The Icehouse

📰 An exciting exit story for Icehouse alumni Ben and George, and team at Bostock Brothers Organic Free Range Chicken - In particular Inghams intention to double down on the business in Hawke's Bay (more farms + more jobs + more GDP), and Ben & George remaining involved in the business going forward 👏

Read the full story here: https://hubs.li/Q02KVcC40

More Info on the Owner Manager Programme: https://hubs.li/Q02KV7Pk0

Capable and confident leaders aren't just great for staff and managers, they're great for business owners!

Kim Metcalf from Wynn Fraser Paints is a recent graduate of the Emerging Leaders Programme, and not only has she seen the positive impact on her ability to lead, owner Allan Gray has seen the benefits in his ability to work on the business now that Kim has gained confidence and capability.

There are opportunities this year to join facilitator Kim Hill on the Emerging Leaders Programme in Auckland (starting 4 Sep) or New Plymouth (starting 12 Sep). Get in touch below!

Read the Wynn Fraser Paints story: https://hubs.li/Q02JHnks0

Learn about the programme: https://hubs.li/Q02JHwjS0

Go hard or go home! We love the energy and attitude Sam Colthurst brings to his Northland-based business Colthurst Flooring 👏

Read about how he made transformational changes to the way he runs his business, and how people and tech have supported business growth 🚀 Shoutout to BNZ for backing this awesome business with a scholarship!

https://hubs.li/Q02J9XtR0

Our July newsletter is packed! Check it out here: https://hubs.li/Q02HyHMJ0

📰 Commentary from new CEO Olivia Blaylock - Business owners need like-minded friends as well
🔥 Hot Tips including HealthNow, MyHR, Coaches Gold from Rich Poole
🧊 Cool Alumni business stories from Sam Colthurst of Colthurst Flooring, Kenai Limited, Wynn Fraser Paints, My Little Pub
🎙️ Podcasts from ProCare CEO Bindi Norwell and Mobicomm Limited’s Kate Broughton
📅 Events and workshops

And more!

Want to join the mailing list? Submit your details here: https://hubs.li/Q02HyFH70

📰 Changes coming

This week in the Otago Daily Times 📰 Sarah Ramsay, CEO at United Machinists reflects on the isolation felt by business owners, and the effect that sharing war stories on the Owner Manager Programme with people who 'get it' has had on her well-being and the performance of her business.

"Find a network of owners to act as your support network"

Business owners need like-minded friends as well A few weeks ago I had an incredible weekend at Gibbston Valley Winery Lodge and surrounds. It was a reunion with my classmates from the 2019-20...

Great to learn a little more about our talented Icehouse Board Chair David Downs 📰 Read about his story on BusinessDesk below

My Net Worth: David Downs, CEO, NZ Story Group David Downs is renowned in New Zealand’s tech industry for his work promoting local tech abroad with NZ Story, as the (now outgoing) chair of the NZ Hi-Te...

It’s here! The Icehouse June newsletter, featuring:

🏅 Alumni innovation at Fieldays

📰 Why our regulatory system needs a massive overhaul to improve our construction industry - Alumni Nate Alley from Sentinel Homes Waikato says now is the time for NZ to be bold.

🚢 New leadership at The Icehouse – Olivia Blaylock takes the reins from July 1st.

📈 Got a new business idea for your established business? Or, thinking about selling your business? How a business coach can help.

👋 New Auckland Regional Lead David Thompson shares his Snag Golf business story.

🎙 Are you in governance? A Seat at The Table Podcast with Kirsten (KP) Patterson from the Institute of Directors shares her ‘scoot-over’ messages and why climate change and collecting data should be a big factor for directors.

🎤 If you can’t communicate, you won’t get things done! Kiwi business story with Geoffrey Bourke from Energyworks in New Plymouth.

+ More!

You can read the newsletter here: https://mail.theicehouse.co.nz/theicehouse-newsletter-june-2024

Want to join the mailing list for the next newsletter? Sign up here:
https://info.theicehouse.co.nz/subscribe-to-newsletter

We have been busy working on a special project that is a labour of love for us.

