I called my stockbroker a couple weeks a go. I had a question. I wasn’t sure who to ask for because it’s been about a year or so since I actually talked to anyone there. Anyway, I finally get “my guy” on the phone. What a phoney!
This guy doesn’t know me from a fence post […]

It can be surprising how much support a business can require. Even if you look at the basics of Marketing, management and operational issues and the sub headings under each, then you would have to be highly skilled to be able to do all of them, so some support can go a long way!
Most males […]

In the crazy mixed up world of business we can often forget why we are in business… of course it’s to make a profit but what kind? is it just money or are there other profits to be had?
Other profits might include
• People learning more and benefitting society by utilising their new found skills and […]

Studies show clearly that many businesses fail in the first 12 months of operation, often due to lack of cash to be able to run the business through the crucial start up phase. But there’s more to the start up phase than just cash, in fact it goes well beyond the start up phase.
Support… Who […]

In the service stakes there are those that connect with the people they need to serve and those that quite frankly wish the customers would go away. There are of course levels within that and as always I would like you to focus for a moment on the top end.
People that serve in those lofty […]

Have you ever thought about the activity and decisions that takes place in your business, or in your life for that matter? Let’s get a handle on things to explain more about what I mean.
Active and inactive - It’s either one or the other and not much in between, of course at the either […]

Business can be fickle, some succed, others fail, some just plod along making just enough to struggle on even though the market might be very buoyant.
In the end many will say business is just about money. Yes and no… I like to think I get more than just money out of what I do. […]

Describing business in terms of its stages, infancy, adolescence, maturity and so on is a great way to sum up the situation, but there are impacts and of course differences in each.
So in the development of the franchise from the start up infancy stage, through to maturity there are some different challenges to face that […]

An article by Kirsten Le Mesurier in the Age on innovation struck a chord.
The premise of CEO’s and senior exec’s saying innovation must happen… rarely works, it’s often a directive that can be buried in red tape and politics. Too many times the ideas are wanted but the process becomes a durge and in no […]

In a previous post I mentioned trademarking as a development tool and I discussed “See something - Do something” It’s a nice simple model for business but it can be taken further than a business context, here’s how and perhaps why…
In the branding stakes there is a lot of mention these days about “Brand You” […]

When buying any business (or any asset for that matter) it’s advisable to do your homework. Logical? YES! Practical… Not always. In the case of a franchise they (the franchisor) often has the power of numbers, “X number of franchisees can’t be wrong”, (yes some can be ‘wrong’, but they may not want to admit […]

Earlier in 2007 I did a post on Trademarks not what you think… It gave some starting points and some background to an idea that is really all about values and beliefs but does so in a more street smart way.
I thought it was time to pull out a few more and explore how they […]

In the world of franchising there are many chances to connect with the Franchisees and the Franchisors, meetings, conferences, and the initial training. As the leader of the franchise (or franchise division) or as the franchisee, search for more ways to connect with each other. Then pass on that ‘connection’ attitude or skill to your […]

You start the business and then… Well apart from working hard to make it sustainable…
A few things first, let’s make a list. Why did you get into business? Is it turning out how you wanted? Is there a profit? Is it providing a better life for you? If not when will it do that?
Note how […]

If you are hiring employees, the usual take on things is to try and match the person you want via assessing their skills an abilities as well as attitude and qualifications.
So you place an advert and put in the role and some Co details, then wait for the cover letters and resumes to arrive. In […]

In flipping about the net I came across this link. http://www.bcg.com/
Simply put the publications section has some great resources for businesses of all sorts, check it out, there’s plenty for everyone…
Very professionally put together, usually when I come across resources like this you end up having to pay or need to be a client with […]

A blog that chats about the craft of management now that’s useful! Check out the ten x 3 article I liked them all!
Management as a craft seems to resonate with the idea of the manager as an artisan, with a unique blend of artistic and practical skills. If this is the case the business could […]

I get asked which of my posts are my favourites and have been asked to put a few in here for people to find. That’s hard to do in a sense but hopefully you will agree with my points.
Business spirituality this happened as the results of reading a school newsletter it was so interesting and […]

My dad always revered job satisfaction and would ask me “are you happy at work?” Mostly I was, but more due to the role and the environment rather than any management on mine or the organisations behalf.
There is an age old debate about the satisfaction and $$ debate as to which is more important, to […]

I live in Geelong and as we come up to the final of our Australian Rules football season Our Geelong team is a hot favourite to win, so to find a champion down here at the minute is very easy! Just name any one of the team members and I will agree!!!
These kinds of chapmpion […]

In Australia today, a transport company in Sydney McArthur Express has gone into receivership and has been found to be insolvent. This means the company is not viable and they will sell everything and pay out the creditors as best they can.The plight is a miserable one for workers, the creditors and operators of the […]

There are customers and there are CUSTOMERS! it can be very useful to know who you are deailing with so you can figure out the best way of working with them so they are influenced to purchase and deal with your organisation.
there are personality profiles, psyche profiles and marketing type profiles here is one we […]

It’s probably thought of as a no go zone, the franchisor wants their members to follow a system, and the franchisee wants to have a system that ensures ongoing viability, and therefore $$ in the bank to fund their lifestyle.
For most the entreprenerial activity in a franchise will happen at the “top end”, where the […]

