Growing

There’s a conundrum for small business; looking to the bigger enterprises can be both inspirational and aspirational, but also dispiriting in terms of the resources divide.

Considering trading opportunities with China, many Australian SMEs may view the market as almost exclusively an exporter. Yet new research reveals the reality is in fact quite the opposite.

If your business is not moving ahead, it’s going backwards – stagnation is the enemy of progress.

Online marketing is an ongoing process that requires regular time and effort, and fortunately you don’t need to be an SEO guru to improve your website traffic.

It’s not rocket science – customers want to have positive experiences when interacting with your business.

If you don’t start integrating cloud solutions and mobile working conditions, your business won’t last.

It’s an oft-cited statistic: the majority of small businesses fail in their first year for a variety of reasons, and chief among them is a lack of funding.

Victoria’s Small Business Festival will soon kick off for the entire month of August, and includes a series of events, which cover current business trends and issues, as well as relevant solutions and tips.

Thanks to revitalisation efforts in part by the City of Sydney, as well as fearless small business owners willing to take a chance, the city’s laneways are becoming vibrant locations outside the hours of 9-5pm.

Over the past few years ‘incubator’ style office space, which can be rented by the desk and in month-to-month lease terms, has exploded onto the market.

Following cash injections from Angel and Seed funding totaling some $775k, the Start-Up Stock Exchange (SSX) kicked off earlier this month – and so far six Aussie companies have listed.

A number of high profile organisations are now taking applications for grants and scholarships aimed at giving talented and innovative entrepreneurs a leg up.

The University of Queensland’s technology incubator, ilab, has been given the tick of approval by the state government with funding granted for the next two years.

The restrictions on hiring foreign workers have become tighter with the Senate passing Labor’s 457 foreign worker visa scheme.

It wasn’t too long ago that ‘trends’ referred exclusively to what one would see in a fashion catalogue, and ‘hash tag’ was the disused key on a handset phone – is it a case of get-with-the-times, or die?

If it feels as though you’re losing more customers than you’re gaining, you probably are – and while it’s easy to blame the economy or the government, your business starts and ends with you.

It might go against everything you have ever heard, but sharing is one of the best ways to get ahead in the business world. It’s also a great way to create social change.

Inspired by her volunteer placement in North India, where she taught sewing to Tibetan refugees, Australian designer Frances Carrington founded her label ‘Eternal Creation’ to support Himalayan communities.

Commonwealth Bank has announced the return of the free Small Business Forums to help local business owners grow their business through effective implementation of technology.

Here are 10 tips to help you on your next sourcing project in China.