Growth
Refine your business strategy to acquire more customers, increase revenue or expand into new markets. Explore regular content packed with advice on the technologies and tools that can help you grow your business.
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GrowthGrowth
Our hook: A look behind Freddy’s branding
Freddy’s co-owner Daniel Leuzzi knew that his first restaurant had to stand out from the crowd in the sea of neon signage and precise typefaces that characterise the buzzing fo...
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GrowthGrowth
How-to: Get the most out of your content strategy
Build an effective content marketing strategy with these digital techniques. In the war for attention, the challenge for a small business is to create content that engages the ...
From medium to enterprise: How tech can help your business scale
Today’s technology can enable organisations to scale rapidly at a lesser cost and with fewer interruptions.
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GrowthGrowth
The importance of digital strategy for SMBs
A digital strategy is integral to a business’s success. But there’s more to it than just having a website. According to the 2018 Yellow Digital Report, 72 per cent of SMBs have...
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GrowthGrowth
Nina Terrey: How collaboration and a shared vision make the difference
Nina Terrey and ThinkPlace are testament to the idea that sharing a clear business vision is the most effective route to achieving your goals. Through ThinkPlace, Nina has exer...
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GrowthGrowth
How to tell when your business needs an accountant
Accountants are not simply the people who put in your BAS, tax and compliance returns, they help you at various stages during the growth of your business and, ultimately, the s...
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GrowthGrowth
Breaking down the Murray Review
In October 2015 the Turnbull Government announced they would adopt all but one of the recommendations of the 2014 Financial System Inquiry, also known as the Murray Review, nam...
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GrowthGrowth
Post-election update: What’s in store for your business?
After a slew of recent budget announcements, a month or so of electioneering, and now a new-look cabinet, it’s time to figure out what the next three years might have in store ...
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GrowthGrowth
4 ways to kick-start your business in FY2020
With financial year 2020 just begun, and after all the bookwork of the EOFY (hopefully) out of the way, it’s the perfect time to think about new ways to improve your business w...
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GrowthGrowth
The Future of Work: Meeting the Growing Demand for STEM Professionals
Small businesses are increasingly reliant on digital technology, but there remains a shortage of skilled workers to meet growing demand. A concerted effort is needed to nurture...
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GrowthGrowth
Julie Mathers: How I made my ‘ideal’ business
Julie Mathers and Flora & Fauna are proof that ethics and business can go hand in hand. With Flora & Fauna, Julie has combined her extensive experience in, and love of, retail ...
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GrowthGrowth
3 initiatives to turn your business dreams into reality
Seed funding is no longer new, and the number of success stories driven by entrepreneurs are common. Now you can even major in Entrepreneurship at Uni! If you are an ideas pers...
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GrowthGrowth
How going green brings efficiency to your business
For some businesses, being green is an ethical leadership decision. For others it’s financial corporate strategy. Ranging from going solar to recycling paper, there’s a lot a s...
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GrowthGrowth
How to run a 'see-through start-up'
When transparency and authenticity are such buzzwords in the startup space, how much should you reveal about what goes on behind the scenes of your company? Lisa Messenger look...
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GrowthGrowth
See how this business is changing the way we fundraise
Could there be a standout alternative to the traditional chocolate fundraising drive? Living Fundraisers shows us the importance of customer feedback in developing a new produc...
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GrowthGrowth
Annette Kaitinis: growing a business means knowing when to trot, canter, and gallop
Annette Kaitinis and Dave Macdonald have taken their small business with a big idea from Tasmania to the world. After just four short years, they're reaching international mark...
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GrowthGrowth
How Flora & Fauna’s Julie Mathers made her business bloom
Julie Mathers is the founder of Flora & Fauna, an online store specialising in vegan and eco-friendly products, and 2018 Telstra New South Wales Small and Succeeding Business A...
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GrowthGrowth
The impact of international competition
When it comes to selling online, Australian businesses are facing more competition than ever before. But as long as we employ an effective growth strategy, globalisation can on...
