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It’s hard to disagree that the 2015 budget wasn’t a cash cow for small business. Across Australia some two million businesses cashed in on $5.5 billion in tax breaks as the government attempted to stoke the home fires of the economy. The key prize allowed small business to claim basically any item needed for the […]
Are you all set to convert your dreams into reality? Establishing your own business and becoming your own boss can be really overwhelming, but it also requires loads of discipline and dedication. Here are a few tips for getting you started in the proper direction: Developing an elaborate plan Creating an elaborate business plan can […]
A Melbourne based technology start-up that leverages the power of emotional reactions and interaction is experiencing explosive global growth. Vent, an online platform that allows users to express their feelings and connect with people, has already raised over $500k in investment since launching in August 2014. Vent has acquired 1 million global users and expects […]
Marketing is easier, faster, and a lot more effective than it used to be. But, if you’re a new business, it often doesn’t feel that way. Ever notice how some businesses grow suspiciously fast — coming “out of nowhere” and rocket into the #1 spot online? Their sales explode and it seems like they can […]
When planning for growth, one thing that often keeps business owners up at night is the question, “When is the right time to hire new staff?” Do you wait until you land that big new contract and then hire the staff you need? Or, do you take the risk and hire the staff first, so […]
It’s the usual, ‘textbook’ story. Fed up of the daily grind, many turn their backs on an employment contract for the freedom of being their own boss. It’s either-or; no risk or full risk. At least – that’s the conclusion most of us would jump to. But while some of us are willing to ‘take […]
For some businesses, expanding overseas is considered a vital component to their growth strategy. And it’s not hard to understand why. After all, they’re opening the door to a new [and often much larger] pool of customers and revenue. But if only it were that simple. Sure – the sky is the limit where those […]
Allianz Australia took some time to speak with a couple of Aussie businesses that are ‘doing it for themselves’. The owner-operators of Naturally Gifted spoke with us about what it’s like running a micro-business. Businesses that choose to create and provide locally made or locally sold products and services continue to shape not only the […]
With the unemployment rate hovering around the 6% mark, it’s clear that there are candidates out there, actively looking for work. But speak to any hiring manager out there and they’ll tell a different story – that good people are hard to find, and the skills shortage we’ve been hearing about for years is a […]
“Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.” Sam Ewig Running a business for over 20 years provides a wide ranging perspective on hiring, firing and the movement of people. We’ve seen all levels of skill, experience and commitment; […]
Entrepreneurs, along with their start-ups and innovative ideas have certainly been discovered as the new ‘best friend’ of the Australian economy – or at least, they have only recently been recognised as such at a governmental level. Welcome to the ideas boom. In December 2015, the National Innovation and Science Agenda (NISA) announced a suite […]
We demand more, we want things quicker, and of course, we want it cheaper. These are the commercial pressures a number of industries are grappling with today – and few are exempt. We’ve seen airlines diversify into the ‘low-cost’ market, retailers ditch their stores for online presence, and the media industry drop paper copy for […]
In January 2014, the Sydney tech start-up, Maestrano, launched with a mission; that mission was to help SME’s focus on their core business by reducing time spent on low-value administrative tasks. With cloud applications already renowned for their ability to provide cost-effective access to information and technology, Maestrano’s founding team sought to take things a […]
It’s an exciting time to be a small business involved in exporting. With the weaker AUD boosting Australia’s international competiveness in many industries outside of mining, and a host of new free trade agreements opening up entry into foreign markets, there are many great opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) thinking about expanding overseas. […]
When you imagine a construction worker, would you think of that person as male or female? It’s perhaps not necessary to state the assumed response to that question because we have been educated to pigeonhole men and women in particular industries. As a result, women are largely underrepresented across a number of industries in the […]
For too many people out there, the idea of working in the Information Technology sector is associated solely with coding, as if learning a new programming language is the only thing you can do in order to become a professional in this industry. The reality is that there are plenty of jobs available, with a […]
If you practice what you preach, you’re more likely to gain credibility as a business leader – whether that be with your staff or customers. After all – would you take fitness advice from a personal trainer who smokes; or would you take driving lessons from an instructor who has a string of driving offences? […]
The legal industry is one steeped in tradition. Like our elders who will never give up on the feel of a newspaper for an iPad app, law firms that have been around since the year dot turn a blind eye to advances in technology and changing consumer behaviour, instead choosing to nurture convention. For them, […]
A crowd of business leaders aspiring to take their businesses to the next level gathered yesterday for the inaugural GrowthCon event at Sydney’s Hilton Hotel. The brainchild of Martin Martinez, who founded and grew the Australian Poker League (APL) from a “one-bedroom operation” into a 50-million-dollar enterprise, the event brought together ten of Australia’s leading […]
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 […]
