Notes From The Executive

Mina Amso
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  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Notes From The Executive is NZ's no-BS business & entrepreneurship podcast for Auckland owners running established companies - $1M-$10M revenue, 5-50 staff - who want to grow faster, protect their margin, and build something worth selling. Hosted by Mina Amso (Podcaster + Founder), every episode has real NZ founders sharing the numbers, decisions & hard lessons. Topics: cash flow, scaling, hiring, business value & exiting high. Tired of generic advice? This is the show. 🔎 NZ business | Auckland entrepreneur | scale a business NZ | NZ podcast

  1. 4d ago

    He Spent $0 On Marketing In Year One. Now 17,000 Kiwis Subscribel

    How do you get your first 1,000 customers without spending a dollar on ads? Angus Simms co-founded Wonky Box with his partner Katie after a hailstorm in the Tasman marked a season of pears and apples. Six years on, Wonky Box says it has 17,000 active subscribers, warehouses in Auckland and Christchurch, and more than 100 growers. They spent nothing on marketing in year one. A new grower's story every week, posted in local Facebook groups with no prices and no links. Now freight levies are squeezing the business at both ends. AcademyExDon't get left behind with AI. Join the Disruptive Technologies Course and get $50 off with code PARTNERS👉 https://academyex.com/partners-courses LogitechWin Logitech Productivity Giveaway worth $1,500To enter: https://bit.ly/NFTEGiveaway PwrfullyLearn How to Tell Your Story On Podcast To Grow Your Businesshttps://pwrfully.com/podcast-guest-workshop The sharpest line: the smarter businesses dig into their supply chain for savings before they pass another cost to the customer. What I Asked AngusHow did you get your first 1,000 customers without ads?How do you know a business idea will make money?How have you made it work with rising fuel costs?Should one produce wholesaler buy the other?What was your most costly mistake? Chapters00:00 Intro10:03 How do I spot a business idea in someone else's problem?25:25 Why set up a board of directors early?29:24 How do I free up 40% of my week?43:12 How do I get my first 1,000 customers without ads?50:05 Why does storytelling sell when customers can't choose?59:10 What does the produce wholesaler merger mean for NZ?1:09:28 How do rising freight costs hit a delivery business?1:12:08 How do I plan for fuel costs that aren't temporary?1:15:22 Why do early hires stop fitting the role? Follow AngusWonky Box https://wonkybox.nzInstagram https://www.instagram.com/wonkybox.nz/TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@wonkybox.nz Follow MeYouTube https://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcastSpotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4QgZGJdrnfjZ1sEm6MeGcpApple https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/notes-from-the-executive-podcast/id1586953812Instagram https://www.instagram.com/minaamso/LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/minaamso Notes From The Executive is the New Zealand business podcast for owners who want real numbers and honest stories. I sat down with Angus Simms of Wonky Box on getting your first 1,000 customers with zero ads, fuel costs, freight levies and the produce wholesaler merger in New Zealand. Grab my free list of NZ podcasts to get booked on: https://pwrfully.com/freepodcasts?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=freelist

