Not all business networking is created equal

We all know business networking can be a powerful tool for growth—but only when it’s done right.

Too often, it’s reduced to small talk and business cards, with little follow-through or value. Worse, sometimes it’s not even that, but rather an obligation to show up and observe the usual cliques being cliquey.

We believe good networking is about something more: connection, relevance and shared purpose.

That’s why we offer a variety of business networking options, designed to suit different styles and goals.

Exchange: the power of purposeful connection

Our monthly Exchange event is built for those who want more than a handshake and a hello. Held in The Bank, Exchange is a relaxed, after-work event that blends genuine connection with expert insights.

Each month, we invite a local speaker to share their experience or market knowledge, followed by time to ask questions, meet others and explore opportunities.

It’s not about selling—it’s about learning, sharing and moving your business forward with the support of others in the same boat.

BNI: structured referrals that get results

We’re also proud to initiate a local chapter of BNI (Business Network International), the world’s largest structured networking organisation.

BNI is ideal for business owners who want a clear system for referrals, strong accountability and weekly momentum. With over 38 years of results behind it, BNI helps members grow through regular connection, shared goals and a 'giver’s gain' approach.

It’s a format that works—especially for those who thrive on consistency and structure.

More about BNI

Industry Co-Labs: connect with people who get it

Sometimes, you just want to talk to someone who understands your industry.

Industry Co-Labs are informal, sector-based sessions where you can swap stories, test ideas and ask the questions that only peers will understand. It’s a chance to meet others in your field, stay across trends and find potential collaborators—without the pressure of a pitch.

Why it matters

Not all networking event types work for everyone—and that’s okay.

You might not feel super confident about business networking, quite possibly because you’ve had a poor experience or have been given a fixed idea of what it’s “supposed to be”.

We’ve come to understand that a good experience usually comes down to a few key ingredients:

1. Clear expectations about the type of event you're attending

2. Good hosting, so you're not left standing around looking at cliques

3. Recognition that there isn't one right way, you just need to be yourself

Whether you're looking for leads, knowledge or connection, our networking line-up gives you the chance to show up in a way that feels authentic and worthwhile.

Done well, networking can change the course of a business. It’s how we find new opportunities, gain perspective and remember that we’re not doing this alone.

Grow Your Business in 2025 BNI-Style

About a thousand years ago, when I first went out on my own as a copywriter in the UK, I joined a networking organisation that within a year, produced 90% of my revenue. Now I’m going to introduce that organisation to you.

Regular revenue wasn’t the only benefit I gained. I got to work in new ways that developed my craft and I got outstanding business advice that helped me increase my charge-out rate AND my overall profitability.

I was a business of one.

Some people in the group came from far bigger businesses.

All of us turned up week after week because it was REALLY good for business.

Returning to New Zealand I tried some different networking groups - women’s ones, informal ones, breakaway versions of the one I joined in the UK but ultimately the only one that reliably worked for me home in NZ was the one I first found in the UK - BNI.

What I came to recognise is that over four decades, all around the world, across vastly different cultures (including over 25 years in New Zealand), BNI has stuck to its knitting because it works.

It works to grow businesses.

It works to grow expertise.

It works to support incredible connections.

I know from experience that BNI is not a magic bullet for everyone.

But if you’re the sort of person who does what you say you will, are good at what you do, are focussed on growing your business and looking for some new opportunities - it could be for you.

If you’d like to know more, fill out the form below and I’ll be in touch.

Professional Workspaces Useful to Businesses

The era of remote working is far from over. With increasing cost pressures on businesses and workers, real estate costs could be a huge factor in how and where we work in the future.

Last month, Apollo Technical reviewed the work-from-home trend and concluded that it’s here to stay. It’s fair to say that some of the data they cited dates back to 2020 and 2021 which we have to recognise as peak work-from-home era thanks to old mate, global pandemic.