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GrowthGrowth
Finding new ways to sweat
Has the explosion of new and innovative gyms been a boost for the fitness industry, or will something have to give? Fitness industry analysis indicates that over the past decad...
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GrowthGrowth
The next generation of not-for-profits
The not-for-profit sector has come a long way from rattling tins and bake sales. To raise funds and awareness and to connect with communities, the next generation of not-for-pr...
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GrowthGrowth
Culture meets commerce: These Indigenous businesses are embracing both
These four Indigenous businesses – NAISDA, Purple House, Bush Medijina, and Mainie – combine commerce and culture. Find out how business works for people by Telstra Smarter Bus...
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GrowthGrowth
Pam Brook of Brookfarm on turning a lightbulb moment into a lucrative business
Pam Brook’s family business idea started as a quip at a dinner party and went on to become an Australian success story. Today, Brookfarm employs 75 staff and exports products a...
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GrowthGrowth
Kate Save: Is there such a thing as too much success, too quickly?
Kate Save, alongside her co-founder Dr Geoffrey Draper and the team at Be Fit Food, has experienced massive growth and overcome many challenges since launching her business in ...
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GrowthGrowth
Scale your business without the growing pains
Growing from small to medium in business can be more complex, difficult and confusing than when you first got established. So where do you devote your energy? As any entrepre...
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GrowthGrowth
What nbn means for your business
Either your area is nbn™ ready, or the nbn is on its way. As the national broadband network continues to roll out, it’s time to explore the benefits nbn brings to your business...
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GrowthGrowth
Leading a small business in the digital era
Traveling around the country speaking with business owners, the resounding message that Red Balloon founder Naomi Simson hears is that “business is not getting any easier”. Fin...
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GrowthGrowth
Tips for getting the most out of email marketing
To make sure you’re maximising your email marketing campaigns, we’ve compiled a list of the best email marketing features – and why you need to start using these now. With 79 ...
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GrowthGrowth
Andre Agassi on business: Do business owners have to do it all?
Just because small business owners are used to rolling up their sleeves and doing everything themselves doesn’t mean it’s the most productive way to build a business. From mark...
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GrowthGrowth
Agassi on business: Sharing the journey with your customers
Provide a product or customer experience people love and they can become an effective marketing asset – talking about your brand and referring you to their friends and follower...
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GrowthGrowth
Charitable endeavours a win-win
As these case studies prove, when small businesses engage in charitable activities, the rewards can be far-reaching. Small businesses may be taking the lead when it comes to be...
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GrowthGrowth
Beyond cards and cash: The new world of customer payments
New embeddable technologies and connectivity has enabled everything from contactless payments to using PayPal to buy a T-shirt or coffee. But without buying and deploying a new...
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GrowthGrowth
Why you need a digital transformation strategy
Smarter finds out how a digital transformation strategy can help businesses thrive. Success requires a strategy that doesn’t just implement a new program, but transforms how th...
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GrowthGrowth
11 ways to increase prices and earn higher profits
You’ve launched your business, customers are happy with the product and your user base is growing. Pricing expert at muru-D, Ben Yi, explores a few ways you can now look at pri...
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GrowthGrowth
Setting up a one stop shop
"Need a cook, a plumber, a party venue, a dog walker? Hamilton Kings’ Get it Sorted site aims to take the hassle out of finding the services you need, and to become the smarter...
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GrowthGrowth
Establishing an edge: How tech can get you to think creatively
For most startups, when budget is tight creative thinking is key. For one Aussie business, low-cost digital solutions offered the scope for establishing a crucial edge. Taking ...
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GrowthGrowth
Positive cash flow
New gear is expensive, but with a little planning you could meet the cost of your own innovations. Last year up to one in three businesses invested in new computer equipment. I...
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GrowthGrowth
Pitching 101 with muru-D
Getting your pitch right can be the difference between a door opening, or staying resolutely closed for a start-up or small business. We spoke to Ben Yi from muru-D as well as ...
