The SBN Story
Original Board Members L-R: Laura Keil-Hall (Co-founder/Chair), Talia Brown (PR), Tim Baice (Secretary), John Milo (Legal Exec), Rasmus Pereira (Co-founder/Business Development)
Background
Samoa Business Network (SBN) is a non-governmental and non-profitable organisation that was formally established as an Incorporated Society on April 23rd, 2013 in Auckland, New Zealand.
However, the movement and work leading up to the formal establishment began in September of 2012, thanks to the shared vision and direction of its current leader Laura Keil-Hall, a Business Manager at the Bank of New Zealand at the time now working for the Ministry for Pacific Peoples as a Business Partnerships & Development Manager and Rasmus Pereira, an entrepreneur and businessman with the help and support of Tim Baice.
In November 2012, a branch was established in the Waikato region under the leadership of Meleane Burgess and was officially launched as Samoa Business Network Waikato in 2015. Due to the community in Waikato being small and feedback from its wider business community they strategically rebranded to Waikato Pacific Business Network in 2016 and formally launched the organisation in May 2018.
In November 2016, a branch was launched in Samoa. It was an honour and a privilege to have the Hon. Prime Minister of Samoa, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegoai deliver the keynote address and officially launch the Network in Samoa. The Samoa branch is currently under the leadership of Afamasaga Jackie Curry.
In 2018, we are hoping to establish a connection with Wellington and then going across the ditch to Australia.
However, the movement and work leading up to the formal establishment began in September of 2012, thanks to the shared vision and direction of its current leader Laura Keil-Hall, a Business Manager at the Bank of New Zealand at the time now working for the Ministry for Pacific Peoples as a Business Partnerships & Development Manager and Rasmus Pereira, an entrepreneur and businessman with the help and support of Tim Baice.
In November 2012, a branch was established in the Waikato region under the leadership of Meleane Burgess and was officially launched as Samoa Business Network Waikato in 2015. Due to the community in Waikato being small and feedback from its wider business community they strategically rebranded to Waikato Pacific Business Network in 2016 and formally launched the organisation in May 2018.
In November 2016, a branch was launched in Samoa. It was an honour and a privilege to have the Hon. Prime Minister of Samoa, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegoai deliver the keynote address and officially launch the Network in Samoa. The Samoa branch is currently under the leadership of Afamasaga Jackie Curry.
In 2018, we are hoping to establish a connection with Wellington and then going across the ditch to Australia.
Vision and Mission
Our VISION is simply “to enable a successful worldwide network of Samoan Businesses, Entrepreneurs & Professionals”.
To accomplish our vision, we are on a MISSION “to provide a platform for Samoan Businesses, Entrepreneurs & Professionals to network, collaborate & also make a positive difference in our community”.
It is SBN’s desire to become a centre for members within our Samoan Business Community in New Zealand, in Samoa and worldwide by connecting members with each other through our platform.
We believe success is working together, supporting and uplifting each other. Our focus is connecting, sharing, promoting and celebrating our Samoan Businesses, Entrepreneurs and Professionals globally.
To accomplish our vision, we are on a MISSION “to provide a platform for Samoan Businesses, Entrepreneurs & Professionals to network, collaborate & also make a positive difference in our community”.
It is SBN’s desire to become a centre for members within our Samoan Business Community in New Zealand, in Samoa and worldwide by connecting members with each other through our platform.
We believe success is working together, supporting and uplifting each other. Our focus is connecting, sharing, promoting and celebrating our Samoan Businesses, Entrepreneurs and Professionals globally.
Operations
SBN is a people led initiative reliant on passionate individuals that truly want to see Samoan people with business aspirations succeed and reach their business and personal goals.
It is our strong sense of pride and patriotism for Samoa that drives us to do this work.
The operations of the organisation are led by our Executive Board which consists of a Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and other roles decided by the Exec. Currently our Exec Board operate on a voluntary basis.
We are governed by the Rules of the Society through an establishment of a Constitution which is registered with the Companies Office under Samoa Business Network Incorporated. SBN was incorporated in New Zealand on 23 April 2013 and the society number is 2578909. The same Rules govern the branch in Samoa and it was incorporated in Samoa on 16 March 2017 and the society number is 592.
It is our strong sense of pride and patriotism for Samoa that drives us to do this work.
The operations of the organisation are led by our Executive Board which consists of a Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and other roles decided by the Exec. Currently our Exec Board operate on a voluntary basis.
We are governed by the Rules of the Society through an establishment of a Constitution which is registered with the Companies Office under Samoa Business Network Incorporated. SBN was incorporated in New Zealand on 23 April 2013 and the society number is 2578909. The same Rules govern the branch in Samoa and it was incorporated in Samoa on 16 March 2017 and the society number is 592.
Membership
SBN is membership driven. Due to SBN being a not for profit organisation, membership fees are essential to enable us to sustain and provide the services of delivering such a platform with invaluable resources. The fees help fund the delivery of activities such as networking events, media, promotion and monthly administration costs.
Funding
We continue to actively look at different sources of funding streams to help us achieve our vision through;-
- Membership fees
- Sponsorship
- Grants
- Private/Public funders
- Membership fees
- Sponsorship
- Grants
- Private/Public funders