Business Essentials

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.

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...

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...

This is the 100th episode of Business Essentials Daily! And what better way to celebrate than by exploring the power of podcasting with our very own Managing Director of SoundCartel, Nick Schildberger. At a time that the medium of audio is experiencing a revolution, the opportunities for brands couldn’t be more exciting.  Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel...

Business is hard enough without the cloudy judgement, mood swings and low energy levels that are the next-day effects of excess alcohol or drugs. But where do you go if you need help but wish to avoid the risk of public exposure? Long-time addiction consultant and reformed alcoholic, Graeme Alford, understands the issue. His 21Renew solution can help you get your life back on track in 21 days. It&...

Like a pre-nuptial agreement, a shareholder agreement is prepared for a new business – or the restructuring of an existing business – when partners’ hopes and goodwill towards each other are at an all-time high. Disputes can often occur between partners and directors, and so having something in writing will save a lot of angst down the track. Lionel Green, Principal at Meltzer Gr...

Selling your business assets tax free, with generous contribution allowances into superannuation – that’s the Small Business CGT concession 15-year exemption and it’s a great tax concession for business owners. But you need to plan ahead to qualify. Michael Jones, Superannuation and Business Advisory Partner, from Mazars, explains. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundC...

We often get distracted by what's happening outside the business and the things we can't control – ignoring stagnation within. Courageous Leaders, behaviour change specialist, Mandy Holloway implores us all to disrupt ourselves and challenge the company's status quo, lest the business stagnates. It means having difficult and confronting conversations in order to innovate on the inside. Busin...

Is the tide turning for our major shopping centres, once a magnet for every hip fashionista in town? As COVID takes its toll on retailers everywhere, those with clout are fighting back against continuing high rents being demanded by some shopping centre leasing agents – and it’s changing the whole shopping experience. Peter Buckingham, Managing Director of Spectrum Analysis explains th...

In 2005, Rachael Robertson gave up the comforts of home to lead a team of fellow expeditioners to Antarctica. Her 12 months included managing a small group in the dark depths of an Antarctic winter. That experience and subsequent extensive research has shown that a focus on respect drives the highest performing teams. She outlines her thoughts in her new book, Respect Trumps Harmony: why being lik...

What type of salesperson gets the best results – and why? When it comes to selling, should you challenge your customers or try to develop strong, long-lasting relationships with them? What if you just work harder to get more sales? Tony Gattari, Managing Director and CEO of Achievers Group, says one of these sales methods gets the best results, in both simple sales and complex sales. Bu...

How does one go from modestly selling three teas at a stall in Byron Bay to turning over $150k a month worth of tea? Well award-winning Jordana Edwards has done just that with Clean Tea, a range of teas blended by her mum Amanda, a naturopath and medical herbalist, hand-made and free from natural ingredients, herbs, fruits and free from chemicals, preservatives and no added flavours. Along her jou...

The economy? Must we? Well yes, tough as it is, we do need to talk about the economy and where on earth it’s heading if we want to keep our businesses on track. But who should we believe? Well here at SoundCartel we have a secret source of trusted knowledge…and his name is Neville Norman. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61 3 9882 8333 See omny...

Do you put things off that you just don’t feel like doing – even when you know you should be doing them now? Many people are procrastinators and don’t even know it, says time management expert Les Watson, author of  Get Back an Hour in Every Day.  The good news is there are ways to cure procrastination and it’ll make a big difference to our businesses if we do. Bu...

Family members in the same business can work together in wonderful harmony – or not! Conflicting expectations or generational conflict can seriously undermine the success of the business. Business coach and mentor, Bryan Worn shares his family business success model, whereby families achieve cohesion by separating family issues from business issues. If left unchecked, issues dividing the fam...

The ability to work from home during COVID has helped many of us reassess our priorities about where we want to live and work.  Will we revert to the daily commutes, the traffic jams and the office grind once it’s all over? Well no. Our choices have suddenly opened up and now, says Sarah Prime, Social entrepreneur and founder of Champions Academy. She says it’s the perfect time to...

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...