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1. Five lesson from the Clive Peeters collapse

The collapse of Clive Peeters did not come as a surprise to many in the retail sector. Since August last year, when it emerged that the company had been hit by a $20 million accounting scandal, industry scuttlebutts had suggested that the company was in serious trouble. This morning, NAB formerly placed Clive Peeters into receivership, which means the company – or at least its profitable stores – will be placed up for sale. Harvey Norman and JB Hi-Fi will probably pick over...

2. 10 collapses and the lessons learnt

It’s tough out there right now. This year it seems that every week another business goes under, from big companies like trucking firm 1st Fleet to small businesses like the football and athletic shoe importer Azumah. From tourism industry troubles to construction company collapses and the ongoing downturn in ...

3. Philip Weinman

Philip Weinman could be Australia’s ultimate serial entrepreneur. After starting and selling seven fast-growing businesses including CTS Travel (sold for $30 million), Hisoft (sold for more than $10 million) and Vitamin Me, he has now formed the Deasil Group, which has investments in 14 separate businesses.  

4. The scary new normal?

You’ve gotta hand it to the banks – they really do know how to spoil a party! Just as business groups, consumers and entrepreneurs had stopped cheering the RBA’s decision to cut rates by 50 basis points, NAB became the first major bank to take some of the shine off that decision, announcing it would only pass on 32 basis points of the cut to mortgage holders and business customers. Commonwealth Bank has passed on 40 basis points to its mortgage holders, which is better...

5. Economy’s down, but can prices go up?

Almost three quarters of business owners plan to raise their prices in the next three months, but increasing prices in a downturn is never easy. We examine strategies you can use to raise prices and examine other pricing strategies to keep sales growing. It's a buyer's market out there. As customers are hit by the slo...

6. ATO REVEALS 2010-11 TAX TARGETS: Tax Office puts trusts, cas

The Australian Taxation Office says it will remain “empathetic” to the plight of struggling SMEs still feeling the GFC hangover, but has warned it will be cracking down hard on tax abuses around trusts, the cash economy, the GST and fraudulent refunds. The details of the ATO’s tax targets for the 2010-11 were revealed with this morning’s release of the agencies official 2010-11 compliance program. While the ATO and the Government has today extended the Small Business Assis...

7. 10 tips to get people management right in a downturn

As the economy slows, getting staffing right will make or break your business. MIKE PRESTON explains how to lower staff costs, get rid of the underperformers and protect your stars.By Mike Preston

8. The new supervisor

Taking up a supervisory position over staff carries responsibility and expectations, so here are a few simple guidelines.   Becoming a new supervisor should be an exciting time – fresh start, new team, a real chance to show your skills. But often a person taking over a team can walk into resentment and old baggage. Just remember the first weeks in a new role set the tone.   The role of the supervisor

9. Budget 2009: 10 big issues to watch

In just a few hours, Treasurer Wayne Swan will hand down his second federal budget. He and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd claim it has been the toughest budget to frame in a lifetime, set as it is against a backdrop of the global financial crisis, rising unemployment, record low business confidence and an aging population.

10. What do I do about my nasty colleague?

Dear Aunty, I have a real problem for you. I work with a woman who is a real bitch. She talks about everyone behind their backs and tries to create trouble for people. She always has a target and it is usually another younger woman that she focuses on until they leave. She also flirts with a...

11. IR lawyers surprised as Fair Work Australia reinstates worke

A union delegate has won an unfair dismissal case against transport giant Linfox, with the industrial umpire ordering a quick reinstatement and compensation for lost wages despite the fact he made derogatory comments about two managers on Facebook. Fair Work Australia Commissioner Michael Roberts this week found that the dismissal of Transport Workers Union delegate Glen Stutsel was harsh, unjust and unreasonable. Stutsel was fired in May for what Linfox described as “raci...

12. The rich crib crunch

They’ve taken a battering on the sharemarket, had to sell the yacht, and they are even wearing last season’s suits. Now, JAMES THOMSON reports, the ‘humble’ homes of some of the richest people in the world are in the firing line.By James Thomson

13. How employer branding can help your business

Employer branding is a relatively new concept in Australia, but smart businesses are fast catching on and reaping the benefits. It’s not surprising. Imagine having plenty of skilled candidates beating your door every time you need to fill a vacancy. Not only would this increase the chance of you finding the right person for the role, it can also c...

14. Firing a customer: What holds us back?

Having recently devoured Timothy Ferriss’ The 4-Hour Work Week, I have been contemplating one of the suggestions he makes for optimising your time – firing some customers.  Comes as a bit of a jolt, doesn't it? Most of us spend our time and energy attracting new customers and serving existing clients, so deliberately getting rid of a customer seems so ... crazy. The central tenet of Ferriss’ book is that you ...

