In any busy small business, having equipment that works, like it should, saves time and time is precious. With BLP financial support, a small tourism business based on the Island of Aitutaki in the Cook Islands was given a boost to buy new equipment for greater efficiency.
Almost 20 years ago, Vaa and Jolene Vaa-Taputoa returned to Aitutaki to live again. Working in the tourist industry on the Island they were given opportunity to be the dedicated hosts of the quality two bed, Are Kapakapa Holiday Home.
The popular accommodation is based in a quiet location with a large private garden, not far from town and a lagoon. The accommodation keeps Vaa and Jolene busy ensuring high standards.
However, keeping the large grounds to a professional standard was a problem.
“Like most Pacific places the environment is quite tough on garden maintenance gear. In the Islands, you sort of get use to using gear that’s not so good” says Vaa. “You don’t know if it will work properly one day to the next.”
In the Islands you’ve got to keep on top of the property maintenance all the time. “If you turn your back, in true Pacific way, the land quickly claims back its own,” he laughs.
After learning from a friend about BLP, they applied for a BLP Grant via the Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce to buy new garden maintenance equipment. “The process was a bit difficult at the beginning, but the team coached us through the online process.”
With a BLP grant of $3000 (NZD) Vaa and Jolene were able to purchase a new lawn mower and a range of other property gear including a proper fuel tank, oil, extra mower blades, a grass cutter/whipper snipper, iron rake, bush knife, wheelbarrow and safety gear – gloves and earmuffs.
“Having the financial support from BLP we could draw a line and have a fresh start. The injection of funds helped us buy new gear as well as back up equipment to keep us going for a while. The equipment works like it should.”
Vaa says it takes him a couple of hours to clean up the property and the investment in new equipment gives the property a real professional edge.
“It’s also enabled us to branch out a bit and earn some more money from maintenance work on other properties. I couldn’t have done this with my old equipment – I wouldn’t have known whether the equipment would work properly. So, its peace of mind.”
Looking to the future, Vaa and Jolene are now saving money to try and build an ensuite extension onto the main bedroom to improve their facility.
With support from BLP and the Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce, this small business was able to save time, ensure quality standards and unlock new opportunities for growth in their tourist business.
To start your journey with BLP, you can self-assess your needs by using the free online tools available to help small- and medium-sized businesses diagnose areas in their businesses that an advisor could improve.
The first step can be the online Business Health Check. You can also check your business’s resilience to respond to crises or climate change challenges on the Business Continuity Planner and the Climate Action Sensor. If you prefer to meet a local BLP representative in person to discuss your business, get in touch with our local partners to arrange a face-to-face Diagnostic.