Experiences are everything, if you have any sort of business that sells to people then the experience the customer has is vital to your operation.
In a franchise the franchisor would then have a greater duty of care to ensure the prospective franchisee has customer service skills, is customer aware, is able to communicate effectively and […]

Who is blaming whom? In the failed business stakes there are those with the crushed ego from the fall who want to blame anyone but themselves. They will claim the system failed them, customers failed them, area supervisors and suppliers failed them… then of course the franchisor failed them!
In all the blame game generally gets […]

The guys in the sales dept of your business just love to use testimonials from happy customers, the ones that willingly tell how good the company and product was. In some cultures its hard to ask for a testimonial (or as I like to call them a Yestimonials!) The one thing that stands out to […]

Starting in any business is fraught with challenges, in franchising its the same, there are challenges. The aim however with a franchise is to diminish some of the risks so you can begin with a solid system behind you that offers training and support as well as a proven brand people want to buy from.
It […]

The exceptional organisation according to Tom Peters associate Ed Michaels, is one that provides and nurtures rigourously the following…
“Remarkable challenges, rapid professional growth, respect, satisfaction, fun, stunning opportunity, exceptional reward, amazing peer group, full membership in ‘Club Adventure’, maximized future employability…”
All this leads to attracting more of the right people both internally and externally. In […]

From our forum to you here are more favourites from the last year.
Entrepreneurs mind set
Keeping employees happy
Exceptional yet?
Most of these also got lots of views from our members so that’s useful. But mainly I see these as having the scope to get people involved, mindsets and keeping people happy… I guess there is always the […]

No this is not about Homer Simpson getting a helper monkey! it’s about the ideal clients we all want to chase, but hey there are issues about going for gold, its time, money and often our attitude.
Firstly the ideal customer “monkey” is at the top of the tree, try to climb it too fast you […]

In business there are many things to consider, but one of the most overlooked is the fact that you have to deal with people, staff, customers, suppliers, partners and support teams (accountants coaches and the like). The factor that makes or breaks the relationship that’s built is your attitude. But what is it, and specifically […]

 Okay world, here are my 3 favourite articles for the period Sept 2006 - 2007 our first year of www.freebusinesstips.com.au
Jenny Stilwell  3 pillars… Because at the time it knocked me flat! I loved the depth yet a simplstic approach that ANYONE in business could follow. I love most of Jenny’s work and so the link […]

When asked to write a short article on my favorite Free Business Tips blog stories I answered, “yes” before I should have. Have you read the stories?! Choosing my favorite stories is like choosing my favorite child. I mean sure, I’m always going to choose my own … but then when it comes down to […]

Take a business or division of a business that is doing okay, (note… not doing exceptional, just okay…) take a good hard look, is it doing what you want, chances are no, you would prefer an exceptionally performing team right? So what to do?
You could do a review, and implement some extra training… chances are […]

In business it comes down to cash. numbers, $$ samoulians, do rey mi, dosh, call it what you will its the “stuff” that makes a big chunk of the world go round.
so check this out.
Where’s the money?
It’s a post in our forum, and it has some interesting twists and turns. basically it gets to a […]

Today you are doing what SPECIFICALLY…
- to make your business more profitable?
- to cause the staff to LOVE you?
- to cause the customers to LOVE you and your team?
- to cause your suppliers to jump through hoops to give you great deals (and LOVE you)?
- to ensure your workplace is the best place […]

Caring for your staff can lead to respect, the word caring means showing positive and real interest towards each other. I am suggesting we take a caring approach to build the love we have so we can avoid, bullying in the workplace, foster greater connection with our customers and staff.
This article mixes well with “Your […]

Your staff and great service… EASY!
When it comes to service, practically all organisations I come across say they aim to have great service and if they don’t have it they will work on it. Problem is not many know how to make their service great, let alone good. Lets check out a bunch of points […]

You want to go into business? Some people wiill say you’re nuts and the rest of the world might seem to view you with suspicion! (well some days it might seem that way…) So why do people go into business? here’s a few starting points to consider…

It can provide a great lifestyle for you and […]

If you are willing to learn how to listen, it will take hard work to learn the skills and constant practice to stay in shape. However, it is all worth it. Remember, people feel relieved when they find someone who understands what they have to say. Once you truly understand others by actively listening to […]

For a sustained good image, master emotional self-control. “Those who command themselves,” goes an old saying, “command others.” That is true, and it means being disciplined enough to put your personal feelings on hold even when tempted to blow your stack.
If you otherwise make a great first impression, yet allow yourself to be pushed over […]

A mentor is someone you admire and under whom you can study. Throughout history, the mentor-protégé relationship has proven quite fruitful. Socrates was one of the early mentors. Plato and Aristotle studied under him and later emerged as great philosophers in their own right. I was fortunate enough to have several mentors - each for […]

Lets take something simple and make it complex… WHY? because it seemed like the way to go at the time.
Seriously though many simple tasks can become buried in red tape, and often its our own red tape. Now that is tragic!
I recall being asked to create a checklist of a procedure of a commonly repeated […]

Seems silly to say that, but reverse goal setting can work a treat to make things work.
Another way of putting it is to begin with the end in mind. Create the visual outcome in your minds eye, then step backwards bit by bit until you get to the present time, and you will then […]

You might be tempted to say, “What’s wrong with a little competition?” Nothing’s wrong with it. It’s healthy. It’s when your need to compete and be superior to someone else gets in the way of the best possible outcome for both of you. That’s when competition becomes a liability. I’m talking about the kind of […]