Beating business blues

Several Mangawhai business owners seized the opportunity last month to participate in a couple of free seminars which focussed on surviving the recession.

Early May saw the business roadshow – a joint initiative between Enterprise Northland and the Northland Chamber of Commerce – hit town to promote its back-to-basics list of six key tactics for survival. This was followed by a seminar, presented by BizNorth’s Dianne Ludgwig, which outlined how businesses could emerge stronger from the downturn.

BizNorth managing director Ces Burke said that with experts predicting the worst of the recession still to come, it was vital that owners looked strategically at their businesses and knuckled down to some “meaningful planning”.

“All the experts are telling us that recovery will take several years, and the sad thing is there will be casualties. However, those businesses that re-examine the way they operate will find new opportunities and the chance to plug the gaps.”

Mr Burke said that Mangawhai was lucky to have a strong business association which offered great support.

Info: www.enterprisenorthland.co.nz; www.biznorth.co.nz or ph 09 438 1394.

Dianne Ludwig gives tips recession-proofing your business.