Business Continuity : A Timely Reminder
Our thoughts are with the communities, businesses, and individuals in affected regions who are dealing with the impacts of the current adverse weather events, and with those supporting them on the ground.
While Whanganui is not currently affected, this is a timely reminder for local businesses to check their readiness. Ensuring your emergency contact details are up to date supports faster communication, clearer information flow, and a more effective response should an event occur.
If you are a Whanganui business, please complete the Whanganui Emergency Response Contact Information form. The information you provide helps emergency and response agencies contact you quickly, share critical updates, and coordinate support when it matters most.
By keeping your details up to date, you are helping the people who will help you in an emergency.
Connect. Grow. Advance
Business Whanganui is the leading independent business association in the Whanganui region and an Accredited Member of the New Zealand Chambers of Commerce network. We champion the interests of local businesses, ensuring your voice is heard at local, regional, and national levels.
We provide support, learning, networking, and promotional opportunities to help businesses of all sizes, ages, and stages connect, grow and advance. Our community is vibrant, dynamic, creative, and well-connected—a place where businesses thrive through collaboration and shared success.
Join us and be part of a stronger, smarter business future.
Upcoming Learning & Events
BOOK NOW
Brains! and Business for Breakfast
Guest Speaker: Melita Farley
Tuesday 10 February 2026 7.00am-8.30am
Business Whanganui 139 Guyton Street
Good food. Good company. Good business. This month Business for Breakfast features Melita Farley on Brains for Breakfast! — a practical look at supporting your brain, and your team, through change.
Safer Business Whanganui
Retail & Business Owners/Managers Forum
Monday 16 February 2026 5.30-6.30pm
Business Whanganui 139 Guyton Street
Safer Business Whanganui brings together Business Whanganui, Safer Whanganui, Police, Mainstreet, and local businesses to support a safe and secure business environment in Whanganui.
Book Club for Business
Ideas. Perspective. Conversation.
Thursday 19 February 10.00-11.00am
FRANK. 60 Ridgway Street
A relaxed Book Club for business owners and leaders, focused on ideas, meaningful conversation, and connection — with theme-led discussions, no set reading, and no homework required.
Smarter Ways to Improve How Work Gets Done
Continuous improvement matters because there is almost always a better way to work — to reduce friction, cut down on errors, and get more from the effort you are already putting in.
It is not about fixing something that is broken. It is a mindset and a discipline you build over time as your business grows and changes. Whether you are a sole operator or leading a larger team, the fundamentals are the same: clearer processes, fewer mistakes, better problem-solving, and people aligned around how work gets done.
Our productivity and continuous improvement workshops with Darcy Mellsop from ciLab are free to attend for Whanganui businesses and are designed to help you and your team work more efficiently, reduce rework, and improve consistency — without adding complexity or extra workload.
Mindset to Method
Continuous Improvement 1-Day Workshop
Thursday 19 February 2026 9.00am-3.00pm
Business Whanganui 139 Guyton Street
A full introduction to continuous improvement, delivered through a practical simulation. Covering process mapping, root cause analysis and problem solving — from mindset to action.
Unleashing a Productivity Mindset
Continuous Improvement 2-Hour Workshop
Thursday 12 March 2026 9.00-11.00am
Business Whanganui 139 Guyton Street
Improving productivity through continuous improvement. Practical training for manufacturing and product-based teams, helping your people spot problems, improve processes, and lift performance.
Unleashing a Productivity Mindset
Continuous Improvement 2-Hour Workshop
Thursday 12 March 1.00-3.00pm
Business Whanganui 139 Guyton Street
Improving service performance through continuous improvement. Practical training to help individuals and teams work smarter and deliver more consistent outcomes across service-based organisations.
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In the Loop: News from the Community
Key Insights from our Gathering with the Employment Court Judges
Business Whanganui recently brought together local business leaders, HR practitioners, and New Zealand’s Employment Court judges for an important discussion on workplace challenges, opportunities, and trends.
This unique information-sharing session offered perspectives from both ends of the spectrum – businesses applying employment law in practice and judges interpreting it at the highest level.
The insights captured here highlight common pitfalls, emerging issues, and practical ways to strengthen workplace practices.…. Read more
Personal Leadership: The Blog
Practising Reckless Optimism
A mindset for leading, creating, and carrying on — when it matters most.
Reckless optimism isn’t about ignoring challenges or pretending everything’s fine. It’s about backing yourself, your team, and your community to find a way through — even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed. It’s courage with a dash of conviction.
Here’s how you can bring the practice of reckless optimism into your world — and make it work for you.… read more
Advocacy Latest
Advocating for Business
Business Whanganui, as part of the New Zealand Chambers of Commerce (NZCCI), has made a submission on the Retail Payment System (Ban on Merchant Surcharges) Amendment Bill. We support the goal of a fair and transparent payments system for consumers but have serious concerns about banning surcharges on all in-person Visa and Mastercard transactions. Read our full submission…. read more
Good Business
Putting Customers First
Strengthen your business through customer focus: No matter the size or stage of your business, customers are at the heart of what you do. In today’s environment of shifting expectations and tighter competition, it’s not just about offering a good product or service – it’s about delivering real value in ways that build trust, loyalty, and long-term success… read more
Connect , Grow, and Advance your Business with us
Be Part of Business Whanganui
We host a range networking and learning events to help you to be more widely known, connected, informed, inspired, and more successful in your business.
From our biennial regional business awards, business for breakfast or lunch and after 5 gatherings, factory tours, just-for-fun events, thought leader guest speakers, and learning sessions, we’re sure you’ll find something to interest you.
We also have promotional opportunities for you to raise awareness of your business, products, services, and the value you deliver to your customers, including hosting a Business Whanganui networking event.
It’s not just who you know in business, it’s who knows you. Contact us to find out more.
