BUSINESS WOMEN’S NETWORK

BRANDINGPersonal

WITH PERSONAL STYLIST, JOHANNA-MAY MANKS

STARTINGA BUSINESS?

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO

FIRST?

THE HEALTH & SAFETY ACTWHAT DOES ITMEAN FOR YOU?

CRAFTINGYOUR UNIQUESTORY

SOCIAL MEDIAHOW TO PUT

YOURSELF ‘OUT THERE’

RESTRAINT OF TRADETHE DEVIL IS

IN THE DETAIL

INSPIRINGBUSINESSWOMEN

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Welcome

Welcome to the 'new look' Venus Magazine. In February this year I became the owner and CEO of Venus and I'm now living the dream - running a business and doing a role that makes me incredibly happy. I've taken on a re-brand, introduced seven new groups throughout New Zealand with another seven planned for 2018 and introduced one day, skills-based workshops to the Venus Training Academy.

Moving forward Venus will be taking on a charity status, you'll find information about our Foundation and the Constitution on pages 40-41.

Personal Branding is our focus for this magazine. As women, unfortunately, we are judged on how we present ourselves and therefore a personal brand becomes a very important part of our business. Using Johanna-May as my own personal stylist has increased my confidence and made a huge impact on my new role in Venus. I've learned it's about having me and my personality central to what I am wearing and being authentically me. Feeling good about yourself improves your interaction with both existing and potential clients.

I want to say a big thank you for the enthusiasm, hard work and support the Management Team and Members Advisory Board have bought to the table. Working alongside you all to fulfill the dream of setting up Venus as a charitable organisation continues to be my pleasure and privilege. I’d also like to acknowledge the enthusiasm and support we get from you, our members, you are what it’s all about. I love getting your emails, your calls and meeting you in my travels – you are what makes all the hard work worthwhile!

...so sit back, relax, make a cuppa, or perhaps pour a nice glass of wine and have a read of this wonderful publication!

Carolyn x

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4 VENUS

ContentsOn The Cover 66 PERSONAL BRANDINGJohanna-May Manks talks about how personal branding goes much further than just wardrobe-deep

14 STARTING A BUSINESS?There’s so much to know, and so much you don’t know

19 CRAFTING YOUR STORYThose who tell stories rule the world

22 SOCIAL MEDIALet your business network for you while you’re out conquering the world

26 HEALTH AND SAFETYWhat new Health and Safety Act?

30 RESTRAINT OF TRADEOne size doesn't fit all

36 INSPIRING BUSINESS WOMENWomen in Venus share what success means to them

29 NOT FOR PROFITDayspring Trust; inspiring women to live, love, learn and connect

34 MARKETPLACESupporting Venus Businesses

35 INSPIRATIONWomen in Venus share their advice and how to get the most of out of Venus

39 OUR PEOPLEMeet the women behind the scenes

40 ABOUT VENUSNetworking, Academy training and the foundation

41 VENUS CONSTITUTIONVenus operates exclusively for charitable purposes

42 VENUS ACADEMYOur Coaches and Trainers

14

ON THE COVER Model Johanna-May Manks wears her own dress and shoes, earrings by Angie stocked exclusively by Johanna-May Personal Stylist www.johanna-may.co.nzHair Kelly Melvin, HairFitMakeup Eleanor Dorn www.eleanordornmakeup.comPhotographer Kirsten Sudbury www.madlovemedia.co.nz

22Editor Carolyn BanksPublisher Venus Business Women's NetworkGraphic Design Monique Perry www.avenue61.co.nzPrinting Kim Taylor www.pagesprint.co.nzCover Story Writer Monica Shepherd www.markmywords.co.nzContent Compiler Lindsey CarrollAdvertising Enquirieslindsey.carroll@venusnetwork.co.nz

Venus Magazine is subject to copyright in its entirety. The contents may not be reproduced in any form, either whole or in part witout the written permission of the publisher.

Imagine a world where every organisation, no matter how big or small, has the right people doing the right things to help achieve its purpose.

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WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP YOU?If you already have a team, we assist you to create workplaces where you and your team experience the following benefits:

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To achieve these outcomes, we adapt our approach depending on the size of your organisation and work with you to ensure you have the:

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HOW DO WE WORK?At OrgDesign we believe in listening to you and your team to uncover your organisation’s real needs, tailoring practical solutions to meet those needs, and supporting you to make changes that benefit you, your people and ultimately your customers.

It is important to us, and beneficial to you, that we work in a way that values the knowledge of, and respects the impact of changes on, you and your team. I established OrgDesign to ensure I was able to honour my commitment to working in this way.

WHO ARE WE?I am Anastasia Hildred, the Director and Principal Consultant at OrgDesign. I have over 20 years’ experience as an accountant, business manager, human resources consultant and management consultant. I work with a group of trusted associates who make up the OrgDesign team. We’re based at Waikato Innovation Park in Hamilton and are able to work across most locations in New Zealand. 

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6 VENUS VENUS 7Johanna-May wears Claire Bloom, stocked exclusively by Johanna-May Personal Stylist, Auckland

The image we present to others in those short seconds communicates so much, simply through our dress, grooming, demeanor and comportment.

While these are not the only influences on our overall judgement of a person, they are the first. We have the power to influence others’ initial opinions - so what do you want people to think about you and your work? It makes sense to take control of this and present yourself in a way that you would like to be perceived - and remembered.

STYLE IS AN EXPRESSION OF YOURSELFBefore we go any further, let’s get this one out of the way - style is not about brands, expensive fashion, or out-of-your-comfort-zone glamour.

A strong personal style stays true to yourself, and shows the world a completely authentic you. As with all branding, consistency is key, and you’ll never maintain a style that isn’t an honest representation of you, or your business, so Johanna-May emphasises that that’s not what personal branding is all about.

PERSONALThe Power of a

A strong personal style stays true to yourself, and shows the world a completely authentic you.

BRAND

As a business owner, you know that developing a brand that sets you apart in the marketplace is critical. This brand should be a recognisable reflection of your business values, your ideology, and what you want others to think about you.

“In an instant, you’re showing others what’s

important to you”

Cover Stor y

Branding, of course, should be integrated into every aspect of your business - and that includes how you dress and present yourself to customers, colleagues and prospects.

A personal brand looks different on each and every one of us - and that’s a wonderful thing. However a personal brand should mean the same thing to us all - and that is, showcasing the best version of ourselves for the benefit of our business.

We spoke to Auckland-based personal stylist, and Venus member, Johanna-May Manks about how putting

your best foot forward can impact your business, and why personal branding goes much further than just wardrobe-deep.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNTWhy should appearances matter? The reality is, we only get around seven seconds to make a first impression. Whether we like it or not, our appearance does the talking in these crucial first moments. As business women, it is also something we are judged on more than men, but the positive is, it’s possible to use this to your advantage by making a memorable statement about who you are.

“The brain is hard-wired to judge someone within seconds, so when you first walk into a room, or a meeting, the first thing people see is what you’re wearing - colour and then style”, explains Johanna-May.

“In an instant, you’re showing others what’s important to you, how you’re feeling about yourself, how you feel towards others… details that you may not have even considered when you stepped out the door in the morning.”

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“Walking into a meeting and knowing that you look and feel your best will give you a palpable confidence.”

