Eduardo Porter wrote an article in the Wall Street Journal titled “Loss of Dynamism is impeding Growth”. The premise of the article was that New Zealand, like others in the OECD, have not generated enough early stage companies and have not done enough to ensure they become mature or revenue generating companies. The article quotes […]

Audit Shield is an insurance which provides for the payment of professional fees incurred in the event you are selected for an audit, enquiry, investigation or review instigated by Inland Revenue (IR). The cost of being properly represented can be quite considerable depending on the circumstances. Even a simple enquiry can require hours of work. […]

Imagine this… [box] You own a successful business in a great location, and you have plans for the future, and/or you are a landlord with a building and/or land that you bought for the longer term for you and your family. [/box]   Then out of the blue, the Public Works Act (PWA) is forced […]

I recently attended and presented at the 2017 Company Valuations Conference in Auckland. Other presenters consisted of valuation experts with their own consulting firms. Plus law firms, business broking firms, accounting firms, Intellectual Property experts and even a speaker on the psychology of cognitive bias. During the conference I connected with some impressive minds. They […]

Part of my role in advising clients, is attempting to optimise their structures for taxation purposes – less tax paid for a profitable business should naturally correlate to more cash in the pocket (one would hope!). The following issues are some common themes in this regard: Initial Structuring versus Restructuring Getting good structuring advice at […]

‘Tis that time of the year. The time that bills are mounting, wish lists are being written, and you are managing to justify expenditure that at any other time of year would blow your mind. And that’s before Boxing Day arrives. So, on the basis of the ambulance being better placed at the top of […]

For many growing New Zealand businesses, the first big step in expansion to overseas territories will be a move into the Australian market. Australia’s similarities to New Zealand mean that a great deal of a business’s marketing experience and capital will carry over, as opposed to the likes of India or Singapore. The same is […]

Having a mix of shareholders is important as a company grows and develops. As you raise capital (and once you get over the joy and excitement that someone has agreed to invest in you and your business), you need to recognise that as you progress, shareholder behaviour and expectations change. Not all shareholders are created […]

Over at least the last decade, Succession has been topical in business advisory. Largely the focus has been on getting a business ready for sale or exit, and addressing the importance of intergenerational businesses to address interfamily expectations, and on strategies for finding an heir or successor. Most people are naturally averse to considering mortality, […]

Part of my responsibility at Gilligan Sheppard is to recruit, hire and train new administration team members. The recruitment process is something I find relatively easy, especially by being located in Auckland city. Once I’ve made the decision to hire the person I believe is right, I then take on the responsibility of being accountable […]