Edge advisors and sharing economies are the latest trends to help small business operators thrive, futurist Tim Longhurst says.
Mr Longhurst works for Australian consultancy Key Message, which helps organisations adapt to change, and shared his tips at a roadshow in Auckland for accounting software provider MYOB.
He later told Radio New Zealand small businesses in New Zealand needed to find an edge advisor to help them keep up with latest trends and technology.
"Edge thinking is about finding the better ways of doing things. For every one of us here in New Zealand, we know people who stay up on the latest trends, who look at how the world's changing, they read all the websites that are trend focussed," Mr Longhurst said.
"My recommendation to small business owners is to seek out those people who naturally take an interest in how the world is changing and invite them to be our personal edge advisors."
It was particularly important for those in remote parts of New Zealand, he said.
Most business owners, including those nearing retirement, relied on technology more and more.
"...we've all become geeks and it hasn't even occurred to us," Mr Longhurst said.
Listen to Tim Longhurst