Above: Activewear by Johanna-May Activewear available at www.johanna-may.co.nz/activewear

“There is a big difference between style and fashion. Style is about you - getting it right for your personality, your figure, your lifestyle and your professional values”, she explains. “It doesn’t have to be hard; it doesn’t have to be branded; it doesn’t have to be expensive.”

Johanna-May says that linking back to your values is important - what are you proud of that you want others to know about?

“Let your personality shine, but don’t compromise the professional image you are portraying. For example, being a personal trainer doesn’t mean you have to always be in your active wear; wear clothes that show your strength and the pride you have in your body. If you’re a creative, add your own twist to a tailored outfit with expressive jewellery and colourful scarves. There are ways to still express yourself without moving too far away from being professional”.

LOOK GOOD, FEEL GOODOf course, what is as important, if not more so, than how others perceive us, is how we actually feel about ourselves.

Professional relationships are built on trust. And one of the most powerful tools towards building trust, is confidence. Clothes, and the feelings they can imbibe, therefore become an invaluable part of the messages you’re sending out about yourself and your work.

Making the right choices for your wardrobe and grooming will affect how you view your body, and therefore how you feel and carry yourself. “Walking into a meeting and knowing that you look and feel your best will give you a palpable confidence. Therefore knowing the right clothes, hair and makeup choices to make will help give the right impression of who you are and what your work represents,” says Johanna-May.

Every day, Johanna-May sees first hand the transformative power that clothes can have on how a woman feels about herself. Selecting clothes and colours that work with your best bits and downplay the bits you don’t feel so great about, will have an instant impact on your confidence and your belief in being the right person for a job.

“Having a ‘power outfit’ for meetings is great”, Johanna-May says. “It’s an outfit that you know will make you feel comfortable, confident, empowered and proud.”

She adds that even in your own work environment, it’s important to make an effort towards looking and feeling good. “Even working at home, it’s

Cover Stor y

important to still look smart. Putting something on that you like, that looks good on you, that makes you feel good, will surely be reflected in the work you produce”.

DRESS FOR RESPECTA word that Johanna-May uses when talking about dressing appropriately and developing your professional style is respect.

If you want others to respect you, you must first show that you respect yourself, too. One of the most important ways to broadcast respect for yourself, your business, and your work, is to present yourself with care and effort.

Johanna-May adds that style and personal branding goes beyond fabric deep - it’s about presenting a healthy, happy and engaged persona to match. “That means good skin, clear eyes, healthy hair, tidy nails. Looking after yourself is an incredibly important part of the messages that we’re sending out about how we care for and respect ourselves”.

How you present yourself is also a matter of respecting your customer or prospects. The adage ‘dress for the job you want’ rings true here, and respect means dressing appropriately for the audience, the event or the environment.

“It’s a sign of respect to work within the expectations of your client. If you want the job, you need to present yourself to clients in the way that they would expect. That means staying within your personal brand, but also aligning with their branding, and the way that they would expect their own employees, partners or associates to present themselves and represent their business”, says Johanna-May.

“If you’re professional, and you want someone to take you seriously, yet you turn up looking less so, they’re going to think that your work is like that too. Know the kind of client you want, and respect that they’re going to have certain expectations”.

HOW DO YOU WANT TO FEEL?Johanna-May works with a range of clients, both women and men, of all ages. Generally, they all have something in common - they’re feeling ‘stuck’ with their wardrobe

choices and feel that their clothing is misaligned with how they want to be presenting themselves.

For many women in particular, it may have been some time since they’ve needed to dress for the corporate world, their style has become outdated, their bodies may have changed shape and their confidence may be lacking. Whatever their challenges, she takes the time to get to know her clients to better understand their pain points, and how she can use fashion to help solve them. Working

10 VENUS VENUS 11

“Everybody can wear colour - it’s just a matter of finding the right one

to complement you”

with a personal stylist is not about having a one-hit-makeover, but about maintaining a wardrobe that better reflects how you want to represent yourself professionally and personally.

“I don’t change people. I dress people around their personality. I highlight the good parts and downplay the parts they are not so proud of. I get close to my clients, I have to. For me to get under their skin, I need to get to know them, and one of my first questions is, ‘how do you want to feel?’”, she explains.

Johanna-May says that becoming aware of how certain clothes are making you feel is a good place to start. If you’re not feeling positive, then ask yourself what it is that you really want to feel instead - is it empowered, strong, creative, bold, feminine? Working with a personal stylist can help you find clothes that

better express on the outside who you want to be on the inside.

BRIGHTEN UPAccording to Johanna-May, one of the biggest mistakes women are making is around their choice of colour. The use of colour is incredibly powerful, and a colour analysis is generally the first place that she starts with any of her clients.

“Everybody can wear colour - it’s just a matter of finding the right one to complement you”, she says. “Too many people go for black. The assumption is that it’s a slimming colour, but if it’s not your colour, then it’s not slimming at all, in fact it can actually be the worst colour for some because it wears you”.

She also says there’s nothing to be afraid of when it comes to stepping out in style. “I think people in New Zealand are very conscious of being presented too well. We are very casual, but there’s really nothing wrong with putting on a nice outfit and putting your best foot forward. Many women lack the confidence to put on something amazing, but there is

nothing wrong with having a bit of flair.”

Overall, what are her tips for professional women when it comes to dressing? “Don’t get stuck on your age, dress around your personality, embrace what you have and use clothes to project a presence, most importantly, learn how to get the best out of what you’ve got.”

INVEST IN YOUR BRANDIn the same way that we invest in a well-performing website, a memorable logo or professional business cards, so too should we be investing in putting forward the best version of ourselves as part of our brand. And in the same way that you might use a business coach or a personal trainer to reach your goals, using a personal stylist to better understand your own style is an investment that can pay dividends for your business.

“We’re constantly looking at our marketing, so the same applies to ourselves. You wouldn’t accept a brand or a website that didn’t reflect who you are and how you want people to perceive you, so why do we compromise when it comes to our personal appearance, in any of our professional interactions? It’s important to check in and ask ourselves if how we’re presenting ourselves is still in alignment with who we are, who we want to be, and who we want to work with”, Johanna-May says.

Simply through the way we present ourselves, we have the opportunity to manipulate others impressions of us, and therefore their perception of our business and the quality of the work we produce. It makes sense to manage this deliberately and use it to our advantage. So, what are those seven seconds saying about you?

Cover Stor y

Johanna-May wears Claire Bloom, stocked exclusively by Johanna-May Personal Stylist, Auckland

12 VENUS VENUS 13

When I started my business I was full of optimism and excitement about the challenge ahead. I thought - ‘how hard could it be? I could make all this money, and have all this free time with the family, and be my own boss. Easy right?’ No. What people didn’t tell me was:

Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me This?

However setting up my own company from the ground up, was the best and fastest learning I’ve ever had – this included a lot of hard lessons and mistakes along the way. Which means everything that I work through with my clients, I’ve been through myself, so I know what it’s like to stress and not sleep at night because you don’t have any clients and worry about how to pay the bills. Then I also know what it’s like to have too many clients and be working long hours to keep up. And I also know how having good systems in place can make a huge difference and let you grow a successful business and have a ‘life’ as well.

