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 Better SMB High-Performance Award – supporting SMEs with benchmarking, insights and practical next steps for lifting business performance. 

We discuss: 

• What defines the North West Country business community 

• The small-town collaboration and multi-generation businesses shaping the region 

• Challenges facing “mum and dad” SMEs and why decision-making can feel lonely 

• Why North West Country partnered with The Better SMB to lift productivity 

• How performance reporting can strengthen business confidence and capability 

Listen out for some of these highlights: 

•  “This is the only community where everyone walks into the awards hugging each other.” 

•  “Mum and dad businesses make decisions quickly — they just need the right support.” 

•  “We want to create a bit of FOMO — we want others to say, ‘How do we get what they’ve got?’” 

Thank you for tuning in to The Better SMB! Don't forget to like, subscribe and leave a review. 

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Connect with Rob and David on LinkedIn 

Rob Bull 

David Altena 

Learn more about NZ Lean Academy and the mission Rob is on to make NZ the best place in the world to do business  

Download David's NBR-featured report "Boosting Productivity in New Zealand SMEs" by joining the mailing list on the Altena Solutions website and start your journey to a more productive business today