Expert
The decision to launch a start-up is often justified by statements such as “it was time to do something on my own”, “now was as good a time as any” or “it’s too good an opportunity to pass up”. These statements, while high on enthusiasm, are low on balanced consideration. While all opportunities carry a risk and […]
Personal narratives are as old as time and they continue to command attention – just look at Hollywood’s continued obsession with biopics and the abundance of best-selling biographies on bookstands. Simply put, people love good stories and they need to know what your story is. When people judge the merit of a business’s product or service, they invariably do so in reference […]
“Getting an audience is hard. Sustaining an audience is hard. It demands a consistency of thought, of purpose, and of action over a long period of time.” (Bruce Springsteen) Bruce Springsteen, aka The Boss, has been making music now for more than five decades. He’s run a pretty tight ship over that time with his […]
It’s January. Over the break, you discovered that your CEO or senior executives won’t be coming back after the holidays or if they are, they won’t be staying for long – and you’ve been selected to fix up the mess once they’re gone. How should you go about it? It depends on where your predecessor/s went wrong… […]
With holiday season upon us, there’s no better time than now to get stuck into a few books. To see you through Christmas, and leave you ready to take on 2017, I’ve rounded up some of my favourite books. Not all of these books are strictly business-related, but all are instructive in their own way. Without further ado… 1) Connect by John Browne. Drawing from […]
Does your business have a culture in which innovation thrives? Are people challenging the status quo and being encouraged by leaders to take risks in pursuit of innovation? Or is the opposite true, whereby people don’t take time to listen to new ideas and suggestions? Building a culture of innovation is hard work. However, the […]
Being agile in business today means you’re flexible, fast and adaptable. While agility has been a necessity in the fast-moving world of software development for some time, creating a structure that allows for rapid innovation is good for any business, regardless of the industry or functional area in which they operate. So how does an agile approach […]
Like any leader overseeing a large geographic region, I have often found myself meeting with partners in Sydney, attending a customer event in Auckland and joining an analyst briefing in Singapore – all in the same week. Unlike in the past, I have been able to meet these commitments without even having to board a […]
Every company likes to think they have a great culture but if you ask each member of the leadership team to sum theirs up, most will give vague, airy answers that don’t match. This is because most companies don’t actually have a uniting culture. Often in the corporate world you get an amalgamation of cultures or distinct […]
The first waves of Gen Z are entering the workforce and for the first time ever, four generations will be working together. Born between 1995 and 2009, Gen Z is composed of every school-goer in Australia right now, with the first batch already in the workplace. While they currently make up 10 per cent of […]
Businesses were promised a ‘paperless office’ as far back as the late 1970s but we are still waiting for that utopia to materialise. In the meantime, many businesses are doing their part to reduce the amount of paper flying around the office. This includes communicating via email wherever possible and reducing the amount of printing […]
Looking back to when I started Reckon 30 years ago with a maxed out credit card, a bank loan against a busted-up Holden Commodore and a big idea, it all seemed pie in the sky. Today Reckon is a publicly listed ASX company with strong growth employing over 500+ people across the world and a big, […]
All start-up companies aim to put together a solid business plan and a comprehensive marketing strategy to set sail and go on the challenging journey of entrepreneurship. No matter if you sell products or provide services, your marketing efforts always focus on generating new leads, keeping customers close to the brand, turning them into faithful […]
We all love to dream of success. Unfortunately, dreaming about success is unlikely to help you actually achieve it. Setting goals and measuring your progress is a simple, formal way to set you on the path to achieving those dreams. It is a first step in formalising your business planning and management. The mere act […]
When reviewing the financial performance of a business, the primary measure I look at is Return on Capital Employed (ROCE). ROCE not only measures the profitability of a business but also the efficiency with which its capital is employed. In Laymen’s terms, ROCE works out how much bang for your buck you’re getting out […]
Whether you’re a freelancer, entrepreneur or a virtual worker, one thing you probably love about your job is the ability to work wherever and whenever you want. You’re not beholden to the 9 to 5 office life of the average corporate worker bee. It’s great, right? Perhaps not always. Undoubtedly you’ve had days where your […]
Yesterday, Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States of America. For many, it was an unexpected and alarming result. For others, it was a win against the establishment. But what does it mean for Australian business leaders and how can it help us improve? Perhaps what has chilled people most about […]
A managing director arrives at her desk to a bottle of wine and a ‘thank you’ note from her team. They’re expressing gratitude for a fun afternoon away from the office celebrating the Melbourne Cup as a team. No leave time was recorded – the out-of-office activity was a gesture of goodwill. The managing director understands the importance of developing a culture of […]
Goofing off. That’s probably what it looks like I’m doing most of the time. But really I’m just endlessly curious to read about new things, look at different images, and get lost in a wormhole of seemingly time-wasting internet detritus. Most of it is probably worthless. But some of it can spark an idea that can […]
A full-page newspaper advert for US electronics retail giant Radio Shack from 1991 is a great reminder of how much the way we do business has changed forever. This advert featured 15 pieces of technology that would have set you back $3000, or $5300 with today’s US dollar valuation, and might just have squeezed into […]
