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. WTF Is Happening To The New Zealand Economy?

    5d ago

    WTF Is Happening To The New Zealand Economy?

    Bernard Hickey is one of New Zealand's best known economics commentators. Trained as an economist and as a journalist, he has spent more than three decades covering money, markets and housing. He now runs The Kākā, a subscription newsletter and podcast, and co-hosts an ANZ-funded economics podcast. Episode SponsorsAcademyExGet ahead with AIhttps://discover.academyex.com/minaPwrfullyGet Your Free Podcast Listhttps://www.pwrfully.comFollow MeMina on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcastMina on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4QgZGJdrnfjZ1sEm6MeGcp?si=c12e08e33f604916Mina 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 www.linkedin.com/in/minaamsoFollow BernardThe Kākā (subscription newsletter and podcast) https://thekaka.substack.com/Bernard on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernard-hickey-44334a14/Timestamps5:11 why isn't the NZ economy growing the way we were promised10:44 is the lack of a capital gains tax the real problem13:48 why does every other country make it easier to invest outside property18:08 when did buying more houses become the only way to get rich here34:07 why have we bet the whole economy on the housing market35:48 what happens when everyone has borrowed as much as they can45:02 why won't another rate cut start the boom again45:22 if housing is done, where do I actually build wealth now50:14 is immigration really what's holding the economy back1:12:12 how does any of this hit a business owner turning over a million1:22:18 what would actually fix this if anyone in power listened1:25:04 why are a third of our graduates leaving the country1:33:33 how do I stop my kids and grandkids from leaving NZ1:37:05 where to find Bernard Hickey and The Kākā

    1h 37m
  2. The 5 Small Business Habits Killing NZ Margins

    May 26

    The 5 Small Business Habits Killing NZ Margins

    Ashish Saxena is a former executive at Lucent-Alcatel, Nokia and General Electric, an investor, mentors business owners across multiple markets. This is his second appearance on Notes From The Executive. What I Asked Ashish Why is a $13M business with a 2% margin more dangerous than a $1M business at 25% Why is revenue the metric quietly killing most NZ businesses How do I sell something before I have even built it Episode Sponsors AcademyEx Get ahead with AI https://discover.academyex.com/mina Pwrfully Get Your Free Podcast List https://www.pwrfully.com Follow Me Mina on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcast Mina on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4QgZGJdrnfjZ1sEm6MeGcp?si=c12e08e33f604916 Mina on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/notes-from-the-executive-podcast/id1586953812 Mina on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/minaamso/ Mina on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/minaamso Follow Ashish https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishrameshsaxena/ Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/txiSrqSo7o8 Time Stamps 0:00 – Intro 4:13 – Revenue vs Margin: The #1 Mistake Business Owners Make   6:40 – Why Net Profit Margin Matters More Than Hitting $1M–$10M Revenue   8:01 – Stalled Growth? Start by Rethinking the REAL Problem   9:47 – Marketing & Branding vs Just Having a “Great Product”   10:20 – Business Goals: Profit, Margin, and Building a Real Asset   12:28 – Premium Customers, Luxury Brands & the 80/20 Rule Explained   13:24 – What a Business Really Is: Daily Transactions, Not Busyness   15:25 – If You Had No Transactions Today, You Didn’t Do Business   16:22 – Two Core Questions: How to Increase Transactions and Margin per Sale   17:09 – Example: Media & Airline Businesses, Oil Prices, and Squeezed Margins   20:17 – Risk vs Uncertainty: What Smart Business Owners Actually Manage   21:56 – Why Ashish Starts With the Market, Not the Business   23:29 – Are You in a Growing Trend? How to Read Market Signals   25:35 – The “Sell Before You Build” Strategy: Validating Offers Upfront   27:29 – 3 Pillars: Trend, Money in the Trend, and Your Experience   29:48 – Ad Break 30:16 – Case Study: Selling an Online Course Before Creating It   31:44 – Pricing Strategy: Why You Should Price High, Then Discount   33:14 – Established Businesses: Innovating Offers When Margins Stall   34:17 – Clarifying the Pre-Sale Strategy: Content, Trust, and Timing   35:11 – Attention vs Credibility: From Attention Economy to Trust Economy   36:50 – How Much Content Someone Should Consume Before Buying ($1k Offer Rule)   37:59 – Applying 80/20 to Content: Who Actually Becomes a Buyer?   39:50 – From One-Off Transactions to Long-Term Customer Relationships   40:07 – How Long-Term Clients Increase Your Profit Margins   41:44 – Apple’s Ecosystem: iPhone, iCloud, AirPods & Recurring Revenue   42:47 – Why Some Clients Leave Programs—and What That Reveals About ROI   44:19 – Are You in a Collaborative Business Model or a One-Sided One?   45:42 – Summary: Why You’re Stalled While 38% of Businesses Still Grow   47:55 – Think Market First: Is the Market Growing While You’re Not?   51:22 – Shiny Object Syndrome: Chasing AI and New Trends vs Staying the Course   52:10 – Long-Term vs Short-Term Trends: What Coca-Cola and Toyota Teach Us   54:23 – Business Models with Built-In Repeat Demand: Supermarkets, Cybersecurity   55:16 – “I Want to Be in Demand” vs “What Is in Demand?” – A Critical Mindset Shift   57:15 – If Your Market Isn’t Hot Anymore—Do You Leave or Adapt?   58:34 – Same Product, New Markets: How Apple Expanded into GPS and Torch   1:00:05 – Why Apple Launched the Watch & AirPods: Following the Trend + Revenue   1:01:48 – How Apple Uses Acquisitions (Beats) to Shortcut Experience   1:03:01 – Final 3 Takeaways: Thinking, Transactions, and Trend–Revenue–Experience   1:04:26 – How to Connect with Ashish Saxena (LinkedIn)   1:04:48 – Closing: Applying These Ideas to Your Own Business Growth

