Business Essentials

COVID has accelerated the change in the buying habits of consumers. They are much more educated about what they want to buy, and they can more easily shop around and compare prices thanks to the internet. There’s very little time to stand still, says sales expert, Sue Barrett. What can you do right now to get your sales back on track? Sue has seven practical steps on building a viable sales...

If you’re moving your business in to a new building, be careful when you sign on the dotted line. You want to avoid any mistakes when you’re discussing terms on a property lease. Paul Brennan of Brennans Solicitors says it’s best practice to consult a lawyer. The next best thing is to negotiate hard with the real estate agent. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel...

Being a leader is one thing, but leading your team to operate at its peak - building a high-performance team - is another thing all together. Jake Bridges is a Partner/ Facilitator at Leading Teams, an organisation best known for its success with high profile Australian sports teams, even though the majority of their clients are in the corporate sector. Jake explains what goes into building a high...

Is the idea that trust should be earned and not given, an outdated one? And who has the right to call out bad behaviour in the workplace? Well, Mark LeBusque is a Harvard-trained consultant, and Founder & Director of The Human Manager and he has some strong advice for both and ultimately strengthen the circle of trust. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +6...

The recent Olympics and Paralympics are timely reminders of why coaching is so important, not just for sport, but business, too. Les Watson says there are many types of business coaching, whether it’s for you, your team, or the front-line staff. Les outlines what you should expect from a business coach. Good coaching, he says, is an investment, not a cost – and you can use a coach in a...

The initial shock of COVID has now become a daily financial struggle for a lot of businesses. How do you ensure that your business can keep itself above water during the worst economic crisis in generations? Cashflow expert, Leanne Berry of Love Your Numbers bookkeeping firm, offers her top tips for businesses looking to keep a tight rein on their finances. Business Essentials Daily is produced by...

The term “selling” is off-putting to Bob Beaumont. It reeks of manipulation – it’s like you’re forcing someone to do something against their will. Instead, you want your customers to want to buy from you – and that’s what Bob’s done so well over many decades with his very successful Beaumont Tiles franchise. He shares his lifetime of sales tips, incl...

35 years ago, he ran a tiny scuba diving shop in Sydney and knew nothing about business. Andrew Griffiths has learned some huge lessons along the way. Andrew is the first to admit that he’s made mistakes, plenty of them! But as he marks his first 35 years of business life, he defines quite precisely the reasons for his success and why so many business people are attracted to his work –...

Research shows that more people are disengaged at work than those who are enthusiastic and committed to their work and workplace. Why is that? And as a boss, how do you motivate your own team to perform at their best? Performance and leadership coach, Dan Haesler, has worked closely with elite athletes and corporate leaders. His new book, ‘The Act of Leadership’ offers practical, techn...

How should B2Bs approach buying in a changed and volatile market, since the impact of the pandemic? Michael Haynes is a SME Business Growth Specialist and Principal Consultant of Listen Innovate Grow. He’s also the author of ‘Listen Innovate Grow: A Guidebook for Start-ups and SMEs to Acquire and Grow Business (B2B) Customers’ and he has 5 key insights for B2Bs to consider, befor...

Workplace cultures are best built with intention, and not from spontaneous chats in the corridor or shop floor. Executive coach Mandy Holloway, co-founder of Courageous Leaders, says the old, lazy way of just saying “how are things” when bumping into people has exacerbated the problem as staff work from home. Mandy says leaders need to take time to prepare questions that create connect...

If you're buying a business, be careful of those restraint of business clauses. And take a very good look at the person who is selling the business to you, warns solicitor, Paul Brennan, Principal at Brennans Solicitors. While most sellers are helpful, there is that odd ratbag, who will not go away. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61 3 9882 8333 See omnyst...

Work hard, finish school, go to university and you’ll be sure of a good job. Right? Wrong! Says Frank Wyatt, who believes we’ve been telling lies to young people for way too long. Education will only go so far, he says, and in fact we’ve been missing the one key ingredient that young people have – and that’s their extraordinary entrepreneurship and zest for life. Capt...

