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Uncertain About Your Pricing?
Aug. 21, 2023
Uncertain about your pricing? Inflation creates instability - we become uncertain about our prices: • are they too low (keeping up with inflation)? Or, • are they too high (because inflation has created a cost of living crisis resulting in people sitting on their wallets)? So, what to do? -
I've been robbed!
June 5, 2021
Is Inflation 'robbing you' of your Margin? If your costs have risen with inflation of 2.5% in NZ in the last year, then perhaps you've been robbed. Without a corresponding increase in your price, or reduction in your costs, your profit has vanished - without a trace! It doesn't have to be that way. -
Cutting Costs For Business Growth
Sept. 28, 2018
Growing a business comes with a variety of logistical challenges, from hiring new team members, to finding new suppliers, to expanding your workspace. The biggest challenge, however, is coming up with the capital you need to manage these changes. -
3 Reasons Why Every Business Needs Customer Feedback
Sept. 28, 2018
Whether you’re a long established company with a loyal customer base or a new business just getting started, every organisation needs to listen to their customers. Here we present three reasons why listening to customer feedback will improve your business making it well worth the investment. -
What’s Holding Your Business Back?
Sept. 28, 2018
As businesses become established and begin to grow, business owners need to be aware of their habits, and reexamine them to eliminate those that might hold them back in the future. Many of the instincts that initially helped your business survive could eventually begin to get in the way and hold back progress. Building a business is an enormous task that requires nearly unimaginable investments of time and effort on the part of the entrepreneur. Because of the sheer scale of the effort, business owners often fall into patterns and habits that help them manage their day-to-day work lives. This is completely natural, and helps people to psychologically manage stress, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for business. -
Are You Leveraging Your Website?
Sept. 28, 2018
For many small business owners, driving growth is, first and foremost, about attracting investors and securing the funding you need to purchase equipment, hire more employees, and move into larger facilities. While that’s obviously important, growth fundamentally needs to be underpinned by growing demand, and that means finding ways to reach more of your target market and better communicating your message to them. For any business that relies on a relatively large market, developing and learning to capitalise on their website and their online presence is a critical part of doing that. While it takes a significant amount of time and investment, it also grants your business far disproportionately greater geographical reach, and gives you a way to directly address and interact with your target market. -
Buy Local And Lift The Economy of Your Community
Aug. 31, 2018
Your community depends on small businesses to survive, so this is why you should buy local… -
Business is built on social relationships
Aug. 31, 2018
In theory we like to think of business as a series of transactions. Businesses produce goods by buying labour, equipment, and resources in exchange for money, and earn profit by selling those goods to customers. In reality, however, this is a deeply oversimplified model of how companies really succeed. In the real world, business starts and ends with relationships, and successfully managing those relationships is the secret to success. -
Building a better business culture
Aug. 31, 2018
Business culture has traditionally taken a back seat to strategy. But 2015 saw the importance of corporate culture rise dramatically. 87 percent of organisations surveyed in Deloitte’s Global Human Capital Trends 2015 research cited culture and engagement as one of their top challenges. -
Does your financial institution fit the bill?
