Business Innovation Growth Teamleader Sophie Wiltshier (right) provides advice to Muriel Willem from Career Focus.
Business Innovation Growth Teamleader Sophie Wiltshier (right) provides advice to Muriel Willem from Career Focus.
COMMENT
OPINION
Our business community can turn to Northland Inc as the economic development agency for Te Tai Tokerau to receive support, information, and resources. We work across agencies for our rohe, from Kaiwaka north.
The Business Innovation and Growth team provides specific and targeted advice across all industries and sectorsfor our business communities.
While Northland businesses are left waiting on alert level announcements for the upper North Island this week, we're seeing many businesses take the opportunity of a swift lockdown to carefully think about how to proceed for the remainder of the year.
Best-case, worst-case business planning is pragmatic even without a pandemic. During this period, planning how to operate at level 4, the logistics of socially distancing staff and even forward planning how your business can accommodate mask wearing are worthwhile considerations.
How your business can operate safely during an extended period of level 3, and then, potentially an even longer period at levels 2 and 1 should be worked through to set your business up for success.
Despite the challenges, it's clear that this time around our business community is indicating "we've got this".
Since the first lockdown, the Northland Inc Business Innovation and Growth (BIG) Team have helped distribute about $3 million worth of support for small to medium-sized businesses in Northland.
Delivered through the Regional Business Partner Network funding stood up in response to the pandemic, this funding includes the Tourism Transitions, Covid-19 Advisory and the Management Capability Development Fund.
The funds committed are tenfold what would otherwise be distributed to our region in one year alone and have helped business owners seek expert advice and training from service providers across a range of categories including cashflow and financial management, HR and health and safety and marketing and digital strategies.
We believe the amount of support previously delivered, together with the fact this is not our first lockdown, has resulted in a decrease in queries through to the BIG team, and to the nationwide Regional Business Partner Network.
National hotlines are also experiencing a lower volume of calls this time compared to 2020. The wage subsidy and resurgence packages from WINZ have been a source of reassurance for many businesses owners.
While there is an overwhelming sense of deja vu, businesses have quickly implemented strategies, policies and procedures learned from last year's alert level changes.
It's heartening that in the past 12 months we've seen a surprising increase in good news stories from Northland enterprises. Northland has been performing as one of the stand-out regions at the end of the June financial year.
Standard economic indicators have been positive, with gross domestic profit being up 6.5 per cent for the year compared to 2020, and higher than the national total of 4.2 per cent.
Some businesses have even seen personal best business results for their end of financial year figures, as shopping local and economic gardening efforts have helped much of Northland flourish.
These strong results feed the hauora and wellbeing of our people, and it's a testimony to the hard work of our business community and their resilience over this uncertain period.
I'm proud to see our hard-working region do so well in the face of adversity, when cash reserves remain tight and working cashflow is top of mind for many struggling businesses. Working closely with your accountant remains the best strategy to manage business finances.
As businesses have evolved from previous lockdowns, we are seeing more online activity than ever before. Setting up websites and having strong marketing and online strategies for building brand awareness is now at the fingertips for many business owners with tools such as Digital Boost.
If you consider yourself savvy in the online ways, you might enjoy the future trends and customer insights sections hosted on the site.
We're encouraging every business to utilise this time, if you're up to it, to review the plethora of information available to you for free at digitalboost.co.nz.
We're also seeing many business owners take the alert level opportunity to look after themselves, their whanau and friends, or work on their businesses, as well as in it.
You may wish to use this time to complete training and coaching sessions remotely for your capability development. Speak to your Growth Advisor about how to activate this co-funded support.
Many individuals are putting pen to paper and bringing novel inventions or innovations to life. We're seeing an increase in queries around research and development grant applications with Callaghan Innovation. Speak to your Innovation Specialist to find out more.
We can choose to be kept particularly busy working, at home, during a pandemic, or taking the publicly mandated stay at home notification as time to pause for reflection and creativity.
My thoughts go out to our whole community, mostly to our elderly, those isolating and feeling isolated, and our business community (deemed essential or not) that remain productive and concerned.
Particularly those parents with children attempting homeschooling and juggling – including a special shout out to our amazing Growth Advisor team, and everyone at Northland Inc, thank you for your mahi!
We all must prioritise taking care, always. Aroha mai, aroha atu. Kia kaha Taitokerau. Hug your whanau when you can. We got this.
The Business Innovation and Growth team at Northland Inc are available for confidential advice, resources, and information to support your business. Please connect with your Growth Advisor via growth@northlandnz.com.
• Sophie Wiltshier is the Business Innovation Growth Team leader for the regional economic development agency Northland Inc.
