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PODCAST

The Better SMB Podcast

The Better SMB Limited

Join hosts David Altena and Rob Bull as they delve into the subject of small and medium- business productivity in New Zealand. With a focus on driving operational excellence and business improvement, The Better SMB Podcast is your go-to resource for strategies, insights, and success stories from the front lines of the SMB sector. Despite New Zealand’s historical challenges with productivity compared to our OECD peers, David and Rob are on a mission to turn the tide. Tune in to discover

business management

All Episodes

00:53:32

Ep 46. A Fair Go? Dan Rosewarne on Labour's Plan for...

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2026/10/01

Part of Better SMB's Election 2026 series — sitting down with each major party's small business spokesperson ahead of 7 November. Before two decades in the NZ Army and now Parliament, Dan Rosewarne struggled at school and found his path through vocational training. He walks David and Rob through Labour's Small Business Action Plan ("A Fair Go") and its follow-up, Small Business First — and what it would actually mean for a tradie, a café owner, or a sole trader.In this

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00:54:01

Ep 40. Your Voice at the Table — Why Lobbying Isn't...

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2026/08/09

Has a government regulation, policy shift, or piece of legislation ever directly affected your business? Chances are it has. And chances are your response was a BBQ rant, a frustrated call to your accountant, or a LinkedIn post — but not a conversation with the people who actually made the decision.David and Rob sit down with Holly Bennett — lawyer, former political staffer, and founder of Awhi Group, one of New Zealand's most transparent government relations firms. Holly also founded Engage,

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00:44:49

Ep 35 - Insights of Excellence – Drain Ninjas

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2026/06/01

What does it take to build a high-performing business — and then hand it on to the next generation?David and Rob sit down with Jeff and Sasha Langham, the father-daughter team behind Drain Ninjas — a West Auckland drainage company and winner of the High Performance Award at the 2025 Northwest Country Business Association Business Awards. Drain Unblocking Auckland | Vacuum Loading | Drain NinjasTheir story starts simply: a gap in the market, a commitment to communication, and a family that saw an

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00:33:04

From Compliance to High Performance: Rethinking...

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2026/02/26

Most small and medium businesses think of governance as box‑ticking, compliance, or something only “big corporates” need. But what if governance was actually your competitive advantage?In this episode, we sit down with Dr Peter Crow, an internationally recognised governance advisor and director, to unpack what governance really means for SMBs — and why almost everything business owners think about governance is wrong.Peter makes governance accessible, practical, and deeply human. He shows how the

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00:51:17

Innovation Is a Choice: Moving from Comfort to Courage

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2026/01/14

Innovation isn’t just about technology or government policy, it’s a leadership choice. In this episode of The Better SMB Podcast, we sit down with Sean Doherty, former Callaghan Innovation leader, to unpack why New Zealand’s prosperity depends on the decisions business leaders make today. Sean shares insights from decades in engineering, manufacturing, and national innovation programmes, challenging SMB owners to step out of their comfort zone and start building capacity for

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01:02:12

Scaling with Purpose: Ray Everest on Leadership,...

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2025/12/29

In this episode of The Better SMB Podcast, hosts Rob Bull and David Altena sit down with Ray Everest, educator, entrepreneur and co-founder of Future Focus, to explore what it takes to build a business that thrives without you. From humble beginnings in Tokoroa to leading six early learning centres in Papamoa, Ray shares his journey of scaling with purpose, removing ego from leadership, and creating deep societal impact through innovation. Ray’s story is one of resilience, vision and continuous

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00:30:28

The Power of Community: Danielle Hancock on...

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2025/11/26

In this episode, we spend some time with Danielle Hancock, General Manager of the North West Country Business Association, to explore one of Aotearoa’s most connected, community-driven business regions. We talk about what makes the North West so unique, the generational businesses that continue to thrive, and the deep sense of collaboration that sets this region apart. We also unpack the partnership between The Better SMB and the North West Country Business Association, including the launch of the

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00:52:28

Beyond the BA5: Redefining What a Chamber of Commerce...

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2025/11/10

In this episode, Rob and David sit down with Patrick McKibbin, Chief Executive of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, to explore how one region is redefining what local business leadership can look like. Patrick shares how the Chamber has evolved from being a traditional networking body into a hub for innovation, collaboration and advocacy, supporting a $10 billion economy with the ambition to grow by 35% by 2035 through the “35 by 35” initiative. From connecting SMEs to government and industry

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00:46:39

No Easy Button: The Real Leadership we Need From...

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2025/10/23

In this episode of The Better SMB, Rob Bull and David Altena go behind their NZ Manufacturer article “Leadership from the Top: How Government Must Reflect What It Asks of Business.” They explore what genuine leadership across the system looks like, from the Beehive to the boardroom, and why consistency, accountability and execution matter more than ever. Building on their conversation with Minister Chris Penk, the hosts discuss where government is showing signs of progress, where leadership gaps

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00:49:09

Beyond the Quarter: Tikanga Māori, Values and...

