The SME Stream

In this special series of The SME Stream Podcast, Wilhelmina O’Keeffe steps inside some of Aotearoa’s most loved small and medium businesses - exploring their culture, their stories, and how coffee helps bring people and ideas together. In this episode, Wilhelmina catches up with Greig Brebner & Todd Graydon to explore the journey behind their globally recognised brand, Blunt. From building a product that redefines a daily essential to navigating the challenges of Covid and what came after.   Served by Nespresso Professional See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when a serious workplace issue lands on your desk and everyone is looking to you for answers? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with employment lawyer Matthew Dearing to unpack what effective leadership, decision-making, and risk management actually look like when organisations are navigating high-pressure employment relations situations. With experience spanning specialist employment law, in-house counsel, and executive advisory roles, Matthew shares practical insight into handling restructures, investigations, serious misconduct, migrant exploitation claims, executive exits, and reputational risk. This conversation goes beyond legal process and explores the real-world balancing act between operational realities, procedural fairness, leadership judgement, and organisational reputation. From “don’t panic leadership” to the changing employment law landscape in New Zealand, this episode offers grounded, highly practical advice for leaders, HR professionals, and business owners managing complexity.   What You’ll Learn How to lead calmly and effectively during workplace crises Why HR and legal leaders must bring solutions, not just problems The importance of defining the real issue before acting How to manage investigations involving reputational risk What “don’t panic leadership” looks like in practice The role of confidentiality and privilege in sensitive workplace matters How procedural fairness and pragmatism can coexist The impact of recent employment law changes around serious misconduct What employers need to understand about the new high-income threshold Where AI fits into employment relations and legal practice   Key Takeaways Strong leadership during workplace crises requires calm, structure, and clear communication Early escalation and involving the right people reduces organisational risk Investigations should focus on facts, not assumptions or emotion Procedural fairness still matters, even with changing legislation Business impact, operational realities, and reputation all influence decision-making Good process protects both people and organisations AI can support efficiency, but human judgement remains essential Organisations should treat every major issue as a learning opportunity   About Matthew Dearing Matthew Dearing is a Senior Associate at Edwards Sluiters, one of New Zealand’s largest specialist employment law firms. He has extensive experience advising organisations on employment relations, restructures, investigations, serious misconduct, restraint of trade matters, executive exits, and workplace risk. Prior to joining Edwards Sluiters, Matthew served as Employment Relations Legal Counsel for Wilson Group and previously held the role of Head of Legal and General Counsel for the EMA. Known for his calm, pragmatic approach, Matthew works closely with organisations to navigate complex workplace issues while balancing legal, operational, and reputational considerations.   Why This Episode Matters For HR professionals, executives, business owners, and leaders dealing with workplace complexity, this episode provides practical insight into how to navigate difficult situations without escalating unnecessary risk, conflict, or reputational damage. Whether you’re handling a restructure, serious misconduct issue, investigation, or organisational crisis, this conversation offers practical guidance grounded in real-world experience.   Resources & Links Edwards Sluiters Matthew Dearing | LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National has unveiled an ambitious new trade pitch, promising to pursue New Zealand’s “next billion customers”. The party says it’s all part of a plan to grow exports, create jobs and boost incomes, with a long-term goal of doubling export value by 2034. Supporters say that is the kind of ambition a small trading nation needs. Sceptics say the policy may be trying to do too much at once. Today on The Front Page, BusinessDesk Senior Correspondent Dileepa Fonseka joins us to dig into the policy, the politics, and what it could actually mean for the New Zealand economy. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the conversation I wish someone had sat me down and had with me when I was starting out. I cover the four things that actually change the trajectory of your life, your circle, your money habits, what you are putting into your mind, and how you handle failure. Because the small decisions you make right now are compounding into the person you will be in five years. You do not need to come from money. You do not need the perfect plan. You just need to decide and start. Ready to take that first step? Join my Business Masterclass today. ⬇️ 👉🏼 https://www.makeithappen.org.nz/📲 Socials: https://www.instagram.com/makeithappen  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Deputy Prime Minister on the importance of trade deals for New Zealand. Plus, would Act work with The Opportunity Party, and what happened with school lunches? And his plan to streamline government by reducing the number of ministers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister is hopeful that New Zealand's exports will grow significantly over the next ten years. If reelected, National says it will pursue trade negotiations with Brazil, Switzerland, Argentina, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Uruguay and the European Free Trade Association.  