Small local business wins big at awards
A Hibiscus Coast marketing business has taken out top honours at a prestigious small business awards.
Identify Marketing and Consulting, started by Stanmore Bay’s Rachel Klaver, won Most Outstanding Fledgling Business and the Supreme Award at last week’s David Awards, as well as being a finalist in two other categories.
The win marked the first time a fledgling business (business less than two years old) has won the Supreme Award in the award’s nine year history.
‘‘This is a first for the awards and is testimony to how quickly a new enterprise can get up to speed when it is resourced, managed and planned accordingly,’’ judge Glenn Baker says.
Started in Klaver’s home in April last year, Identify began with no clients, office or staff.
Working from home was a fun, interesting experience, Klaver says, but it meant her kids had to give up their living room, and employees had to like her dogs.
Since then, Identify has grown to five full time employees and nine committed contractors, and is moving to an office next month.
Klaver says she is honoured to be acknowledged in the win, but owes it to her team.
‘‘Our rapid growth has been made possible by the outstanding work of the team and our awesome clients who have had faith in us,’’ she says.
‘‘In a sense we are growing our business alongside our clients, so
‘‘We tried to make it like an architect designed business, as opposed to a Kiwi bach business’’
Rachel Klaver
their success is our success too.’’
A mostly female team, Klaver says Identify aims for flexibility and lifestyle for its employees and contractors, and was planned to work around those getting back into work after having children.
Klaver says Identify plans to cope with growth, and the client base could double tomorrow without any client missing out.
‘‘We tried to make it like an architect designed business, as opposed to a Kiwi bach business,’’ she says.
Identify is moving into a new office space in Orewa next month, as Klaver is passionate about keeping work in Rodney and on the Coast.
‘‘I didn’t want to be an agency that started in the wops and moved to city when it became successful,’’ she says.
‘‘Why wouldn’t I want to grow this region? We all want to live here.’’