 

local’ movement 

For Kiwi retailers, this Christmas 

will be a little bit different 

to those in recent years. 

With overseas travel off 

the cards due to the Covid-19 

pandemic, many people are 

looking to spend their Christmas 

cash in different ways 

– whether it be buying a new 

barbeque, a boat, or eating out 

every night during a local New 

Zealand holiday. 

There’s also a heightened 

awareness among New Zealand 

consumers of the struggles 

some Kiwi businesses 

are facing as a result of the 

pandemic, and a willingness 

among many to support their 

local stores. 

If your product is locally 

made, now is the time to play 

on that by making it central to 

your brand story. Your website, 

product packaging, physical 

and online stores and social 

media accounts are all good 

places to let your customers 

know. 

Run an effective online 

store 

Online stores and digital channels 

have really come into their 

own for many New Zealand 

businesses in recent months. 

More and more New Zealanders 

are doing their shopping 

online, so it pays to make 

sure your products can easily 

be found in a Google search. 

You will also want to ensure 

you have an online store with 

great photos, helpful product 

descriptions, and user-friendly 

check-out process. 

NZ Post’s E-commerce 

Spotlight research found that 

almost 1.5 million New Zealanders 

shopped online in the 

first half of 2020, partly due 

to the Covid-19 lockdown. 

This included 172,000 Kiwis 

who shopped online for the 

first time, which helped to 

drive a 30 per cent higher total 

e-commerce spend compared 

to the same period in 2019. 

This increased familiarity with 

web stores among Kiwi shoppers 

will only see them buying 

more online in future. 

Having an online store matters 

for those selling overseas 

too. Many Kiwi businesses I 

work with that sell overseas 

have also seen a higher proportion 

of their revenue coming in 

via online channels this year as 

people in other countries try to 

avoid public spaces. 

Covid-19 may be largely 

under control in New Zealand, 

but that’s not the case in many 

other countries around the 

world. 

Finally, don’t forget to bring 

the Christmas spirit to your 

online store, as well as your 

physical one. This can be done 

through temporary changes to 

your website’s design, friendly 

Christmas messages and holiday 

season specials. 

The value of a social 

good cause 

There’s another important 

point worth considering if 

you want to tap in the psyche 

of sellers at this time of year. 

Christmas is a time of giving 

and many people are looking 

out for opportunities to contribute 

to those less fortunate 

than themselves. 

If consumers perceive that 

your product makes a positive 

contribution to society, 

or the environment, your 

chances of selling during the 

holiday period will receive a 

THE LAST WORD 

> BY JAMES HEFFIELD 

Director of Bay of Plenty marketing and PR consultancy Last 

Word. To find out more visit lastwordmedia.co.nz or email 

james@lastwordmedia.co.nz. 

jump start. This could be done 

through your manufacturing 

process, which might be more 

environmentally friendly than 

your competitors. Or perhaps 

you partner with or support 

a local charity, contributing 

a percentage of every sale to 

help support their cause. 

If you make a difference 

like this it should be well 

communicated in your promotional 

materials, as well as in 

store. Backing ethical products 

and positive causes matters 

to many consumers – perhaps 

more this year than ever 

before. 

After all, we’ve all seen the 

value of kindness and helping 

each other out in times of need 

this year. 

A most unusual year brings 

out the best in many 

As we draw near the end of 2020, we can 

reflect on what has been a most unusual 

year for all, and one that many of us would 

not have predicted, particularly not the widereaching 

effect that Covid-19 has had, not 

only us, but the entire world. 

HUMAN RESOURCES 

> BY KELLIE HAMLETT 

Kellie Hamlett is Director and Recruitment & HR Specialist, Talent 

ID Recruitment Ltd. She can be contacted on kellie@talentid.co.nz 

We can be thankful as 

many other countries 

are still in lockdown, 

and as we head into Christmas 

we have relative freedom in 

our daily activities – certainly 

something to be grateful for. 

It’s been a tough year, but 

for the most part, we’ve done 

well. Whilst there are plenty of 

casualties as a result of Covid- 

19 and the ensuing economic 

environment, there has been 

support and as tenacious Kiwis 

it’s been refreshing to see the 

true kiwi entrepreneurial spirit 

shine through. Having the ability 

to “pivot” being key. 

