Ep 40. Your Voice at the Table — Why Lobbying Isn't Just for Big Corporates

Has a government regulation, policy shift, or piece of legislation ever directly affected your business? Chances are it has. And chances are your response was a BBQ rant, a frustrated call to your accountant, or a LinkedIn post — but not a conversation with the people who actually made the decision.David and Rob sit down with Holly Bennett — lawyer, former political staffer, and founder of Awhi Group, one of New Zealand's most transparent government relations firms. Holly also founded Engage, the country's only organisation dedicated to teaching everyday Kiwi business owners how to lobby effectively.What most SME owners get wrong: they think lobbying requires connections, cash, and a Wellington phone book. Holly dismantles that assumption completely. The biggest myth? That only the big end of town can do it. The most underused tool available to every business owner? Their local MP — and it costs nothing.The conversation covers how to actually engage government — who to talk to, what hat they're wearing, and why sending correspondence to the wrong office means it disappears into a void. Holly also opens up on building Awhi from scratch in a sector most New Zealanders couldn't define, launching Lobbyist.nz to bring ethical standards to a largely unregulated industry, and why now — with an election on the horizon — is the most important time for SMEs to demand their seat at the table.The room where decisions get made has empty chairs. This episode shows you how to pull one out.Show NotesGuest: Holly Bennett — Founder & MD, Awhi Group | Founder, Engage🔗 awhigroup.nz🔗 engage.org.nz🔗 lobbyist.nzThe Better SMBEverything for the NZ SME on a high-performance journey.🔗 thebettersmb.comEpisode Sponsor: SetseedThe business diagnostic tool built for New Zealand SMEs — benchmark your performance, identify your gaps, and chart your roadmap for growth.🔗 setseed.co.nzKey Topics: Lobbying | Government Relations | SME Advocacy | NZ Policy | Political Engagement | Business Growth | Awhi Group | EngageFollow & Subscribe: Find The Better SMB on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts. If this episode changed how you think about your relationship with government — share it with three business owners who need to hear it.