It would seek talks with a further six trading nations over the next decade.  Nicola Willis says it's likely there will be more demand for New Zealand-made products over the years as the market grows and changes.  "If you'd asked me 20 years ago - what will China buy from us? I probably wouldn't have predicted some of the products that they now buy from us. I wouldn't have said that they would be an importer of our wine, that they would be such a massive importer of dairy products." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tech New Zealand is trying to dispel fears about bringing more data centres here.  Crown agency Invest New Zealand is looking to attract up to $30 billion in offshore investment in the centres, over five years.   We already have 56 of the facilities here – using around 0.6% of our total power.  Tech New Zealand Chief Executive Graeme Muller told Mike Hosking he hates hearing that data centres use a lot of water.  He says it's an American issue with old centres, suggesting the new facilities like those built in Auckland using less water than the average dairy farm.  Muller is also assuring that lots of jobs will be created by bringing new data centres here.  Invest New Zealand claims the centres could employ up to three and a half thousand people, but local industry advocate Don Christie says the centres are largely automated and only employ a few people.  Muller argues the new data centre being built in Southland is creating a lot of jobs – he says it's going to create more construction jobs over the next decade than the City Rail Link, and create 220 fulltime positions.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National trade spokesperson Todd McClay says the party will prioritise seven new markets for trade deals if reelected.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Entreprenuer Marisa Fong on her mission to support 500 women leaders in 5 years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hear from MOVAC General Partner Jason Graham on what the VC firm plans to do with its record $185 million raise.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand Apples and Pears says trading with India is about getting money back in the pockets of growers.  Sign off on the Free Trade Agreement is still making its way through Parliament, but Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says exporters are already laying the groundwork.   India's grown from being our seventh largest market for apples, to the fourth – and the number of Indian tourists is also up.  Apples and Pears CEO Danielle Adsett told Mike Hosking it's important to start allocating some quota towards the Indian market.  She says exports have increased in anticipation of the agreement, and the industry is excited for the season ahead.  Adsett told Hosking the agreement's potential is untold, but growth should continue.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Forsyth Barr's Zoe Wallis joins Herald NOW for a look at the markets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a turbulent time for AI-based investments. The AI capital expenditure-leveraged Korean and Japanese share markets have recovered from last week's drop, but experts say things are still 'volatile'. Shane Solly from Harbour Asset Management explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air NZ and Air India looking at more than a codeshare; National electioneering on 7 new trade deals. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ASB's latest outlook says New Zealand's economic recovery is back on track. Inflation is expected to hit 4.1% in Q2, but the bank says the overall economic picture as "markedly improved". ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley told Mike Hosking that, "We do think it will still be tight, but we do think that the Reserve Bank will lean on remaining on hold." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The India Business Council isn't surprised to see the free trade agreement have an impact already, before coming into force. New export numbers show apples are in high demand -- volumes jumping 63 percent on the 2024 season when negotiations began.  Last month, Matariki Forests sent its first shipment of logs from Bluff to India since 2020.  Council Chair Edwin Paul told Ryan Bridge there's an increase in general business confidence. He says there's also a real interest in the likes of mean, wood, honey and technology.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Trade Minister says he's very encouraged by National's election promise that it'll pursue trade talks with seven economies. It says it would prioritise trade talks with Brazil, Switzerland, Argentina, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Uruguay and the European Free Trade Association. It's also promised to advance negotiations with a further six countries over the next decade. Tim Groser says if you don't aim high, you achieve low.  "It's possible - and even if they fall short, it's certainly going to set the direction of travel." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trade watchers are already sounding the alarm that 7 deals would spread MFAT thin. Garth Bray 2degrees Business Wrap.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if culture doesn’t eat strategy for breakfast after all? