Frances Mao
The small businesses making it work on Etsy
Homemade is becoming a worldwide name on Etsy, the online marketplace for handmade and vintage wares for one man and woman businesses. Here’s a look at why Etsy is proving popular with customers and what business lessons can be learnt from this.
From backyard business to international franchise
At the tender age of 16, Christine Taylor turned her passion for dog-care into a business operation, running a dog wash business out of her family’s backyard in suburban Brisbane. Two decades later, Aussie Pooch Mobile is celebrating its 21st anniversary and has become an international business, with almost 200 franchises worldwide.
Woolworths cuts Dick Smith loose
Woolworths has announced plans to put its iconic electronics brand up for sale, with the chain’s namesake and founder Dick Smith saying he’ll be angered if the chain’s sold into foreign hands, but can’t see a likely alternative.
4 ways to avoid work party faux pas
One in three workers have to front up at work the day after the Christmas party, according to research from travel and lifestyle website Lastminute.com.au. What do you have to face up to the morning after the night before?
5 New Year’s resolutions to increase staff performance
Increasing efficiency and familiarity with your personnel are the key resolutions Leadership Management Australasia advises workplace leaders and managers to adopt.
Telstra first to sell Galaxy Nexus
Telstra beats out Vodafone and Optus as the first telco to offer customers the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, on sale online and in flagship city stores now.
Government boosts support for local innovators
Businesses developing a new product, process or service won’t have to repay Early Stage Commercialisation grants under new changes to the government-funded Commercialisation Australia program.
12 Christmas tips for growing businesses
In just 12 tips, Greg Charlwood of Bibby Financial Services will show you how to improve your business over the festive season so you'll be ready to succeed in 2012.
Stores should shut up and move on, says online retailer
One of Australia’s leading online retailers has declared that bricks-and-mortar stores have lost the price war and should stop complaining and move on if they wish to keep their customer base.
Interest rate cut cheers small businesses
The Reserve Bank (RBA) has cut the national interest rate to 4.25 percent, the second consecutive cut it has made in its monthly meetings—the first back-to-back monthly cuts since April 2009.
What frequent flyers really want
Being able to automatically pool points with family members to achieve non-flight or flight rewards is what frequent flyers most want from a rewards program, according to new research released by Virgin Australia.
Consumers close wallets on holiday, travel spend
With an eye on their pockets, over 50 percent of local consumers will skip the traditional summer holiday this year and stay at home, while who do travel will cut down on their spend while on holiday.
SMB sales up, retail hoping for Christmas miracle
Small business sales were up in October, suggesting that consumer spending will creep back in the lead up to Christmas, according to the latest figures from ANZ.
Interactive social media lessons with the Digital Treasure Hunt team
In a landscape dominated by ineffective Twitter and Facebook pages, a new and very interactive initiative is helping businesses achieve a competitive edge using social media tools.
iiNet brings BoBSquad to Sydney and Melbourne
iiNet has introduced its team of broadband internet experts, BoBsquad, to consumer and business customers in Sydney and Melbourne.
Productivity trumps green concerns in video conferencing uptake
Productivity and efficiency reasons, not environmental concerns, are the main impetus behind SMBs upgrading to video conferencing for meetings, Telstra Business research has found.
BigCommerce powering 20,000 stores, $350m in sales
BigCommerce is celebrating a milestone this week, announcing that it now powers over 20,000 online stores which have generated more than $350 million worth of sales.
Businesses taking two months to pay bills
Businesses are almost two months late in paying their bills, with the national tardiness rate blowing out to an average 53 days.
Motorola tablet sees price cut for Christmas
The Motorola Xoom tablet has had its price slashed in the lead up to Christmas, making now the ideal time for businesses to invest in the technology.
New logistics simplifying eCommerce back-end processes
As online businesses flourish and more traditional retailers expand their selling floor online, finding an efficient way to deal with the back-end process of online sales has become increasingly important. Dynamic Business talks to eStore Logistics co-founder Leigh Williams about the options available to SMEs.
Optus and FetchTV launch IPTV service
Optus has stepped into the internet TV fray, matching Telstra and Foxtel with the unveiling of its competitively priced IPTV service, Optus MeTV.
Westpac and CBA scoring well with micro businesses
The major banks are becoming increasingly different in their approaches to the business banking market, according to recent customer satisfaction results.
Commonwealth Bank rolls out world-first smartphone payments
The Commonwealth Bank is capitalising on Australians’ predilection for smartphones and social media, unveiling a new service that allows customers to make mobile payments through Facebook and their mobile phone address books.
Community to discuss Indigenous innovation
The inaugural Indigenous Innovation Unconference, an event designed to give the Indigenous community an opportunity to explore capacity building and sustainable development through enterprise, will take place in Sydney this weekend.