Thank you for your amazing support during this incredibly busy and challenging year. We hope you and your loved ones enjoy a safe and healthy festive season. We look forward to working with you next year! As usual, here are the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. November Retail Sales Surge Preliminary data showed Australian retail sales jumped 7% in November from the month before,… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. We hope you and your family are safe and doing well. Read on for this week’s updates and some ideas that help make doing business easier. Australia Bounces Out of Recession As Economy Grows 3.3% Australia’s economy grew by 3.3% in the third quarter as it rebounded from its first recession in nearly 30 years. This rebound in Q3 GDP reversed around 40% of… Read more
Casual Employment Updates November 2020 Last month there were significant changes made to Casual Employment. Do you know if your business was affected? Some of the updates will mean changes to overtime pay rates for casual employees in some awards. If your award was affected and you have not updated your systems, you may be at risk of underpayments! To find out if your award has been updated you can… Read more
As business owners, we are always trying to find ways we can increase revenue streams. Adding a recurring revenue stream (or two, or three!) can provide a predictable, ongoing source of income which can increase profits., and, it’s a great way to provide a buffer for any unexpected sales dips. Here are three simple ways to start earning recurring revenue for your business. Auto-renew subscriptions The most tried and true… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. We hope you and your family are safe and doing well. Read on for this week’s updates. Australia Opens Up More Borders in Domestic Travel Australia will lift more internal state border restrictions in a boost for tourism as new COVID-19 cases slow to a trickle, while the first vaccines could be available in March. Queensland will allow visitors next week from New South… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. We hope you and your family are safe and doing well. Read on for this week’s updates. 6-Day Lockdown Ordered in South Australia The state of South Australia began a 6-day lockdown at midnight on Wednesday, with schools, universities, bars and cafes closed. Only one person from each household will be allowed to leave home each day, and only for specific reasons. Under this… Read more
Every small business owner knows how challenging it is to cut down expenses without somehow compromising internal or external quality. Regardless of the nature of your business, the first step to reducing your overhead costs is to take the time to go through every single expense you have. Next, assess which ones are necessary for your business to operate smoothly, what can be trimmed down, and what can be eliminated… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. We hope you and your family are safe and doing well. Read on for this week’s updates and some ideas that will help us all overcome this crisis. Australian Business Confidence Highest Since 2019 Australian business confidence in October rose to its highest level since mid-2019 as the economy showed more encouraging signs following the steep decline brought by the pandemic. According to NAB’s… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. We hope you and your family are safe and doing well. Read on for this week’s updates and some ideas that will help us all overcome this crisis. Australia Starts Fourth Quarter on Stronger Economic Footing Flash Australia PMI signals faster output growth in October as COVID-19 restrictions loosen. The IHS Markit Flash Australia Composite PMI, covering both manufacturing and service sectors, increased from… Read more
It’s very rare these days that people just happen to find your business and become a client or customer with no work on your part. Your business has to grab people’s attention, turn curious visitors into leads and then convert those leads into sales. This means that the more solid leads you have, the greater your chances of making a sale. Solid leads are those contacts who are engaged in… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. We hope you and your family are safe and doing well. Lately, economists have been talking about a “K-shaped” recovery from the current recession. As this article in The Conversation explains, this kind of recovery happens when different parts of the economy recover at different rates. White-collar workers who can more easily work remotely may have an easier and faster path to recovery than… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. We hope you and your family are safe and doing well. Read on for this week’s update. Proposed Superannuation Reform Measures The Government has announced that it will spend $159.6 million over the next four years to implement a number of reforms to the superannuation system that will save fund members $18 billion in fees and other costs between now and 2030. The key… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. We hope you and your family are safe and doing well. Read on for this week’s update. Federal Budget 2020 Released The Federal Budget was released earlier this week. Here’s a quick rundown of the key points: This budget is based on economic assumptions including that there will be a COVID-19 vaccine rolled out by the end of 2021. Asset write off – businesses… Read more
The Federal Budget was released on Tuesday 6th October. This article has a good summary of the “Winners and Losers” of the Budget. You’ll also find a recap of the key points below. Key Points: This budget is based on economic assumptions including that there will be a COVID-19 vaccine rolled out by the end of 2021. Tax cuts for workers – more money in pockets for more Australians. JobMaker… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. We hope you and your family are safe and doing well. Read on for this week’s update. $800m Digital Business Plan to Drive Economic Recovery The Australian Government has announced a Digital Business plan to enable businesses to take advantage of digital technologies to grow their businesses and create jobs in the wake of COVID-19. PM Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg announced the… Read more
The Australian Government announced that JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments will be extended, with changes starting on 28 September 2020. Below is a rundown of the changes to expect on these support schemes. Changes to JobKeeper The JobKeeper scheme will continue until 28 March 2021. The extension of the scheme will operate in two separate periods: Extension 1: 28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021 Extension 2: 4 January 2021 to… Read more
Most small businesses experience cash flow problems from time to time and sometimes urgently need working capital. Many business owners immediately think of bank overdrafts or loans when they’re short of money. But there may be other resources you can tap into before you ask for that expensive overdraft or overdraft extension. The money you need might already be there—locked up in inventory, assets or your debtors. You can often… Read more
The JobKeeper Payments Amendment Bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on Wednesday 26th August. This Bill introduces the extension of the JobKeeper scheme that was announced last month. The proposed rate changes will see the current $1500 per fortnight payment drop to $1200 for full time workers, and $750 for those working less than 20 hours per week from September 28, From January 2021, the rate will drop… Read more
The ATO has released further guidance on the recent changes to the JobKeeper scheme in relation to the timing of an eligible employee. From JobKeeper fortnights commencing 3rd August, the key date for eligible employees has changed to 1 July. In the past, an employee had to be on the books as of the 1st of March in order to be eligible for the JobKeeper wage subsidy. This change is… Read more
Networking can be a key way to keep your business growing. Regardless of your industry or business size, it is hard to ignore the benefits of forming professional networks for potential partnerships, expanding your client base, and scaling up. However, while we are all constantly reminded about the importance of networking, reaching out to grow your network isn’t the same now thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Social restrictions to prevent… Read more