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Wednesday 07 January 2009

Australia's online magazine for entrepreneurs & SMEs

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How businesses should prepare for 2009
 
 
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DESTRA CORPORATION
Read the latest news on the Destra collapse
 

 
OUTSMARTING THE DOWNTURN
SmartCompany's downturn survival guide


THE AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY
Read all about the latest interest rate cut and what it means for your business and industry.


ABC LEARNING CENTRES
Read the latest news on ABC Learning Centres.


2008 SmartCompany Awards

SmartCompany Awards 2008
Read all about our winners and the Smart50


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Get the latest small and medium business news headlines on your website or intranet.  


Read the latest news on the Federal Government's new industrial relations laws
 

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No Payroll Tax
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Australia's best business blogs    
Read about the top 15 business blogs.


 
Protecting your brand in a downturn  
How to protect your brand in today's economic climate.
 

Australia's best super funds  
Australia's best super funds
SmartCompany's guide to finding Australia's top superannuation fund  


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Smart Blogs

Make it easy for your customers

Cultural leadership : This may be the most important question you consider this month (or year) – how easy are you to do business with? Be honest, the answer may surprise you. MICHEL HOGAN

10 tips to avoid PowerPoint disasters

Business Tech Talk : With presentations, tech hiccups happen; but there are a few surprisingly simple safeguards that everyone can take. PAUL WALLBANK

When franchisees behave badly

Franchise tips & trends : An understanding of opportunistic behaviour by both franchisees and franchisors can help identify both good and bad practices used by each. JASON GEHRKE

Counselling poor performers

People problems : Staff sometimes need a talking to, but their performance will not necessarily improve without a proper plan. Here are some guidelines. EVE ASH



The SmartCompany commmunity - your ideas, problems & reactions. Come on, we’re waiting…

Feedback

Sara Chamberlain writes on Engage your staff blog: I really believe that engagement starts with leaders working out what individual staff want to be engaged in. You cannot simply push a job description on to someone (posted 6 Jan)... more.

Helen Dean writes on Gerry Harvey: Harvey Norman's website had an offer that had not featured in any of their catalogues and far exceeded all other deals. The sales assistant knew nothing of the deal (posted 5 Jan)... more.

Melanie MacDonald writes to Four rules of management blogI've seen a couple of my friends go from “business genius” to “country's most wanted” (not in a good way) recently. And it's never about the financial reports (posted 5 Jan)... more.

Annie writes on The babysitting club, or how not to grow: In the end, to me, all this is an illusion anyway. The problem lies in believing in systems that encourage humans to exercise qualities based on the opposite of altruism (posted 5 Jan)... more.

Annie also writes on Let the crisis make you stronger: It is really a wake-up call. It is so imporatnt to never forget the basics (posted 5 Jan)... more.

Ed writes to Sue Barrett’s blog: You are spot on. I think that your article is so good that I will pass it on to some of my colleagues so they can have at least the pleasure of reading such an accurate statement about what customers really need and what customers’ experience is all about (posted 5 Jan)... more.

Nathan also writes to Sue Barrett: I tend to agree to some extent that “it's crazy” to focus too much on the problems approach (posted 5 Jan)... more.

Bob Sproston writes to Doron Ben-Meir’s blog: The leaders of the business world that have not got time to talk or learn. They give the impression of “I know that all ready”. But do they? (posted 5 Jan)... more.

Jean writes on internet filtering: Everything the Government "helps" with or worse "simplifies" just gets bigger and more unworkable! (posted 5 Jan)... more.

Heather Millard writes on the good, the “brand” and the ugly of 2008Does Libra really think that using a beaver is going to inspire women to use their product? (posted 5 Jan)... more.

Dan writes on New IR rules will force retailers and restaurants to hike prices by up to 20%: Congratulations to these spokespersons on your token effort to show your opposition to the new changes in 2010 (posted 23 Dec)...more.

Maria writes to Aunty B: I am an accountant and I just read Aunty B, and I can't stop laughing (posted 23 Dec)...more.

Liz Foulds from Resumes for Results writes to Aunty B: FB's need to be written to highlight his strengths and showcase what he can bring to the table (posted 18 Dec)... more.

Mark Kelly writes on 10 must-have gadgets: You must include the 3GJUICE backup battery. It's literally a must have (posted 18 Dec)... more.