So What Do I Do?I’m a Business Growth Specialist and work with small to medium businesses from start-ups to established businesses and take them to 6-7 figures.

How do I do this? I help people create step by step business and strategy plans – of not only ‘what’ they need to do, but ‘how’ to do it to grow their business the faster and easier way. I help people generate new ‘A’ and ‘B’ type clients through clever low cost marketing strategies, I teach people how to sell in a way that feels natural and comfortable for them, I show people how to set up the systems so they can grow and expand without working long hours every week, and how to build a team around them to help them scale – even if they have limited time and budget. My goal is to help women grow a successful profitable business and have the time and money to enjoy it as well.

I’ve worked with over 170 individual businesses and hundreds of people through my seminars and training, and have developed unique strategies that have been proven to work time and time again with my premium clients. I’ve also had the privilege of working with many Venus members in their business, and am proud of the hard work they’ve put in and the success they’re achieving.

An exciting new development in 2017 is the launch of two of BreakThrough Business Solutions new online programs in the last 8 months.

One being The Fast Track Start Up Program™, specifically created for those in small business who have launched their new initiative, and in the initial growth phase, to those who have been in business for their first few years or more. This gives the step by step process and systems to get a business up and running, successfully, faster, bringing in new clients and cashflow, and setting the business up to scale and expand.

September has seen the long awaited launch of the new Sales Game Changer Program™ – and this literally is a game changer for businesses. I have given the best strategies and sales systems that have helped me sell over $20 million dollars’ worth of products and services over my career and for the first time ever, have made this widely accessible and cost effective for business owners. This provides the exact process, the exact formula, the practical easy to follow systems, the most successful phrases, and how to build confidence with sales. This is one of the fastest ways to increase turnover and cashflow.

My passion is to help women grow a successful business, have a ‘life’, feel proud about what they’ve achieved, and pay it forward to help other women reach levels of success too. I know that when I help a business owner make more money, reduce their working hours, help to remove stress and overwhelm, and set them up for success - this impacts their family and personal life aswell. This is my WHY - so I can make a difference, one business, one individual, and one family at a time.

If you’d like to have a coffee or a chat, feel free to get in touch: Fiona Clark, BreakThrough Business Solutions, e-mail: fionaclark@bbsolutions.co.nz office: (09) 476 9407 or website: www.businessgrowthcoach.co.nz

“The reality is - it’s not so easy to do, because for a lot of us, no one tells you what to do or how to set up and run a business.”  

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Your Smile is your logo, your personality is your business card, how you leave others feeling after an experience with you becomes your trademark.Jay Danzie

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14 VENUS VENUS 15

Put your big-girl pants on. It’s not going to be easy (if it were, everyone would be doing it) and be honest with yourself about your commitment. It’s going to mean long hours, heartache, and be financially challenging. But the rewards can be enormous – you will learn so much, grow as a person, and maybe even make some money! So what’s next? Here are a few thoughts from someone who has worked with hundreds of small business start-ups, but probably still hasn’t seen everything, yet.

Don’t give up your day job. Seriously, don’t. Not until you are absolutely sure you have a good product, and more importantly a market for your product; and that producing that product is financially viable, and the business can afford to pay you. Chances are the business won't be able to provide you with an income for some time, so if you have the option of staying in your day job and running the business at the same time, seriously think about doing it.

Both you and your business will thank you for having one less (big) thing to worry about.

Open a separate bank account, and start thinking about the business’s money as different to your own. The business has bills to pay, so only when those are paid, can it pay you. Keeping the accounts separate in your head will teach you to think of the business as a stand-alone entity that has to earn its own income, and keeping them separate physically will save massive amounts of time and money with your record-keeping.

Know what your ‘Opening the Doors’ number is. This is the amount of money it takes to run your business, on a monthly, weekly, and even daily basis, regardless of how much you sell. So imagine you have a cute little florist shop – how much would it cost you to go to the shop, open the doors, turn the lights on, let customers know you were there, pay the staff, and close the doors at the end of the day, without selling a single

flower (it will happen more often than you think!). These are your overheads, the things you need to pay for regardless of how much you sell each day, the bills that still need to be paid. You need to generate enough income to pay these bills every month, so it is really important you know what the number is, all the time.

Get the money coming in, and keep it coming. If there isn’t money in the bank to pay the bills, you can’t buy more stock, or pay the phone bill. Then you have nothing to sell next month, or customers cant get hold of you to buy it, and the downwards spiral starts. So be strict with your Terms and Conditions, invoice often, don’t send out stock if it's not paid for and keep on top of those slack payers. If someone owes you money, be the squeaky wheel (believe me, it works). If you’re not comfortable chasing money – and sometimes it is difficult if you’re also trying to land the next big order – get someone to do it for you. You can outsource it easily without going as far as debt-

So you’ve decided to run your own business, how exciting! And how scary, too! There’s so much to know, and so much you don’t know

you don’t know. So what do you do first?

PENNIESWatching the

collectors. And remember – if you sold it, it needs to be paid for.

Register for GST now if you are selling to people, not businesses. You need to be registered with Inland Revenue if your turnover is, or will be, over a certain amount in a twelve-month period (currently $60,000). By doing it now you will be able to claim most of your set-up costs and to purchase your first lot of stock, and you may even be due a refund. It’s also really hard to put your prices up by 15% in one go if you’re selling to individuals who can’t claim the GST back.

If you’re selling to other businesses, being GST Registered makes your business look more credible. Putting your price up later isn’t quite so difficult as they will be able to claim the 15% increase back, so the net amount is the same to them. Make sure you know what has GST

included and what doesn’t (wages for instance), and get an accountant or bookkeeper to check your Returns before you send them in. Outsourcing this level of financial reporting will save you time, and it can be very expensive if you get it wrong.

Don’t think you have to borrow money from the bank. You might not need to, and you may not even be able to. Banks are fickle, their lending criteria change with the weather, and interest repayments can kill a start-up. Think about asking family or friends to invest first – chances are they will be excited about your new venture, and it’s a good way of helping you get your idea off the ground. They are usually more lenient about interest rates and settlement dates. Don’t overstay your welcome though. If it's looking like you will need to borrow more, or need a more formal arrangement in the future, borrowing from the family will have taught you

Julie Russell has been helping start-ups and small businesses for 20 years and offers financial training and mentoring, as well as Xero bookkeeping services. Contact her on 021 022 18961, or julie@julierussellbookkeeping.co.nz

how to manage loan repayments and responsibilities, and make going to financial institutions easier.

Don’t try and wear too many hats. Running a business is very rewarding, but can also be very stressful if you try and do everything yourself. Learn to ask for help, and advice, and find people you can trust to outsource some of the easy stuff too, like marketing and bookkeeping.

But my biggest piece of advice? Enjoy it. There will always be bad days, and it's going to be tough, but it's also going to be amazing, so put your big-girl pants on and go for it!

Money Matters

16 VENUS VENUS 17

Beauty

Jane King as worked at Caci for over 15 years, with the past seven of those as the owner of both Caci Albany and Milford. Jane shares with us what it's like to be part of the Caci franchise.

What inspired you to own your own Caci clinic, and become a franchisee? Owning my own clinic has been a dream of mine since I first trained as a Beauty Therapist. My husband Jon inspired me to buy Caci Albany; he had the confidence in me that I could be a successful business owner. I also have great support from my mum - she helps care for my children. When Milford was available, Jon and I decided to go for it.