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GrowthGrowth
How to run a charitable business (without giving more than you can afford)
In an ideal world we'd all be a member of the ‘Giving Pledge’ – but on a shoestring budget, how can you be generous when you don't have much to give? After the birth of their d...
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GrowthGrowth
Going solo: the need to know for starting your small business
It’s never been easier to start your own business and if you have your heart set on going it alone in 2016, there are plenty of tech, tools and resources available to streamlin...
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GrowthGrowth
Summer strategies: selling when the heat is on
When the mercury rises, it's not just the temperature that changes, consumer behaviour does too. Here's how tech and savvy thinking can help sales soar. Summer, the season of b...
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GrowthGrowth
The data-driven music festival: lessons learned
While the concept of a music festival hasn’t changed in decades, technology is making them more data-driven, more efficient and more accountable.
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GrowthGrowth
Setting up your start up
Starting your own business takes blood, sweat and tears. Entrepreneur and founder of The Collective, Lisa Messenger, looks at the realities of starting up, and what you need to...
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GrowthGrowth
Analogue thinking in a digital world
To make the most of what the digital era has to offer, it’s important to go back to your business foundations and reassess your strategic planning process. We look at why analo...
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GrowthGrowth
Learning to disrupt how Republica Education is changing education
The education system has been slow to embrace change, but Republica Education is turning to technology to change the way Aussies learn and they’re helping the Aussie economy in...
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GrowthGrowth
Business is booming. That's the perfect time to cut costs
As the silly season approaches, Jeff Haden looks at why cutting costs is important, and why peak periods aren’t just business as usual. The holidays are coming… and if your bus...
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GrowthGrowth
How sustainability can save you money
It makes smart business sense to use less of the planet’s resources. Many business owners care about their use of resources and understand that efficiency will also save money ...
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GrowthGrowth
Finding your gap
The starting point for any good business plan is demand. And finding that demand has been fundamental to the success of one Aussie salad company.
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GrowthGrowth
When corporates turn small business
It’s something many of us have dreamed of: Making the leap from the office to owning a business. So what happens when they leap?
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GrowthGrowth
Help weather a recession
Recession doesn’t need to be a dirty word. For business, it provides the opportunity to look at their business and find new ways of working. There are mixed signals for the eco...
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GrowthGrowth
Good game: Business lessons from video games
It’s not all levelling up and losing lives. There’s plenty the business sector can learn from Australia’s indie game developer culture. In 2014, it was estimated that the video...
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GrowthGrowth
The art of a good presentation
Not all presentations are created equal. Jeff Haden explores the difference between superb and soporific. Unless you’re Chris Rock or Louis C.K., it’s extremely tough to instan...
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GrowthGrowth
6 ways to test before you invest
So you have the next big idea (you think). How do you road test the idea or product without overcommitting and finding yourself in debt and stuck with an idea that isn’t as shi...
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GrowthGrowth
Staying on top of superannuation
There are good reasons to stay on top of your Superannuation Guarantee obligations, explains Effie Zahos. Paying staff super contributions probably isn’t the most exciting aspe...
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GrowthGrowth
How data can predict demand in construction
Some of the guesswork can be taken out of making business decisions thanks to data. The Australian renovations and construction industry is made up predominantly of small busin...
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GrowthGrowth
Planning for the future: The importance of scalability
With economic uncertainty on the horizon, making sure your business can adapt to change is more important than ever. Business models can be split in to two overarching categori...
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GrowthGrowth
Easy ways to better manage small business cash flow
Cash flow is the lifeblood of many small businesses. Jeff Haden explores some easy ways small business can keep on top of it. Revenue is great. But in order to actually benefit...
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GrowthGrowth
The depreciation budget
Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey surprised business owners with some advantageous tax breaks in the May budget. But it’s important to understand how they work to get the full benef...
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GrowthGrowth
Traps to avoid before buying a small business
Keen to become your own boss and considering buying a small business rather than starting your own? We look at the top things to keep an eye out for. Planning on joining the tw...
