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Business advisory and support for growth-focused business owners
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Welcome to The Engine – your business growth hub
When it comes to running and growing a successful business, there are lots of moving parts to consider.
Are you an expert in all of those parts?
Are you feeling alone in your journey?
Are you committed to growing your business?
Gain access to all the advice and support you need from a team that has built successful businesses many times over.
Let’s grow your business
We’ve got all the moving parts you need to help grow and support your business journey.
Business Advice
If you are going to take a serious run at building or growing a business you need advisors.
The Engine’s advisors have extensive business experience.
They have walked in your shoes, been hands-on and built the kind of company you want to build or grow many times.
Business Coaching in Your Pocket
A Trusted Network
We know how hard it can be to find service providers that get results.
We have vetted service professionals across marketing, HR, accounting, legal, administration and networking.
When you join The Engine you get access to a community of like-minded businesses who support you and cheer you on
enabling you to grow faster.
Inside The Engine
Take a look under the hood and find out what makes The Engine so powerful for business owners looking to power up their business results.
How to Work with Us
Book a time
Click the button below to book a time for a complimentary business advice session.
Complimentary business advice session
During this free 1 hour session we’ll get to know you and your business. We will find out what is keeping you up at night and what your biggest roadblocks are so we can help ensure you are working “on” your business not “in” your business.
We tailor a package that'll grow your business
We will present you with a tailored package that will help you grow your business and provide you with the support you need to achieve your goals.
Success Stories
Catherine came into our lives during our first lockdown. Covid has given our business quite the shake up and without Catherine’s knowledge, guidance, support, and accountability our business may not still be here now. She cares deeply for her clients and helps you find solutions for challenges (Opportunities as she would call them) that you wouldn't have found yourself. We will continue to use Catherine throughout our business journey and would highly recommend anyone in business to do the same. Thank you for all you do The Engine!!
Lidgard engaged The Engine for an array of professional services including sales and marketing advice and organisational design and HR planning/support. We found The Engine to be highly professional, knowledgeable and strongly solutions focused. They were able to offer assistance and guidance in areas we hadn't even contemplated. We are now a much stronger and focused enterprise for the experience. Our many and sincere thanks!
Our experience with Catherine was hugely supportive in a time of uncertainty. She offered out of the box ideas, industry contacts and facilitated a process where we could step back and really look at our business and what we had to offer and our unique selling points. She really helped us in the fine tuning our social media posts and offered plenty of ideas on how to generate more business. She also adapted and operated on a level we could understand. We really enjoyed our time with her and on top of that she is big big supporter and promoter of our tour company on Waiheke Island. What more could you ask for! Thanks Catherine, from Ananda Tours!
It is a privilege working with Catherine from The Engine. Catherine brings a wealth of knowledge to our business. Catherine has supported us in creating and updating our business policies such as employment contracts, health and safety, code of conduct and other business support. Most of all the continuous HR support has been the most beneficial for us. Catherine is always just a phone call away, and is always happy to answer and support. Catherine has great Business Connections (Partners), who have been an absolute pleasure to work with. We look forward to continuing this partnership with The Engine. Thank you.
The Crate Flexible Office Space is proud to be partnered with Catherine Sherwood and The Engine. As solid believers in collaboration and co-working, our experience with The Engine has been nothing less than generous and helpful. This is relationship is returning in many ways, including the expansion of our business network, new partnerships, more foot traffic through our facility and great promotion from Catherine who is a serious promoter of others whether in person, at events or through social media.
I am very thankful I crossed paths with Catherine Sherwood from The Engine as she was an incredible business support for my bridal business and especially during its transition to a new premises. Would highly recommend to anyone who wishes to take their business to the next level to get in touch.
I've had 2 Zoom meetings with Catherine so far, and there is no doubt in my mind that talking to her has been one of my best decisions this year. Catherine not only has the ability to ask the right questions in order for yourself to determine what is important to you and what direction you choose to take next, but she also has guidance and advice to empower yourself to implement any changes you wish to make. I look forward to progressing professionally with a new determination! Thank you Catherine!
Catherine and the team at The Engine have been a big help in the short period of time that we've been dealing with one another. Catherine has put some necessary processes in place that is helping my business and the main help is getting me back on the straight and narrow. She has been helping us in all aspects of my business - nothing seems to be too small for her and the team, even if I wanted to have a chat at any time she's there for us. The Engine also conducted an independent customer survey for the business which has provided invaluable insights and opportunities – this in itself has reconnected us with many customers. I would highly recommend Catherine and her team to help with any business that is looking for an experienced business advisor who treats your business like their own.
Catherine and The Engine have helped my company immensely. Being a small family run landscaping company, you may not think that having a business advisor would be very beneficial, or worthwhile. However Catherine’s advisory knowledge and hands on assistance to the small (and large) problems being a small company owner brings with it every day, allows me more time to focus on making dream gardens for clients. Through the uncertain times recently Catherine has acted as a safety net for my business, and has been a pragmatic source for advice. I would highly recommend The Engine to those who like assurance, and having someone on board 24/7 who you can rely on in the inevitable tough times to come.
The Engine has played a huge part in the success of our business, helping us generate fantastic results and fuel growth during a global pandemic.
