Saturday, November 07, 2026
Revenue can climb for years while your business gets more dependent on you, not less. The Business Model Canvas shows SME owners which blocks only work because of them.
Last updated 9 November 2026. Published by Simple-Growth (Motherbase Limited). Market: New Zealand.
If you run a business turning over $1 million to $3 million, the Icehouse Owner Operator Programme costs $6,295 + GST for three one-day workshops, one a month. A one-to-one coach costs a different amount for a different job. The choice comes down to whether you need a curriculum and a peer group, or a diagnosis of the one thing holding your business back.
A disclosure first: Simple-Growth publishes this guide, Kevin D'Ambros-Smith coaches for Simple-Growth, and Simple-Growth partners with The Icehouse, so he is not neutral. That is why both options below are described the same way: what it costs, what you get, who it suits and who it does not. Everything about The Icehouse comes from its own pages, read on 9 November 2026 (New Zealand time). If something is out of date, tell Kevin and it will be corrected.
According to the Icehouse's programme page, the Owner Operator Programme is a practical academy for ambitious owners: three one-day in-person group workshops, held monthly over three months, with an optional one-on-one session with an Icehouse business coach. The price shown is $6,295 + GST. The page lists the current group meeting on Tuesday 15 September, Tuesday 20 October and Tuesday 17 November 2026, and says it suits New Zealand owners turning over $1 million to $3 million, in groups that mix industries and regions. It also says Management Capability Development funding may be available through your Regional Business Partner, that partners sometimes offer scholarships, and that payment plans may be available.
The Icehouse's about page says over 4,000 Kiwis have taken part since 2001, and over 1,400 owners have completed its flagship Owner Manager Programme. These are the provider's own figures. Because the current group finishes on 17 November, ask the Icehouse when the next intake starts.
| Option | Published cost | Format | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Icehouse Owner Operator Programme | $6,295 + GST | Three one-day in-person workshops, monthly, plus an optional one-on-one session | NZ owners turning over $1M to $3M who want a structured curriculum and a peer group |
| One-to-one coaching with Simple-Growth | Discussed on a free 30-minute call; co-funding may apply for eligible businesses | Find the real constraint, then a 90-day plan with owners, dates and measures | Owners whose growth is stuck and who cannot name why, at any stage |
| Business Mentors NZ | $295 + GST registration, 12 month journey | Volunteer mentor, matched after registration | Owners who want a sounding board and a wider network |
Costs are taken from each provider's own pages. Simple-Growth's coaching fee is not published here; it depends on the format and is discussed on the call.
This is not for you if you are hoping someone else will do the work. A programme, a mentor and a coach all need you to act. Many owners use both: a programme for peers and structure, then a coach to apply it to their own numbers.
Possibly. The government's Management Capability Development Fund, reached through the Regional Business Partner Network, covers half of one-to-one training costs or three-quarters of group training costs, up to $5,000 per business a year, for eligible businesses with under 50 full-time equivalent staff (business.govt.nz page, last edited 3 August 2026). The page describes the application as four to 12 hours of effort, and approval is not guaranteed. Speak to a Regional Business Growth Advisor before you pay, so you know whether you qualify. Simple-Growth is an approved Regional Business Partner Network provider.
The Icehouse programme page lists $6,295 + GST for three one-day in-person workshops held monthly over three months, with an optional one-on-one session with an Icehouse business coach.
The Icehouse says it is for New Zealand business owners with $1 million to $3 million turnover, in groups that mix industries and regions.
Possibly. The Icehouse says Management Capability Development funding may be available through your Regional Business Partner. The fund covers half of one-to-one costs or three-quarters of group costs, up to $5,000 per business a year, for eligible businesses with under 50 full-time equivalent staff. Approval is not guaranteed.
No. A programme gives you a curriculum and a peer group; a coach builds a plan around your own numbers. Many owners use both, one after the other.
Not sure which fits? A 30-minute conversation will tell you honestly whether a programme, a coach, a mentor or nothing at all is the right move, and you are welcome to take the answer anywhere.
Sources (read 9 November 2026): The Icehouse, Owner Operator Programme (New Zealand; provider's own information); The Icehouse, about us (provider's own figures); business.govt.nz, Management Capability Development Fund (New Zealand); Business Mentors NZ (provider's own information). Related: a four-step ladder for business help in Auckland and what NZ business coaches charge. Last updated 9 November 2026.
Ready to find out which route fits your business?
Sunday, October 04, 2026
64 percent of executives say they're juggling too many conflicting priorities, and most SME strategies die from addition, not ambition. Here's the three-step Strategic Short List that turns six priorities into the one that actually moves the needle.
Sunday, October 04, 2026
A third of small business owners are absorbing this year's cost increases out of their own pocket instead of raising prices. Here's the three-step Margin Audit that turns that guess into a safe, thirty-day pricing test.
Sunday, October 04, 2026
Before you approve the next hire, run the revenue-per-employee test. Some of the growth you are trying to buy with headcount is sitting in tasks AI can already take off the list.
Sunday, October 04, 2026
Owner-dependent businesses sell for roughly half the multiple of businesses that run without them. Dan Sullivan's Who Not How question is the simplest fix most owners never try.
Sunday, October 04, 2026
The tasks only one person in your business can do are a hidden cost waiting to land. Here is how to clear the backlog in an afternoon using a recorder instead of a blank page.
Sunday, October 04, 2026
Chasing every lead in the run to year end is how you end up delivering the deals that cost you the most. Here is the Right-Fit Filter that catches a bad deal before you quote it.
Sunday, October 04, 2026
Big brands never approve a campaign on gut feel alone. Here is the cheap, 48-hour pretest SME owners can run on any piece of marketing before a single dollar goes to media.
Sunday, October 04, 2026
There is no single best business coach in New Zealand, only the best fit for your stage and your problem. Here are six criteria, an honest map of the NZ options, and where Kevin D'Ambros-Smith fits.
Sunday, October 04, 2026
Most SME strategies are really just revenue wishlists with no diagnosis behind them. Here is the three-part test that separates a real strategy from a wish, and what to fix first if yours fails it.
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
94% of small businesses using AI across multiple functions have cut spending on marketing, data and bookkeeping, and they are more confident than ever. Here is the three-question audit to run before you cut judgment along with the invoice.
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Chasing a poor-fit customer to hit a year-end number rarely pays off. Here is the Right-Fit Growth Filter SME owners use before saying yes.
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
High satisfaction with your business coach does not guarantee progress. Here is the yearly Re-Contracting Conversation that keeps coaching sharp.
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
We'll sort it in the new year is quietly stalling more small businesses than any competitor. Here is the Now-or-January Test that fixes it.
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
A 10 percent discount can need 46 percent more sales volume just to break even. Here is the Quota-Protection Plan for small business sales teams.
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Referred customers buy four times more often, yet most happy customers are never asked. Here is the Post-Purchase Sequence that fixes it.