About Me
Hi, I’m Mike and I work as a business consultant, collaborating with companies to identify opportunities for growth and business enhancement. I have an open and friendly style, and I am dedicated to producing results in partnership with business owners. After years of building my own successful businesses, I want to share my knowledge and strategic skills to help others improve theirs.
No matter where your business journey is at, I can work with you to help move it forward. With a background in Sales, Marketing, HR, Operations, and Finance I can provide guidance and insight into most areas. Ultimately, I pride myself on asking the right questions and listening carefully to identify the best strategic direction for success.
My approach is friendly, relaxed, and outcome-focused. I thrive on working one-on-one with my clients, in a collaborative way, to help them succeed. Seeing businesses thrive is my ultimate goal.
Below are some of my business highlights…
Something to Crow About
In 2014, I purchased a small health food manufacturing business called Something to Crow About, which was based in Dunedin. At that time, the business's cereal and salad topper products were stocked in only a few stores in the South Island.
After buying the business, I moved it to the Hibiscus Coast and dedicated the next 7 years to improving every aspect of the business. This involved optimising the production processes, significantly raising the brand's profile, and assembling a great team to ensure the delivery of the best possible product. Additionally, we developed and executed a comprehensive sales and marketing plan to enhance our brand's visibility and availability in stores.
In 2021, a major player in the New Zealand grocery market approached us to buy our business. We decided it was the right time to make this move and take on new challenges.
All of these efforts led to us transforming this very small business into the second most popular premium breakfast brand in New Zealand. By 2021, our products were being sold in over 300 stores across the country.
Trade Me Jobs
I was employed at Trade Me Jobs in a Business Development role where I was responsible for hiring and leading a sales team to go after SEEKs impressive market share.
After joining the Trade Me team, I formed a strategy to target the largest advertisers first using various promotional options. As a team, we went through trial periods to demonstrate to advertisers that we were a worthwhile investment for their advertising spend.
Our approach resulted in an increase in our job market share improving from 60% to over 90%, compared to SEEK's 100%. It was then time to move on and pursue my own business opportunities.
Retailworld Resourcing
In my first business venture, I teamed up with a business partner to establish Retailworld Resourcing as the leading retail recruitment company across Australasia.
This involved hiring and training a strong, customer and candidate-focused team, developing a brand that was edgy and memorable, and building a very loyal customer base. We also set up new offices throughout New Zealand and Australia. One of our strategies was to partner with the retail industry to promote the benefits of a career within the industry.
We were ambitious and driven and in four years, we grew our team from 4 people in Auckland to over 50 people in 7 offices throughout Australasia.
During this time, we also launched a hospitality-focused brand called Hospoworld. After 7 years in recruitment, I sold this business to my existing partners so I could explore new industries.
Waikato University
In 1998, I graduated from Waikato University with an International MBA with Distinction. This was a full-time postgraduate degree that covered all areas of business in detail.
I particularly excelled in Marketing, HR, and Strategy. This degree provided a valuable base of knowledge in all aspects of business which I have drawn on throughout my career to enhance each business I’ve been involved in.
