Te Waka announces Business Growth Advisory Services for Ōtorohanga
Te Waka continues to expand its successful business growth advisory services, with the latest location in Ōtorohanga.
The announcement from Waikato's regional economic development agency comes following the launch of the service in Te Kuiti in April this year.
Based at Waikato Innovation Park in Hamilton, the advisory service operates a successful ‘hub and spoke’ delivery model, where advisors visit each district within the greater Waikato region to meet with local businesses to provide free advice.
They do this by taking a holistic look at a business, and help connect business owners with the right resources and experts to enable capability and growth.
Alongside servicing the wider Hamilton area, business advisors also visit Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Raglan, Paeroa, Tuakau, Huntly, Thames, Tokoroa, Taupo, Te Kuiti and now Ōtorohanga.
Te Waka CEO, Michael Bassett-Foss announced the new service in Ōtorohanga on Thursday evening at the INCITE and Customer Service Awards, organised by the Ōtorohanga District Development Board. Bassett-Foss attended the event, along with Business Growth Advisor Ashleigh Turner, who will be the business advisor for the Ōtorohanga District.
Turner says the business growth advisory service is an important part of the work Te Waka does to enhance regional economic growth in the Waikato and helps connect them with businesses throughout the region.
“Plans to add Ōtorohanga as a business advisory location have been in the pipeline for a number of months. We are excited to launch this so soon after rolling it out in Te Kuiti. It will give us even greater reach across the region and enable us to support more businesses on their growth journey.”
The Te Kuiti service has proven successful, with 20 businesses signed up within the first month and ready to meet Ms Turner. The advisory service team is looking forward to similar uptake in Ōtorohanga.
Ms Turner originally hails from Ōtorohanga and is a trained lawyer and economic development professional. She understands the challenges facing small businesses and start-ups in general, and the issues unique to businesses based in the district.
Ms Turner will be in Ōtorohanga once a month, starting from September, and will be based at the Ōtorohanga District Council building. Appointments to see her can be made by emailing businessgrowth@tewaka.nz.
