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.

Want to keep up to date with all our working smarter articles? Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter, sent to over 15,250 loyal readers each Tuesday, and receive four valuable bonus reports to download instantly.

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Working Smarter articles

• Project planning: 8 ways to kill your project

  There are actions I’ve seen which are guaranteed to kill your project’s chance of success. Here are eight ways projects get sabotaged, and project planning tips to prevent them.

  • 29 June 09
  • Greg Pritchard
  • 4 Comments

• The Big O – Being organised!

  Any improvements you make to your business processes will relate directly to your clientele numbers. Which of course relate directly to your balance sheet. It’s simple: being more organised equals more profit.

  • 26 June 09
  • Roz Howland
  • 6 Comments

• Avoiding business failure

  A chance encounter with a farmer, who told me about his ailing business, got me thinking about ways to avoid business failure. Here’s what happened.

  • 19 June 09
  • Zoe Routh
  • 7 Comments

• Surviving economic downturn

  How will the economic downturn affect you? How easy will it be for you to gain new business? Here’s a rundown of what you can and must do differently now for your business to survive.

  • 12 June 09
  • Mark Moore
  • 4 Comments

• NLP: Eliminating unproductive days

  We all have days where we don’t feel 100%, days we know are going to be unproductive and dissatisfying. Here’s how to turn them around.

  • 10 June 09
  • Deborah Keep
  • 7 Comments

• The ‘To Do’ list that worked

  My previous article was on my time management plan that worked. I want to share exactly what it was that brought this baby home: a ‘To Do’ list that I could actually stomach.

  • 08 June 09
  • Megan Hills
  • 6 Comments

• Nifty ideas to grow your business

  Every minute counts! If you find yourself with some spare time in your diary here are some original ideas to grow your business in every direction.

  • 27 May 09
  • Heather Smith
  • 13 Comments

• Better sales conversion through measuring

  For better sales conversion, you must eliminate waste. It’s easy to waste too much time and money trying to convert customers and waste revenue from failing to convert customers. To speed up the process, you must measure your Sales Conversion Rate.

  • 04 May 09
  • Stacey Barr
  • 6 Comments

• How to avoid false and misleading conduct

  Here’s a summary of section 53 of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (TPA), which deals with false and misleading representations.

  • 29 April 09
  • Michael Terceiro
  • 3 Comments

• Business threats: Is it time to renovate?

  We renovate our houses to keep them current and comfortable, but what about our businesses? Often they are left vulnerable to decay with outdated systems and equipment, rusty old goals and blurred visions. Is it time to review your business threats?

  • 22 April 09
  • Wendy Buckingham
  • 3 Comments

• Improving performance by clearing clutter

  Your mental and physical clutter has a surprising impact on those around you, including clients, suppliers and family. Here's how to stop it getting the better of you.

  • 20 April 09
  • Roz Howland
  • 14 Comments

• The time management plan that worked

  You’re going to question whether this time management plan works, because it is so outrageously simple. But often the simple things are the best. So if you want to give business chaos a swift and solid kick, read on.

  • 13 April 09
  • Megan Hills
  • 10 Comments

• Are your business templates up to date?

  Like many soloists, I use templates. Mine are for things like invoices, coaching agreements and emails for new clients. Business templates create efficiency; however they also create opportunity for error.

  • 10 April 09
  • Linda Anderson
  • 5 Comments

• Ten ways to reduce your accounting fees

  Professional Accountants can be critical to the ongoing success of your business. They can provide advice on company structure, financial management and legal tax avoidance. But their fees can be exorbitant!

  • 01 April 09
  • Heather Smith
  • 13 Comments

• Dealing with non-paying clients

  I recently had my first non-paying client as a soloist. And, if I may share, it hurt. As someone who likes to go on about the importance of building great client relationships, this really stung.

  • 18 March 09
  • Trish Weston
  • 27 Comments

• The importance of business development days

  Just imagine one day a week devoted to growing your business. A business development day devoid of the usual interruptions and distractions. I’ve done it. It works and here’s how.

