Illegal phoenix activity has a significant impact on the Australian economy with an annual estimated cost of up to $5.13 billion. While illegal phoenix activity has many victims, the impact on small business, particularly, can have a catastrophic effect on their operations as well as personal lives. Illegal phoenix activity is when a new company is...
If you renew your business trademark through a private organisation, rather than IP Australia, you could end up paying three times more than required.
The recent launch of 13 regional and metropolitan TAFE Jobs and Skills Centres (JSCs) has provided a one-stop shop for small businesses looking to recruit or train staff. The centres provide careers, training, and employment advice and assistance and serve as a direct link between businesses seeking staff and TAFE trainees and apprentices looking...
Identifying and understanding your potential customer base can help you market your business more effectively by keeping your advertising spend in the right places. Knowing where to find this information can often seem like a challenge, but the good news is that there are free tools you can access to help you find out more about your potential...
Small business owners wear many hats. From customer service and sales, to bookkeeping and recruitment — when you run a small enterprise, the buck stops with you. There’s no doubt that owning a small business has many rewards. However, it’s important to acknowledge that this lifestyle also comes with its fair share of challenges. There is the...
The way you report employee payments and superannuation is set to change, with the Federal Government passing legislation to extend Single Touch Payroll (STP) to all employers. Under the requirements of STP, you’ll need to report payments such as salaries and wages, pay as you go (PAYG) withholding and superannuation directly to the Australian...
In a world where customers are often driven online to find the cheapest option, it can be hard for bricks-and-mortar businesses to feel they have a fair chance to be competitive. Bricks-and-mortar business can be tough – but there are also some fantastic advantages that might not work for online businesses, particularly in light of recent pressures...
You’ve probably spent some time working out what to put on the home page of your website, but how much time have you invested in planning what goes into your shopfront display of your bricks and mortar business? Your shopfront will quite often be the first impression you get to make – so make it a great one! You want to encourage people to enter...
Carrying out a couple of quick checks online can help you avoid falling prey to fraudulent sellers and suppliers targeting small business owners. When looking to purchase products or services for your business, finding a great deal can often be the deciding factor in choosing to buy from. Unfortunately in many cases, a deal that appears to be ‘too...
Did you know that bubble wrap was originally sold as a textured wallpaper? As history has shown us, it wasn’t a viable product for its intended customers. The success of online business ideas or other small business ideas will always depend on a range of factors. Some factors are out of your control, such as interest rates, tax brackets and the...
Avoid putting your business at risk by checking that the agent you are using is actually registered.
Have you found yourself in a situation where you’ve finished a job only to discover you’ve only just broken even or perhaps actually lost money due to underquoting? First of all, don’t beat yourself up. Most small business owners discover at some point, particularly when starting out, that they have underquoted. Here are some tips to help you avoid...