We learned so many golden nuggets of wisdom that were immensely valuable in helping us strengthen our brand and grow a loyal audience of customers.
They are an incredible support that has helped us find great solutions to complex challenges.
Absolutely amazing service. Highly recommended
Catherine and The Engine have been an invaluable source of information for us, especially in the wake of the recent Pandemic.
Being a small business which my husband and myself had started from scratch we had reached a stage in our businesses growth that we were feeling a little out of our depth trying to transition into a more Professional and larger company.
Catherine supported us in the development of a Website and creating our presence on Social Media.
She also aided us in renewing all of our Employee Contracts including Vehicle and Drug and Alcohol Policies and a solid Code of Conduct Handbook bringing us up to date with all changes. Having a solid Cashflow Forecast has also allowed us to sleep better at night.
Catherine came on board in early February 2020 tasked with forward planning / marketing / succession planning and to assist with my exit as a working shareholder in our import / wholesale business. Then all hell broke loose with the unforeseen COVID 19 lockdown.
Catherine rose to the challenge, rolled up her sleeves and helped in every area from demanding accountability, putting us in touch with already stretched reliable resources to enable us to remain in business through a very testing time, providing introductions to enable much needed IT upgrade, specialist finance options and legal advice options plus social media experts.
Not only did we manage to hold our own beyond the lockdown period Catherine facilitated an exit path for me that seemed almost impossible. Going forward the business has retained her as an expert business advisor.
I highly recommend the advice and mentorship of Catherine Sherwood and the Engine.
Catherine Sherwood has been our Business Advisor since early April 2018. Our group of companies consists of 11 stores and 4 brands. Her breadth of experience as a business owner as well as her years of experience with the China markets made our decision to engage with her easier.
Over the course of our engagement Catherine has worked to assist my staff in leadership and development, built our Digital Footprint and Customer Engagement, followed through on compliance matters, established sales pipelines for the business and worked on development of strategic partnerships for growth.
I regard Catherine as a partner in my business, someone I can share confidential information with, trust to deliver areas within our business with our best interest and know she enjoys seeing our success. We look forward to our continued partnership with Catherine.
We are really appreciative of the support & guidance Catherine gave us during our time working with her as our Business Advisor. Not just from a business perspective, but also on a personal level as she genuinely looked out for us as individuals – not just business owners.
The Customer Survey which was conducted was an awesome process to go through, one that we would never have attempted to do on our own and it was great to get feedback from our customers on what we were doing well, and what we could improve on.
Catherine’s experience in customer engagement has helped us to take our social media presence to a new level, and we’ve had great feedback on our monthly newsletters that Catherine initiated and got off the ground for us.
Catherine has a wide range of contacts across many different industries which helped us review different facets of our business including finance and marketing.
Thank you for your help Catherine, we now feel much more confident in the direction we are heading and more confident to tackle things on our own now.
We are a Building Company which has been operating for many years and now are in an expanding mode building Container Homes. Catherine Sherwood has made her mark on our business in so many ways as our business advisor, with her expertise and knowledge in every aspect. She has set us up with contacts from her large networking data base, which has saved us a lot of money and heartache, also her invaluable experience in marketing, which in turn has enabled the business to move forward in so many ways.
We have recognised that Catherine’s continual support has been exactly what we needed and realise that we would be floundering without her. It’s very comforting that we have her behind us, and value her friendship.
Anyone considering using Catherine’s services would surely benefit in so many ways, highly recommended.
Catherine is a highly motivational person to be around and inspires as she goes. Her connections are outstanding and networking skills are instantaneously on the button and with innovative integrity. Catherine has connected me doing corporate massage and speaking events related to my topics on food, health and wellness. Catherine has had an awesome impact on my business and I look forward to it's continuum.
Catherine is an 'ideas' machine providing highly relevant, practical advice and direction as well as introductions and referrals to her own considerable network of contacts.
Words can't even begin to express how amazing it's been working with The Engine. I can easily say this was the best business decision we ever made. Added huge value to our company and the results are beyond impressive. We've grown rapidly thanks to The Engine. We highly recommend this fantastic service to all business owners, it will be one of the best decisions you make!
In the very first meeting with Catherine I had a lightbulb moment. She spotted a huge opportunity I had previously considered but couldn't quite figure out how to make it work. With her different perspective, all the pieces of the jigsaw suddenly fell into place and I could see the big picture. I'm now struggling to keep up with sales - another problem for which Catherine's advice and support has been invaluable. I've had many business mentors and coaches in my 11 years in business. Catherine's hands-on, practical and very accessible approach is shaping up to be the most valuable yet. Coaching is a big commitment for a small business but I'm confident it will be a drop in the bucket once I've realised the return on investment. I highly recommend Catherine!
Catherine and I have been working together on Colonial Hot Tubs for a number of years now. I can only say that if you are even thinking about working with someone to support your business and give it extra go forward then you should be calling Catherine and the team at the Engine now. We have been pushed to ask many hard questions on this journey, and in our own way we seem to arrive at the right answer with Catherines guidance and support. The Engine are a well run and organised team that bring a wealth of experience to the table. Thank you Catherine. I very much appreciate all you do for us.