The start of the year is the perfect time to dust off last year’s business plan and set some new goals for the future. While some entrepreneurs love planning, others feel overwhelmed by the process. How do you decide on just a handful of goals that take priority, with so many moving parts that make up a business? These tips can help you get started brainstorming how your company can… Read more
With the holiday season nearly upon us, it’s wise to set aside some time to tie up loose ends so you can start the new year fresh, organized, and ready to roll. As you prioritize “must-do’s” before taking some well-earned time off, consider adding these end-of-year business activities to your list. Connect with your clientsThe holidays are a time of shared goodwill—a natural time to reach out to your customers… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. This is the last weekly digest for the year. We hope you have a relaxing holiday break and we’ll be back with more updates in the New Year. Government Rules Out Lockdowns Despite Omicron Surge Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia must move past “the heavy hand of government”… Read more
One classic mistake business owners make when money gets tight is to stop marketing or cut their marketing budget. At first glance, it seems logical to cut down your expenses during tough economic conditions. However, in reality, it’s the opposite of what you should do. When your business is struggling, cutting your marketing budget will further hurt your business. It is during this time that you should go the extra… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Queensland Border Reopening Requirements The Queensland border will open at 1 am on 13 December, earlier than expected. Fully vaccinated people from declared “hotspots” – that includes NSW, Victoria and South Australia- will be able to enter by road or air. Those crossing into Queensland from a declared hotspot… Read more
Running a successful business requires you to make smart decisions about everything from who you hire to how you spend your money. There are many legitimate expenses to cover, but it’s easy to overspend in areas that aren’t helping you or your business. Spending wisely is key to owning a sustainable business. Here are four practical money saving tips for business owners. 1. Have a list of all your subscriptions,… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. International Border Reopening for Skilled Workers and Students Delayed Plans to reopen international borders to skilled workers and students have been halted due to concerns over the COVID-19 Omicron variant. The 1 December opening will be delayed by at least two weeks, including the plan to open the border… Read more
You started your business with plans of earning a living and being successful, but an unfortunate fact of business life is that companies suffer financial hardships. Whether those hardships are pandemic-related or linked to other urgent situations, the effect is still the same. Your finances are negatively affected and it’s up to you to lead the recovery. Here are 5 steps you can take to help your business recover after… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Australia to Reopen to Foreign Visa Holders Australia will allow foreign visa holders to enter the country from the start of December in a bid to revive the economy. International borders have been shut since May 2020 and allowed only restricted numbers of citizens and permanent residents to enter… Read more
Starting a business means you’ll be in competition with other companies that already exist. It’s actually a good thing if you have competition to go up against. Competition pushes you to be innovative. It also means there’s an established market for your goods or services. The key to benefitting from competition is knowing how to effectively take on competitors so your company earns a profit. Here are some ways to… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Australia Hits 90% Single-Dose Mark Australia has hit a new milestone, with 90% of those who are 16 years old and above having received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. This makes every state and territory on track to hit 80% fully vaccinated by the end of… Read more
Starting your own business requires enough capital to ensure you can pay your bills until your company turns a profit. Depending on the type and size of your business, you may need thousands of dollars monthly to cover overhead. If you’re wondering where to find business start-up funding, there are a variety of options available to you. Each of these options has its advantages and disadvantages, and it’s important to… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. $44 Million Recovery Package for Melbourne The Melbourne Money scheme is returning to the CBD, with the state government and City of Melbourne launching a $200m “revitalisation fund”. From 15 November, those dining in the CBD between Monday and Thursday can claim a 30% discount – of up to… Read more
Your business needs cash. Cash is what keeps your company in operation and enables it to grow, so you should know how much cash your business needs to survive. Although many people think the answer is linked solely to operating expenses, this isn’t the case. There is no single factor that determines how much cash every business needs to have on hand. Somewhere between 3-6 months of operating expenses is… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Borders are reopening! After closing its international borders for nearly 600 days, Australia is now open to foreign visitors starting on Monday, as restrictions gradually lift. Fully vaccinated travelers from New Zealand who test negative in pre-departure tests can now enter and avoid quarantine in NSW. The next set… Read more
If you want your business to grow, at some point you’ll have to think about scaling it. Scaling it isn’t exactly the same as growing it, though they are often used interchangeably. Growth refers to adding resources and increasing your revenue in a linear fashion. You double your number of offices to double your number of customers, for example. Scaling means increasing your revenue without a substantial increase in the… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Australia-Singapore Travel Lane Begins on 8 November Australia and Switzerland will join the eleven countries – including the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and France – that have signed on to Singapore’s vaccination travel lane arrangement that replaces quarantine with COVID-19 testing pre-departure and on arrival. The… Read more
When you’re an entrepreneur, your to-do list is often long and constantly growing longer. There are an overwhelming number of things you need to do, and it can feel like they’re all urgent. In such cases, it’s easy to push important tasks to the side and focus on less-vital activities, but that often means you miss deadlines, make mistakes or always feel as though you’re trying to catch up. Here… Read more
When you’re a small business owner, you get used to people giving you advice. Sometimes you seek out their insights while other times they share whether you want them to or not. While the advice is almost always well-intended, it’s not always good. In fact, sometimes it’s downright awful. Here are some tips that well-meaning people give to small business owners that definitely should not be followed. 1. Never turn… Read more
A business plan is essential for business development. But even with a solid plan there is some aspect of unpredictability. There are a multitude of variables that have to be taken into account, any of which could have great impact on the prosperity of a small business. Sales forecasting may well be the most difficult and complicated of all areas covered in a strategic business plan. To predict sales, a… Read more