    He Spent $0 On Marketing In Year One. Now 17,000 Kiwis Subscribel

  2. Sep 29

    I Asked 9 Business Owners How They're Surviving NZ's Economy

    AcademyExDon't get left behind with AI. Join the Disruptive Technologies Course starting October 6th and get $50 off with code PARTNERS👉 https://academyex.com/partners-courses · LogitechWin Logitech Productivity Giveaway worth $1,500To enter: 👉 https://bit.ly/NFTEGiveaway · PwrfullyLearn How to Tell Your Story On Podcast To Grow Your Business👉 https://pwrfully.com/podcast-guest-workshop?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=workshop · Want to be a podcast guest? Answer 7 questions and get 3 NZ and Australian shows your buyers listen to, with a pitch angle for each. Free: 👉 https://pwrfully.com/podcastfinder?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=freelist · For our podcast's second birthday I left the studio. I spent two days at the Franchise and Small Business Expo in Auckland and asked nine business owners one question. How are you making it work right now? One accountant says customers are going under. Another says the biggest shock is the first-year tax bill. A founder built an AI board of directors after her team was headhunted. A home staging business now does up to 60 houses a month. · Featuring Cassandra Cadorin (founder, CanTicket), Catherine Newton (business coach), Craig (director, Drone Boss), Dave Hayward (founder, Europa Creative Partners), Alec (head of growth, Thankyou Payroll), Ashil (accountant, PKF), Jaki (co-founder, Foxx and Filly Home Staging), Tim Waite (leadership coach) and Michelle (accountant, Money Savvy Move). · What I Asked👉 Can a non-tech business owner build AI agents?👉 What is the most common cause of bad cash flow?👉 Is your first year in business tax free?👉 Why is year two the hardest year in business?👉 Can you build a successful life waking up at 8am? · Timestamps00:00 Intro04:49 How does an AI board of directors run a business?11:09 Can a non-tech business owner build AI agents?17:29 How do I stop trading hours for dollars?21:59 Why are NZ business owners afraid to be seen?28:47 What is the difference between features and benefits?33:54 How do I protect the first four hours of my day?41:25 What if I could only sell one offer for 12 months?45:54 Why do some businesses grow and others stall?48:22 How much can a drone contractor make?50:04 Why is year two the hardest year in business?55:11 What is hope marketing?57:10 What is the difference between brand building and sales activation?1:00:06 Why does selling on price become a race to the bottom?1:11:56 How do I build an AI business brain in Claude?1:17:36 How can a payroll company run as a social enterprise?1:21:00 What is steward ownership?1:28:04 What causes most cash flow problems?1:33:25 Can AI keep a small business alive?1:36:01 How do I start a home staging business?1:40:24 How do I build loyalty with referral partners?1:42:23 When should I franchise my business?1:46:43 How much does home staging cost in NZ?1:52:42 Why do business owners avoid hard conversations?1:56:19 Do successful people have to wake up at 5am?2:04:15 Is your first year in business tax free?2:04:59 How much should I set aside for tax?2:06:58 When should I shut down a business that is losing money?

    I Asked 9 Business Owners How They're Surviving NZ's Economy

  3. Sep 22

    Why NZ Is Losing Its Factories: Power Prices, Gas and a $60M Bailout

    What happens to a country that stops making things? · AcademyExDon't get left behind with AI. Join the Disruptive Technologies Course starting October 6th and get $50 off with code PARTNERS👉 https://academyex.com/partners-courses · LogitechWin Logitech Productivity Giveaway worth $1,500To enter: 👉 https://bit.ly/NFTEGiveaway · PwrfullyLearn How to Tell Your Story On Podcast To Grow Your Business👉 https://pwrfully.com/podcast-guest-workshop · Alan McDonald is Head of Advocacy at the EMA, New Zealand's largest business association, supporting employers and manufacturers since 1886. A former journalist, he has spent eight years on RMA reform and fronts the EMA's positions on the economy, infrastructure and energy. · Recorded two days before Stats NZ released June quarter GDP, Alan predicted a rise of 0.1 to 0.2 percent on tape. The number came in at 0.2 percent. Unemployment sits at 5.6 percent, the highest since September 2015. · What I Asked AlanWhat are you expecting from tomorrow's GDP number?Do you really think the City Rail Link will help Auckland businesses?Why is unemployment worse in Auckland than anywhere else?How serious is deindustrialisation in New Zealand?What industries does New Zealand need to keep? · Chapters00:00 Intro1:44 The GDP call3:54 Christchurch vs Auckland6:39 What's struggling right now7:49 The City Rail Link16:00 Unemployment at an 11 year high18:03 Hiring sentiment21:08 Why stability beats a winner31:07 The workforce squeeze44:00 Power prices, gas and hedging49:17 The $60m cement deal52:03 What NZ must keep making56:39 Business confidence · Follow Alanhttps://ema.co.nzalan.mcdonald@ema.co.nz · Follow MeYouTube https://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcastSpotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4QgZGJdrnfjZ1sEm6MeGcpApple https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/notes-from-the-executive-podcast/id1586953812Instagram https://www.instagram.com/minaamso/LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/minaamso · Notes From The Executive is New Zealand's no-BS business podcast for owners of established companies who want to grow faster, protect their margin, and build something worth selling. ·

