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Whaia te pae tawhiti kia tata, whaia te pae tata, whakamaua kia tina.
At Love the Centre, we're committed to fostering a vibrant business community in Hamilton Central. Whether you're an established local favourite or a newcomer with big dreams, we're here to support your success and help you connect with the pulse of our city.
Sign up to the City Centre Newsletter below to stay up to date on all that is happening in the city centre.
Joining the HCBA opens doors to a wealth of resources and networking opportunities. Enhance your business visibility and connect with like-minded professionals in the Hamilton community.
networking opportunities
01.
Connect with local businesses and expand your professional network through exclusive events.
marketing resources
02.
Access valuable marketing tools and material to elevate your business strategy.
Advocacy
03.
We represent your interests to local government and wider regional stakeholders.
Connection
04.
Connect with like-minded professionals and share insights to drive success together.
Exclusive Perks
05.
Enjoy discounts, promotional opportunities, and event opportunities.
stay informed
06.
Receive the latest news and updates that impact your business and the community.
Join us for lunch and a business expo, showcasing some of the support options available for women in business in Aotearoa New Zealand.
This event is suitable for any women in business - whether you're a business owner, manager, corporate, business founder or aspiring entrepreneur!
We'll kick off the event with a light lunch and hear from our guest speakers - PowrSuit founders - Kristen Lunman and Natalie Ferguson. This will be followed by networking and an opportunity to talk to support agencies about how they can support you and your business.
About our Guest Speakers
Kristen Lunman and Natalie Ferguson are the co-founders and directors of Powrsuit - a career accelerator for women at every stage (with a space for allies, too). Combining bite-sized learning and micro-networking, Powrsuit takes professional development out of to-do lists and into weekly routines. With over 700 members across NZ, Australia, North America and Europe (and a handful in Singapore!), Powrsuit's research-backed approach delivers a tangible return on investment. After six months, 82% of members increase self-leadership skills and 28% take a tangible step forward in their careers.
RSVP
This is a free event but tickets are limited
Thanks to Deloitte for sponsoring this event and supporting women in business.
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Every Wed-Fri 4pm-6pm, you can play a round of mini golf for just $5 per person. All you need is at least one person in your group who works for a central city business to get the deal for everyone!
Email the team at Tipsy Putt to verify your workplace and make a booking ->> info@tipsyputt.co.nz
Interactive workshops focused on the Universal Wellbeing Model and the Universal Wellbeing Evaluation Tool. These workshops will provide hands-on training, insights into universal wellbeing practices, and guidance on using digital wellbeing tools effectively. Stay tuned for dates and special early bird pricing—don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding and skills!
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Soda has created an online Business Fundamentals platform with short courses to help aspiring entrepreneurs and new business owners succeed.
These short online courses provide the necessary tools and frameworks to guide aspiring entrepreneurs and new business owners through all the steps of being a business owner.
Each course features videos of real founders and experts sharing valuable advice, downloadable check lists and templates, step-by-step instructions and practical guidance.
Topics include:
Your Business Vision & Goals
From Idea to Marketing: Problem Solving, Validation & Customer Fit
Crafting Your Unique Brand Story & Competitive Edge
Money Matters: Getting to Grips with Financials
Marketing & Sales: Building Connections that Drive Growth
Legal, Compliance & Future Planning
Prices start at just $49 per course or $245 for all six courses.
Use discount code HCBA20 to receive 20% off the bundle.
Digital marketing is constantly evolving. What worked last year—or even last month—might not be effective today. That’s why, at Unbound, we live and breathe Google Ads, Analytics, SEO, and the latest digital trends every day, so you don’t have to. But we also believe in empowering businesses to take control of their marketing with the right knowledge and skills.
In 2025, we’re making it our mission to educate local businesses on how to level up their digital marketing game. LIVE2025: The Ultimate Digital Marketing Series is an eight-part course designed to help marketers of all levels navigate the ever-changing digital landscape. From strategic planning and branding boldly to mastering Google and social media ads, setting up accurate conversion tracking, and leveraging data analytics, this series covers it all.
Marketing is a powerful driver of business growth. When done right, it doesn’t just spend money—it makes money. Investing in marketing means investing in your business’s success. That’s why our workshops in the LIVE2025 courses are registered with the Regional Business Partner Network, and funding may be available to qualifying participants.
If you’re ready to sharpen your skills and make smarter marketing decisions, check out our upcoming live webinars and events.
Great things happen when people come together! The Gathering at The Crate is your opportunity to network and meet inspiring professionals, share ideas, and spark collaborations in a casual and welcoming space.
What to Expect:
Gain fresh insights and valuable learning opportunities.
Connect with a community of like-minded professionals.
Build meaningful relationships in a collaborative and inspiring space.
Enjoy drinks, delicious nibbles, and conversations that will help take your business to new heights!
The incredible Helen Corban, a networking powerhouse will be hosting each week. With over 30 years of experience in business, training, and coaching, Helen will share her expertise and empower you to maximize your productivity and grow your business.
Bring your friends, colleagues, or anyone who’d love to be part of Hamilton’s vibrant new networking scene!
Date: Every Wednesday
Time: 4:30 - 5:30 PM
Venue: The Crate Hamilton
Email registrations to eshloe@thecrate.co.nz
https://thecrate.co.nz/hamilton/overview
Access valuable insights into Hamilton Central's economic trends, visitor patterns, and business performance. Our reports provide the data you need to make informed decisions and seize opportunities.
View reports
Unlock a wealth of tools, guides, and materials designed to help your business thrive in Hamilton Central. For more information contact our team, we've got you covered.
Access resources
Te Matatini may be heading for Hamilton sooner than the scheduled 2029 date - if one Hamilton City Councillor has her way.
Councillor Maria Huata said she has been lobbying for the event to come to Hamilton / Kirikiriroa and that there had been “rumblings in the ether” that it could be staged here in 2027.
Huata made the comments as Hamilton also positions itself as one of the contenders for hosting the Homegrown music festival.
Huata said she was “dead set on [Te Matatini] being held in Kirikiriroa”.
The biennial event, which was staged in New Plymouth this year, was scheduled to next take place in the Nelson-Marlborough region, though funding doubts have been raised about that location.
Senior city councillors are calling for action by the “highly-priced” supermarket duopoly to prevent shopping trolleys being pinched by streeties and ending up as abandoned eyesores in Hamilton’s inner city.
They supported supermarkets using “geo-fencing” technology which locks up trolleys if someone tries to take them out of the supermarket car park.
But they also indicated they weren’t afraid of using a stick, with a possible bylaw to enforce it also mooted.
The councillors’ call came at Thursday’s economic development committee meeting which discussed a report by the Hamilton Central Business Association, whose members have regular problems with anti-social behaviour.
A big shake-up for one of the CBD’s busiest streets is on the cards as officials grapple with the reality of bold plans to bring a new “five-star” $100 million Pullman Hotel to the city.
The changes to Ward St include a new two to three vehicle loading zone area with a five-minute limit outside the current Chemist Warehouse - guests will be able to park their cars there before they’re taken away promptly by a valet parking service.
A range of other parking tweaks - which reportedly won’t cut total on-street parking space in the area - have been suggested, a city councillor briefing heard. Final recommendations will go to a council hui this month.
A Trade Me report on the last quarter of 2024 shows Hamilton had three of the five ads that prompted the most applications.
Nationally, total job applications remained high, both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter.
An ad for two retail assistant roles in Chartwell attracted 531 applicants in the December quarter, while 507 people applied for another retail assistant role there.
During the same period, 520 people responded to an ad for four warehouse picker/packers in Hamilton.
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