Working Smarter
When you work from home for yourself, you get to discover the real meaning of “work smarter, not harder”. The articles and tips in this section will help get your home business running smoothly.
Working smarter has to do with developing and maintaining efficient work practices; making the best use of your office and external support and getting organised!
You’ll find tips on how to deal with business procrastination, what to do when you become overwhelmed or unclear of your next step, the role of customer service and how it translates to a solo business, what it takes to get your business paperwork in order and how to handle your business’s money issues.
Whether it’s confirming the brilliance of what you’re already doing or learning new skills, you’ll find what you’re after to help you work smarter.
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Working Smarter articles
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Working Smarter
Support small business. We do.
At ANZ, we support small business and understand that people who work for themselves need banking arrangements that are flexible enough to keep pace with their changing needs.
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Working Smarter
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Working Smarter
Supplier relationships: Supporting your brand
Every business from soloist to multi-national, invests in their brand. But there are external factors such as supplier relationships contributing to other’s perception of our 'brand' that we may not be aware of.
- Published 02 May 08
- 4 Comments
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Working Smarter
Business systems: How they save your sanity!
A challenge for any solo business owner is how to get others to help run the business, so that it doesn’t completely take over your life. You can look over everybody’s shoulder all of the time or you can invest in business systems to free yourself. - Published 28 April 08
- 7 Comments
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Working Smarter
Practical tips for a paperless office
Is a paperless office for a soloists a practical reality? In my article Small business record keeping: Dealing with the shoebox Marc Fraser from Melbourne raised the possibility of maintaining financial source documents electronically. - Published 18 April 08
- 10 Comments
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Working Smarter
Problem solving model: Four phases
Here is an overview of the problem solving model I have used successfully over the years. There are four key phases, each requiring a different set of skills.
- Published 09 April 08
- 6 Comments
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Working Smarter
Optimise learning by showing you know
You’ve spent time and energy learning something new and you’re about to put this new knowledge into action. For many, this is when they realise they hadn’t really learned what they meant to learn after all, so here are some ways to optimise learning.- Published 02 April 08
- 1 Comment
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Working Smarter
How NOT to be organised
Working as a Professional Organiser, I’ve seen first hand the most common mistakes that undo our ability to be organised. There are many traps for young players.
- Published 26 March 08
- 11 Comments
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Working Smarter
Benefits of a good work-in-progress system
A successfully managed work-in-progress system for your solo business can help you improve profitability, cashflow and customer satisifaction.
- Published 24 March 08
- 2 Comments
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Working Smarter
Invoicing: How to create a business invoice
After years of working in Management Accounts, the same invoicing errors keep cropping up. So I'd encourage you to print out a copy of your business invoice and discover whether you’re guilty of delaying your own cash flow!- Published 21 March 08
- 9 Comments
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Working Smarter
Where should Virtual Assistants be based?
When people explore the idea of working with Virtual Assistants, they struggle with the virtual part. The answer to the question ‘where should my VA be?’ depends on your needs and preferences.
- Published 14 March 08
- 11 Comments
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Working Smarter
The benefits of a business coach
I put off getting a business coach for a long time. I was already a leader in my own industry and forging ahead with things quite capably on my own, so I thought. Why did I need someone to tell me what I thought I already knew?