Reflecting on 2020, I think 

it’s a year that many of us are 

very keen to close the door on 

– but what does the coming 12 

months hold for us as employers 

moving into 2021? 

Covid-19 continues to dominate 

our landscape and unemployment 

figures are really 

starting to rise – almost doubling 

in the past three months – 

and expected to peak at around 

7.5 percent this time next year. 

As Covid-19 continues to 

ravage countries around the 

world, there are far-reaching 

effects felt throughout the business 

community. Businesses 

are continually reshaping their 

business models and as we 

head into Christmas this will 

also put pressure on those who 

are working hard to remain 

profitable. 

The lack of international 

students is also having a big 

impact on funding streams at 

tertiary education level. 

The wage subsidy band-aid 

is at an end, businesses have 

taken up the loan options available 

and now many are faced 

with the reality of reducing 

staff and operations to account 

for the Christmas and New Year 

period and potentially beyond. 

Although some sectors, 

including primary sectors, continue 

to flourish, those reliant 

on imports are dealing with 

reducing freight options putting 

pressure on supply chain and 

retailers really struggling with 

stock levels. 

There is also the reduced 

ability to source labour from 

overseas, which is affecting 

productivity in those sectors 

who rely heavily on migrants 

for seasonal operations, and 

this is also flowing into skilled 

and technical roles. 

Interestingly, it is incredibly 

difficult at present to find 

staff. With high employment 

levels, many would expect the 

opposite. 

However, it is becoming 

increasingly difficult to 

find staff for some basic level 

roles, and I suspect, talking to 

employers in other regions that 

this is the case nationwide – or 

within the regions at least. 

Kiwis are certainly not rushing 

to fill roles that would ordinarily 

have been filled by temporary 

migrant workers. 

What do employers 

face? 

So what does 2021 have in 

store for employers? Firstly, 

another raise in the minimum 

wage – this will go from $18.90 

to $20.00. 

The current minimum wage 

sits at 59 percent of the average 

wage in New Zealand which 

puts us at the highest in the 

developed world and is almost 

70% of the median wage. There 

is no doubt that this will drive 

costs higher for all. 

Broadly speaking minimum 

wages are mostly associated 

with work paid on an hourly 

rate basis – so those in retail, 

hospitality, services, tourism, 

and manufacturing. This 

comes at a time when thousands 

of roles are being disestablished 

and many businesses 

are struggling. 

A plus for the regions 

post-lockdown is that many 

families are choosing to relocate 

out of the cities – realising 

that many can work remotely 

from any location and that the 

regions potentially offer better 

lifestyle options. 

I guess there are many lessons 

to be learnt from lockdown. 

There’s no doubt that 

the house prices, pressures of 

life in the large cities and the 

desire for lifestyle change has 

seen numerous individuals and 

families choose to make our 

wonderful region home. 

We have seen a number of 

newly created roles across both 

Tauranga and Rotorua markets 

that reflect the growth of 

some of the businesses within 

our region. So it’s positive so 

note that there is some business 

confidence. 

In particular we have seen a 

number of newly created middle 

management roles come to 

the market as business owners 

recognise the need to add 

value to their current business 

operations. 

It is also refreshing to note 

that salary and benefit packages 

are competitive across the Bay 

of Plenty making it easier for 

our employers to compete for 

quality candidates nationwide. 

In summary, 2020 has been a 

year that none of us will forget. 

With unexpected challenges 

on all levels, we’ve had to be 

resilient and with the election 

behind us and another new year 

ahead, again we are fortunate in 

so many ways, and know that 

out of adversity comes strength. 

Wishing you all the very 

best for the festive season.


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› Individual tutor for each student provides mentoring, coaching and ongoing support 

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› Holistic approach to education with numerous sporting and cultural opportunities available 

› Small class sizes and innovative learning environment 

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We look forward to welcoming you and 

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Visit us at 6 Keenan Road, Pyes Pa 

Enrolments are now open for 2022 

0800 222 355 

tauranga.acgedu.com

24 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS December 2020

Dec 2020 - Bay of Plenty Business News

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