Whakaako “Educate”

16/09/2026

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Hey to all our fantastic followers! 👋

We’ve had a bit of a hiccup with our page and, for some reason, we’re currently unable to run ads.

So we’ve made a small change and reversed the names to create a new page.

We’d really appreciate it if you could head over and give our new page a follow. Your support means a lot and helps us keep sharing what we’re up to.

Thanks heaps for sticking with us! 🙌 😊

https://www.facebook.com/share/19a6RJ1unw/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Educate Whakaako is on a mission to empower learning and growth in our community. We provide educational consulting across both the private and public sectors. Whakaako means "to teach" and that's exactly what we are here to do.

08/09/2026

From Palmy to the National Stage 💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫

This really was a pinch-yourself moment.

At the 2026 Spark Retail New Zealand Awards, some of the biggest names in the industry were being honoured, including Briscoe’s Rod Duke, James Pascoe Group founders Anne and David Norman, and the late Sir Michael Hill, all receiving lifetime recognition.

That gives you an idea of the calibre of the room.

And right there amongst it all were Andy Chen and Lizzie Sok, owners of Unichem The Palms Pharmacy, selected as national finalists in TWO categories.

To earn an invitation to attend as a finalist at one of the biggest nights of the year for New Zealand retail is a big, big deal.

Then to be rubbing shoulders with some of the giants of the industry, sitting at the same tables and celebrating alongside them, is pretty mind-blowing.

You’re not just there celebrating their success. You’re there because yours is being recognised too.

A massive congratulations to Andy, Lizzie and their amazing staff for the endless work behind the scenes, the 24/7 commitment, sleepless nights and everything it takes to reach this level.

Two national finalist spots. One very proud Palmy. ❤️👏

Manawatū Business ChamberPalmy BIDUnichem The Palms

07/09/2026

🌸 HEYYA MUMS, WE’D LOVE YOUR HELP! 🌸

Going back to work after having a baby, or juggling more than one now! 👶💕 can bring up so much.

The mum guilt, the mental load of getting everyone ready and out the door, missing your little one, and maybe even wondering who you are outside of “mum” for the first time in a while. It’s a lot to carry, and if you’re in that season right now, we see you. ❤️

We’re creating new free programmes to support mums through exactly this transition, and honestly, we want to build something that actually helps, not just something we think sounds good.

So we’d love to hear from you first! 💬✨

What’s something you’d want support with when it comes to going back to work after having your child?

✨ Maybe it’s feeling confident and like yourself again at work?

🧸 Maybe it’s the practical stuff, childcare, routines, getting out the door on time?

❤️ Maybe it’s working through the guilt or overwhelm that can creep in?
🌱 Maybe it’s figuring out what you actually want your career to look like now?

💻 Maybe it’s feeling up to scratch with how much has changed digitally while you’ve been away, think Excel, Word, or even AI tools?

Or maybe it’s something else entirely, and that’s totally okay too! 😊 Feel free to share as many as you like.

👇 Drop a comment below and let us know. We read every single one, and your answer could genuinely help shape a programme that supports mums like you. 😊💕

01/09/2026

Great customer service is about more than completing a sale. It’s about listening, understanding and delivering an experience that builds loyalty and keeps customers coming back.

Our Mystery Shopper campaign includes 13 visits throughout the year, providing regular, honest insight into your customer’s experience. We identify what your team is doing well, where opportunities may be missed, and how small improvements can strengthen customer service, team confidence, sales and overall customer excellence.

Are you ready to see your business through your customers’ eyes?

Talk to us about our Mystery Shopper campaign or our Listen. Understand. Deliver. Customer Service Excellence Training, and discover how we can help your team deliver an even better customer experience.

📞 0800 900 236

24/08/2026

Question?

Do you find it hard to sell yourself in an interview?

Are you applying for job after job and not even getting an interview?

Finding work at the moment is tough. And interviews can be nerve-racking, even if you’ve done plenty of them.

Sometimes you know the answer, but when you’re put on the spot your mind goes blank. You walk away thinking, “Why didn’t I say that?!”

That’s one of the reasons we developed our Geared2Go programme.

Today we kicked off another 16 hours with 10 people wanting to build their confidence, sharpen their skills and improve their chances of landing that next opportunity.

And what a mix of talent!

We’ve had people who have held significant roles, led teams, driven change and helped shape some pretty cool businesses, alongside others looking for their very first opportunity.

Everyone has a story, and everyone has something to offer. Never judge someone simply by where they are today.

Next week we hit Geared2Go #70, which is pretty humbling.

And if you’re a business looking for staff, reach out. There is some incredible talent out there right now, and we may just be able to point you towards someone pretty special.

