CHIEFS RUGBY TACKLES FAN ENGAGEMENT WITH DIGITAL INNOVATION

In the fast-paced world of professional rugby, Chiefs Rugby is redefining fan engagement through digital innovation. Partnering with B:HIVE member Wexer, a leader in on-demand fitness, the Chiefs have created a 24/7 digital platform that turns fans into active participants not just spectators.

“At Wexer, we believe fitness and entertainment should be seamless,” says Paul Bowman, Wexer CEO. “Our technology allows brands like the Chiefs to deliver world-class fitness experiences, strengthening the connection between fans and the teams they love.”

Through their fitness app, fans can access exclusive workouts, training insights, and wellness tips from professional players. It’s not just about watching the game anymore; fans can now train like their heroes and make the team’s lifestyle part of their own.

“The future of fan engagement isn’t just about watching, it’s about participating,” Paul adds. This approach has not only deepened fan loyalty but also unlocked new revenue streams, from subscriptions to branded content. Digital engagement isn’t just a trend it’s a game-changer. By integrating on-demand fitness, the Chiefs are ensuring long-term sustainability while expanding their community.

Wexer’s digital ecosystem helps the Chiefs build lasting fan relationships by blending fitness, content, and technology. It’s a blueprint for how sports brands can evolve, transforming fan experiences and driving business success.

The sports industry is evolving fast, and digital innovation is leading the way. The partnership between Chiefs Rugby and Wexer is proof that those who embrace change can strengthen their brand, build deeper community connections, and unlock new revenue opportunities

For businesses everywhere, the takeaway is clear: embrace digital innovation to stay connected, grow, and thrive.

BECOME WEALTH – $1 BILLION INVESTED AND COUNTING…

In just a decade, Become Wealth has crossed a monumental milestone—managing over $1 billion in client funds. But for this dynamic team, it’s not just about numbers; it’s about people, growth, and the journey ahead.
Become Wealth is expanding both organically and through strategic acquisitions. With six expert advisors based at B:HIVE & Christchurch and a footprint across three countries, they serve a diverse mix of rapid accumulators and those planning for retirement.

Strong Foundations, Ambitious Future
A key driver of Become Wealth’s success is its partnership with the New Zealand Defence Force’s savings schemes, led by NZDF Relationship Manager Mark Williamson. They also advise major NZX and ASX-listed companies and a broad network of individual investors. Their services span investment management, mortgage broking, financial planning, personal insurance, and property advice, offering a holistic approach to wealth-building. Their services span investment management, mortgage broking, financial planning, personal insurance, and property advice—offering a holistic approach to wealth-building.

On the Hunt for Growth
As industry regulations tighten, CEO Joseph Darby sees opportunity. He believes Become Wealth is well-positioned to lead mergers and acquisitions, helping others adapt while expanding their own reach. Another key focus? Large workplaces.
“We’re uniquely positioned to deliver financial advice at scale, something unmatched in New Zealand,” says Joseph.

A Team That Stands Out
What sets Become Wealth apart isn’t just their financial acumen—it’s their people. Compared to industry norms, their team is young, dynamic, and ambitious, bringing a fresh perspective to wealth management.

Beyond finance, they’re high achievers:
Joseph Darby – Former Army Officer with Middle East experience.
Nik Velkovski – Melbourne-based Private Wealth & Lending Manager, semi-pro footballer.
Josh Copeland – Private Wealth & Risk Specialist, competitive AFL player, ex-NZ rep.
Marcus Mannering – Risk & Lending Specialist, former NZ shooting rep, avid hunter.
Vinessa Orsbourn – Private Wealth & Risk Manager, adventurous NZ mountain biker.

Their diverse backgrounds bring depth, resonating with clients from all walks of life. Whether someone dreams of retiring as a “financially independent fisherman” or a “full-time professional tourist,” this team gets it.

Shaping Financial Futures
In an ever-evolving industry, Become Wealth helps Kiwis navigate their financial journeys and achieve success.
With $1 billion invested and counting, they’re just getting started.

Celebrating PREKURE’s 2024 Graduation: Wellness Leadership in Action

As 2024 drew to a close, B:HIVE member PREKURE celebrated a significant milestone in the B:HIVE Auditorium: the graduation of 234 health and mental health coaches. This annual awards event highlights PREKURE’s dedication to advancing wellness across Aotearoa, equipping graduates with tools and knowledge to transform communities and champion mental health and physical well-being.

Who is PREKURE?

PREKURE is an award-winning social enterprise, recognised as the Health Changemaker of the Year 2023. Their mission is to revolutionise healthcare through prevention, training professional health coaches in evidence-based lifestyle medicine. PREKURE health coaches empower individuals to improve their well-being, addressing chronic disease with practical, sustainable lifestyle solutions.

Honouring the Class of 2024

Congratulations to PREKURE’s Class of 2024, who are set to make meaningful changes in the healthcare system. This year’s annual award winners were also recognised for their outstanding contributions:

Heart of PREKURE Award: Lisa Deans & Aroha Wilson
Community Spirit Award: Martin Burling
Metabolic Nutrition Coach of the Year: Marielle Styles
Mental Health Coach of the Year: Jayne Fox
Health Coach of the Year: Elizabeth Marshall

Looking Ahead: Building Healthier Futures

PREKURE continues to lead the charge in preventing and managing chronic diseases. Through their internationally recognised training programmes, they’re creating professionals who bridge the gap between medical systems and everyday well-being. Discover how PREKURE is shaping the future of health by visiting their website; prekure.com

Threefold is a longtime B:HIVE member and specialist advisory firm in mortgages, insurance, and KiwiSaver. Their focus is simple: helping people make strategic financial decisions for a future of freedom and security.

Founder Jonathan Michell loves the community spirit and collaborative energy at B:HIVE, “The A-grade facilities are fantastic, but the real value for me is in the people. I enjoy meeting other professionals, learning about their businesses, and of course, attending BooHive and all the great events,” Jonathan says.

Threefold isn’t just here to advise—they’re ready to share their expertise. Recently, as mortgage rates have fallen, they’ve helped clients save thousands in mortgage repayments! Their team offers complimentary consultations for B:HIVE members, around mortgage, insurance and KiwiSaver. “For anyone who wants a fresh look at their finances, we’d love to help,” says Jonathan.

In a true example of practicing what they preach, Threefold recently put their business continuity plan (BCP) to the test. As a licensed financial provider, they’re required by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) to have measures in place to keep operations running in the face of disruption. “We wanted to see how well our plan worked in practice, so we told our team late one evening that an unexpected event had made B:HIVE inaccessible for the following day, requiring everyone to work from home,” Jonathan explains. This simulation turned up a few learning points, though Jonathan says overall they were in good shape. “These tests help us ensure that we’re fully prepared to serve clients no matter what happens.”

Threefold Specialist Financial Adviser David Gribble shares the sense of pride the team feels in being part of the B:HIVE community. “The environment here is warm and welcoming; it really does make an impression on clients. The flexibility of the space, combined with the vibrant social events—like Halloween, Pink Shirt Day, and Christmas—adds so much. I’m shore based, so that is a bonus – some days I just catch the bus in from Murrays Bay, and if I have meetings in the city, it’s an easy hop on public transit,” David notes.

For David, Jonathan, and the whole Threefold team, B:HIVE is more than an office. It’s a place to connect, grow, and support others in the community so do reach out if you would like to take Threefold up on their complimentary consultation!  Thanks Threefold.

The recent Pixel Awards, where creativity and innovation in Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) take the spotlight, brought exciting news for B:HIVE member Yarn.

The Pixel awards celebrates creativity in digital outdoor – recognising cutting edge ideas in out of home (OOH). Not only did Yarn’s creative team Joachim and Oscar take out top prize in the industry award, but intern creative team Summer McConnell & Mitchell Murphy-Reid also came first in the student category, making it a clean sweep on the night for Yarn.

Creative duo Joachim Pearson and Oscar Randle were awarded first place for their “Bargain Box Crowdometer” for My Food Bag. This clever campaign won Yarn a $5,000 cash prize and an impressive $45,000 media campaign—an awesome acknowledgement for a team that’s making waves in the creative industry and has been with Yarn since July.

Interns Summer & Mitchell have been joining the Yarn team at B:HIVE for a day and half each week while they finish off their studies at AUT.

“At Yarn we have a history of tutoring students and taking on creative advertising students. It’s a tough industry to get into, and going to a university or adschool can only teach you so much. We remember when we were in the same boat, and all you needed was for someone to give you a chance – your first step on the ladder. Each year AUT and MDS reach out to creative leaders in the industry to provide tutoring, and we gladly accept!” says Rich Robson.

Yarn has been on a winning streak this year, bringing on high-profile clients like Bargain Chemist and Hell Pizza. The award winning  “Bargain Box Crowdometer” campaign showcased exactly that.

As B:HIVE members can see – Yarn’s creativity isn’t confined to award-winning campaigns; it’s woven into everything they do. At BOO:Hive, Yarn unveiled their interactive “What’s Yarn-der the Bed?” display, a spooky setup in Yarn’s private office at B:HIVE, spooking out both kids and adults alike.

Spooky topics seem to come naturally to Yarn, their work for Hells Pizza has included successful HELL campaigns that have picked up many awards including campaigns like “AfterLife Pay”, “Impossible Disguise” and an infamous Stockholm billboard that told Greta Thunberg to go to Hell! Making news headlines around the world. 

For Yarn, B:HIVE provides a great space to be creative saying “As advertising creatives, our jobs are to dream up all kinds of crazy ideas and stories to enable brands to communicate with their audiences.  This means, a lot of the day can be spent bouncing ideas between each other. Because B:HIVE has so many break out spaces, it makes it a great place to get away from the desk and brainstorm – it’s a great space for the creative process”

Cheers to Heath, Matt, Rich and all the team at Yarn for their well-deserved success! We love having you guys and your creative thinking as part of the B:HIVE community!

In the ever-competitive world of business, a well-crafted sales strategy is crucial. It can be the difference between surviving and thriving, particularly in a challenging market. That’s where B:HIVE member SalesStar comes in. SalesStar is a global sales consultancy, combining top-tier sales training with personalized coaching to support businesses around the world. In New Zealand, SalesStar calls B:HIVE, Smales Farm – home. From here, SaleStar’s Client Service team supports a remote team of High Performance coaches providing support and expertise to businesses of all shapes and sizes.  Paul Dunphy is one of SalesStar’s expert coaches and reminds us that a sales strategy is not just a nice-to-have but an essential for business success, “Sales success is approximately 80% mindset and 20% skillset,” Paul explains. “It’s crucial to have a clear sales plan, a well-defined sales process, and a strong will to sell. That’s where we can really help”.  Paul is passionate about growth mindsets and coachability, the ability to keep improving, saying – “Sales isn’t just about relationships or selling features and benefits; it’s about asking the right questions and selling consultatively”.

The power of networking, recognizing opportunities, and understanding the broader economic landscape are all key elements that can elevate a business’s sales performance.

A Special Offer for B:HIVE Members.

Recognizing the challenges that the current economic climate presents, Paul Dunphy was inspired to offer a special opportunity to B:HIVE members to support their sales strategy and success.  Understanding that generating sales revenue is the lifeblood of any organization, Paul and the SalesStar team are offering a complimentary 1:1 sales consultation to B:HIVE members.  This hour-long session includes a personalized sales health scorecard, designed to help businesses identify key areas for improvement and optimize their sales strategy.

“At SalesStar, we love to see our clients flourish and thrive,” Paul says. “We know there are many levers that businesses can pull to survive and even grow during these times. We’re here to help them navigate that journey.”

Thanks Paul for this generous offer, valid through to 6th September- those interested can reach out to Paul directly (pauld@salesstar.com / 027 213 5607) We love to see B:HIVE members working together in this way. Here’s to your continued sales success!

For New Zealand’s leading conference experts Brightstar, their synergy with the B:HIVE’s couldn’t be better.