- Published 12 March 08
- 7 Comments
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Working Smarter
Solo business growth strategies
As a soloist, you may love your work but for many there comes a time when you reach the limit of your experience and want to push your business further. Here are the business growth strategies I've implemented to do just that.- Published 07 March 08
- 11 Comments
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Working Smarter
Mentoring: What I have learnt from my mentor
Humans are sponges for information and advice, which is what makes mentoring so valuable. A mentor helps us clarify our goals and urges us to follow paths we would not have taken without their encouragement.- Published 01 February 08
- 7 Comments
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Working Smarter
Taking stock of your stock management
Stock needs to be available for sale when your customer is ready to buy. But because it sucks up cash to have it waiting to be sold, it is good stock management to keep stock on the shelf for the shortest possible time.- Published 21 January 08
- 4 Comments
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Working Smarter
How to organise your paperwork
Are you struggling to manage the paper in your work day? Learn a super fast way to sort and organise your paperwork with the four Fs – finish it, forward it, file it or flick it.- Published 09 January 08
- 8 Comments
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Working Smarter
Project management: Why projects fail
As soloists, our work is often project-based. Have you ever wondered why some projects go smoothly and others seem plagued with problems? Here are five reasons why projects can fail and how with good project management these problems can be avoided.- Published 07 January 08
- 7 Comments
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Working Smarter
Creating a business plan that is useable
‘Business plan’ remains a dusty, conceptual notion for many soloists. Here’s how to bring that document to life so you can start achieving this year's goals right now.- Published 02 January 08
- 3 Comments
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Working Smarter
Five ways to make the most of your Accounts Payable
Accounts Payable may seem like a dull subject but when handled properly it can provide many opportunities to improve your cashflow and profit. This article discusses how to use your Accounts Payable to your advantage.- Published 05 December 07
- 7 Comments
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Working Smarter
Time for a business performance review
December presents the ideal opportunity to learn and grow by doing a yearly business performace review. A time to reflect, rethink, reread and redesign before the start of a new year.- Published 03 December 07
- 5 Comments
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Working Smarter
Why you should document procedures
Mastering the art of performing a new business process, such as using a new software program, is something we can be proud of. It is also something we should write down. Here I outline several reasons why it is beneficial to document procedures.- Published 28 November 07
- 6 Comments
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Working Smarter
How to create a vision statement
The road to business success can be quite a journey and we need to be clear about where we are going. Having a clear vision statement about the business and lifestyle we are looking to create will greatly increase our chances of success.- Published 19 November 07
- 4 Comments
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Working Smarter
Five tips for working with a Virtual Assistant
About six months ago I came to the realisation that my business could not keep growing if I was the only person working on it. I was running out of time and energy. It was at this moment I began to explore the idea of engaging a Virtual Assistant.- Published 16 November 07
- 11 Comments
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Working Smarter
Money management: Tips for solo businesses
Recently I wrote a piece for our newsletter that generated quite a discussion. It was about a soloist who was uncomfortable with money. Here's a summary of your excellent money management tips.- Published 14 November 07
- 2 Comments
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Working Smarter
How developing routines can increase productivity
Working solo is challenging because there’s no-one to push you along. At the end of the week you might wonder where the time’s gone. Still, there is one way to increase productivity and it’s by developing routines.- Published 09 November 07
- 8 Comments
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Working Smarter
Creating a professional development plan
Most large companies provide training and career development support, but as a soloist this is often neglected. Here we look at advantages of both formal and self-directed learning and show you how to create your own professional development plan.- Published 07 November 07
- 4 Comments
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Working Smarter
Recovering money: How to speed up payment from customers
In my last article I discussed ways to improve business invoicing and steps to avoid bad debts. In this article I'll discuss recovering money and ways to speed up payment after the invoice has been sent out to your customer.- Published 05 November 07
- 8 Comments
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Working Smarter
Six ways to stimulate innovation and creativity
Have you ever thought “when I get more money or have more time, then I can start thinking of new ideas”? If you have, then you‘ve created your own barrier to innovation. This article looks at six ways to stimulate innovation and creativity.
- Published 29 October 07
- 3 Comments
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Working Smarter
When reading is bad for you
It is assumed that there are many benefits of reading, but are there some instances when reading can be a waste of time? Is reading a double-edged sword? What do you think?- Published 26 October 07
- 9 Comments
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Working Smarter
Time management strategies that work
Although our world can seem cash rich and time poor, in reality we have more than enough time. By looking at my time management strategies and adjusting my clock to natural time, I have been able to reap many benefits.
