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Why We Write Our Blog
Our blog offers current insights, practical guidance and timely updates on New Zealand accounting, tax and business matters.
At Long + Cowan Chartered Accountants we believe that knowledge empowers your business. Whether you are a small business owner, a property investor or part of a body corporate we use our blog to share clear and relevant information about accounting services, tax planning, compliance, business strategy, financial advice, budgeting help and more. Each article covers topics that matter to you – from changes in GST legislation and PAYE updates through to tools like Xero and MYOB Accounting Software and how technology is transforming business development in New Zealand.
We invite you to follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook so you never miss a post or update. You may also subscribe to our newsletter to receive fresh content directly to your inbox and be confident that you’re always ahead of financial and tax changes. Our aim is to make complex topics accessible, so you can focus on growth, compliance and achieving business success with real-world advice from a trusted local firm.
Read our Latest Blogs Below • Business Health Newsletters
Productivity Boosters! – Creative Office Space
How a Creative Workspace Improves Performance
Improve workplace productivity and morale by creating a creative office environment that inspires focus, collaboration, and efficiency across your Wellington team.
How to Enjoy All the Bells and Whistles Without the Tax Headache
Maximising Entertainment Expenses While Staying Tax Compliant
Plan your entertainment expenses wisely to make the most of your celebrations while staying compliant with New Zealand’s business tax rules.
Profit – The Nuts and Bolts
How Gross Profit and Net Profit Shape Success
Understand business profitability with key financial indicators such as gross profit, net profit, and profit margins to manage performance more effectively.
Financial Business Improvement Tips
Financial Guidance for Smarter Decision-Making
Improve business performance and achieve better work-life balance with practical financial insights from your Wellington accounting specialists.
How well do you know your breakeven point?
Using Breakeven Analysis to Improve Profitability
Understand your breakeven analysis and use it as a powerful tool to manage costs, pricing, and profitability for your Wellington business.
How to Effectively Respond to Customer Complaints
Understanding Cash and Accrual Accounting Methods
Strengthen your customer relationships and improve client satisfaction by handling complaints professionally, calmly, and with genuine care for resolution.
The Importance of Your Financial Management Reports
Key Elements of an Effective Management Report
Improve financial reporting and business decision-making by understanding what your monthly management reports reveal about performance and profitability.
Turn on the Charm
How Charismatic Leadership Strengthens Business Success
Boost workplace relationships and leadership success with charismatic communication that inspires, motivates, and strengthens your Wellington business culture.
Accounting – Do You Have the Whole Picture?
Understanding the Real Health of Your Business
Gain a clear view of your business health by looking beyond income figures to understand expenses, margins, cash flow, and growth potential.
The Secrets to Getting Paid Faster
Taking Control of Your Cash Flow
Improve cash flow management with practical strategies that help Wellington businesses reduce late payments and maintain steady financial health.
A Formula to Success
Learning from Mistakes and Building Resilient Businesses
Find your path to business success by embracing mistakes, learning from experience, and using professional financial guidance to grow with confidence.
Eliminating Those Little Annoying, Profit-Draining Mistakes
Using a Corrective Action Report to Prevent Repeat Errors
160 Character Meta Text
How Good Are You at Webinars?
Improving Confidence and Clarity in Online Presentations
Boost confidence in your webinar presentation skills with practical techniques that help Wellington professionals engage audiences and deliver results.
7 Practical Business Considerations
Simple Strategies to Strengthen Your Business Performance
Strengthen your business performance and customer experience with seven simple, practical strategies that improve operations and financial management.
Beware the Loaded Question When Interviewing Job Applicants
Questions to Avoid in the Employment Interview Process
Avoid legal risks and protect your employment interview process by understanding which questions to ask, and which to avoid, when hiring staff in Wellington.
17 Hot Tips to Help You Pay Off Your Business Loan Quicker
Steps to Strengthen Your Financial Position
Accelerate business loan repayment with smart budgeting, negotiation, and spending habits designed to strengthen your Wellington business finances.
The Art of Delighting Your Clients
How to Build Loyalty and Financial Awareness
Master client satisfaction by building loyalty through small, thoughtful actions and smarter financial awareness with regular P&L monitoring.
Managing Perceptions – The 12 × 12 × 12 Rule
Building Confidence Through Clear Communication
Create a powerful professional image and make lasting impressions in every business interaction using the simple 12 × 12 × 12 rule.
What’s Inside Our Blog and How It Helps You
Explore articles designed to support your growth, keep you compliant and provide cost-effective insights into your finances and business planning.
When you browse our blog you’ll discover a wealth of content covering all areas of accounting and finance for New Zealand businesses. We regularly post about starting a business, how to structure your company, how to use cash flow forecasting and budgeting help to stay on track; we examine tax deductions, the latest from Foreign Investment Funds (FIF) and overseas investment rules, and when property taxes may apply.