  • 17 March 09
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 36 Comments

• Finding time to measure your business results

  "I know it’s important, but I’m too busy to measure my business results." Sound familiar? Then it’s time to change!

  • 02 March 09
  • Stacey Barr
  • 7 Comments

• 

  Who do you turn to for advice, business training and support?

  What if you could increase your confidence as a business owner; develop a clear plan; gain skills in marketing, finances, technology and business development, gain advice from proven business owners and collaborate with like-minded business women?

• Wealth attraction: Using mindset mastery

  There has been an abundance of literature on the subject of mindset mastery for wealth attraction, but before you start rolling your eyes why not put the 'woo woo' to the test? Join in for fun and if you are serious about cranking up the revenue.

  • 18 February 09
  • Zoe Routh
  • 12 Comments

• Preparing your accounts for a business loan

  Gone are the days when the last couple of tax returns would suffice to get a business loan. The banks, spooked by the credit crunch, now require precise information before lending you money. So what sort of shape are your business accounts in?

  • 16 February 09
  • Sue Hirst
  • 2 Comments

• Surviving tough times using creative thinking

  In the grip of tough times, many accept the apparent fact that business is going to be tough for a while. Others choose to believe that challenging times create opportunities for creative thinking. It’s all in the way you look at it.

  • 11 February 09
  • Kate James
  • 11 Comments

• Business mentoring: My experience as a mentee

  A mentee isn’t a mint confectionery, it means ‘one who is mentored’. Business mentoring is great for soloists in need of extra support, information and direction. Here’s how it’s given my business some valuable oomph.

  • 23 January 09
  • Megan Hills
  • 6 Comments

• Five measures for micro business success

  If you could only measure five results in your micro business, to really ramp up its success, what do you think those five measures would be?

  • 19 January 09
  • Stacey Barr
  • 7 Comments

• KPI's: Don’t stop the good stuff

  As we hurtle into an uncertain year, you may be tempted to pull back on some business activities. So how do you decide what gets the chop? By getting clear on your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

  • 13 January 09
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 4 Comments

• New year's resolutions for micro business owners

  Okay, so they’re easy to make and virtually impossible to keep, but with every New Year comes resolutions. At Flying Solo we put our heads together and came up with these 11 ½ practical New Year's resolutions for micro business owners.

  • 06 January 09
  • Peter Crocker
  • 27 Comments

• Business performance feedback: Gordon Ramsay

  So there I was quietly going about my work when foul mouthed Gordon Ramsay burst in and gave it to me with both barrels. Some of his business performance feedback was hard to swallow.

  • 30 December 08
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 46 Comments

• Business survival skills: Five tips

  Rebounding from a Really Bad Day is essential for the soloist, so here are some business survival skills to make bouncing back easier.

  • 12 December 08
  • Trish Weston
  • 7 Comments

• Removing obstacles to learning

  By removing obstacles to learning, I have discovered many time saving benefits for both myself and my business and now you can too!

  • 28 November 08
  • Mark Moore
  • 6 Comments

• Misleading or deceptive conduct

  Did you know that you can fall foul of the law if you engage in misleading or deceptive conduct, or conduct that is likely to mislead or deceive?

  • 24 November 08
  • Michael Terceiro
  • 6 Comments

• Nine ways to disaster proof your business

  A disaster doesn't need to signal the end if you plan ahead. Here are nine tips to help you disaster proof your business.

  • 19 November 08
  • Greg Pritchard
  • 8 Comments

• Give me your Constant Partial Attention

  If your standard response to the question “How was your day?” is “Busy, really busy!” it’s time to ask yourself: what did I actually achieve today?

  • 17 November 08
  • Andrew May
  • 7 Comments

• Measuring performance: Are you just guessing?

  Maybe you’re familiar with the clichés that you get what you measure; you can't manage what you can't measure and what gets measured gets done.

  • 14 November 08
  • Stacey Barr
  • 6 Comments

• Decluttering: Take it away!

  The FS gang attended a conference which attracted the finest minds working in the online industry. Naturally we were way out of our depth. Joking aside, one thing I took away has had a profound impact on how I work - the importance of decluttering.