- Published 15 October 07
- 8 Comments
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Working Smarter
The importance of setting boundaries
Many soloists fall into the trap of saying yes to business that they should really be saying no to. To avoid this happening, you need to understand the importance of setting boundaries in your business.- Published 05 October 07
- 7 Comments
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Working Smarter
Business invoicing: Steps to avoid bad debts
How well you handle business invoicing can make or break your business. There are a number of different methods, so let’s look at some of the key factors in running a successful accounts receivable process in a typical small business.- Published 03 October 07
- 8 Comments
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Working Smarter
Business book recommendations
The very best thing solo business owners can do to make the most of October is to get their hands on a really good book and spend the month actively reading it. So if you’re looking for a great business book recommendation read on.- Published 01 October 07
- 10 Comments
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Working Smarter
Small business record keeping: Dealing with the shoebox
As an accountant, at this time of year people start arriving at my door with a shoe box stuffed full of receipts. Some of you may be chuckling in disbelief while others are blushing with recognition of their own small business record keeping!- Published 26 September 07
- 18 Comments
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Working Smarter
Understanding insurance and protecting your business
Working from home gives us freedom that is hard to find in an office environment. It’s easy though to forget about the importance of understanding insurance and ignore the possible consequences of a stolen laptop or an injury sustained while at work.- Published 12 September 07
- 10 Comments
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Working Smarter
How to make the most of September
Spring is a time of new life, and that’s exactly what we can do with September. Now is the perfect time to reassess your business and do some of the things you have been putting off all year. Now is the time for action!- Published 03 September 07
- 7 Comments
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Working Smarter
How profitable businesses can go bust
How can a business making plenty of sales possibly go bust, you may wonder? The answer is cash. Your cash can be in a surprising number of places other than where it belongs - in your account.- Published 31 August 07
- 12 Comments
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Working Smarter
How social capital is good for business
When social capital, or generosity, is a foundation of your business strategy, it provides huge benefits. It helps build strong relationships with your community and customers, plus when it comes to PR, it beats expensive advertising.- Published 17 August 07
- 1 Comment
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Working Smarter
Improve your memory
How often does your memory let you down? Are your powers of recall lacking? The good news is those whose memory lets them down can learn to remember using the right techniques.- Published 06 August 07
- 3 Comments
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Working Smarter
Exit strategies: is it right to quit your business?
It's natural to think about leaving your solo business. Whether you're tempted due to financial, stress-related or personal reasons, you need to consider alternatives before deciding.- Published 03 August 07
- 5 Comments
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Working Smarter
Innovation tools: How to think innovatively
Most of us are used to thinking in logical and rational ways - in fact our business demands it! So how do we go about thinking innovatively? Here are some simple innovation tools to bring new ideas into your business.- Published 23 July 07
- 4 Comments
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Working Smarter
Speed reading: How to read those business books fast!
I have been running speed reading workshops for several years now and in this article I’ll share with you what I consider to be the most effective approach to reading books, or any material, without actually having to 'speed read' it.- Published 06 July 07
- 7 Comments
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Working Smarter
How to make the most of July
July is either the beginning of a new financial year or the middle of a calendar one. But whatever way you look at it, it is a great month to review our business planning and take stock of how our business is tracking.- Published 02 July 07
- 2 Comments
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Working Smarter
Promotional giveaways: How to create a Value Add product
Why take your depth of knowledge for granted, when you can turn that information into promotional giveaways that add value to your clients? Here's how to create what can become a powerful marketing tool for your business.- Published 25 June 07
- 1 Comment
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Working Smarter
Five strategies to get motivated
Every soloist has found themselves staring blankly at their computer screen, unable to get motivated. Here are some simple motivation tips to get you back on track, without wasting any more time.- Published 15 June 07
- 4 Comments
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Working Smarter
How to make the most of June
June is the ideal time to assess just how much value suppliers have added to our business. There is nothing like looking at the bottom line of these expenses for the year to help us decide if our business is better off.- Published 01 June 07
- 4 Comments
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Working Smarter
Seven steps to overcoming procrastination
Procrastination isn’t a long term strategy, but sometimes us soloists treat it as though it is! If you're constantly putting things off that need to be done, then read on for ways to overcome procrastination and get you off the avoidance treadmill.- Published 28 May 07
- 3 Comments
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Working Smarter
Business growth: A home office or commercial office space?