    Why NZ Is Losing Its Factories: Power Prices, Gas and a $60M Bailout

  4. Sep 15

    $500K in 11 Weeks: The AI Brain That Runs His Business

    Six New Zealanders used artificial intelligence in a real business. Did any of them actually make money? AcademyEx Build Business Software Using AI Tools (without becoming a professional developer). Sign up 👉 https://shorturl.at/EgyAj Pwrfully Get Recognised and speak to your ideal market on podcasts. Start for Free https://www.pwrfully.com/bookacall Logitech Win Our 2nd Birthday Logitech Productivity Pack Giveaway worth $1,500 To enter: 👉 https://bit.ly/NFTEGiveaway One of them made half a million dollars in eleven weeks with it. The other five explain why most businesses never will. Stanley Henry fed his whole agency to Claude. Perrin Rowland is Chief Product and Experience Officer at AcademyEx, this show's sponsor, and runs marketing with two and a half people. Marisa Fong built and sold Madison Recruitment. Melissa Clark-Reynolds ONZM ran an insurance company on artificial intelligence in 1998. Greg Cross co-founded Soul Machines. Tim Warren spent $200 on AI tools all of last year. The sharpest argument in it: the layoffs are not really about artificial intelligence, they are companies that over-hired in the good years using it as the excuse. What I Asked Them How do you make half a million dollars in eleven weeks, and what do you feed it first? If it does ninety percent of the job, what can you still charge for? Are the layoffs about artificial intelligence or about bad hiring? Why is New Zealand third to last in the world for trusting it? How much should a small business spend before it is a waste? Chapters 0:00 Cold open 0:45 Building the context brain 3:55 What it actually sold 7:16 Why New Zealand is behind 10:13 The industry that just got replaced 12:36 What boards get wrong 16:02 A utility, not a technology 17:43 Why spending is not a strategy 20:17 What has to sit at the centre Watch The Full Episodes Stanley Henry Perrin Rowland Marisa Fong Melissa Clark-Reynolds Greg Cross Tim Warren Follow Me YouTube Spotify Apple Instagram LinkedIn Notes From The Executive is a New Zealand business podcast for owners who want the conversation nobody else is having. I wanted to know whether anyone in New Zealand is actually making money with artificial intelligence, so I asked six people using it in a real business. One made $500,000 in eleven weeks. We covered AI for small business, AI adoption in NZ, headcount, and whether the job losses are real. Grab my free list of NZ podcasts to get booked on: https://pwrfully.com/freepodcasts?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=freelist

    $500K in 11 Weeks: The AI Brain That Runs His Business

  5. Sep 8

    “They Stopped Him At Auckland Airport”: This Is What Happened Next” NZ Tax Lawyer

    New Zealand owes $9.4 billion in overdue tax. 65% of it is small business. Why are business owners their own worst enemy when it comes to IRD? · 👉 Stop waiting on developers, build it yourself with AI 👉 Download Free Guide: https://shorturl.at/EgyAj Course Starts 17 September (Applications Close 10 September) · Our 2nd Birthday Giveaway. Be in to win an $1500 Logitech Productivity Pack giveaway. To enter: 👉 Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel 👉 Follow us on Instagram 👉 Like This Video 👉 Comment Why You Should Win. Terms and Conditions Apply. See Video Description. www.logitech.com · Pwrfully. Get Recognised and speak to your ideal market on podcasts. Start for Free 👉 https://www.pwrfully.com/bookacall · Dave Ananth is a tax lawyer and partner at Meridian Partners in Auckland. He spent years inside Inland Revenue on the prosecution team before moving to the other side of the table. · He's negotiated a tax debt down from $400,000 to $210,000, and settled more than 400 student loan cases for Kiwis living overseas. · His central point: unpaid GST and PAYE is a cash flow symptom, not a scam. By the time most business owners call him, it's already a six figure problem. · What I Asked Dave Is IRD too aggressive, or are NZ business owners genuinely bad with money? What's the biggest tax debt you've ever negotiated down? Why do so many people wait until it's a $400,000 problem? Can IRD really stop you at the airport over a student loan? If you were in charge of IRD, what would you change? · Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:32 Why do NZ business owners owe $9.4 billion in tax? 06:37 What are the penalties for not paying PAYE in NZ? 09:16 Why don't business owners talk to their accountant before it's too late? 14:50 How much tax debt can force a business into liquidation? 19:33 Can you negotiate a lower settlement with IRD? 23:57 Why does IRD listen to some people and not others? 25:36 How does IRD handle cryptocurrency tax audits? 37:22 Who gets prosecuted by IRD and who gets a payment plan? 38:32 Why is student loan interest going up for Kiwis overseas? 41:23 How do you negotiate a student loan settlement with IRD? 42:10 Can IRD stop you at the airport for unpaid debt? 49:17 Is New Zealand its own worst enemy when it comes to tax debt? 50:04 How to fix New Zealand's tax debt system 52:42 Is IRD using third-party debt collectors overseas? 53:40 Dave Ananth: how to contact a tax lawyer for IRD debt · Follow Dave https://mplaw.nz/about-meridian-partners/dave-ananth/ · Follow Me YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcast Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4QgZGJdrnfjZ1sEm6MeGcp Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/notes-from-the-executive-podcast/id1586953812 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/minaamso/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/minaamso · Notes From The Executive is New Zealand's business podcast for owners who want the real numbers, not the theory. · New Zealand owes $9.4 billion in overdue tax, 65% of it small business. If nz tax debt, ird negotiation, student loan overseas nz or small business tax nz is on your mind, this one's worth the 55 minutes. Grab my free list of NZ podcasts to get booked on: https://pwrfully.com/freepodcasts?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=freelist

