Expert
The construction industry might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about online marketing, but the fact is more and more people are jumping on the Internet for all of their service and product needs, not just for retail, and any small business who wants to keep on growing in […]
Compliance and risk management don’t sound very attractive but they are crucial to having a sound business and are drivers to achieving business excellence – we call it Future-Proofing. Undertaking an annual legal health check of your company is one of the best decisions you will make for it’s reputation, growth and for your sanity. […]
Fifteen years ago we were promised a more productive future, where technology was going to transform how we worked and make life easier for all. Is anyone feeling this yet? Probably not. In fact, most of today’s knowledge workers would say that they are busier, working longer hours and are more overwhelmed and stressed. What […]
In this day and age, is there any business serious about its growth that doesn’t have an online presence of some sort? A website should be the starting point of every company’s marketing and business development plan, although an increasing number of small businesses, particularly side ventures of stay at home mums or those who […]
The story of Atlassian is the perfect tech startup fairy tale; two humble guys from Sydney bootstrap a company with a $10,000 credit card and pull off a successful IPO with a market cap of $4.4 billion (USD). Although, contrary to the hopes of many Australian entrepreneurs, the success of Atlassian doesn’t ride on the […]
There are many challenges facing small businesses and, with the New Year well underway, now is a good time to start addressing these head-on in order to build a stronger business. Whether you are a small enterprise just starting out or a mature business looking for additional growth, there is no shortage of challenges that […]
More stress, less time, more responsibility, less support? How do we get back to living a life we love without giving one thing up for another? As a business owner, leader or anyone in corporate knows – the best results come with a clear strategy and the courage to make a plan that’s relevant, realistic […]
After a year in which the world economy experienced heightened volatility and global growth slowed, there has been a positive shift in opportunities ahead for SME exporters. Trade is still growing, albeit at a slower pace than before the global financial crisis (GFC). After relatively modest growth of 2.6 per cent last year, Efic expects […]
Some people have a great idea they want to see through, some could think of nothing worse than going out on their own. Today, the word entrepreneur is the new black and we are talking start-ups all over again. I’ve seen several cycles through my career and worked with my first entrepreneur in my early […]
1. Before we say no to new ideas – ‘Consider’ You never know where the best ideas are going to come from, so you need to be open. When Kodak said ‘no’ to the digital camera invented in their very own labs by Steven Sasson in 1975, they said no to the idea that was […]
The startup world is alive and bustling with entrepreneurs, investors, accelerators and a growing network of support industries. The Startup Economy study undertaken by PwC and commissioned by Google highlights that with the right support and growth, this could contribute over $100 billion to GDP and create over half a million new jobs by 2033. […]
Leadership is the ability to direct, create, inspire and influence. It requires flexibility; leaders must roll with the punches, be open to change and continuously look for opportunities to move forward. Most importantly, leadership is about motivation. It is about growing others while they work with you towards a common goal. Great leaders have specific […]
There’s nothing more rewarding than running your own business. However, many small business owners will tell you they find it difficult to take time off. Unless you have 100% confidence in your staff to manage things without you, it can be tempting to always be around, sacrificing your personal time to keep the business running. […]
Startups and small businesses play a vital role in Australia’s economy. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, SMBs make up 96 per cent of all Australian businesses. As a former small business owner and now an executive who works closely with startups and small businesses, it’s been encouraging to see the Government support Australia’s […]
New customers are the lifeblood of every business, and every SME owner faces the constant pressure of not only finding and connecting with new potential customers but also converting them to paying customers. While it will always be a challenge to continue growing your customer base, now is the perfect time to reassess your customer acquisition strategy […]
Australia is lagging behind in the innovation stakes, ranking 17th for 2 years running in the Global Innovation Index 2015. We are being overtaken by the likes of New Zealand and even smaller markets like Luxembourg amongst a range of criteria, such as business sophistication, infrastructure, human capital and research and creative outputs, amongst others. […]
Many office workers arrive each day and ignore the most pressing and difficult tasks, choosing to begin with lower priority jobs. It’s classic procrastination and it is doing serious harm to your personal productivity. The ability to overcome procrastination and tackle the important actions that have the biggest positive impact in your life or business is […]
Flexibility. To many business owners this may sound like a swear word. The prospect of having employees who are not working in the office or not available during work hours on certain days could appear to be more of a hindrance than a help. But if entrepreneurs and small business owners want to attract and […]
As the world becomes smaller and technology more powerful, an ever-increasing number of people are being bitten by the entrepreneurial bug. Against a general background of economic uncertainty, the idea of taking charge and becoming the captain of your own ship is an incredibly appealing one. There is, however, something of a chasm between the […]
So your business has expanded and you are considering employing your first member of staff. However, you are not sure whether to employee a full time, contract or even a casual worker. Before you go ahead start recruiting, here are some important legal issues to consider when hiring staff: Contractor vs Employee In law, there […]
