Often small business owners worry unnecessarily when it’s time to hire employees. They fear because they can’t offer the same high salaries and impressive benefits of a large company, they won’t be able to attract skilled workers. Fortunately, for many young workers these days, the ideal job doesn’t necessarily come with a big salary. Often it’s the opportunities and experiences a smaller company can offer that will pique their interest… Read more
Perth Dodges New Lockdown West Australian Premier Mark McGowan announced on Sunday that there will be no second snap-lockdown in Perth, but COVID-19 restrictions will still be imposed after reports that a hotel quarantine security guard and two of his housemates tested positive for the virus. Nightclubs will be closed immediately until after midnight on 8 May, restrictions will still be in place, and the use of masks will be… Read more
Making a few good local business connections can go a long way helping your business grow. Networking can spark mutually beneficial partnerships, lead to new opportunities, and attract more customers through word of mouth. In the age of social media, small business owners may think networking isn’t as valuable as it used to be. On the contrary, it’s just as important for people to get to know your face out… Read more
Flights Between NZ and Western Australia Resumes New Zealand has reopened quarantine-free travel with Western Australia from midday Wednesday. This comes after it was revealed a traveller from Perth was able to enter New Zealand despite the Australian city being locked down. Travelers who have been identified as contacts to cases across the Tasman will have to test negative and self-isolate for 14 days before they depart for NZ. Report:… Read more
It’s no secret that data loss can be a costly nightmare for a small business, with recent estimates citing the total cost of data breaches exceeding $2.1 trillion by 2019. Unfortunately, cyber attackers increasingly target small businesses because they are less likely to have security protection in place. Accidental loss or loss due to a natural disaster can be just as harmful to a business, with recovery efforts and delays… Read more
Australia- New Zealand Travel Bubble Now Open The long-anticipated travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand started on Monday, marking the first step towards the gradual reopening to the rest of the world. Since October, Australia allows New Zealanders to arrive without going into quarantine, but New Zealand has taken a more cautious approach. The start of this travel bubble comes ahead of the New Zealand ski season and is… Read more
We now look at eight characteristics important to successful businesses. International researchers who have studied many small businesses have found that these characteristics consistently play a part in the success of small companies. The eight characteristics are: Owners leading by Example Having a simple business structure Information sharing among employees Staff are carefully chosen Staff commitment and loyalty A unique product or service A specific Customer focus Prompt follow up… Read more
Australia Drops COVID-19 Vaccine Target Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he won’t set a new target date for Australians to get vaccinated, as concerns about the AstraZeneca vaccine and European export restrictions delay the rollout of the programme. Despite this, Australia is still ahead of some nations including Canada, France, and Japan in terms of vaccinations. About 1.2 million people out of 25.8 million have already received a first dose.… Read more
Don’t be left up in the air by traditional IT solutions. Check out the top 9 advantages for small businesses switching to cloud computing. Cloud computing is fast becoming the norm because storing information and using software hosted on the Internet has many advantages. 1. Save money Traditionally, a small business spends money licensing software or buying packages to install or download onto individual computers. Cloud computing, on the other… Read more
Trans Tasman Travel Bubble to Begin 19 April Australia and New Zealand will create a quarantine and COVID-testing free travel bubble starting 19 April. However, flights to and from some Australian states may cease if there are future outbreaks. Australians made up 1.5 million or 40% of arrivals to New Zealand in 2019 before the pandemic, and it was expected that arrivals will reach 80% of that level by early… Read more
I haven’t done many personal blogs about the impact of being an accountant during a worldwide health pandemic and economic crisis. I am not sure I have had the words, the heart, the strength. But we are now 12 months post Covid, and I feel like I will be mentally scarred forever. I still remember attending an accounting conference in early March 2020, and at this stage there were jokes… Read more
When it comes to the overall success of your business, one of the most important decisions you’ll face is how to price for the work you do. Charge too much and you could scare away potential customers. Charge too little and you could run yourself out of business. Figuring out how much to charge is stressful, but it’s worth it. If your business doesn’t bring in enough money to pay… Read more
Brisbane Looking at Easter Lockdown Extension While the decision on the lockdown extension will not be made until Wednesday night, the spread of the UK variant of the coronavirus has increased the possibility of an extended shutdown in Greater Brisbane over the Easter weekend. State border closures and disruptions to flights could continue with fears Brisbane’s lockdown could spread to the Gold Coast, a popular holiday destination around this time.… Read more
While many small business owners prefer brainstorming new ideas to pouring over financial reports, getting a handle on financial analysis can be remarkably empowering. Taking the time to regularly review financial statements can help you assess and improve current performance, avoid risk and make scalable plans for future growth. Protect your company’s financial health by learning your way around these three financial reports. Cash flow statement The cash flow statement… Read more
Phase 1B of Vaccine Rollout Begins Phase 1B of Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout plan started this week to further cushion the health, social, and economic impacts of the pandemic. Priority groups in Phase 1B include: elderly adults aged 80 years and over elderly adults aged 70 years and over health care workers not vaccinated in Phase 1A Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults over 55 adults with a specified medical… Read more
Digital signing, versus the traditional “wet” signature, has become increasingly popular in recent years. More and more countries across the globe have endorsed the legal validity of digital signing, enabling businesses to digitize entire workflows and further optimize management processes. Whether you’re preparing an employee work agreement, finalizing a new client contract, or submitting an invoice, digital signing can prove beneficial in a number of ways. Here are just three… Read more
Phase 1b Vaccination Roll Out to Commence on 22 March 2021 Phase 1b vaccinations will commence on 22 March 2021, and more than 1,000 general practices will join the COVID-19 vaccination program from next week to further strengthen the capacity and ensure an efficient distribution of vaccines across the country. Phase 1B includes vulnerable groups, such as older people and people with certain underlying medical conditions. Those eligible for Phase… Read more
Cyber crime is a serious concern for business owners. Recently IBM Chair, CEO, and President, Ginni Rometty, called it “the greatest threat to every company in the world”. According to Juniper Research, by 2019 cyber crime will cost businesses a staggering $2 trillion. It’s impossible to put a dollar value on what your customer data is worth – or the cost to your business should sensitive data be compromised by… Read more
COVID-19 Vaccination Drive On Track, Says PM Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the vaccination drive against COVID-19 is on track to meet the target of having everyone inoculated by October, despite delays. As of 7 March 2021, the total number of people who have been vaccinated stands at 86,369. Business Confidence Hit Decade Highs The National Australia Bank’s index of business confidence reached decade highs, as it rose by four… Read more
Every business must deal with a variety of customers. But there are certain types of customers who do more harm than good to your business – they drain your resources while adding little to your revenue. Here are five undesirable customer types that every businessperson should learn to recognise. The customer who returns most of their purchases. Return policies are intended to offer customers a reasonable period of time… Read more