The Profit Unleashed #3 is a stellar line-up – the high flying international exec Kirsty Godfrey-Billy who has been at the forefront of the global growth of Xero, Ben Bostock who started an organic chicken business in 2014 that was sold in a multi-million deal to Inghams and self-made businessman Taurus Taurima, who has created positive outcomes for many others and breaking the cycle of gang life.
Connecting and unleashing our thriving business community – hearing the success stories of local business leaders, sharing business war stories, sharing ideas and opportunities that boost our own businesses.
Ben Bostock is a Hawke’s Bay local who co-founded organic chicken business – Bostock Brothers and spent a decade building it from the ground up — before selling the business in July last year. Ten years, countless lessons, and a coffee addict. Ben’s now growing the organic maize that feeds the business he helped create. These days he’s spending more time with the family, but the itch to get stuck back in is kicking in. He’s here with stories from the trenches ……. the wins, the wipeouts, and everything in between.
Defying the odds, ex-gang member Taurus Taurima turned his past into a future for many. Topline Contracting: more than jobs, it’s a pathway.
While his own story is inspirational and grounded in many of the challenges faced by the rangatahi his programme has been created for, Taurus has shown that with hard work, positive influence and role models, and determination lives can be changed, including his own.
The Topline Training Academy has been providing these life changing opportunities through a 12 weeks programme providing practical hands-on training with employment guaranteed for graduates. The programme is people driven and was founded from a vision to facilitate generational change and make a positive contribution to whanau and community, and to address a local industry need for workers.
In 2024 Taurus expanded his business interests with the purchase of Orsborn Roadmarkers.
Watch this inspiration video about Taurus here – https://youtu.be/pdlPt0AYTBU
Global finance, NZ grounded. Kirsty’s 25-year tech finance legacy powers Xero. PwC, BBC, Siemens – she’s seen it all. What’s next for this financial trailblazer?
Kirsty is passionate about helping small businesses achieve their goals and thrive.
Rod Drury on Kirsty – “I’ve known Kirsty for a many years as the lead Xero champion at PWC, as an active member of the New Zealand Hi-Tech association and community and was delighted when she to joined us at Xero as Chief Accounting Officer in early 2016 to run Xero’s global financial operations team.
Kirsty has done an incredible job at Xero. She was a key person in delivering Xero’s recent corporate milestones, including our move to a sole ASX listing, and reaching our first EBITDA positive result in the 2018 financial year.
As CAO she has driven global projects to build scale in the business, demonstrating a strong commercial understanding of Xero’s business drivers.”
Int. Workspaces specialises in designing and developing solutions for offices, libraries, learning centres, and hospitality. Find out more here – intworkspaces.co.nz
Now Business, offering great business broadband and smarter phone solutions, backed by award-winning, local expertise. Named Best Business Broadband Provider, Broadband Provider of the Year, and Best Customer Support at the NZ Compare Awards 2023, based right here in the Hawke’s Bay. nownz.co.nz/business
New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty was established in Hawke’s Bay in 2012 and has since expanded to four local offices. As a locally owned agency, it specialises in marketing properties in the mid-market and above, delivering the highest level of personalised real estate service. Clients benefit from the expertise, international reach and prestige of the world’s most recognised premium real estate company.
Gemco is a full service construction firm and a trusted name in Hawke’s Bay for constructing iconic buildings that become the cornerstones of our communities. With a legacy rooted in quality and a reputation for excellence, our firm is known for delivering projects that not only meet expectations but surpass them. www.gemcogroup.co.nz
ZIWI is an ultra-premium pet food brand from Aotearoa, New Zealand. ZIWI uses pure, ethically sourced ingredients, gently processed with its world-first, gentle air-drying technology. This ensures ZIWI’s ‘alternative to raw’ product range preserves the raw nutrition of grass-fed beef, lamb and venison, free-range chicken and sustainably sourced seafood.
ZIWI is also New Zealand’s largest pet food exporter, representing over 50 percent of all pet food exports across 35 markets including the USA, China, Korea, Japan, Australia and Europe.
A gateway to the people and markets of the world. Napier Port is an important part of both the Hawke’s Bay regional and New Zealand national economy. Our strategic location and cargo handling capacity make us a key connection in the supply chain, but it’s the service we provide that is the foundation to our success. We take great pride in delivering more than the expected for our customers and their cargo, and we do it in a safe and sustainable way. Whether you’re working with us or for us, the heart of Napier Port is our team. And at the core of our team is our culture – a culture founded on an uncompromising commitment to health and safety.
BDO Hawke’s Bay are Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors, with their office in the Napier CBD. BDO is able to support clients with a comprehensive suite of accounting, information systems and HR services. The firm is an independent member of BDO New Zealand and part of the global BDO network. BDO is the sponsor of “THE PITCH” which provides an innovative start up business or social enterprise with an opportunity to showcase their idea to the audience.
