As Australia’s leading provider of synthetic and medicinal chemistry services, Epichem met the challenges of COVID-19 head on, by protecting its business and employees while supporting the community and launching new innovations. Founded in Perth in 2003, Epichem creates specialised products and provide technical expertise to customers in more than 40 countries in the pharmaceutical, […]
As a small business owner, you don’t always have the backup of formal social supports offered by larger employers. When things get tough there’s no manager, human resources department or Employment Assistance Program to access, so the onus is on you to be proactive about setting up your own support network. Don’t underestimate the impact […]
As a friend, family member or business colleague you can make an important contribution to someone’s recovery from mental ill-health. Working in small business can sometimes be isolating and when people experience challenges with their mental health, they can be tempted to isolate themselves further. The practical, emotional and social support that a small business […]
Aiming to not just outperform meat but replace it, Australian cultured meat company, Vow, has banked US$6 million of fresh funding. In 2019, Vow became the world’s first company to make a food product from the cells of an undomesticated animal, instead of the animal itself. The company has since grown its library to 11 […]
2020 was a year of unprecedented challenge for business owners. Almost overnight, businesses of all sizes were scrambling to find new customers and devise innovative ways to sell to existing customers. Uncertainty and fear abounded, but so too did resilience and ingenuity. At both a state and federal level, the Australian government acted quickly and […]
It is common for people working in business to be concerned with or stressed about their business finances at some point. Unpredictable income, cash flow and delayed payments are common experiences for people working in small business and these can put you at increased risk of poor mental and physical health and family conflict. It […]
As COVID-19 wreaked havoc nationally and demand for safety equipment grew, Victoria’s regional medical device manufacturer Care Essentials pivoted its focus to produce a range of PPE products, surgical face masks and N95 respirators. “Our decision to explore making PPE masks came because we kept receiving calls from hospitals, federal and state departments asking if […]
Many small business owners work long hours and can often be on their own. Having people around them to check in on how they are doing can make all the difference. Have you noticed changes in someone’s behaviour recently? Has a business owner you know been doing it tough financially, been impacted by a weather […]
A ban on mass gatherings that forced the postponement of Australia’s premier car festival – Summernats – hasn’t stalled the event’s rise in popularity in the USA, thanks to a gaming app that has been downloaded more than 1.5 million times. In a normal year, Summernats attracts 100,000 car lovers and injects $30 million into […]
Unsurprisingly, the top four challenges and top three opportunities facing SMEs in the coming year are a result of COVID-19 related financial pressures, according to the latest ScotPac SME Growth Index research. When asked what they are most positive about for 2021, the most common response was getting “back in the black” (24%), and the […]
