Kaikōura

20% of the people who came along to the event told us they were unemployed at the time the event started.

There was a high number (25%) of self-employed people who came to the event.

One of the key points on an entrepreneurs journey is the first sale. The first time you hold that $10 profit in your hand. This can turn out to be the catalyst that drives you forward to build your business.

We do everything we can to help people reach their first sale with 59% achieving this during the course!

At the Rebel Business School we track four main figures for people before and after the event. We ask people to rate where they are on a scale of 1-10.

Here are samples of the websites that were built, launched and developed over the course.

It is amazing how having a website so quickly helps people to feel that their business is more real.

Connecting attendees to the local business ecosystem

At the Rebel Business School Aotearoa we make sure new businesses stay connected by providing awareness of business network support in specific areas as needed. These connections are all about enabling business sustainability. Being aware of the Bookkeepers Assn NZ or Business Mentors NZ, for example, can provide business input allowing the business to strengthen its foundations and/or its direction.

As New Zealand's go to destination for all things marine life (and one of the world's best places for whale watching), visitors have a 95% chance of spotting giant sperm whales, as well as dusky dolphins, orcas, humpback whales and everything in between. The Kaikōura District Council in liason with Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura manage the cultural intent, inrasructure, community and economic development on behalf of the Kaikōura residents and businesses.

Kaikōura as a district has been impacted by several global and local events over the last 15 years which has impacted our local economy. This included the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, the earthquake of November 2016 and the global pandemic COVID-19 over the last two years. The Kaikoura community has shown incredible resilience and strength of character to weather these events and rebound after each set back. Continuing to support economic development as they emerge from the impacts of the last two years is a strategic priority for Council. One of the major ways Kaikoura District Council do this is through their continued financial support to Destination Kaikōura, KDC's Regional Tourism Organisation. Their economic development activity also provides information resources, as well as Council support, resources and funding (to a tune of $58,000 per annum) for events and projects which assist economic development in the district. A recent example of this was partnering with the Ministry for Social Development (MSD) and the Mayoral Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) to bring the Rebel Business School to Kaikōura for local entrepreneurs with business ideas to learn new skills.

Feedback from CEO Will Doughty as per council minutes. 'On a personal note, I had the good fortune to attend the closing ceremony for the Rebel Business School that ran for two weeks. I was blown away by the commitment, energy and enthusiasm of the attendees and their entrepreneurial spirit. It was fantastic to see some creative business ideas for the future which is exactly what we need in our district. A brief summary of some key projects and issues is provided below.'

Kaikōura District Council is focusing on finding local solutions to local problems, leading to inclusive and sustainable growth for the whole community. Our role is to facilitate productivity ‐ enhancing and environmentally sustainable commercial activities, especially those that can improve wages and return on investment.

We asked the participants what their Lightbulb moments were at the event. Also they left the messages for our partners and assessed our team’s efforts.