In partnership with our friends at Dermalogica & SABEN, we are pleased to announce the 2024 EmpowHER winner, runner-up and start-up recipients, powered by The Icehouse!

Congratulations to our winners:

EmpowHER Winner: Megan King, Finding Voices https://hubs.li/Q02zWGvr0
EmpowHER Runner-Up: Anita Sherry, Sherry Kitchen https://hubs.li/Q02zWGHy0
Start-up Winner: Alicia Haszard, PĀMU https://hubs.li/Q02zWGTg0

With a total prize pool of over $31,000 in prizes and exclusive mentorship, these female-founded businesses are set for incredible growth with money can’t buy access to not only our very own Liz Wotherspooon but also Roanne Jacobson from SABEN and Natasha Bourke from Dermalogica NZ for one-on-one bespoke business coaching.

We were overwhelmed with the high calibre of entries for the 2024 EmpowHER scholarship. Thank you to those of you who voted.

We look forward to sharing the journey of these amazing female entrepreneurs as they take their businesses to the next level.

Last Thursday was an awesome day 🧡 close to 200 of our alumni owners and leaders, business coaches and facilitators came together for a day of learning, reflection, connection and action at The Icehouse Alumni Conference 2024.

It's hard not to feel optimistic about the future of New Zealand and our economy when it's being supported by so many great owners and leaders.

Every year at The Icehouse Conference we hear from a start-up founder. The perfect way to stay inspired by fresh business ideas and keep in the loop with new trends and ways of doing business.

Zarina Bazoeva is the co-founder and CEO of Neocrete. On a mission to make buildings more durable and sustainable, with a long term goal of delivering carbon-free concrete 🧡

Missed out on a ticket? Get in touch with us at [email protected] to join the waitlist!

Quick Hit - Karrina Mountfort on AI freeing up owners time and the future of work ✨

This 'quick hit' episode touches on AI freeing up time for business owners so they can bring the human touch and focus on what they are good at. Alongside Karrina's thoughts on the future of work, and how she navigates managing a fully remote team while building team culture.

Listen on Spotify: https://hubs.li/Q02ycrqS0
Listen on Apple: https://hubs.li/Q02yct0B0

Quick Hit - Karrina Mountfort on AI freeing up owners time and the future of work Listen to this episode from The Icehouse Podcast on Spotify. A highlight clip from episode 171 with Karrina Mountfort, Director and CTO of Webbased, and Cofounder of Tikiteboo This 'quick hit' episode touches on AI freeing up time for business owners, so they can bring the human touch and focus on w...

Sam Stubbs, Founder and Managing Director of Simplicity is opening The Icehouse Alumni Conference this year! What a way to start the day 🙌 Sam is on a mission to make Kiwis richer and smarter with money through the non-profit, low-fee Kiwisaver and Fund Manager. A business thought-leader who is challenging the status quo!

We have just released a very limited number of tickets! If you are an Alumni of The Icehouse and would like to join us on the 30th of May, follow the below link to secure your spot 👇
Register here: https://hubs.li/Q02xHNFC0

To read more about this year's Alumni conference and our other guest speakers, check out our website! https://hubs.li/Q02xH9s80

Just missed out? Contact [email protected] to join the waitlist!

Giving time back to business owners, so they can do what they are good at 👏

Episode 171 of The Icehouse Podcast, is with Karrina Mountfort, Director and Chief Technology Officer of Webbased and Cofounder of Tikiteboo.

