Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we'll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. Today it's how tech is poised to become a major force in the New Zealand business scene. Tourism was a lifeblood in our economy for a long time. But with borders now closed for who knows how long, there are questions about if another major industry will step up to the plate. My next guest argues yes, there’s already one waiting in the wings:...

Welcome to the pivot pod, where together we’ll figure out where to next for small business. Today it's how to tighten up your business to survive border closures. Even if we’re all agreed keeping the borders closed is important for keeping us safe and healthy, there is an undeniable cost that comes with that. New Zealand is a country that until now relied heavily on tourism and exports, both of which are impacted by border restrictions not just here but throughout the world. So how can we...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we'll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. Today it's how to keep talking to your customers when every dollar is tight. Many of the guests we’ve had so far have warned against cutting your marketing budget. I can see their reasoning – in times of change, you need to keep talking to your customers about what you’re doing, and how they can buy from you. But also every dollar has to be...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we'll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. Today it's identifying the ways your business can change to get through the "new normal". We all know how businesses have struggled with the impacts of Covid-19 – the borders are still closed, international tourism stalled, and many of us are still wary of the close contact that retail or events can bring. But what about the opportunities?...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we'll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. Today it's how you can use a link to health to boost your business. While money is tight for many at the moment, some businesses have actually seen sales go up after Covid-19. One of those is AgriSea, a New Zealand company that makes natural fertilisers from seaweed, whose sales have boomed since lockdown. In the June 2020 quarter alone,...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we'll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. Today it's the best ways to start reaching customers online. One piece of advice that’s dished out over and over again is that businesses should try to get around Covid-19 restrictions by embracing the digital, online world. Now to be clear, I totally agree with this; but at the same time it’s not that simple. It can be intimidating for...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we'll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. Today it's how even in "unprecedented times" we can learn from survivors of past crises. We’re hearing a lot about how it’s unprecedented times right now. And while it’s certainly true that a global pandemic, and a virus that keeps us in our homes, is highly unusual, a crisis for the business sector itself isn’t that unusual. There are...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we'll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. Today it's a business coach on why you shouldn't get lost in the weeds. The world of business is often a tightrope, where you’re constantly looking for what will help your business keep its balance, while avoiding things that will knock you off course. And while the rope is looking a little frayed lately, it is still true that there are parts...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we'll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. Today it's a tourism business that says the Covid-19 changes made their business better. Tourism has had one of the roughest rides through Covid-19. Every time it looks like they might catch a break, we end up going backwards again – with even the hopes for a bubble with Australia looking unlikely for now. But one tourism company has...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we'll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. Today it's how ethics can go hand in hand with a profitable business. When push comes to shove, ethical business practices are often seen as a nice to have. It may be nice to do your bit for the world, but at the end of the day, the business has to survive. But who says that ethical practices actually get in the way of doing the best...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we'll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. Today it's upskilling staff for the necessary business changes. Any business is only as good as the people within it. So as many businesses look to adapt to the current situation, the people who work there will also need to shift, learning new skills and taking on new responsibilities. It all sounds good and ambitious, but can be quite...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we'll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. Today it's the tactics to get your invoice to the front of the queue. It’s one thing finding work in the current environment, but then the next hurdle is getting paid. It’s a constant pain point for small business that they can be seen as a lower priority. Often they're sent to the back of the queue when it comes time to paying invoices. As...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we'll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. Today it's how one company changed its business so successfully, they're taking on more staff. Among the businesses knocked for six by Covid-19 is anything involving live events, or touring. Crowds? Travelling? Those are literally the worst things during a viral pandemic. With no idea what the timeline could be for normal returning around...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we'll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. Today it's the new priorities from customers after the changes of Covid-19. Many of us have had more time to think during lockdown, sparking some realisations. You don’t have to look far to see people re-evaluating their priorities, talking about a new focus on what’s truly important to them, and ditching anything that doesn’t serve these new...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we'll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. Today it's what to keep and what to drop as you streamline your business post-Covid. The rate of change right now is, frankly, scary. But there’s a type of freedom that comes with moments like this as well. When you’re forced to try new things and adapt, you also bring in the possibility of striking gold in a way you never expected. So how...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we'll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. Today it's the opportunities and pitfalls of social media. Embracing the online world has been a lifeline for many in our new socially distanced reality. In our personal lives it lets us stay in touch with loved ones, and in our business lives it lets us talk to customers, and continue delivering products and services. But if you’ve been...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we'll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. Today it's Mark O’Brien on how Aluro Healthcare moved fast to change everything. It’s one thing to talk about the need to adapt, and another thing entirely to actually do it. To take your existing skills and repurpose them for a new industry is a brilliant idea, but not an easy one. However, that's exactly what the team at Aluro Healthcare...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we'll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. Today it's entrepreneur Josh Comrie on the different methods for switching up your existing business. It’s no secret that many businesses are feeling the pinch after lockdown, and some have already announced they’ll be closing their doors. But what’s more surprising is that some are doing just the opposite, and looking at a future that’s...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we'll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. The Covid-19 crisis came out of nowhere, and has changed everything about how we live and do business. But this sort of situation isn’t entirely unprecedented – indeed part of New Zealand has gone through something with key similarities. When the Christchurch earthquakes struck in 2011, the area faced two tragedies; one to deal with the dead...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, where we’ll figure out together what's next for small business. Hosted by Frances Cook, with a new expert on each episode. We all know that lockdown was tough, for some more than others, and it’s far from over yet. Travel businesses are decimated, and hospitality faces a rocky road. But it’s not all bad. Many businesses have successfully switched to delivering their products, while anything to do with health is soaring. What many are learning is what we’ve...

Welcome to The Pivot Pod, the place to help small business figure out what’s next when our normal way of living is thrown out the window. Hosted by Frances Cook for the New Zealand Herald.