Pasifika businesses affected by the Covd-19 emergency are being urged by former world champion athlete Beatrice Faumuinā to seek help.
Faumuinā, a double Commonwealth Games gold medallist and the first Kiwi to win a World Championship track and field title, is now in a new role with the Pacific Business Trust (PBT) – and says the charitable trust can help.
Established in 1985, the Pacific Business Trust has a mandate to grow Pasifika businesses into sustainable, viable and commercially successful enterprises – but Faumuinā, now Strategic Relationship Manager with the Trust, is deeply concerned about the financial viability of many Pasifika businesses in the midst of the Covid-19 emergency.
"In Pacific culture, we sometimes tend to look at our immediate families for support but the Covid-19 emergency is an entirely different situation," she says. "There are a number of ways the government is supporting businesses and I'm really encouraging Pasifika businesses to seek that help."
Faumuinā, ONZM, has found herself on the frontline of their Covid-19 response: "Our team is reaching out to Pasifika businesses both on the phone and on email.
"It's been a really busy time but we're speaking with a lot of businesses and sole traders, and connecting them with free and practical support to help them get through this."
A former Trade Commissioner and Consul General for New York and a director on the board of Sport New Zealand, part of her role is to help Pasifika businesses understand the services available to them and connect business owners with a wide range of experts including financial advisors, lawyers, accountants and marketers.
"I've been having a lot of conversations with Pasifika businesses and there are four key challenges emerging – cashflow, staffing, digital capability and understanding how business is going to change in the future."
PBT has a network of culturally competent Service Providers, offering a wide range of services including financial and legal advice, through to marketing and growth strategies.
PBT is now rapidly expanding the number of those providers as part of the response to Covid-19.
"Our service is free. Just call us," Faumuinā says. "Pick up the phone and call us. PBT can help you but more importantly, we can also connect you to other people and businesses who can support you too.
"We can get through this if we work together."
For more information: www.pacificbusiness.co.nz 0800 28 77 526