New for 2012 Small Businesses - From Seedling to Success

Date: Monday 5 Mar 2012     Time: 08:30 am

Venue: James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor, Wellington


If small firms did not exist, it would be necessary to invent them” (The Bolton Report, 1971)

Do you want to grow your business but just don’t know where to start?

Do you need some inspiration and motivation from those that have been where you are, and are now highly successful in their businesses?

Are you a small business struggling to keep your head above water in today’s highly competitive environment?

Running a small business can be hard. The day-to-day operations are often challenging and all-consuming enough, so it’s of no real surprise that the thought of moving into a growth phase may often seem daunting and overwhelming.

This conference can help you!

Small Businesses – From Seedling to Success has been designed with you in mind.

Let this be your opportunity to meet others facing the same challenges, learn winning growth strategies from those who have been there and succeeded, and gain new insights into your own business

We will help you break down those barriers and get you thinking about where you want to go and how you are going to get there.Our wide range of topics and speakers will motivate and inspire you to take the plunge into the next phase of your journey.

Programme

8:30am – 8:50am Registration + Refreshments
8:50am – 9:00am Opening Remarks from the Chair
9:00am – 10:10am
(70 mins)
 Building Better Businesses – Rod Oram (Keynote)

The way we do business is now driven by big shifts in economies, societies, technologies and many other factors at home and overseas.

With 30 years of experience as an international financial journalist and commentator, Rod Oram has been described by Speakers of New Zealand as the country's number one speaker on all matters to do with the economic impact on industries. Rod will analyse economic conditions at home and abroad and will draw out themes about New Zealand's changing economy. He will describe the main skills and strategies needed to capitalise on these themes and suggest some useful places to seek help and advice.

Rod Oram, International Business Journalist
10:10am – 10:30am Morning Tea + Networking
10:30am – 11:20am
(50 mins)		 Tips from the Trenches: Marketing your Brand

Marketing your brand – young or old – has never been so important. Warwick McCormack will take you through the process of defining your brand, understanding the importance of brand vs. customer, building your brand story and creating your online feel and personality.

Warwick McCormack, Learn.Fast
11:20am – 12:00pm
(40 mins)		 Case Study: Family Business

Family-owned and operated companies present special challenges to those who run them.

Local small-business operator Camilla Welch will share her experiences in successfully balancing the differing interests of family members vs those of the business. She will discuss the necessity of having clearly defined roles and rules, and the importance of a 'united front'.

Camilla Welch, Label & Litho Ltd.
12:00pm – 12:50pm Lunch + Networking

12:50pm – 1:10pm
(20 mins)

Mayor of Wellington Celia Wade-Brown

1:10pm – 1:30pm
(20 mins)

Intellectual Property 101 – Small Business – Protecting your Ideas

What is intellectual property (IP) and why is it imperative that small businesses protect their IP from the very start? You will also hear real examples of some of the pitfalls that have occurred to companies that did not do so.

1:30pm – 2:15pm
(45 mins)

Business Success Through Networking

Networking – you either love it or hate it. But if done right, networking is something that can have significant impact on the success of your business.

In this session Liam Jensen will share tips on growing your network, cultivating your professional relationships, and getting the most out of your connections.

Liam Jensen, Employers Chamber of Commerce Central
2:15pm – 2:55pm
(50 mins)		 Case Study: Forresting Innovation

Ingenuity and innovation are characteristics that kiwis are renowned for. However transferring ideas, concepts and dreams into reality is the real challenge.

In this session, local small-business operator Dennis Hill shares his company's successes and challenges in an industry where innovation is key. He discusses the lessons he has learned and how his business developed from those experiences.

Dennis Hill, Ventech Systems Ltd.
2:55pm – 3:15pm Afternoon Tea + Networking
3:15pm – 3:55pm
(40 mins)

Essential Information Security for Every Business

Cyber Security and companies getting hacked and attacked is in the news every week. Is your business safe from attack because you're sufficiently protected, or have you just not been targeted yet, would you know?

In this session Diane Prow will discuss all aspects of information security that every small-medium sized business should be aware of, from NZ data privacy laws to secure online credit card processing.

Diane Prow, Aura Information Security
3:55pm – 4:25pm
(30 mins)		 Business Mentors New Zealand

Business Mentors New Zealand is a leading business mentoring service to the small- and medium-sized enterprise sector in New Zealand. Their mentors have assisted over 50,000 SME owners plan, set goals and achieve better results. BMNZ will show you how to achieve your business goals. A mentoring client will talk about their experiences with the programme.

Chris Elphick, Business Mentors New Zealand
Wendy & Helena Tobin from Wellington Creative Ltd (BMNZ client)
4:25pm – 4:30pm Closing Remarks from the Chair

Investment

Early Bird (to 5 February 2012)

Members - $420 + GST
Non Members – $610 + GST


$500 + GST member (earlybird $420 + GST)

$680 + GST non-member (earlybird $610 + GST)

To Register

To register for the Small Business Conference

Please email:

training@eccc.org.nz

Please include the following information:

  • Contact Name
  • Course Location
  • Course Date
  • Company Name
  • Names of People Attending
  • Contact Phone Number

For all enquiries, email: training@eccc.org.nz or phone 04 470 9944

Prices (per person):

Payment is required before the event.

Members: $500 + GST (early bird $420 + GST)

Non Members: $680 + GST (early bird $610 + GST)

 

Please Note: The online events registration system requires the install of Microsoft Silverlight, if you are unable to do so please email events@wecc.org.nz with your registration request.

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations must be received 2 full working days prior to the event. Cancellations after this time and ‘no-shows’ on the day will be charged the full invoice amount. Substitutions are permitted if you can no longer attend.


REGISTER NOW