Headlines towards the end of last year captured the might of big global companies forcing workers to return to the office including Amazon, Microsoft, Disney, UPS, Boeing, Google, Meta and Zoom (yes, that video communications company, Zoom).

Look a little closer and those headlines generally referred to a two or three-day-a-week return, not a full-time return, making hybrid working (partly remote, partly on-site) increasingly common.

In NZ, Seek’s stats showed 8.9% of Kiwi job ads indicated that the role could be done from home. Pre-pandemic, very few of us worked from home. The industry breakdown of remote workers is as you’d expect - white collar desk-based workers by far leading the trend.

What is more interesting for regional towns like ours is that InternetNZ’s Internet Insights Survey at about the same time, suggested that half of Kiwis whose jobs allow work-from-home would consider moving somewhere if they could relocate their current job.

Turns out, New Zealand is the top destination for digital nomads in Australia. A digital nomad is someone who has the ability to work from anywhere. We are still the world’s best country for life-work balance according to Remote’s ranking of the world’s top 60 GDP countries. We have at least one digital nomad working from our place regularly, their employer being off-shore.

Hybrid working (being part-time office-based) may not easily work for people based in Ōamaru if the company is in Auckland but hey, if they’re in Dunedin or Timaru - at least a day a week here in town with us makes sense for both parties in terms of cost and travel time (that’s productivity, right there).

We’ve also hosted many people who are managing to move between towns and cities on at least a semi-regular basis. There’s no question that Waitaki offers a host of attractions that benefits remote workers who can be paid city-rates and enjoy the best of what our region has to offer.

Another group of our regulars live just far enough outside of town that they have to rely on expensive rural or satellite internet. That won’t last forever (the pricing will get increasingly competitive) but in the meantime, a membership at our place is a fraction of the cost, more reliable and likely, faster.

We’ve looked into it and there’s easily ten good reasons people here and everywhere choose to work out of places like ours - and that’s before you even factor in company’s ongoing operatoinal costs. Check them out.

1. Increased Productivity
   Coworking environments often lead to higher productivity levels. The presence of others working alongside you can create a motivating atmosphere and reduce distractions.

2. Enhanced Focus
   The structured environment of a coworking space helps improve concentration. With dedicated areas for focused work and professional surroundings, it becomes easier to stay on task.

3. Boosted Creativity
   Collaboration and idea-sharing in coworking spaces can spark creativity. Diverse perspectives and spontaneous brainstorming sessions often lead to innovative solutions and new ideas.

4. Networking Opportunities
   Coworking spaces provide access to a broad network of professionals. This networking can lead to valuable connections, partnerships and business opportunities.

5. Reduced Feelings of Isolation
   Working alone can be isolating. Coworking spaces offer a sense of community and interaction, helping to combat loneliness and create a supportive work environment.

6. Access to Resources and Amenities
   Coworking spaces often come with professional amenities like high-speed internet, meeting rooms, and office equipment. These resources enhance your work experience without the overhead costs.

7. Cost-Effective Solutions
   Renting space in a coworking environment is typically more affordable than maintaining a private office - even one at home. It offers flexible plans and scalability, reducing operational costs.

8. Work-Life Balance
   Coworking spaces help maintain a clear boundary between work and personal life. The professional setting aids in creating a routine and a clear separation from home responsibilities.

9. Opportunities for Learning and Development
   Many coworking spaces offer workshops, events, and networking activities that can contribute to personal and professional growth. This fosters continuous learning and skill development.

10. Increased Flexibility
    Coworking spaces often provide flexible membership plans, allowing you to choose the level of access that suits your needs. This flexibility helps accommodate various work styles and schedules.

So if any of that sounds like a little bit of what you need, check out our website and talk to us. The way we work has changed. A professional environment is a real asset - it just doesn’t have to be in the same place as the company or even in the same place all the time. Can your business afford not to be flexible?

