Boost for business operators

Business boot camp sounds  a lot more fun than the army-style events of reality TV.
Sharon Mackie-Langton of Abstract Signs, Stratford, recently attended a two-day business boot camp with the help of Venture Taranaki, and returned home inspired, with a business plan and a lot of ideas for the coming year.
She's one of several Stratford business people to have taken advantage of the new training scheme offered by Venture Taranaki. The New Zealand Trade and Enterprise-funded Capability Development Voucher scheme has been running since late last year, and is now under way with dozens of Taranaki businesses receiving vouchers and going on training courses to help them grow.
Venture Taranaki business adviser Jenn Patterson says the new system began this year. In the past, VT ran training courses at its New Plymouth base. Under the new system, business owners who meet certain criteria can receive up to 50 per cent of the cost of training in the form of a voucher, which they use to pay for training of their choice.
``Training delivered via a workshop situation isn't ideal for everybody, sometimes people are looking for more one-on-one training, or a mentor relationship, and this gives them the opportunity to have the training that is going to be most useful to them.''
Sharon says she  likes the way the new system allows her to choose her own training (from a list of approved providers).
``It allowed me to go on training which I probably wouldn't have done without their help. The cost was about $1600 and Venture Taranaki paid half of that,'' she says. She chose this course as she had heard the presenter, Ambrose Blowfield of The Marketing Company, speak at other training sessions run by Venture Taranaki, and knew the sessions would be good.
Sharon works from her Fenton St home along with her husband, Ross, and they have recently invested in a huge CNC router, a machine which can undertake carving, engraving, etching and more complex CNC projects such as making specialty tools and machinery. They have also just bought a large  copier so they can do their own print jobs. 
Sharon was keen for some new marketing strategies that would enable them to make the most of the new equipment and stretch their customer base throughout Taranaki and beyond.
She met with Jenn  in March, and they worked out what training would best suit her business.
 For more information contact Jenn Patterson on 06 759 5166 or jennifer@venture.org.nz