    1h 5m
  3. Forget AI Tools: Why Most NZ Business Owners Are Burning Cash

    May 19

    Forget AI Tools: Why Most NZ Business Owners Are Burning Cash

    Tim Warren is the Co-Founder of Ambit, a New Zealand AI software company serving Financial Services, eCommerce, Retail, Telco and Utilities. Before Ambit, Tim was a COO at JBWere and an executive at Goldman Sachs. He is an angel investor with more than 15 investments and was previously on the board of Flying Kiwi Angels.In this conversation he tears apart New Zealand's government AI strategy, questions the $76 billion Microsoft and Accenture forecast, and tells NZ business owners why most AI consultants are wasting their money.What I Asked TimWhat is actually wrong with New Zealand's government AI strategy?Is the $76 billion AI forecast a real number or marketing copy?How do I know if my AI spend is strategic or just expensive noise?What is the worst AI mistake NZ business owners are making in 2026?What should I ignore that every AI guru on LinkedIn is telling me to do?Episode SponsorsAcademyExGet ahead with AIhttps://discover.academyex.com/minaPwrfullyGet Your Free Podcast Listhttps://www.pwrfully.comFollow MeMina on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcastMina on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4QgZGJdrnfjZ1sEm6MeGcp?si=c12e08e33f604916Mina 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 www.linkedin.com/in/minaamsoFollow TimTim on LinkedIn https://nz.linkedin.com/in/tswarrenTIME STAMPS00:00 INTRO01:02 why does NZ's AI strategy feel weak to business owners03:08 how do I tell if the $76 billion AI forecast is realistic06:30 why is AI making bad work worse instead of better08:20 how do I avoid AI generated misinformation in my industry14:30 why do I feel behind every other business owner on AI16:07 how do I actually define a strategy for my NZ business25:30 how do I know if my AI investment is strategic or tactical34:30 how should a small NZ business approach AI without wasting cash44:30 how do I tell a good AI consultant from a bad one52:00 is hiring an in-house AI lead worth it for my business55:00 what are the worst decisions NZ business owners are making right now58:00 what should I be doing today that pays off in five years1:02:00 how do I grow without chasing every shiny new tool1:09:00 what should I ignore that everyone tells me to do with AI1:11:00 how do I reach Tim Warren on LinkedIn

