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Taking the first steps
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Taking the first steps

Questions to ask yourself before you start 9-step guide to starting a business How to research your market and competitors Buying a business or franchise Registering with government agencies

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Create a business plan

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Choosing the right business structure
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Choosing the right business structure

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Business planning tools and tips
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Business planning tools and tips

Introduction to business planning How to write a business plan When business planning is right for you Getting business planning advice Keeping track of key metrics How to be environmentally sustainable Common business milestones – and how we can help

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Income and provisional tax in a nutshell

Building a brand
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Building a brand

Creating your brand Choosing a business name Developing your unique selling point Getting an online presence

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Funding your business
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Funding your business

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Advice and governance

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Advice for contractors

What to think about before you start contracting Managing your finances Insurance cover for contractors What to watch out for in contracts Finding contracting work Government help for sole traders

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Businesses structures

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How to grow
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How to grow

Boosting sales
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Boosting sales

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Operating at a loss?

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Growth and innovation
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Growth and innovation

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Quick-focus planning for growing businesses

10 step business plan template

Quick-focus planning for growing businesses

Getting government grants
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Getting government grants

What can I get help with? Grants and help for your new business Grants and help for your established business Free government support and services

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Advice and governance

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Importing and exporting
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Importing and exporting

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Planning to exit
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Planning to exit

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Operating at a loss?

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NZTE Capability development voucher

Co-funding to grow your skills.

Tax and accounting
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Tax and accounting

Basic tax types
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Basic tax types

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Tax when you have employees
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Tax when you have employees

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Business finance basics
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Business finance basics

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Reducing your tax
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Reducing your tax

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Tax time tips
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Tax time tips

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Insights and articles on the latest business topics

Closing down
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Closing down

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Operating at a loss?

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Income and provisional tax in a nutshell

Hiring and managing people
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Hiring and managing people

Deciding to hire
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Deciding to hire

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Hiring people
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Hiring people

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Use the Employee Cost Calculator to estimate costs

Handling holidays and leave
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Handling holidays and leave

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Managing people day to day
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Managing people day to day

How to set up a new employee Your employee's first day/week Personnel files and record-keeping Paying employees Handling bonuses and benefits Flexible working arrangements Policies and procedures Managing misconduct

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Guide to keeping people healthy and safe at work

Getting the best from people
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Getting the best from people

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Ending employment
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Ending employment

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Businesses structures

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Risks and operations

Health and safety
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Health and safety

Health and safety basics How to assess health and safety risks What is 'reasonably practicable' Plans, tools and learning from incidents Worker engagement and participation Great toolbox talks How to approach workers about a health and safety issue Preparing for health and safety advice What to expect from WorkSafe visits

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Insights and articles on the latest business topics

Intellectual property protection
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Intellectual property protection

What is intellectual property Types of intellectual property Why intellectual property is important Simple steps to protect your intellectual property When to consider intellectual property Preparing for intellectual property advice Defending your intellectual property Protecting your intellectual property overseas

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Insights and articles on the latest business topics

Planning for the unexpected (BCP)
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Planning for the unexpected (BCP)

Emergency planning for businesses Continuity and contingency planning Insurance

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IT risk and avoiding scams
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IT risk and avoiding scams

Storing and backing up data Protecting business data Protecting customer and employee information Avoiding scams and fraud What to do if you've been hacked

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Dealing with customer complaints
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Dealing with customer complaints

When customers complain Understanding consumer laws Reducing risk of complaints Fair returns and complaints policies What you need to tell customers Training staff to handle complaints

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Equipment, premises and assets
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Equipment, premises and assets

Choosing where to work Leasing or buying premises Common business assets checklists Introduction to managing assets Resource Management Act for business

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Manufacturing
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Manufacturing

Exploring manufacturing options Importing and exporting laws

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Business performance
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Business performance

Management and leadership
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Management and leadership

Assess your management and leadership skills Improve your management and leadership: Overview How to communicate and give feedback How to be a good leader Leadership styles and when to use them How to motivate your staff Managing people's performance Performance issues: What to check Shaping your work culture

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Strategic finance
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Strategic finance

Assess your business finance skills How to read financial statements Use numbers to analyse your business Financial models: Step-by-step guide Finance modelling: results and concepts Strategic funding with investors and lenders

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New Zealand Business Performance Panel Other topics coming soon
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Tax time

ACC motor vehicle levies fall

15/06/2017

Driving is about to get cheaper for most vehicle owners. The ACC levy portion of the rego will fall by about 12.5% — and the petrol levy will also drop.

