Darrin Walsh: Plenty of problem-solvers ready to help

Darrin Walsh is Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive.

Last week I attended the Chamber of Commerce national conference in Nelson. It was a full-on three days jam-packed with influential key speakers and excellent workshops.

One thing that became relevant and a common theme throughout the conference was that an abundance of people and resources was available to assist you and your business.

The problem is we so often get buried in our businesses that we don't know who to contact or where to go for assistance.

The Rotorua Chamber of Commerce has a big role to play in connecting and supporting business for business.

We do this in the same way many businesses do by creating and using our networks. The chamber on a national and global scale has many networks available for us.

One of our network partners which presented at conference was Kea, NZ's Global Network.

Kea has a similar mission, it connects businesses for business. It has a network of successful New Zealanders globally. One thing that stands out with us Kiwis is that we don't mind sharing our success stories with other Kiwis.

It is this strategy that makes the Kea global network so powerful. No matter what industry you are in, if you want to get connected globally and launch into new markets there is someone in that market who can help.

Kea facilitates these connections for a nominal fee.

It can also arrange functions offshore at which you can speak to promote your business. Through its global connections, it arranges for a captive audience.

Kea conduct surveys with its 300,000 expat New Zealanders regularly. Forty per cent are currently considering purchasing property in New Zealand, 25 per cent are considering owning commercial property, 52 per cent are contemplating looking for jobs in New Zealand.

One in four see potential for connecting offshore business contacts with investment opportunities in New Zealand.

I am sure many Rotorua businesses could benefit from using Kea's global network to establish connections and grow their business globally or nationally.

Connecting with Kea is simple, you can go direct to their website or download their app.

The app is a great tool that connects you with Kiwis wherever they are.

Darrin Walsh is Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive.