The Icehouse is celebrating 25 years of powering Kiwi business growth.
They’re a non-profit dedicated to training and mentoring the small to medium enterprises that make up 97% of New Zealand’s economy.
And today is their Ignite Growth Summit, in which they bring together legendary founders who have gone from the garage to the global stage to inspire the next wave of business talent.
CEO Olivia Blaylock told Kerre Woodham there are so many great businesses around New Zealand, and while some, like Pic’s, are well known, there are plenty that we don’t hear about.
She says we need to tell more of their stories and create a culture where it’s okay to put your hand up and say you’re doing well.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Kerrywood and Mornings podcast from News
Talks HEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Ice House is celebrating twenty five years of powering key
WE business growth. Ice House is a nonprofit dedicated to
training and mentoring our small to medium enterprises that make
up ninety seven percent of New Zealand's economy. Ice House
is Ignight Growth Summit is taking place today, bringing together
legendary founders who'd gone from the garage to the global
(00:34):
stage to inspire the next wave of SME talent. Icehouse
CEO Olivia Blaylock joins me now and a very very
good morning to you. Hi there, Sorry it was a
bit of a click on the line. I just think
this is so exciting. But do we hear of the
(00:55):
hero brands and not enough of those who are doing
a nice job, Thank you very much, but not just
not on a global stage.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Oh absolutely. And there are so many of those great
New Zealand SMI businesses around the country and you're right,
we just don't hear enough about them. And that's part
of the reason why we have events like we've got today.
Right now, We've got pack from Picks Peanut Butter on stage.
We're making some peanut butter on toast, and you know,
he's one that we have heard of, but we also
(01:24):
have you know, hundreds and thousands of other business owners
out there doing just as well that we need to
tell more of those stories and created a create a
culture where it's okay to put your hand up and say,
you know what actually I'm doing bloody well.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Yeah, I mean you know the Henry's and the Halters
and the Shears's, we've all heard of those. But as
ice House also and with its investors also providing you know,
thousands of kiwis with employment and creating new space with
new ideas.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Yeah, so ice House Ventures as the VC part of
the bigger ice House group that looks us to Halter
and all the like. But we work with business owners
out there that are doing the real hard mahi keeping
the country going, and we upscale the leadership capability of
their owners because you know, if we have better leaders
(02:21):
and better owners, we have better businesses and then we
have a better New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Absolutely, why why do people still in this climate? You
have got the brave, the foolhardy, the determined, the stubborn
who will set up their own business and the wake
of like the world is going to helen a handcart
and you've still got these people going, you know what,
(02:45):
I'm going to open a business.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Oh yeah, but good on them, right. I've been a
business owner myself. In fact, for fourteen years, I owned
a business with my husband and I am an ice
House alumni. I did our Owner Manager program myself. And
you know, these other heroes, they create jobs, they you know,
support me, king unities, etcetera. Why do they do it?
(03:08):
I guess you know, many of New Zealand business owners
never started out to be a business owner. Often we
call them accidental business owners. You know that they've got
it their craft and then suddenly they're employing people and
they're employing more, but they never really learn how to
be a business owner or run a business. And that's
where the ice House comes in and just helps them
(03:28):
work on the business and not just in the business.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
I've heard from a number of people who've said that
their parents were business owners and they got it from them,
that it's passed down through the generations. Is that what
you see as well?
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Yeah, we do see that, and you know it's sort
of in your blood. You know, my kids grew up
with grew up with business own appearance, and then they've
both got aspirations of doing it themselves too. And sometimes
I think, shit, you know, what would you but because
it's not easy, but you know, and heince again, why
I think we need to just pat them, pat them
(04:02):
on the back. And these people that are keeping the
country going.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
When it comes to mistakes that business owners make, what
are the most common ones? You see?
Speaker 3 (04:15):
I think, well, a lot of it is not backing
themselves to be braver and and part of and you know,
not getting good advisors and support around them. You know,
often the bank is they'll go to the bank too
far down the track name needed to go to them earlier,
and the bank will generally, you know, try and help
them out. I think just not not being able to
(04:37):
really articulate why you and what you were, what your differences,
and those are the sort of things that we can
help them with. Cash flow is obviously, you know, king,
And so again that's why you need to surround yourself
with good advice and support.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
What do smeez need to do to drive the next
era of growth? What do what does any government need
to do to just get out of the way to
allow smeeze to do what they do.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Well, yeah, look I think you know, I just this
is really topical. I just yesterday got back from I
was lucky enough to be with the Prime Minister on
an augural leadership forum over in Singapore with thirty other
CEOs and senior leaders, and you know, it was a
pretty remarkable group with Fronterra in New Zealand and Becker
(05:30):
and then there was me representing the voice of Smeeths,
which you didn't do make up ninety seven percent of
our economy and the same stats over in Singapore, so
it was really interesting to see what they're doing over there.
Totally different structural environment clearly. But one of the things
is AI. You know, we hear all about it, but
we are so far behind in New Zealand. The Singaporean
(05:52):
government is just one hundred percent behind it. In New Zealand.
We've got a small pilot going with a small amount
of money, but you know, we have to. It's the
way that we can scale these businesses nationally and also internationally.
The younger generation, you know, I think that's what they're
going to bring. But for those of us that are
not so young anymore, we still have to get on
(06:14):
get on that train too.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Well totally. And I'm like, I don't think age gets
in the way you either and you know, are enthusiastic
about new things or you're not. And there's a lot
of older people that have really been excited by AI
and its potential. When it comes to what sort of
businesses there are, what's changed over the twenty five years
(06:38):
of the ice House.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Well, the I supports all businesses across all sectors. We're
deliberately industry agnostic. So what's changed really nothing in terms
of the day to day type stuff. But you know,
new technology, digitalization, et cetera is definitely changing. We are
seeing younger business owners coming through, second generation coming through now,
(07:05):
which is great because New Zealand's got a real problem
around an aging population of owners. So you know, I
think some recent research that came out shows that we
have the oldest ownership demographic in the world. And so
you know, if we don't work on succession plans and
(07:28):
those businesses, many of them are just going to shut down.
We're going to lose all of that knowledge and productivity
and so forth. So yeah, that's something that we've we've
got to do we've got some work to do on.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
And should you know, like farmers feel a bit aggrieved
at times that people, well they tend to get on
with it, but I know that that's on occasion they
feel a bit aggrieved that they're constantly being hammered despite
the fact that they are providing us well, they've kept
us going. Basically. Is that the same kind of sentiment
(08:04):
that you get occasionally from Smeeth that it's like, we
do a lot in this country and yet people just
make it hard for us.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Yeah, yeah, you're right. And you know farmers are ultimately
smeathe too, right if they're running businesses, and yes, thank
goodness for farmers. Yeah, and you know, I don't think
that they're necessarily wanting a handout from the government, but
I think at times they're looking for a bit more
of a hand up, in a bit of a break.
And you know, we saw that with the investment Boast
(08:35):
initiatives that came out that made a real difference to
enable people to buy some new equipment or assets and things.
And I think if we could see more of that,
some more incentives to encourage people to upskill and come
along and do the ice house programs and stuff. Because
businesses that work through our program and we've just done
some research, had some independent research done to assess the
(08:57):
impact of twenty five years of supporting them, and seventy
nine percent of businesses that work with us increase their
turnover and forty five percent group by more than fifty percent,
and nearly one and three doubled their revenue or better.
But we only pott through between sixty to eighty a year.
Imagine what New Zealand would be like if we could
make that two hundred or five hundred. So how can
(09:19):
you know? I guess that's that's my question is how
does the government help fill our pipeline and get more
SNEE owners coming along?