What do you enjoy most about owning a Caci clinic? I love coming to work each day even after 14 years due to the wonderful people I work with. We all have such a passion for what we do! Caci's core purpose is to give women the confidence to look and feel their best and I

strongly believe that. I love seeing the confidence that our clients have.

Having a strong team is essential, how do you instill a sense of confidence in them? Training is key, you need to have the knowledge and confidence in what you are doing. I also think it's really important for the team to experience Caci treatments, we can relate to our clients more and see great results too. I'm also really proud of my staff retention, we have well over 30 years of experience within our team. This allows our confidence to grow very quickly as there's a strong support network.

What do you enjoy most about being part of a business focused on women's confidence? For me, it's about seeing a change in women from when they first come to see us, to the way they look and feel afterwards. It's really special knowing that we've been able to contribute to this, it's something that we get a buzz from - we're part of something special.

Caci are New Zealand's skin and appearance experts with 40 clinics nationwide, and over 23 years' experience.

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Travel

“Those who tell the stories rule the world”

- as the Native American proverb says. Words that are as true today as when they were first spoken.

In today’s fast-moving environment, the most effective communication comes from telling interesting and valuable stories. Stories have the ability to evoke emotion, bring back memories and mobilise us to act. In this way, stories are powerful, and stories can move us.

We instinctively feel that as consumers, and now businesses are starting to realise that, to play to win, they need to embrace the power of storytelling. In 2016, Forbes referred to storytelling as the new strategic imperative of business.

Stories help a business to own their niche, create authentic connections with their market and win in their competitive environment, but not all stories can do this… So what makes a great one?

For a story to drive a conversation with the market, it needs to connect people to what makes a brand or business special and different. People care about organisations they connect to; it’s that simple.

Think about how you get close to others in Venus: you sit down for a RAVE and share things about yourself. Over time, you reveal what drives you, what you like and dislike, your values – all the things that make you uniquely ‘you’. And you do that through telling stories. The narratives we tell other Venus members to allow us to form relationships; the same is true for brands.

Storytelling may seem old-fashioned, but that’s exactly why it works to forge genuine connections. So, how do you tell a great story – one that inspires people to think, feel and do?

Be authenticThe best stories are real; they’re honest. They provide a true insight into a brand, a business, or a person. They have compelling characters. Consumers are savvy and know when they’re merely being fed marketing lines. Find real and authentic ways of communicating your points of difference. Chances are, the thing you do excites you and it has the potential to be exciting for others too, if you can connect them to why you do it, and what it means for you.

Surprise and delightGood storytelling evokes a strong neurological response; you follow the narrative, live through the characters’ trials and tribulations, and are along on the journey as they reach a resolution. The suspense builds, followed by the seductive surge of dopamine – and this happy little brain chemical makes us feel infatuation; a vitally important ingredient for brands.

Keep it simpleKey to any great story is that they make us think and feel. To do this, the best stories are simple – focusing around one single important idea, theme or message. You don’t want to leave people confused; if you’ve got more ideas, write more stories. One clear idea is far more effective for evoking emotions and, when you can get people to feel, you can get people to act. That is why storytelling is vital to business.

Or, as Harrison Monarth, author of The Confident Speaker says: “A story can go where quantitative analysis is denied admission: our hearts. Data can persuade people, but it doesn’t inspire them to act; to do that, you need to wrap your vision in a story that fires the imagination and stirs the soul.”

STORY

Crafting your unique

and compelling

Get in touch on info@intelligentink.co.nz if you want to have a chat about how to better tell your story – we’d love to chat!

New Thinking

20 VENUS VENUS 21

ⴀ   䴀 愀 渀 愀 最 攀 搀   䤀 ⸀ 吀   猀 攀 爀 瘀 椀 挀 攀 猀

ⴀ   䤀 ⸀ 吀   椀 渀 昀 爀 愀 猀 琀 爀 甀 挀 琀 甀 爀 攀   搀 攀 猀 椀 最 渀

ⴀ   䐀 椀 猀 愀 猀 琀 攀 爀   爀 攀 挀 漀 瘀 攀 爀 礀

ⴀ   伀 渀 猀 椀 琀 攀   ⼀   爀 攀 洀 漀 琀 攀   猀 甀 瀀 瀀 漀 爀 琀

ⴀ   一 攀 琀 眀 漀 爀 欀   猀 漀 氀 甀 琀 椀 漀 渀 猀

ⴀ   䈀 甀 猀 椀 渀 攀 猀 猀   挀 漀 渀 琀 椀 渀 甀 椀 琀 礀

ⴀ  ⴀ   䌀 氀 漀 甀 搀   挀 漀 渀 猀 甀 氀 琀 椀 渀 最

ⴀ   匀 瀀 攀 挀 椀 愀 氀   瀀 爀 漀 樀 攀 挀 琀 猀

ⴀ   䠀 愀 爀 搀 眀 愀 爀 攀   愀 渀 搀   猀 漀 昀 琀 眀 愀 爀 攀

䄀吀   刀 䠀 䔀 䄀  圀 䔀   䐀 䔀 䰀 䤀 嘀 䔀 刀   匀 伀 䰀唀 吀 䤀 伀 一 匀   吀 䠀 䄀吀   䴀 䄀 䬀 䔀   䄀   䐀 䤀 䘀 䘀 䔀 刀 䔀 一 䌀 䔀 ⸀

圀 䔀   唀 一 䐀 䔀 刀 匀 吀䄀 一䐀   吀 䠀 䔀   䰀 䄀吀 䔀 匀 吀   吀 䔀 䌀 䠀 一伀 䰀伀䜀 䤀 䔀 匀   䄀 一 䐀  圀 䔀   䐀 䔀 嘀 䔀 䰀伀 倀  䰀伀 一 䜀   吀 䔀 刀䴀   匀 吀 刀 䄀吀 䔀 䜀 䤀 䔀 匀  圀 䠀 䤀 䌀 䠀   䄀 䰀 䰀伀圀  夀伀 唀   吀伀   䌀伀 一 䌀 䔀 一 吀 刀 䄀吀 䔀伀 一  圀䠀 䄀吀   夀伀 唀   䐀 伀   䈀 䔀 匀 吀⸀

　 㐀   㔀 㘀 㔀 㐀 ㌀ ㌀ ㌀

挀 漀 渀 琀 愀 挀 琀 䀀 爀 栀 攀 愀 ⸀ 挀 漀 ⸀ 渀 稀

First, count your blessings.

Then, let’s multiply them.

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We don’t always remember to appreciate what we’ve already achieved in life, let alone

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Be Remarkable, every day

22 VENUS VENUS 23

What’s holding you back from

W hether social media empowers you or scares you, it’s an extremely powerful (and economical) marketing tool that you can’t afford to be without in a fast-paced digital world.

If you’re harbouring on the fringes of getting your business onto social media, here’s a few questions to ask yourself:

Is it the rapid change of social media that has stopped you from getting on board to date? Perhaps the cost involved worries you, or the thought of what happens if someone says something bad about your business?

For these things and all the other excuses you can possibly muster, don’t worry! There are strategies to counter all of this, and you can do it!