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GrowthGrowth
First impressions: What your clothing says about you
First impressions last, so ensuring your clothing is an extension of your business’ brand is important. Ennis Cehic Cehic speaks to some of Australia’s upcoming sultans of styl...
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GrowthGrowth
Budget 2015: A budget for entrepreneurs
A raft of incentives and concessions were announced at the federal budget in May that mean it’s now easier than it’s ever been to start a new enterprise. So what are you waitin...
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GrowthGrowth
SuperStream: Understanding the basics
Goodbye delays. Hello efficiency. The Australian Government’s superannuation reform will help make everyday superannuation transactions easier, which could save you both time a...
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GrowthGrowth
10 ways to reduce small business tax
For many SMBs, the end of the financial year spurs spending to minimise tax. CPA and registered tax agent at The Practice, Jason Cunningham, puts together 10 things he’s seen t...
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GrowthGrowth
Starting from the ground up: Lessons learnt from the Mirabel Foundation
The Mirabel Foundation has been built from the ground up on the back of hard work and dedication to the cause. We talk with founder Jane Rowe on what small businesses can learn...
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GrowthGrowth
Why taking smart risks can grow your business
For many businesses, risk is a dirty word. But the business hall of fame is a who’s who of risk-takers. Here’s an experiment that’s fun to try. Think of an idea. Think of somet...
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GrowthGrowth
The evolution of distribution
Packing boxes and shipping them to Retailers looks to be a thing of the past. Technology, different models and creativity are enabling businesses to find different ways of gett...
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GrowthGrowth
A new appreciation for depreciation: Budget 2015
The most recent Federal budget gives Aussie small businesses a lot to smile about. We break down the things you need to know. On budget night, Treasurer Joe Hockey promised tha...
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GrowthGrowth
The importance of change
They say change is as good as a holiday. For small businesses, it’s better than that – change shows you things, evolves thinking and can bring your business into the future. Au...
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GrowthGrowth
The stories behind start-up success
Every start-up is a story, filled with trials, tribulations and inspiration. We talk to three Aussie start-ups about their story.
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GrowthGrowth
Uber and Peer2Peer: Rocking the boat or creating opportunities?
The P2P revolution has rocked a number of markets, but few more than Uber have rocked commuting. What can SMBs learn from the operator? Once upon a time market threats were few...
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GrowthGrowth
Breakfast with Tiffany: Josiah Humphrey from Appster on their plans for world domination
Find out how generosity, responsiveness and proximity can boost customer engagement. Most Millenials (born between 1982-2000) are interested in internet, and most people dream ...
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GrowthGrowth
Does your business need a health check?
Too often, critical business functions fall into “set and forget” mode, so it’s important to check your business' vital signs periodically.
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GrowthGrowth
Pricing for profit
When competition increases, regardless of the industry, the temptation is to offer lower prices to secure a greater market share. It’s unlikely this is the right strategy for y...
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GrowthGrowth
Getting over it: The mental and emotional barriers for entrepreneurs
For any journey, the first step is the hardest. So how do you break through the barriers to get on your road to success? Starting a business is easy. You can take care of the p...
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GrowthGrowth
The business benefits of charitable acts
Allowing your staff to take part in community volunteer projects makes them feel good about working for you and can have the added advantage of transforming the dynamics of you...
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GrowthGrowth
Making money from music festivals
Running a music festival as a successful commercial venture is not easy in this era when some of the longest running and most successful festivals have closed down. Two Austral...
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GrowthGrowth
Applications open for $476 million skills fund
The federal government has announced a $476 million industry scheme aimed at helping small and medium-sized businesses get into the big leagues. The scheme, known as the Indust...
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GrowthGrowth
Playing risk: How breaking the mould paid off for 5 Aussie businesses
In a crowded world of me-too companies, what does it take to lead the pack? For these homegrown businesses, innovation lay in trusting their instincts as to where the gaps in t...
