Business Essentials

Small business owners need dual personalities, says Anne Nalder, CEO of the Small Business Association of Australia. As well as being a brave entrepreneur, she says there’s also a diligent, prudent side that needs to be nourished if a business is to be successful. From risk management systems to tax compliance and customer service, Anne delves into the essential but often overlooked aspects of bus...

A generation vital to the workplace, Millennials, or Gen Y’s, are now approaching their mid-40’s. As lovers of technology, they’re not fearful of AI, but rather engage with it to seek workplace improvement and explore how it can improve the world around us. Leadership expert, Dr Paige Williams, explains how to nurture and value this vital, next generation of leaders. Reference: Paige has also auth...

Building brand value rather than just brand awareness, and understanding algorithm requirements, is the secret to success on social media, says George Hawwa, Growth Director of social media agency, Attention Experts. George says the social media landscape has changed dramatically in the last couple of years, and that “likes” and “shares” are no longer a metric of success. To help foster business,...

A measly $325 in small business energy relief in the 2024 Federal Budget has left business owners deflated. At a time of often drastic economic uncertainty in the sector, there was a valid expectation that more assistance would have been forthcoming. But according to Monash University Economics and Statistics Professor, and Deputy Dean of Education, Robert Brooks, there is an upside, with structur...

As a businessman, John Wood built Fleetwood Corporation – the largest integrated company of its type in Australia, with caravan parks, park homes, lifestyle villages and much else in between. Then he walked away. Disillusionment set in, followed by a hiatus in John’s life as he explored what really matters in business and life. John discovered a transformative way of thinking. It opened his eyes t...

If you’re wondering how other businesses are handling their teams working-from-home, you might be surprised that most people are coming back to the office. But not everyone – a significant percentage are working a hybrid arrangement. Roxanne Calder, Managing Director of boutique recruiting firm, EST-10, says implementing a successful hybrid model requires understanding individual needs and alignin...

Most of us at some stage will suffer from imposter syndrome – that feeling of fraud-like inadequacy, despite having a reputation for success. According to behavioural expert Charlotte Blair, recognising and naming imposter syndrome is the first step to managing it. Charlotte is a partner at The Strengths Partners, a company dedicated to strength-based development of individuals, teams and organisa...

Sales calls – for some they come with a sense of dread, but what holds a lot of people back is not knowing what to say and a fear of rejection. Bri Williams is a behavioural specialist who’s studied the words that best hold the client’s attention and engage them naturally, to ideally, avoid the brush off. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61 3 9882 8333 See...

The corporate world has been dealing with “ESG” for years, but now the system is encroaching on small business, and is threatening to bring with it a new world of bureaucratic pain. Environment, social and governance considerations, collectively known as “ESG” are likely to become a bigger issue for SMEs in coming years, as governments and big corporations crack down on compliance. Anne Nalder, th...

A core element to great customer service is a recovery strategy. It’s how you react to those times when, inevitably, your business makes a mistake. Often, businesses do the bare minimum to assuage their customers, when in fact they could and should go above and beyond to fix the error; which will help markedly in a creating a positive impression. That’s according to entrepreneur Roy Osing. He call...

It’s budget time, so what is Australia’s enormous small business sector expecting — particularly given the state of the economy. Well, CEO of the Council of Small Business Organisations (COSBOA), Luke Achterstraat, discusses the pressing issues facing small businesses and their expectations from the upcoming federal budget. Luke outlines two main areas of interest: short-term relief, including ene...

A new proposed tax in Victoria aims to bolster the revenue base of the state government, which, like other states, is grappling with substantial debts. The Commercial and Industrial Property Tax (CIPT) will be applied to properties acquired from 1 July 2024 onwards. Steve Baxter, National Indirect Tax Partner at Mazars, discusses the proposed levy and which properties it will likely affect. Busine...

Do you know your responsibilities under Australian consumer law? If you think it only applies to certain types of businesses, think again. According to Business Lawyer, Tracey Mylecharane, it’s absolutely vital that you do everything necessary to comply with this law. She says it’s important to look at your documents, systems and processes to ensure both you and your potential customers and client...