We offer deep dives into payroll processing, PAYE calculations, and how to integrate systems like Xero or MYOB Accounting Software to make your accounting smoother, compliant and right for your business. Each article is written by our Wellington team of chartered accountants who combine decades of experience with practical tools and real-life examples so you can apply what you read.
We believe in ongoing business planning advice and financial planning that supports revenue growth and makes your processes efficient. You are invited to comment on our posts, share ideas and connect with us directly on social media platforms where we post alerts about new content. Subscribe today, follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook, and take advantage of the insights that many of our clients say have helped them make better decisions, avoid pitfalls, and save money. Long + Cowan Chartered Accountants commits to being your partner in success, providing expert advice and actionable content that supports your business now and in the future.
Additional Blog Posts
Productivity Boosters! – Creative Office Space
How a Creative Workspace Improves Performance
Improve workplace productivity and morale by creating a creative office environment that inspires focus, collaboration, and efficiency across your Wellington team.
How to Enjoy All the Bells and Whistles Without the Tax Headache
Maximising Entertainment Expenses While Staying Tax Compliant
Plan your entertainment expenses wisely to make the most of your celebrations while staying compliant with New Zealand’s business tax rules.
Profit – The Nuts and Bolts
How Gross Profit and Net Profit Shape Success
Understand business profitability with key financial indicators such as gross profit, net profit, and profit margins to manage performance more effectively.
Financial Business Improvement Tips
Financial Guidance for Smarter Decision-Making
Improve business performance and achieve better work-life balance with practical financial insights from your Wellington accounting specialists.
How well do you know your breakeven point?
Using Breakeven Analysis to Improve Profitability
Understand your breakeven analysis and use it as a powerful tool to manage costs, pricing, and profitability for your Wellington business.
How to Effectively Respond to Customer Complaints
Understanding Cash and Accrual Accounting Methods
Strengthen your customer relationships and improve client satisfaction by handling complaints professionally, calmly, and with genuine care for resolution.
The Importance of Your Financial Management Reports
Key Elements of an Effective Management Report
Improve financial reporting and business decision-making by understanding what your monthly management reports reveal about performance and profitability.
Turn on the Charm
How Charismatic Leadership Strengthens Business Success
Boost workplace relationships and leadership success with charismatic communication that inspires, motivates, and strengthens your Wellington business culture.
Accounting – Do You Have the Whole Picture?
Understanding the Real Health of Your Business
Gain a clear view of your business health by looking beyond income figures to understand expenses, margins, cash flow, and growth potential.
The Secrets to Getting Paid Faster
Taking Control of Your Cash Flow
Improve cash flow management with practical strategies that help Wellington businesses reduce late payments and maintain steady financial health.
A Formula to Success
Learning from Mistakes and Building Resilient Businesses
Find your path to business success by embracing mistakes, learning from experience, and using professional financial guidance to grow with confidence.
Eliminating Those Little Annoying, Profit-Draining Mistakes
Using a Corrective Action Report to Prevent Repeat Errors
160 Character Meta Text
How Good Are You at Webinars?
Improving Confidence and Clarity in Online Presentations
Boost confidence in your webinar presentation skills with practical techniques that help Wellington professionals engage audiences and deliver results.
7 Practical Business Considerations
Simple Strategies to Strengthen Your Business Performance
Strengthen your business performance and customer experience with seven simple, practical strategies that improve operations and financial management.
Beware the Loaded Question When Interviewing Job Applicants
Questions to Avoid in the Employment Interview Process
Avoid legal risks and protect your employment interview process by understanding which questions to ask, and which to avoid, when hiring staff in Wellington.
17 Hot Tips to Help You Pay Off Your Business Loan Quicker
Steps to Strengthen Your Financial Position
Accelerate business loan repayment with smart budgeting, negotiation, and spending habits designed to strengthen your Wellington business finances.
The Art of Delighting Your Clients
How to Build Loyalty and Financial Awareness
Master client satisfaction by building loyalty through small, thoughtful actions and smarter financial awareness with regular P&L monitoring.
Managing Perceptions – The 12 × 12 × 12 Rule
Building Confidence Through Clear Communication
Create a powerful professional image and make lasting impressions in every business interaction using the simple 12 × 12 × 12 rule.
Why Every Business Needs a Plan
Turning Ideas into Action Through Strategic Planning
A clear business strategy helps Wellington companies stay focused, improve financial control, and turn goals into measurable growth and stability.
The Importance of Planning
How Strategic Planning Improves Business Performance
Strong strategic business planning builds direction, reduces risk, and turns goals into measurable results for Wellington companies of every size.
Developing Your Business Plan
Developing Your Business Plan for Sustainable Growth
Build a stronger future through structured business planning that connects strategy, finance, and daily operations for measurable Wellington growth.
