Business Essentials

Much has been said and written about entrepreneurs and the success borne from those committed to building and growing their own business. Less appreciated are the “intrapreneurs” – those talented employees who are as committed to your business as you are. It’s those intrapreneurs that Gabby Leibovich and his brother Hezi recognised and rewarded to help grow Catch, Menu Log,...

Buying a gift, at the best of times can seem like a chore, especially when it comes to corporate gifting. But what if you could outsource this to an expert and have one less thing on your to do list? Laura Szkudlarek, Founder of Gift Hunters Australia, says that corporate gifting is not a just a chance to send hamper at Christmas, but a relationship building opportunity, that should be built into...

If your employees don’t know what they’re supposed to do, how do they or even you know whether they are doing a good job? A job description is key, and it’s something that you should be updating regularly. Carmel Brown, Director of The Proven Group, explains what should go into a job description and outlines some of the common mistakes she sees business owners make. Business Esse...

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 —...

Does your business have a uniform? It's not only beneficial for frontline staff, a shared dress code can improve morale for all members of an organisation – and it’s great for your brand. Pamela Jabbour is CEO of Total Image Group, which designs and supplies uniforms for some of Australia's biggest brands. In fact, it was the official uniform supplier for the Australian Winter Olympic...

It’s come to this at last, and as the whole world watches on, just two names now count on the global stage. Trump – or Biden. Who’s it to be? We’ll soon find out as voting in the 2020 US election draws to a close – or maybe it won’t be so soon if the result is a close-drawn thing. But as the world sits on edge, what’s happening to the sharemarket and how s...

In 2006, Gabby and Hezi Leibovich launched Catch of the Day, a website selling just one deal a day. By 2010, it was Australia’s number one shopping site, and in 2019 they sold the business to Wesfarmers for a whopping $230 million. How did they do it? Well, it’s detailed in the brothers’ new book: ‘Catch of the Decade: how to launch, build and sell a digital business’...

It might be that you meet someone that comes across as your new best friend, but the charming behaviour of a sociopath is merely a front for their own selfish intentions. The best thing you can do, says Professor Gary Martin, is not hire them in the first place – but it's not always easy to spot someone with sociopathic tendencies. Professor Martin, CEO of the Australian Institute of Managem...

Innovation is supposed to help drive growth. If you don’t innovate, they say, you’ll stay stagnate and eventually fall behind. So, how does a business innovate? If only there was a toolkit that could show us the way. There is! It’s called 'Innovator’s Playbook: how to create great products, services and experiences.' It’s a new book by Nathan Baird, Founder and Managi...

There’s no end of advice on how to run a business. But often you just want to hear it from the horse’s mouth – someone who’s taken all the hits, fallen down, picked themselves up and forged ahead. Alan Manly, CEO of Group Colleges Australia, is one such individual who shares his lifetime of lessons in his book, ‘The Unlikely Entrepreneur’. In this episode, he re...

Yes, we could all manage our time better. And the best way to do it? Kate Christie will tell us that we must stop thinking “management” and start thinking “investment”. Because time is a very precious commodity and we need to make sure we’re getting the best return on it. In fact, Kate, a time management expert and Founder and Director of Time Stylers will tell us tha...

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...

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...

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...

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...

There’s nothing good about bad bosses. Often, they are the reason a workplace is toxic, they can lead team members to suffer stress and mental health problems, and they’re the cause of staff turnover. However, bad bosses are not necessarily bad people – and they can learn to be good or even great. That’s according to workplace expert, Michelle Gibbings, who shares lessons f...

If tyre kickers are tying up your time seeking quotes and proposals without coming through with the work – then it’s time to call them out. Preparing detailed proposals is a time-consuming part of a sales person’s job. There’s a substantial cost involved, says respected sales expert Sue Barrett, and you can’t afford to waste time if that client seldom or never comes b...

It comes as no surprise that calls to mental health support groups have spiked during COVID-19. In particular, business owners have been doing it really tough with the awful potential of closure, laying off staff and simply trying to perform at peak, while the world seems to be crumbling around them. Beyond Blue recognise the challenges and have developed a new approach to supporting business owne...

Do you have a problem with employing mature-aged workers? Lots of us do, apparently - and that’s a huge shame, for employers who miss out on the experience that maturity brings and for mature workers as doors slam shut on their employment opportunities. And now, according to Hunter Leonard, CEO of Silver & Wise, those workers are facing a perfect storm in the jobs market – and it&r...

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 –...

Applying for the chance to win a government contract can be cumbersome, time-consuming and a headache for any one in business. But, if successful, the rewards can be substantial. There’s no winning formula per se, but there are things you can do to give yourself the best chance to secure government business. Thomas Pollock, Founder of THINQ Learning, outlines what you can do to claim your ow...

Yes – we’ve got the message! Last week Josh Frydenberg announced the most significant Federal Budget since any of us can probably remember. But let’s not get befuddled by the numbers. Let’s look beyond the terrifying debt and forecast figures to work out how it actually applies to you, right now, in your business. Because according to tax expert Michael Jones, of Mazars, th...

If one thing is certain, it’s that we WILL emerge from this pandemic – hopefully sooner rather than later. But HOW we emerge will depend on our ongoing relevance in the marketplace. Have we adapted to future needs, or have we been overtaken by other businesses moving faster in these dramatic COVID times? To business futurist Morris Miselowski, it comes down to innovation - even in the...

If you forced yourself to do a six-hour workday, could you do it? Entrepreneur Steve Glaveski and his team gave it a go and discovered that in fact they could achieve all their goals in shorter days, which gave them more time to do the things they wanted. As a consequence, they lead happier and more fulfilling lives. Steve Glaveski has written about this in his new book, Time Rich: do your best wo...

The making of a high-performance team doesn’t always come easy, especially when feedback is a key part of the process. Gavin Mahony of Leading Teams, says providing feedback is crucial to building resilience and peak performance. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61 3 9882 8333 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.