Microsoft Skills Training

Training staff definitely costs but possibly not as much as the productivity deficit when your team isn’t using their tools most efficiently. That’s why we’ve found a trainer who is willing to come to Oamaru to deliver first class Microsoft skills training.

All we have to do is put enough people in the room to make it worth their while. So, if you or someone in your team needs to upskill, let us know using the form below.

Once we get an idea of who needs what, we can start to put together a training plan that will save everyone a bit of coin.

Industry Co-Labs

The Business Hive is launching a series of Industry Co-Labs to give local and independent businesses the opportunity to network with allied professionals in your industry. Knowing who does (and doesn't) do what is a huge asset when you're looking for a partner in a project, or a (sub)contractor with a specific skill set. 

So, let us know what industry you’re in and interested in connecting with, and we’ll keep you in the loop!

The future is literally... in your hands! With the robots at your fingertips!

Let's chat ChatGPT. If you haven't heard of it, it's the Artificial Intelligence (AI) rock star of the moment… and it intends to, is about to, has already changed your actual world (not just the way you view it).

We’ve been playing with ChatGPT for a while now and by playing, I mean refining our questioning skills.

Simply put, it is the current AI leader in a class of at least 31. That class will very quickly become a class of many, many, many. Brace yourself, the speed of evolution is going to be epic.

Why should we care about AI? It’s been coming since forever…

We should care because the future is right here in our hot little hands now… and it’s a time and money spinner!

Today, chatting with one of our fabulous Hive members, we wondered if it could write grant applications.

Together, we posed the first question by typing in the following;
"Can you write a grant for lotteries for [charitable cause] funding in Waitaki?"

Response "As an AI language model, I can provide guidance on how to write a grant proposal, but I cannot write the proposal for you. Here are the general steps you can take to write a proposal for funding…"

That was a “no”, then. But as I mentioned, I’ve been “playing”… Second question;
"[charitable cause website url] can you write a proposal for money?"

Same response.

Third question;
"What's a good argument for funding for [charitable cause website url]?"

And boom;

"There are many compelling arguments for funding [charitable cause name]. Here are a few:..."

And it wrote seven, coherent and compelling reasons.

Then I asked it for statistics.

It gave me some.

Then I asked it for references for those statistics.

It broke. 

Temporarily. 

A couple of minutes later I tried again. It gave me five. Four from the website I'd provided and one from another site. 

Better than your average 12 year old? Yes..

Better than your average over-worked, not-for-profit grant application writer? It still needs checking and refining but it’s fairly solid bit of writing… and guess what - it took seconds!

Reality check, if you think AI can’t replace you, you might be kidding yourself. It’s at least as good as the average human at lots of things already.

It’s learning mastery, astoundingly quickly and not just the world’s mainstream stuff. Dr Karaitiana Taiuru, Mātauranga and Tikanga Māori Ethicist wrote about how capable (and not) its responses regarding mātauranga (Māori knowledge) were back in January - that’s like three centuries ago in AI years!

Where we people get the win is in using it. There’s a thing called “overemployed” where people work multiple full-time jobs for multiple full-time salaries and tools like ChatGPT are helping them do it.

No wonder Elon Musk is already re-planning his own version. The irony isn’t lost in that he was a co-founder of ChatGPT’s maker-company Open AI, until he stepped down in 2018. He won’t be kicking himself though, I’m not sure that man ever looks back.

So here’s the kicker for us.

ChatGPT is free.

It’s kicking us forward whether we like it or not.

It does a passably good enough job for many things already and it’s only going to get better.

Our job is to learn to ask the right questions and be thoroughly discerning about its responses.

It’s our job to think, AI’s job to be a tool. Get playing. It’ll surprise you and I think you’ll be amazed at the value-add too. Check it out. You’re welcome.

"The Future of Work is Flexible"

This week, Employment Hero released their Remote Work Report. Obviously, we’re interested - we are all about remote work. Likely you will be interested too; whether you’re an employer or an employee because the “future of work is flexible”.

