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When you are starting out in business, you will recognise that it can be a very lonely experience. You may have a couple of key people who are your ‘go to’ resource for advice. It is quite common for business owners to reach out to a former colleague, mentor, maybe a family member or even their accountant. However, […]
Today is the international day to celebrate workers – a day created in 127 years ago in the Netherlands to rally workers in support of 8-hour work days. Traditionally workers across the globe take to the streets in the call for better wages and job conditions. While May day celebrations, or Labour Day, are a […]
Although the phrase “location, location, location” can be categorized as a cliché, it is actually one of the top considerations new business owners face when they are preparing to open a brick-and-mortar store. Whether the business sells products or provides services, the location of the storefront is what brings customers through the door and into […]
For Kelly Jamieson, starting her own business was a combination of fulfilling a life-long dream and a distinct gap in the market. With friends and family abroad and interstate, she wanted to send flowers as gifts but found the delivered products often differed from the picture she had seen online. “I spent the early parts […]
Australia’s small business exporters have three things in common: they are optimistic, they are confident and most importantly, they are innovative. When this translates to the international market through exporting, these traits are even more important to success. As small and medium enterprises (SME) move into the global marketplace, they have the opportunity to learn […]
It’s a little bit AirBnB, a little bit Uber – and if things go well, maybe even a little bit Tinder. A new Sydney-based platform called WelcomeOver is aiming to capitalise on the burgeoning share-based economy by bringing together strangers for dinner. Behind the new platform is a mixed young crew comprising Nelson Higalgo, […]
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. […]