No doubt there are some in your team who are facing money worries. Financial stress, like any forms of stress, can have a negative impact on performance and can lead to further problems, including depression. As a boss, you can help with support and education, says Jacqui Clarke, author of ‘Stop worrying about money – start planning now to secure your financial future’. She explains how you can en...

A perception still exists among many in business that sales is a combat sport. In order to be good at sales, you need a thick skin and be hardwired to win at all costs – qualities that tend to favour men. Well, those stereotypes fall well short of reality, says Sue Barrett, CEO of Barrett Consulting Group. She says women bring specific qualities that differ from traditional sales stereotypes leadi...

It’s natural to be apprehensive – even fearful – of the uncertainty that envelopes us when we face challenges. But, if we push through a particular challenge and get through the other side, we’re the better for it. Emotional fitness expert Joe Pane has identified three universal fears that hold us back from living the life we want or having the business we desire: the fear of not being enough, the...

Great coaches – like great leaders – are able to support teams and each individual within the team, allowing them to perform at their best. Professor Martin Bean, is CEO of The Bean Centre, and co-author of ‘Toolkit for Turbulence: The mindset and methods that leaders need to turn adversity to advantage’. He discusses how meaningful, one-on-one conversations, focused on achievements, development,...

The problem with most business proposals is that they’re too focused on selling the business to the potential clients. A better tactic is to focus on the client’s needs and wants. It’s outlined in Alan Weiss’s book, ‘Million Dollar Consulting Proposals’, a well-worn copy of which is in the hands of Nicole Ashby, Founder of Mentoring to Success. Nicole and her clients swear by the million-dollar pr...

If you currently employ casual staff, now's the time to check whether in fact they're employment is genuinely casual. Cheryl-Anne Laird, Head of the HR and IR Division at Mazars, says changes to the Fair Work Act 2009, has redefined what it means to be a casual employee. For instance, casuals will have the right to convert to permanent employment, but employers can decline the request on reasonabl...

Too many companies focus on the products they provide. They tinker with the price, and they highlight the features. The problem is that it’s harder to differentiate your product from everyone else’s. To standout, insists entrepreneur Roy Osing, you need to deliver dazzling, astonishing customer-service, moments that take your buyers’ breath away. Triggering the most valuable marketing of all – rav...

How well does your website perform in search engine results? If it’s not at least on page one, you need to understand how Google’s algorithm is prioritising quality content over quantity, and build that into you SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) strategy. That’s according to Sagar Sathi, Founder and CEO of digital marketing agency Xugar. The credibility of the author are also important factors in d...

Do you find some people on your team are difficult to communicate with? Perhaps they don’t give straight answers, or they dominate group conversations, or they’re outright hostile. Well, they could demonstrate one of four main communication styles: aggressive, passive, passive-aggressive or assertive. Communications specialist Leah Mether unpacks each style and how you can adapt to better connect...

Fleur Heazlewood reckons that our race for more is reducing ourselves to less. Our health and wellbeing is the ‘less’, while the ‘more’ is the endless cycle of being busy. The answer, she says, is to prioritise our own wellbeing; if we do that, everything else will fall into place. Fleur shares some practical tips from her book, ‘Resilience Recipes: Making space for wellbeing that works’. Business...

A self-entitled employee is someone who thinks they should be paid more, who always wants promotions, the best opportunities, bonuses and take holidays only when it suits them. Often, a self-entitled employee is not particularly good at what they do, they do less work than their peers and add less value. So, how do you handle them? Workplace expert Michelle Gibbings says you need to address their...

Since the pandemic, the rate of people recording psychological distress has increased massively. That’s according to Kerry Howard, corporate mental health advisor, and author of, ‘How to heal a workplace culture: Tackle trauma, foster psychological safety and boost happiness at work’. She explains what trauma is and how to help minimise the traumatic impact in the workplace, through understanding...