Social media is the next best thing to you, your product, service or cause being a real human being that networks for you online. It interacts for you when you’re out conquering the world - you need to nurture this new best friend and let it thrive.

As females, we are notorious at shying away from putting ourselves ‘out there’ on social media – especially those of us with an SME to manage and grow.

It’s time to change that! Swallow your fear of the unknown, feelings of judgement, and comparison. Upskill yourself and quit holding back from unleashing your incredible brand on social media. You have so much to offer - the world needs to know about it!

Given you’re such a powerful networker, and you’re sold on the idea of “real-world” networking - don’t you feel it’s important to make sure your business is doing some networking for you, even when you’re not?

SOCIAL MEDIA?

Promoting your brand on social media is the fastest way for people to find out about it, and the fastest way to build an audience of customers who are loyal to your product or service.

Think about this – when you’re networking ‘in real life’ you’re meeting maybe a couple of new people in one go. When your business is networking for you on social media, you’re opening yourself up to thousands of new introductions with every post.

Social media is yours to be owned. There are plenty of women out there doing amazing things - living proof that it has changed their business for the better. So, girl, it’s time to put your big-girl pants on. Get your business on social media and make it work for you.

If you’re telling yourself “I know, I know” and need a helping hand in getting started here’s a teensy bit of not-so-secret strategy for you to ponder:

1 Plan – for your anticipated result. Planning is the most important input to successful social media, so please don’t skip this part! Whatever you want the outcome to be, make a note of this first and work backwards. Think laterally, leave room for adaptation & unpredictables. Your strategy will evolve organically over time, once you get started.

Know who your ideal customers need to be, what demographics they fit into, what social platforms they’re using and what kind of content you intend to create and share.

Who will be managing all of this social media for you, Ma’am?

Mary is the Content Director at The Social Shop NZ and Founder of socialDIYhub.com. The Social DIY Hub is perfect for Kiwi Business Women (just like you) wanting to upskill themselves and keep up to date with all things Social Media. The Social DIY Hub is built for SME’s and for just $50 a month you can access all training, anytime. For more information go to www. socialDIYhub.com or www.thesocialshop.nz

As females, we are notorious at

shying away from putting ourselves

‘out there’ on social media.

Someone internally? You? Or will you seek help in outsourcing this? Consider what proportion of your total marketing activity you’ll be committing to social and plan for the work-load accordingly.

Know your brand. Before you dive into creating content, you should (bare minimum) invest in a professionally completed set of brand guidelines - it’s well worth having in the long run and will save your butt when it comes to portraying your brand professionally on social media.

Determine your ‘Mix’. This refers to what ratio of your content will be original, shared and/or advertised.

2 Do. This is the art (and it is an art - get help here if you need it) of crafting, creating, sharing, curating and tactfully experimenting with content that you can measure the success (or failure) of long-term.

Stay on top of social media trends where possible. Your audience are real humans, and they get bored with stale ideas and repetitive content. If you don’t know what your audience wants, ask them! There is absolutely no shame in doing this, and even more, it strengthens your brands relationship with them. It’s a good move!

3 Check. Just like anything in business, you must review your activity regularly. Be honest with yourself about what’s working well and what’s not. The general rule of thumb with checking is that you should make time to review your social activity monthly (at a minimum).

4 Act. This is where you take what you know from your social media strategy, have seen from your content and learnt from ‘doing’ then make any changes necessary to keep innovating and growing your brand online.

If posts didn’t do so well, identify why you think this might be and try something new next month. Tweak what you already have in the plan, document your changes and keep going!

I know, I know. This is sounding like a lot of work, but you can do it!

Once you’re on a roll and things start to snowball (in the right way) it’s an incredible feeling. When social media is done well, it truly is networking at light-speed!

Most importantly - if you’re unsure of anything when it comes to social media – don’t be afraid to ask for help. Look for help from trusted sources within the Venus Network and use it!

If you focus on doing the best you absolutely can your brand and business will thank you for it. Be consistent, and aim to do better with each post and I promise you this - If you do this, you won’t fail.

Online Strateg y

24 VENUS VENUS 25

One of the biggest threats facing businesses today is the delay in getting paid. Often this will see a business being treated as an interest free bank. It’s simply not reasonable and places enormous pressure and stress on SME owners.

What can you do to ensure those “problem” customers are dealt with effectively and efficiently?In the first instance, ensure you have up to date Terms of Trade, this will set the conditions of your trade with your customer. These terms will be referred to if issues arise in the future. Terms of Trade form the foundation of your business plan.

Secondly, engage someone who has the skills and knowledge in credit control matters who can provide sound advice. So often small businesses that are one or two person operations are facing the challenge that they have to be the expert in every department of their business.

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In Venus, EC Credit Control has 3 members throughout the North Island who would be happy to assist with all of your credit control needs. Tania Eden is based out of Napier, Anne Terry in Hamilton and Paula Kruger in Wellington.

If you would like a no obligation consultation on your credit management issues, we would be pleased to assist. Simply make contact with your nearest area manager.

In medium sized businesses the office administrator chasing slow payers often lacks the skills or the time to do the job thoroughly. This results in them pushing debt collection to the bottom of the list of things to complete as it’s no ones favourite job. If you don’t have the resources to handle such duties internally then consider to outsource these to a credit management professional.

Thirdly, establish a robust and effective internal collection process. This can be paper, voice or SMS based. Once the invoice due date has passed either send out a reminder letter, email or SMS that the payment is overdue, or even better, pick up the phone and make verbal contact with the customer. By doing this you can effectively deal with any issues/disputes your customer may have immediately, which could result in payment. The longer the account is left with no action being taken the bigger the issue may become.

Finally, draw a line in the sand as to when you need to escalate debtor issues. Place it in the hands of the experts.

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26 VENUS VENUS 27

What New Health & Safety Act?

HEALTH &SAFETY 101

New legislation for health and safety (Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 - HSWA) came into force in April 2016. It’s a year on, and still, it seems that small businesses are still wondering how it affects them. They either don’t quite understand what they are supposed to do, or what is meant to be in place. They question the brevity of the legislation pertaining to their business which often leads to complacency. Lastly, they often question what is health and safety?

Health and safety by definition is an easy one. It is keeping everyone healthy and safe while at work and ensuring that they go home at the end of each day to their families fully intact, physically, and mentally. This not only includes employees, contractors but also visitors to the workplace.

Health and Safety at work are not new topics within the employment realm; it has been around for decades.

The legislation we have today is only a little different to what we had in place under the 1992 (Health and Safety in Employment Act - HSE) legislation. The difference is there are now higher penalties, more obvious requirements for employees to be involved and participate, to work with other PCBU’s (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking) onsite, emergency and continuity planning and the wording suggests that an employer is required to do whatever is “reasonably practicable” to keep their employees safe by eliminating or controlling risks. This is a simplistic description of the differences in the new Act, but in reality not much has changed. All businesses should have been including health and safety in their day to day actions since 1992, with the Health and Safety in Employment Act legislation.

As an SME business owner, what does the HSWA mean for you and what do you need to cover off ?

The penalties are a lot higher than ever before. I don’t agree with using scare tactics such as number of deaths per year, to get people to comply with legislation, but I do believe in good education. Education starts with understanding what the requirements are from the legal point of view.