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Thank you, O, Lavia, Lead you back to work, Olivia Blaylock,
CEO of Icehouse. The Ignite twenty six Growth Summit is
on today at the Auckland Viaduct Events Centers, celebrating twenty
five years of Smeeze.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
For more from carry Wood and Mornings, listen live to
news talks that'd be from nine am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Kerrywood and Mornings podcast from News
Talks HEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Ice House is celebrating twenty five years of powering key
WE business growth. Ice House is a nonprofit dedicated to
training and mentoring our small to medium enterprises that make
up ninety seven percent of New Zealand's economy. Ice House
is Ignight Growth Summit is taking place today, bringing together
legendary founders who'd gone from the garage to the global
(00:34):
stage to inspire the next wave of SME talent. Icehouse
CEO Olivia Blaylock joins me now and a very very
good morning to you. Hi there, Sorry it was a
bit of a click on the line. I just think
this is so exciting. But do we hear of the
(00:55):
hero brands and not enough of those who are doing
a nice job, Thank you very much, but not just
not on a global stage.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Oh absolutely. And there are so many of those great
New Zealand SMI businesses around the country and you're right,
we just don't hear enough about them. And that's part
of the reason why we have events like we've got today.
Right now, We've got pack from Picks Peanut Butter on stage.
We're making some peanut butter on toast, and you know,
he's one that we have heard of, but we also
(01:24):
have you know, hundreds and thousands of other business owners
out there doing just as well that we need to
tell more of those stories and created a create a
culture where it's okay to put your hand up and say,
you know what actually I'm doing bloody well.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Yeah, I mean you know the Henry's and the Halters
and the Shears's, we've all heard of those. But as
ice House also and with its investors also providing you know,
thousands of kiwis with employment and creating new space with
new ideas.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Yeah, so ice House Ventures as the VC part of
the bigger ice House group that looks us to Halter
and all the like. But we work with business owners
out there that are doing the real hard mahi keeping
the country going, and we upscale the leadership capability of
their owners because you know, if we have better leaders
(02:21):
and better owners, we have better businesses and then we
have a better New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Absolutely, why why do people still in this climate? You
have got the brave, the foolhardy, the determined, the stubborn
who will set up their own business and the wake
of like the world is going to helen a handcart
and you've still got these people going, you know what,
(02:45):
I'm going to open a business.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Oh yeah, but good on them, right. I've been a
business owner myself. In fact, for fourteen years, I owned
a business with my husband and I am an ice
House alumni. I did our Owner Manager program myself. And
you know, these other heroes, they create jobs, they you know,
support me, king unities, etcetera. Why do they do it?
(03:08):
I guess you know, many of New Zealand business owners
never started out to be a business owner. Often we
call them accidental business owners. You know that they've got
it their craft and then suddenly they're employing people and
they're employing more, but they never really learn how to
be a business owner or run a business. And that's
where the ice House comes in and just helps them
(03:28):
work on the business and not just in the business.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
I've heard from a number of people who've said that
their parents were business owners and they got it from them,
that it's passed down through the generations. Is that what
you see as well?
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Yeah, we do see that, and you know it's sort
of in your blood. You know, my kids grew up
with grew up with business own appearance, and then they've
both got aspirations of doing it themselves too. And sometimes
I think, shit, you know, what would you but because
it's not easy, but you know, and heince again, why
I think we need to just pat them, pat them
(04:02):
on the back. And these people that are keeping the
country going.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
When it comes to mistakes that business owners make, what
are the most common ones? You see?