Ten Rules of Business Success
Building Sustainable Success Through Better Planning
Achieve long-term business success by following ten practical rules that strengthen performance, leadership, and profitability across your Wellington company.
The Role of Management
How Effective Managers Build Strong Teams
Strong effective management drives productivity, builds team confidence, and ensures every part of a Wellington business operates with clarity and purpose.
Meetings – A Waste of Time or a Source of Productivity?
How to Make Meetings Work for Your Business
Turn meetings into productive meetings that strengthen communication, decision-making, and efficiency across your Wellington business.
Managing Interruptions
How to Protect Focus in a Busy Workplace
Improve focus and efficiency by mastering managing interruptions, helping your Wellington business regain control of time and productivity.
Client Retention – Keeping Clients for Life
Turning Great Service into Lifelong Partnerships
Strengthen client retention through consistency, trust, and communication to build lasting business relationships across Wellington and beyond.
Networking – Building Relationships That Work
Turning Connections into Long-Term Collaboration
Build strong business networking connections that support growth, collaboration, and trust across Wellington’s professional community.
Continuous Improvement
Building a Culture of Progress and Innovation
Drive growth and resilience through continuous improvement, creating smarter systems and stronger teams across your Wellington business.
The Five-Minute Rule
How to Turn Hesitation into Productive Action
Beat delays and master overcoming procrastination by using a simple rule that turns hesitation into action for Wellington business professionals.
Habits of Successful Business People
Building Routines That Drive Long-Term Success
Build successful business habits that strengthen productivity, sharpen focus, and create consistent progress for your Wellington business every day.
Focusing the Focus
How to Strengthen Business Focus and Productivity
Improve business focus by removing distractions, setting clear goals, and building consistent habits that increase productivity across your Wellington workplace.
The Art of Delegation
Building Trust and Productivity Across Your Team
Master effective delegation to build stronger teams, free up leadership time, and improve productivity across your Wellington business.
Prioritizing Priorities
How to Focus on What Matters Most
Master business prioritisation by focusing on the tasks that matter most, improving productivity, and achieving measurable results in your Wellington business.
Managing the Manager
How to Become a More Effective Manager
Develop stronger leadership management skills by improving accountability, communication, and decision-making to guide your Wellington business toward growth.
Making Meetings Work
Running Effective Meetings That Deliver Results
Run more effective meetings by focusing on purpose, structure, and follow-through so every session drives clear decisions and measurable progress.
Customer Experience – What Customers Want
Practical Ways to Deliver Better Customer Service
Deliver a stronger customer experience by focusing on clarity, trust, and consistency to meet modern client expectations across Wellington businesses.
Staff Motivation and Reward
Building Engagement Through Recognition and Trust
Strengthen employee motivation and build lasting workplace productivity through practical recognition, communication, and structured performance systems.
Time Management – Controlling the Clock
Time Management Techniques for Better Business Results
Master practical time management techniques to stay focused, improve efficiency, and make each day more productive for your Wellington business.
10 Common Marketing Mistakes
Avoiding Common Marketing Mistakes in Small Business
Avoid costly errors in small business marketing by refining strategy, improving consistency, and ensuring every dollar spent delivers measurable growth.
Are You Easy to Do Business With?
How to Build Stronger Relationships with Clients
Enhance your customer service and strengthen client trust with practical steps that help Wellington businesses communicate clearly and deliver lasting value.
Business Planning and Goal Setting
Planning and Goal Setting for Business Success
Achieve measurable progress through effective planning and goal setting. Build clarity, focus, and accountability to drive stronger business performance in Wellington.
Budgeting
How to Create a Practical and Effective Budget
Strengthen your business through effective budgeting that supports financial stability, cash flow control, and sustainable growth for Wellington companies.
Tax Refunds
Understanding When and Why Refunds Occur
Claiming your tax refunds correctly can improve cash flow and ensure you recover what you are entitled to from Inland Revenue. Learn how to claim with confidence.
Tax Planning
How Strategic Tax Management Builds Stability
Strengthen your business with effective tax planning. Manage obligations, forecast accurately, and make informed financial decisions for long-term success in Wellington.
Understanding Profit
How Financial Insight Strengthens Performance
Improve financial performance through better understanding profit, analysing business data, and building stronger strategies for sustainable growth in Wellington.
Being an Employer
How Clear Leadership Improves Workplace Success
Master the responsibilities of being an employer by building clear systems, strong leadership, and a supportive workplace that encourages productivity and trust.
Organisation Structure
Designing an Effective Organisation Structure
Build a stronger business through clear organisation structure, defined responsibilities, and management systems that improve performance and accountability.
Decision Making and Problem Solving
How Structured Thinking Leads to Better Outcomes
Strengthen your business decision making with structured thinking, practical problem-solving methods, and clear strategies that drive confident leadership in Wellington.