Kristy Sheppard
Why teleworking is the latest craze
Teleworking. It’s a word you hear more and more often in business circles. Not quite on the bandwagon yet? Now’s the time to get on board.
Why an online presence is essential for your business
For business owners, the beginning of the new year is an opportunity to reflect on and assess how their operations can be improved.
6 steps to gear up for the silly season
The upcoming festive period is one of the busiest times of the year for small to medium business operators like you. For some, it brings in a significant part of their annual revenue.
Top tips for finding your niche
Finding and building a niche – a special area of demand for a product or service – could prove to be both rewarding and profitable for your business. This tactic for growth can be especially useful if you work in a competitive industry.
Don’t be a victim of screen scraping
If you use cloud accounting, no doubt you’re keen to ensure the safety of your business’ confidential accounting information. This is how to ensure your valuable data is covered from all angles.
Learn how to run a productive WIP meeting
Being a manager often isn’t easy, nor is finding the time to spend quality time discussing your team’s past, present and future activities with them. Here are some ideas for how to plan and run an efficient work in progress (WIP) meeting.
Innovate your way to business success
With the rise and rise of the internet, Australia’s persistent patchwork economy and increasingly fierce competition for the cautious consumer dollar, innovation is core to business success.
What makes a good leader?
At the core of a happy and engaged workforce is a great leader. Anyone can be a manager, but can they be an inspirational, affiliative and collaborative leader? MYOB CEO Tim Reed offers these thoughts.
Start-up? This checklist’s for you
Given all you need to start a business these days is a computer and an internet connection, why has the number of businesses registering for GST almost-halved? If you don’t know where to start with your start-up venture, this checklist’s for you.
Why you should pay attention to your Net Promoter Score
Good customer service could be the competitive advantage you’ve been looking for, and a new methodology called the Net Promoter Score is helping businesses see how likely customers are to recommend them to another person. Here’s how it works.
Endear customers to your business with a service point of difference
Australia is not known for it’s remarkable customer service, which is why so many of us are shocked when we’re greeted with some outstanding customer care. Here, MYOB’s Kristy Sheppard shares a recent service experience that surprised her, and how this has endeared her to a business she wouldn’t normally frequent.
EOFY: How to prepare for upcoming contractor payment changes
If you employ the services of any building and construction contractors, from 1 July the ATO will be adding some new reporting requirements. Here’s what the new obligation will mean for your business.
10 carbon tax money saving tips
The carbon tax is almost upon us, and yet many business owners are still dazed and confused about what it means for their business. Fair enough too, it can be a fairly complex topic to get your head around, but these tips should help.
Cloud accounting 101: Three reasons to get on board
Accounting software with a cloud component enables data to be stored securely offsite – usually on servers managed by a cloud provider – and accessed remotely anywhere and anytime via the internet. Here are three more good reasons SMBs should embrace the technology.
EOFY black spots found in SMBs tax knowledge
Last financial year, the ATO evaluated 1.4 million SMBs against its risk detection systems, which led to 16,000 being investigated. Here’s how to plug your EOFY knowledge black spots and escape the attention of the tax office.
How healthy is your market intelligence?
If you don’t know your competitors back to front and you don’t know where your customers are coming from and how they feel about your service, then it’s impossible to make informed improvements to become more competitive.
EOFY is coming – are you up to speed?
Did you know that this upcoming EOFY is one of the most compliance-heavy years we’ve seen in some time. Daunting, huh? Here’s a look at what you need to be aware of.
The value of taking some time out from your business
According to the latest MYOB Business Monitor survey, 30 percent of business owners haven’t holidayed since starting their business. Sound familiar? Think about the effect this has on you physically and mentally, plus the effect it has on your family and friend networks.
How to prepare for media interviews: beginner tips
Media interviews are a great opportunity to gain third-party endorsement for your business in the form of a print or online article, but it’s vital you go into the interview prepared or you could end up doing more damage than good. Here’s some expert tips to get you prepared for the big day.
How to keep up with the most knowledgable people in your industry
The ever-increasing importance of ‘traditional’ websites, social media and information technology means a whole new skill set is required to stay on top of developments affecting your business. From Twitter to RSS, newsgroups to Google Alerts, a brave new world of information gathering options exists to make sure you never get left out of the loop.
The benefits of including staff in strategy development
A good strategy is the foundation of any successful business, but getting that strategy ingrained in your staff’s minds is easier said than done. Better yet – why not include your staff within the strategy development process? They could very well have insights and ideas that strengthen what you have in mind.
The pros and cons of being a franchise owner
The perceived security of joining a franchise system tempts many potential and existing business owners, especially during times of economic uncertainty. So, is now the right time to buy a franchise or is it best to fly your independent flag?
To website or not to website? Answering the eternal question
Do small to medium businesses with a website really enjoy greater revenue than those without? Yes, and here are the figures that prove it.
Tips to create a saleable business
Planning ahead to exit your business should start from day one, to ensure you build a valuable and saleable asset. There are many important aspects of succession planning, so start ticking these off your list now.