How many times have you heard terms like, “Never give up”, “Play hard”, “It’s all about taking risks…”, “Put your money where your mouth is”, “To make money you need to spend money” “If only we can make it through this rough patch”, “Set lofty goals to get results”, “Put it on the plastic…”, “It’ll […]

In turbulent times there are the basics that need to be looked after like revenue needs to be more than expenses, but then again that should always happen, but in doing the basics an asset protection policy is always good too, who would like to loose a good performing asset right? but I am seeing […]

In the tumultuous financial crisis and the uncertainty it causes, there is one thing for certain, Change is happening. Sure it’s not a change that organisations implemented, and for many it’s a change they did not have a contingency plan for but it’s happening and if your organisation needs to do something about it, then […]

When tough times strike my heart goes out to those businesses on the edge, and of course instead of talking about daily things that can trip up a marginal business, we are now talking about bigger fundamental global meltdown type trip ups.
So when the going gets tough how many of the businesses on the edge […]

An interesting letter to the editor in a local paper about Ben Chifley’s (past Australian Prime Minister) idea of a nationalised bank being a must have.. Well we had that in Australia with the commonwealth bank then that was privatised…
Okay so what if We had a bank that had some form of Co-operative approach or […]

An interesting article in the Melb Age newspaper on the flow on effect to smaller businesses.
In an interesting basic view, if the big banks can’t get money to lend, or they are pulling their heads in “Just in case” then your chances of getting credit of some kind may well be hampered, in the short […]

I have seen a range of TV current affairs shows recently pointing out businesses (reasonable sized ones on occasions), going under and taking investors with them. If you invest in a business it is risky, any sort of business (and I don’t care what glossy brochure or figures they show you…)
So there are risks involved […]

I have just been to see WALL•E the animated film, it was fantastic, the graphics, the story, the whole concept was exceptional. So the environmental message? Yep there was one, and as such I figure on a local basis we can be doing things to prevent a “Wall - E - World” from happening… (hey […]

So what were the Risk Managers telling the management at Lehmans bank… maybe they should be fired… GROSS Negiligence perhaps? or did their “leaders” not listen…???
I have often said that organisations should have a “Debt Reserve Fund” large or small, if they had a range of assets (cash is a start) then they would have […]

The USA banks, the market slide, you name it the financial markets are taking a battering with trillions of $$ in value lost… The media is alive with speculation, and sensational headlines.
WOW the guys with the money seem to be in a squeeze, now watch as the rest of us suffer in the aftermath.
But hey, […]

In the “topsy turvy” world of franchise contracts, agreements etc, (which many franchisees have little understanding of) it’s painfully obvious that many of these documents ask the franchisee to jump through hoops, but how about working things the other way?
Over time the franchisor will build a “watertight contract” and expect the franchisee to know a […]

Fast thinking and wisdom can work wonders, I saw this today and thought it’s well worth reproducing here, enjoy!
A wealthy old lady decides to go on a photo safari in Africa, taking her faithful aged poodle named Cuddles, along for the company.
One day the poodle starts chasing butterflies and before long, Cuddles discovers that he’s lost. […]

Maybe you have been in business for quite a while and have most things figured, but how much are you really making?
With so many variables, fixed costs, and “things that challenge your earnings” it can be hard to tell what the take home earnings are.
If you have fixed costs it pays to make sure you […]

Starting a business is a great idea, you think about the possibilities, get emotionally wrapped up in it and then make a start… But there are a few things you may not have thought of, namely how much money you will need to get started and how long you will need to “feed the beast” […]

How about this, an organisation has the following core values as part of it’s vision.

Responsibility and Leadership
Achievement and Excellence
Citizenship and Community
Initiative and Commitment

Sounds great, things to aspire to… one problem they don’t do it, well not all of it, here are some points…

Staff are failing to take responsibility, citing they do not have the resources […]

In our local area, the media are reporting that 500 businesses have failed during 2006.
Even if half of that is true it’s too many, some might be secondary businesses that are operated by a family or an off shoot of a group of investors. Some might be moves to new locations, others could be re […]

In the “game of business” it would pay to know about the important things, what they are. To me my list is fairly short. To you they might be different altogether.

Product and or service - You better have something of value to offer or they won’t buy.
Leverage - Your time, you work hard, then […]

Many of you know I have a business seminars listing service on another site, I have a bunch of events put in there as a service to the wider business community so people can find events in a “one stop shop” approach for aussie businesses.
I list only publicly available events and have done for about […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 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 […]

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.
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 […]

From an original article on various business success pointers, here are the individual “how to” possible options for you to explore.
Does your business fill a need and or want?
Hopefully it does both. If there is no need for what you have there will be no sales, therefore no business. This is a vital prerequisite for […]

From an original article on various business success pointers, here are the individual “how to” possible options for you to explore.
Creating a business that people love!
Customers and staff a like love the business and what it does, heck why have a business that people despise? Go for love, it’s much better. But that’s easy […]

From an original article on various business success pointers, here are the individual “how to” possible options for you to explore.
Growth ability
Starting out in business is one thing, growing the business to be more than it currently is another… And for many business people the idea of growing the business seems strange, they have […]

From an original article on various business success pointers, here are the individual “how to” possible options for you to explore.
Profitable
At the end of the day it’s what’s left in the kitty that counts. With no profit you’re a charity or a hobby, which do you want?
Lets say that you want to be more than […]

From an original article on various business success pointers, here are the individual “how to” possible options for you to explore.
Structural integrity
The systems and procedures for your business are vital to ensuring a solid foundation and the supporting structures up from there are suitable. The aim with developing structural integrity is to ensure that “when […]

From an original article on various business success pointers, here are the individual “how to” possible options for you to explore.
Sustainable and Robust
When you start up in business you probably do so wanting it to last, so you can get more than just the $$ it cost you to get started. So you need […]

In the race to maintain and or grow their business many business operators find another hurdle that pops up far to easily, and that’s staff turnover. Some call it churn, but whatever you call it it costs the business $$.
Some businesses try to keep their wages above the award rates in the hope it will […]

Many of you will have seen forums where the nasty boss is mentioned and various people have jumped in with numerous stories of how they have had to put up with a lousy boss. The stories are amusing enough, the problem is they are all too common.
In this day and age the idea that a […]

In business it’s too easy to fall into the trap of just doing business, then it can become a grind, the details become a blur and the idea of lifestyle enhancement as a value you wanted to chase can become minimal, in fact you may as well have just kept a job.
So where is the […]

This is the eighth in a set of posts designed as a series to complement the initial post… Strengths in your business The aim being to provide a simple “How to” guide for people daunted by the prospect of “how to” as it can be too easy to read and say “Oh yeah that’s it, […]

I have been on about the Guy Kawasaki 10 - 20 - 30 planning device for a while now (since I found it in early 07) Well this week I had the good fortune to use it myself and have created a template to be used in Power Point.
Unfamiliar with 10 -20 - 30? It’s […]