News

Before sinking your money into a hot franchise concept, make sure it’s the real deal — not a dead duck.

Had a busy week, small business owners? Catch up quickly and easily on the week’s most important headlines, with our Friday SMB wrap-up.

eBay has enjoyed yet another year of strong results, bolstered by rising PayPal membership numbers and strong Christmas figures, as consumers continue to show a desire to spend online.

Australians will have access to Telstra’s 4G network for the first time next week, with the launch of the HTC Velocity 4G smartphone.

Despite all the hype about online shopping taking money away from local businesses, a new study has found close to 70 percent of local small businesses aren’t losing any sleep over threats posed by the internet.

Two consecutive interest rate cuts have failed to boost post-Christmas consumer sentiment, a result economists have called “disappointing.” But slowing inflation means businesses may benefit from more rate cuts in the months to come.

He’s got the experience and the know-how, but his advice is off the mark. How to handle a mentor you don’t agree with.

The best companies are those that can bounce back from failure. Here’s what it takes to do it well.

Starting a business can be rewarding but it’s hardly the road to happiness. Seven reasons why you’re still unhappy.

The Chinese business that designed a lifelike figurine of late entrepreneur Steve Jobs has pulled the product before it even hit the market, after “immense pressure” from Jobs’ family and Apple’s lawyers.

After so many small businesses were impacted by 2011’s natural disasters, the Business Continuity Institute (BCI) Australasian Chapter will run 13 free Business Continuity Planning Workshops around the country throughout February and March.

How’s your business development plan for 2012 coming along? Kristy Sheppard blogs about benchmarking your plan against that of other SMBs.

“It’s interesting to see that only 24 percent of business owners plan to increase their staff pay this year. I wonder what kind of staff retention strategies will come into play for those who take this path?”

Five business owners offer their best advice for becoming more productive — and finding the right work-life balance.

Of all the benefits of social media, it could also lead to ethical woes in the workplace.

Here is a guide for giving your business website a makeover that will help attract more clients in 2012.

Still battling to get your work/life balance right? Franziska Iseli-Hall has some tips for making 2012 the year you reclaim your lifestyle.

“It might seem hard to make drastic changes, but you can still adjust your business step-by-step to get closer to your ideal lifestyle…”

In his first-ever visit to Australia, Zappos.com CEO and eCommerce guru Tony Hsieh has signed on to present at two Business Chicks workshops.

This classic 25-word definition pares entrepreneurship to its essence and explains why it’s so hard. And so addictive.

Here are six reasons to consider cutting your work week down a day while boosting company morale exponentially.

Is the economic turmoil overseas a crisis–or an opportunity? Here’s a look at a few savvy American companies reaping the benefits of European market instability.