July 3, 2018
Cash flow management is a headache for small business owners everywhere. Not only do clients inevitably pay late (or not at all), but clients come and go, equipment breaks down, and random, unexpected expenses crop up at the least convenient of times. To keep the lights on and business running smoothly, businesses have to rely on a combination of careful money management and third-party financing. Unfortunately, choosing the right financial partner for your business is no easy task. -
What To Look For When Hiring An Accountant
July 3, 2018
According to our many identified personality types, it’s more often left brain people who have a propensity for numbers, but it’s the so-called right brain people who tend to be more entrepreneurial. Unless you are fortunate enough to sit in the centre of the personality wheel and have abilities with both numbers and creative ideas, you are going to need an accountant sooner rather than later. -
Keep On Track With Employee Training
July 3, 2018
Small businesses and startups typically work under enormous financial strain, and are constantly forced to examine their budgets to keep their operations lean and afloat. In many cases, business owners interpret that to mean relying on inexpensive low-skill labour, and requiring workers to “learn on the job”. -
Instead of Goals or Resolutions, Try Creating Rules
July 3, 2018
Creating goals or resolutions is hardwired into us, because we can’t stop making them. Unfortunately, we’re not as equipped for making the goals come true, and the pattern most of us see is that we start a goal with optimism, only to be disappointed when we haven’t done much after the first week or so. Try creating rules that will make your goals happen. -
Dealing with the ‘Dark World’ of IRD audit
June 1, 2018
“How did I get selected for IRD audit?” That would make for an interesting reality TV episode. I can picture it now… an uncomfortably squirming taxpayer in a meeting with IRD wondering what’s going to happen next. Then, in a cinematic flashback to two years previous, the pondering business owner considers whether to claim a tax deduction for an item of expense. So what really does happen in the Dark World of IRD audit? -
The Short Guide to Launching Big Ideas in Your Business!
June 1, 2018
In an ever-changing world, businesses are forced to innovate to stay afloat. But where do those ideas for innovation come from? -
The Annual Business Review and Why You Should Do One
June 1, 2018
Carrying out an annual business review is a good way to analyse your performance and review the market changes that could affect your future. We look at five steps to completing an annual review. -
What Small Businesses Need To Know About Lead Generation
April 30, 2018
Without leads, your business would not exist. You need clients that will pay for your services, or your business will not generate any income. You cannot serve your clients if you don’t have any! So, you need to find those leads from somewhere. Lead generation is the way to do that. This is what you need to know about lead generation. -
Find Out When Your Most Productive Work Time Is
April 30, 2018
Just because the standard workday runs from 9am to 5pm, does not mean you are your most productive during these hours. Sometimes, no matter how many cups of coffee you sink back, you just can’t get into the flow. So how do you make the most of your work hours so that you don’t have to burn the midnight oil? The best way is to plan your day according to your productivity peaks. -
How To Set More Effective Team Goals
April 30, 2018
When you have the backing of a great team, you can establish clear goals and work together to achieve your leadership vision. So how do you align your team to work towards clear goals that facilitate the desired results? You set the right kind of goals. You can do that by asking these questions when going through the goal-setting process. -
Is Rapid Business Growth risky
April 20, 2018
Growing the organic market in NZ - helping Chalmers Organics prepare for rapid growth. Specialist vegan producer Chalmers Organics turned to Ascension RCA Group to prepare for the rapid growth that comes with an expanding market – and so far, they’ve been very satisfied with the result. -
Top 3 Business Trends In 2018
Jan. 25, 2018
The New Year is that time of year when commentators and industry experts give us their views on what’s on the horizon for next year. In this post we’ve distilled a number of articles and opinions for you and have come up with our take on the top three business trends coming your way in 2018. -
Looking To Take Your Business To The Next Level In 2018? Here’s How
Jan. 25, 2018
January is the perfect time to reflect on where you’re at as a business. And if you’re a well-established company that has a sound customer base and a good product or service, it may be that 2018 is the year to grow your business in a new direction. But what’s the best way to do so? -
4 Ways To Communicate Better With Your Customers
Jan. 25, 2018
Communication can make or break a business. Being able to communicate effectively will see your business gain customer after customer. But poor communication will result in tumbleweeds and a lack of sales. So how can you make sure that you are communicating effectively? -
10 Things To Do When Business Slows Down
Dec. 18, 2017