    1h 13m
  4. How NZ Founders Reposition to Win Their Best Clients Back

    May 12

    How NZ Founders Reposition to Win Their Best Clients Back

    Nicki Osbaldiston is a NZ marketing strategist and founder of Client Focused Approach. She has spent years repositioning founders whose marketing was never the real problem and built a framework experienced operators use to win back premium clients without producing more content. Episode Sponsors AcademyEx Get ahead with AI https://discover.academyex.com/mina Pwrfully Get Your Free Podcast List https://www.pwrfully.com Follow Me Mina on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcast Mina on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4QgZGJdrnfjZ1sEm6MeGcp?si=c12e08e33f604916 Mina on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/notes-from-the-executive-podcast/id1586953812 Mina on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/minaamso/ Mina on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/minaamso Follow Nicki Osbaldiston Website: https://www.clientfocusedapproach.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicki-osbaldiston What I Asked Nicki Why are experienced NZ founders getting underbid every week despite being active online? What is the framework you walk founders through to fix this? How do I stop competing on price and start being chosen? What do my best clients actually want to hear that I am not saying? How do I get found without producing more content? Timestamps (rebuild after final edited runtime — placeholders from current cut below) 36:55 — How does networking actually grow a service business? 38:24 — How do strategic partnerships work in practice? 41:21 — Why should I celebrate what is already working? 44:13 — Who is in my network that I am not talking to? 49:29 — How do I find my ideal client through second-degree connections? 54:47 — How do I track relationships when I am too small for a CRM? 56:27 — How do I build a positioning framework from scratch? 1:00:06 — Why does Nicki want NZ businesses to win? 1:00:30 — Where can people find Nicki Osbaldiston?

    40 min
  5. Is KiwiSaver Broken: What NZ Employers Aren't Being Told

    May 6

    Is KiwiSaver Broken: What NZ Employers Aren't Being Told

    Brent Coleman is a New Zealand personal finance YouTuber who built a channel generating the NZ median income while working full-time. He has a finance degree, lived and worked in Singapore for six years, and brings a numbers-first, no-fluff approach to topics most Kiwis avoid talking about publicly. Episode Sponsors ACADEMYEXGet ahead with AIhttps://discover.academyex.com/minaPWRFULLY Get Your Free Podcast List https://www.pwrfully.com/freepodcastsWhat I Asked Brent Coleman Should NZ business owners actually move to Australia, and what does the tax math really look like at different income levels? Why are nearly 1.4 million KiwiSaver members registered but not contributing, and what does that tell us about the scheme? What does the Australian superannuation system do that KiwiSaver does not, and why does the gap matter? What should NZ business owners be doing differently right now to grow profit in a constrained economy? Follow Me Mina on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcastMina on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4QgZGJdrnfjZ1sEm6MeGcp?si=c12e08e33f604916 Mina 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 www.linkedin.com/in/minaamso Follow Brent Coleman YouTube: Search "Brent Coleman" on YouTube Instagram: @brentcolemaninvesting 0:00 – Why KiwiSaver Is “Broken” for Everyday New Zealanders   0:56 – What NZ Viewers Will Learn: Stay or Leave New Zealand?   1:45 – Message to New Zealand Business Owners Making $1M+ Revenue   2:25 – On $80k in NZ: Should Business Owners Move to Australia?   3:10 – New Zealand Cost of Living Crisis, Fuel Costs & Small Business Pressure   5:00 – Best Business Ideas to Start in New Zealand Right Now   6:26 – Building a Personal Brand as a NZ Business Owner   7:28 – Earning $250k in New Zealand vs Australia: Tax & Take‑Home Pay   8:53 – Making $500k+ in New Zealand: Is Moving Your Business to Australia Worth It?   10:00 – The Truth About Moving From New Zealand to Australia for Money   12:22 – Is New Zealand Now Cheaper Than Australia? Cost of Living Comparison   13:20 – What’s Really Going On With the New Zealand Economy?   14:33 – Rising Interest Rates, Inflation and Impact on NZ Businesses   15:45 – Is Immigration Good or Bad for New Zealand’s Economy?   20:00 – How Can We Build a Stronger New Zealand Economy?   21:11 – “New Zealand Feels Like a Penal Colony”: Real NZ Homeowner Struggles   22:29 – Practical Ways Kiwis Can Earn More and Save More Right Now   24:20 – Why KiwiSaver Is a Hot Topic for New Zealanders in 2026   25:00 – Five Key Problems With KiwiSaver for Kiwis   27:01 – How KiwiSaver Works Now: Contributions, Employer Match & NZ Government Top‑Up   28:46 – “Total Remuneration” in NZ: How Employers Package KiwiSaver   29:56 – Why 1.3 Million New Zealanders Aren’t Contributing to KiwiSaver   32:29 – Has KiwiSaver Helped NZ? $145B Saved and First‑Home Buyers   33:15 – Why KiwiSaver Feels Over‑Complicated for Most Kiwis   34:51 – Australia’s Super vs KiwiSaver: What NZ Business Owners Must Know   37:00 – Tax Advantages of Australian Super Compared to KiwiSaver   37:51 – Compulsory Super in Australia vs Optional KiwiSaver in New Zealand   40:00 – Why Brent Coleman Doesn’t Use KiwiSaver (NZ Investor Perspective)   42:16 – Finding Unique Opportunities in the New Zealand Market   45:08 – Using LinkedIn, YouTube & TikTok to Grow a New Zealand Business   46:48 – First Steps for Kiwis With No Personal Brand Yet   48:35 – Brent’s Journey: From Overseas Finance to NZ Money YouTuber   51:30 – What 7% Interest Rates Mean for NZ Landlords and Investors   52:20 – Losing $10k on a Rental: Real Numbers From a Kiwi Landlord   53:44 – Not All NZ Landlords Are “Greedy”: The Accidental Landlord Story   54:32 – Wrap‑Up: Where NZ Business Owners Can Follow Brent (YouTube & Instagram)

