EO New Zealand (Entrepreneurs' Organization)

And just like that, we've made it into 2025! Some years start with a buzz of excitement; others with a sigh of relief. For many EOers, 2025 is charged with intention and determination. So together, let's make this year full of positivity, support, and taking action. This quarter, you're going to see us posting about what it means to ADVANCE as an entrepreneur. We'll be sharing insights on leadership development, strategic business, and leveraging the support around you. Welcome to the year where you go further.

Merry Christmas to our entire network! Whether you're lucky enough to be heading into an extended Summer break, or if this time of year means a busy business season - wishing you a fantastic finale to the year 🎄

“I knew instinctively I had to be my own boss,” says Ryan Sanders, CEO of Haka Tourism Group. A self-proclaimed daydreamer, Ryan started Haka by just saving up a bit of money and writing his own business plan. After running it remotely from Europe for 9 months, he came home to New Zealand when he saw the operation had strong potential. Even after a tremendous hit during the pandemic, Haka today is the country’s largest network of hostels. Read all about his inspiring story of resilience, vision, and creativity in this article from The 360-degree Entrepreneur, our corner of NZ Business: https://lnkd.in/gTs6ia9x

On developing business ideas, seeking investors, and nailing the fundamentals of sustainability. Here’s EOer Josh Comrie on his biggest learnings over his 20-years as a CEO for his own ventures. https://lnkd.in/giXsUV6u

Doing some strategic alignment for your business? Here’s one slice of advice from SaaS entrepreneur and Founder of StockTrim, Dominic Sutton: “Always define your ideal customer profile or ICP. There are millions of businesses out there that could be customers of ours, but we don’t have the marketing budget to go after all of them. So only pick your very best potential customers to pursue.” In other words, chase too many rabbits and you won’t catch any. This has been a hard-won lesson for Dominic, but especially now that much of their business is in the US, understanding their target market has been crucial to achieving growth and sustainability. In EO forums and learning events across the country, our members have conversations just like these. Entrepreneurs bring their questions, their experiences, and their advice to a trusted network. Read more about Dominic’s learnings and his business journey right here: https://lnkd.in/gZuq-GDZ

EO has people from all walks of life – and as Powerwash’s Israel McMillan has found, this means there’s always some incredible learnings to discover in the EO journey.

Large, meaningful change. That's what drives Cecilia Robinson, co-founder alongside her husband James of the digital-first healthcare provider company Tend. Taking on industry-scale change is a massive undertaking. But balancing strategic business with impact-driven goals is what Cecilia does best. Read the fantastic entrepreneurship deep dive on NZ Business: https://lnkd.in/gudfMm4B

When Richard arrived in New Zealand during the economic downturn in 2009, he had no professional network or local friends. Starting a business in the best of times is hard – but starting from scratch in a brand new market was even more intimidating. In 2013, he attended an EO University event in Queenstown, and it blew him away. He joined the network, and 10 years later he’s still soaking in all the networking and learning opportunities on offer. Whether you’re brand new to the entrepreneurial journey or a seasoned business owner looking to up your game, EO is here to help you thrive. Talk to us about membership today by emailing: membership@eonewzealand.org

We're stoked about our exciting new partnership with Forsyth Barr Limited. Our members have already had the privilege of hearing some excellent investment insights from Investment Adviser, Damian Kearns, and we look forward to plenty more. As entrepreneurs, we need the best intel to help make informed decisions, and this partnership helps our members grow their businesses and contribute even more to our economy. Here's to partnership! #TogetherWeGrow #EO

Auckland-based EO'ers - we are so excited to kick back and relax with you all tomorrow! Join us by the pool at sunset with a vintage cocktail in hand. We'll have all the best tunes from the '60s and '70, classic pool games, and a dance party under the stars. What better way to send off the year? If you haven't already, be sure you're registered beforehand!