Brightstar is one of New Zealand’s leading conference providers.  We have been pleased to hold a number of Brightstar’s events at B:HIVE – and, we’re also proudly the home base for Brightstar’s HQ! The team (of approximately 30 members) has a dedicated office at the B:HIVE.

Formerly known as Conferenz, Brightstar rebranded a few years ago, and are now leaders in conferences, training courses and audience marketing, running over 70 events annually. Partners include Federated Farmers, NZ Tech, Infrastructure NZ and the Public Relations Institute of NZ.

Brightstar has hosted four of its events at the B:HIVE, enjoying our “plug and play” facilities. Their most recent conference at B:HIVE, NZSOMO, focused on the ever changing world of Social Media. 

And, it turns out there are always great takeaways from these events, even when you’ve organised them! Brightstar’s Marketing Manager, Melanie Evans says her most interesting insight, from the NZSOMO event, was the lack of understanding out there of how to leverage channels like LinkedIn – a great tool for businesses. Another key takeaway was that if it all seems too hard – keep it simple! “Unless you are able to execute different forms of content regularly and consistently across different platforms in different ways, it’s probably better to focus on two or three main ones and nurture those than try to get yourself too thin,” she says.

With conferences and events spanning so many different sectors, there are always new things to learn and be inspired by. The B:HIVE community itself is a source of inspiration for the team! Says Brightstar Chief Executive Paula Cleghorn, “Being in a place like the B:HIVE is fantastic because there are many different organisations in one contemporary setting. Because of the variety of businesses here, you have visibility across a lot of different areas and sectors. This is great for us because we create events for all kinds of businesses and interest areas throughout New Zealand”.

Brightstar are set for an exciting second half of 2024. We are looking forward to seeing them shine. See you around the B:HIVE!

We sat down with the CEO of Nāti Growth, Henare Walker (Ngāti Porou) to find out more about Nāti Growth and its experience at the B:HIVE.

Nāti Growth is the economic and wealth generation arm of Te Runanganui o Ngāti Porou, located in the East Cape and Gisborne regions. Henare Walker has been CEO of Nāti Growth for the last 18 months, after having served on the board prior. Nāti Growth’s focus is to grow and manage commercial interests for the benefit of Ngāti Porou, now and in the future, realizing the significant economic contribution Ngāti Porou has the potential to make for Tairāwhiti / Gisborne. Henare leads a team owning and administering $260m in commercial assets including financial investments in farming, seafood, tourism, forestry and Mānuka honey amongst others. 

With a satellite office in Auckland, team members, including Henare, travel regularly between city and region.

Henare explains that being physically in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland helps achieve many things for Nāti Growth including access to great talent, strengthening of relationships with partners and exploring business and investment opportunities beyond the East Cape. Collaboration and strong relationships are crucial to success and driving growth. 

“Many of our key business partners and advisors were already in Auckland and it’s beneficial to spend time with them. Despite the ease of connecting remotely these days – regularly seeing people kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) is important.  Our set up in Auckland has enabled this to happen, plus connected us with other opportunities through the community right here in the building.  I spend half my time back in Tairāwhiti and the rest of my time here.  It’s made a significant difference to our growth trajectory. We’re physically putting ourselves in the best position to achieve our goals”.

Nāti Growth has been at the B:HIVE for nearly 10 months – initially with a small two person team at desks and recently moving into a private office.  Says Henare “we reached 6 team members at desks before moving into an office. From realising we were ready for an office, to being moved in and all set up took no more than three days. Computers and everything were all set up – with no disruption for us.  It’s quite a mindset shift having our own space now – our name is proudly on the door!  We’re in growth mode now certainly. Whilst we are enjoying having our own space as a team, a space to make our own – we all really enjoy the breakout spaces here and the tangible vibe that exists at the B:HIVE. We are still a relatively small team – but, being in a space like this means we enjoy the vibe of a larger entity.”

To achieve desired outcomes, ultimately to drive positive social and cultural development outcomes for the Ngāti Porou rohe, it was important to Henare and the Nāti Growth team to be in the country’s busiest city but the choice to base the team on the North Shore was also a considered one.  Takapuna Beach may be a fair way from the coastline of the East Cape, but as Henare says – “we tend to be going against the traffic with our commute. Everyone is heading in one way – we’re going in the other. That’s usually a pretty successful formula for us! So far so good!”  With growth firmly in its sights, Nāti Growth is on a focused trajectory and is building a great team to realize its vision to drive positive outcomes for today and future generations.

