Want to discuss your business or start up idea with us?

Consultation

Meet our client adviser to discuss your business or start up idea in confidence. Gain free resources, helpful tools & tips, connections to business leaders and network meetings.

Mentoring

Gain objective advice to help challenge your thinking, set new goals and achieve success. Mentoring is available for trading businesses, start ups and community non-profits.

Networking

Inspirational, practical, valuable opportunities to connect with other business owners, share ideas, learn more about business from local experts and grow your business network.

Training

Attend one of our workshops, helping you to unlock the secrets of business success, to plan a winning business and avoid the business failure trap.

Our upcoming events

Lunch & Learn - Getting Back on Track to Leading an Aligned Business in 2024
13 Feb 2024
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Kotuku Room, Pūtangitangi Greenmeadows Centre, Cnr Main Road and Songer St, Stoke, Nelson, Nelson, 7011, New Zealand
Come and join us to kick off the year at our first event! Lunch & Learn brings together business owners to network and be inspired. This series is designed to be practical, inspirational and valuable for small businesses. Our accomplished guest speakers tackle the challenges facing local businesses to help your business grow.
"Just Talking" Businesswomen's Series - Launch Event
21 Feb 2024
11:45 am - 1:00 pm
BNZ Partners Centre Nelson, L1, 226 Trafalgar Street, Nelson, 7010, New Zealand
We are excited to announce our brand new event series where we aim to create a heart-felt, approachable and supportive space for local businesswomen to come together, network and listen to stories from inspiring women in business. This series is co-organised with our fantastic partners at Bank of New Zealand. More information coming soon. You can book your place already.
Lunch & Learn - Boost Your Bottom Line with These 7 Marketing Hacks
12 Mar 2024
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Kotuku Room, Pūtangitangi Greenmeadows Centre, Cnr Main Road and Songer St, Stoke, Nelson, Nelson, 7011, New Zealand
Lunch & Learn brings together business owners to network and be inspired. This series is designed to be practical, inspirational and valuable for small businesses. Our accomplished guest speakers tackle the challenges facing local businesses to help your business grow.

About Business Assist...

The Nelson Tasman Business Trust has been supporting local businesses since 1993.

We provide free, confidential, independent assistance for business owners or those planning to start a business: free training, monthly network meetings and mentoring for Nelson and Tasman as an Agency for Business Mentors NZ.

Find out more about us

What people are saying

We love to work with Gael. She is helping us in all areas of our business plan. Working with her makes the process so much easier. Thank you.

Tatiana and Pat Baker from Hell's Fire Forges

I would like to thank Gael Gordon for taking the time to meet with me to discuss my business ideas,. I found her very encouraging and a good listener, and she gave me very good advice, Thank you so much Gael.

Deborah O’Leary

I don't like standard formulas. When I had my first meeting with NTBT seven years ago they asked me to bring my business plan. I pulled out colourful A3 diagram, a little like a mind map, Sarah asked if she could photocopy it as an example for others. I knew then that my idea for NZ Textile Experiences had potential. Being believed that I was onto something unique gave me the incentive to explore, learn and action my ideas.

Since that time NZ Textile Experiences has had hundreds and hundreds of people come from all over the world, around New Zealand and locally, to attend our hands-on creative workshops and learn from our wonderful team of tutors who are all experienced at hosting our art textile and fibre craft experiences. Winning the International Creative Tourism Award (Barcelona) in 2020 for Best Creative Experience was the icing on the cake. There are many more opportunities to grow and expand, and knowing NTBT are there to help source information and bounce around ideas is nothing short of fantastic!

Colleen Plank/NZ Textile Experiences

Having a business mentor has really helped me on many different fronts, and I have really appreciated his ideas & feedback; and certainly implemented most of his ideas so far.

Peter Ogilvie, Plus4 Insurance Solutions

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We reached out to the Nelson Tasman Business Trust and Sarah and the team have been so welcoming, warm, helpful and supportive. They have provided us with excellent networking opportunities and connected us with other experienced individuals which has enabled us to grow and learn much faster than we would of otherwise. We would recommend anyone in any stage of business to reach out and meet them, and participate in the Nelson Tasman Business Trust community.