  • 11 November 08
  • Sam Leader
  • 27 Comments

• Government initiatives for micro businesses

  The Small Business Summit in Brisbane provided an opportunity to hear what the Government is doing to help micro businesses.

  • 10 November 08
  • Heather Smith
  • 5 Comments

• The importance of using checklists

  It amazes me how many times I come away from a life experience with something valuable to my business. In many cases, the gems are as simple as they are surprising. Here’s one about using checklists that I was reminded of a couple of weeks ago.

  • 04 November 08
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 23 Comments

• How to grow your business without borrowing

  Those who’ve attempted to get new lending or renew an existing loan will know how hard it is right now, so how do you grow your business without borrowing?

  • 03 November 08
  • Sue Hirst
  • 10 Comments

• Think smart: What does it really mean?

  You lot are full of wisdom and insights. Just last week, Jenny from Melbourne raised some excellent points about the term ‘think smart’.

  • 21 October 08
  • Sam Leader
  • 22 Comments

• How to make the most of a business mentor

  What could be more fun, and potentially profitable, than bouncing your business dreams around with someone who can help turn them into reality? I recently enlisted the help of a business mentor and am already meeting goals previously laden with dust.

  • 15 October 08
  • Megan Hills
  • 4 Comments

• Measuring performance in your solo business

  In the Corporate World, measuring performance and performance reviews are a common occurence. Three years into my journey as a soloist I have begun to wonder how I can create better performance review processes for myself.

  • 10 October 08
  • Linda Anderson
  • 6 Comments

• Problem solving: brainstorming on your own

  In response to an earlier article on problem solving, Heather Smith asked me how I brainstorm on my own. So here’s an overview of the brainstorming process and techniques I use.

  • 08 October 08
  • Zern Liew
  • 7 Comments

• How to outsource your life by offshoring

  Have you used offshoring in your business? In this article I will discuss the pros and cons of offshore outsourcing as well as provide tips for a good offshoring experience.

  • 06 October 08
  • Andrew May
  • 13 Comments

• Money management tips to survive the downturn

  If you can keep your cool while economic mayhem abounds, you could set up your business for not just survival, but for greater profit and cashflow when things improve. Here are some money management tips to thrive and survive in the downturn.

  • 29 September 08
  • Sue Hirst
  • 4 Comments

• The law of forced efficiency

  Have you ever noticed how if you have a day to do something, you’ll drag it out to fill the entire day? Yet if you only have one hour to do it, you’ll find a way to get it done? This phenomena is known as Parkinson's Law - the 'Law of Forced Efficiency.'

  • 22 September 08
  • Mark Moore
  • 11 Comments

• 6 ways to weather an economic downturn

  Unless you have been living under a rock you will realise that Australia is in the grip of an economic downturn. Yet according to Flying Solo’s August poll, most of us see negative talk on the business outlook as ‘boring’ or nothing to worry about.

  • 15 September 08
  • Robyn Haydon
  • 8 Comments

• 20 money saving tips

  Welcome to money savers anonymous. Hi! I am Heather Smith and I love to save money. I like to find a bargain, but what excites me even more than money saving is when I get something for free.

  • 12 September 08
  • Heather Smith
  • 16 Comments

• How to increase revenue using up-selling

  Up-selling and cross-selling is cheap to implement, develops customer relationships and can dramatically increase revenue. Are you taking advantage of it in your business?

  • 08 September 08
  • Louise Gorrie
  • 7 Comments

• How to choose a role model

  A role model is someone who inspires you, whose behaviour you want to emulate. They can be a wonderful source of support, particularly for those working on their own.

  • 29 August 08
  • Kate James
  • 1 Comment

• Improving business productivity

  As a soloist, it can sometimes be easy to confuse activity for productivity. Are you on track to achieve your goals this year or do you need to focus on improving your business productivity?

  • 26 August 08
  • Peter Crocker
  • 12 Comments

• FAQs on small business budgeting

  A budget is a guide to financial performance of the business and a way to quickly identify overspending and potentially loss making situations. Here are answers to the most common questions asked about small business budgeting.

