If you’re like most people you’ve probably gone for periods of time without really thinking about how you are spending your money. But what if we could help you become more “money mindful” by coloring in? “Seems crazy right. I mean how can coloring in help with money mindfulness? Well mostly it is about awareness. Awareness of when money flows in and out of your business, and why.” Nowadays we… Read more
Keeping track of sales, margins, expenses, and purchases is fundamental to the overall financial health and sustainability of your business. Effective bookkeeping produces the data you need to evaluate your current practices, anticipate challenges, and set attainable future goals. But despite their proven importance, many business owners dread and avoid accounting tasks. In fact, 40% of surveyed entrepreneurs claim that bookkeeping is one the worst parts of running a business!… Read more
When you own a business, any time you speak in public you are representing your business, your brand and your values. That’s a lot of pressure, especially when you consider that most people are already nervous about speaking in front of people. There’s no magic cure for fear of public speaking (and secretly we love it – we could talk numbers all day long), but do I still get nervous… Read more
Let’s face it, all small business owners will face some tough times over the life of their business. It will will happen at some point. Are you ready for it should be the question we are asking, not when will it happen. As much as we dream about being brilliant enough at business that we will never face slow times, there are many things beyond our control that can negatively… Read more
Toxic leaders let their poison infiltrate entire organisations, and once they get authority over others, well it is all downhill from there. But thankfully, their poisonous influence can be destroyed and you can regain a culture of positivity and trust. Bt you have to do the hard yards once that poison is already inside your business. 1. Tell The Truth Toxic leaders thrive when no one tells the truth, but… Read more
Whether you are a service based business or a product based business, word of mouth is vital for organic growth. And word of mouth (if done right) can be a great strategy to grow your business. If you have any doubt that word of mouth referrals are important, consider these statistics: According to Neilson, 92% of shoppers trust recommendations from friends and family more than traditional advertising 20% to 50%… Read more
Ask anyone who has been self-employed if they have ever had a “less than ideal client”. The answer will be a big fat yes, I guarantee it. So how can you sack a client politely? Is it possible to do it with grace and dignity? Now don’t get me wrong, by and large, the vast majority of clients you get are great. They value your work, they understand your skill… Read more
There are all kinds of groups dedicated to networking. Some are highly structured with performance requirements with exclusive membership. Others are free form, come as you please and no charge. Networking can be a total mixed bag. Not every group is right for every kind of business, and trust me, I have tried so bloody many. You will find that some groups may simply not have connections in the market… Read more
Do you have under 19 employees? Then you need to be ready for Single Touch Payroll when it comes into play from 1 July 2019. Single touch what I hear you ask!! By now you may have heard the buzz around Single Touch Payroll. It’s a pretty big deal for any business that has employees. So…what do you need to know and how does it affect you? Keep reading to… Read more
Most small businesses experience cash flow problems from time to time and urgently need working capital. Many business owners immediately think of the bank or loans when they’re short of money. But there are other resources you can tap before you ask for that expensive overdraft or overdraft extension. The money you need might already be there—locked up in inventory, assets or your debtors’ book. You can often free up… Read more
What do Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Mark Cuban, and Arianna Huffington have in common? All of these smart, savvy, successful business leaders share a passion for self-improvement through reading. Yep, good old fashioned reading. If you want to improve your skills as a business owner, why not spend a bit of time each day reading books that guide you to greater success? I am such a sucker for a… Read more
Happy New Year. Well, it probably is a Happy New Year to those who are not drowning in admin. Combine that with ATO deadlines and basically my life is hell right now. Absolute hell. Now I know what you are thinking – seriously Stacey, pull yourself together. I mean how much admin can you have? You are a small business, you don’t have an office to look after and it is holidays. Surely you are… Read more
Most small business people would agree that their Profit and Loss report is among the easier – if not the easiest – financial document to understand. I mean we all want to make a profit, but if we don’t the report can still be useful. It’s typically presented in three parts. The top half of the statement reveals the various income streams of the business for the period covered, such… Read more
Now I don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer, and maybe it was because I chose to watch the train wreck that is MAFS (Married at First Sight) instead of the Federal Budget 2019 last night, perhaps I missed some amazing benefits and relief for those micro business owners that make up 75% of my client base. Here is my personal opinion, my views on how I think the changes… Read more
In today’s fast-paced world, everyone wants to be more productive. Fortunately, there is an ever-increasing number of tools, apps and programs available, that promise to help us achieve our goals. The challenge then becomes how to know not just which tools will live up to their promise but which tools are right for our business? And not to get sucked in to every new app or program that is released… Read more
Self confidence concept. Hands cutting the letter t of written word I can’t by sciccors. Office desk. Pink background top view. Once any big decision in business (or life) is actually made, it is almost like we want the little “business fairy” to tap us on the shoulder and say “everything is going to be ok”. Instead what we get is a million little devils reminding us of all the shit… Read more
If growth is your primary goal, then you need to be analysing how to sell more to your existing customers. Stop trying to find elusive new customers, and focus on what is already right in front of your face. Why? Well it is so much easier to sell to existing customers than to acquire new ones. According to Marketing Metrics, the probability of selling to an existing customer is 60… Read more
Outsourcing work offshore has been happening in the finance industry for over 10 years (if not longer). When I started my business it was not on my radar, I mean when I started my business I didn’t even have any clients. So I didn’t exactly have anything that needed to be outsourced. I had all the time in the world. However, over the past 5 and a half years business has continued… Read more
As a small business owner, you likely want to spend as much time as possible on the tasks that generate sales. Unfortunately, there are many other takss that require your time but aren’t necessarily worth your energy. Maybe a virtual assistant can help. Faced with those tasks, many small business owners either spend their valuable time and energy on actions they hate or put them off until the last minute… Read more
We know we should be implementing mindfulness in our business, but what are you doing about it? Google offers employees a course on mindfulness meditation, and Lululemon, a company that keeps a Director of Mindfulness on staff. Mindfulness, as American scientist Jon Kabat-Zinn defines it, is simply “paying attention in a sustained and particular way – on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally.” Research has shown that practicing mindful… Read more