As your typical commercial law firm lawyer, Tracey Mylecharane had spent many years representing business clients in litigation and dispute resolution. A lot of the activity could have been avoided had those businesses put their legal houses in order from the start. Tracey discusses three important business documents all businesses should have to prevent falling foul of the law. Business Essential...

What if business owners and managers treated their staff like… humans? Well as far as Mark LeBusque is concerned, not enough workplaces run with humans in mind, expecting a more robotic type response. Mark is a Harvard-trained consultant, author and Founder & Director of The Human Manager. And he has 7 steps to become human managers, with the goal of enabling staff to shine and business...

If you’re looking to grow your business, one option is to buy another business. But be very careful. Legal expert Paul Brennan says there are many things you need to be aware of, for example: why is the owner of the business selling, what’s in the fine print, and have you done your due diligence? Paul outlines several further conditions you need to consider when buying a business. Busi...

Beaumont Tiles is an iconic Australian brand, a business which has dominated the tile retailing landscape for years. And why has it been so successful? Well, Bob Beaumont shares the secrets behind Beaumont Tiles’ rise and rise, including hiring and keeping good people, goal setting, managing cash, and looking after your franchisees. At last count, it has 118 stores, of which 80 are franchise...

Karen Gately, CEO of Corporate Dojo, has seen some horror behaviour from employees who have exited a business. Sometimes, a disgruntled employee who is let go might seek revenge by exposing inner secrets of the organisation. That’s just one example. Karen says you want to make sure that any redundancy you do is handled well, with respect and within the law. Otherwise, the costs and reputatio...

You have great skills, you work hard and you’re respected - but you don't feel worthy of it. You feel like a fraud and that at any moment someone's going to discover your inadequacies. Welcome to the imposter syndrome. Suzanne Mercier is an author and behaviour change expert and says that a lot of business leaders feel this way and she examines it in her book “ Liberate Leadership: How...

Sales managers are often thrust into their positions because it’s the natural progression to their career. The problem is they’re often given little ongoing support and training in management. Sales and sales management are completely different things, says Sue Barrett, CEO of Barrett Consulting Group. She has identified 8 fundamental functions to give sales leaders the knowledge, skil...

Why settle for okay, when excellent is so much better for your business? Why, indeed? 'Why' is just one of Darrell Hardidge's ten commandments of customer service. Darrell, CEO of Saguity, has been advising Australia's leading businesses on delivering high-quality customer service for years, and he knows better than most how it can transform the bottom line of your business. He says every touch po...

Like everyone, leading economist Professor Neville Norman would love to make COVID 19 disappear. Short of that, we must continue to live with it and soldier on as best we can. For business, it is time – if you haven’t done so already – to get practical.  Neville highlights his virus-scenario-based economic forecasts, and you’d be wise to plan for a range of possibiliti...

A good night's sleep allows your staff to have energy and attentiveness at work, but is your workplace culture preventing them from getting quality sleep? Productivity and wellness advisor Thea O'Connor says those late-night work emails and online messages can interrupt your employees’ down-time in the evening and early mornings. Because we all have different sleeping patterns and work bette...

The B2B sector was experiencing changes well before the pandemic, but as in most business verticals, COVID intensified the change. So, what are B2Bs looking for from buyers and how can they innovate and grow in this new normal? SME Business Growth Specialist Michael Haynes, Principal Consultant of Listen Innovate Grow, explains. Reference Make sure your B2B customer strategy is on track, with SMB...

Digital health is one of the fastest growing investments sectors, worth $2 billion in the Australian market, $200 billion globally, and only set to set to expand drastically due the major catalyst, COVID-19. Nic Blair, Founder & MD of Midnight Health, explains how he tapped into this market, providing online solutions for men and women to access more sensitive health care products, discreetly...