While the law doesn’t demand the use of a plan or manual for your health and safety, case law considered the need for your health and safety to be recorded and to have procedures easily accessible by employees and contractors. A health and safety plan helps to put all this information in one place.

Putting health and safety into action isn’t something that needs to be difficult, and obviously, too much paperwork will only make the task of health and safety more complicated and harder to use. It is best to find something that works easily and effectively for your business whether it is paper based or electronic.

A good health and safety consultant should be able to work through your needs to ensure you get everything in place and make it easy to use and identify risks.

You need to be able to identify the risks in your workplace and manage those effectively. Regularly reviewing the controls that are in place to manage those risks will show if they are working. In most office/retail workplaces the risks may not be as obvious as out on the farm or in the forest, but there are some that should be actively managed. This

It’s a year on and still small businesses are wondering how the HSWA affects them.

By Rebecca Jenkins, Livewire HR Ltd.

includes the risks we can’t actively see, such as stress, fatigue, bullying and harassment. Manual handling, and driving or the use of vehicles are also areas to think about.

When health and safety becomes a living process that is incorporated seamlessly into your daily practices at work, it is a simple area to manage. It becomes second nature to consider health and safety implications, and previously-viewed hurdles are efficiently dealt with, with little drama.

As a director of a company (business or undertaking), you need to keep abreast of the developments within health and safety and especially within your industry. Signing up to the regular newsletters and emails from Worksafe or your health and safety consultant is a great way to get regular information. Any information that you gain should ideally be shared with others within the workplace through regular health and safety meetings which can be part of your normal team meetings. Within those meetings, a review of a couple of your risks could be discussed, and any new ideas around controlling those may come to light. Continue to incorporate training into your meetings as well. When a new staff

ª Get educated – find out as much as you can about health and safety. There are great websites and plenty of people often offering free workshops about health and safety. Sign up to the regular newsletters from WorkSafe.

ª Start taking note of your risks, and the controls that are in place, reviewing these to see if they are working.

ª Ensure you have an emergency and continuity plan in place and that everyone knows what it is.

ª Ensure information is passed around (document this as much as possible). This can be done at your regular staff/contractor meetings and via any other ways you think is effective for your business.

ª Get some help from a health and safety consultant they can make it simple for you

ª While a health and safety plan isn’t “required” by law, it does make sure that all your systems are in one place.

ª Keep reviewing and make things better for the health and wellbeing of your employees, contractors and visitors.

member starts, ensure your induction process also includes health and safety components.

WorkSafe NZ is an excellent website full of information pertinent to your industry along with the Business Leaders’ Health and Safety Forum (www.zeroharm.org.nz) and the Directors Institute for health and safety needs around governance. Take the time to read any approved guidelines or industry standards as your needs will be accurately spelt out in these documents.

Health and safety is often regarded as a pain in the neck, but the benefits of good health and safety practices are huge. Research shows that good health and safety contributes to reducing absenteeism, increased productivity, building better workplace relationships through participation and discussions, improving your opportunities for winning new work and improving your brand/image. It shows employees and others that you genuinely care about them and their health and wellbeing, thus improving morale and engagement. Richard Branson said “clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients”, and it couldn’t be more accurate today. www.livewirehr.co.nz

Workplace

28 VENUS VENUS 29

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Everyone is a potential customer for us. Security of your home, work and your vehicles is extremely important. Accidents happen, and unfortunately, there are a lot of nasties out there.

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Dayspring Trust provides a wide range of specialised parenting support, counselling and life skills programmes to over 200 vulnerable families in Auckland. Women are referred to our service seeking assistance in regard to multiple issues involving mental wellbeing, violence, abuse, housing, finances, parenting, hardship and separation.

Dayspring Trust began over 30 years ago with a group of women in West Auckland who saw a need in the community that wasn’t being met. Since those early beginnings we have been working with vulnerable families and have a long history of positive involvement with mothers and their babies who are living with post-natal depression or an ongoing mental illness.

We have first-hand experience on the impact their illness has on the mother/baby bonding processes and the associated risks of attachment disorder.

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At Venus we support the not for

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If you would like to promote your

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Jane Bruce, CEO Dayspring Trust

Dayspring is passionate about fostering the wellbeing

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30 VENUS VENUS 31

RESTRAINTS OF

TRADEThe devil is in the detail

By Glenys Steele, About Best Practice Employment Law

One of the express terms frequently found in employment agreements is a ‘covenant in restraint of trade’. Such a term debars an employee from going to work for a rival in the trade or engaging in particular activity if and when his employment ceases. A covenant in restraint of trade is primae facie unlawful, but it may be upheld if it is reasonable in the interests of the parties to the contract.

Whether a particular covenant is reasonable is a question of law to be determined by the Employment Relations Authority or the Employment Court. Opinion evidence about its reasonableness or unreasonableness is inadmissible.

“In considering whether the restraint is reasonable in all the circumstances the Court has regard to the history of the employment, the nature of the employer’s interest to be protected, the likely effect on it of the former employer taking up a position with a competitor of the employer, the likely effect on the employee of the covenant being enforced, and any considerations of public interest that suggest themselves.”

Chief Judge Goddard in Radio Horowhenua Ltd v Bradley [1993] 2 ERNZ 1085, citing Broadcasting Corporation of NZ v Nielsen (1988) 2 NZELC 96,040. Subsequently adopted in Royal v Axon Computer Systems

Ltd [1994] 1 ERNZ 312.

Influence over customers or a client has been held to be a matter giving rise to a reasonable restraint; for example where employees have established a close personal relationship with customers that they were assigned to serve, and whose custom they subsequently sought for themselves. In this case, the employer had a proprietary interest in the performance of their work. However, whether the influence of an employee is such to confer a proprietary interest will depend on the facts of the individual case.

The employer’s interest in maintaining his trade connections does not entitle him to obtain protection against every employee who deals with his customers, but only those who because of the nature of their employment are likely to have personal knowledge of or influence over the customers and hence over where they place their custom to such an extent that it is within their power to entice them away.

If a proprietary interest exists, particulars of customers such as customer lists, contact details and memorised information will apply particularly if the basic knowledge of them is accompanied by knowledge of their particular requirements and business practices.

Reasonableness will usually be judged at the time of making the contract, and the onus is on the employer to show that the covenant is no more than is reasonable in the interests of the parties.

Assessing reasonableness is also the question of whether consideration has been paid by the party seeking to

A restraint of trade may be upheld if it is reasonable in the

interests of the parties to the contract.

enforce the restraint. The Court of Appeal has held that where a restraint exists in a contract from the outset, the consideration is to be found in the mutual exchange of promises and no extra consideration or extra premium is required.

Restraint will be held reasonable if it affords adequate but no more than adequate, protection for the employer. An employer is not entitled to mere competition from an ex-employee.

Since there is no protection against simple competition, the type of interest properly protected falls either into the class of trade connections or confidential information.

The position of the employee in the organisation also bears on the reasonableness of the restraint. It will be easier to establish that a restraint of a senior employee is reasonable than to establish that restraint is reasonable in the case of a junior employee such as a salesperson.

Generally speaking a restraint for three months is more likely to be enforceable than one for 12 months.

