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Fiji Business Network Updates - February 2024

BULA & WELCOME

Season's Greetings! Dearest fellow Members and Supporters.

Welcome to our first newsletter of the year

We intend to update you on the events and activities of our Fiji Business Network (NZ) Incorporated (FBN) via our regular newsletter.

The Executive Team met last month to discuss the goals and targets for 2024.

We have the pleasure of outlining these goals as a starting point below.

We have our first 2024 Networking Evening in 2 weeks on Thursday 14th March. And our monthly Talanoa Chat next Tuesday 5 March.

Please feel free to use the online portal to make suggestions and share your ideas with us as we all work towards the common goal of helping our fellow Fijians succeed.

It is a journey of 1,000 steps and these are our first few steps to getting started. In twenty years,’ time, we’d like to look back and reflect on the many accomplishments of our fellow Fijians who would have become financially successful and commercially astute through the necessary work of the Fiji Business Network.

It is absolutely vital that the economic power that our Fijian community holds, is not only is recognised but further utilised to help our grow Fijian entrepreneurship, businesses and the wider community. And we intend to use our Network to get this important work underway.


Atesh Bhej, Raj Chand, Ronald Kumar & Nik Naidu  

on behalf of the Executive Team 


2024 PLANS - Events and Activities 

1. Networking events  (calendar invite will be sent to lock these dates in) 

- Thursday 14 March 2024, Remuera Club 

- Wednesday 03 July 2024, Remuera Club 

- 20 November 2024, Sky City or other larger venue 


2. Virtual Talanoa Session  (calendar invite will be sent to lock in these dates) 

- 8.00pm – First Tuesday of every month   

- Question and Answers (Q&A) sessions 

- Updates, success stories - Keeping connected   


3. Annual General Meeting 

- 03 July 2024 

- Executive Elections

- Increasing membership base

 - Target to two hundred paid members by 03 July 2024 

- Special Industry groups to be formed as membership increases. Eg.  Building and Trade, Finance, Retail, etc. 


4. Regular Business updates and opportunities

- to be presented via our website  


DEVELOPMENT  -  We need your help to achieve our Membership goal


 As an organisation primarily focused on connecting and helping our fellow Fijians thrive New Zealand’s commercial sectors.


We are all about spreading the good word. 


It has taken a good deal of work and planning to this point, and we are excited that 2024 will be a year of progress.   


We are keeping it simple, with membership rates starting at $25.00 per annum. The membership fee runs through to 31 March 2025.    


Head over to our website, spread the good word, and encourage at least 3 new parties to join our network. It is quite simple to join.   


We are confident that once we have reached our goal of 200 members, we will be better placed to grow our visibility at the Government and institutional levels. 


This undoubtedly will have a multiplier effect on our members, our organisation, and the overall success of Fijian businesses in New Zealand.


PARTNER -  Benefits of joining FBN


1. Opportunity to help fellow Fijian businesses and professionals succeed. 

2. Opportunity to provide mentorship to new and younger members who wish to pursue business ownership as a career pathway. 

3. Opportunity to receive mentorship and guidance from senior members of our Fijian business community. 

4. Sharing of ideas, lessons learned and innovative approaches to entrepreneurship. 

5. Problem solving faced by your industry – collective or individuals. 

6. Networking – bring along clients, key staffers and have the opportunity to meet other Fijians. 

7. Share and platform successful stories of Fijians in business, sports, community development, politics and more.

8. Marketing your business on the network website and other social media channels. 

9. Opening doors to larger organisations such as – Councils, Banks, Fonterra’s of this world, etc. 

10. Training sessions – e.g., financials, planning, communications, marketing, etc. 

11. “Business after 5” events – build friendships, meet other professionals, learn from your peers and mentors. 

12. Business succession planning – who will continue after you? 

13. Investment into Fiji – Invest Fiji and Pacific Trade and Invest 

14. Tradeshows 

15. Talanoa sessions - get to know someone around the grog bowl who may be able to help with your particular issue. 

16. Suggestion box online for innovative ideas 

17. Regular business updates – legislation changes, etc. 

18. Travel expo to Fiji in the next few years. 

19. Have fun and laughter – relatable to Fiji.  


The Fijian Sevens team surely led the way in winning the Olympic Gold twice for Fiji, so can we in business here in New Zealand!  

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