Business Essentials

If you haven’t already, it’s time to automate the repetitive tasks in your business. That’s according to Elise Balsillie, Australian Head of the Thryv business software company. She says most Australian businesses are missing out on sales and growth because they spend too much time on tasks that could be automated. And she says that although the thought of automating might be dau...

The labour crisis being experienced across Australia appears to be getting worse. Marnie Jones, who is an expert in the field and director of the Talent-X agency, calls the current predicament a “vicious cycle.” But she says clever business owners can still stand out from the crowd and attract top staff, with an audit of current employees being the best place to start. Business Essenti...

Those mavericks in your business who do their own thing might be just the people who make changes for the better. Darrell Hardidge of SAGUITY calls them 'positive deviants' and if you think you don’t have any in your business, you might be surprised. Once you find them, Darrell says, you first need to properly engage them to make the most of their talent. Business Essentials Daily is produce...

With staff shortages a big issue in recent times, it’s important to keep your staff happy and motivated so they don’t walk out the door. One thing we’ve learnt during COVID is that working from home has been beneficial to a lot of employees. Many want to continue with that arrangement. But how do you do it well, so it’s a positive for the staff, the boss and the business? W...

The bigger the project, the harder it can be to stay focused – but there are strategies to tackle procrastination. Productivity expert, Dermot Crowley, walks us through those exercises. He says learning how to reduce or eliminate distractions will help keep you focused. Dermot insists on having a plan, otherwise you might be tempted to react to whatever or whoever comes your way. Business Es...

Labor is facing some huge external economic challenges that will help to define the new government, according to Melbourne University economics professor Neville Norman. COVID lockdowns are now over, and the economy is recovering with healthy growth, but with the spectre of higher inflation and interest rates, as well as demands for wage increases, it’s a rocky road ahead for the Albanese go...

They said they wouldn’t, but we all knew they would. So, it didn’t come as a big surprise when the RBA announced its cash rate increase from 0.1% to 0.35%. Still low by historical standards, Greg Keady of APW Partners explains what the hike means to investments, including bonds, deposits, and property. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61 3 9882...

Business leaders need to find better ways to influence others to navigate the world these days, but how? Gone are the days of ‘hard power’ of command and control – it just doesn’t work in business. ‘Soft power’ of engaging and consulting is better, but takes time. Author Yamini Naidu says a powerful way to influence and inspire staff and customers is through sto...

Small business owners who haven’t yet gone digital are wasting more than a day in every week. That’s according to the Head of the Thryv business software company, Elise Balsillie. She says that although the thought of digitizing tasks is incredibly intimidating for some, even taking the first steps can save time and money. She says the trick is to do it in stages — starting off w...

A little doubt can be a good thing, but too much can stop growth and cripple your business. Coach and keynote speaker, Terry Barridge says confidence comes from doing things you’re familiar with, but if you’re taken out of your comfort zone, do you lose all confidence? In a changing business environment, future leaders need to move out of their comfort zone more often and learn to hand...

Differentiation is fundamental in an increasingly commoditised marketplace, insists consumer behaviour analyst Barry Urquhart. COVID has led consumers to be more socially isolated, which has resulted in more scrutiny of the choices available. You need positive cashflow to reinvest in marketing your product’s point-of-difference in order to succeed long-term. Business Essentials Daily is prod...

An increasing number of business owners are realising that a good workplace culture is important for business health and success. Problem is, they’re not sure what they can do to improve their company culture. To help is culture change specialist, Colin Ellis, who shares a whole range of ideas from his latest book, ‘Culture Hacks’. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundC...

After two years of a pandemic roller-coaster, with interest rates set to rise, and an election to rock things further, now’s time to focus on your business’s finances. Leading Australian financial advisor, Helen Baker, gives her top five financial mistakes businesses should avoid. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61 3 9882 8333 See omnystudio.co...

Start on time, finish on time and have an agenda. Sounds simple, but how often do we find ourselves in meetings that don't follow these three principles? Les Watson, author of ‘Get Back An Hour In Every Day’, discusses how to free up your time at work by following some wise management strategies, along with some innovative ideas to relieve time pressures. Business Essentials Daily is p...

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 w...

After 30 years of experience, one of Australia’s best real estate agents knows exactly how to navigate the "fee reduction?" question. If you can explain why your service is better than your competitors, you shouldn’t have to compromise on price. James Tostevin’s passion for his job and disciplined work ethic helps explain why he is so good at what he does, which translates into p...

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...

Focus less on the attributes of your products and services, and more on the way they make your customers feel. So says Michael Solomon, author of Consumer Behaviour: Buying, Having and Being. He explains, with examples, how it’s important to put yourself in the shoes of your customers to gain a thorough understanding of what they really want from you. He also sheds light on how traditional c...

In an effort to steer public policy toward supporting small businesses, a peak organisation has drafted a 10-pillar Small Business Charter for lawmakers to follow. The CEO of the Small Business Association of Australia, Anne Nalder, says the charter has been distributed to politicians and public servants from local, state and federal governments. It is a list of guidelines for decision makers acro...

Preparation is so important to telephone sales – have a script, write down key objections, but most importantly "master your mindset". That's the advice from Ashleigh Hoult, founder and director of The PromoDonna. These days a lot of businesses are reluctant to do cold-calling as a business strategy and have lost the art of speaking on the phone. That paves the way for others who understand...

How we communicate matters very much to business success. It has the potential to influence awareness, understanding, trust, respect and engagement inside the workplace and ultimately staff’s willingness to collaborate. That’s according to Karen Gately, CEO of Corporate Dojo, who outlines her four key priorities to effective communication. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: Soun...

Show humility, be open and transparent, and be comfortable within your own skin. Those are some of the qualities of good leadership. Tony Gattari, Founder and Managing Director of Achievers Group, says charisma isn't necessarily the way to achieve great leadership – instead it's making yourself vulnerable and open with your team, and having brutally honest and fearless conversations to build...

A new free trade deal with India has opened up a massive market for Australian small businesses, according to the CEO of the Small Business Association of Australia, Anne Nalder. And she says it’s not too difficult to start selling to India’s massive, and growing, middle class, which is hungry for Australian goods and services. Anne Nalder describes the steps that need to be taken. Bus...

A little doubt can be a good thing, but too much can stop growth and cripple your business. Coach and keynote speaker, Terry Barridge says confidence comes from doing things you’re familiar with, but if you’re taken out of your comfort zone, do you lose all confidence? In a changing business environment, future leaders need to move out of their comfort zone more often and learn to hand...

Access to credit is a significant impediment for the two-thirds of new Australian businesses that are run by women. That’s according to the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, who says more than 40 percent of women in business say their lack of access to capital is a big barrier to growth. Mr Billson says the system is “wired for blokes,” not...