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The Power of Sharing Negative Experiences while Networking

In the world of business, networking is often heralded as the key to success. We attend events, conferences, and meetings with the hope of making connections, forging partnerships, and advancing our careers. However, amidst the sea of positive interactions and fruitful collaborations, there are bound to be negative experiences lurking beneath the surface. While it may be tempting to sweep these encounters under the rug and move on, there is immense value in professionally sharing these experienc...

Unveiling the Power of Process Mapping: A Blueprint for Business Success

In the intricate labyrinth of business operations, finding clarity and efficiency can often feel like navigating through a maze blindfolded. However, amidst the chaos, there exists a powerful tool that illuminates the path to success: process mapping. Whether you're a budding startup or a seasoned corporation, process mapping offers a myriad of benefits that can streamline operations, foster growth, and fortify your business for the future. In this blog post, we'll delve into the multifaceted ad...

About Amber...

Given my face is on the front cover and you may be about to spend your hard-earned dollars with my business, I thought it only fair that you get to know a little bit more about me.I own two businesses, Solidaster, and a training company called Putty, at Putty we work with clients who want to learn how to use software systems, this training is focussed on a vocational outcome.I classify myself as a Business Process Expert ...

Teachers, they are everywhere...

Once upon a time, many, many years ago…I had an exceptional math’s teacher and he used to teach us math’s, obviously, but he also used to teach us other things, to challenge us, to expand our minds.As a reward, when we completed all our work, he would teach us about things like the Fibonacci sequence, the golden ratio, we even watched Monty Python and Romeo & Juliet (the sixties classic, not DiCaprio & Danes).Years later, things seem to constantly pop up that he taught us.When on a...

GDF Supporters evening 2023

I had the pleasure of speaking at the 2023 Graeme Dingle Foundation Marlborough Supporters Evening held at the Fancy Cow in Blenheim.I was asked to share my experiences being a Career Navigator Mentor and what motivated me to become a mentor.Below is what I had to say...Kia ora tatouAs Kelvin said my name is Amber and I am about to embark on my 3rd year of being a Career Navigator Mentor. But I’m just a baby mentor when you sit me next to some of the others in the programme who have been there...

Perfection vs Good enough

As a perfection addict, I think it may be time to start a support group because I know there are a few of us out there.A fellow recovering perfection addict, and mentor, recently called me out on my terrible behavior.Needing to complete a role, a business process, or various tasks to a level of perfection is not only exhausting, but it is also not sustainable long term.PLUS – if you spend an extra hour on a task to ensure perfection, will your customer (whether internal or external) even notic...

Spring cleaning time!

With the change in seasons, I thought it might be a good time to talk about organising and sorting your digital filing.When considering lean methodologies and the office, time spent looking for lost files can be a BIG waste of time that needs to be dealt with. So, we look at the first two of the 5S’s of lean:Sort.Set in order.Hunting for hours on end for that file you need, getting distracted by something else along the way and forgetting what you were doing in the first instance is something ...

What on Earth is ERP?

Since I started, people often ask... What on earth is ERP?To which I say, it stands for Enterprise Resource Planning of course...This is usually followed by the person who I am talking to looking confused and bemused.I then go on to explain more about what I do, but this often misses the mark also and confuses the person further.So...I am writing this post today, to try and simplify my response to "What on earth is ERP?". ERP programmes are generally cloud based business syst...

What I do as a Business Process Expert.

As with many job descriptions, beneath the heading there is a lot of variation for example if you compare a job for an Office Manager, they all have the same title but what is expected of them varies dramatically.I thought I would write this blog about what being a Business Process Expert (BPX) means to me and what I do, because like the Office Manager example, this could and does vary from person to person working in this space.When I start working with your business, in the initial phase or th...

Lean

In recent years, I have become fascinated with the concept of "Lean" and "Continuous Improvement" methodologies, partly thanks to a previous employer.Lean is normally referred to in a manufacturing sense, but it can be applied anywhere, anytime...In a business sense, it means getting rid of any system, process or busy work that doesn't add value to your customer or end user.If a system, process or busy work doesn't add value to your customer or end user, it is deemed a "waste" and should be remo...

Top 8 Signs It’s time to switch ERP systems

Article by Oracle NetSuite, 8 August 2023.Written by Lisa Schwarz.As with every technology, there will come a time when a business needs to replace its legacy enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.Perhaps the software has become too expensive to maintain, or it can’t update in real-time or meet the needs of an increasingly remote workforce.Or maybe a lack of functionality is forcing staff to use so many workarounds that workflows grind to a crawl.These reasons and more can serve as a ...

Why Solidaster?

Good question...First off, let me acknowledge that securing a business name with an available domain can be an incredibly challenging task!Secondly, I have a firm stance against compromising correct spelling just to snag a domain. It simply doesn't sit well with me.That being said, my choices were somewhat limited...Solidasters, also known as Goldenrods, are flowers that hold a special place in my heart, primarily because they bloom in my favorite color – yellow.Yellow signifies happiness, sun...

Why software projects fail...

5 things to keep in mind before delving into a new software project and reasons a software project may fail…1.      Groundwork2.      Beware the salesperson3.      Onboarding vs implementation4.      Data5.      Dedicated person or team – test test testBefore you embark on a new software project, do the groundwork, don’t rush the planning, information gathering,...