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If trade bought prosperity to all corners of the world, then COVID-19 is showing the dark side of an interdependent world. Media interest in COVID-19 is increasingly shifting from the public health aspects of the crisis to the economic consequences of the biggest global pandemic in over a century. Often the issues involved in fighting the […]
With both government and companies eagerly adopting artificial intelligence (AI) strategies, we explore how AI could also streamline and scale your business. We examine the potential opportunities and risks that come with using AI, and what the future of AI and business looks like. What is artificial intelligence? The CSIRO defines AI as “a collection […]
As a telehealth provider, Coviu experienced a sudden surge in customer demand during the pandemic. Their website saw a 10,000 per cent increase in views in two weeks and their 7 initial staff were answering up to 1000 support requests a day. Despite these challenges, Coviu managed to successfully scale up whilst meeting unprecedented customer […]
Official ABS figures released today show that the unemployment rate has fallen to 6.8 per cent in August, down from 7.5 per cent in July. This drop contrasts widespread predictions of rising unemployment. Despite stage 4 lockdowns in Melbourne and stage 3 lockdowns across regional Victoria, national employment increased by 111,000 people between July and […]
Qantas will start referring business frequent flyers to lending platform Valiant Finance. This partnership helps Qantas members access working capital, asset finance and commercial loans. It will be enabled by Qantas Business Rewards, the airline’s frequent flyer program for SMEs. Olivia Wirth, Qantas Loyalty CEO, hopes that this move will help support businesses throughout the […]
Research from payroll and HR software solutions provider, Ascender, shows that more than one in three (37 per cent) of Australians are willing to take a pay cut in order to work from home for the rest of 2020. What does the research say? The research involved 1000 Australians from all states in late June. […]
A strong story behind a business’s inception can have a powerful effect on customers. Customers may identify with a founder’s back story or values, which can help grow the customer base. A compelling story can also help create a cohesive workplace culture, binding employees together with a shared vision. However when customers purchase a product, […]
The Morrison government has announced they will back the construction of a gas-fired power station in plans to prevent an energy price spike for employers and households and help rebuild the Australian economy. “Gas is a critical enabler of Australia’s economy,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a statement ahead of Tuesday’s speech. “Our competitive […]
Rebranding can be difficult at the best of times. Companies fear losing recognition, customer retention and brand loyalty. With this in mind, rebranding during a global pandemic, when customers are far and few between? Seemingly impossible. That is what business entrepreneur Rebecca Klodinsky took on when she rebranded her swimwear company Frankii Swim to IIXIIST […]
Start Path – Mastercard’s global start up program – has bolstered 230 fintechs around the world and helped them raise $2 billion in capital. The program boasts an Australian alumni of Airwallex, Money Tree and identitii, and has recently partnered with its first Australian fintech mx51. We chatted with Kallan Hogan, Head of Fintech Australasia […]
Amidst the constantly changing news cycle and rule amendments, it can be hard for SMEs to keep track of their tax obligations. We interviewed Kirsten Fish, Chief Tax Counsel at the ATO (currently Deputy Commissioner Small Business), on the major tax issues facing SMEs during the pandemic and how best to navigate them. What are […]
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns are a rising trend in investment decision-making globally. Between 2016 and 2018, the value of sustainable and responsible investment assets in Europe, the US, Japan, Canada and Australia/New Zealand rose by 34 per cent to $30.7 trillion. This trend has been accelerating the fastest in the United States. More […]
Guest authored by Jason Toshack, General Manager ANZ at Oracle NetSuite So far, 2020 has been a challenging year for many Australian businesses. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) found that two-thirds of Aussie businesses have reported a decrease in revenue compared to last year. Business leaders have had to adapt fast, including re-thinking how they […]
From working in a fish and chip shop to owning a global award-winning skincare company, these two high school mates are on the fast track to commanding the beauty industry. Entrepreneurs Manny Barbas and James Hachem founded the skincare company Alya Skin in 2018. Since then they have turned over $20 million, selling to 500,000 […]
Increasing the sales of your business is more important now than ever. As Australia declines into the coronacession, businesses are being forced to adapt and pivot their sales strategies to ensure they maximise revenue. Take a look at this week’s Let’s Talk, where industry leaders share their top tips to increase sales. Kylie Gleeson-Long, Managing […]
Melbourne hospitality businesses are banding together to create a service which provides food to their workers who are doing it tough. The COVID-19 Employee Assistance Directive (COVID-19 EAD) was created in the wake of the collapse of the hospitality industry due to the coronavirus pandemic. One of the founding members of the initiative is Iain […]
Qwilr, online proposal and quote software startup, has announced the appointment of Ben Mackie as Head of Engineering. Ben joins from Atlassian where he spent six years leading engineering, platform and technology partnerships for Confluence, Atlassian’s workplace collaboration platform, and scaling product growth and experimentation across the company. Ben is looking forward to moving from […]
Many entrepreneurs secretly dream of one day listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), but the IPO process is not for the faint-hearted. Brett Kelly shares Kelly+Partners’ journey from privately-owned accounting practice to publicly listed company. Brett Kelly has never been afraid to aim high. When the 22-year-old suddenly found himself unemployed, he approached 34 […]
Less than 5 per cent of the Federal Government’s $40 billion Coronavirus SME guarantee scheme has been taken up by business owners. On 22 March, the Government announced the Coronavirus SME Guarantee Scheme (the Scheme). Under the Scheme, the Government guarantees 50 per cent of loans issued by eligible lenders to SMEs. Loans can be […]
The ABS confirmed Australia’s first recession since 1990 after recording two consecutive quarters of economic decline. After being hammered by the pandemic, bushfires and drought, Australia’s GDP plunged by 7 per cent in the April-June quarter. This follows a 0.3 per cent fall in the previous quarter. The 7 per cent fall is also the […]
