The Influencers: Marian Johnson
We have around 530,000 small businesses in New Zealand. This represents 97 percent of all commercial ventures, 28 percent of employment, and 25 percent of GDP – proving that the Kiwi entrepreneurial mindset is alive and well. Why then do we have so few start-up versus small business founders? What’s the difference between a small […]
The Influencers: Paul Lonsdale
Going back into Alert Level 2 certainly re-tested the resilience of our business community. Survival seems to be the theme as 2020 continues to test us all in one way or another. That said, watching any of the David Attenborough Planet Earth series, I am always in awe of what the animal kingdom has to […]
The Influencers: Paul Lonsdale
Earth has flipped the proverbial reboot switch, something none of us were expecting, well not this year anyway. As I sit here in my isolation, I reflect on a song by one of my favourite artists, the late great John Lennon and his song Imagine. The words of this song could fill the many […]
The Influencers: Leeann Watson
We all know climate change is the biggest environmental issue facing our planet, so what changes can we make locally to make a difference globally? Some people have chosen to make their contribution by switching to electric vehicles (EVs). While these aren’t a new invention, today’s versions continue to evolve due to significant technological developments. […]
The Influencers: Paul Lonsdale
I cannot believe we are already in February with the Christmas rush and holiday now a distant memory. We are now fully launched into this new decade and I believe we, as a city and region, are ready to own it. The last 10 years were tough on our city and our people, but in […]
The Influencers: Marian Johnson
The second month of the year has almost gone and there is no better time than the present to make good on the resolutions you’ve made for yourself. Whether you’re thinking of launching your own startup, joining an ambitious new startup team, or really getting into the Christchurch and Canterbury innovation scene, you’ve got some […]
The Influencers: Joanna Norris
The start of 2020 has been dominated by global concern for the outbreak and spread of the new coronavirus. The situation is expected to have a significant impact on the economy. Christchurch and the South Island have a strong, warm and mutually valuable relationship with China and we hope for an early end to this […]
The Influencers: John Bridgman
We recently completed the first quarter of Christchurch’s biggest jigsaw puzzle, which at first may not seem like a major achievement but it has 43,000 pieces! The façade on Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre is a significant feat of architecture and engineering. Each of the fibre cement tiles is placed individually on a panel in […]
The Influencers: Paul Lonsdale
There is a lot happening in our city and one of the key things that differentiates us from the suburban shopping centres, aside from our unique retail and hospitality offer, is our ability to activate the streets with events, festivals, buskers and street performances. We are seeing new businesses opening every day filling in […]
The Influencers: Joanna Norris
This year marks a watershed moment for our city, our place, Ōtautahi Christchurch. There are few years I’ve been more excited for than 2020. We are emerging as the country’s premier urban destination, a basecamp for exploration and a hub of South Island adventure. Our rebuilt infrastructure is the envy of cities with worn […]
