# MySMB

> Free, video-first media for New Zealand small business owners: short videos that show you how to start, run and grow a business, each written up in full with answers and official sources, plus a free brief at 6am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

MySMB is a free, video-first media brand that inspires New Zealand small business owners (0 to 19 staff) and shows them how to start, run and grow a business. There is no presenter; guests and real owners appear on camera. Each episode is a short video answering one question, extended into a full article with FAQs and links to official New Zealand sources (IRD, business.govt.nz, Employment New Zealand, the Department of Internal Affairs). A free email brief goes out Mon, Wed & Fri at 6am, New Zealand time. Everything here is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Episodes marked "in production" have their article, FAQs and planned script published; the video follows.

## Topics

- [Start](https://mysmb.co.nz/topics/start): Turning an idea into a business you can actually run: the structure, the paperwork, the tax basics and the first people who pay you.
- [Grow](https://mysmb.co.nz/topics/grow): Selling more, charging what you're worth and growing without losing the plot: pricing, second sites, new markets and saying no to the wrong work.
- [Money](https://mysmb.co.nz/topics/money): Keeping cash coming in and the tax side under control: GST, invoices, slow months and the few numbers worth checking every week.
- [People](https://mysmb.co.nz/topics/people): Your first hire and the ones after it: employment agreements, payroll, leave, trial periods and keeping good people.
- [Marketing](https://mysmb.co.nz/topics/marketing): Getting found and getting chosen: your Google profile, email lists done legally, short videos on a phone and a brand people remember.

## Episodes

- [Do I need to register for GST?](https://mysmb.co.nz/watch/gst-registration-explained): You must register for GST with Inland Revenue if your business turnover was $60,000 or more in the last 12 months, or you expect it to reach $60,000 in the next 12. Below that, registering is optional. Once registered, you charge 15% GST on most sales, claim it back on business costs and file regular returns. (Money; Explained; video in production, full guide published; updated 2026-11-06)
- [Is my email marketing legal?](https://mysmb.co.nz/watch/email-marketing-and-the-spam-act): In New Zealand, marketing emails and texts are legal if you follow three rules from the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007: get the person's consent first, clearly say who sent the message and how to contact you, and include a free, working unsubscribe that you honour within five working days. The Department of Internal Affairs enforces it. (Marketing; Explained; video in production, full guide published; updated 2026-11-06)
- [How do I hire my first employee?](https://mysmb.co.nz/watch/first-employee-checklist): Before your first employee starts in New Zealand, give them a written employment agreement and time to get advice on it, register with Inland Revenue as an employer, set up payroll for PAYE and payday filing, sort KiwiSaver for eligible staff, and know their minimum leave entitlements. Then keep wage, time and leave records. (People; Explained; video in production, full guide published; updated 2026-11-06)

## Coming soon (planned, not published)

- Price your work so you actually get paid (Money; Explained)
- Sole trader or company? How to choose (Start; Explained)
- Win your first 100 customers without ads (Marketing; Explained)
- Naming your business and the NZBN (Start; Explained)
- Raise prices, keep clients (Grow; Explained)
- When to open a second site (Grow; Explained)
- Selling to Australia (Grow; Explained)
- How to survive a slow month (Money; Explained)
- Five numbers to check every week (Money; Explained)
- Chasing late invoices, politely (Money; Explained)
- Provisional tax without the panic (Money; Explained)
- The OCR, in one chart (Money; Chart of the Week)
- Trial periods, explained (People; Explained)
- Contractor or employee? (People; Explained)
- The free Employment Agreement Builder (People; Tool Teardown)
- Set up your Google Business Profile (Marketing; Explained)
- Reels that sell, shot on a phone (Marketing; Explained)

## About

- [Editorial standards](https://mysmb.co.nz/about#standards): who makes MySMB, how AI and sponsorship are labelled, and how corrections work
- [Newsletter](https://mysmb.co.nz/newsletter): the free brief and its archive
- [Insiders](https://mysmb.co.nz/membership): the paid membership, opening soon
- [Kiwi Wins](https://mysmb.co.nz/kiwi-wins): a new series of mini-docs with real New Zealand owners; first episodes in production
- [Consulting](https://mysmb.co.nz/consulting): MySMB Consulting, hands-on help for owner-run businesses: Health Check NZ$495, 90-Day Growth Sprint NZ$3900, Adviser on call NZ$750/month (excl. GST; Insiders save 15%). Business consulting, not regulated tax, legal or investment advice
- [Advertise](https://mysmb.co.nz/advertise): sponsorship, always labelled
- [Photo credits](https://mysmb.co.nz/credits)

## Optional

- [Full text of every episode](https://mysmb.co.nz/llms-full.txt)
- [RSS feed](https://mysmb.co.nz/rss.xml)