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with organisational culture expert and corporate anthropologist Michael Henderson to unpack one of the most misunderstood concepts in business: culture. With more than 40 years’ experience and over 300 culture transformation projects completed across four continents, Michael brings a distinctive lens to leadership, performance, and organisational effectiveness. Drawing on his background in anthropology, he challenges conventional thinking around strategy, performance, leadership, and human behaviour at work. This conversation explores why culture is really about meaning and performance, how organisations can “out care” the competition, and why curiosity, language, and human connection still matter more than ever in modern business. From high performance and customer intimacy to leadership capability and conflict resolution, this episode offers a thought-provoking and highly practical perspective on what drives successful organisations.   What You’ll Learn Why Michael believes culture doesn’t “eat strategy for breakfast” The difference between performance and high performance How anthropology changes the way we understand organisations Why meaningful work drives stronger performance outcomes How language shapes organisational culture and behaviour The role curiosity plays in leadership, conflict, and communication What “out caring the competition” actually looks like in practice Why many organisations misunderstand culture entirely How customer intimacy creates competitive advantage The connection between care, belonging, engagement, and performance   Key Takeaways Culture is fundamentally about performance and meaning High-performing organisations care more — deliberately and consistently Leadership requires awareness, curiosity, and the ability to think beyond binary views Language shapes belief systems, behaviour, and organisational outcomes Strong cultures are built through meaningful human connection Curiosity and understanding reduce conflict and improve collaboration Organisations that deeply understand customers create stronger commercial outcomes Culture capability remains a major gap for many businesses and boards   About Michael Henderson Michael Henderson is the founder of Cultures at Work and a globally recognised organisational culture expert with more than 40 years’ experience helping organisations align culture and strategy. With a background in anthropology, Michael has led over 300 culture transformation projects across four continents, working with leaders to improve engagement, performance, retention, leadership capability, and customer outcomes. He is the award-winning author of 10 books on organisational culture, including The Caring Advantage and Out Caring the Competition. Michael’s work focuses on helping organisations create meaningful, high-performing cultures grounded in care, connection, and purpose.   Why This Episode Matters If you’ve ever struggled to define culture, influence performance, improve engagement, or create meaningful organisational change, this episode offers a fresh and practical perspective that challenges conventional thinking. For leaders, HR professionals, and business owners alike, this conversation reframes culture from something abstract into something deeply human, commercially relevant, and actionable.   Resources & Links Cultures at Work Michael Henderson | LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everyone has an employment contract, but what should you be aware of when presented with a new one?  Some key parts that you'd think are a given may also be missing, so what shoud you make sure you have? MyHR's Chief Evangelist Sylvie Thrush-Marsh joins Tim Beveridge to answer your employment questions.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Casey from Rewiring Aotearoa says solar can now pay off faster than many households realise, but the biggest savings come from understanding how your home actually uses energy. From gas hot water to EVs, batteries and green loans, Mike and Nadine break down what to weigh up before going electric.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Party has just announced it's trade policy, should the party be re-elected in November.  They've said that the aim is to secure markets with seven new economies across Europe, Africa and South America, with more to be chased further down the line.  Trade Minister Todd McClay told Tim Beveridge that it's important to expand trade, as the target countries in Europe especially are 'particularly wealthy nations'. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a busy week between New Zealand and India.  The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to make his first official visit to New Zealand as the FTA gets over the line, however Winston Peters has raised concerns around Indian immigrants receiving unfair scrutiny at the border.  The Chair of India New Zealand Business Council Edwin Paul told Tim Beveridge that, 'This is a start of a journey' of trade between India and New Zealand.  LISTEN  ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How much of this rally is being carried by chipmakers and and does that make the market more vulnerable? S&P's Anu Ganti in New York. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US equities have just had their strongest quarter since the Covid rebound, while the NZX 50 has recovered after a difficult start to the year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason Paris announces his departure from One NZ, as the government opts for auctions not rollovers of spectrum licenses. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National says it's targeting growing parts of the world with its latest trade policy. It is promising to attempt seven new deals in five years if re-elected - following the success with India.   These are Brazil, Switzerland, Argentina, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Uruguay and the European Free Trade Association.  National's Trade Spokesperson Todd McClay told Mike Hosking that it takes advantage of recent logistical changes.  He says Chinese airlines are using New Zealand as a stopping point to South America - making trade with the continent easier.