Rebel Business School Returning to Taranaki
South Taranaki Mayor Phil Nixon talks to Janelle Ferries of the Rebel Business School at their business exhibition event.
Budding entrepreneurs living or working in Taranaki will have the opportunity to attend a free ten-day business course from May 22 – June 2.
South Taranaki District Council (STDC) has partnered with the Ministry of Social Development, Mayors Taskforce for Jobs, Venture Taranaki, Bizlink Hāwera and Fonterra to bring Rebel Business School Aotearoa back to Taranaki.
STDC business development manager Scott Willson says the Business School, one of the Council’s economic and social development initiatives, proved very successful the last time it was run in the region in 2021.
“Over ten days, Rebel Business School delivers twenty workshops designed to equip participants with the tools they need to start their own business. Topics include building a website for free, the quickest way to find a customer and how to start a business with no money. The course does away with traditional thinking by replacing business plans with actionable, no-cost steps,” says Willson.
The course is free to participants who need only to commit to the ten days of the course. Running from 9:30am – 2:30pm daily, the first seven days will be interactive online sessions and Hāwera will host the final three days, including a trade show of the newly created businesses and a graduate celebration.
“I’m excited by the positive local impact Rebel Business School brings. This gives anyone in Taranaki the opportunity to start a business and make money doing what they love. Participants get to turn their idea into reality and even make their first sales within ten days. After the course, there is an excellent support network in place to help people grow their businesses,” he says. “We had some success stories last time we hosted the course and I’m sure we will see some fantastic businesses emerge again this year.”
“Not only is small business very important to the New Zealand economy, it can also be the answer to people finding a meaningful and sustainable way to earn money and contribute to their whanau and community by doing something they are passionate about. The Rebel Business School programme puts people through their paces and is a supportive environment to further develop a viable business,” says Amanda Nicolle. Director Industry Partnerships Ministry for Social Development.
The Rebel Business School was brought to New Zealand from the UK by Kiwi Tony Henderson-Newport in 2017. “More than 1,400 participants have attended our events and formed product and service-related businesses in many different industries including retail, food, craft, service consulting and many more. It is inspiring to see the excitement grow in attendees as their business comes to life,” Henderson-Newport says.
While the course is free for participants to attend, Henderson-Newport said it would not have happened without the generous support of its funding partners.
“We are grateful to our partners, STDC, MSD, Mayors Taskforce for Jobs, Venture Taranaki, Bizlink Hāwera and Fonterra. They recognised what this opportunity means for the community and came onboard. We are just so excited to get stuck in.”
For more information and to get involved click here.
