This is the audio of a talk I gave yesterday for Community Governance Aotearoa on the topic of Chairing meetings and with a focus on AGMs. I do a lot of support for boards, companies, trusts and others in goverance in my work as a partner at Parry Field Lawyers so it was a pleasure to talk on this topic. In it share my thoughts on this area and outline 20 principles that are relevant to consider when you come to your role as Chair.

More resources that Community Goverannce Aotearoa provide are here (thanks for the chance to share Rose, April, Elyse and team) https://communitygovernance.org.nz/

If this helps you then why not share with one other person?

The 20 principles will be uploaded here and the other resource mentioned in talk on chairing meetings: https://www.parryfield.com/advisory/governance/governance-essentials/

Enjoyed this conversation with Neil Ieremia about Black Grace dance company and his life as a choreographer – we start with his childhood and learned about his upbringing, the role of his parents, the impact of a childhood illness and sense of identity from a young age. We also talk about the origins of Black Grace and the first dance he choreographed at age 13. We then discuss the role of art and dance and how it can have an impact on society itself, commenting on the past and present. Finally we discuss the future plans for Black Grace.

Website: https://blackgrace.co.nz/

For more conversations visit www.theseeds.nz

In this panel discussion arranged by Ministry of Awesome, got the chance to share about governance for startups along with Flip Grater, Jeff Wallace and Zach Warder-Gabaldon. We kept it practical and relevant for founders on what you need to know when it comes to advisory boards, directors, legal duties, paying people, finding the right fit, selecting investors, how to keep on track and quite a lot more! If you like this, check out the other content at www.theseeds.nz

Resource on how to chair a meeting well: https://www.parryfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/How-to-Chair-a-Meeting-Well.pdf

"Ministry of Awesome presents a dynamic panel of expert advisors offering quick-fire advice to guide you through the early stages of your business journey. Our experts will demystify industry jargon about governance and structure and clarify how today’s decisions can impact the future success of your business.”

Bios on panellists

Zach: Zach is responsible for developing and managing the startup innovation programmes at Ministry of Awesome. After spending two and half decades in the Valley immersed in and surrounded by entrepreneurship and innovation, he is incredibly well equipped to helping Aotearoa’s startup sector realise its potential as a unique and powerful incubation nation.

Jeff: Jeff is a long-time Bay Area resident who works with global startup ecosystems, including governments, corporations & startup accelerators/entrepreneurs, to help catalyze startup environments & create a bridge to Silicon Valley. He is an Adjunct Instructor at UC Berkeley and is co-founder of Silicon Valley in Your Pocket, a global virtual startup accelerator, serving 1000s of companies across 40+ countries. He is co-founder & former President of Batchery, an incubator for seed stage startups. He is an active angel investor with equity positions in 250+ companies and an active advisor & investor at Berkeley SkyDeck. He is an Executive Board Member for the Rutgers Business School Road to Silicon Valley Program (RSVP). Previously, he worked at Cognizant & Brillio as founder & Global Head for Mobility & UX practices. He is a frequent keynote speaker at global tech & startup events. He holds a BA in Economics/Finance from Rutgers College & an MBA from UC Berkeley.

Flip: Flip Grater is an author, musician and activist, founder and CEO, chef and entrepreneur. After 15 years in the music industry as a music label owner and singer-songwriter, touring the world and releasing five albums and two books she moved home to Otautahi and started plant based food production company and restaurant Grater Goods. She is currently the CEO of Grater Goods and a Press columnist.

Steven: Steven Moe is a Partner at Parry Field Lawyers with a focus on start-ups and small business and helping them succeed through practical support on topics such as structures, shareholders, raising capital and IP. He has edited free guides for startups including this one on raising capital and this one on common start-up issues. He has worked as a lawyer for 20 years including 11 years overseas based in Tokyo, London and Sydney, and since 2016 has been based back in Aotearoa. Steven hosts seeds podcast which has a focus on “for purpose” organisations and people doing inspiring things which has 388 episodes and another on governance for the IOD called Board Matters.