Business conferences are more than just a way to grow yourself - they provide you with the knowledge and skills to grow your business. You’ll meet other like-minded people, network to your heart’s content, and learn from the best in the industry. If you’re serious about your business succeeding, you need to invest time in your own growth and learning. These 2019 business conferences across New Zealand and the world will give you opportunities to learn and succeed.
Global 2019 business conferences
DigiMarCon NZ 2019
Head over to Sydney for two days of thought-provoking digital marketing topics. This conference covers a broad variety of subjects that will interest anyone in the industry. On August 28-29th, DigiMarCon NZ 2019 presents some of the most thought-provoking speakers in digital marketing.
With topics around SEO, digital strategies, UX/UI design, data science, content marketing and social media marketing, there’s something for every attendee. There will also be plenty of opportunity for networking among peers and thought leaders in the digital industry.
GrowthHackers
A full day conference on May 7th in San Francisco is for those companies or people looking to succeed. From growth-stage start-ups to large corporations, the principles of growth hacking are applicable to all businesses.
Attendees at GrowthHackers will learn how to develop high-performance teams for product, design and marketing. The speakers include Eli Schwartz from SurveyMonkey, Jedd Chang from Pinterest, Susan Su from Stripe, and many more. It’s the world largest gathering for business growth, and your chance to ignite a culture of growth in your own business.
Collision
From May 20th to the 23rd, you can join 25,000 others in Toronto for this ground-breaking conference. With over 250 speakers, you’re sure to find someone you have questions for: Ev Williams from Medium, David Eun from Samsung, Chris Young from McAfee, Christopher 'Jillionaire' Leacock from Major Lazer, Sarah Bird from Moz – the impressive list goes on.
Collision is a meeting place for the world’s largest buyers and sellers of technology, with many of the most disruptive emerging tech companies in attendance. There’s something for everyone in the tech industry, and huge networking opportunities.
Super Minds
These two days in NYC, with speakers like Simon Sinek, Jim Collins, Zoe Chance and Gary Hamel, will get you excited about growth. From November 20th to 21st, you have the chance to learn from the most visionary and influential figures in business and beyond. The World Business Forum focuses on today’s issues, cutting through the chaff in a world of information overload.
The conference is designed to inspire new thinking, stimulate action, and create positive change. A gathering of the world’s powerhouse business leaders, Super Minds is a unique environment to meet and network with your peers, so you too can grow your business exponentially.
Global Growth marketing conference 2019
For two and a half days, this Global Growth marketing conference offers usable skills for both B2C and B2B marketers. With no-nonsense, real-world strategies to create rapid and cost-effective revenue and growth, this conference delivers big. Find out how you can get certified in growth marketing, and become a leader in your industry.
With 1500+ attendees, the possibilities for networking are massive, and with people from Uber, Stripe, Spotify and Apple, the talent available is wide ranging. Get on a first-name basis with Fortune 500 leaders, start-up founders and serial entrepreneurs.
Auckland business conferences
All About Culture - The Professionelle 2019 Event Series
This one-day course on April 3 is a must for any woman who wants to make a difference to her career, and any man who wants to help change the culture. Whether you’re just starting out, self-employed or a manager, there will be insights and tips to help you progress your career.
All About Culture also focuses on developing a value-led work environment that influences the behaviour of those in it. Lisa King, CEO of Eat My Lunch, offers useful information about how to go about creating the culture you want in your business. This is a 2019 Auckland business conference you must attend.
How to Promote for Business Using Digital Channels
This free half-day event on May 25 will help business owners understand digital marketing. It’s perfect for companies that have not yet dipped their toes into the digital waters.
The course covers information about Google and how it ranks websites, and offers tips on how to make your website more attractive to search engines. There’s a section on social media, the options available, what’s best for your business - and how to use it correctly. Questions about blogging and email newsletters will also be answered.
TUNE IN – Unlocking the Power of Self-Talk (The Women’s Edition)
On May 28th, this conference helps women deal with ‘imposter syndrome’, build confidence, dial down their inner critic and dial up positive internal coaching. If you’re a self-driven woman with a growth mindset, TUNE IN is for you.
Over the course of the day, you’ll learn to hear your own self-talk and manage it better. By changing that internal dialogue, you’ll get personal leadership insights, and identify opportunities to grow and evolve. This event is limited to 16 women, plus two sponsored spots for women from organisations related to women’s health and wellbeing.
NZ Retail Summit
A must for all Kiwi retailers, this one-day summit on 23 July has something for everyone, from banking and big box retailers through to SMEs. Apply what you learn to anything retail, from cosmetics and clothing through to technology or property.
The 2019 Retail NZ Summit covers the important topics that crop up in a fast-changing, competitive environment. With a focus on the future of retail, the day promises to deliver something for everyone, from disruptive AI technologies and how they apply to retail, through to regulation and compliance. The day ends with an awards night and gala dinner.
HR Innovation and Tech Fest
For two days on 29 and 30 July, attendees at the HR Innovation and Tech Fest will hear from progressive HR leaders and disruptors, who are transforming the future of work. The conference spans HR tech, L&D, digital transformation, talent, recruitment, wellbeing, engagement, diversity and inclusion.
Keynote speaker Gabe Zichermann will be speaking on gamification, user engagement and behavioral design, equipping HR leaders with strategies to reduce workplace tech addictions, while still ensuring employees are productive and engaged. Learn about creating a culture of innovation, and how HR will manage industry changes in the future.
