Business Essentials

Great rewards come to companies that know the power of steady hard work with great people - sometimes over generations. And this is the story of Liftronic, a four-generation business that started in Egypt decades ago, came to Australia and grew through reputation and smart thinking to become Australia’s largest independent Australian-owned lift company. And it has risen to the challenge of b...

Another federal Budget is behind us, offering massive spending programs to improve services, boost jobs and to steer the country out of the coronavirus crisis. But as always there are winners and losers. Where do you stand? How about your business? For the answers, we turn to the highly experienced economist Professor Neville Norman of Melbourne University, and to Michael Jones, Superannuation and...

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 opene...

One of the positives that’s come out of the past year of COVID-related lockdowns and restrictions, has been the revelation that many employees can work from anywhere. A lot of businesses are adopting a hybrid model – a combination of working from home and working in the office. If you’re looking to do the same, how do ensure your team still works as efficiently as before? Alison...

Don’t be complacent with how you think and feel about your customers — it could ruin you. Thanks to the internet, your loyal following could easily be gone tomorrow as they find cheaper alternatives online. Customer service expert Darrell Hardidge of SAGUITY says companies really need to innovate to capture and keep a client’s loyalty. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: So...

One day soon we’ll all take to the skies again and our airports will transform from deserted spaces to busy transit hubs. But what kind of experience will they offer the travelling public? Airports have done a lot of adapting in recent years, with tough restrictions enforced first by terrorist activity and now by COVID. Will innovation and new technology bring big changes to the airport expe...

It’s hard to ignore the negativity and pessimism splashed across the news and in our social media feeds. Well, here’s an idea: how about switching them off for a while? That’s the advice from occupational therapist, Angela Lockwood, who did just that and, as a result, is far less stressed and much happier. Angela has more tips for those of us who may still be working or managing...

Don’t have the time or inclination to help develop the people around you into leaders? Think again. So says consultant Anneli Blundell, co-author of Developing Direct Reports: Taking the guesswork out of leading leaders. As a business owner or manager, you've got an important role to play in helping those around you become leaders too. Your business will benefit! But there will be recalcitra...

Breaking up is hard to do — make sure you know your legal options. Disputes among shareholders in a business occur way too often. As much as we hope it doesn’t happen to you, we’ve asked shareholder dispute expert Grant Guenther of Macpherson Kelley to highlight the options available to you if you’re facing a relationship breakdown in your business and are looking for ways...

How can you turn the fantastic customer experience you offer into a goldmine? We’ve heard from Darrell Hardidge, CEO of SAGUITY, before about striving to provide a 10 out of 10 experience for your clients. He says that accurately documenting the results of extreme client loyalty is significant when you want to sell your business. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcar...

In recent years, a massive spotlight has shone on the ethical behaviour of banks and other Australian financial institutions. The Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry uncovered cases of corporate greed at the expense of their ethical responsibilities. At the heart of the problem, says Karen Gately, CEO of HR consultancy Corporate Dojo, is...

The federal budget is around the corner, our debt blowout is mind-boggling, the vaccine roll out is stumbling and interest rates remain stubbornly low. What does it all mean for us as we steer our businesses through 2021 and beyond? Neville Norman, Professor of Economics at Melbourne University, has warnings and watchouts for us all. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcarte...

All the best intentions in the world won’t fix problems down the track if you’ve failed to do proper due diligence. As a lawyer, Jennifer Irwin-Persson has seen a lot of business relationships left in messy and costly break-ups — most of which were avoidable if proper planning was considered in the first place. Jennifer is Principal of JIP Legal, and she explains what small busin...

It’s much tougher to get your message heard these days among all the other messages vying for customers’ attention. Harry Mills, CEO of The Aha! Advantage, says your messages must pass the SAUCE test to pack the punch needed in these days of information overload. It’s detailed in his book, ‘Secret Sauce: How to Pack Your Messages with Persuasive Punch’. Your sales mes...

Barriers to growth are many - none more so than finding capital. Small businesses in particular struggle to find extra money to fund growth because of a lack of time and resources. John Di Natale, Director of Equiwealth, offers some interesting alternatives to the traditional means to raising capital. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61 3 9882 8333 See omny...

Divorce is stressful enough but add the additional element of a family business to the mix and the complications can be hugely magnified – especially when an amicable arrangement can’t be reached by the warring couple. What’s the best way to reach an acceptable resolution – and one that won’t trigger tax issues for either party down the track?  Tax specialist and...

The old rules of selling won’t cut it any more as consumers become more savvy and far more cynical. CEO and sales guru, Harry Mills of The Aha! Advantage offers a technique which aims to have consumers persuade themselves to buy. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61 3 9882 8333 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How are you supposed to make money from your savings in this ridiculously low interest rate environment? That’s a question many investors have been asking themselves when they look at the measly returns they get from term deposits or money in the bank. Wise investors could be looking elsewhere and our wise advisor Greg Keady suggests where. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCart...

As painful as it is, like ripping off a Band-Aid, sometimes you just need to have a chat with a difficult staff member. It’s never easy to confront an employee with an ongoing problem, but putting it off could lead to the issue worsening over time. Marita Ryan, Director of Marita Ryan Consulting, has some useful tips on how to conduct a critical conversation, which can actually help build tr...

Former Westpac CEO, Brian Hartzer, has spent more than 30 years in financial institutions in Australia and overseas observing and applying lessons on how to build highly engaged teams. He’s developed a five-point framework which he outlines in his new book, ‘The Leadership Star: a practical guide to building engagement’. He shares what he’s learnt to help businesses increas...

The labels marketers use to describe consumers no longer serve the purpose they used to. That’s according to customer engagement expert, Michael Solomon, whose new book, ‘The New Chameleons’, outlines how consumers defy the categories in which businesses often put them. The world today has made our lives more complex and so too the job of the marketer. Michael says the first step...

Writing down your goals is one thing, but following through on them to achieve success is quite another. You could do worse than follow the advice of entrepreneur Matthew Michalewicz. He has developed and grown several technology companies in the US and Australia, his last achieving revenue from start-up to $20m in just 7 years. A much sought-after speaker and now co-founder and managing director...

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...

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...

If you’re considering retiring in the next few years, will you be passing on your business to the next generation? If so, now’s the time to start the process, advises Greg Griffith, CEO of Family Business Australia. FBA in partnership with Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman has developed, ‘Download ‘An Introductory Guide to Family Business Succession...