Connecting Business, Growing Potential, Advancing Success
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
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Skills Highway
Information Session & Lunch for Business
Wednesday 5 November 2025 12.00noon
Business Whanganui, 139 Guyton Street
Give your team the skills to communicate clearly, follow processes confidently, and get work done right the first time. Aaron Megchelse from the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) is in Whanganui for this session to fill you in on what’s available, how it works, and how your business can access fully funded Skills Highway training. Join us — no cost, no catch, just time well spent and better skills for your people
Business for Breakfast
Guest Speaker Kristine Dickson – Simply Style
Tuesday 11 November 7.00-8.30am
FRANK. 60 Ridgway Street
Start your day with good coffee, great company, and fresh thinking. This month’s Voice of Business speaker is Kristine Dickson, personal style and colour consultant from Simply Style. Kristine will share how what we wear influences confidence, credibility, and connection in business.
Join us for a relaxed, practical session — before the day gets busy
Unleashing an Improvement Mindset
Product-based Businesses
Thursday 13 November 9.00-11.00am
Business Whanganui 139 Guyton Street
Two hours. One clear goal — better performance through smarter ways of working. This practical session helps your team identify where time, effort, and resources can be saved, showing how small improvements on the factory floor or in the office can deliver big gains in productivity, quality, and teamwork. Continuous improvement is for everyone, every day.
Unleashing an Improvement Mindset
Service-based Businesses
Thursday 13 November 1.00-3.00pm
Business Whanganui 139 Guyton Street
In just two hours, this energising, practical session helps you and your team see work from a new perspective — sparking curiosity, confidence, and motivation to improve how things are done. You’ll discover how small, everyday improvements can create big gains in service delivery, customer experience, and team satisfaction. Continuous improvement isn’t just for managers — it’s something everyone can be part of, every day.
WCCI 140th AGM
Friday 21 November 4.30pm
Business Whanganui, 139 Guyton Street
Current financial members, check your inbox for the Notice of Meeting and attached information. Business of the meeting will include: Receive and adopt the Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 July 2025. Receive the Chair’s and Chief Executive’s Reports. Adopt a new Constitution, aligning with the Incorporated Societies Act 2022, replacing the Rules adopted in 2023. Authorise the Board to complete reregistration under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022. Confirm Board Members. Consider any other General Business.
Business After 5
J Thain Foundry Co-working Space
Thursday 27 November 5.30pm
1st Floor, 31 Taupo Quay
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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.
