As I started building my new cybersecurity company, through staff hires and client and vendor engagement, there was one question I was asked repeatedly: “Carlo, how will you start from nothing, with no customers, no revenue, and convince customers to trust you?” The concept seemed a complete mystery to every single person I spoke with. To […]
The continuation of the $20,000 instant tax write-off for small businesses will come as little surprise: the Treasurer had been hinting heavily at this in his pre-Budget briefings. However, the announcement that businesses with an annual turnover of less than $10 million can claim up to $20,000 worth of depreciating assets each financial year, is […]
Accountants have always suffered from a poor image. They have traditionally been predicted as dull, aloof and impersonal, and people assume they work on their own without much interference from others. They are typically right brained, methodical people who like details and numbers more than words, but having the ability to communicate well is critical […]
Determining the right marketing budget for your business can be difficult – it’s a fine balance between not spending enough and spending a lot more than you need to to be effective. The first thing you should do is look at your budget and how much you CAN afford to spend, before assigning numbers to different […]
As the financial year draws to a close and next year’s budgets are debated, there are plenty of ducks to get in a row before July 1 hits. While travel spend may not be front of mind, as CFOs we need to think differently (and strategically) about maximising time on the road and the costs […]
Cashflow is the lifeblood of any business and more SMBs have been destroyed through cashflow issues than from any other cause. The last thing you need is to be stressing about whether you have enough cash to pay your own suppliers when you should be running your business. So, you’re not ready to hire an […]
When trying to grow a business, it’s tempting to put most of your efforts into finding new customers. However, in many cases it can be more lucrative to encourage repeat business from existing customers. In fact, attracting new customers can cost you five times more than retaining existing clients, so it makes good financial sense […]
It’s likely that at some stage in your career you’ve dreamt of running your own business, due to the perceived flexibility, but haven’t yet taken the entrepreneurial plunge for one reason or another. Perhaps it’s job security, budget constraints, or just a general fear of the unknown – all valid reasons for hesitation. Fortunately, there’s a […]
Melbourne Cup Day is known as the race that stops a nation. While it’s a public holiday only in Victoria, Australians around the country take the afternoon off to socialise with friends and colleagues. They participate in office sweeps and bet directly on the race and many enjoy a long lunch. It’s such an iconic […]
Most business owners start their business with a dream. They envision calling the shots (rather than being told what to do), remuneration in line with their efforts (rather than receiving a capped salary from an ungrateful boss) and working when they want (not when they have to). In short: more freedom, more money, more time. Sounds idyllic, right? Then […]
