Business Changing

Profit and Growth Specialist

You’re not alone: the state of SMEs in NZ

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I know that running a small business can sometimes feel like a constant uphill battle and that you’re alone in your daily challenges. But I work with SMEs every day and can tell you that the struggles you face are not unique – chances are, another SME down the road is bashing their head against the very same brick wall. Unreliable staff, the wrong staff, cash flow issues, spiraling expenses, trying to differentiate yourself against competitors, trying to outsell your competitors, trying to figure out how to get your brand out there, just trying trying trying. No one said being a business owner was easy. But you just hope that one day all those weekends, late nights, worked weekends and additional wrinkels will pay off.

 

I think it’s really important for a business owner to know other business owners. Seek them out – either through friends or business associations or clubs. Networking is too smarmy a word for me, but the concept works: catch up with like-minded people, pick their brains, hear what battles they’re facing, listen to what solutions they’ve discovered, ask their opinion on process, suppliers and staff. Most importantly, just get an idea of what other SMEs are going through. It’ll make you feel better to know you’re not alone, promise.

 

This week Icehouse released some SME stats that might interest you and help you realise that you’re not the only one rowing that at-times rocky boat:

 

* 97% of all Kiwi enterprises are SMEs (incredible, eh! Go us!)

 

* SMEs contribute 40% of the economy’s total output on a value-added basis and employ 31% of the workforce

 

* 77% of SMEs want to grow their business (not sure what the other 23% are thinking?!) and 31% want help working on their business – see, nobody wants to do it alone. But asking for help? That’s a different story – only 24% are getting help with business planning and strategy and only 47% have written a business plan.

 

If you want to grow, if you need a better strategy and plan – or if you need a plan, full stop – ask for help. Those who ask, get – it’s true. If you want growth, if you want results, if you want success, if you want help rowing that lonely canoe, call me for business coaching or consulting. I get results, honestly – ask any of my 100+ clients. Zac@businesschanging.co.nz

 

 

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  • "Zac has also become a key enabler and contributor to us working towards the development of both our employee engagement and customer experience roadmaps. Kotahi is a new and fast-paced environment and it has been great to have Zac as a trusted advisor to both myself and the CEO. He has a no-nonsense and solid experience-based approach to his consulting style. I have enjoyed working with Zac and look forward to continuing on our engagement journey with the support of Business Changing”
    Jay Padden, HR General Manager, Kotahi
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