B:HIVE member Bayer is a global pharmaceutical company with 100,000+ employed worldwide and operations in more than 80 countries. In New Zealand, B:HIVE, Smales Farm is the HQ for Bayer, where they look after a suite of well known and innovative products – including Claratyne and Berocca!

At the B:HIVE Bayer’s team, of approximately 20, enjoys the vibrant community feel of B:HIVE – which is perfectly well suited to their product range and flexible ways of working. Senior Brand Manager for Bayer, Daniela Farrell has been working for Bayer for 16 years – enjoying a variety of roles and international placements – “Bayer is a large multinational with a focus on Health for all, Hunger for none – it’s a dynamic organisation and we all work quite flexibly these days.  One of our main reasons to come into the office is to really connect with each other as a team. The quality of facilities and support enables that, leaving us free to focus on spending time together  – it’s a very enjoyable place to be based!”

This month, Bayer is proud to announce Berocca’s partnership with Dry July NZ, bringing a burst of energy to the 2024 Dry July NZ Campaign. With a goal of raising $45,000 to support the Dry July NZ Trust, Berocca is assembling a Dry July NZ Team – Team Berocca – and everyone is invited to join. To kickstart the fundraising, Berocca is donating $5,000. All funds raised by team members will add to this total. Additionally, Berocca will host two Match Days, where all Dry July NZ donations will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $10,000. Dry July NZ funds charities like Look Good Feel Better, the Prostate Cancer Foundation NZ, and Pinc & Steel, all dedicated to helping Kiwis affected by cancer.

Daniela Farrell says “we wanted to get involved in Dry July because of the opportunity to support those affected by cancer – we’re pretty pleased that rugby league player Johnny Tuivasa-Sheck, broadcaster Brodie Kane and The Edge (radio) are onboard supporting Team Berocca. Join us and help support the work of Dry July!” Find out more here and register https://www.dryjuly.co.nz/teams/team-berocca

We’re proud to have you at the B:HIVE Team Bayer!

HealthNow, based at the B:HIVE, Smales Farm, has announced a $3.4m capital raise, led by Icehouse Ventures, Brand Fund 1 and NZ Fintech Fund. The institutional funding round, the first for the Auckland-based company, will allow HealthNow to expand its mission to modernize the distribution of employee health benefits via the HealthNow Mastercard.

Founded in 2020 during the Covid pandemic by Steven Zinsli, a former executive at healthcare business Physio Connect, HealthNow is a healthcare funding platform designed to empower companies to play a more active role in the health of their people.

The HealthNow Mastercard allows employers to set a healthcare contribution amount and to choose the types of providers and industry sectors where the benefit can be spent. Paying with the HealthNow card – which can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted – generates an automatic expense report, eliminating the need for time-consuming and costly reimbursement processes.

HealthNow’s impressive funding raise was managed from the second floor of B:HIVE, New Zealand’s largest shared working space. With HealthNow expanding across New Zealand and into Australia – growing from 10 to 16 employees in recent months, with more appointments to come – Zinsli says B:HIVE provides exactly the right environment for a rapidly growing business such as his.

“It’s inspiring to be surrounded by other businesses doing amazing things, building connections that will help us along our scale-up journey,” he says. “Having a strong network is vital to any founder and CEO so shared spaces like the B:HIVE are a great call for anyone building their own business from the ground up.”

For HealthNow, this week’s capital raise is a moment for celebration, but Zinsli is already looking further ahead. As its customer base continues to grow, and with 8000 live users on the platform, the company has big plans for the rest of the year. The goal, however, remains the same: creating a more accessible and affordable health benefit system, while supporting better health outcomes for organisations and the people who work there.

The B:HIVE are enjoying watching HealthNow’s impressive growth journey – congratulations to all involved!

Download the “ROI of Employee Wellbeing” Report here!