When you experience business growth, is it better to stay in a home office, or move out? Late last year I moved my business out of home and into commercial office space. It's time to update you on what this has meant for me and for the business.- Published 16 May 07
- 9 Comments
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Working Smarter
Practical creative planning with mind mapping
Does your ‘to do’ list feel like an endless treadmill set on high speed? Practical creative planning with mind Mapping could be the answer. It can help you get back into control, plus it wil inject a bit of colour into your working day.- Published 14 May 07
- 5 Comments
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Working Smarter
Strategic business planning: Vision, mission and values
When setting out on their solo journey, some people undertake strategic business planning, while others set off blindly, with no clear direction. Many soloists take the more haphazard approach, and this results in what I call business misery.- Published 11 May 07
- 11 Comments
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Working Smarter
Learning tips: Ten ways to make learning easier
Are you learning in the best way that you can? Do you find learning easy and enjoyable? If not, by following these learning tips you can make a few powerful changes to make learning easier.- Published 09 May 07
- 2 Comments
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Working Smarter
Business performance: Four ways high standards hold you back
Standards are undoubtedly great to have for good business performance. They provide us with guidance and something to aspire to. But setting too high standards can work against us, counter intuitive as this may seem.- Published 30 April 07
- 8 Comments
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Working Smarter
Generating new business: Lessons learned from a slow period
I know the occasional slow period is a normal part of life as a soloist, but when one hit recently, I was unprepared for the anguish I'd feel when not generating new business! Fortunately I now know a short amount of down time is not a disaster.- Published 23 April 07
- 12 Comments
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Working Smarter
Problem solving skills: Why support is better than advice
Have you noticed how many 'fixers' there are out there? These are the people who can’t wait to give you advice at the first sign of any uncertainty. But can someone else really have answers which will make your life perfect?- Published 09 April 07
- 5 Comments
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Working Smarter
Professional Development: Seven steps to turn learning into earning
Of all the vital skills that you must have to perform your work excellently, which is your weakest? Have you ever considered that it’s the weakest of all your vital skills that sets your level of professional development?- Published 06 April 07
- 4 Comments
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Working Smarter
Business succession planning: Developing an exit strategy
Not many soloists give a good deal of thought to business succession planning and developing an exit strategy, yet one of the key requirements of a successful business is to know how you want your involvement to end up.- Published 04 April 07
- 7 Comments
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Working Smarter
How to make the most of March
I know I won’t be able to resist the obvious pun that the year is marching by, so there it is, out of the way early. But really. March. Already? I find March is a great time to do so many things, you need to be a good time manager to fit work in!- Published 02 March 07
- 7 Comments
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Working Smarter
Learning to be creative
Some people wrongly assume there are certain “creative” types out there who will spontaneously generate brilliant, world-stopping ideas all day if you stick them in a room with some trendy designer furniture and a chai latte.- Published 05 February 07
- 5 Comments
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Working Smarter
Removing barriers to success
Soloists often unconsciously put barriers in the way between them and success. This is typified by what I call the 'feet on the ground' versus 'feet in the ground' situation.- Published 17 January 07
- 4 Comments
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Working Smarter
Increase productivity by outsourcing
Outsourcing elements of our solo business can help us double our productivity and buy back important life time. It makes sense as many soloists struggle to work within their skill set alongside the day to day running of their solo business.- Published 12 January 07
- 8 Comments
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Working Smarter
How to make the most of January
We are all in planning mode as we begin another year flying solo. These tips will help you to truly embrace the start of a new year.- Published 03 January 07
- 1 Comment
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Working Smarter
Measures of success for your solo business
Without the reserved car parking space, the corner office or the large team of staff, what can we use as measures of success? How do we - and those around us - know we are successful?- Published 18 December 06
- 6 Comments
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Working Smarter
Beneficial ownership: Saving through the other deductible rule
The Other Deductible Rule can save you time and money by allowing you to pay for expenses directly from your business' earnings. This article discusses the differences between legal control and beneficial ownership.
