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One of the most unexpected trends to emerge from the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and the recession that followed in many nations, was the number of new businesses which started up even though economic conditions were so difficult.

Changing the way you think can help you to approach old problems in new ways and be more innovative and customer-centric than your competitors. ‘Design Thinking’ is a different way of thinking that draws on the creative and intuitive as well as the analytical and rational mind.

Brilliance in sales and marketing is the lifeblood of small business, yet many owners lose sight of their vision in the day-to-day multi-tasking that managing a business demands. Use these tips to re-energise your passion for sales and marketing, and get back on track to becoming a visionary.

Susannah George launched TheUrbanList.com last year, because she believed small businesses could be better leveraging the web to drive customers through their doors. Here, she talks about building a platform to facilitate this and reveals her desire to build a business that attracts the best talent available.

Cultivating a memorable experience is often a key concern when planning events. And as leading planners have known for years, the fastest way to grab the attention of your attendees is with a core-branding image. So when your goal is to create a lasting memory, there’s no faster way than with a quality event logo.

Why should small businesses look to outsourcing? First and foremost – there might be savings to be made and profits to be gained if you do. And second, no one’s good at everything, so it pays to let the experts take care of some of the more challenging aspects of running a business.

You should treat your home office as you would any other business premise, to ensure intellectual property is protected from thieves. If you’re the budget-conscious type, there are a number of ways to safe-proof a home office both cheaply and diligently.

Should you be worried about what you put in the cloud? There are some security and privacy issues that you do need to be aware of. For the prospective adopters of cloud computing, binding laws such as the US Patriot Act have brought risks to the table that most businesses are simply not comfortable dealing with.

With food intolerances on the rise, business opportunities are ripe for the picking by entrepreneurs who are savvy enough to spot them. Narelle Plapp saw her chance to enter the health food market back in 2005, and now runs a global multi-million dollar operation.

The more solid relationships you build, the more credible you are. The more your credibility grows, the more people will hire and recommend you.

Use the time you save writing a detailed business plan to move past the planning phase and help your company take flight.

When running your business, sustained energy and razor sharp focus come from within. Sales pro Grant Cardone shares his best tips on how to get there.

Topshop’s Sydney store opened this week, to the kind of hysteria local retailers can only dream of. We spoke to COO David Shepherd yesterday, who delivered some lessons for small businesses about how delivering the best product is the key to success.

LinkedIn is now allowing users to follow influential people on the network – follow the US President and leading movers and shakers on the platform with a newly launched feature.

With Christmas on the horizon, many business owners are beginning to think about gifts for their employees and clients. But what are you really saying to them when you buy them a cheap bottle of wine? Or that charitable donation certificate? Here’s a look at some of the hidden messages behind Christmas gifts.

Australians are more reliant on their mobiles than ever before, with 88 percent of people working outside of their regular hours through their device according to a recent survey.

Advances in technology mean that there are a huge range of apps and cloud-based services that can help your business to run more smoothly – and hopefully free up some of your time to focus on the things that really matter.

As Sheryl Sandberg courts Madison Avenue and Wall Street this week, she discussed Facebook’s IPO fallout and wooing small business.

How to tell if stress is getting the better of you-and why a clean sock drawer might be bad news for your business.

It may seem counterintuitive, but you don’t only want to lead with your strengths. Here’s why and what you can do about it.