Realty

Business confidence in New Zealand jumped to 56.1 in July, one of the biggest monthly shifts the ANZ Business Outlook survey has recorded in years. But confidence and a plan are not the same thing, and the gap between them is where businesses get into trouble. Here’s how to use the good period well.

Nobody starts a business intending to become the person everything runs through. It happens gradually, and by the time you notice, the business can only move as fast as you can. Here are five signs it’s already happening, and what to do about it.

If you’ve been feeling a bit unsure where things are heading right now, you’re not alone. Business confidence has taken a hit, costs are still rising, and there’s more noise around liquidations and tax pressure in the background. Most business owners don’t need more information right now — they need clarity on what to do next. Here’s the simple 90-day focus we’re working through with clients.

Repairs and improvements might sound similar, but they’re treated very differently at tax time. Get it wrong, and it could cost you. Here’s a simple way to understand what you can claim now, what needs to be capitalised, and the common traps to watch out for.

Your year-end numbers are more than just tax data. Learn how to use your FY26 financial reports to plan a stronger, more profitable FY27.

The end of financial year is nearly here. Here’s what small business owners should do before 31 March, plus the key tax, payroll and KiwiSaver changes starting 1 April.

Most business loan applications don’t fail because the business isn’t good enough – they fail because preparation happens too late. This guide explains what lenders actually look for, the common mistakes that slow approvals, and how early planning can turn funding into a strategic tool rather than a stressful scramble.

January has a different energy to December. December is about closing loops. January is about choosing which ones you open next. As the year gets underway, many business owners feel both refreshed and slightly overwhelmed – motivated to make progress, but unsure where to focus first.

As the year winds down, we’ve been thinking about the ideas and conversations that shaped 2025 for our team – the themes that came up again and again in workshops, advisory sessions, and chats with clients navigating growth, change, and the everyday realities of running a business.

The Reserve Bank has dropped the Official Cash Rate again from 2.5% to 2.25% and while the move was expected, we see this as the final cut in the current cycle.