Business Set Up Articles
Expert articles and practical legal guides on business set up for new zealand businesses.
What is a Buyer’s Agent Agreement? (2026 Updated)
If you’re using a buyer’s agent to help you purchase property (or even negotiate a high-value acquisition), it’s easy to assume you’re “on the same team” and that everything will work itself...
5 January 2025
What Should Your Partnership Agreement Include? (2026 Updated)
Going into business with someone you trust can feel like the easiest part of starting up. But when money, customers, deadlines and decision-making enter the mix, even great relationships can get complicated...
5 January 2025
How To Open A Cafe (2026 Updated)
Opening a cafe is one of those business ideas that feels exciting and real at the same time. You can picture the menu, the fit-out, the smell of coffee in the morning,...
5 January 2025
Can You Trust An Online Lawyer? (2026 Updated)
Hiring a lawyer used to mean taking time off work, travelling across town, and hoping you’d picked the right person based on a vague recommendation. Now, you can get legal help from...
5 January 2025
How To Start An Instagram Business (2026 Updated)
Starting an Instagram business can feel like the perfect mix of creative and commercial - you get to build a brand, connect with customers, and sell products or services directly from your...
5 January 2025
Is Rent Abatement The Same As Free Rent? (2026 Updated)
If you’re negotiating a commercial lease (or already stuck in a tricky tenancy situation), “rent abatement” and “free rent” can sound like the same thing: you don’t pay rent for a period....
5 January 2025
A Business Owner’s Guide To Setting Up A Retail Store (2026 Updated)
Opening a retail store is one of those business goals that feels both exciting and slightly terrifying. You can already picture the fit-out, the shelves, the first day of trading, and your...
5 January 2025
Running A Gym? Navigating The National Fitness Industry Code Of Practice (2026 Updated)
Running a gym can be an amazing business - you’re building a community, helping people hit big goals, and creating a space where members feel better in their own bodies. But once...
5 January 2025
What Is A Shareholders Agreement? (2026 Updated)
Starting (or growing) a company with other people can be exciting - you’re pooling skills, sharing the workload, and building something bigger than you could alone. But once there’s more than one...
5 January 2025
What Are Franchising Royalties? (2026 Updated)
Franchising can be an exciting way to grow a business (if you’re a franchisor) or step into a proven model (if you’re a franchisee). But one of the first questions people ask...
5 January 2025
All You Need To Know About Agency Relationships & Agreements (2026 Updated)
If you’re growing a business, chances are you’ll eventually have someone acting “on your behalf” - a salesperson negotiating deals, a broker sourcing customers, a property manager signing tenants, or a consultant...
5 January 2025
Is It Illegal To Pay Cash In Hand In New Zealand? (2026 Updated)
“Cash in hand” is one of those phrases that can mean totally different things depending on who you ask. Sometimes it simply means paying someone in cash instead of by bank transfer...
5 January 2025
What Is A Company, Anyway? (2026 Updated)
If you’re starting a business in New Zealand (or you’ve already started and you’re now thinking “should this be a company?”), you’re not alone. “Company” is one of those words people use...
5 January 2025
Building A Successful Online Marketplace: Legal Tips (2026 Updated)
Online marketplaces are everywhere now - from niche “pre-loved” platforms to B2B directories and service marketplaces that match customers with providers. If you’re building your own, it’s an exciting move because you’re...
5 January 2025
What You Need To Do As The Director Of A New Company (2026 Updated)
Setting up a new company is an exciting milestone. You’ve probably put a lot of thought into your product or service, your brand, your pricing, and how you’ll get customers through the...
5 January 2025
What Is A SAFE Cap Table, And Why Do I Need It? (2026 Updated)
If you’re raising money for your startup, you’ll hear a lot of jargon pretty quickly - “cap table”, “SAFE”, “valuation cap”, “discount”, “pro-rata”, and so on. And while it might feel like...
5 January 2025
What Is Corporate Social Responsibility? (2026 Updated)
If you’re running a business in New Zealand, you’ve probably noticed that customers, staff, investors and suppliers increasingly care about more than just price and profits. That’s where corporate social responsibility (CSR)...
5 January 2025
What is a Founders Term Sheet? (2026 Updated)
If you’re building a startup with one or more co-founders, you’ve probably had that moment where everything feels exciting… and slightly risky. You’re moving fast, you’re making big calls, and you’re relying...
5 January 2025
Reinstating An NZBN: What You Need To Know (2026 Updated)
If your New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) has been “removed”, “deregistered”, or you’ve realised you can’t find it anymore, it’s easy to panic. The good news is that, in many cases, this...
5 January 2025
Step By Step Guide To Importing Goods Into New Zealand (2026 Updated)
Importing goods into New Zealand can be a smart way to grow your product range, protect your margins, and build a brand that isn’t limited by what local wholesalers happen to stock....
5 January 2025
Setting Up A Company Limited By Guarantee (2026 Updated)
Not every organisation is built to “make profits for shareholders”. If you’re setting up a charity, community group, industry body, club, or social enterprise, you might be looking for a structure that...
5 January 2025
What Is A Lead Generation Agreement? (2026 Updated)
Running a business often comes down to one thing: getting a steady flow of quality leads. Maybe you’re a service provider trying to grow, or maybe you’ve built a marketing system that...
5 January 2025
Choosing The Right Structure For Your Social Enterprise (2026 Updated)
Starting a social enterprise is exciting because you’re building something that’s designed to do more than just turn a profit. You might be tackling waste, creating jobs for people who face barriers...
5 January 2025
Does A Trading Name Need To Be Registered? (2026 Updated)
If you’re starting a new business (or rebranding an existing one), choosing a name is one of the most exciting steps. It’s also one of the easiest places to accidentally create legal...
5 January 2025
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