Expert Advice

Airport lounges, once a haven of the elite and well-heeled travellers, are now most often the province of business types. So, whilst awaiting the departure of a flight recently and patronising such an establishment, I happened across a copy of that revered publication, The Australian Financial Review, open at an article headed "Accountancy firms liable for underpayments". As an accountant...

Businesses often see their branding misappropriated. However, the range of intellectual property and allied rights which can attach to branding means care must be taken in developing a suitable strategy before taking action. Branding registered as a trade mark If the branding in question has been registered as a trade mark, then the simplest course is to consider trade mark...

Do you provide employees with a business credit card associated with a customer loyalty program? Are employees able to convert loyalty points accumulated in connection with the business credit card to rewards (e.g. goods, personal flights, holiday accommodation etc.)? Do you as an employer use the points accumulated under your business credit card to reward employees (or potential employees) with...

Native Advertising is the future of advertising, magazines, newspapers, blogs and websites. It is basically paid editorial or advertorial. Or you could call it 'content marketing'. The way the old media (including online) worked was that the content was written by journalists and was 'objective', 'unbiased' and 'news'. There was a solid brick wall between 'journalists' and 'advertising'. The thought...

Marketing in today's world is confusing. There are traditional offline marketing mediums like print, TV, radio, outdoor advertisements and there are online options such as search engines, blogs and social media. Ideally, your marketing mix should have both offline and online mediums. In this article, let's focus on the online bit and break it down into smaller chunks. Before we...

According to a survey conducted by Discover Financial Services in 2008, lack of cash flow is a major problem for nearly 44 percent of all small businesses. While it is only natural for a business to experience fluctuations in income, generating sustainable cash flow is perhaps the only way to remain afloat. The irony of the situation is that a...

Most of us are regularly exchanging data over networks with organisations, people and devices. With cyber-attacks becoming more common, strategic and methodologically diverse, I'm amazed by how many people take their online security for granted and don't implement some very basic cyber security controls. The following are a few simple steps to increase your cyber security. 1. Use a password...

The challenge of late paying customers is one that every business has to deal with at some stage. Typically, there are four types, so read on if you want to find out who you could be dealing with. 1. In their own time The chronic late paying client can be an ongoing challenge. Often it's the big corporations or government...

The digital and technological divide between jobseekers' skills and employers' requirements has never been greater than it is today as we approach the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Of the new jobs added to our April to June Hays Quarterly Report of skills in demand, almost all require the knowledge and capabilities needed to utilise new emerging technologies and digital trends, from...

There will come a point when a business owner wishes to realise their investment. Whether for personal or financial reasons there are steps all owners can take to prepare their business for sale; to minimise tax, transactional costs and stress, and maximise the return. Grooming your business for sale can streamline the sale process. Even if the sale doesn't proceed,...

The Not for Profits (NFP) sector in Australia is considered diverse and large (approximately 600,000 NFPs in 2010 per the Productivity Commission report), contributing to annual revenue over $100 Billion and representing 8% of the Australia's workforce (ABS, 2016). With the chief goal of achieving missions beneficial to the public, NFPs are expected to meet a higher standard of public...

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) make up 60% of the nation's cybercrime victims, and it's not hard to see why. SMBs are often unaware of the threats they face and are not sure how to defend themselves without spending a fortune. Unfortunately, these factors make them very likely victims of ransomware. Ransomware is a type of unwanted software that can...

1. Understanding your rights and obligations The legislation governing rights and obligations varies for each state in Australia. Including everything from bond, rent collection, lease length and the rights and obligations of owners and tenants under the tenancy agreements. The big issue for landlords in Canberra is safety. It is vital that a landlord ensures the safety of their property....

I'm sure you will agree that Canberra has experienced a boon of new apartment developments in the past few years. You don't have to cast your gaze too far to see that this trend is not going to change much in the coming years. With substantial development of the Northbourne corridor combined with the significant precincts marked for further supply...

There is no shame in seeking 'wise Counsel' as humans we are meant to be tribal. In today's world, there is much disconnection between humans. We are not getting the Touch, Feel, Eye to Eye, contact with each other that we need. These are just a few senses that instil positive human feelings, resulting in clearer decision making. We have...

Some people say, they have spent money on Google Adwords, but it didn't work for them or someone tried using Facebook advertising for their business and it did not give them any business. I often come across businesses with such issues and I believe the solution is as simple as understanding the advertising platforms better. So, I have put together...