Are you having a bit of a panic about the end of year slump? That time of year when everyone is Christmas crazed and more concerned with spending time with their family than worrying about work. It can be a worrying time of year when business slows down. But instead of spending the festive season fretting, use this time to your advantage. Here are 10 things that you can do… -
Closing Down For The Holidays? How To Avoid Any Nasty Surprises
Dec. 18, 2017
Most people may be winding down in anticipation of the holiday season; however, for some people it’s their busiest time of year. And we’re not talking about retailers here! No, thieves and burglars positively love the holiday season because of the huge number of unguarded businesses and homes as people make the holiday exodus. So if you want to avoid some nasty surprises upon your return to work, then follow these tips to keep your business safe. -
Holiday Marketing Campaigns: 4 Ways To Ensure Success
Dec. 18, 2017
The holiday season is the perfect time to run a specialised marketing campaign. And so while your competition may be winding down, now’s the perfect time for you to crank things up with a holiday marketing campaign. Here’s how you can ensure a successful one. -
Top 4 Budgeting Tips For Small Business Owners
Nov. 30, 2017
Small business owners usually run a tight ship with every cent carefully accounted for. And so, in this article we share our top four tips to help your small business stay on the right side of the balance sheet. -
Strong Leadership: 3 Common Pitfalls To Avoid
Nov. 30, 2017
It’s not easy being a leader. In this article we share some common pitfalls and the lessons to be learned from the experience of others. -
Employee Retention: 5 Ways To Keep Employees Happy Without Breaking The Bank
Nov. 30, 2017
When it comes to employee retention, it’s important to show your staff members appreciation for a job well done. But when budgets are tight and pay rises are not on the cards, how can you reward high-performing employees without breaking the bank? Well, in this article we share some ways to demonstrate your appreciation that don’t involve bigger pay checks. -
Seeking A Consultant? 4 Must-Have Attributes
Nov. 9, 2017
As a small business owner, it’s impossible to know all there is to know about every facet of growing and managing a business. Whatever it is, you will want to make sure the consultant or service provider is a good fit for your business. So what are the must-have attributes that a good consultant needs to have? -
Looking For The Right Insurance Agent? Top 5 Characteristics
Nov. 9, 2017
A good insurance agent can save you a lot of time and hassle. To help with the selection process, in this article we identify the top five characteristics that the best insurance agents have in common. -
Cash Flow In SMEs: Tips On How To Keep The Cash Coming In
Nov. 9, 2017
For small business owners in particular, maintaining a decent cash flow is fundamental to staying afloat. It’s a simple equation really: no cash = no business, and so keeping on top of your cash flow has to be a top priority. In this article we share some tips on how you can maximise the cash flow in your business. -
Make 2016 the year that your money works for you
March 4, 2016
Now the silly season is over, it’s time to get on top of your finances. Don’t let all those New Year’s resolutions go to waste. If financial freedom was on your list, let’s make 2016 the year that your money works for you. -
How to avoid financial difficulty
July 13, 2015
ACTION STATIONS! The vast majority of companies in New Zealand are small or medium businesses. The people behind these businesses usually commence business with the desire to earn sufficient profit to enable significant returns to its shareholders. The reality is that very few businesses achieve the level of returns that the shareholders desire, with many businesses achieving no returns at all or failing. In this article, we look at some of the early signs that a company is in trouble, and what a prudent director ought to do to best protect the interests of the financial stakeholders. -
Changes to Annual Returns
July 10, 2015
From 1 July, annual returns to the Companies Office must include extra information about company directors. Filing an annual return will remain a quick and easy process, but you will need to take the time to gather the following details. -
Virtual CFO launched
March 4, 2015
Today's actions produce Tomorrow's results. Ascension RCA Group launch Virtual CFO to equip business CEO's with the expert support to take their business to the next level. -
Incentive Remuneration
Oct. 22, 2014
Ever wondered how to incentivise higher level performance within your team without giving away too much of the company too soon? -
Another 5 Benefits...that makes it 15
July 23, 2014
by Frans Huysmans
11. Non emotional and objective review of management approach.
12. Clinical and objective consideration of policy.
13. Non reactionary approach to crisis.
14. Holistic overview of all aspect of decision making.
15. ... -
The NEXT 5 benefits of an Advisory Board
July 22, 2014
5 MORE benefits of an Advisory Board...by Michael Carney. -
5 Benefits of an Advisory Board
July 21, 2014
5 Benefits of an Advisory Board for NZ Business Owners and their Businesses...by Helen Down, Managing Director and Founder Advisory Boards NZ.