2019 #NZSOMO
Social media are some of the biggest challenges for any business or influencer. It’s an ever-changing world and whether you tweet, IG or Facebook, your brand’s future will be influenced by your success on social media. The 2018 event covered the importance of video for social media, chat bots and content writing. A highlight was brands that perform well on social media, including NZ Police, NZ Post and Air NZ.
2019 #NZSOMO promises to be an equally big event, with directors, marketing executives and managers, communication advisors, social media specialists and brand managers expecting to attend.
Wellington business conferences
Professional Development Grounded in Te Reo Māori and Tikanga Māori
This one-day course on May 8th is for all levels of staff and management. The teaching of Te Ao Māori gives transferable skills using practical actions and attitudes in the workplace. Key tikanga practices will be explored, allowing attendees to build strong relationships with local Iwi.
The influence of tikanga and Māori values on organisational culture show clearly why people are the most important aspect of business. Motivate and create action in your organisation with cultural values, backed by responsive practice guidelines for the workplace. This 2019 Wellington business conference is one you can’t miss.
Leaderships Skills for Women in Management masterclass
On May 29th, the capital hosts a masterclass in women’s leadership. This intensive one-day course teaches a range of strategies to build on existing talents and strengths, to create a more confident, effective and successful management style.
In particular, learn how to disagree without backing down, how to delegate, and how to encourage positive employee behaviour. There are also tactics to avoid being drowned out by male colleagues in meetings, backed up by a personal action plan to fast-track your leadership goals. Plus, there are great networking opportunities with other professional women in your area.
Exit your business in style
They say that you should be planning your exit even as you start your business. If you’ve recently decided to sell your business, plan now to ensure maximum reward for all your work over the years.
The half-day session on 8th August covers how to exit your business in style, when you should start planning, and how to really know the value of your business. You’ll learn to identify the most likely potential buyers, and what the options are for selling your business. A practical, interactive session will give you the tools to implement an exit strategy in your business.
Crucial Conversations Training
Every day, high stakes, emotionally-charged and opinionated conversations are happening in the workplace. How you handle these difficult crucial conversations will affect business performance. From August 21, this two-day training course teaches you how to identify the problematic conversations early, and speak persuasively rather than abrasively.
You’ll find out about making a safe space for people to share their points of view, and how to manage people who explode or shut down. Gaining control of your emotional responses, and influencing without being forceful, will improve teamwork, productivity and effectiveness.
Christchurch business conferences
Aspiring Female Leaders
For women who aspire to leadership roles, this one-day event on 9 April is a must. It’s about recognising, developing and communicating your leadership well. You’ll explore your own personal brand, take stock of your executive presence, and learn appropriate techniques to advance your career. You’ll develop skills in relating across, up and down throughout your organisation, creating a connection across life and leadership at work.
Aspiring Female Leaders aims to give women the motivation and inspiration to develop their leadership skills and progress their careers.
Business Ethics training course
The knowledge and skills needed to implement ethics are often overlooked. This Business Ethics course on the 26th April teaches ethical management and goal setting, and how to implement them. The course helps participants understand business ethics, and how to make business decisions in line with ethical guidelines.
Managers and business owners will learn how to create privacy, harassment and technology policies, balance personal and organisational ethics, and where their business and social responsibilities lie. From developing policy to understanding when to ‘blow the whistle’, this course will help any business owner create a safe and fair workplace.
Leadership and Management
Two one-day conferences teach staff how to move into leadership roles. While management roles can be rewarding and fun, they are also incredibly challenging for those who are unprepared. Many managers are thrown into the role with very little training. Finding a balance between completing work and managing a team is difficult, and so is developing an efficient, effective leadership style.
This workshop maximises leadership and management potential, offering tools for delegation, staff motivation, setting goals, and having courageous conversations. Day one is on the 26th March, and day two on the 15th of May.
Dealing with difficult people and situations
This one-day event on 21 May teaches participants how to face conflict and turn it into opportunity. This workshop approaches conflict resolution by equipping your staff with the tools to become self-managing with confidence and professionalism.
Using a six-step method, staff develop communication skills to manage and diffuse conflict with staff or customers, and constructive strategies to deal with difficult behaviour. Manage your emotions and stress, and increase your confidence and assertiveness for dealing with this behaviour.
Celemi - Decision Base
For two days across 28th and 29th of May, managers, senior leaders, supervisors and sales professionals will learn the basics of developing a big-picture understanding, and practice strategic decision-making.
Since 1978, the Celemi Decision Base business simulation has been helping teams to manage their own capital-intensive companies, and compete for customers in a fast changing market. It’s a micro-MBA that creates productive collaborations, enhances business acumen and develops leadership. This course gives staff and business owners a competitive edge, equipping them for success through strategy, analysis execution and navigation.
Continuous improvement for business success
There’s no doubt that it pays to keep learning, whatever your age or stage in life. It’s especially important in business – the face of enterprise changes daily, and without ongoing training and networking, it’s near impossible to keep up. Disruptive technology, new ways of working, even the culture of workplaces – all these and more are becoming unrecognisable unless you’re in the know.
That’s why keeping an eye out for, and attending, relevant conferences is so important. You can develop personally, connect with like minds and experts in your field, and bring back valuable insights for your business. All that could be good for your bottom line, your future growth and your most valuable asset – your people.