Featured
You’ve got the idea, you’ve done the research and your plans are ready and waiting; but finding someone to invest in an untested business model seems nigh on impossible. It’s the usual conundrum. A recent report from the UK suggested that despite high levels of confidence amongst younger entrepreneurs, many are being held back by […]
Any traveller will appreciate what ‘culture shock’ feels like; that moment when we first set foot in an unfamiliar civilisation and realisation suddenly strikes: Our understanding of social cues, customs, behaviour, and communication have suddenly become defunct. These are our social navigation tools – tools we take for granted – until they’re no longer there […]
Small business failure rates are alarming – or so we are told. Along every avenue of research an enthusiastic entrepreneur will take, their spark, at some point, will be doused by bold assertions: “8 Out of 10 entrepreneurs who start businesses fail within the first 18 months” (www.forbes.com). For anyone in the throes of a […]
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. […]
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 […]
Recognition, reward and opportunity; these are the three key staples in the diet of an engaged and motivated employee. Yet – delivering the right balance of these ‘dietary requirements’ can be one of the biggest challenges businesses face. When they don’t get it right, a disengaged workforce and low morale ensues. With 20 years’ experience […]
It’s not always what you do but the way you do things in business that secures your place in the market and a loyal customer base. The mistaken belief that you have to reinvent the wheel will only serve to make your experience more overwhelming and limit your options. “They think they have to come […]
How much do you attribute success to what you earn and your net worth? I’ve found earning money – even lots of it — can certainly be a by-product of being successful. But wealth is so often not the primary driver for successful people. Many of the world’s big money earners are in fact driven by something […]
If you’ve ever requested an Uber ride to be later picked up by a 4×4, fuel guzzling behemoth of a vehicle, you’ll understand where this idea came from. Chris King, an avid user of Uber services, realised that there were two potential inhibitors to the flow of new drivers to the platform. While noticing that a […]
Current Insolvency provisions under the Australian Corporations Act impose a duty on Directors not to trade while insolvent, but also not to trade in a manner that will lead it to insolvency. Although this may not appear too onerous an obligation, it can actually be trickier than it seems. Some companies regularly flirt with insolvency, […]
Jessica was employed in the corporate finance sector when she decided that she “wasn’t loving the 9 to 5 grind” – although, as she quips, “it was more like 8 to 8.” After all, if you’re going to pour so many hours into your day job – wouldn’t you want to choose those hours, and […]
Some might argue that ‘business’ is synonymous with risk; and in many ways, it is. But what of it? “If you ever want to achieve the life you’ve always dreamed of, you’ll have to start taking positive, calculated risks. “The benefits of taking risks will enrich your life and make your business or career much […]
Of all the negative influences that can hamper a business from realising its full potential from its employees, ‘otherness’ is perhaps the most subtle – and, in many ways, the most insidious – of all. It’s so difficult for organisations to grapple with, because it is so difficult to pin down in the first instance. […]
On the 16th of March 2016, Sydney will play host to a new conference on the business scene, specially curated to equip CEOs, entrepreneurs and business owners with the knowledge to take their business to ‘the next level.’ But unlike others, this one will not be spearheaded by the best executive coaches in town. Instead, […]
It’s not uncommon these days to have a wide age gap between your employees. Many businesses these days have an employee age range which spans across three generations – the Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y (or the Millennials). While each generation brings a distinct set of values, insights and expertise to the workplace, […]
Any entrepreneur looking to break ground in the online marketplace sector will be familiar with this conundrum: you need to raise capital to launch the business, but without the business and proof of concept, you can’t get the capital. Much like the centuries old argument: which came first, the chicken or the egg? ‘Raising capital […]
We work hard and we strive for promotion; we get promoted and receive financial reward. Do we then pause in content and admire the view before considering our direction? Not likely. Most career-minded individuals will tilt their heads back and start looking up at the next rung of the ladder. After all, we are conditioned […]
If you are a leader – or an expert in your field, whether you like it or not, you are Captain of your personal brand. Do you buy from people you don’t like? Do you return to places where an individual has shown you bad service? Have you been in a business meeting where a […]
The desire to be happy at work and enjoy your job is not an unreasonable one – after all, we spend the vast majority of our waking hours working. True – some of us submit to the notion that getting paid to work is not synonymous with enjoyment, but an increasing number of the workforce […]
In 2016, the global eCommerce industry is set to take in over $1.15 Trillion dollars in sales. That is more than the GDP of Sweden, Finland and Greece – Combined. That turnover isn’t exclusively from multinational corporations either – but rather a large portion is from SMB’s. Unlike any time in history, the barriers for […]