Speaker 3 (04:15):
I think, well, a lot of it is not backing
themselves to be braver and and part of and you know,
not getting good advisors and support around them. You know,
often the bank is they'll go to the bank too
far down the track name needed to go to them earlier,
and the bank will generally, you know, try and help
them out. I think just not not being able to
(04:37):
really articulate why you and what you were, what your differences,
and those are the sort of things that we can
help them with. Cash flow is obviously, you know, king,
And so again that's why you need to surround yourself
with good advice and support.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
What do smeez need to do to drive the next
era of growth? What do what does any government need
to do to just get out of the way to
allow smeeze to do what they do.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Well, yeah, look I think you know, I just this
is really topical. I just yesterday got back from I
was lucky enough to be with the Prime Minister on
an augural leadership forum over in Singapore with thirty other
CEOs and senior leaders, and you know, it was a
pretty remarkable group with Fronterra in New Zealand and Becker
(05:30):
and then there was me representing the voice of Smeeths,
which you didn't do make up ninety seven percent of
our economy and the same stats over in Singapore, so
it was really interesting to see what they're doing over there.
Totally different structural environment clearly. But one of the things
is AI. You know, we hear all about it, but
we are so far behind in New Zealand. The Singaporean
(05:52):
government is just one hundred percent behind it. In New Zealand.
We've got a small pilot going with a small amount
of money, but you know, we have to. It's the
way that we can scale these businesses nationally and also internationally.
The younger generation, you know, I think that's what they're
going to bring. But for those of us that are
not so young anymore, we still have to get on
(06:14):
get on that train too.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Well totally. And I'm like, I don't think age gets
in the way you either and you know, are enthusiastic
about new things or you're not. And there's a lot
of older people that have really been excited by AI
and its potential. When it comes to what sort of
businesses there are, what's changed over the twenty five years
(06:38):
of the ice House.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Well, the I supports all businesses across all sectors. We're
deliberately industry agnostic. So what's changed really nothing in terms
of the day to day type stuff. But you know,
new technology, digitalization, et cetera is definitely changing. We are
seeing younger business owners coming through, second generation coming through now,
(07:05):
which is great because New Zealand's got a real problem
around an aging population of owners. So you know, I
think some recent research that came out shows that we
have the oldest ownership demographic in the world. And so
you know, if we don't work on succession plans and
(07:28):
those businesses, many of them are just going to shut down.
We're going to lose all of that knowledge and productivity
and so forth. So yeah, that's something that we've we've
got to do we've got some work to do on.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
And should you know, like farmers feel a bit aggrieved
at times that people, well they tend to get on
with it, but I know that that's on occasion they
feel a bit aggrieved that they're constantly being hammered despite
the fact that they are providing us well, they've kept
us going. Basically. Is that the same kind of sentiment
(08:04):
that you get occasionally from Smeeth that it's like, we
do a lot in this country and yet people just
make it hard for us.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Yeah, yeah, you're right. And you know farmers are ultimately
smeathe too, right if they're running businesses, and yes, thank
goodness for farmers. Yeah, and you know, I don't think
that they're necessarily wanting a handout from the government, but
I think at times they're looking for a bit more
of a hand up, in a bit of a break.
And you know, we saw that with the investment Boast
(08:35):
initiatives that came out that made a real difference to
enable people to buy some new equipment or assets and things.
And I think if we could see more of that,
some more incentives to encourage people to upskill and come
along and do the ice house programs and stuff. Because
businesses that work through our program and we've just done
some research, had some independent research done to assess the
(08:57):
impact of twenty five years of supporting them, and seventy
nine percent of businesses that work with us increase their
turnover and forty five percent group by more than fifty percent,
and nearly one and three doubled their revenue or better.
But we only pott through between sixty to eighty a year.
Imagine what New Zealand would be like if we could
make that two hundred or five hundred. So how can
(09:19):
you know? I guess that's that's my question is how
does the government help fill our pipeline and get more
SNEE owners coming along?
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Thank you, O, Lavia, Lead you back to work, Olivia Blaylock,
CEO of Icehouse. The Ignite twenty six Growth Summit is
on today at the Auckland Viaduct Events Centers, celebrating twenty
five years of Smeeze.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
For more from carry Wood and Mornings, listen live to
news talks that'd be from nine am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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