Blog

Since the first internal corporate note was sent—probably reminding employees about casual Friday—companies and organizations have relied on written communications to keep employees up-to-date on company policies, procedures and changes happening within. These days, though, more companies are switching to videos to relay information to their staff. In a lot of ways, video is more effective than written communications. It grabs peoples’ attention, conveys important information quickly and is usually…  Read more

When you are a leader, it is obvious to you that the success of your team can increase your own success. People often confuse having a sense of humility with being insecure. But in truth, being a humble person is simply about considering others more and thinking of yourself less. By being humble and thinking of the people you are expected to lead more, you can increase their confidence, security…  Read more

The loss of a job is one of the most devastating things a person can go through. The results of a job loss can be long lasting and the implications go far beyond the financial. While losing your job will most likely put your financial life at risk, the emotional consequences can be just as damaging. When you consider that most of us spend more time at our jobs than…  Read more

Remember when email was new and novel, and everyone thought it would vastly improve communication while freeing up time? It did improve communication on some levels and freed up employee time at first. Now, however, email has become a productivity killer. Workers have to wade through hundreds of emails in their inbox each day, and many people choose to deal with email as it comes in rather than all at…  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 quick overview of what it means: Employers and sole traders will be able to apply…  Read more

A Canadian bank recently surveyed over 500 small business owners about what they love and hate most about owning their own business. Unsurprisingly, flexibility and feeling in control ranked first in the “love” category. Meanwhile, almost 60% said bookkeeping was hands-down their most hated task. Most business owners understand that effective financial management is key to their success. But lack of knowledge, frustration, and even avoidance can add up to…  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, most targeted at helping small to medium-sized businesses. Here to help But first, please be assured that we are here to…  Read more

When you own a small business, it’s vital you understand how money flows into and out of it. At a basic level, you need to know where your income comes from and what your expenses are. At a deeper level, knowing how money moves through your business can help you make strategic decisions about growth, invoicing, and debt management. The consequences of not understanding money can be drastic—poor financial management…  Read more

The future of your family business may seem like a problem for tomorrow or sometime next decade, but forward-thinking business owners know they need to plan for the future today. The steps you take now to prepare your company for the next generation will go a long way to determining how successful it remains after you retire. It’s tempting to think that things will automatically work out for the best—especially…  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

In business, finding a niche that can supply enough revenue is important. More entrepreneurs than ever are realising the importance of finding a narrow set of customers and catering their product or service to them. This allows you to focus your efforts on being great at a few things, rather than mediocre at many. But how do you find your ideal target market? This article will get you started by…  Read more

According to Google, which offers employees a course on mindfulness meditation, and Lululemon, a company that keeps a Director of Mindfulness on staff, the answer is a resounding yes. 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 meditation can lead to reduced stress, lowered blood…  Read more

Business owners fall into two categories: those who love business travel and those who hate it. The love/hate dynamic may depend on how much you travel for work, but even if you love business travel there are stressful aspects to being out of town. Although we can’t guarantee that our travel tips will ensure a completely stress-free experience, here are four ways to lessen your hassle. If you’re someone who…  Read more

If you’re like most people you’ve probably gone for periods of time without really thinking about how you spent your money. Maybe you even avoided looking at your bank statement so you wouldn’t see how much money you spent and how little you saved. It’s something a lot of people do, especially nowadays when we can spend our money so easily without handing over cash. If you’ve ever looked at…  Read more

As a small business owner, you’re likely always looking for ways to achieve more. Maybe you made a New Year’s resolution about it. You might have resolved to make more money, find more clients, or grow your business. It’s fantastic to have an idea of what you want to do, but how will you know whether or not you’re successful? That’s where SMART goals come in. SMART goals help you…  Read more

Business Planning for 2020 It’s hard to believe but the year is almost over! If you’re like us we’re currently working on our 2020 business plan (writing 2020 might get a bit of getting used to!) A lot of our clients are doing the same at this time of year – think about their business and their strategy for the year ahead. If you’re looking to make some positive changes…  Read more

Being a small business owner can be fantastic. You get to be involved in every aspect of your business, from marketing to event planning, from sales to employee development. Being involved in so many areas of your business saves you from boredom and allows you to use skills you might not have known you had. There is one area that many small business owners hate to be part of but…  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. 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? This reading list of 4 inspiring business books will help you get started:…  Read more

According to Google, which offers employees a course on mindfulness meditation, and Lululemon, a company that keeps a Director of Mindfulness on staff, the answer is a resounding yes. 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 meditation can lead to reduced stress, lowered blood…  Read more

All business owners need to be aware of their break-even point — that is, the number of units they need to sell in order to cover their operating costs. Once you’ve reached your break-even point, it’s time to celebrate: your business is no longer in the red, and you are officially earning a profit. This article will show you how to calculate your break-even point so you can make wise…  Read more