Here’s the headline - “less than half of New Zealand’s employees have fully returned to the office”. Wowser, worse than the number of kids not returning to school! Actually, it’s ‘knowledge workers’ specifically that haven’t returned to offices and that’s defined as “workers with jobs which require them to work primarily on a computer or with documentation, rather than a job which is predominantly physical or location-bound”.

Here’s the rub though… If you thought that let your business off the hook, the survey respondents came from a whole range of industries. Even restaurants, factories and shops can have office-based staff.

So, what’s the story?

Essentially, 40% of NZ knowledge workers “have embraced a hybrid working arrangement, and 21% work remotely all of the time”. Is it popular? All indications say yes, 81% of Kiwi knowledge workers “would consider working remotely permanently from now on”.

Given the skills shortage, the rising costs of living (and commuting), flexibility around where a person works from could be a dealmaker.

Employment Hero’s research showed 89% of respondents would work remotely at least one day a week. Here’s the clincher – 48% of people who were already working remotely at least some of the time, said they would consider quitting their job if their employers forced them back to the office full-time.

We’ve all seen the research around four-day weeks and increased productivity (if not, Google it, it’s massive). Remote working can also provide improvements in productivity and quality of work.

There is a question of age. The 18-24 year olds were 24% more likely than average to say they were happy to work remotely every day. Those aged 55+ were 80% more likely to say they wouldn’t choose to work remotely at all. It’s that elusive thing, work-life balance (at least that’s what my generation used to call it, younger generations call it ‘life’).

According to Employment Hero, 39% of the surveyed employees had returned to the office at the directive of their employer, but that’s not the only reason. Some people missed the office buzz; 25% of those returning said it was for the culture and 17% was because they were feeling isolated.

The reality check is that on an individual level, people have all sorts of reasons to want to work remotely. We see a real mix at The Business Hive. We see some people only in the school holidays because a) they’re visiting from out of town and leaving the kids with the grandies or b) they’re seeking refuge (from the kids at home) to get some work done.

While some of our people find being in a professional environment helps them focus on work, others come for the sociability or a mix of the two. The great thing is we have spaces for both – focused work with an extra screen in a quieter zone or a more social environment with an eye to everyone’s favourite gathering spot (when you want to be social) – our enormous kitchen island!

The trick for employers is going to be figuring out what your employees want and how often. Businesses are only going to save on overheads if they have flexibility in their property arrangements. A floor of mostly empty desks costs about the same to run as a floor at full capacity.

Equally, employees who shoulder the cost of working remotely (power, IT, heating, printing etc…) can’t claim those costs back in the same way self-employed people can. No business wants to pay twice.

The Remote Work Report also considers how remote work impacts on marginalised people and their perceptions of equity (remote working seems to be better for them) and what impact automation and AI (artificial intelligence) might have (we aren’t ready to trust it entirely).

In all, it’s worth a read. The difference in attitudes by age could indicate stage of life but it could also be tipping a nod to the way of work in the future. With the skills shortage impacting everywhere – the fight for the best people might yet come down to changing our expectations on the way they should work.

Check out the highlights or download the full report here.

Digital Boost @ The Business Hive

Digital Boost is a government initiative to get us - small business owners and operators, up to speed on all things digital. Bottom line, digital is where we’re at and we know that now, because… Covid.

So, there’s no excuse not to learn how to use these super affordable tools to promote your business, increase your productivity and frankly, do more with less.

We already have one group of 15 signed up. We reckon two groups would be even better. But you have to act quickly or the funding will have run out…

Did we mention this programme is entirely free for participants?

FREE training! Expert content. Peer support and learning. What’s not to love about this awesome opportunity?!!! Get in.

Programme content and estimated delivery dates below.

What now for local businesses? Savvy marketing is key.

Lockdown hurt. It hurt our pocket and I’m pretty sure it hurt yours too.