    “They Stopped Him At Auckland Airport”: This Is What Happened Next” NZ Tax Lawyer

  6. Sep 1

    The $10 Billion NZ Burns on Foreign Fuel. Your Business Pays

    AcademyExStop waiting on developers, build it yourself with AI. Download Free Guide 👉https://shorturl.at/EgyAjCourse Starts 17 September (Applications Close 10 September) · New Zealand spends about as much on petrol and diesel as it earns exporting concentrated milk. Mike Casey says that money leaves the country, and most of it does not have to. · He runs a cherry orchard in Central Otago on 21 electric machines, and a $50,000 diesel bill became a $25,000 revenue stream before financing costs. I asked him what the payback actually looks like machine by machine, what it cost to get there, and what a business owner with a leased warehouse and no roof access is supposed to do instead. · What I Asked Mike👉 How much money does New Zealand lose every year buying fuel from offshore?👉 What did it actually cost to electrify 21 machines?👉 What is the real payback period, machine by machine?👉 What can you do if you lease your building and cannot touch the roof?👉 Who should not do this? · Timestamps00:00 Intro02:08 how does a business get paid for its power09:49 what does it cost to electrify 21 machines11:46 which machines save the most money17:59 why stay on the grid if you generate your own power20:01 how do solar unit economics compare to diesel22:26 what is the real payback on solar and batteries24:36 how do I get a bank to finance solar26:08 what can I do if I lease my building27:40 who should not electrify54:22 how much money does a nine hectare orchard make58:02 how much does New Zealand spend on foreign fuel1:03:45 why can't small businesses get finance for solar1:07:31 why is New Zealand behind Australia on rooftop solar1:12:44 what would fix this for the whole country · Mike Casey is chief executive of Rewiring Aotearoa and co-owner of Forest Lodge Orchard at Mt Pisa, between Cromwell and Wanaka. He co-founded GradConnection, an Australian student job board sold to SEEK in 2019, then moved home and planted 9,300 cherry trees with his wife Rebecca and business partners Euan and Rachel White. · Follow Mike CaseyRewiring Aotearoa https://www.rewiring.nz · Follow MeMina on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcastMina on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4QgZGJdrnfjZ1sEm6MeGcpMina on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/notes-from-the-executive-podcast/id1586953812Mina on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/minaamso/Mina on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/minaamso · Notes From The Executive is New Zealand's no-BS business and entrepreneurship podcast for owners of established companies who want to grow faster, protect their margin, and build something worth selling.

    The $10 Billion NZ Burns on Foreign Fuel. Your Business Pays

  7. Aug 25

    No Data Centres, No AI Economy. NZ Is Already Too Late?

    AcademyExBuild Business Software Using AI (without becoming a coder)👉 Download Free Guide: https://academyex.com/courses/micro-credential/understanding-software-development-processes-and-tools-micro-credential/Course Starts 17 September (Applications Close 10 September) · PwrfullyGet Recognised and speak to your ideal market on podcasts. Start for Free 👉 https://www.pwrfully.com/bookacall · Data centres are not a technology story. Greg Cross calls them the infrastructure of the AI economy, in the same way dams and power lines were the infrastructure of the electrical one. His view on where New Zealand sits: very late to the party, with a pretty embarrassing record on infrastructure decisions behind us. · Greg co-founded Soul Machines in 2016 with Dr Mark Sagar, the two-time Academy Award winner behind the facial animation work in Avatar and King Kong. The University of Auckland spinout raised more than US135 million dollars, about NZ225 million dollars, and worked with Pfizer, General Motors and the golfer Jack Nicklaus. · What I Asked Greg👉 Is New Zealand already too late on data centres👉 What does being late actually cost someone running a business here👉 Are AI data centres going to make power more expensive for the average Kiwi👉 Who owns your business data once it gets processed offshore👉 Is AI really the reason big companies are laying people off · Follow MeMina on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcastMina on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4QgZGJdrnfjZ1sEm6MeGcpMina on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/notes-from-the-executive-podcast/id1586953812Mina on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/minaamso/Mina on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/minaamso · Follow Greg CrossLinkedIn: Greg Cross NZEmail: greg@crossventures.co.nz · Timestamps00:00 Intro05:57 Why are data centres infrastructure and not technology08:33 Why do we keep getting infrastructure decisions wrong15:45 Who owns your data in an AI world37:12 What does all of this mean for a business owner49:05 How did a New Zealand company raise 225 million dollars59:07 Why does raising a lot of money not make you safe1:10:43 Why did the company go into receivership1:43:49 Is AI a growth tool or a cost cutting excuse1:48:39 How to contact Greg Cross · Notes From The Executive is New Zealand's no-BS business and entrepreneurship podcast for owners running established companies. · Data centres are the infrastructure of the AI economy and New Zealand is late. I asked Greg Cross what that costs an owner running a real business here, and who holds your data once it is processed offshore. If you follow the New Zealand economy, power prices, data centres or AI adoption in NZ, start here. Grab my free list of NZ podcasts to get booked on: https://pwrfully.com/freepodcasts?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=freelist