- Published 20 November 06
- 4 Comments
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Working Smarter
Problem solving skills: Ten ways to stimulate creativity
Business at its most simple level is about solving a customer's problem, which takes creativity. So we need to keep our creative mind alive to develop our problem solving skills.
- Published 15 November 06
- 6 Comments
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Working Smarter
Flexible working hours: reflections on the four hour day
Trish Weston's articles on the concept of flexible work hours and the four hour day has brought on the biggest mental shift I've had in ten years of soloism.- Published 08 November 06
- 4 Comments
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Working Smarter
Work attitudes: Four lessons learnt from my four hour day
What seemed like a simple reduction in work hours turned into a valuable experience in understanding my work attitudes and how I work best.
- Published 06 November 06
- 11 Comments
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Working Smarter
Five reasons to grow your business
For the soloist, once business starts to take off, there comes a time you need to decide whether to grow your business or keep it simple. Will you take on staff? Will you remain at home or move to bigger premises?- Published 03 November 06
- 8 Comments
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Working Smarter
Workload management: How to handle growing pains
How you proceed if you find yourself swamped with work depends largely on your personal goals and the direction you want to take in the future. Three soloists share their workload management experiences.- Published 27 October 06
- 3 Comments
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Working Smarter
Who's working on your team?
Flying solo - now there's an oxymoron. Look closely and you will see most successful solo operators have a working team behind them who are contributing to their successes.- Published 06 October 06
- 2 Comments
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Working Smarter
Work less: Why I changed to a four hour day
My four hour day started innocently enough. There was no revolutionary zeal nor aspirations to the loafer’s lifestyle. My idea to work less came simply from my desire to more fully enjoy my work.- Published 02 October 06
- 7 Comments
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Working Smarter
Business management skills: The art of delegation
Delegation is one of the business management skills often neglected by the soloist. You have to do it all yourself … right? Wrong! Learning the art of delegation could alleviate your stress.- Published 20 September 06
- 5 Comments
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Working Smarter
The key to a successful business is not talent
The one fundamental attribute you need to run a successful business as a soloist is to be good at what you do – good, but not necessarily great.- Published 18 September 06
- 6 Comments
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Working Smarter
Problem solving strategies: Using a Board of Personalities
When soloists need advice, what problem solving strategies do they use? It is often tempting to seek the advice of fellow soloists. But are they necessarily the best people to ask? Perhaps a 'board of personalities' will give us a more holistic view.- Published 28 August 06
- 4 Comments
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Working Smarter
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
How does breaking the world down into numbers help the soloist? Many accountants talk of KPIs, this is the acronym for Key Performance Indicators, and these are the main indicators you use in your business to identify your strengths and weakness.- Published 24 July 06
- 3 Comments
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Working Smarter
Have a business decision making problem?
Many soloists find it tough to be decisive. Luckily, business decision-making is a skill that can be learnt. Arming yourself with clear goals will help guide decisions and quash procrastination.- Published 19 July 06
- 2 Comments
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Working Smarter
Innovation managment: Five innovation ideals
You may have already heard the hype about the significance of innovation management and its potential for businesses, especially smaller ones, but what conditions are conducive to innovation?- Published 28 June 06
- 4 Comments
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Working Smarter
Donations and other tax deductions
It's already June which means it's time to do your taxes for this financial year. Provided you do it immediately, it's not too late to save on tax by spending on tax deductible items. Here are some suggestions about donations and other tax deductions.- Published 09 June 06
- 3 Comments
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Working Smarter
Australian copyright law: How to protect your work
What would you do if you discovered your work had been reproduced without your permission? Here we look at the basics of Australian copyright law, including how to protect your work and what work can't be protected.
- Published 31 May 06
- 5 Comments
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Working Smarter
DIY Super: The benefits of do-it-yourself superannuation
If you have ever wanted to take control of your financial destiny, do-it-yourself superannation (DIY super) is perhaps one of the best ways to do it.
