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This is a Love Letter

This is a love letter to small businesses. You are the backbone of our country and your livelihoods have been threatened. We will not stand by and watch that happen. We are Manaaki. Your support network of business experts.

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Need advice, or someone to connect with to help you find a solution? Ask for help below.

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Our support network of business experts and advisors will offer any advice they can.

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Get involved: vote up relevant questions and helpful answers, and offer your own support.

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Experts131
Questions153

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

LETS GET DOWN TO BUSINESS.

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TOURISM

We own a small 8 bedroom hotel in Bluff, we have owned the hotel for 16 months and were doing well until Covid 19 lockdown. The tourism season is December to Easter and we have the Oyster Festival in May.  All our future bookings have been cancelled and no new bookings have been made. We have a loan payments due each month that I am not sure how we will repay. How can we increase sales, how do we advertise with limited budget and where do we advertise with so many different options. Not sure how to move forward 

Question submitted by @mcwatts 27/04/2020 @ 5:22 am
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BRAND & MARKETING

How can I get funds to start a website that advertises businesses via a directory where each business has a profile page, where people can then post advice, tips and links to a busineses profile page, where if the business likes the post the person who made the post gets a share in the advertising revenue?  Businesses will pay a fee to advertise.  75% of the advertising revenue will go to the people who make liked posts to the profile pages of businesses. This idea will create exposure for businesses as well as provide research and development benefits.  People will also be able to make money helping businesses with their research and development.  https://www.facebook.com/Eco-Global-1111710535555422/

Question submitted by @joeh8384 26/04/2020 @ 5:17 pm
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BRAND & MARKETING

Head Held High is an Auckland based speech and drama company. We were teaching over 700 students each week in 17 Auckland schools and venues. We are committed to building the confidence, communication skills and creativity of young New Zealanders. Our lessons occur once a week, are small group tuition and are for primary, intermediate and secondary school students. It is an extra curricular activity that can occur during school or after school time and parents pay for this. Since Covid we have pivoted our business to teach our students online via Zoom. Our teaching team are incredible and the online lessons have been a huge success. We have an opportunity to market our online lessons nationwide, which is super exciting for us. We would love some help with how to use paid social media to create adverts and generate more leads.  We’ve created an advert to go into school newsletters nationwide so we are onto that but would like to support this with social media marketing and don’t know how to best go about this. Thank you so much!!!www.headheldhigh.co.nz

Question submitted by @anonymous 26/04/2020 @ 5:15 pm
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MANUFACTURING

Kia ora everyone,  Wondering if you know of anyone who might have a commercial kitchen within 10km of CBD that’s not in use at the moment, that can perhaps let The Cookie Project drop in to do some cookie premix for 5 hours a week? The Cookie Project is a certified social enterprise that employs Kiwis with disabilities to make delicious cookies. The team is currently transitioning to find a new permanent commercial kitchen. In the meantime, they’re looking for a temporary commercial kitchen to use for 3-5 hours a week to pack their cookie premix which is selling very well at the moment as an interim product solution during lockdown. They’ve delivered over 300 sets of the premix to help generate urgent cashflow to pay the bills. They also believe in kindness and that’s the reason why they’ve also donated 400 bags of cookies to charities just before lockdown, and dispatched over 200 bags of cookie premix during lockdown to those in need. Every set of cookie premix sold actually generates two kindness: Guarantees future employment hours for their disabled bakers, and donates one bag of cookies to Kiwi kids with autism (Children’s Autism Foundation). They have all the credentials, awards and recognition as a social enterprise, including being named the recipient of 2019 Attitude ACC Employer Award. They are an essential business with all the food control plan, health and safety protocols in line with COVID-19.  Your support will mean the world to everyone at The Cookie Project to help them keep the business running even during lockdown. If you can assist in connecting them with someone who can donate their commercial kitchen for 5 hours a week within 10km of CBD, please email co-founder Eric Chuah at [email protected] or text Eric at 0279737181. Kia kaha and be kind to each other,Eric Chuah

Question submitted by @thecookieproject 26/04/2020 @ 5:14 pm
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BRAND & MARKETING

I am a small business owner and into my 2nd year of business. We conduct background checks and reference checks on potential new candidates for our clients. We have been hit pretty bad through covid19 as have many other businesses.I am constantly looking at ways of pivoting my business but due to recruitment being very quiet it is hard.Any suggestions how I can use marketing to gain my interest of my brand and services as I am still quite new to the industry also.If you have a magic wand can I borrow it. Seriously it would be great to hear any ideas you have. Thanks for creating this amazing platform it is appreciated.Thank you 

Question submitted by @anonymous 25/04/2020 @ 7:53 am
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RETAILING

How are tenants approaching difficult landlords who are reluctant to accomodate rent relief and what does fair rent relief look like to various retailers? 