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GrowthGrowth
Board surfing to small business success
Being on a board can bring huge benefits and also has significant responsibilities, but best of all it brings you the one thing that all business owners need to thrive: Network...
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GrowthGrowth
How Gen Y could save your business
It’s the age of social media where every business should have a 20-something in their team, but is there resistance from baby boomer and Generation X employers? Australian busi...
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GrowthGrowth
How retailers make men care about skincare
Retailers in women’s categories are expanding their options by introducing men’s lines. Here’s how to do it successfully. If you are in the business of selling primarily women’...
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GrowthGrowth
Patriotic products: Do they sell?
With Australia Day around the corner, let’s discuss whether appealing to a person's sense of national pride can encourage them to buy products. Called 'patriotic marketing' cou...
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GrowthGrowth
When going green can go wrong
Green products might be better perceived by consumers than their chemical packed cousins, but do they perform as effectively? What do consumers think? Being green has been tout...
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GrowthGrowth
Expecting a delivery from China in February? Here's how to navigate Chinese New Year 2015
Everyone loves the spectacle of Chinese New Year – the dragons, the lanterns, the banquets. But if you run a business that relies on goods supplied from China, it’s essential t...
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GrowthGrowth
The risks of renting out your residence to tourists
Australia’s hotels and accommodation lobbies say that they’re being unfairly penalised by the increasing popularity of online holiday rental sites. Both the Australian Hotels A...
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GrowthGrowth
Foolproof planning tools for start-ups
Start-ups and early-stage ventures are faced with a myriad of challenges and options; but how can you efficiently manage all the fine details? Read on to find out how a few sim...
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GrowthGrowth
The elevator pitch: Can you win new business in 60 seconds?
You want to win new business but like many business owners you struggle when ‘selling’ yourself. Could you pitch your business in less than a minute? A quick pitch, or ‘elevato...
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GrowthGrowth
Why being a retailer costs more in Australia
This Christmas shopping season is without doubt the most ferociously competitive in Australian Retail. And it isn't an exception; it's the new norm because globalisation and te...
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GrowthGrowth
Don't assume you know your customers
Researching your market before launching a business is a must-do, but how well do you know the niches within your industry? Read on to find out why you must keep rethinking you...
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GrowthGrowth
The new warehouse: Smarter, bigger, closer to the customer
When you think of a distribution warehouse, the picture that usually comes to mind is a dreary shed as big as a football field in a grimy industrial area. Inside, it’s hot, dus...
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GrowthGrowth
Is social selling the key to reaching new customers?
With consumers spending just about all of their waking hours online, social media has become a digital marketing fixture. But would your business know how to use social media a...
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GrowthGrowth
10 funding options for small businesses
If your business needs an injection of funds to forge ahead, there are funding options to help your enterprise on its way. For many small businesses, having access to readily a...
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GrowthGrowth
5 things the funeral business teaches us about thinking outside the box
Running a funeral business is tough: no-one wants to know you until they’re gone. Which probably explains the extraordinary things entrepreneurs in this space are doing to stan...
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GrowthGrowth
Will big business giving back become a retail trend?
Is it good business to give stuff away? Some Retailers think so. Find out why. A handful of high-profile retailers are taking so-called ‘cause marketing’ to the next level, wit...
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GrowthGrowth
Is it time to rethink your prices?
In this increasingly competitive environment, businesses are increasingly on the search for ways to increase profit margins. Here are two simple but effective strategies to hel...
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GrowthGrowth
Moving to a digital dispatch is the best thing Fiedler Brothers Plumbing has ever done
Todd Fiedler is the first to admit that he was reluctant about the idea of digitising his job dispatch system. Now he thinks it’s the best thing he’s ever done.
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GrowthGrowth
How art retailers Platform 72 are saving a trend-setting retail strip from this common problem for businesses
This local council's decision is helping commercial and non-profit creative organisations establish themselves. In the 90s, Oxford Street was a trend-setting retail strip and t...
