When Xero Goes Down: An Accountant’s Guide to Surviving the Great Cloud Crash of 2025 You log into Xero, morning coffee in hand, ready to work on the 87 Xero tasks that have been giving you side-eye all week. You click… and wait. Then wait some more. The spinning circle of doom appears, that is if you can even get into the software. Suddenly, your once-trusty accounting software has gone… Read more
AKA: How to adult like a boss when all you want is soup and Netflix. Let’s be honest — when you’re a small business owner, taking a sick day can feel like trying to take a holiday on Mars. You’re the CEO, customer service team, bookkeeper, IT support, and coffee runner all in one. So when your body waves the white flag and says “nope, we’re out”, panic sets… Read more
Let’s talk about one of the sneakiest traps small business owners fall into… Assuming they know what the heck they are talking about. I was chatting with a small business owner this week who said, “I know I’m making good money — there’s still cash in the bank!” Cue the classic accountant eyebrow raise. When we dug a little deeper, we discovered that the “profit” in the bank actually included… Read more
Why You Absolutely, Positively, 100% Need to Keep Your Business Receipts (and How to Do It Without Losing Your Mind) Picture this: it’s tax time. You’re sipping your third coffee of the morning, scrolling through your bank transactions, and you come across a $129 charge from Officeworks. Was that for client supplies, kids school supplies, printing family photos… or your new “ergonomic” chair that’s now just holding your laundry? Suddenly,… Read more
When it comes to your finances, it’s a good idea to check in on your progress periodically, to see if any adjustments to your budget or changes in your habits are necessary. Even if you’ve set your budget for the year, you may learn a new strategy or have a priority come up suddenly that causes you to shift your thinking. Here are ways to take stock of your finances,… Read more
The past couple of years have been… a lot. Suddenly working from home, juggling kids, pets, partners, and the never-ending pile of “new normal” changes — it’s no wonder burnout has muscled its way into everyday conversation. And while running a business comes with its fair share of curveballs, spotting burnout early (and doing something about it) is one of the best things you can do to keep your team… Read more
If you’re looking to grow your business, you might consider expanding your service offerings. Adding additional services is a good way to increase your profitability, diversify your income and expand your market. But there are important things to consider before adding to your income streams. Here are 4 important things to keep in mind when you consider adding to your services. 1. Does the expansion complement your business? The best… Read more
In its 2020 Budget Digital Business Plan, the Australian government announced the full implementation of the Modernising Business Registers (MBR) program. The program is designed to both establish the new Australian Business Registry Services (ABRS), and enhance how businesses register and manage their information with the government. Although the ABRS rolls out progressively between 2021 and 2024, one of the immediate changes is that business directors must obtain a director… Read more
With the potential for business life to return to something resembling normal, it’s a good idea to take a look at your budget and see where you may need to shift some of your priorities. Pay attention to how your spending over the past few years affected your business and either helped you achieve, or took you away from, your overall goals. Considering how your business and your employees… Read more
There’s a lot of data supporting the idea that it’s less costly, easier and more efficient to encourage repeat customers than bring in new ones. Among the stats Hubspot lists are that a 5% increase in customer retention is responsible for more than 25% increase in profit; repeat customers are 9 times more likely to convert than first-time visitors; and a 2% increase in customer retention has a similar impact… Read more
Receipts are vital to successfully running a business. You need receipts to track your purchases and expenses. Your clients need receipts for their tax purposes and to manage their finances. Paper receipts have been around a long time, so many people are used to them and may even be resistant to moving away from them. Thanks to technology, paper receipts are becoming more a thing of the past. There are… Read more
Bookkeepers can be highly beneficial for businesses of any size. They offer expertise and insight into areas that you may not have experience in. They can also take some tasks off your to-do list, freeing up your time and energy to focus on other matters. Here are 4 benefits to hiring bookkeepers to help you manage your business. Expertise A bookkeeper is an expert at managing, sorting and recording your… Read more
Traditionally, employers have relied on giving employees raises as a way to retain their staff and reward them for being hard-working and loyal. Raises can get expensive, and there is often an upper limit for what you can offer when it comes to increasing salaries and wages. Keeping your employees happy makes business sense. You want to keep your good employees, and it costs money to find, hire and train… Read more
Whether your small business is business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C), you likely deal with some level of customer churn, especially given the COVID-19 pandemic. Even customers who love your business and your products may have lapsed for a variety of reasons. Whatever their reasons for leaving, it’s still a great idea to try to win them back. Why? Mainly because winning back a lost customer still has a higher success… Read more
Should You Mix or Match Your Booster Dose? In Australia, Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are recommended as booster shots, regardless of which vaccine you had for your first two doses. Some research has indicated that “mixing and matching” vaccines could give your immune system a bigger boost. Eligibility Criteria for Tourism, Hospitality and Gym Grant in SA Extended The South Australian government has announced the eligibility criteria for its… Read more
Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment People who are forced out of work to isolate due to being infected or being a close contact are eligible for the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment. You are also eligible if you are caring for a child under 16 years old who is a close contact or infected, or someone with a disability or a severe medical condition who is a close contact of someone with… Read more
When you run your own business, it’s tempting to take on every responsibility. There are many reasons for doing so: because you want something done a specific way, because you don’t have the time to explain how to do it, or because you’re not sure someone else can handle the task. Delegating saves you valuable time and energy. Sharing duties with your team also fosters a sense of responsibility, engages… Read more
COVID-19 Vaccination Info Kiosks COVID-19 vaccination information kiosks are now open in shopping centres and at events in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia to help you book a vaccination appointment. Australia to Push Ahead with Reopening The government said the milder impact of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 meant Australia could push ahead with plans to reopen the economy even as new cases hit a record… Read more
Government Rules Out Lockdowns Despite Omicron Surge Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia must move past “the heavy hand of government” and authorities must stop shutting down people’s lives with lockdowns. This comes amid the surge of COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant. The government is now aiming to ramp up the rollout of booster shots. Australia- UK Free Trade Agreement The UK and Australia have signed a Free… Read more
Moderna and Australian Government Partnered to Bring Manufacturing to Australia Moderna, Inc. announced an agreement with the Australian Government to build a state-of-the-art messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine manufacturing facility in Victoria, including access to Moderna’s mRNA development engine. Up to 100 million mRNA vaccine doses could be produced in Australia each year. This collaboration will support Australia with direct access to rapid pandemic response capabilities. Visa Holders Now Allowed to… Read more