    55 min
  6. ASB Chief Economist: Forget Rate Cuts, NZ Mortgage Pain Is Just Starting

    Apr 28

    ASB Chief Economist: Forget Rate Cuts, NZ Mortgage Pain Is Just Starting

    ASB's Chief Economist Nick Tuffley delivers the warning most NZ business owners do not want to hear: rate cuts are over and the Reserve Bank is likely to raise rates as soon as September. He calls this a 9 out of 10 shock, worse than the GFC. If your mortgage is coming up for refix, this is the episode you need before you sign anything. Episode Partners AcademyEx Get ahead with AI https://discover.academyex.com/mina Pwrfully Get your story to the people who matter https://www.pwrfully.com Follow Nick Tuffley ASB Economic Research  https://www.asb.co.nz/documents/economic-research.html Follow Me Mina on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcast Mina on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4QgZGJdrnfjZ1sEm6MeGcp?si=c12e08e33f604916 Mina on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/notes-from-the-executive-podcast/id1586953812 Mina on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/minaamso/ Mina on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/minaamso 0:00 – How big is this shock? Comparing crises (Asian crisis, GFC, Covid, war)0:45 – Who is Nick Tuffley? Chief economist introduction1:17 – Why watch this episode? What you’ll learn2:01 – The listener in mind: stressed NZ business owner with a mortgage2:40 – “Less optimistic”: how the 2026 outlook has changed3:25 – What is the current global energy shock?4:38 – Rating past shocks vs this one: why this is a “9 out of 10”6:09 – 20% of global oil and gas offline: what that means in practice8:38 – How NZ households and businesses are already feeling it10:00 – Fuel costs, freight, shipping and export disruption11:14 – Covid vs this crisis: why this time is harder to fix with policy14:20 – Inflation risk and memories of 2022–2415:34 – If the war ended today: how long until fuel prices ease?17:18 – $3.50+ for petrol, $3.90+ for diesel: price impacts explained18:02 – Our deep dependence on oil and why it’s so hard to replace19:10 – Ad break: disruptive technologies, AI, Sora and blockchain21:45 – “We’re fragile”: NZ’s starting point and why RBNZ may hike22:32 – Why raise interest rates? Plain‑English explanation24:23 – Fuel vs interest rates: what’s really driving prices up?25:42 – CPI basket explained: how inflation is actually measured26:50 – Wage–price spiral: why the Reserve Bank is worried29:09 – Forecasting interest rates: why nobody really knows30:00 – Scenario planning for businesses, not date‑picking30:29 – Which sectors are hit hardest: transport, logistics, agri, manufacturing32:40 – Mortgages in uncertain times: generic guidance and trade‑offs36:08 – Fixing vs floating: risk tolerance and peace of mind38:38 – “Feels like a lottery”: framing mortgage decisions as risk management39:54 – Matching loan terms to life plans and rental leases40:52 – How banks test your servicing at higher “stress” rates43:18 – Nick’s forecasting track record and awards45:24 – Growth forecasts: from 2.5–3% down to ~1–1.5%47:29 – Quarterly outlook for 2026 and why data lags so much49:47 – Two scenarios: war improves vs gets worse50:00 – If the shock drags on: oil, gas, fertilizer and farming impacts51:49 – Who goes without? Developing world, Asia and energy scarcity55:00 – Can other countries replace Middle Eastern oil? Limits and lags56:27 – Risks of social unrest and priority fuel use57:59 – How fragile the world feels: a few governments, global consequences59:25 – From post‑WWII stability to geopolitical instability1:00:00 – Political shocks vs economic/health shocks: a new risk era1:01:08 – Globalization, free trade and why NZ can’t easily “go it alone”1:02:36 – Final thoughts: scenario planning and focusing on what you can control1:04:24 – Don’t get lost in the headlines: understand your real business risks1:05:10 – Where to find Nick’s work and closing thanks