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2025/10/07

In this episode of The Better SMB Podcast, we sit down with Katia Holland, Associate at McCaw Lewis, to explore how Māori worldviews and tikanga reshape how businesses in Aotearoa think about success. We unpack what it means to prioritise intergenerational responsibility over short-term wins, and how principles like whakapapa, manaakitanga, and kaitiakitanga can be applied to strategy, governance and partnerships. Katia shares her experiences supporting Māori businesses and iwi, and challenges all

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00:40:57

Behind the article: Own it, why your business can’t...

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2025/07/10

In this episode, David and Rob break down the themes from their latest NZ Manufacturer column, Own It: Leadership is a personal responsibility, not a title.This candid and practical conversation explores how business performance is inextricably linked to leadership quality and why many SMB owners unknowingly hold their teams back. They dive deep into the cultural, structural and behavioural shifts needed to lead high-performing, sustainable teams and challenge listeners to take a long look in the

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00:55:03

Own It or Lose It: Why SMBs Can’t Ignore Intellectual...

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2025/05/28

We’re diving deep into intellectual property (IP) protection, exploring key insights and perspectives from Ben Cain, Partner at James & Wells and former marketing executive turned IP specialist. We discuss how small businesses can safeguard their innovations, build brand value, and create competitive barriers through strategic IP management. We cover: Why early-stage IP strategy is mission-critical for future valuation and investor confidence. Budgeting for trademarks, designs, and patents -

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00:34:25

What if 100,000 businesses started taking action to...

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2025/02/26

In this episode, David hosts solo while Rob takes a well-earned break. He shares a recording of his recent talk at the Mahi Tahi Collective 2025 TechFest. This event brought together leading tech companies—including Optimation Group, Silicon Systems, Montage, Team Cloud, Xtracta, Zen Consulting, and SmartSpace—to explore how technology and collaboration can drive business performance and productivity.David dives into why productivity has been a longstanding challenge for New Zealand businesses, why

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00:30:31

What Are You Aiming At in 2025? Setting Goals That...

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2025/02/18

In this first episode recorded in 2025, The Better SMB Podcast kicks off the year with a deep dive into goal setting and making meaningful business progress.Hosts David Altena and Rob Bull reflect on their journey over the past year—celebrating wins, acknowledging challenges, and sharing key lessons learned from unexpected opportunities and connections that have come from launching and growing the podcast.They break down the long-term vision for The Better SMB Podcast and how that translates into

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00:36:20

Is the election of Donald Trump the wakeup call NZ...

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2024/12/01

This episode dives deep into the implications of the recent US election and what it means for New Zealand’s SMBs, exploring key insights and strategies from hosts David Altena and Rob Bull. With tariffs on exports potentially rising under a Trump presidency, Rob frames this as a wake-up call rather than a crisis, emphasising how such challenges can spur innovation, productivity improvements, and strengthen New Zealand’s position in the global market.Strategies are discussed for turning obstacles

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00:17:26

Is it time to rebrand productivity?

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2024/11/02

David and Rob dive into productivity misconceptions and political posturing around the term. They discuss recent government statements suggesting that increasing speed limits and returning to in-office work will improve productivity and argue that these superficial comments confuse the subject and ignore the real issues impacting workplace effectiveness.From the misuse of "productivity" in politics to the economic cost of poor project management and quality control in infrastructure, the episode

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00:37:29

What the Truck is Productivity? Unpacking Lean and...

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2024/09/21

In this episode, hosts David and Rob discuss the intricacies of productivity, focusing on the benefits of lean methodology and continuous improvement in both large corporations and small-to-medium businesses.Rob explains how lean was born out of necessity at Toyota and how these principles can be adapted to any business environment. The conversation reveals the cultural barriers that often hold back SMEs, particularly in New Zealand, from embracing continuous improvement and productivity gains. Rob

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00:45:04

Getting the Basics Right in Local Government with...

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2024/09/01

In this episode, hosts David Altena and Rob Bull sit down with Sean Wallace, Director of Product and Partnerships at Flowingly, to explore the intricacies of process improvement within local government. Sean, who has extensive experience in the sector, shares his insights on the challenges and opportunities councils face in managing their broad range of services.The conversation delves into the complexity of local government operations, highlighting the difficulties of streamlining processes across

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00:50:36

Boosting Productivity: the immediate actions SMBs can...

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2024/08/11

Co-host David takes a turn in the guest seat as Rob interviews him about his recent MBA research on productivity in New Zealand's SMB sector.David's work, which has received attention from the National Business Review, dives deep into the challenges and opportunities facing SMEs when it comes to enhancing productivity. David shares key findings from his research, highlighting the importance of strengthening leadership and management capabilities to drive productivity improvements. He

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00:37:42

Embracing Ambition and Excellence with Simon Walker

The Better SMB Podcast ·

2024/07/20

In this episode, hosts Rob and David sit down with Simon Walker, former CEO of Proposition Group. Simon shares his insights following his recent exit from the company after nine successful years.The discussion starts with Simon’s reflections on his journey and the intriguing concept of ID 2070. He elaborates on creating a long-term economic vision for New Zealand, inspired by Ireland’s transformative progress over 50 years. Simon delves into the productivity challenges in New Zealand, emphasising

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