But first, here’s a quick summary of the wider situation as it exists at time of writing:
A lesson from the past fires a warning for today. Things will not be the same post-lockdown, as our borders will be closed for a considerable amount of time (possibly a year plus) to ensure that New Zealand is not infected by a second and potentially third wave as it was with the Spanish Flu in 1918 to 1920.
One quick example of how New Zealand will be affected is tourism. International tourism is worth $17.2 billion (that’s $47 million per day) to the NZ economy. It comprises 20.4% of New Zealand’s exports, and contributes 5.8% to our GDP directly and another 4.0% indirectly. The tourism sector has been savaged by the crisis. A useful comparison is the Christchurch earthquake which affected 20% of our GDP but was spread over 5+ years. The current Covid-19 induced drop of almost 10% of our GDP, caused by the Tourism sector alone, will play out in just one year. And it must be kept in mind that the Tourism industry will not be the only sector affected by the more stringent rules that will be put in place after the current lockdown is lifted.
https://app.regionalbusinesspartners.co.nz/Business/SelfRegister
I can talk you through this via a Zoom meeting. The freely downloadable Zoom software permits screen sharing so I can walk you through the process and we can complete the form together in one easy online session.
It will only take approximately 15 minutes to complete the application and become registered with The Regional Business Partnership Network. It’s that simple.
Once you are registered we can move onto getting the funding itself:
- Give me a call and I will help you complete the Covid-19 Business Support application form, a copy of which can be found here.
- An ATEED Growth Advisor will then contact you and spend a maximum of 30 minutes discussing your business. The Growth Advisor will either agree or not agree the funding at this meeting.
- If successful, ATEED will send you an email which you will need to forward onto me so that we can access the funding.
- This process will take less than 20 minutes provided that we have either recorded or can remember both your Regional Business Partner Network login and password.
- Northland Inc. requires that you complete at least the first page of a Business Assessment plus a non-ATEED branded application. I will walk you through these either by phone or (preferably) a Zoom meeting.
- A Northland Inc. Growth Advisor will contact you and spend a maximum of 30 minutes discussing your business.
- If successful, we can proceed to access the funding
Whether you are in Auckland or Northland, once the above steps have been more or less successfully completed and the funding put in place, we can start work on your business by using Zoom meetings. These may last anywhere between 2 to 4 hours each, depending on your requirements, and can be scheduled as frequently as both our diaries allow.
My main purpose in all of this is to keep you and your business going through this time of crisis and to help position you to your best advantage in the changed new economic landscape that lies immediately beyond the current lockdown.
If you are interested in my government funded assistance, please don’t delay and either give me a call today
