If like myself and other business people I have come across you probably have thought about the ideal business and what it might be like.
Well here’s a list to get you started on thinking about it, feel free to add any points via the comments.
1. It provides value - The product or service is […]

In business you deal with people and as such they are an important aspect to the business (in fact read that as VITAL to your business!) so vital that without them things don’t get purchased, sold, manufactured etc… So in the scheme of things you need them, and as such the big question is do […]

When yo got started in business you probably didn’t figure on how much it would cost to get started, I guess no one really knows until they have done it. and for so many people in business they find they just don’e have enough to really cover their marketing costs to get a decent response.
There […]

So what do you do when things get quiet in the business?
Do you…
- Wonder why?
- Start to do all the little things that you mean to do when you are busy?
- Start marketing?
- Sack some staff!?
- Sit and wait…
- Check how things were this time last year?
- Ask what’s happening?
- PANIC!
- Change things?
- Go back […]

At this time in the morning many are open and ready to go, but there are those that seem to not get in ’til later… It sets me to wondering what business was like for them say… yesterday. Did they not get enough people in the door that they felt it’s not worth it? They […]

Getting started in business is one thing, gaining success is another. Many of us will have seen and heard of people who have failed in business even though they felt they had a great business idea and the finances to put behind it to get started… So what went so wrong that it failed?
Lets look […]

Lets say you have done things right and you have a good service or product to sell, and yet people are not buying… What next? Well consider these three interlinked points and see if you can do something with this.
Firstly people start off as suspects, they move to prospect next, then when they buy […]

Here’s a short video from Tom Peters, if ever you wondered what comes first passion or skills, here’s Tom’s answer…
Thanks to Tom and the team at Skill Soft.
Steve Gray - Steve’s clients are calling him “the leadership guy” for his focus and knowledge on leadership development. Steve is an avid business commentator, writer and a […]

Are you burning business bridges and denying yourself possible valuable opportunities down the road? Is it possible that those who matter to you least today, will have value to you tomorrow? It’s worth thinking about.

A friend and I were chatting, he is to be made redundant, and after many years in his role with a big multinational he stands to get a good pay out. He’s still got plenty of time as an able bodied worker and wants to work… But.
There have been a number of larger businesses fold […]

Current news 26th may 08 Victoria Australia. It was announced today that an aged care facility is in the hands of administrators today, 100+ residents are unsure if they will have a place to live. lets leave the emotions to one side for a moment and look at it from a business viewpoint.
Here is a […]

The weekend has been and gone, and here you are back at Monday, ready to face another week… Firstly are you excited about the prospect of another week? Or is it something you wish would end quickly? Whatever your state of being right now, take a moment to focus.
Grab a sheet of paper, […]

Whether you recruit new members to your team by yourself, or use an external recruitment firm, the same requirements apply. If you aren’t clear on their role, accountabilities, what you’re looking for and what your priorities are, then don’t expect anyone else to be able to find the right person for you.
The following ‘test’ […]

When it comes to recruiting new people into your business, or expanding someone’s role, or identifying where to add more resource into the business, it needn’t be that difficult.
Follow these 4 steps to start creating and defining roles within your business, and writing the necessary Position Description:
1. Ask yourself these questions first:

What functions are being […]

Leaders are an interesting lot, often found wandering, “dazed”, plodding, planning, scheming and making sure everything is in it’s right place for the team to do what the team does best. So in the plodding and wandering the astute leader searches and hunts down exceptional people to be part of the team. They also work […]

The reason people select the wrong person is because they don’t ask the right questions in the interview, they don’t probe to uncover real competencies and capabilities, they don’t explore the person’s true personality and attitude, and they get swayed by enjoyable ‘chats’ that should in fact be probing interviews.
We all like to work with […]

Recently over a very serious business lunch, the matter of grading came up in regards to karate, I suggested in one of those “A-ha” moments, that the same principle could be applied to staff training.
You see the person I was lunching with is a karate ‘nut’ and mentioned his new staff member was like a […]

Think about the leaders you’ve had in your life – that is, the people you’ve respected and listened to, and in many cases followed. School teachers, uni lecturers, people you’ve worked with, mentors, coaches, captains of sporting teams, friends, family.
Why did you see those people as leaders? Why did you accept them as your […]

Just because you select an ideal recruit for your business, doesn’t mean they will automatically want to work for you. Why not?
Many businesses overlook the fact that they have to sell their offer and make it an attractive option for prospective new employees.
If you operate in a competitive environment where good recruits are scarce, or […]

Firstly.. Why be a coach?
You would not expect your favourite sports team to be effective without a coach… nor would you expect the people you lead to be effective without a leader.
To get high-level productivity from the team your role as a leader takes in a great deal of coaching and mentoring skills. Therefore your […]

If you want to run a business that has a team with real power in what they do I have one piece of advice, in fact I will give you a really easy way to take that advice and put it into action… ready?
Coach them… too simple eh? but it works, you be the coach […]

This might seem like the sort of question that might be more suited to a personal development blog or professional development series of some kind, but I felt the issue was of burning intrigue for me so here it is.
It’s of interest to me because I see so many businesses, and as I spend time […]

Your business is all it can be due to a few factors and often it boils down to how people connect, customers to staff, staff to staff and any other stakeholders you may have in the equation.
You see it’s about your values and beliefs and theirs, if you are employing staff it is important for […]