  • 25 August 08
  • Sue Hirst
  • 1 Comment

• How a business planning day can work for you

  You have heard it numerous times – you should be working on the business as well as in the business. Business planning is just one of many aspects vying for your attention. You know it is essential, but fitting in time for planning is difficult.

  • 22 August 08
  • Kate Tribe
  • 6 Comments

• Finding hidden equity in your business

  I don’t know about you, but I am getting bored with all this ‘downturn’ talk. Next time someone directs the conversation towards doom and gloom, either stick your fingers in your ears or help them find some hidden equity.

  • 12 August 08
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 15 Comments

• How to beat deadline stress

  Some soloists thrive under pressure. Others find it threatening when client work is hanging over their head. If you panic over deadlines, try these tips to beat deadline stress.

  • 04 August 08
  • Greg Pritchard
  • 3 Comments

• Filing paperwork: What’s your style?

  If you spend more than three minutes trying to find any document, you’re wasting valuable time and impeding your productivity. Paper will never leave our lives completely so you need to work out which system for filing paperwork works for you.

  • 30 July 08
  • Lissanne Oliver
  • 10 Comments

• Tips for managing invoices

  Over the years I’ve trialled different ways of managing the paper flow in my own office. I’ve found managing invoices to be something that needs extra care.

  • 04 July 08
  • Megan Tough
  • 3 Comments

• An effective business coaching strategy

  In the process of my work as a coach, I have one effective business coaching strategy that regularly creates a big shift for my clients. The funny thing is, I don’t do a thing. Let me tell you how it works.

  • 01 July 08
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 13 Comments

• Making money offering work experience

  Interested in making more money and doing less work? Why not get someone to do your job for you, and pay you for that privilege. Does this sound too good to be true? Read on to find out more about making money offering work experience.

  • 27 June 08
  • Heather Smith
  • 6 Comments

• Finding more time

  In the recent FS reader survey, 41% of you said wearing too many hats was your biggest business challenge, while 28% said they weren’t enough hours in the day. Here are some tips for finding more time in your day.

  • 25 June 08
  • Lissanne Oliver
  • 3 Comments

• Effective time management: Prioritising time

  With so many different things seeking your time and attention, it is not always easy to determine the best way of prioritising time. Do you have effective time management skills?

  • 24 June 08
  • Peter Crocker
  • 16 Comments

• Project management processes: A simple guide

  If you get flustered at the thought of managing a project, these simple tips will help. I've seen the largest projects start with the project managment processes below, and one to five person projects run with nothing more!

  • 23 June 08
  • Greg Pritchard
  • 2 Comments

• Outsourcing and offshoring: Is it worthwhile?

  In recent times, there has been a good deal of debate as to whether the cheaper costs of offshoring are outweighed by the benefits of outsourcing locally.

  • 20 June 08
  • Kathie M. Thomas
  • 14 Comments

• Is a ballpark too much to ask?

  Whilst in the market for a new Thingy, I struggled to get a straight answer about cost. I mean, how hard can it be to make a rough guess? Very, it turns out.

  • 13 June 08
  • Noel Ranger
  • 12 Comments

• The solution to small business challenges

  One of the questions we set our 1,770 respondents in our 2008 Understanding Micro Business survey, had to do with the three biggest small business challenges we are faced with. Here’s what we discovered, along with my solution.

  • 10 June 08
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 26 Comments

• Solving cash-flow problems

  An age-old question accountants get asked by business clients is “How come I’ve made a profit but I don’t have any cash?”. Solving cash-flow problems is an issue for many businesses.

  • 02 June 08
  • Sue Hirst
  • 5 Comments

• Six ways to reduce outsourcing risk

  Outsourcing can provide an array of strategic and life-balancing benefits to soloists. But there are risks in having a third party take on our business functions. This article provides six tips for reducing your outsourcing risks.

  • 19 May 08
  • Greg Pritchard
  • 1 Comment

• 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.

