The way you’re feeling can often be aligned with how well your business is doing. The thought of whether you can pay the bills or wages, or whether your business can actually continue, are burdens that can weigh heavily on any business owner. There are a number of ways you can manage any stress and anxiety you are feeling. Unfortunately due to...
Julia ‘Jools’ Nesbitt is the Co-Director of Masonex Building, a family shop fitting business she runs with her husband Mick. The registered building business, offering retail shop fit-outs, de-fits and store maintenance, was busy and in demand before COVID affected their environment. “Before COVID came around, we always had plenty of work,” said...
It makes a lot of sense to reduce your waste, phase out single-use plastics and choose the most sustainable options for your business - but it’s not always easy. The ban on single use-plastics in Western Australia has given rise to a lot of new product options. When you’re looking for alternatives to single-use plastics, or simply looking for any...
The port City of Fremantle has bounced back from the disruption of COVID-19 with a number of initiatives to support local and small businesses. The City of Fremantle signed up to the Small Business Friendly initiative in 2019 and since then, has maintained a strong focus on supporting its small business community. The City demonstrates its...
In the 2025-26 financial year, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) will prioritise enforcing compliance relating to credit card surcharges and merchant fees. Paying by card is convenient for customers, but it can cost your business in the form of merchant fees charged by your payment processor (such as a bank). If your...
On 1 July 2024, Business Local became SBDC Regional. While the name has changed, we’re still here providing you with free business advice and support in your area. Find your SBDC Regional provider . When Melissa Raffan’s career took an unexpected trajectory and she became a small business owner, she was driven by her personal passion for...
There’s a fine line between being a business contractor with an Australian Business Number (ABN) and being an employee. If you’re a contractor with your own ABN, read these tips to help make sure you’re being treated fairly and meeting your obligations. In some industries, for example in the construction industry, it’s common for businesses to...
Every business should be fully aware of the current Sex Discrimination Act 1984, but from 12 December 2023 it will move from being just a complaint-based system to one where businesses will have a pro-active obligation or ‘Positive Duty’ as well. What has changed? The changes will not replace the current legal components under the Act but...
It’s a situation that many small business owners have probably been in – when the business is feeling financial pressure you decide not to pay into your personal superannuation account. While this decision might provide short term relief, in the long run bypassing these super payments could impact on your ability to plan for a secure retirement. If...
Here’s your guide to what to do if a product you make, sell, import, distribute or otherwise work with in your business is recalled for safety reasons. Every business has a responsibility to make sure their products are safe for consumers, no matter where you are in the supply chain. This means that whether you manufacturer, import, distribute or...
Life as a small business owner can sometimes be lonely, especially if you work from home or alone. While some people may think it’s all flexible hours and working in your pyjamas (which is a nice perk), that’s not the complete picture of what running a one person operation is actually like. At times, a lack of interaction with others or feeling...
There are indications that a global trend termed ‘The Great Resignation’ will see more workers than usual quit their jobs following the COVID-19 pandemic. What could this mean for you? In 2021, a survey by consulting firm PwC Australia found that 38 per cent of workers wanted to find a new job in the next year, while people management platform...
