Connecting Business, Growing Potential, Advancing Success
Business Whanganui is the leading independent business association in the Whanganui region and an Accredited Member of the New Zealand Chambers of Commerce network. We champion the interests of local businesses, ensuring your voice is heard at local, regional, and national levels.
We provide support, learning, networking, and promotional opportunities to help businesses of all sizes, ages, and stages connect, grow and advance. Our community is vibrant, dynamic, creative, and well-connected—a place where businesses thrive through collaboration and shared success.
Join us and be part of a stronger, smarter business future.
Upcoming Learning & Events
🚀May Book Club
Smart Strategy, Strong Business
Thursday 15 May, 10.00-11.30am
Business Whanganui 139 Guyton Street
Members No Charge
A well-crafted business strategy is the foundation of long-term success. It aligns goals, drives growth, and ensures resilience in a changing market. The right strategy helps businesses stay competitive, adapt to challenges, and seize new opportunities. Discover how strategy contributes to business success—join Book Club to explore, learn, and grow with a group. 🚀
🚀Serious Marketing Workshop
THE TEN : Tactics to Guarantee Results
Tuesday 27 May, 10.00am-2.00pm
Business Whanganui 139 Guyton Street
Member $125+ | Non $185+ | Light lunch included
Ready to move beyond theory and actually do the marketing that grows your business? In this 4-hour workshop, Best Award-recognised marketing strategist Kit Lawrence will help you cut through the noise and focus on what successful marketing looks like, what it should cost, and what it can do for your business.
In the Loop: Business Whanganui Community News
Success Through Partnership: Wendy Johns’ Journey of Lifelong Learning and Achievement
Wendy Johns’ inspiring return to study at UCOL Whanganui, 18 years after first leaving, is a powerful example of perseverance, passion, and purpose. Balancing family life and a busy career, Wendy not only completed the New Zealand Diploma in Business (Accounting), but also earned top honours as the recipient of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand UCOL Top Prize Student Award.
Wendy’s success highlights the real-world impact of the partnership between Business Whanganui, UCOL, and the business community—demonstrating how collaboration can support personal growth, build business capability, and strengthen our regional economy. Read more….
Business Whanganui Launches Safety Managers Forum to Strengthen Workplace Health & Safety
Health and Safety Managers ensure workplace safety, compliance, and effective training in today’s complex business environment. To support and strengthen these efforts, Business Whanganui, in collaboration with local businesses, has launched the Safety Managers Forum—a monthly gathering dedicated to networking, knowledge sharing, and improving access to essential resources.
This business-led initiative, supported by the Business Whanganui Chamber of Commerce, focuses on enhancing industry capabilities rather than promoting specific products or services. The forum fosters meaningful discussions, collaboration, and professional development in workplace health and safety. Initially, participation was extended to larger businesses with dedicated Health & Safety Managers or Coordinators to ensure a focused and impactful exchange of expertise. Read more….
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Good Business
Planning as a Mindset
We often think of planning as something we do — writing lists, creating schedules, filling in calendars. But truly effective planning goes deeper. It’s not just an action; it’s a mindset. It’s a way of thinking about the future with intention, preparation, and adaptability…Read more
Skills
Create a Pitch for your Business
An elevator pitch is a concise and compelling statement that describes who you are, what you do, and why you do it. It’s called an “elevator pitch” because it should be short enough to be delivered during a brief elevator ride. Maybe in New Zealand we could call it a “lift pitch”, but it doesn’t have quite the same appeal… read more
Latest
Our Vision, Values and Purpose
Learn more about us, what we believe, and how we serve the Business Whanganui community by taking a moment to read through our Vision, Values and Purpose statement below and our Four Strategic Pillars – the areas of focus that underpin our delivery…. read more
Be Part of Business Whanganui
We host a range networking and learning events to help you to be more widely known, connected, informed, inspired, and more successful in your business.
From our biennial regional business awards, business for breakfast or lunch and after 5 gatherings, factory tours, just-for-fun events, thought leader guest speakers, and learning sessions, we’re sure you’ll find something to interest you.
We also have promotional opportunities for you to raise awareness of your business, products, services, and the value you deliver to your customers, including hosting a Business Whanganui networking event.
It’s not just who you know in business, it’s who knows you. Contact us to find out more.