Pre-lockdown, it looked like we’d be able to trade online if not in store so some retail and manufacturing businesses were forced into investing into an online solution super-fast. Others who were already online managed to sell goods to be delivered after lockdown but for many non-essential products and services - the sales just stopped.

Now we’re out, we’re all aware that businesses are struggling near to home (Queenstown and Central Lakes, Invercargill and Southland are the obvious ones). We’re pretty well insulated here in the Waitaki - last week’s Oamaru Mail showed us that there are plenty of jobs around.

Still, the wage subsidy runs out in September and our whole country might be looking very different around then. So what now for local businesses? Especially our small ones? Well, now’s the time to pull together and get our marketing savvy on.

Before I moved to Oamaru, a partner and I started a business to teach business owners the marketing essentials they really need to know. Her health and my move meant we gave it up for a time. Right now though, I’m going to dust it off and deliver it locally and here’s why.

1. Nobody ever makes a second best decision

   A wise man once told me that you never make a second best decision. He said, “unless you’re clinically insane, you will never think to yourself, there’s my best decision so I think I’ll do something else. Every decision you have ever made was the best available option for you, as far as you knew, at the time”.

   The basic message is that if we want to make ‘best’ decisions, the one thing we can do is work harder to understand all our available options.

   Nobody knows it all but when you don’t know what you don’t know - you can’t be confident that your choice is the best one for you. Fact. That means it’s worth your time to get your head around modern marketing so you have the information you need to be confident that any marketing investment you make is actually, your best decision.
   

2. Small business here is not small business everywhere

   I’ve worked in Auckland, Wellington & Oamaru, London, Cardiff and Bristol, even Buenos Aires and no two places operate the same way. My clients in 25+ years of copywriting have had markets all over the world - they all operate differently when it comes to marketing and selling the ‘goods’.

   Marketing companies come to New Zealand from the US or the UK tell our business owners that they have a marketing solution for them. But small business in the US means fewer than 500 employees. In the UK, it means fewer than 50 employees. In New Zealand it means fewer than 20 employees and for most small businesses (90%) that really means one to five people in their whole team.

   What works in one place doesn’t necessarily work in another. There are some absolute truths when it comes to marketing but you won’t find them with the latest pushy upsell.

3. The whole world and every economy has changed

   Have you ever marketed your business in a global pandemic before? Do people want the same things? Do they want things for the same reasons?

   We are all in brand new, uncharted territory. Uncharted territory is an exciting place to be if you’re part of a trusted group. It’s a pretty shitty place to be on your own though.

   In 25+ years, I’ve learned a lot about marketing in all sorts of places with all kinds of products and services and I’ve taught a lot, from individual tutoring to lecturing at Polytech. I could tell you the absolute truths I mentioned above but I think our time will be better spent applying them to your real business in our real new world.

Last year, Forbes* produced an article stating that “there have been a number of studies going back nearly one century that point out the advantages of maintaining or even increasing ad budgets during a weaker economy. Those advertisers that maintained or grew their ad spending increased sales and market share during the recession and afterwards.”

So now really is the most important time to get your head around modern marketing - what will and won’t work for your business in today’s business climate.

To that end, The Business Hive is launching a Marketing Bootcamp starting Monday, 20th July. It’s a 10-week programme of doing. That means bite-sized but essential cornerstones of modern marketing and an opportunity to implement them in your business during the following week.

Together, we’re going to build a business community that has confidence around marketing and can tell great marketing opportunities from the latest snake oil while getting the results we want and need.

Important Information

• The programme costs $450 plus GST for the whole 10 weeks.

• Late starters will only be accepted with the agreement of the whole group.

• The maximum capacity is 12 because every participant is welcome to bring one teenager for FREE. It doesn't have to be your own teenager, any teenager you think could benefit from this learning experience can buddy up with you at no extra cost! 

To register and pay online click here. If you would like to register and pay by invoice please email us.

*Forbes convenes and curates the most influential leaders and entrepreneurs who are driving change, transforming business and making a significant impact on the world.