Mark Kenway from Life After Liquidation writes on the scammer's guide: I've read more than a dozen articles about Bernie Madoff from media around the world and I think your article was a stand-out. I hope you've submitted it to the yankie media, because they need to read it (posted 18 Dec)... more.

Tracey Brown at Central Hospital Supplies writes on VoIP: Have just read the article on VoIP and have to say from my experience, think very, very carefully about making the change (posted 17 Dec)... more.

Simon writes on lessons from the porn industry: Do the research and you will see a lot of damage done by this industry, both to those within it and those who participate (posted 17 Dec)... more.

Ken Burt from Thermoview writes: I have enjoyed this daily input of both encouraging and realistic news. I have gleaned a number of ideas and insight from the interviews (posted 17 Dec)... more.

Chris Hitchen from GetPrice.com.au writes on online retail: Neither Gerry Harvey nor wife and Harvey Norman’s operating boss Katie Page are stupid. It is by no means a simple decision to start selling online, but contrary to what Gerry says, there are compelling reasons to do so (posted 17 Dec)... more.

Susan Rushworth writes writes to the Growth Doctor: I always look forward to your blogs because they are full of that rarest of commodities – common sense! (posted 17 Dec)... more.

Andrew Koch at The Marketing Factor writes to the Growth Doctor: For a 0.1% increase to get the headlines it did reeked of hidden agenda and I think Lou has nailed it by saying that the editors live off bad news (posted 16 Dec)... more.

Jacob Aldridge of Shirlaws Coaching writes on Aunty B's new year resolutions: Thank you for your guidance this year – and be sure to return bigger and bitchier than ever in 2009 (posted 15 Dec)... more.

Victoria Parr from Albury Wodonga Heating and Cooling writes on Aunty B's new year resolutions: Thank God for Number 10! I was really going to miss you (posted 15 Dec).


Top Story

The rules of redundancy

Redundancy: Do the decent – and legal – thing

As the economy slows, redundancies are becoming a part of business life. But downsizing must be handled carefully. LEON GETTLER reveals how to conduct, and structure, the ideal redundancy.



Tax & Legal Update

Workplace Ombudsman targets bosses

New target: Bosses

Under the Rudd Government, the workplace policeman is widening his beat. Employers had better get used to more scrutiny, but ANDREW DOUGLAS has pointers to stay in the good books.


Rich Secrets

Young rich 2008

7 ways to get rich before age 40

The trend, when making multiple millions before you hit 40, seems to be to find your niche and stick to it. JAMES THOMSON reports on how this year’s Gen-Next have changed the way they found their fortunes.


Grow Your Business

Grow your business Tom McKaskill

What's stopping your growth?

To understand why your business may not be leaping forward, you need to become familiar with what is holding it back. By TOM McKASKILL


Hot Innovator

Karen Cariss PageUp

PageUp's flexibile talent

PageUp People founders Karen and Simon Cariss have always shown a talent for adapating their business to suit changing markets. As they explain to PATRICK STAFFORD, their strategy is paying off and the downturn is boosting demand for PageUp's talent management solutions.


Lunch with an entrepreneur

Leanne Wesche Pacco Group

A growing success

Fresh from winning Telstra's Business Woman of the Year award, Leanne Wesche tells AMANDA GOME how she built a booming business from packing and washing fruit and vegetables.


Industry Trends

Cleaning industry trend

Taken to the cleaners

While the laundry and dry cleaning sector has benefitted from the trend of outsourcing, competition is fierce and consolidation looks set to continue. IBISWorld general manager ROBERT BRYANT finds the challenges and opportunities.


Web Secrets

web secrets

10 ways to spy on your competitors

Knowledge is power, and to level that playing field a little more (or gain an advantage) here are 10 tools to put you ahead of the curve. JOSH CATONE


Industry Growth Focus

D&B Industry Growth LIst

Tourism loses its way

The SmartCompany Dun & Bradstreet Industry Growth List for the tourism sector shows an industry under pressure, but there are still some standout performances. We reveal the fastest-growing operators, the players with the biggest revenue and the the group of companies stuck in reverse. By JAMES THOMSON


Wealth/Super

Reasons to dump DIY super funds

Five reasons to dump your DIY super fund

The shine may have come off many initially well-intentioned DIY funds of late. For many such superannuants, there are solid reasons to consider a drastic change. By MICHAEL LAURENCE