  • 02 May 08
  • Kate Tribe
  • 4 Comments

• 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.

  • 28 April 08
  • Sue Hirst
  • 7 Comments

• 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.

  • 18 April 08
  • Heather Smith
  • 11 Comments

• 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.

  • 09 April 08
  • Zern Liew
  • 6 Comments

• Managing deadlines: Avoid deadline dangers

  Deadlines can work for or against your solo business. How well you manage them depends on how well you manage client expectations. Here’s a way of managing deadlines to ensure your solo business avoids deadline dangers.

  • 08 April 08
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 23 Comments

• 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.

  • 02 April 08
  • Mark Moore
  • 1 Comment

• 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.

  • 26 March 08
  • Lissanne Oliver
  • 11 Comments

• 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.

  • 24 March 08
  • Sue Hirst
  • 2 Comments

• 

  Business invoicing: How to create an 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!

  • 21 March 08
  • Heather Smith
  • 15 Comments

• 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.

  • 14 March 08
  • Linda Anderson
  • 14 Comments

• 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?

  • 12 March 08
  • Kathie M. Thomas
  • 7 Comments

• Business cost management: Stop leaking money

  Although you may not think business cost managment is the most exciting topic, it is something you need to consider if you want to make sure your business is not leaking money!

  • 11 March 08
  • Peter Crocker
  • 21 Comments

• 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.

  • 07 March 08
  • Kate Tribe
  • 12 Comments

• Making love and making money

  Us writers delight in the use of analogies and what better subject to choose than love making and making money?

  • 04 March 08
  • Sam Leader
  • 17 Comments

• Task management: Why I ditched the to do list

  Before becoming a mum, I was a prolific list writer and multi tasker. But now spare time is at a premium, these methods aren’t cutting the mustard. Here’s how I deal with task management now.

  • 19 February 08
  • Sam Leader
  • 55 Comments

• 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.

  • 01 February 08
  • Kate Tribe
  • 7 Comments

• 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.

  • 21 January 08
  • Sue Hirst
  • 4 Comments

• 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.

  • 09 January 08
  • Lissanne Oliver
  • 8 Comments

• 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.

  • 07 January 08
  • Zern Liew
  • 11 Comments

• Business plans: Writing a business plan

  ‘Business plan’ remains a dusty, conceptual notion for many soloists. Here’s how to bring business plans to life so you can start achieving this year's goals right now.

  • 02 January 08
  • Megan Hills
  • 6 Comments

• Celebrating small business successes

  In our solo business, dominated at times by big, hairy goals, it’s easy to overlook the importance and value of smaller business successes. In this exercise, I invite you to stop and answer three simple questions. It’ll only take a minute or two.

  • 18 December 07
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 16 Comments

• Business accountability: Whipping time

  Well, it’s past 10am on 11 December so the whip’s out! It’s time to see if the power of business accountability has worked for the 39 brave souls who set deadlines to achieve one important task before the end of the year.

  • 11 December 07
  • Peter Crocker
  • 20 Comments

• 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.

  • 05 December 07
  • Sue Hirst
  • 7 Comments

• 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.

  • 03 December 07
  • Karen Morath
  • 5 Comments

• 

  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 are the reasons it is beneficial to document procedures.

  • 28 November 07
  • Mark Moore
  • 13 Comments

• Vision statements: 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. Learning how to create a vision statement will greatly increase our chances of success.

  • 19 November 07
  • Peter Morgan
  • 5 Comments

• 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.

  • 16 November 07
  • Linda Anderson
  • 13 Comments

• 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.

  • 14 November 07
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 2 Comments

• Why you need a business procedures manual

  If you’re ever intending to take extended leave from your work, step sideways into a different role or simply escape one set of tasks to concentrate on another, then read on to find out why you need a business procedures manual.

  • 13 November 07
  • Sam Leader
  • 26 Comments

• 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.

  • 09 November 07
  • Lissanne Oliver
  • 9 Comments

• 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.

  • 07 November 07
  • Zern Liew
  • 4 Comments

• Successful business strategies: Is faster better?

