Yesterday I participated in a discussion on LinkedIn. It was started by Chris Barton , an entrepreneur from Sydney. Chris posed a question: “I am interested in discovering what is the greatest obstacle to success for small business owners.

Are sponsorships being finally exposed as the weak marketing discipline they’re known for or could they emerge as a powerful, stronger marketing tool?

With a domestic market of only four million people, the opportunity for many firms to grow is significantly restricted. This is particularly true for a business that is focusing on a small niche in the market.

Last night I was one of the 35,000 screaming and jumping people in the stadium while AC/DC rocked their socks off …. Or in Angus’ case his school uniform off! Although I would not call myself a fan I was mightily impressed by AC/DC’s first Wellington show.

New Zealand is big on promoting itself as the destination of choice for thrill seekers and adventure junkies, but there’s an equally lucrative market they should be talking to more often and that’s young families.

Understandably companies are trimming the fat and letting staff go as they react and adapt to continuing tough market conditions this new year.