We love what we do, and we’re incredibly grateful we get to do it. ❤️

Give us a call on 0800 900 236

19/08/2026

What if you could experience your business through the eyes of your customers?

Our Mystery Shopper Campaign includes 13 visits throughout the year, with each visit focusing on 6 different areas of your customer journey.

It’s powerful because it gives you genuine insight into what your customers experience when they interact with your business. It helps you recognise what your team is doing well, identify opportunities for improvement and create greater consistency across your customer service.

This isn’t about catching your team doing something wrong. It’s about catching them doing things RIGHT, recognising great performance and giving them the support and tools to become even better.

Throughout the campaign, we’ll help you:

• Recognise and reward exceptional service
• Measure and track your Customer Excellence score
• Identify gaps and opportunities
• Improve consistency across your team
• Strengthen customer loyalty and satisfaction
• Reduce complaints
• Improve sales and upselling opportunities
• Deliver targeted staff training based on the results

The real power comes from combining genuine customer insights with practical staff training. Rather than guessing what your team needs, we can tailor the training around the opportunities identified during the mystery shopper visits.

Call us today to discuss how our 13-visit Mystery Shopper Campaign can help move your business from Customer Service to Customer Excellence. 🚀

📧 [email protected]
📞 0800 900 236

15/08/2026

🌟 GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE DESERVES TO BE RECOGNISED! 🌟

At Educate, we’re pretty passionate about Customer Excellence, and we think when someone delivers an exceptional customer experience, they deserve a bit of recognition!

So, we’re randomly popping into businesses around our community and experiencing their customer service firsthand.

When we experience something exceptional, we’re going to catch them doing things RIGHT and recognise them with an Educate Customer Service Excellence Certificate. 🏆

👏 A big congratulations to Christopher from Unichem The Palms Pharmacy!

Christopher consistently delivers a fantastic customer experience, friendly, helpful, professional and a great example of what excellent customer service looks like.

Well done, Christopher! Very well deserved. 👏

We’re looking forward to getting out and about and handing out plenty more certificates to the awesome people delivering exceptional customer experiences every day.

👀 Who will we catch doing things RIGHT next?



Palmy BIDManawatū Business Chamber,Unichem The Palms

13/08/2026

Is Running Your Business Starting to Feel Like a Battle?

Running a business can be bloody tough.

The pressure, the constant decisions, staff, sales, cash flow, marketing, customers, and the never-ending challenges can leave even the most experienced business owner feeling drained.

And right now, business certainly isn’t getting any easier.

But it doesn’t have to stay that way.

We’re kicking off the next round of our Mentors Group, designed for business owners who want to stop simply surviving and start making real progress.

Here’s what makes this group different.

Everyone in the room is a mentor.

You, me, and eight other business owners all bring different experiences, industries, challenges, successes and ideas to the table.

Whether you’ve been in business for a month, 12 months or 20 years, there’s something incredibly powerful about getting the right people around a table, sharing what works, challenging each other and helping each other move forward.

That’s where the gold is.

We meet one day a month for six months.

One day where you step away from the phones, emails, staff and day-to-day noise and actually spend time working ON your business, rather than constantly working IN it.

From day one, we’ll build your vision and your 90-day action plan, then each month we’ll work through it together, reviewing where you’re at, what’s working, what isn’t and what needs to happen next.

The goal is simple:

Less overwhelm. More direction. More action. Better results.

Over the six months, we’ll focus on areas that can genuinely move your business forward, including:

• Sales
• Marketing
• Profitability
• Systems and efficiencies
• Leadership
• Customer excellence
• AI and new technology
• Goal setting and accountability
• Building a stronger, more sustainable business

We’ll also bring in guest speakers who are leaders in their fields, giving you access to practical knowledge, fresh thinking and tools you can actually take back and use in your business.

This isn’t a sit-back-and-watch programme.

You need to show up, contribute, challenge yourself and be prepared to take action.

But if you’re prepared to make that commitment, imagine where your business could be six months from now.

One day a month.
Six months.
Ten business owners.
One clear focus, moving forward.

If you’re ready to level up your business and be part of a group that genuinely wants to see each other succeed, register your interest.

📧 [email protected]

Limited spaces. Maximum impact.

11/08/2026

Super proud to be a sponsor of Manawatū Business Chamber💫

We are a huge advocate for both the Chamber and Palmy BID who do an incredible amount infront and behind the scenes to support our local businesses and wider community.

It’s great to be able to back organisations that are genuinely out there supporting, connecting and championing businesses across our region.

Proud to play a small part in supporting those who support others. ❤️