  It seems to me that everywhere I look someone is trying to persuade us to accomplish things more quickly. Doubtless there are successful business strategies and products that can help us be more efficient, but is faster always better?

  • 06 November 07
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 11 Comments

• 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.

  • 05 November 07
  • Sue Hirst
  • 9 Comments

• Business accountability: Set deadlines!

  Forget “New Year’s resolutions”. What about “This Year’s resolutions”? I’d like to suggest a short and simple exercise which will use the proven power of business accountability to help you set deadlines and achieve something extremely important.

  • 30 October 07
  • Peter Crocker
  • 40 Comments

• 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.

  • 29 October 07
  • Kate Tribe
  • 3 Comments

• 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?

  • 26 October 07
  • Megan Tough
  • 10 Comments

• Money management skills: A question of money

  Oh, no it’s happened again. I’ve just finished a conversation about money management skills with yet another person who’s allowed money to wreak havoc.

  • 16 October 07
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 77 Comments

• 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.

  • 15 October 07
  • Peter Morgan
  • 8 Comments

• 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.

  • 05 October 07
  • Linda Anderson
  • 7 Comments

• 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.

  • 03 October 07
  • Sue Hirst
  • 8 Comments

• 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.

  • 01 October 07
  • Karen Morath
  • 11 Comments

• 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!

  • 26 September 07
  • Heather Smith
  • 25 Comments

• How do you stop procrastinating?

  A couple of weeks ago I received an email from Michael, an internet specialist. In it, he described a problem he was having with that old chestnut, procrastination and wanted to know how to stop procrastinating.

  • 25 September 07
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 23 Comments

• 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.

  • 12 September 07
  • Sean Morriss
  • 11 Comments

• 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!

  • 03 September 07
  • Karen Morath
  • 7 Comments

• 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.

  • 31 August 07
  • Sue Hirst
  • 12 Comments

• 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.

  • 17 August 07
  • Zern Liew
  • 4 Comments

• Work more efficiently: Five fast failings

  This past week I've heard of a couple of instances where hurried behaviour very nearly resulted in the loss of a sale…and that can't be good. Here are some tips on how to work more efficiently.

  • 14 August 07
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 5 Comments

• 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.

  • 06 August 07
  • Mark Moore
  • 4 Comments

• 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.

  • 03 August 07
  • Michele Hackshall
  • 5 Comments

• 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.

  • 23 July 07
  • Megan Tough
  • 4 Comments

• 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.

  • 06 July 07
  • Mark Moore
  • 7 Comments

• 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.

  • 02 July 07
  • Karen Morath
  • 2 Comments

• 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.

  • 25 June 07
  • Megan Tough
  • 1 Comment

• 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.

  • 15 June 07
  • Michele Hackshall
  • 6 Comments

• 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.

  • 01 June 07
  • Karen Morath
  • 4 Comments

• 

  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.

  • 28 May 07
  • Megan Tough
  • 7 Comments

• Innovation tools to tame the flow of ideas

  Five ways to tame the flow of ideas Megan Hill's recent piece on mind mapping that got me pondering the theme of ideas, and in particular the flow of ideas.

  • 22 May 07
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 18 Comments

• 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.

  • 16 May 07
  • Melissa Norfolk
  • 12 Comments

• 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.

  • 14 May 07
  • Megan Hills
  • 7 Comments

• 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.

  • 11 May 07
  • Peter Morgan
  • 11 Comments

• 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.

  • 09 May 07
  • Mark Moore
  • 2 Comments

• 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.

  • 30 April 07
  • Paul J. Morris
  • 8 Comments

• Part 2: Being accountable - Setting deadlines

  In my last newsletter I wrote about the importance of being accountable and setting deadlines for getting things done.

  • 24 April 07
  • Peter Crocker
  • 28 Comments

• 

  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.

  • 23 April 07
  • Megan Tough
  • 17 Comments

• 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?

  • 09 April 07
  • Kath O'Sullivan
  • 6 Comments

• 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?

  • 06 April 07
  • Mark Moore
  • 4 Comments

• 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.

