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Finding that seven in 10 Australians are now active social media users, Hootsuite has called on the nation’s small businesses to capitalise on an opportunity to ‘unlock critical revenue streams’. The social media management platform has released Digital in 2018, a report of social media and digital trends globally. Representing 239 countries and territories, the […]
Startups with good a business plan give comfort to entrepreneurs and investors in part because the plan details the objectives, strategies and tactics along with the anticipated profits. There is however a wide variation in business plans. Some are voluminous demonstrations of thorough research, while some exist as a mere template borrowed from the internet to meet the formalities. Others, […]
The NSW Government is investing $2 million in a university-led cyber security network, with the aim being to protect the public sector and industry against cyberattacks. Announced by Minister for Finance, Victor Dominello, the NSW Cyber Security Council will bring together leading scientists and engineers from seven of the state’s universities to: harness the expertise […]
In tennis, 20-time grand slam champion Roger Federer has carved out a successful career as an ‘all-rounder’. By accounting for different surfaces, opponent playing styles and weather conditions, he’s performed consistently across two decades in the game. In much the same way, entrepreneurs in the tech space should seek to develop a broad, well-rounded repertoire […]
The Federal Government will “carefully consider” a strategy, prepared by Innovation and Science Australia (ISA), to transform Australia into a “top tier innovation nation” by 2030, Minister for Jobs and Innovation, Michaelia Cash has announced. Released this week, ISA’s Australia 2030: Prosperity Through Innovation report contains 30 recommendations for creating a high performing innovation system, […]
Michael Burton’s love affair with beer started when his wife Brooke put him onto the ‘good stuff’. Since then, the Wollongong duo have made it their mission to protect the bottom lines – and reputations – of local and international brewers. Their technology startup, Binary Beer, has developed an Internet of Things (IoT) platform that enables breweries to […]
The peak body for Australia’s fintech industry has urged Federal Parliament to prioritise a ‘vital new source of funds’ for SMEs by expediting the approval and implementation of private company equity crowdfunding legislation introduced in September 2017. According to FinTech Australia chair Stuart Stoyan, the Corporations Amendment (Crowd-sourced Funding for Proprietary Companies) Bill 2017 has […]
Leading companies across a range of sectors – including finance, utilities, government, education, automotive and telecommunications – need to lift their game when it comes to customer experience (CX), a new study reveals. CX consulting firm, Customer Service Benchmarking Australia (CSBA), studied 3000 customer interactions with 136 companies in Australia, assigning each a score out of 100 […]
The deadline has been known for more than two years, yet many Australian organisations are still woefully unprepared for new data breach regulations that come into effect next month. From Thursday, 22 February, the Notifiable Data Breaches Scheme (NDB) will require all organisations that are covered by the Australian Privacy Act to notify individuals whose […]
With just over three weeks until mandatory data breach reporting laws come into effect, the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO), Kate Carnell, has urged small businesses to ensure they are prepared as a matter of urgency. From 22 February, organisations with personal information security obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 will be […]
Blockchain, cryptocurrencies and e-wallets. Wearables such as Google Glass and fitness trackers. Sharing economy platforms. ConstructionTech. Machine learning and artificial intelligence. Bots, smart home devices and self-driving cars. Virtual and augmented reality. Big Data. Internet-connected fridges and other IoT gadgets. Depending on who you ask, some of these technologies are either ‘hot properties’ or ‘hot […]
Much has been said about the benefits SMEs will see from new draft legislation recently proposed by the Federal Minister for Revenue and Financial Services authorising the Australian Taxation Office to disclose business tax debts to credit reporting bureaus. While the stated aim is to “help the SME sector”, in reality SMEs will be largely […]
Depending on your source, it’s estimated that ‘technical people’ account for around 7% of the global population. That includes everyone from quantum computing experts right through to your brother-in-law’s childhood friend who knows how to mock up a WordPress site. If you’ve got a great idea but you’re in the ‘other’ 93% of the population […]
Every year we see an increasing number of people buying or selling online. In 2016, Australians completed 8.1 billion card transactions, totalling $714.5 billion. By 2020, forecasts project that online shopping will have doubled since 2015 and account for 15 per cent of all retail sales globally. However, as more people shop online, businesses not only […]
More than 2500 years ago, Greek philosopher Heraclitus declared the only constant in life is change. In the early days of 2018, his words have never been more accurate. But why is it that some organisations thrive in this environment while others wither? What’s the secret to success in a constantly evolving world? On the […]
Business moves fast these days. But if business is quick, social media is Usain Bolt. One little post spirals out of control and within a few hours, you have a full-on brand crisis. Don’t believe me? Just ask H&M. The fashion retailer recently found itself under fire for an ad that featured a black child […]
Named Australia’s ‘Accelerator of the Year’ at StartCon 2017, SheStarts returns for its sophomore series tomorrow (Tuesday, 30 January) with nine female founders, representing eight early-stage tech startups, taking part in the BlueChilli-backed program. The second SheStarts cohort includes Dr Annie McCauley (Talk-i-Wear), Andrez Coco (Knowlly), Karen Hind (Recall App), Danielle Owen Whitford (Pioneera), Laura […]
Victoria’s online marketplace startups have created jobs for 93,000 people and contribute $1.6 billion to the state economy, according to new report from EY-Parthenon and startup ecosystem development agency LaunchVic. The report, A Review of Melbourne’s Digital Marketplaces, shows the sector is growing at 11% per year, well above Victoria’s current industry growth rate of […]
Employers who deny their employees their superannuation entitlements face up to a year in jail under legislation drafted by the Federal Government. According to Minister for Revenue and Financial Services, Kelly O’Dwyer, the purpose of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Taxation and Superannuation Guarantee Integrity Measures) Bill 2018 is protect workers’ superannuation entitlements and “modernise” the […]
Specialist advisers can now apply for grants from the Federal Government to help small business employers in metropolitan and regional areas take advantage of digital opportunities. As part of its Australian Small Business Advisory Services (ASBAS) program, the Federal Government will invest up to $18.02million over three years on the provision of low cost, high […]
