Business Essentials

A cure for a hangover? Sounds like good timing as COVID locks us at home with perhaps a tipple more than we need to cheer us up. But the amazing growth of Bae Juice into the Australian market has been much more than pandemic-driven, and the young co-founders Tim O’Sullivan, Sumin Do and Liam Gostencnik are on a roll as Woolworths signs up for national distribution. Business Essentials Daily...

If estate planning or setting up your will has dropped off your priority list, put it back on top. Not only can the unexpected happen, but now there’s a way to speed up the will creation process. Ryan Solomons is Head of Legal at Vault Legal and the co-founder of Willed, an online will and estate planning company that helps you create your will, safely, easily and for a fraction of the cost...

The amount of time and resources you spend building a new website is almost wasted if it doesn’t generate business leads. MC Carter, founder and director of online marketing agency, Practice Paradox, provides his six-step process in developing a lead-generation website. He says, it’s a regular and consistent ongoing commitment, but well worth the effort to grow business. Business Essen...

Without prior experience in the construction or travel industries, Tony Gattari, Managing Director at Achievers Group, managed to massively exceed the sales targets in his senior sales roles in recent years. No matter the industry, Tony applies five core principles when advising some of Australia’s leading companies and their sales teams. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel...

The millennial generation today makes up a large share of the Australian workforce and it's important to understand how to attract them for future business success. Luke Faccini, Director at brand agency, The Sponge, says they're more likely to put emphasis on social and environmental issues when choosing a place to work. To win the hearts and minds of the millennial generation, it's worth evaluat...

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...

Lee Squire bought herself a business – and quickly discovered that running one is a much different beast to managing a team in a company she didn’t own. The day-to-day stresses, including the constant worry about pay role, all played their part in her increasing reliance on alcohol. She was sinking fast. But she pulled herself up, quit drinking, and today is a much-admired business wom...

Debt can be useful to build assets, grow a business or as an investment strategy. But be careful how you use it, warns Steve McKnight. People get it wrong when they don't know what they are doing, says the property guru. Steve insists you should name, number and numb the risk in order to manage it and to avoid getting yourself caught in a debt trap. Safe debt allows you to achieve a higher return...

Too many business owners are reluctant to step away from the business and give themselves a break. But, for the sake of your health and the health of your business, you need to be able to take time off. That’s according to Dave Strutton, owner of Howards Storage World Mile End franchise in central Adelaide. Dave’s retail business has performed extraordinarily well in recent years, desp...

The idea of flexible working hours - being able to manage kids, family, hobbies etc. sounds pretty good. But how realistic is it really? Well, Paul Benson, Financial Planner and author of ‘Financial Autonomy – the money book that gives you choice’, is living proof. Not only has he done it himself, but over the last 20 years he’s helped many of his clients bring greater choi...

The on-again-off-again restrictions in some parts of the country are a daily reminder that the future’s far from predictable, and plans can be thrown into disarray at any time. Leading your team through this particularly difficult period can be the most challenging of all. Martine Harkin, Director and Facilitator at Leading Teams explains how business owners can provide support and clarity f...

Since COVID-19, online retail has seen its largest growth on record. For businesses, it’s never been easier to set up an online store. Kelly Slessor is a digital growth expert and founder of Shop You, a personalised virtual shopping mall based on AI technology.  Kelly has spent the last 20 years working with retailers, property groups, banks and media companies globally to develop their...

In early July 2020 the Woolworths Group was fined $1M for significantly breaching spam laws. The highest amount ever issued by the Australian Communications and Media Authority or ACMA. A strong, public rebuke was also given by the ACMA Chair, Nerida O’Loughlin, calling the scale and prolonged nature of the non-compliance, inexcusable. It’s not a cautionary tale for enterprise companie...

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...

Last time we spoke with Justin Dry four years ago, he was riding the proverbial wave of success with his start-up online wine retailer. Since then, Vinomofo has matured into a multimillion-dollar company with a growing focus on overseas expansion. How has he maintained the company’s ethos of “no BS and no bow ties” while expanding his mofo tribe? In Part 2 of the Vinomofo story,...

To join this club you have to make a pledge: “There is no right or wrong, there is only what I like and don’t like.” In 2011, in an industry full of pretention, Justin Dry and Andre Eikmeier founded an online wine community with down-to-earth ideals. By July 2016 Vinomofo had 450,000 members and set its sights on overseas markets. In this first part of the Vinomofo story, Justin...

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...

Nothing’s more important in business right now than sales. Tony Gattari, sales expert and Managing Director at Achievers Group, says you can’t sit back and wait for people to buy your product or service. More than ever you and your sales team have to be proactive in developing leads and getting people to buy from you. You have to get back to basics, stay positive and persistent in your...

First an extension, and now some adjustments to the Federal Government’s JobKeeper payments scheme. It’s welcome relief to the thousands of businesses and workers facing an uncertain future as COVID-19 cuts deep into the economy. But how does this new round of payments work and who’s eligible?   Superannuation and Business Advisory Partner Michael Jones, of Mazars, provides...

If you were asked to nominate the qualities of the people you most admire, what would be top of the list? Storyteller and star-maker, Colin Pearce was curious to find out and the results of a subsequent survey of three thousand Australians and New Zealanders astounded him. Reference The Character Works Series by Colin Pearce Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au...

As the coronavirus throws up increasing levels of uncertainty about the future, there’s never been a more important time to step up as a leader. But what does leadership really look like in these strange and unusual times? Different! says leadership coach Alan Rodway, who explains why our roles must adapt in a fast-changing world. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundca...

Business partners Jarrod Milani and Marcus Brown have carved out a space in the rice market with their innovative products. An overseas trip opened Marcus Brown's eyes to the world of black rice and a dream to introduce and sell exotic grains to Australians. Eight years on, he and co-founder of Forbidden Foods, Jarrod Milani, have enjoyed phenomenal growth, supplying supermarkets and food retailer...

Divorce can be stressful enough, but more so perhaps when running a business. Is there a way to separate, without breaking up the business and without resorting to law courts? Yes, there is, says family lawyer Jennifer Hetherington. It's called collaborative practice – a mediation process for couples to finalise the legal aspects of their separation without court. It’s about meeting th...

People do business with people they like and trust. That's why it's more important than ever these days to build your personal brand. That's according to Andrew Ford of personal brand building company, Social Star. He explains how to build your profile online to reflect your personality and credibility and to help you stand out. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com...

Is COVID providing the silver lining you need to jump into the property market? Veteran Melbourne real estate agent and commentator James Tostevin says it’s a terrific market for buyers as long as you have all your ducks lined up, and that includes conversations with the bank. He offers wise perspectives for anyone buying or selling during this unsettling coronavirus time.   Business Es...