  • 04 April 07
  • Grant Hyman
  • 7 Comments

• Being accountable: Setting deadlines

  Why is the builder’s house half built? Why does the mechanic’s car need a service? Or in my case, why hasn’t the copywriter’s website been refreshed for… well, a long time. It's all about being accountable and setting deadlines.

  • 03 April 07
  • Peter Crocker
  • 53 Comments

• 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!

  • 02 March 07
  • Karen Morath
  • 7 Comments

• How to stop procrastination

  Do you have difficulty knowing how to stop procrastination? Procrastination is something that used to happen to me all the time, and it completely infuriated me…

  • 20 February 07
  • Peter Crocker
  • 23 Comments

• 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.

  • 05 February 07
  • Kath O'Sullivan
  • 5 Comments

• 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.

  • 17 January 07
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 4 Comments

• 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.

  • 12 January 07
  • Summer Nelson
  • 8 Comments

• Strategic review: The soloist 'away day'

  If you've been around a corporate environment, you'll be familiar with the concept of the 'off site', 'away day', 'strategic review', 'conference', or 'executive retreat'.

  • 09 January 07
  • Peter Crocker
  • 7 Comments

• 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.

  • 03 January 07
  • Karen Morath
  • 1 Comment

• 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?

  • 18 December 06
  • Karen Morath
  • 6 Comments

• 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.

  • 20 November 06
  • Tony Melvin
  • 7 Comments

• 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.

  • 15 November 06
  • Justin Zachan
  • 6 Comments

• 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.

  • 08 November 06
  • Karen Morath
  • 4 Comments

• 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.

  • 06 November 06
  • Trish Weston
  • 13 Comments

• 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?

  • 03 November 06
  • Melissa Norfolk
  • 8 Comments

• 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.

  • 27 October 06
  • Karen Morris
  • 3 Comments

• 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.

  • 06 October 06
  • Wendy Buckingham
  • 2 Comments

• 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.

  • 02 October 06
  • Trish Weston
  • 7 Comments

• 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.

  • 20 September 06
  • Linda Anderson
  • 5 Comments

• 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.

  • 18 September 06
  • Peter Crocker
  • 6 Comments

• 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.

  • 28 August 06
  • Paul J. Morris
  • 4 Comments

• 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.

  • 24 July 06
  • Tony Melvin
  • 3 Comments

• 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.

  • 19 July 06
  • Karen Morath
  • 2 Comments

• 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?

  • 28 June 06
  • Paul J. Morris
  • 4 Comments

• 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.

  • 09 June 06
  • Jeremy Britton
  • 3 Comments

• 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.

  • 31 May 06
  • Melissa Norfolk
  • 5 Comments

• 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.

  • 10 May 06
  • Jeremy Britton
  • 10 Comments

• 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.

  • 14 April 06
  • Tony Melvin
  • 8 Comments

• 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.

  • 27 March 06
  • Karen Morath
  • 2 Comments

• 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.

  • 15 February 06
  • Megan Tough
  • 5 Comments

• 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.

  • 08 February 06
  • Tony Melvin
  • 6 Comments

• 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?

  • 18 January 06
  • Grant Hyman
  • 2 Comments

• 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.

  • 04 January 06
  • John Raymond
  • 2 Comments

• 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.

  • 15 December 05
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 4 Comments

• 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.

  • 02 December 05
  • Paul J. Morris
  • 8 Comments

• 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".

  • 24 November 05
  • John Raymond
  • 7 Comments

• 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.

  • 01 November 05
  • Paul J. Morris

• 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.

  • 19 October 05
  • Ellen Jackson
  • 2 Comments

• 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.

  • 17 October 05
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 9 Comments

• 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.

  • 10 October 05
  • Peter Crocker
  • 2 Comments

• 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.

  • 23 September 05
  • Megan Tough

• 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.

  • 20 July 05
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 2 Comments

• 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.

  • 11 July 05
  • Barb Clews
  • 1 Comment

• 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.

  • 06 July 05
  • Sam Leader