Consideration is also given to the area of the restraint although this is somewhat less important now with electronic means to reach distant markets. Twelve month restraints have been accepted by the Court; as have all of New Zealand restraints.

CONSEQUENCESThe question is asked, what consequences would accrue to an employee if, while under a restraint of trade, he worked for the competition.

An employee enters the employment signing the Individual Employment

Open For Business

32 VENUS VENUS 33

Agreement, which includes the Restraint of Trade clause, aware of the risks of doing so.

He could face a challenge in the way of an injunction from his ex-employer to prevent him working against the restraint, with the subsequent cost of defending the injunction.

If he were unsuccessful, he would face an Employment Relations Authority hearing for breach of a clause of the Individual Employment Agreement, and again the costs of that defence. If unsuccessful he faces having to pay partial costs of the successful party on a daily tariff basis of around $4,500 per day of any hearing. He would also be liable for any actual losses the employer suffered. For example, if the employee approached their customers and gained business, the ex-employer would try to claim the losses against their ex-employee. All of that would need to be proven of course.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS FOR THE EMPLOYEEThe employee could explain the situation to his future employer and explain that he wants to do the right thing, is it possible to accommodate his employment for 12 months to meet the needs of the Restraint, i.e. work in a different area, different products. This would eliminate the need to defend any challenge to the Restraint.

Seek other employment in the meantime and ask the new employer to set a start date for his employment in 12 months’ time.

Approach his ex-employer with the knowledge that he would like to accept a position with Ali Arc (in all probability they will know about

his application already), and ask them to waive the Restraint upon his undertaking not to approach any employees or customers of the ex-employer. This may be a difficult undertaking given the small nature of most NZ markets.

Act with integrity towards the ex-employer’s customers and employees to show credibility if the employment is challenged. The Court would be more likely to accept that the ex-employee has not and will not disclose or unfairly use the ex-employer’s confidential information.

Given the close liaison between the ex-employer and the new employer, who work in collaboration with each other, some discussion /agreement/ negotiation needs to be entered into otherwise it may become impossible for the ex-employee to undertake the work for which he could become employed with the new employer. Perhaps there is some mutual benefit to be sought and gained.

No-one knows for certain if a restraint is unreasonable until a Court declares it so. The cost of securing that declaration is expensive and time-consuming, so any ex-employee should treat a restraint of trade with caution.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS FOR THE EMPLOYERMake sure that the restraint only covers what is reasonable and make sure that the wording is tailored to the particular employee and his or her position. A generic one size fits all Restraint that covers everyone in the company is less likely to be enforced.

Glenys Steele runs her own employment law practice in North Hamilton, servicing the greater Waikato/Bay of Plenty and Auckland areas. Her practice, catering to 75% employers and 25% employees, with expertise across the trades, health, retail, disability and local government areas, brings confidence to her clients in these complex areas of law. She welcomes your enquiries for her practical advice in all aspects of employment law.

Glenys Steele LLBAbout Best Practice Employment Law

Phone 087 854 3384Flagstaff, Hamilton

glenys@aboutbestpractice.co.nzwww.aboutbestpractice.co.nz

34 VENUS VENUS 35

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Martine Carroll, Health Prosperitymartine@healthprosperity.co.nzVenus Lower Hutt

Inspiration

Reward yourself for doing the hard tasks or completing something. It was a mind blowing moment for me... I have taken this on board the last few months and rewarded myself for some amazing achievements in my business. I now want to achieve more and have a greater appreciation for doing the hard yards as it is getting acknowledged. Jo McLeay, Balance Up, Venus Lower Hutt Central jo@balanceup.co.nz

Tracey HancockREALiving CoachingVenus Te Awamutu tracey@realivingcoaching.co.nz

Value yourself and what you have to offer, always. 

Tara Jackson, Life Alignment Coach tara@tarajacksonlifecoach.com Venus Nelson

Avoid comparing yourself to the people and businesses around you. Just because someone may look like they have it all together, there is so much that you don't see. Everyone starts somewhere, and most hit the same hurdles and challenges. Instead of comparison, seek support.

Jasmine Sampson, Business with Soul jasmine@businesswithsoul.co.nz Venus Hamilton Cityside

Do what you are best at and delegate the rest.

What’s the best advice you’ve received?

Get out there and network - meet people, talk to people - don't just sit in the office working, be visible! Michelle Sokolich, Show & Tell, Venus Ponsonby michelle@showandtellvideo.co.nz

What’s your advice for other women?

Surround yourself with trusted advisors who will help you on your journey.Michelle MortlockElevation Chartered Accountants Ltd. michelle@elevationaccountants.nz Venus Tauranga - Seaside

Anna Thomson, Roar Fierce Ltd. annamthomson@hotmail.com Venus Wellington East

Scared is good. Scared means you care about the outcome. Scared does not mean you will fail. Be scared but do it anyway.

How do you get value from Venus?

Chantelle Good The Good P.AVenus Te Awamutuchantelle@thegoodpa.co.nz

Attending meetings, being prepared, visiting other groups, attending Venus courses, raving.

I attend my group meetings, other group meetings, I RAVE and go to Venus Events where I enjoy a social wine or two! When I hear someone's needs, wants, issues or pain I think about who I know in Venus that could assist them. I apply the fortnightly topics to my business, and me personally. Always 'good nuggets of gold" to be learning and working on.Linda Crosbie, Salthaven, Venus Ellerslielinda@salthaven.co.nz

For me, the goal of networking is to connect with the people who I can build real business relationships with, have skills I can leverage that are not in my zone of genius or supplement my zone of genius, I can collaborate, learn from and share information that helps me grow and overcome obstacles to building my business. Getting connected is a strategic treasure hunt, a quest to find all those pearls and diamonds.Debra Hill, Lifestrings, Venus Smales Farmdebra.hill@lifestringsnz.com

I attend as many of the events that I can get to. There is power in getting to know women in your greater region. I RAVE more than the required minimum as I view the connection side of this platform invaluable.

mailto:martine@healthprosperity.co.nzmailto:debra.hill@lifestringsnz.com

36 VENUS VENUS 37

What have been some of your biggest challenges?As Cycloidal Therapy is very new in New Zealand it has been a challenge to get people to understand the benefits of this therapy system. One of my target areas is retirement villages as this system is just fantastic for the elderly. However, it is difficult to get past those making the decisions to be able to get to those who will benefit from it.

Do you have a favourite quote? "Don't Give Up!!!"

Who inspires you and why? I am inspired by those who have fought hard for what they believe in and have succeeded despite the setbacks they have encountered on their journey. They have had to dig deep and fight hard to achieve their goals - I think I can too.

What growth have you experienced being in Venus?I have had to step up and find a new confidence to work with something that no-one has heard of, and put myself out there to meet new people and have new experiences. Being in Venus has opened a lot of doors for me, and I find the support fantastic from other women who are also pushing hard on their journeys.

Women are redefining success and growing businesses on their terms: What does success look like to you? Success is doing what makes me happy - it doesn't have to be about the money. If I had to compromise my happiness and health for a good income then something is wrong (I found that out the hard way). Doing what I love while earning a fabulous income will be amazing, and if I truly believe in what I am doing then I will get to that point, but I am enjoying the journey on the way too.

