GUEST WRITER – Vaughan Winiata (Small Business Evangelist) – The problem with our SME (Small and Medium business enterprises)

We have said all along since the Covid-19 lockdown was put in place in NZ, Business has changed and so has the economy. “Successive governments have failed to achieve an affinity for Small Business or more to the point in my view – is it that Organisations, Associations, and Agencies  are simply not committed representatives of the SME sector. 

We asked our next Guest Writer, Vaughan Winiata, if we could share his article on our page.  Very pleased that he said yes. Truth! – Fiona Green. Vaughan is a Small Business Evangelist, Public Speaker, Executive Coach, Life Coach, Corporate Trainer and Negotiator

Link to original article can be found here

THE PROBLEM WITH OUR SME SECTOR The Epidemic Response Committee (ERC) chaired by Simon Bridges has heard from Small Business and Front Line Workers.  The session was opened by Michael Barnett CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber.  Michael delivered a 15-minute preamble before we heard varying accounts of the harsh commercial reality of Lockdown from the group of Small Businesses.  The presence of Michael Barnett at the ERC session says a lot about THE PROBLEM WITH OUR SME SECTOR.  It’s no secret successive governments have failed to achieve an affinity for Small Business.

A major reason is the diabolical fragmentation within the SME sector, a fragmentation created by a multitude of organisations, associations, and agencies where none of them are dedicated representatives of the SME sector. Examples are the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Business NZ, Chambers of Commerce, Business Associations, and others, all operating as territorial, non-cooperating silos.

The fact there is NO national body focused solely on Small Business is quite unbelievable.  Until the Small Business Sector galvanises itself to be represented by a Unified Body we will continue to go around in circles, that is nobody’s fault but our own.

2 Replies to “GUEST WRITER – Vaughan Winiata (Small Business Evangelist) – The problem with our SME (Small and Medium business enterprises)”

  1. Hey thanks, Fiona, really appreciate the feature.
    There is no question (in my mind) the NZ Small Business Community is like a rudderless ship and needs to create a National Body that provides leadership and direction.

    1. Agreed. And one more intelligently designed, open, creative, flexible, and user friendly to people from diverse backgrounds including disabled people – who are seriously marginalised and exploited. What we are seeing with Business Associations, and the other Organisations you speak of is that some people with in them are giving advice that
      is completely out of touch with reality, or say things hoping to drum up business. We need something with teeth – and something that’s going to stick.

      We need to continue speaking out, acting, finding solutions and bringing about change ourselves if established organisations aren’t going to listen. I think the promotion of the herd mentality is rubbish. Anyone with ‘a set’ can pioneer changes – or put those changes in place themselves. That’s what I’ve done anyway up the other end of the Country. What a pity I had to go to the South Island to present at a semi-international Mental Health conference about business loss and the impact on mental health – when the very people who needed to hear were the ones in my own community. Keep going Vaughan. Stones create ripples. The ripples are rippling out into the business community.

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