    1h 6m
  7. War Just Killed NZ's Recovery: What Business Owners Do Now - Top Economist

    Apr 21

    War Just Killed NZ's Recovery: What Business Owners Do Now - Top Economist

    Shamubeel Eaqub is one of New Zealand's most respected economists and Chief Economist at Simplicity. With over 20 years of experience analysing New Zealand's economy, Shamubeel has advised governments, businesses, and organisations on economic policy, housing, and long-term prosperity. He is a regular media commentator and author who has shaped conversations around New Zealand's economic future. EPISODE PARTNERS NZBusiness Magazine www.nzbusiness.co.nz AcademyEx https://discover.academyex.com/mina Pwrfully www.pwrfully.com FOLLOW SHAMUBEEL EAQUB Simplicity www.simplicity.kiwi FOLLOW ME Mina on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcast Mina on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4QgZGJdrnfjZ1sEm6MeGcp?si=c12e08e33f604916 Mina on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/notes-from-the-executive-podcast/id1586953812 Mina on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/minaamso/ Mina on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/minaamso What I asked Shamubeel ◆ Why the war on Iran has thrown a spanner in New Zealand's recovery just as businesses were about to see growth and what this means for your cash flow and hiring decisions in the next six months ◆ The real reason New Zealand turned over 1 million workers last year and why your staff retention problem is not just about the economy ◆ Why the average Kiwi family in Australia earns 30 to 40 percent more than in New Zealand for doing the same work and whether that gap is getting better or worse ◆ What businesses that invest in marketing and advertising during downturns get when the recovery finally arrives and why cutting your marketing budget right now is shooting yourself in the foot

    1h 1m
  8. How This Kiwi CEO Built 31 Clinics in 3 Years on $90/Month

    Apr 15

    How This Kiwi CEO Built 31 Clinics in 3 Years on $90/Month

    James Whittaker is the British-born founder and CEO of Resonate Health, New Zealand's world-first hearing aid subscription company. A former British Airways executive, he spent over a decade running audiology businesses across New Zealand, Japan and Australia before launching Resonate in November 2022. In under three years he has grown the company to 31 studios nationwide, backed by private equity group Tahua Partners, and built what is widely regarded as the fastest-growing audiology business per capita in the world.► Why James says competitors physically cannot copy his model without destroying their own businesses ► How he launched with zero brand recognition and was "absolutely flying" by studio number three in Tauranga ► The one question he asked every new subscriber that had nothing to do with sales ("how many conversations did you have about Resonate today?") Thanks Episode PartnersNZBusiness Magazinewww.nzbusiness.co.nzAcademyExhttps://discover.academyex.com/minaTime Stamps 0:00 - how do I build a business that cannot fail5:36 - how do I position a subscription business7:39 - why can't big companies copy a disruptive model10:34 - how do I raise funding for my business in New Zealand13:29 - what do investors actually look for in a founder16:34 - what happens when your funding round fails20:47 - how do entrepreneurs predict the future26:52 - how do I make my business impossible to compete with32:26 - how do I use AI to stop customers leaving38:01 - how do I build team culture across multiple locations43:35 - how do I know if my business is performing well51:52 - how do I protect my business during an economic crisis53:44 - how do I recover from a costly business mistake56:21 - how do I get funding when I feel stuck59:48 - how to contact James Whittaker Resonate Health New ZealandFollow JamesResonate Health: www.resonatehealth.co.nzFollow MeMina on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcastMina on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4QgZGJdrnfjZ1sEm6MeGcp?si=c12e08e33f604916Mina 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 www.linkedin.com/in/minaamso

    1h 1m
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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
    133
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Mina Amso
  • Show Website
    Notes From The Executive

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