The SME Stream

The Reserve Bank can hold the OCR steady, so why can longer-term mortgage rates still move? On The Prosperity Project, Nadine Higgins talks to Matt Logan, portfolio manager at Fisher Funds, about what rising US bond yields mean for Kiwi borrowers and savers. They also look at how Big Tech is borrowing to build AI data centres, and whether rising borrowing costs could slow the boom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when your next customer asks ChatGPT what to buy instead of searching on Google? And more importantly, will AI recommend YOUR business? The way customers discover brands, compare products and make purchasing decisions is changing fast. For business owners who rely on Google, SEO, social media and paid advertising to drive sales, this could change everything. In this episode we unpack how AI is reshaping online shopping, what it means for traditional marketing and how entrepreneurs can position their businesses to get discovered in this new era of search. We also put my own businesses to the test! We ask ChatGPT to recommend products and brands to see if my businesses make the cut or if AI sends potential customers straight to my competitors. We find out just how visible my own brands really are in the age of AI. We break down how to adapt your marketing strategy, get your brand discovered by AI and stay ahead of the competition. Because it's no longer just about ranking on Google. It's about making sure AI recommends YOUR business, not your competitors. Ready to take your business further? 🔗 Book a free strategy call: https://www.makeithappen.org.nz/ 🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes on business, marketing, strategy and scaling. 🌐 Learn more: http://makeithappen.org.nz/ 🌐 Instagram: @makeithappen  Episode references: Campaign Brief NZ — AI and consumer search, October 2026 IAB NZ — How Kiwi shoppers are discovering and buying in 2026 Google — Search, AI and brand discovery See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The wait is on to see what New Zealand's next government will look like.  Preliminary results favour the National Coalition, but that could change when special votes are counted.  Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges says, "I'd like to see, ACT, New Zealand First and National really to come together on that, put aside a bit of politics, and do what the country needs" He says top priority for the coalition should be economic reform.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aaron Ibbotson from Forsyth Barr - why the bounce... and what are the risks?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A call has been made that the AI bubble is about to burst.  Wall Streets' NASDAQ Index fell 5% overnight, and it's the tech sstocks that are losing value.  Commentators say this is the long-expected 'burst' of the AI bubble.  Craig Investment Partners Investment Director Mark Lister told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the bubble is deflating, but won't necessarily 'pop'.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you turn a small business into an international brand and get your products into major retailers like Chemist Warehouse and Woolworths? In this episode we sit down with Beatrice Thorne-Laloli, co-founder of Eve Wellness, the New Zealand women's health and supplement brand now stocked in over 800 retail stores across New Zealand and Australia, with expansion into the UK. But the journey wasn't straightforward. What started as a hormone-testing business quickly revealed a major problem: the market was too small to scale. Beatrice shares how they turned that early setback into their biggest competitive advantage, using years of customer research to develop products women actually wanted. We get into the realities of building and scaling a product-based business, including how to pitch your products to major retailers, negotiate wholesale margins, create a retail pitch deck and build enough customer demand to succeed on shelves. Beatrice also shares why Chemist Warehouse became one of Eve Wellness's most profitable sales channels and the challenges of expanding into Australia and the UK. Whether you're launching your first product, trying to get stocked in retail stores or looking to scale your business internationally, this episode is packed with practical advice from a founder who's done it. Ready to take your business further? 🔗 Book a free strategy call: https://www.makeithappen.org.nz/ 🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes on business, marketing, strategy and scaling. 🌐 Learn more: http://makeithappen.org.nz/ 🌐 Instagram: @makeithappen See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ada Echetebu, US commercial law attorney, and Jonathan Mason, NZ-US Council chair, discuss what the US midterm results mean for New Zealand.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tackling the cost of living and corruption, and ending the war in Iran are all top of the agenda for the new Democrat-controlled US Senate.   Democrats have powered through the US Midterm elections, flipping seven Senate seats and 31 in the House of Representatives from the Republicans.  Democrat Chuck Schumer is set to be Senate Majority Leader.  Economist and former Economic Advisor to John McCain Doug Haltz-Eakin told Ryan Bridge we'll likely see a lot of investigations by the Democrats over the next two years.  He says they'll be looking into the finances around crypto, and things like the secret agreements between the Trump Administration and US drug companies.  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, More Kiwis are out of work, so could that put a pause on incoming OCR hikes? Election day looms with the cost of living and fuel top of mind for voters .. plus what retailers have done to boost their confidence in the market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike and Scott take on meetings, why most of them waste time and money, and how to run them so they earn their place in the calendar. They cover the types of meeting, the Amazon method of reading a briefing note together in silence, and a listener Q&A on what to look for when hiring.   Drinking beer from: North End Brewery - Super Alpha Pacific Pale Ale (5%) Eating a pie from: Orewa Bakery - Moroccan Lamb   You'll learn: -Why you shouldn't mix "working in the business" and "working on the business" in one meeting; -The different meeting types, how often you should have them and how long each one should take; -How to frame every meeting before you schedule it; -and why batching similar kinds of work, such as putting all your people-facing meetings on one day, protects the rest of your week for focused work.   Liked this one and want to uncomplicate your business growth and get better content? Make sure you catch the next episode - hit subscribe and check us out here: https://linktr.ee/pintspiesandprofitsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.