Productivity

Productivity

JobKeeeper won’t save our business, so here’s what we did instead

In early March this year my husband and I were running a growing and thriving business, building custom props and structures for events. “Marvellous March” was in full swing and we were excitedly working through a bumper events season. Fast forward to August and we are facing a very uncertain future for our business and the events industry. So how do we cope with not knowing what’s to come for our industry? Can we survive? Or even thrive?

Professional development

5 simple practices that anyone can use for better writing

By Natalie Dowling

Editing helps you to organise and enhance written material – to make information clear, engaging and easy to read. It’s a process to check that what you’ve intended to say is well conveyed. This is especially pertinent when you have multiple authors, complex information or challenging ideas.

Productivity

Podcast 229: How to live like a sole trader during a crisis

Amber Daines is a PR professional who worked on two intense crisis communications projects: AMP during the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry and the NSW government during one of the worst drought on record. She joins our Flying Solo podcast to share some of these insights in the context of sole trader life coming through and out of a crisis.

Productivity

What 10 years of working from home has taught us

By Lucy Kippist

As a working parent I’m invested in the unfolding conversation about the future of remote work. When you have a compelling set of competing priorities, few things matter more than a sense (no matter how fleeting) of greater control around the rhythm of your life and feeling more connected to your family.

Productivity

Iconic brand rides wave of support for Aussie made

By Kochie's Business Builders

2020 has been one hell of a ride for Gold Coast wool manufacturer, UGG Since 1974. The family business that has been passed down through three generations, was close to the brink in January.

Productivity

Lockdown 2.0 might be just the break we need!

By Cath Connell

If you’re a Melbournite like me, welcome to Lockdown 2.0. For those of you who cautiously emerged from your hidey holes to run retail stores, gyms, restaurants, event businesses and all those other wonderful “in person” businesses, only to be sent back again a few weeks later, I feel for you – I really do.

Productivity

Coronavirus update: NSW Thai Rock cluster grows, zero cases for QLD, VIC gets ready for mandatory masks

By Cec Busby

NSW reported 13 new coronavirus cases overnight, ten of which can be linked to a cluster from Thai Rock restaurant in Wetherill Park. This takes the Thai Rock cluster to 26. All 13 cases have been traced to known sources. Two of the new cases could be traced to contacts linked to the Crossroads Hotel outbreak. The final case is a returned overseas traveller.

Productivity

I’m a Victorian small business owner and this is why lockdown 2 sucks

Melbourne, Australia has gone back into 6 weeks of enforced lockdown due to the increasing number of covid cases. I am not here to explore why we are back in lockdown or who is to blame or not to blame or whether it is a political conspiracy or something weird to do with not immunising your children or signing up to 5G, or to moan about being confined to my lovely home with a garden when I know many are not so lucky. I am just here to share some personal reflections on how god damn challenging lockdown feels this time.

Productivity

How saying “no” can grow your business

Last week I was tapping away on my laptop, deep in the ‘zone’. Finally, I was clearing my plate of a few projects that had been hanging around for a little too long. A message notification popped up from a personal trainer I had used in the past. My curiosity piqued, I opened her message. She was asking if I did copywriting. I don’t. But man, was I tempted to say yes!

Professional development

The top 12 marketing hacks to promote your cafe locally

Over the last few months, I’ve spent a lot of time talking to small business owners so I could understand their biggest challenges better. Interestingly, one of the top problems listed by cafe owners, was attracting more customers. Specifically, local ones. You know what was the most common thing cafe owners had to say?

Productivity

I’m a productivity coach and this is how I plan my day

By Kate Christie

I spend a lot of my time coaching my clients on exactly how and where they should spend their time to maximise their week, but this is geared exactly to their role, their energy, their goals and so on. So when a client turned my questions around - and asked how I maximise my time, it gave me pause.

Productivity

Why it’s important to say ‘yes’ when your clients ask for help

By Karen Hollenbach

What I am loving about the shift to delivering business services online is the opportunity to embrace the phone call and revert back to some more traditional methods to stay meaningfully connected with my clients.

Professional development

How to start winning government business

There’s a lot to be said for strength in numbers - especially when small businesses face off against big when trying to win potentially life-changing Government contracts. Don’t make the same mistake I did.

Productivity

Why waiting for what you want is better for you

By Annette Densham

My tea has gone cold again. I stand in front of the microwave to give it a 30 second zap, beseeching, urging, and demanding it hurry up. Thirty seconds is too long to spend in the kitchen when I have a deadline to meet.

Productivity

6 home office design hacks to boost productivity

Your office might be tiny, but that’s no reason for you to give up on maximising it to the fullest. However, optimising space in a way that sparks productivity is a highly challenging factor.

Productivity

The bar has been set for remote employers

"We are a regional Accounting Business based in Tenterfield NSW. We employ a team of empathetic professionals who communicate well with their clients, their team and their community. Remote, Virtual and Working from Home is not something new to us, having operated with a mix of remote and office based staff for over 3 years. Our systems are well established as is our team, our clients acceptance and understanding of virtual working, and our culture.

Productivity

You’ll have a better Monday if you do this every Sunday

By Lucy Kippist

For most of us, Sundays are for sleeping in and going slow. But if you’re business coach and founder of Big Ideas Rural Tori Kopke, they're also the best day of the week to tackle a to-do list.

Productivity

PAY IT FORWARD: Free & discounted training, services & products to keep your business keeping on

By Lucy Kippist

Here’s a rolling list of offers and events, online workshops and training that soloists in our community are offering to help support you and your business as we navigate the uncertainty. We are stronger and better together. If you have something to add to this list, please reach out: [email protected] 

Productivity

Where do you get your best ideas?

By Lucy Kippist

I got a text from a friend this morning. After weeks toying with a name for her new business, she finally found one after driving for three hours down the coast and spending some time outside her normal routine.