Small Business
Whether you call it the ‘sharing’, ‘gig’, ‘freelance’ or ‘on demand’ economy, the way we work and hire has changed significantly in the past few years. Now, 30% of Australians are undertaking some form of flexible freelance work. Over in the US, around 35% of the workforce is now considered ‘contingent’, with that number estimated […]
A PR agency in Sydney’s inner west has waved goodbye to traditional office hours – and even introduced a regular ‘Work from the Beach Day’ – to improve staff work/life balance and eliminate the risk of burnout. Renae Smith, Director of The Atticism, has placed a limit on the ‘in office’ hours staff can work. […]
Marketing is absolutely critical to the success of any commercial enterprise, but it’s not always obvious what a business’s best marketing move will be. In the case of businesses with mobile apps or mobile websites, the ‘rules’ of marketing can seem hazy, leading some to fall into common marketing traps. Although they’re common, these traps aren’t […]
New research suggests transactions between small businesses in Australia are worth $204 billion per year. Commissioned by American Express in support of Shop Small Month, which ends 30 November, The Economy of Shopping Small: Custom Counts report reveals small businesses in Australia source goods and services from 4.4 other small suppliers each month, with an average monthly spend […]
Whether you’re heading overseas for a family holiday, or interstate on business, a travel delay is an inconvenience at best. In fact, the mere thought of flight delay is enough to make anyone’s blood boil – and understandably! When time is money, the cost of being held up far outweighs the inconvenience. A delay can […]
Countless studies have shown that happiness leads to more success, increased productivity and overall workplace wellbeing in companies. However most workplaces are focused on success rather than happiness. The approach to creating a successful company needs to be flipped on its head to be successful. Instead of purely focusing on success and reaching targets, we […]
In an age where so much human interaction and communication takes place online, it’s natural to think that printed, physical products might be losing ground. But the opposite is true. We’ve definitely seen a resurgence of the analog with many people feeling that, even with all the advantages of digital products, some things are not […]
How do you generate a chorus of support from business owners? Simple. When we all agree that business success is predicated on finding the right people with the right skills who are the right fit for our individual business culture. We know that the process of recruitment is the single most important function for business […]
We all love to dream of success. Unfortunately, dreaming about success is unlikely to help you actually achieve it. Setting goals and measuring your progress is a simple, formal way to set you on the path to achieving those dreams. It is a first step in formalising your business planning and management. The mere act […]
When reviewing the financial performance of a business, the primary measure I look at is Return on Capital Employed (ROCE). ROCE not only measures the profitability of a business but also the efficiency with which its capital is employed. In Laymen’s terms, ROCE works out how much bang for your buck you’re getting out […]
Consumer behaviour and the way people shop are changing. Over the last several years, e-commerce has risen and there’s no longer a clear-cut distinction between bricks (store) and clicks (online shopping). It’s all just shopping. There’s increasingly an omni-channel approach to purchasing. More and more, consumers are opting for “click and get”, especially around the […]
As a CEO, you’ll have to know a lot about the critical nature in supply chain management and how it affects the bottom line of a company. There are a lot of ways to make it better and increase the connection between CEO duties and supply chain management. Many companies over the past decades have […]
Throughout the world, the pace of digital disruption is increasing by the day. Business models are being challenged, workplaces altered and career paths brought into question. Change has become the only constant. To survive in this ‘new normal’ world, organisations must constantly strive to innovate. Those that do stand to succeed, while those that don’t […]
Australian businesses are requiring their employees to travel more – and farther afield – than at any time in the past. This is due to increased globalisation and the distance between Australia and the rest of the world, as well as the vast distances between Australian cities. Despite technological advances that make it easier for workers to […]
There has never been a more eagerly awaited election in living memory. American voters will line up on November 8th to cast their vote, most will be for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. Their decision will not simply affect political change in America, it will have far reaching global effects that will reverberate all the […]
A desk chair is just a chair, right? Wrong! When choosing furniture for your workplace it can be easy to let cost overrule quality, especially if you are undertaking a refurbishment, moving office, or if cash is tight. To cut costs, often the investment in new furniture is the first thing to get sacrificed. A lot […]
The Victorian Government has contributed more than a million in funding towards a program that will help unemployed youth into jobs in the technology sector. According to Roger Antochi of Talent RISE, one of two organisations delivering the program, it will also benefit SMEs hungry for ‘fresh talent’ and innovative muscle. The $1.2 million Jobs […]
A managing director arrives at her desk to a bottle of wine and a ‘thank you’ note from her team. They’re expressing gratitude for a fun afternoon away from the office celebrating the Melbourne Cup as a team. No leave time was recorded – the out-of-office activity was a gesture of goodwill. The managing director understands the importance of developing a culture of […]
Despite voicing a preference for ‘shopping small’, Australian consumers are increasingly transacting with large organisations, further widening the gap between small and big businesses in the spend stakes, according to new research from American Express. Commissioned by American Express in support of its month-long Shop Small campaign, which runs throughout November, The Economy of Shopping […]
Businesses must navigate a multitude of risks daily. While large companies tend to have dedicated “risk management” departments, which monitor threats to profitability, among SMBs, risk management often begins and ends with physical risks, including those posed by work health and safety hazards. But what of the risk of competition, market conditions, cyber security breaches and emerging industry disrupters? SMBs can’t afford to take these risks for granted, […]