Staff & HR

Immigration advice to staff: Dos and don'ts

15/06/2017

Do you hire or employ migrants or overseas staff? There are rules on what kinds of immigration or visa advice you can give.

Health & safety

Health & Safety: Involving everyone at work

14/06/2017

It’s a myth that small businesses are exempt from health and safety laws. You and your workers must all be involved in keeping people safe at work.

Planning & growth

Government grants: Avoid scams + get free advice

14/06/2017

Every year the Government invests millions into businesses through grants and incentives. But bogus grant-finders also offer to help — for a fee.

Cash flow

Retirement planning for small businesses and sole traders

07/06/2017

What will future-you live on when you slow down or stop working? It can be a challenge to plan for this, but these tips from Sorted can help.

Staff & HR

Changes to parental leave payments

12/05/2017

Parents can now choose to take parental leave after they’ve first used other types of leave, eg annual, even if this is after the child arrives.

Customers

Lions Series and RLWC: Advertising dos and don'ts

11/05/2017

With two international rugby events about to hit New Zealand, do make the most of the extra tourists. Don’t get caught out by major event advertising laws.

Cash flow

R&D: Get cash back from your tax losses

11/05/2017

If you do research and development (R&D) work, a special tax credit up to $224,000 can ease cash flow problems and hasten your product to market.

Staff & HR

Get free in-job training for your team

11/05/2017

In tourism, hospitality or retail? In-job training helps you upskill and retain staff. Check out how to get free or low-cost training programmes at work.

Staff & HR

Grants and support for hiring disabled staff

11/05/2017

Most disabled people don’t need anything different to do their jobs. For those who do, grants and services can help you cater for their needs.

Tech talk

Webinar: Keeping your small business safe online

04/05/2017

Tips and resources recommended by our panel of experts to protect your business from scams and hack attacks.

Tech talk

New tool takes businesses on digital readiness journey

04/05/2017

This new business.govt.nz digital assessment tool has been co-designed and co-developed with social enterprise Digital Journey. Start your digital journey now.

Staff & HR

Career tool boost for jobseekers and employers

07/04/2017

Whether you’re looking for a job or to hire someone, finding out key information about a career, eg how much it might pay, just got easier with a revamped app.

Law changes

Four-minute round-up of 2017 law changes

07/04/2017

From contractors’ tax laws to Easter staffing rules, GST filing to ACC discounts, here’s a summary of what’s new and what’s changed for small businesses.

Planning & growth

Video marketing: Funding and workshops

07/04/2017

If you’re looking to export goods or services, there are free resources and money available to help you tell customers your story. Here’s how to get them.

Tech talk

Switch on to Techweek

07/04/2017

From hi-tech to ag-tech, cloud computing to co-working, 100+ events will be held across New Zealand. Expos, meet-ups, workshops and webinars run 6-14 May.

Planning & growth

Grant offers study with best in business

06/04/2017

If your business exports or operates overseas, a Prime Minister's Business Scholarship can halve costs of studying at one of the world's best business schools.

Tax time

Contractor tax changes: How to get it right

06/04/2017

All contractors can have tax deducted from their pay — and those hired by recruiters MUST do this. We answer your questions about this law change.

Staff & HR

Employers may face migrant hire stand-down for breaking rules

22/03/2017

Employers who break employment and immigration laws can be barred from hiring migrant workers. If you hire overseas workers, make sure you know the rules.

Staff & HR

Build easy workplace policies

20/03/2017

Business.govt.nz has launched the Workplace Policy Builder to help you easily and effectively create policies tailored to your business.

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