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As business owners, you know how hard it is keeping up with your business, let alone the news. Join Wilhelmina O'Keeffe each week as she gives you a rundown of the biggest stories that could impact your business, so you can make informed decisions with expert advice.  This week, more talk of green shoots, so when exactly will they become a garden? Petrol prices come down, but will they reach levels seen before the conflict? Plus all eyes are on next week’s OCR announcement, will it stay or will it move?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Opportunity Party has outlined their new vision for the economy ahead of the election. The party's looking to invest more into technology and AI, strengthen the Commerce Commission to stand up to the supermarkets and gentailers and boost small Kiwi businesses. The party also wants to forgive student loan interest in order to draw local talent back into New Zealand. Leader Qiulae Wong outlined the party's plans further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seeing that exporter confidence growth in real time - Andrew Balgarnie Chief Strategy Officer of Trade Window.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inflation expectations fall in June ANZ Business Confidence survey.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Centrix's Keith McLaughlin reveals what's behind the latest Centrix stats.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Humanoid robots taking on factory jobs seemed like a sci-fi concept, but more businesses have made that concept a reality. These robots are powered by AI to make decisions, and Tesla's San Francisco production line is utilising more of them.   Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Westpac’s done a deal to put that info on its app. Others advocating for central register of properties at risk. 2degrees Business wrap Garth Bray. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian startup Heidi Health has become one of the most visible examples of AI actually shifting the dial on healthcare productivity – and New Zealand is at the forefront of that story.  In this week’s episode of The Business of Tech, I talk to Heidi co‑founder Yu Liu about the company’s journey from student training tool to AI “care partner” for clinicians, and its audacious goal of doubling global healthcare capacity. Heidi didn’t start life in the emergency department. Yu and his co‑founders first built Oscar, a chatbot that helped medical students practise exam skills – essentially simulated patients for training bedside manner and clinical questioning.  Oscar was useful, but the startup team struggled to find students willing to pay for it. In 2019, Liu and his co-founders, Dr Tom Kelly and Waleed Mussa, pivoted to tackling one of the biggest bottlenecks in healthcare – the hours clinicians lose every day to documentation and administration. Widespread use in emergency departments That created Heidi Scribe, an ambient AI scribe that sits in on consultations, listening to the conversation and producing high‑quality clinical notes tuned to each hospital’s templates and workflows. Clinicians were quick to adopt it. Liu describes doctors using Heidi in every consult and calling the founders directly when it went down, because they no longer wanted to go back to typing everything themselves. In New Zealand, that enthusiasm has translated into national‑scale deployment. Health New Zealand is rolling Heidi out across all emergency departments, with clinicians in places like Hawke’s Bay cutting documentation time per patient from roughly 17 minutes to around four minutes.  Heidi, which has now raised around US$100 million across several VC-backed fundraising rounds, blends frontier large language models with specialised, region‑local models trained on clinical language and medication names, hosted in‑region to satisfy data sovereignty requirements. That’s how it pushes accuracy toward the near‑99 per cent threshold clinicians need to trust AI‑generated notes, says Liu. Heidi wants to transform assistive AI into something closer to infrastructure. From scribe to evidence-gatherer Heidi doesn’t retain recordings of conversations, and while many doctors create transcriptions on their smartphones or laptops, the Heidi Remote is also available – a mobile recorder doctors and nurses can carry around clinics and hospitals for easy recording that doesn’t rely on an internet connection. The company is already moving beyond transcription. Heidi Evidence surfaces relevant clinical research and guidelines at the point of care, while Heidi is expanding into pre‑chart summaries, referrals and spoken commands that trigger real actions in electronic health record systems. The aim, says Liu, is to let doctors focus on diagnosis and human connection, and let AI handle everything else. In the episode, we dig into Heidi’s founding story, its rapid uptake in New Zealand’s public health system, and the governance and privacy questions that come with putting AI in the consult room.  Tune in to the full conversation with Heidi Health co-founder Yu Liu on The Business of Tech, available wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister on a buoyant primary sector and how New Zealand’s Michelin-star-winning restaurants benefit tourism. Plus, the OCR, how heavy machinery rules affect farmers, and the Treasury Performance Improvement Review. And how is Police Minister Mark Mitchell doing after breaking his ribs at a charity rugby match?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The International Monetary Fund is broadly happy with how the Government and Reserve Bank are steering the economy - but it's warned some changes need to take place. The agency says the Government will need to hike taxes, as well as continue cutting spending, to get the country’s finances on a more sustainable path forward. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explained how this could be implemented. