Running a small business is hard work. Entrepreneurs know they have to put in long days and give up personal time in pursuit of success. There’s a line, however, between putting in some extra time and becoming addicted to work, and it’s important to know the difference between them. Being addicted to work—sometimes referred to as being a “workaholic”—can have serious negative consequences for your personal life and your health.… Read more
As we try to catch a breath from all the chaos going on with Coronavirus, we just got word of the Australian Government’s latest stimulus package. This package focuses on the ‘job keeper’ payment, aimed at helping businesses keep their staff, which will be a lifeline for many people over the coming months. Here a very quick overview of what it means as we know it right now (keeping in… Read more
It’s hard to escape the news of the Coronavirus as it continues to have a huge impact on people across the world. Closer to home, the Morrison Government has announced a stimulus package in response to the anticipated economic downturn. This package includes a number of economic stimulus measures for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 income years, with most of targeted at helping small to medium-sized businesses. Here to help But… Read more
Over the course of a few weeks nearly everyone’s business and life has been turned upside down due to Coronavirus. It has been a crazy time with toilet paper shortages, pasta shortages, businesses forced to close or stand staff down and overload of information (and mis-information on social media). With the recent Coronavirus disruption in mind, we wanted to help support you however we can. We have seen a number… Read more
These days, you can use technology to take care of almost any issue facing your business. If you have a task you don’t like to do, there’s an app or software program to take care of it for you. It might take a few moments of your time to learn and understand how the software or app works, but doing so will save you valuable time and precious energy. It… Read more
Small business right now is hurting. The level of uncertainty across the board is causing sleepless nights, increased anxiety, job loss, cash flow crisis and basically a level of doom that I just haven’t experienced before as a business owner. So what if we could all help each other create a ripple effect of positivity? I was thinking about “what can I do” to help others in business. Obviously I… Read more
Hopefully you have long – and short-term plans for your company and you may even have a strategy for your own development, but have you considered having a personal development plan (or individual development plan) for employees? An employee personal development plan is an action plan that focuses on helping staff improve their knowledge, capabilities, and skills in areas related to your business. Creating such plans shows your staff you’re… Read more
Looking into affordable video chat and voice calling options for your small business? These four popular, user-friendly alternatives to Skype will help you connect seamlessly with staff, colleagues, and customers. Read on for a breakdown of each app’s features to decide on the best fit for you. WhatsApp With more than 1 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp is currently the most popular multi-media messaging app for mobile in existence – and… Read more
The Australian Government today announced a cash stimulus package for small business in wake of the Coronavirus and the downturn in economic conditions. But what on earth does it mean. Facebook groups for business owners today have gone into overdrive with many people flat out asking “when do I get my $25,000 deposited into my bank account”. Now before you start rubbing your hands together in glee, let’s break down… Read more
How does “saying no” improve your business? Well, bloody hell don’t ask me as I say yes to everything and try to figure it all out later. But the only thing I figure out is that I am burnt out and exhausted. So what a bloody resounding surprise it was to listen to Elizabeth Gilbert this week in Melbourne. Now I have read her book “Big Magic” yonks ago, and loved it. So I… Read more
Businesses of all sizes are under constant threat from cyber criminals and malicious software, with even some of the world’s largest and apparently impenetrable organizations making headlines in recent years after falling victims to cyberattacks. Although the risk is generally lower for smaller companies, since they don’t tend to be primary targets for hackers, it is still essential to take every precaution to make sure that you, your employees… Read more
It’s natural for small business owners to think that they won’t be victims of cyber attacks. Most of the news surrounding hacking and data breaches involves large corporations, but that is because that’s where a high number of victims are affected. Hackers may find they have an easier time going after small businesses and start-ups that aren’t prepared for a Cyber security breach. So while they might get less information… Read more
As a small business owner, you’re likely concerned about every penny you spend. That’s a good thing, because you need to keep track of your income and expenses. It also means, however, that you might be less likely to hire people who can help your business. People like bookkeepers, who are great investments for any small business. So what does a bookkeepers do? Bookkeepers take care of the daily financial… Read more
As a business owner, we often get asked by clients “what does my profit mean?”, “am I doing ok?” and most often “am I a success?”. Now whilst profit is one measure of success, looking at that number alone is dangerous.It could mean that you sail along in your comfort zone, not knowing how, when or if your business is actually successful in the first place. Now we… Read more
There are some things in life that go together well and others that definitely do not. Business and personal finances are in the category of items that should not be mixed. Although it may seem like a headache to keep them separate—who wants to manage all those bank accounts?—your life will be greatly simplified once you separate your personal and your business finances, especially your expenses. Paperwork… Read more
For small business owners, business conferences can be both a blessing and a curse. They give you the opportunity to develop new skills and learn strategies. And they also provide you with the chance to meet new people and expand your business network. Unfortunately, they also pull you away from your business and they cost money. So it’s important that you understand the return on investment for any business conference… Read more
Christmas is always such an overwhelmingly expensive time of year. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a debt free Christmas each year? It can happen, I promise. But only if you plan well in advance. So if having zero Christmas credit card hangover is on your next years to do list, read on. So when is the right time to start planning your Christmas spending for 2020? NOW. Yep, that’s… Read more
Business owners fall into two categories: those who love business travel and those who hate it. I am kind of in the hate it pile most of the time. The love/hate dynamic may depend on how much you travel for work or whether you fly in economy like me, but even if you love business travel there are stressful aspects to being away from your comfort zone. Although we can’t… Read more
The Christmas holiday season is once again here, and with it comes time to relax, focus on family and friends and take stock in what is really important in life. Unless you are a small business owner! Every small business owner knows that being away from the office can be just as stressful as being in it. Phone calls from employees dealing with a minor crisis will pull your focus… Read more
I don’t know if it is just because it is the festive season that everyone seems to have their tinsel in a tangle. But if you are wrong, please say sorry. There is no need to be rude, abusive and pretend those around you, whether they are a service based business, retail, customer service or anything in between, is any less deserving of your time and attention. Most people think… Read more