- Published 10 May 06
- 9 Comments
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Working Smarter
Reducing tax by maximising tax deductions
All soloists want to learn how to minimise their tax obligations and maximise tax deductions. This article helps you grasp the fundamentals of reducing your tax via legitimate deductions.- Published 14 April 06
- 3 Comments
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Working Smarter
Discover the business benefits of outsourcing
One of the most important skills for soloists to develop is an understanding of what to undertake themselves and what to outsource to others.- Published 27 March 06
- 2 Comments
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Working Smarter
How one business process improvement saves me hours
We all have at least one business process that is consistently inconsistent. It’s the one where you just change this bit for one client, this bit for another. If you've ever over-customised, it could be time to systemise your processes.- Published 15 February 06
- 4 Comments
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Working Smarter
Trusts and business asset protection: the basics
What is a trust? How can a trust help protect your personal and business assets? As for business asset protection, is it something you need to know about? Here are the answers, delivered in a straightforward manner.- Published 08 February 06
- 5 Comments
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Working Smarter
Business coaching: How to choose a coach
A coach provides advice and guidance based on their own experiences and capabilities, so it pays to take the time to find the business coaching that's right for you. So how do you choose a coach relevant to your needs?
- Published 18 January 06
- 1 Comment
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Working Smarter
Time management skills: Asking the right questions
As those with good time management skills will know, it's not about creating more time, but how we manage ourselves in the time we have. Therefore if you are looking for answers, it is worth investing some time in asking the right questions first.- Published 04 January 06
- 2 Comments
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Working Smarter
Assessing business performance
This time is ideal for assessing business performance - pondering both how well you've travelled over the past year and how the new year is shaping up.
- Published 15 December 05
- 4 Comments
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Working Smarter
Slimy business practices
Many of us engage in certain business practices because, well, that’s what businesses do, even when these business practices leave us feeling creepy and oily.- Published 02 December 05
- 8 Comments
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Working Smarter
Achieving success: Are you doing a Dusty Springfield?
Much as we love the song, if you want to see your new business achieving success, it's best to avoid too much "wishing and hoping".
- Published 24 November 05
- 7 Comments
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Working Smarter
Business innovation strategies: Don't wait, innovate!
Our ability to develop business innovation strategies will not only give us a competitive edge, it will also ensure our business' survival in the future.
- Published 01 November 05
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Working Smarter
Make better business decisions: Know your strong points
To get the most from life as a solo business owner, it makes sense to know your strong points...and use this information to make better business decisions that will lead you to success.- Published 19 October 05
- 2 Comments
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Working Smarter
Making space for generating ideas
Fresh ideas keep us motivated. But chances are these ideas won't come when you're stuck behind your desk. It is necessary to create time and space for generating ideas and creative thinking.- Published 17 October 05
- 9 Comments
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Working Smarter
Faster decision making by caring less
Soloists are generally 110% passionate about what they’re doing. Passion is a good thing, right? Maybe not when it comes to effective decision making.- Published 10 October 05
- 2 Comments
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Working Smarter
A brand new approach to writing a business plan
A business plan is an essential documents that we are all meant to have, right? So why do so many solo professionals not have one? Here's a new approach to writing a business plan.- Published 23 September 05
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Working Smarter
Business vision: the importance of long term goals
In our book Flying Solo - How to go it alone in business, Sam and I talk a great deal about the role and importance of holding a buiness vision. Having long term goals can help you make decisions every day.
- Published 20 July 05
- 2 Comments
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Working Smarter
Are part time staff right for your business?
My recent experience with hiring part time staff has made me appreciate one of the best things about working for myself is the lack of office politics.- Published 11 July 05
- 1 Comment
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Working Smarter
Managing small business growth: Success is in the bag
Do you want to know more about managing small business growth? Ethan Nyholm, co-founder of digital luggage specialist STM (Standard Technical Merchandise), describes what it's like going from solo to small business.
- Published 06 July 05
- Attracting new business (7)
- Business branding (16)
- Business marketing (27)
- Communication skills (12)
- Customer relationships (10)
- Customer service (7)
- Email newsletters (6)
- Online marketing (20)
- Presentation skills (4)
- Pricing strategy (7)
- Public relations, PR (12)
- Sales strategies (10)
- Small business blogs (4)
- Using surveys (5)
- » All Marketing articles
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