Get your start-up business off to a great start with the right people and the right systems. Read Peter Switzer's tips for deciding on the best business structure for you. Learn how to create systems to improve your business performance and your work-life balance. Find out how to attract and retain great staff to your start-up business. And get insider tips on what Australian employees really want in the workplace - and how to give it to them.
The views presented in these articles are not Optus' views. This article contains general information only and is not intended to be relied on as legal, financial or professional advice. Readers should seek their own advice based on their specific business needs.
Whether it's cashflow problems, piles of debt or an attack from a competitor, many businesses have a near-death story to tell. Many of these incidents happen during the start-up phase, when SMEs are still finding their feet...
Getting the right staff is one thing but being able to keep them and keep them trained so they add value is crucial. You have to reward your employees who need to know that they're valued members of your business and contribute to its success.
There are a plethora of web experts available, specialising in topics from social networking to illustration design, so making a solid website should be simple. But how do you figure out which to ignore and which advice to take on board?
Question: What can I do to make sure that my secrets aren't leaked to my competitors?
Entrepreneurs are the hearts that pump enthusiasm into the veins of growing businesses and economies. They provide the goods and services Aussies consume and create jobs and opportunities for so many people.
You might not believe this but arguably one of Australia's greatest purveyors of fine chocolate is a reformed investment banker.
Fraud is a serious crime that some businesses are more susceptible to than they realise. It's becoming a creeping global epidemic.
A formidable export business grew out of a remote farm in regional Western Australia after the owners dared to be different.
Before you name your business, there are some very important IP issues you need to be aware of.
Many of us have heard the cliche: "Small businesses don't plan to fail but fail to plan." And then there's: "Small business people spend too much time working in their business and not enough time working on their business."
Employees taking employers for a ride are costing the economy hundreds of millions of dollars each year, and experts warn an increasing part of the cost is linked to would-be employees falsifying qualifications and other credentials.
Small business is increasingly becoming the target of break-ins and burglary as the bigger end of town implements more sophisticated security systems.
Time management can be a hard task for anyone in business. And when you have a family at home and also a life that you should be living that has nothing to do with work, it can be hard to manage things.
Remember this: you should run a family business like a business - not like a family where there's a place for all those family emotions that knit people together.
Getting your structure right will ensure you don't end up on the wrong side of the law and the all-important bottom line.
staff retention, good staff, business success, business owner, induction, how can i attract and retain good staff
So you want to be an entrepreneur? Years ago, the word 'entrepreneur' fell into disuse because of the negative connotations attached to it. But hard working business owners have in more recent times resuscitated the word.
Following funding and initiatives introduced in 2007, employing people with disabilities can be a positive step for small businesses.
Employing the right staff is integral to the smooth and successful operation of any business
Do we really know what an employee wants from their job? According to a comprehensive survey conducted by the Gallop Organisation, they want many things.
It is popularly asserted that bank lending has become gender neutral.
I believe that it pays to get an outside expert to assess your business because most of us in business are too close to the coalface to look objectively at our growing concern.
Keeping the records up to date is a crucial part of any business. Late payers and the tax office are blamed by more than six out of 10 small business owners for creating a cash crisis in their operations.
Starting a family business can be a great opportunity, but there are some issues that you need to look out for and consider.
Awards can do a lot for your business including giving it a lot of credibility in the eyes of clients and customers.
When starting or growing a business, good research can come in very handy.
Many of us have great ideas for a business but don't know how to make it happen. Here are some steps to ensuring your business ideas comes to fruition.
Some of the greatest and most successful businesses in Australia are family businesses. But there are a range of issues you must recognise and understand before deciding to go into business with family members.
Fraud is a big issue for many businesses. Here is a Q&A about what systems need to be put in place to prevent this serious crime.
Some of the greatest and most successful businesses in Australia are family businesses.
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Most business owners need more time in their day. Here are a few timesaving techniques that will let you concentrate on growing your business.
During tough times, cutting back on certain parts of your business may be detrimental.
How wise is this from Jim Rohn? "Don't wish it was easier; wish you were better. Don't wish for less problems; wish for more skills. Don't wish for less challenges; wish for more wisdom."
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