Opportunity Hamilton

Be Your Own Boss Programme

This programme is specifically designed for Work and Income NZ clients only.

Opportunity Hamilton offers this specialist start-up programme, which is fully funded by Work and Income, to help their clients get their business ideas off the ground. The programme is specifically designed to help Work and Income clients get started on the road to self-employment.

Be Your Own Boss Objectives

Explore the viability of your business
Determine your suitability for business
Business training to develop a viable business / action plan
Assistance to become financially independent and self-sufficient
Ongoing support - coaching and workshops

The Be Your Own Boss programme is a series of interactive and informative workshops with fantastic presenters to help you to turn your business idea into a structured workable business plan document and complement our one-on-one facilitation.

Topics include:

Goal Setting
Taxation
Bookkeeping
Cash flow and Budgets
Risk Management
Time Management
Strategy and Contingency Planning
Marketing

We also review the following questions with you:

What is a Business Plan?
Are You an Entrepreneur?
Your Business Proposal
Current Financial Status
What is Your Management Style?

If you’re interested in our Be Your Own Boss programme, please contact your Work and Income Case Manager or Lance Taylor, Work and Income Work Broker on 07 957 6682.

Hamilton is New Zealand’s largest inland city, and 4th largest urban area. Hamilton is on the main tourist route between Auckland and Taupo. Hamilton is the heart of the Waikato. Hamilton has a land area of 98.6 km2 (New Zealand's smallest city in terms of land area). The average age in Hamilton is 31.3 years compared to 35.9 years nationally. Hamilton has a youthful population - around half of residents are under 30 years old. New Zealand European makes up three quarters of the population, and Maori 19%. Hamilton is home to more than 80 ethnic groups from 65 countries. Over half of all New Zealanders (53 percent) were living in four main urban areas (Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, and Christchurch) at 30 June 2009. As at February 2008 there were 12,476 small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Hamilton. This figure accounted for 94% of the total number of businesses in Hamilton. SMEs contribution to employment in Hamilton stands at 33% which equates to 25,810 employees. The growth of SMEs in Hamilton city between 2000 and 2008 was 31% which is above the 25% percent growth recorded in the rest of New Zealand over the same time period. Hamilton is the home of the mighty Chiefs and Waikato rugby teams and the 26,000 capacity Waikato Stadium. Hamilton will host 3 matches in the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Hamilton hosted the New Zealand round of the prestigious V8 Supercar Championship in the city for the second year in 2009. The inaugural race in April 2008 attracted 172,000 attendees plus 5,000 people associated with the running of the event. The event generated $28.3 million of new money into the local economy in the first year and is estimated to generate $156 million over the seven years that the event will run.