- The why behind starting her business Webbased
- The evolution of AI and how technology can empower business owners
- Co-founding Tikiteboo and Tikiteen with her daughter, and how the initiatives give back to teenagers entering the workforce
- Her experience working from The Icehouse coworking space, including the efficiencies for a small business
- How she focuses on culture with a remote team

🌐 Website: https://hubs.li/Q02xlf1D0

🎧 Spotify: https://hubs.li/Q02xld3X0

Episode 171 of The Icehouse Podcast: Karrina Mountfort, Director & CTO of Webbased Episode 171 of The Icehouse Podcast, hosted by Bryar Stewart, is with Karrina Mountfort, Director and Chief Technology Officer of Webbased and Cofounder of Tikiteboo. Karrina is also a tenant at The Icehouse co-working space in Parnell, Auckland.

Sink your teeth into The Icehouse's new-look newsletter, featuring:

🏅 The superhero story of Kirsten Ellis, one of our Frank Accounting Women in Business Scholarship winners

📰 Kiwi business owners are getting younger

🚢 Sailing the high seas with Orakei Marine's Jason Snashall

📈 Lifting productivity with Bay of Plenty business leaders Khan Greig from GPS-it and Ryan Sherson from RMD Transport

🎓 Two scholarships available for Owner-Managers this year - big-ups to Likeable Lab Agency!

👋 Two new Regional Leads - Andrea Smith and David Thompson

🎙 Podcasts with Bridget Snelling, Xero NZ Country Manager and Karrina Mountfort, Owner of Webbased and Tikiteboo

🎤 The Icehouse Conference speakers confirmed as Steven Joyce, Sam Stubbs, Zarina Bazoeva and Nicola Taylor

📅 NZBusiness Magazine AI Event, powered by The Icehouse

+ More!

You can read the newsletter here: https://mail.theicehouse.co.nz/newsletter-may-2024

Want to join the mailing list for the next newsletter? Sign up here: https://info.theicehouse.co.nz/subscribe-to-newsletter

Bridget Snelling, Country Manager of Xero New Zealand, is our latest guest on A Seat At The Table. An authentic leader with a strong creative, commercial and culture focus. She is passionate about her family, small businesses in Aotearoa and staying true to herself as she leads.

Tune in for an honest conversation with Bridget. Live now! Links below 👇

🔸 Being a "what you see, is what you get" person
🔸 Her career journey, and the importance of aligning with her values
🔸 Her battle with breast cancer and how this has impacted her life now
🔸 The pain points she is seeing for SME businesses right now and how bigger business can support with cashflow
🔸 Tips for those in leadership, setting boundaries, and being real with your team
🔸 The power of asking her teams "What do you need from me in this conversation?"
+ much more!

Spotify: https://hubs.li/Q02x9hFX0
Website: https://hubs.li/Q02x9nGb0

A Seat At The Table: Episode 22 – Bridget Snelling, NZ Country Manager from Xero Episode 22 of A Seat At The Table is with guest, Bridget Snelling, Country Manager of Xero in New Zealand. Bridget is a Mother to 3, an authentic leader with a strong creative, commercial and culture focus. She is passionate about her family, small businesses in Aotearoa and leaning into leadership.

We can't wait to hear from Nicola Taylor, co-founder of Tax Traders and new start-up Taxi at The Icehouse Alumni Conference, 30th of May! Nicola is driven by the pursuit of equity in the tax system, a deep desire to see business as a force for good and workplaces that bring joy and satisfaction authentically. She is a true champion of SMEs!

We have just released a very limited number of tickets!! If you are an Alumni of The Icehouse and would like to join us on the 30th of May, follow the below link to secure your spot 👇
Register here: https://hubs.li/Q02wSRz80

To read more about this year's Alumni conference and our other guest speakers, check out our website! https://hubs.li/Q02wSTP20

Just missed out? Contact [email protected] to join the waitlist!

In the news: The average business owner coming through The Icehouse is getting younger! Our data shows that in 2011, 9% of Owner Manager Programme attendees were 35 and under, now that’s 28%! We’ve been working with journalist Aimee Shaw on this cool story - have a read and a watch of our very own Chief Growth Officer Olivia Blaylock 📰

Read more here:

Gen Z to generation Alpha: Meet the young entrepreneurs shaking up their industries They’ve barely touched 30, smart and winning in business. Meet the next generation business owners, some of the country’s savviest business brains.