I received an e-mail from a supplier yesterday. They sent me a proof to approve and fax back to them.
First thing I noticed was that my Purchase Order (PO) number was wrong. The next thing I DIDN’T notice, was the fax number to which the supplier wanted me to fax the approval back. […]

Leadership is it… If you have ever wondered about what makes a solidly compelling and successful company, well check the list and see what you think…
A leader leads by example… If it’s a brilliant business the leader is brilliant and that excellence is passed down with ease. They follow excellently because they were led excellently, […]

Let’s get simple with the $$ and the practicalities of business.
$$ in, this comes from the sale of goods, services and the income from investments made on behalf of the business.
$$ out, these are the expenses your business has.
Profit (or loss) is the difference between the $$ out and the $$ in.
The aim of the […]

When you start out in business or develop a new product there is an inevitable challenge to figure out if the emotion that motivates the initiative is the only thing making it happen or the $$ are a motivator as well.
I guess the ideal is both. People want the product, you make it, they pay […]

Another franchise buying tip for the non business person.
You are excited about the business you are looking at and in most cases you have gone out on a limb  and “emotionally bought in” to the business and no matter what someone tells you, you are going to buy it. BUT to be sure you have […]

If  you are out to buy a franchise watch out for this trick designed to lure the non business person into their lair…
- Income guarantee -
You currently have an income with a job, you get $$ to take home and spend… that’s the usual definition of income, but in business circles this can be used […]

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Welcome to the February 27, 2008 edition of Carnival of Australia.
 Thanks to all the contributors, some great stuff there, enjoy your reading! 
Elias presents The day we said “sorry”! posted at Ramblings of an Australian teacher, saying, “I hope I can still squeeze in the current carnival.” - Yes and No Elias! I […]

Let’s talk for a moment about women in business and the ‘aura’ or’stigma’ that surrounds this concept.
Being a women in business, plus an owner of a business that targets women in business, I have found that age old impressions and attitudes still exist. I’ve found that the general thinking of many, (including some women), on […]

I was sitting in the eye doctor’s chair. Only moments earlier I had been traumatized by that stupid glaucoma test where they shoot a puff of air in your eye. Well, they try anyway, because with me it’s more like testing the resistance of the surface of my eyelid. On the upside, apparently, my reflexes […]

In an historic address to the nation today Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said “Sorry” to the stolen generation. He said sorry for the pain, sorry for the ongoing indignation, sorry for previous governments not apologising, for taking indigenous children from their families many years ago.
In essence he is saying we are sorry for the […]

You have the business set up and things are running ok. You handle customers well, you pay the staff, you keep things ship shape in the bookkeeping area, all seems well, but are you making any money, real money, real income?
In the scheme of things those that have gone from an employee to a business […]

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Bren Ryan - Bren is passionate about “having a go”, and takes great joy from assisting others reach their full potential. Bren never does anything by halves, and throws himself into each personal & professional project he takes on with energy and passion! Visit Bren’s Website

I know it’s a big word, but its an interesting one (anything that big has got to have some merit.)
The thing is it’s all about being (or becoming) dis-interested and for this forum dis-interested in business.
I know what it’s like being in small business, lots of challenges, lots of ways to run astray, simply because […]

I learn things from many sources (hey don’t we all?) but today I was listening to a business owner talking on an issue that reminded me of a useful story that fitted to the situation, here it is…
Pete had been investing in shares for many years, and had weathered many ’storms’ and made and lost […]

From an original article on various business success pointers, here is an individual “how to” option on unique selling ponts for you to explore.
Market leading Unique Selling Point/s –
Creating a unique selling point is all about setting yourself apart from your competition, sometimes called a Point of Difference. It’s all about identifying what makes your […]

On a recent holiday we caught up with a family friend, retired well and truly from business and now taking a well earned lifestyle break from as he put it “All that stuff”.
He got chatting about his fathers business, it turned out he had a couple of retail stores that were really big and his […]

From an original article on various business success pointers, here are the individual “how to” possible options for you to explore.
Training to win/win
You and your staff should be trained to make the whole show win, then the customers can win too. A great position to get to and stay in.  For some the idea […]

Recently I’ve had a few people ask me about Publicity and if they should do it themselves. I find that I answer both yes and no, depending on the person. Many people talk about how publicity is ‘free’,  except when you pay over $1000 for a company to do it for you.
So, how do we […]

From an original article on various business success pointers, here are the individual “how to” possible options for you to explore.
Upholding great values
People love it when you are on a positive footing and in the values area it’s a great place to start (integrity – honesty, truthfulness etc.).
Start the business with a strong stance on […]

From an original article on various business success pointers, here are the individual “how to” possible options for you to explore.
Covering overheads easily…
Overheads are often the thing that break the camels back, so make it easy for the camel and take the pressure off, in this case keeping the turnover and cash flow up so […]

From an original article on various business success pointers, here are the individual “how to” possible options for you to explore.
Enjoyable to run
Who wants a business, which is a hassle to run? Who wants to work in a tough field? No one… Make it a joy to be part of for you and staff […]

From an original article on various business success pointers, here are the individual “how to” possible options for you to explore.
Creating easily saleable products and services
You want people to buy, not to um and err then walk away, so it should be easy for them to select what they want and then make the purchase […]