Chamber chief Jenny Duncan's ultra-fast year

It's been a whirlwind 13 months for Wanganui's Jenny Duncan, as her chamber of commerce role and the advent of ultra-fast broadband consume more and more of her time.

"It's been a very, very interesting year, and I have learned a lot.

"I don't sweat the small stuff any more. I just do what I really, really have to do," she said.

While the year has been busy, that's not to suggest Ms Duncan was idle before October last year, when she became the president of what was then known as the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce.

In the months leading up to that time she was "consumed" by her role as manager of Annette Main's successful campaign to become the mayor of Wanganui. Ms Duncan has no regrets about that involvement either.

"It was worth it. The outcome was outstanding."

Ms Duncan has a varied life. Before she became chamber president, her main paid work was as a coach with Action Coach Business Coaching. She had also been on the chamber's board for four years and been involved with internet business initiatives with her daughters.

She and partner Mark Daniels, another business coach, manage a portfolio of rental properties in Wanganui and elsewhere, live on a lifestyle block and own a bush block in the Moeawatea Valley.

Last year they sold another business, Kiwi Hedge, to the nursery manager, Jo Thomson.

"She is continuing to do well, even in these recessionary times," Ms Duncan said.

The recession hasn't hurt income from their business coaching either. It is up 35 per cent on the previous year.

Ms Duncan does most of her coaching on the phone. It always started with asking business owners what they wanted, she said. Their time, their team and their money were the usual issues.

"We set up an agreed plan, then hold them accountable to sticking to the plan, and we give them a resource to do it."

She's aware that businesses in the region are struggling, and advises them to ask for help and take action.

The chamber is taking more of her time than she expected. It amalgamated with the Employers Chamber of Commerce Central (ECCC) on August 1, incorporating Ruapehu and Rangitikei businesses, and is now known as the Whanganui Employers' Chamber of Commerce.

"There was a heck of a lot of work involved in bringing all that together - all the things that you don't think about - lots and lots of diabolical detail."

The ECCC people had been wonderful to deal with, she said.

"The win for them is growth and it's the same for us, so we've got a similar imperative."

The advent of ultra-fast broadband is the other thing that's taking up a lot of Ms Duncan's time.

She's convinced innovation is essential for Wanganui and broadband will add opportunities.

"We've got the right people here to lead it. We just need to provide a compelling enough case for people to see the benefits."

The chamber has set up an UFB Business Strategy Group, driven by John Williams, to push this. Getting it happening is taking a fair chunk of Ms Duncan's time.

"It's my free time. My time used to be so expensive and now I just throw it away willy-nilly."