Business Essentials

Making important decisions in an uncertain environment can not only be crucial to the success of a business but it can also play havoc with the decision-maker’s personal state of mind. Management Consultant Roger Perry explains how to lessen stress when it comes to making important decisions, and how decision makers should stand back and look at how they go about the process. Business Essent...

Start-up life is never easy, but entrepreneurs are born with an innate desire to create and build. There are however some well-worn pitfalls that entrepreneurs keep tripping up on. Tara Shelton is founder of a number of successful businesses, including 'Dream & Do', a creative agency that helps start-ups build their brand and communications. She says that she’s seen it all before —...

Automation and systemisation might work at the supply chain level or in fast-food production, but be careful about being too efficient with your customer communications. You don’t want to ruin your customers’ experience. That’s according to sales guru, Sue Barrett, CEO of Barrett Consulting Group. She outlines the three C’s of customer centric experience: clarity, consisten...

Andrew Ford, Founder of Social Star, has turned the elevator pitch on its head with his own pitch structure which aims to be more conversational. The standard elevator pitch, he insists, is one-directional and lacks true engagement. With practice, your pitch shouldn't feel like selling; instead, it should feel like you're providing answers to someone's questions. The challenge Andrew sets out to s...

The past year was certainly one marked with COVID outbreaks and restrictions, but 2021 also saw huge growth in shares and house prices underlined by bargain-basement interest rates. Melbourne University Economics Professor Neville Norman looks back at 2021 by comparing it to the preceding decade, and outlines where the 2021 federal budget got it wrong. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: Sou...

If you want your team to be fully committed to your idea, first it's worth spending time with them to connect and develop a level of trust. That's according to Simon Dowling, business coach and author of ‘Work With Me: How to get people to buy into your ideas.’ You’ll achieve the best results, he insists, if you have a team who’s as enthusiastic and willing as you are about...

The swings and the roundabouts of running a business can be stressful at the best of times. But it doesn’t have to be that way, according to business consultant Roger Perry. He advises his clients to build business resilience by concentrating on two key aspects of their enterprise: what he calls organisational fortification, and organisational adaptability. Business Essentials Daily is produ...

Do you often feel like you’re a fraud or a fake? Perhaps you started your business because you were good a particular thing, but then you question whether you’re any good at running a business. These are signs of Imposter Syndrome, and if left unchecked they could impact the very thing you’re unconfident about: your business. Behaviour change expert Suzanne Mercier says there is...

Sometimes your most talented employees are also the hardest to manage. How do you keep them in line? It’s a common dilemma for business owners. The standout performers in your business are often the hardest to manage. They make good money for you but in the process, they upset others and can be unwieldy in conforming to the best interests of the business. Aaron Goonrey, Partner at Lander &am...

At a time when many small businesses are already struggling, a global energy crisis is promising to spark an electricity price shock. To make matters worse, it appears a large proportion of Australian SMEs are spending more than they need to on electricity. A study by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has shown 16 per cent of Australian small businesses are missing out on c...

Sure, it’s easy to be a fine upstanding business citizen when everything’s going well. But what happens if times get tough – like now? Are you tempted, just a teeny bit, to compromise your integrity for the sake of a few dollars more or just to get that deal over the line? Well don’t be, warns veteran business coach, Alan Rodway. That slippery slope will lead you nowhere. B...

The relentless nature of running a small business, tied up sometimes with family demands, can tire out the best of us. But your energy levels are a key to business success. The Managing Director of Bevington Group, Roger Perry, says mindfully maintaining energy levels is crucial for business success. He offers sound advice on how best to attain peak energy but warns that it can often require a cha...

No matter how much you try to plan your day, do you find yourself interrupted or going over the allotted time? Perhaps the answer is a Pomodoro kitchen timer. Business coach Les Watson – aka the Time Lord – explains how the useful device can break work into intervals of 25 minutes to allow you to concentrate on the task at hand and get more done during the day. Reference Les is offerin...

The workplace should be one that is safe and free from discrimination, bullying and harassment. To help ensure the workplace is safer for employees, a new bill comes in effect today which aims to prevent sexual harassment. Cheryl-Anne Laird, HR and industrial relations expert and Partner at Mazars, explains the Sex Discrimination and Fair Work (Respect at Work) Amendment Act 2021 and what it means...

You’ve tried everything including mediation to settle a dispute, but nothing’s worked. Despite the costs involved, and the time and emotional energy required, court action sometimes seems the only way forward. Paul Brennan of Brennans Solicitors discusses the litigation procedure. Reference Find information on all the topics Paul’s discussed over the last several weeks in his e-b...

Sales and marketing, it rolls off the tongue, but these two disciplines working in harmony, can sometimes be a struggle. In a landscape entirely reshaped due to technology and the pandemic, selling like we used to, is a thing of the past. So how can we optimise these two powerhouse specialities for selling in a new world? Adele Crane, CEO of Sales Focus Advisory explains in her new article –...

There have been some big changes to regulations for franchising in 2021, with alterations to the way disputes are resolved, and new disclosure requirements the government says will adjust the balance of power in the relationship between franchisees and franchisors. But the Federal Small Business Minister, Stuart Robert, says more is to come, with the establishment of a central Franchise Disclosure...

How do you offer more value to your customers and to the people around you? It starts by understanding what “value” actually means. Mark Carter has studied the meaning of value for almost 20 years, and writes his conclusion in his new book, ‘Add Value’. He identifies 5 values which can help enrich our lives and our businesses. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: Sound...

What sets successful people apart from everyone else? What do they have they that we can implement into our own lives? In her research, Mandy Hollway, CEO of Courageous, Leaders discovered they possessed common attributes, including resolve, willpower, and determination. She discusses how you too can develop these attributes and apply them to your work and your life. Business Essentials Daily is p...

They can be annoying and time-consuming, but without written agreements you could be in a world of hurt should things turn sour. That's the advice from Director of Vault Legal, Ryan Solomons, who’s seen handshake agreements result in bankruptcy. Ryan offers 5 reasons why documenting agreements should be standard practice for business owners. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCar...

Lawyers at 50 paces can break the toughest entrepreneur. Involving women and men in suits to settle a legal dispute can take time and cost a motza. Don’t turn your nose up at mediation - Solicitor Paul Brennan says it works. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61 3 9882 8333 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The performance of most people at work is influenced by the extent to which they feel acknowledged and appreciated. That’s the view of Karen Gately, CEO of Corporate Dojo, who explains what business owners and managers need to consider when implementing a reward and recognition program. She discusses alternative ways to recognise good behaviour – and it needn’t rely on a monetary...

How much attention do you pay to the way you speak? Do you leave people scratching their heads wondering what the heck you were on about? The ability to persuade and inspire is essential in business, and you do that by the words and sentences you use. Business coach and consultant, Anneli Blundell, has three tips on good verbal communication: think in headlines, employ short sentences, and use sim...

If your website can’t be found at the top page of a Google search, you basically don’t exist. Sounds harsh, but that’s the reality, according to digital marketing guru, MC Carter, Director of Practice Paradox. Good SEO – or search engine optimisation – will help elevate your website on the coveted first page of Google Search results. So, what constitutes good SEO? Wel...

Most investors are looking for a good deal to refinance their loans to take advantage of historically low interest rates. Tax expert Michael Jones, Partner at Mazars, explains important tax differences between loan offset and redraw facilities – a key guide to optimizing your finances. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61 3 9882 8333 See omnystudio.com...