Saturday, November 14, 2026
The New Zealand Government is paying for AI tools that find a small business's biggest constraint and write an action plan. Here is what they do, what they cannot do, and how to choose between an AI check, a mentor and a coach.
Last updated 15 November 2026. Published by Simple-Growth (Motherbase Limited). Market: New Zealand.
A coaching fee only means something once you know how many hours sit behind it. Here is what New Zealand providers publish about hours, goals and fit, how to turn any quote into a cost per hour, and what to ask before you sign.
Disclosure: Simple-Growth, the business that publishes this guide, sells business coaching. Kevin D'Ambros-Smith is an approved Regional Business Partner Network provider and a partner of The Icehouse. The providers named below are examples of what is published, not a ranking, and none has been asked to review this page. Where a price or term is not published, this guide says so.
The pattern: one provider publishes a clear monthly ceiling, the others publish a shape but not the hours, and none of the pages we opened publishes an exit term. That is not a criticism. It means the hours and the exit terms are yours to ask for.
Not necessarily. Three hours a month suits an owner who does the work between sessions and wants a sounding board. It does not suit an owner who wants someone alongside them in the business every week. Two or three near-term goals suit a coaching month that is short and focused. A bigger strategic shift needs room to test and adjust, which is where a longer plan can help, provided you can check progress against a number at 90 days.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment reported that the Regional Business Partner Network supported nearly 4,500 New Zealand businesses in 2024/25, up 7% on the year before and 13% on 2022/23. It also increased funding to Business Mentors NZ by $350,000 a year for two years, expected to support about 750 more businesses a year (MBIE, 14 August 2025, New Zealand). Outside advice is now mainstream for NZ owners, which makes it more useful to ask sharp questions of it.
"Working with Kevin has pushed us to step back and look at the business from the outside. He's easy to bounce ideas off, and he keeps us focused on working on the business instead of getting stuck in the day-to-day."
Ben Leitch
Home Lab Store
That is one client's experience, not a promise of your result.
It varies by provider. The Icehouse's coaching page describes up to three hours a month for a 6-month engagement, and up to three hours a month for six months then up to two for the next six in a 12-month engagement. Other providers we opened do not publish hours, so ask for them in writing.
Divide each total fee by the total contact hours, then compare what sits between sessions and what the first 90 days must show. A lower hourly cost is not better if it comes without a measure.
The pages we opened for The Icehouse, Reach Potential and NZ Growth Coach do not publish one-to-one coaching fees. Business Mentors NZ publishes a $295 + GST registration fee. Ask any provider for the full cost in writing.
Possibly. The Management Capability Development Fund lists up to 50% of one-to-one training costs, up to $5,000 per business a year, for businesses with fewer than 50 full-time employees. The page does not mention coaching by name, so confirm eligibility with your Regional Business Partner first.
Ask before you sign. None of the provider pages we opened publishes notice periods or refund terms, so get the exit terms and what happens to fees already paid in writing.
Want to test the fit before you commit to anything? A 30-minute conversation will tell you honestly whether coaching is the right next step, including when it is not. See also the 3, 6 or 12 months guide and the business coaching hub.
Sources (opened 15 November 2026): The Icehouse, Business Coaching (New Zealand); Reach Potential, Business Coach (New Zealand; opened 14 November 2026); NZ Growth Coach (New Zealand); Business Mentors NZ (New Zealand; opened 14 November 2026); MBIE, Record high number of small businesses taking advantage of regional support and advice, 14 August 2025 (New Zealand); business.govt.nz, Management Capability Development Fund (New Zealand; page last edited 3 August 2026). Last updated 15 November 2026.
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