Question submitted by @anonymous 24/04/2020 @ 3:50 pm
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TOURISM

Hi, I run/ran a successful Bed and Breakfast in Whangarei, please check out my website and BOOK now. lol (www.whangareibedandbreakfast.co.nz) My trade in the past has been mainly though booking.com and consisted of about 80% foreign visitors.I now need to attract a different type of guest namely New Zealanders, both tourist and corporate.please advise?I do struggle with modern technology, so keep it simple. Sue Russell

Question submitted by @srus14 24/04/2020 @ 11:40 am
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LEGAL

We have been contacted by an Australian law firm who is requesting that we forfeit some of our trademarks in our respective field. We don’t feel that this is necessary, or that their allegations hold any real weight but also at this stage don’t want to involve our lawyers and spend valuable capital to fight this. We feel as though this company is deliberately trying to pray on us during this pandemic, and I am just wondering what the best course of attack here is? I have attached the letter in the link section from the IP company. Look forward to hearing what anyone comes back with. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RsuHziZsX3BYXM1vg743tl0F_spvm_UZzGRQpid31Dg/edit

Question submitted by @paintvine 24/04/2020 @ 10:10 am
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TOURISM

Hello,I’m a start-up entrepreneur in the tourism industry. I would like to start slow-tourism across NZ and ASEAN regions. Because of COVID-19, I couldn’t start it and it makes my operation delay.Could you give me some suggestion for implementing slow-tourism during these period?

Question submitted by @anonymous 24/04/2020 @ 5:09 am
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FASHION

Hi Team,Over the last year or so, my Sister and I have been brainstorming, researching and learning what we need to, to start our little side business. Our services fall in beauty and fashion.Due to the lockdown, we’ve invested way more time in planning and studying etc however, we’re now unsure if we should even start a business that is close-contact whilst there is no cure for Covid-19 yet.Would you suggest we hold off on this business venture until the foreseeable future?Thank you all for your time to help all of us during these uncertain times.Warmest regards,xo

Question submitted by @anonymous 23/04/2020 @ 8:16 pm
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COVID-19 FUNDING & SUPPORT

Hello all, I don’t have a question, but instead would like to offer support to all local NZ businesses and introduce a totally free new online marketplace called Click & Go Collect (https://clickandgocollect.nz). It has been developed to provide businesses who may not currently have a web presence, or are unable to upgrade their current site, the ability to to quickly and easily set up an online ordering system so they can start trading again in level 3 with contactless pickup.There are other online platforms and apps available, or under sprint development in the new world of lockdown, but the majority have a catch. Some charge an upfront cost to join or a monthly fee, the likes of Uber Eats taking a staggering 30 - 35% commission on orders, an untenable amount for businesses unsure if they can weather the storm.We have set up Click & Go Collect and are offering it 100% free, no catch, we’ve felt the extreme kindness of our Whanau since returning to NZ and want to share it and support businesses that need it.There’s no catch, it has been developed to be kind to local businesses and show our support. Take a look and let us know what you think,happy to answer any questions.

Question submitted by @e-from-be-business-click-go-collect 23/04/2020 @ 5:26 pm
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MANUFACTURING

Hello We are an established New Zealand business and due to COVID-19 we are a seeking to source a local New Zealand Contract Manufacturer for dry Dog and/or Cat Food for up to 150 tonnes per year increasing year on year. If anyone knows of contract manufacturers could you please let us know.Thank you.

Question submitted by @anonymous 23/04/2020 @ 5:26 pm
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SOCIAL ENTERPRISE (COMMUNITY, NOT-FOR-PROFIT, FOR PROFIT)

We are a small organisation focused on running community events supporting women in tech, due to the COVID-19 crisis, we have not been able to run our in-person events. At the same time, we are looking for help with building our website. We would love to get some recommendations on how we can make a successful transition to digital events so that we can continue supporting our communities, and also who we can reach out to regarding help with the website build. Thank you so much for your help!

Question submitted by @anonymous 23/04/2020 @ 5:26 pm
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LEGAL

Hi - I have a retail business in CHC, I was supposed to re - sign a lease for the property for another 6 years on 31st Jan 2020.I have confirmed by email that I would like to do so and the landlord said he would contact his lawyers and get the paper work underway, which I to date have not seen nor signed.He is asking for high rent and I have had no business for 5 weeks plus lost 98% of all quotes and orders underway and unable to do sales on upcoming LV3.I can not sustain the rent within the fallout of COVID19 as my business is a not a quick turnaround like hairdressers etc.Am I bound by the previous lease or am I on a month to month?Kind regards Michelle

Question submitted by @anonymous 23/04/2020 @ 5:25 pm
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how it works

1

Need advice, or someone to connect with to help you find a solution? Ask for help below.

2

Our support network of business experts and advisors will offer any advice they can.

3

Get involved: vote up relevant questions and helpful answers, and offer your own support.

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