    No Data Centres, No AI Economy. NZ Is Already Too Late?

  8. Aug 18

    "A Once In A Decade Year": The Best Year To Buy A NZ Business?

    Eight of his first ten deals this year went to people who already owned a business. Why do buyers keep losing the good ones? AcademyExBuild your own software (without coding) at https://academyex.com/courses/micro-credential/understanding-software-development-processes-and-tools-micro-credential/Course Starts 17 September (Applications Close 10 September) PwrfullyGet Recognised and speak to your ideal market on podcasts. Start for Free https://www.pwrfully.com/bookacall Mike Ponsonby is a business broker with Kakapo Business Sales, in his tenth year in the industry. He sells New Zealand businesses in the $500,000 to $10 million range. Most of his work sits in trades and services, transport and logistics, and food distribution. He did the same number of transactions in the first six months of 2026 as in all of 2025, and calls it a once in a decade year. Of his first ten deals this year, eight went to people who already owned a business. Two went to first time buyers. What I Asked MikeIs now a good time to buy a business, or is that just what brokers sayWhy do experienced owners keep beating first time buyers to the good dealsHow do I know if a business is worth what they are askingWhat should I check about the seller, not just the numbersWhat costs a buyer most in the first six months Chapters0:00:00 What happens if you buy the wrong one0:01:38 Is it a good time to buy a business0:05:54 Why it is a seller's market0:06:34 Which businesses are hardest to buy0:10:22 Why people sell a business that makes money0:12:44 Buying into an industry you do not know0:19:07 Who is actually buying businesses0:22:48 When to walk away from a deal0:28:37 How to work out what a business is worth0:37:46 What to ask before you buy0:43:22 How to spot dodgy financials0:46:13 What to check about the seller0:50:03 Keeping staff after you buy0:53:38 NZ business sales in 20261:02:22 What to do two years before you sell1:03:43 How fuel costs are hitting NZ operators1:04:28 Where to find Mike Ponsonby Follow Mikehttps://kakapobusiness.co.nz/team/mikeponsonby Follow MeYouTube https://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcastSpotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4QgZGJdrnfjZ1sEm6MeGcpApple https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/notes-from-the-executive-podcast/id1586953812Instagram https://www.instagram.com/minaamso/LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/minaamso Notes From The Executive is New Zealand's no-BS business podcast for owners running established companies, one million to ten million dollars in revenue, five to fifty staff. Mike says there is an undersupply of good businesses in the one to three million band, and experienced buyers keep getting them under contract first. If you want to know what buying a business NZ involves, what a business valuation NZ is built on, and where the NZ business outlook sits for 2026, watch this one. Grab my free list of NZ podcasts to get booked on: https://pwrfully.com/freepodcasts?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=freelist

    "A Once In A Decade Year": The Best Year To Buy A NZ Business?
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About

Notes From The Executive is NZ's no-BS business & entrepreneurship podcast for Auckland owners running established companies - $1M-$10M revenue, 5-50 staff - who want to grow faster, protect their margin, and build something worth selling. Hosted by Mina Amso (Podcaster + Founder), every episode has real NZ founders sharing the numbers, decisions & hard lessons. Topics: cash flow, scaling, hiring, business value & exiting high. Tired of generic advice? This is the show. 🔎 NZ business | Auckland entrepreneur | scale a business NZ | NZ podcast

Information

  • Creator
    Mina Amso
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    150
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Mina Amso
  • Show Website
    Notes From The Executive

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