We look forward to having Steven Joyce as a guest speaker at The Icehouse Alumni Conference this year! With his unique combination of commercial and political experience, we know he will bring an impactful session to a room of business owners and leaders 🙌

We have just released a limited number of tickets!! If you are an Alumni of The Icehouse and would like to join us on the 30th of May, follow the below link to secure your spot 👇
Register here: https://hubs.li/Q02w6BlC0

To read more about this year's Alumni conference and our other guest speakers, check out our website! https://hubs.li/Q02w6BzC0

Missed out? Contact [email protected] to join the waitlist!

A slightly larger event than normal on Thursday in The Icehouse Coworking Space 😅 The team at Icehouse Ventures always put on a good show, and Demo Day 2024 looked like no exception 👏 Thanks for bringing so much energy through the space!

Keen to work from our Coworking space? We've got desk space available for individuals or teams! Contact us here: https://www.theicehouse.co.nz/coworking

We're excitedly counting down to the sold-out Icehouse Alumni Conference on May 30th, and are looking forward to hearing from all of the outstanding speakers including the Co-Founder of Taxi, Nicola Taylor 👏 With the May 7th provisional tax date coming up quickly, have a read of this article from the Waikato Times to learn a little about how they help Kiwi businesses 📰

Link to article:

Hail Taxi - the idea which can actually help small business cashflow OPINION: Getting a good business outcome versus a bad one usually comes down to whether you were in a cashed-up position to take advantage of it.

Here’s a little bit of gold from one of our business coaches Kevin D’Ambros-Smith – The importance of Brand Personality 👇

💖 Great brands capture hearts and minds.
They can do this as their brands have personality and their own unique story. This enables them to stand out from their competitors and grab the attention of potential customers.

📚 To develop an outstanding brand personality, you need to understand who you are, what makes you different, makes you intriguing, makes you special, makes you unique - this is your ‘secret sauce’.

😊 Telling this story to your dream customer will ensure your brand messaging is far more engaging and memorable; especially when compared to talking about product attributes and features.

So, what is your secret sauce, what is your brand’s story?

Need a business coach to help you figure it out? The Icehouse has an extensive suite of specialist coaches to support you to achieve your business growth goals. https://hubs.li/Q02tJWj60

Kevin D’Ambros-Smith is a business, marketing, and sales strategist.
Kevin has started, developed, and sold multiple businesses across a number of industries, growing these from start-up into multi-million-dollar companies. He has coached over 100 businesses to improved prosperity and success. Kevin also sits in advisory roles for a number of companies and organisations.

https://hubs.li/Q02tJXCv0

The Icehouse We are New Zealand's leading business growth experts of Kiwi small and medium-size businesses.

Quick Hit - Martin O'Sullivan on bringing other people on the business journey 🔊

Listen here: https://hubs.li/Q02tglsc0

This 'quick hit' episode touches on how Iceberg structures it's business, leaning into external experts, advice he has for his younger self (including never stop learning, and just be yourself) alongside practical ways to lean on community as an owner - all in 5 minutes!

"I implemented a board because was having conversations with myself in the mirror!" - Martin O'Sullivan

Quick Hit - Martin O'Sullivan on bringing other people on the business journey Listen to this episode from The Icehouse Podcast on Spotify. A highlight clip from episode 170 with Martin O'Sullivan, Managing Director of Iceberg. This 'quick hit' episode touches on how Iceberg structures it's business, leaning into external experts, advice he has for his younger self (including....

Last Friday night we celebrated the impact of an Icehouse legend - Winnie, Razor, Raewyn Goodwin 🧡 The impact she's personally had on the SME community within New Zealand is incalculable. She's helped our community through the good, bad, and ugly of owning a business, including the life they lead alongside ownership.

Winnie, you leave a seat that's so tough to fill and a legacy of kindness that we'll continue to pursue. Enjoy your retirement, and don't be a stranger!