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2026 is halfway over, and experts have noticed which trends are leading investor conversations. The chips and computer hardware sector has seen some growth thanks to the AI boom, but the Middle East conflict has continued to generate concerns. Milford Asset Management's Jeremy Hutton explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister believes all signs are pointing to economic growth this year.  The International Monetary Fund's recommending the country continue to hike taxes and make spending cuts.  It predicts the economy will grow by 2% throughout this year, rising to 2.7% next year.  Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking the IMF's quite optimistic about our growth this year, and she believes the economy's ready to bounce back.  She says they see it starting to recover after a difficult few months, and all of the bank economists agree.  The IMF's also broadly happy with the Government’s targeted response to the oil price shock.  It believes the annual inflation rate will peak at 4% within the next few months thanks to high oil prices, before dropping back.  Willis told Hosking inflation would've been a huge problem if the Government unfurled the money hose like a lot of people wanted.  She says there was a lot of talk about cutting petrol tax, and giving people extra cash in their back pocket.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ACT Party says it has killed three birds with one stone as new workplace legislation is passed.  The bill reverses a number of changes in the 2015 Health and Safety at Work Act, and will shift focus to critical risks.   It passed its third reading in Parliament yesterday, despite criticisms from New Zealand First.   Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke Van Velden told Mike Hosking it grows the economy, supports small businesses, and stops wasting money.   However, the legislation will no longer be implemented in November – instead pushed back until April.  Labour is also promising to repeal the legislation, if elected.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After building and selling EnableMe, Hannah McQueen is tackling another challenge through Age Brightly. She joins Paula Bennett to talk about wealth, purpose, business and why New Zealand needs to rethink ageing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government currently spends about a billion dollars a fortnight on superannuation payments, it's a growing problem that we're running out of time to address. So who shouldn’t be counting on getting the pension in future? Shamubeel Eaqub, Simplicity chief economist and head of policy, joins Nadine Higgins with some hot takes about the future of NZ's pension scheme and his thoughts on proposed changes to KiwiSaver.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could the AI frenzy end in a painful market correction? Liam Dann and Tamsyn Parker discuss the warnings and what it could mean for KiwiSaver. Plus, should the Reserve Bank should leave interest rates alone? And what does the falling New Zealand dollar mean for you? The Economy of Everything is brought to you by CMC Markets. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ANZ's big cheese economist says New Zealand has a super problem - and here's how to fix it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

IAG's Bryce Davies on government responsibility and the role insurers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'Putting the mideast aside the currency play has been quite dramatic for the NZ market'  Mohandeep Singh Craigs Investment Partners.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The worst seems to be over when it comes to the job market.  Filled jobs rose 0.3% in May —an extra 2,515 roles— with strong gains in the service and public sectors.  The annual lift of 0.7% was the fastest in over two years.   Independent economist Cameron Bagrie told Mike Hosking in terms of the economy, it’s as if we’re on State Highway 1, travelling around 60kp/h when the speed limit is 100kp/h.  He says we have forward propulsion, but we’re not knocking the ball out of the park in regards to speed.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Surprise over jobs in the public service rising, despite cuts planned by the Government. Seasonally-adjusted Stats NZ data shows filled jobs rose 0.3 percent last month - and 0.7 percent for the past year. The most jobs were in the public sector, with more than six-thousand jobs created in the year to May. Infometrics Economist Rob Heyes says there's still plenty of work to do in the public sector, especially in health and education. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwibank believes there’s no need to increase the Official Cash Rate just yet.  They believe the figure should be held at 2.25% when the Reserve Bank reviews it next week.  Kiwibank Chief Economist Jarrod Kerr told Mike Hosking that oil prices were a temporary shock and some of the fears around secondary inflationary pressures haven’t eventuated.  He told Mike Hosking that wages are still very soft and the economy is still recovering, so there’s no need to hike rates just yet.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As business owners, you know how hard it is keeping up with your business, let alone the news. Join Wilhelmina O'Keeffe each week as she gives you a rundown of the biggest stories that could impact your business, so you can make informed decisions with expert advice. This week, does National’s new Kiwisaver policy fill enough gaps in the scheme? …. Another confidence knock to our job market and what employees are prioritising in the work place .. plus we look at how our inflation data compares internationally. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.