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GrowthGrowth
Jac Bowie reveals how she created business in heels from the ashes of defeat
Former theatre producer, Jac Bowie, has turned Business in Heels (BIH) into a thriving networking event for women, with 50 franchises throughout seven countries. But it wasn’t ...
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GrowthGrowth
Joost Hilkemeijer's growth tips for business owners
Joost Hilkemeijer, owner of sourdough bakery Flour Water Salt, shares his tips for success. Joost Hilkemaker started Flour Water Salt in 2011, and has made his living from arti...
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GrowthGrowth
Why Australian small businesses remain confident after the federal budget
Australian small businesses are remaining positive about their performance this quarter, according to several business surveys.
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GrowthGrowth
Growth on the wires
The firm that made the Hills Hoist is reinventing itself. It’s true to say there has been a certain gloom around manufacturing in Australia. Ford, then Holden, then Toyota have...
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GrowthGrowth
Want to shake up the market? Kent And Lime show you how
For busy men who don’t have spare time to shop for great looking fashion, Kent & Lime is the start-up business they’ve been longing for. Having seen too many too-big tees on th...
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GrowthGrowth
The Balmain Boat Company disrupt their market
Today’s smartest start-up companies disrupt their market by solving customer problems in ways competitors haven’t yet dreamed of. Some entrepreneurs search for ways to innovate...
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GrowthGrowth
5 ways small businesses can save on tax
Effie Zahos says with June 30 just around the corner, now’s the time to look at the best ways businesses and individuals can save on tax.
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GrowthGrowth
Bottom up: The value of financial projections
The problem with projection is that it is based on forecasting, which is far from being an exact science, so smaller and under-capitalised businesses must think from the "botto...
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GrowthGrowth
Time to evolve your business
In the saturated markets of today, businesses need to look for ways they can stand out. Can innovation help save an ailing industry? The 1960s were a great decade – from The Be...
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GrowthGrowth
5 tips to grow your business
Here are some ways to ensure your business thinks outside the box and prepares for growth. Traditional business growth strategies focus on getting more customers, or at least g...
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GrowthGrowth
Simple steps to improve your cash flow management
Whether you use accounting software, a bookkeeper, or an accountant, here’s what you should be looking out for when managing your cash flow. Some businesses are harder to manag...
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GrowthGrowth
5 key bootstrapping tips
So you’re starting a new business? Bootstrapping refers to a company founded with little or no investment capital.
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GrowthGrowth
6 ways to ensure a joint venture is right for you
Learn how to make a strategic alliance work for you. In the business domain we hear a lot about strategic alliances and joint ventures and the benefits they can bring for both ...
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GrowthGrowth
The dangers of discounting
Why slashing your price tickets isn't a good long-term strategy for your business. Discounting can be dangerous to the financial health of a business. Discounting isn’t general...
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GrowthGrowth
How to survive business failure
Quitting doesn’t necessarily mean admitting defeat, it’s also a strategic decision to avoid failure. Sometimes closing the doors and selling up is the right thing to do. US mar...
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GrowthGrowth
5 nifty ways to manage your personal debt while building your business
A lot of business owners don't have the luxury of a regular payday. Here are nifty moves to manage your personal debt while you build your business.
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GrowthGrowth
Learn how to increase your bottom line
Here's how can you maximise your returns by better understanding costs. Cash is always king, but even if cash is flowing it can be a heart-stopping experience for a business ow...
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GrowthGrowth
The key factors to grow your business
One in 20 Australian businesses have found a formula that defies economic trends to deliver sustained growth, says Simon Sharwood. So what’s their secret? Customer first + coll...
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GrowthGrowth
Make your business famous
To build your profile and win more customers you have to start talking about yourself. But what do your customers really want to hear? We ask business owners and professional s...
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GrowthGrowth
3 ways to handle competitors, copycats and rivals
3 ways to handle competitors, copycats and rivals. Copycats and clones, or more sensibly referred to as competitors, are simply a fact of life. Even back in the 3rd Century BC,...