What's your favourite pastime when you are not working? I love to ride horses, and my favourite thing to do is ride my horse along the beach with the wind in my face and the sea rolling in beside me. It's an absolute privilege to be able to ride on the back of an amazing animal - the feeling is incredible.

BUSINESSWOMENInspiring

We talk to three successful women in Venus

Tell us about your business. I'm a portrait and property photographer. So I take photos of everything from kids, their families, corporate headshots and personal branding images. Also, I photograph property for real estate and businesses who build houses, design houses, interior designers etc. to show case their work for their website and portfolios.

What do you love about running your business?I love the freedom it gives me, and I love the challenge of growing a business. I have always been blown away by the support I get, and I'm so grateful I'm able to make a living out of what I love. On a more practical level, I'm on my own with three primary school children so having something that works around the kids while still providing a good lifestyle is important to me. I've set up my business model that ensures I can be around for the kids while still earning an income.

What have been some of your biggest challenges?I love to work. I tend to work too much so making sure I have time off.

Do you have a favourite quote? I have a couple that I like; 'Be the energy you want to attract.' and 'Success is something you attract by the person you become.'Just being good at something I don't believe is enough. The most important thing is to be a person people want to be around. I don't always nail this one either - just ask the kids!!

Who inspires you and why? Not exactly the answer to the question! I'm inspired by challenges and success. When I see a problem or opportunity, I kick into gear and sort it or make the most of it. It seems to be a natural reaction. One thing I've learnt from one of my Venus friends is not to stop. Even when I'm run off my feet, keep prospecting and keep the wheel going. It's a great way to even out work flow and provide a steady income.

What growth have you experienced being in Venus?Venus has been amazing for me. For business growth, drawing ideas from members in the group that I can adapt to my business. Referrals are amazing!! Always super appreciative when someone recommends me. I've also found great people that guide me in my business decisions. This has probably been the most valuable asset that Venus has given me. As we all know being self-employed is hard! Having someone give you good advice and direction at times is GOLD!

Women are redefining success and growing businesses on their terms: What does success look like to you? As terrible as it sounds success to me is monetary. Not for any other reason than it's a great measure. It's easy to be busy but being productively busy is sometimes harder than we think. If I'm invoicing, then I'm productively busy. Also if people are paying me, then it's validation they like my work which I guess is a confidence boost too when you're working in a creative space.

What's your favourite pastime when you are not working? This is potentially my downfall... I love my work... Often when I get down time I'm still out there with my camera catching up with a friend with a new puppy or something!!

SARAH CROZIER

Blue Bird Photography

sarah@bluebirdphotography.co.nz

Halswell, Christchurch

What inspired you to start your business? I wanted to help people and make a difference in their lives. I have a Massage Therapy background, however, I didn't want to do the "hands on" work anymore so found an amazing therapy system that does the work of a therapist with amazing results.

Tell us about your business. I am the Principal Agent in the greater Wellington area working with the Cyclo-ssage therapy systems. The Cyclo-ssage PPS is an amazing full-body vibrational therapy system with infrared heat which is medically approved to the highest standards in Germany.

You simply lie on your back keeping your clothes on, and enjoy all the benefits of a full body massage in just 15, 30 or 45 minutes.

Through the use of specially designed Therapy Programs, the PPS helps with recovery from exercise, recovery from injury, reduces stress, improves sleep, and releases pain and tension from daily work routines.

The system is fantastic for any long term pain-related conditions (such as Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Osteoporosis, Parkinsons, Diabetes, Sciatica, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, ME, MS to name a few), and is truly profound in what it can do for you.

Regular use of the system will reduce your daily pain from an 8/10 down to a 2-3/10, leading to a happier life, and less medication. It all comes down to improving the body's circulation and lymphatic system - two key components for ongoing health and wellbeing.

What do you love about running your business? I am enjoying meeting so many new people and being able to help them. It is such a pleasure to be able to put a smile back on faces that are usually down due to the pain they are living with. I have been amazed at how many people live with chronic pain conditions on a daily basis.

JACKIE FORBES

Mana Group

freespirit2@xtra.co.nz

Cyclo-ssage Wellington

“Never Give Up’’

Inspiration

38 VENUS VENUS 39

What inspired you to start your business? To be my own boss be and in a position to inspire and help others.

Tell us about your business. AER was established in April 2000 having recognised the need for a professional employment service dedicated to North Shore business. We are a full-service recruitment agency with a well-earned reputation for delivering excellence in Administration, Accounting, Sales & Marketing, Customer Service, PA/Secretarial and Executive recruitment - recruiting both temp and permanent roles. AER’s approach to recruitment is a simple philosophy. Our success is largely due to our commitment to promoting business growth, developing long term relationships with clients and candidates along with our flexibility and commitment to placing the right people which gives an organisation guaranteed long term results. We are a team of four who are committed and dedicated consultants with a passion for what we do. Understanding a company's culture, core competencies, the best team fit and skill requirements for the job are paramount which is shown through AER’s successes over the last 17 years.

AER is the result of combining my HR expertise and love for helping people through a personalised and tailored approach to staffing solutions.

What do you love about running your business? Being the boss and in control of my destiny. Decision making at a strategic level and most of all I get to meet people from all walks of life and help those fully invested in their futures - both clients and candidates.

What have been some of your biggest challenges? Using a balance of both head and heart when dealing with difficult situations and managing a young family and business.

Do you have a favourite quote? "Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end."

Who inspires you and why? My former AER business partner - resilient, genuine, experienced/wise, tenacious, fun and loads of heart! And my grandmother - fearless, risk taker, self-made success, stoic, integrity.

What growth have you experienced being in Venus? Venus has been instrumental in growing my confidence, particularly with public speaking and realising "I got this". It has been an inspiration to meet like minded women who have started their own business which takes courage, determination and passion. I have grown as a person learning that everyone has their own story, the struggles and rewards are all real and made me realise how lucky we are to be part of the Venus family.

Women are redefining success and growing businesses on their terms: What does success look like to you? Giving, sharing my knowledge, working smarter, having fun!

What's your favourite pastime when you are not working? Hiking.

MELANIE MITT

AER Group Limited

melanie@alex.co.nz

Albany, Auckland

Inspiration

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• Develop a network of charitable organisations focused on supporting and encouraging business women to learn and grow

• Provide networking, coaching and training and development programmes to New Zealand women that are affordable

• Improve the literacy of New Zealand business women

• Provide programmes specifically targeted at the requirements of migrants / maori / pacific island /WINZ in order for them to be able to run successful businesses

• Provide an environment in which women can learn and grow as business women while feeling supported and motivated, thus creating stronger, more robust and diverse businesses.

• Provide personal and business development programmes to women which will have positive benefits not only for their business but also their communities and families

CONSTITUTIONThe Venus Business Women's Network operates exclusively for charitable purposes. The charitable purposes of the Company are to provide for the advancement, promotion, development and resourcing of education for business women.

In particular, but without limitation, Venus Business Women's Network will

• Encourage women to step up not only in their business lives but also in their personal lives

• Work with women on their businesses and how to develop them moving forward.

• Provide programmes that keep on developing and growing our members both personally and professionally to maximise their opportunities in the rapidly evolving business environment

• Provide practical business training and development programmes supporting women to thrive

• Run our business according to our values of respect, courage, honesty, trust and integrity and teach our members about running their businesses with these values in mind

Our vision