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Running your business

Tips and insights to help keep your business running smoothly, from calculating fair prices to managing risk, marketing to buying a franchise – and how to build strong relationships with your team, suppliers and customers.

In this section

Buying, starting or franchising a business

What to know and do when planning to buy an existing business or start a franchise. Our articles cover questions to consider, how to weigh up pros and cons, and a handy step-by-step guide.

Buying, starting or franchising a business

Business operations

Help your business run smoothly by setting up good business systems and supply chains. And if you’re starting out, check out our guides on running a business from home.

Business operations

Pricing products and services

How to set prices that cover your costs, suit your target customers, and fit your business strategy. Our guides can help.

Pricing products and services

Business risk management and insurance

How to reduce risks in your business, prevent employee theft and card payment fraud, and pick the right business insurance for you.

Business risk management and insurance

Marketing your business

Find the marketing mix that suits your business and target customers. Our guides help you create and deliver a strong marketing strategy, including market research, identifying your unique selling point, and social media.

Marketing your business

Business relationships and support

Building a network of trusted advisors provides a strong foundation for your business. From choosing an accountant or mentor, to forging strategic partnerships, our guides can help.

Business relationships and support

Managing people

Building a great team starts with you – your hiring practices, leadership skills, and how you keep your people healthy, safe, and resilient. Our guides can help.

Managing people

Popular running your business articles

Buying, starting or franchising a business

What to know about buying a business

Buying a business can be hugely rewarding, and there are a few advantages over starting a business from scratch. Learn about the benefits, risks, and things you should consider beforehand.
What to know about buying a business

Pricing products and services

Tips for calculating an accurate charge-out rate

You don’t need to be a mathematical whiz to calculate an accurate charge-out rate. Our guide will take you through it, step by step.
Tips for calculating an accurate charge-out rate

Business relationships and support

Resilience and wellbeing

Running a business is hugely rewarding – but it can be tough, too. Keeping your mind healthy and well, can help you weather the challenges and enjoy the fruits of your labour.
Resilience and wellbeing

Business relationships and support

Finding professional business support

Business owners walk a lonely path, which is why it’s important to have a support team you can trust. There’s a huge amount of professional help available for businesses in New Zealand – some free, and some not.
Finding professional business support

Marketing your business

Write a marketing plan in six steps

Customers can’t buy from you if they don’t know about you – so effective marketing is key to growing your business. A smart marketing plan will help you reach the right people, with the right message, at the right time. Here’s how to create one.
Write a marketing plan in six steps

Pricing products and services

How to defend and justify your pricing

Often small businesses find themselves having to justify their price to customers, and then being pressured into giving a discount to get the sale. But before you give away your margin, use these tips to help you defend your price.
How to defend and justify your pricing

Business operations

Ways to avoid common business pitfalls

You learn something new every day when you’re starting a business – sometimes the hard way. We’ve put together seven tips to help you avoid falling into some of the more common traps.
Ways to avoid common business pitfalls

Buying, starting or franchising a business

What to know about buying a business

Buying a business can be hugely rewarding, and there are a few advantages over starting a business from scratch. Learn about the benefits, risks, and things you should consider beforehand.
What to know about buying a business

Pricing products and services

Tips for calculating an accurate charge-out rate

You don’t need to be a mathematical whiz to calculate an accurate charge-out rate. Our guide will take you through it, step by step.
Tips for calculating an accurate charge-out rate

Accounts and credit cards

Explore our range of business accounts and credit cards. We’ve got something to suit your business, whatever your needs or size.

Accounts and cards

Manage your business banking

Whatever size your business, and whoever you do business with, our range of tools and services help make your banking easier.

Manage your business banking