15. Melbourne game studio Firemint acquired by Electronic Arts

Melbourne-based video game studio Firemint, which gained international recognition over the past few years for the runaway success of its Flight Control and Real Racing games, has been acquired by entertainment giant Electronic Arts. The move comes as EA, among a number of other entertainment conglomerates, attempts to improve its standing and dominate the mobile space. The company has recently acquired mobile development company Mobile Post Production to manage its focus on mobile and ta...

16. 30 entrepreneur mistakes

The smartest entrepreneurs still do all the dumb things. Here’s a list - and the lessons.Tougher times are coming. Australians have enjoyed boom conditions for more than 15 years and there is little doubt change lies ahead. But tougher conditions can be...

17. Best lesson? Learn to deal

The founder of Upstream Solutions started out with six people on staff, but now, a short 10 years later, staff number 300 and the aim is a turnover that tops $100 million. By JACQUI WALKER   Neil Tilley, founder of Upstream Solutions talks to Jacqui Walk...

18. Meet the world’s newest billionaire: 10 things you never k

Wealth has been a long time coming for LinkedIn chairman Reid Hoffman, who last night became the world's newest billionaire, thanks to the company's long-anticipated float on the American stock exchange. But while Hoffman's name will be unknown to many in Australia, he is known as a serial entrepreneur in Silicon Valley after spending years investing in smaller companies – using some interesting management principles. A love for board games, scheduling regular time with...

19. Company insolvencies hit record high – here are five ways

Corporate insolvencies have reached a record high with 1532 companies being declared insolvent during February, according to the latest official figures, with businesses struggling to stay afloat amid weakness in the construction, property, retail and hospitality sectors. The figure is the highest ever for a February reading, and comes after 2011 was a record year for companies entering insolvency. While the Reserve Bank continues to say the economy is performing well, busin...

20. Aussie resources tycoon fined for wild yacht party in the No

Resources tycoon Paul McDonald is attracting all the wrong sort of attention after being fined by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police following a booze-laden wild yacht party through the Northwest Passage in the Arctic. McDonald was leading his 34 metre luxury yacht with seven staterooms, known as the Fortrus, through the Northwest Passage as part of a circumnavigation of North America. While anchored in Cambridge Bay, an indigenous Nunavut community of 1,500, the yacht hosted...

21. Franz Madlener pulls off Villa & Hut rescue but still faces

Villa & Hut founder Franz Madlener has finally managed to rescue his beloved retail chain from the wreckage of collapsed franchisor Allied Brands, and says he will now concentrate on staving off personal bankruptcy related to debts due to Allied's woes. Madlener, who started looking for a white knight for Villa & Hut in July when it became clear Allied's problems were becoming worse, says he received strong interest from a number of prominent retailers who were keen to recapita...

22. ATO releases official list of its crackdown targets – are

The Australian Taxation Office has unveiled its official 2009-10 compliance program, with the wealthy, executives at private companies and employers who try to dodge their tax and superannuation contributions at the top of the list. The 48-page document, which is now available on the ATO's website, outlines the taxman's big areas of concerns. Commissioner Michael D'Ascenzo says that while t...

23. 10 unfair dismissal cases examined: Key lessons about firing

It’s a small business owner’s worst nightmare – an unfair dismissal case. One of the biggest complaints among small businesses is that it’s too difficult to fire a rotten employee. Certainly enough cases have come before through the legal system over the past few years to provide some guidance to small businesses’ on whether the...

24. Keeping your talent

The state of the workforce is changing. Employees who were considering a career move in 2009, but stayed put due to job security fears, are now feeling confident enough to begin looking for new lines of work. But here's the bad news for employers – no matter how loyal or dedicated you believe your staff is, the majority are looking for a new job...

25. Is Google Chrome a Trojan horse?

While internet giant Google has continued to offer popular tools such as Google Maps, Google Docs, Google News and Picasa, some are questioning the group’s invasion of privacy.The latest in the firing line is web browser Chrome, which some say is providing Google private information about users that should not be revealed. Jeff Chester, the executive director the Centre for Digital Democracy,

26. California dreaming

When Robert Castaneda, the founder of Sydney-based software company Customware decided to open an office in Silicon Valley last February - in the middle of the worst financial crisis in 70 years - every customer and industry affiliate questioned the move. "They all said I was crazy - every single person, bar the board," Castaneda says. But for him, t...

27. The good, the “brand” and the ugly of 2012

Welcome to the sixth annual roundup of brand good, brand ugly (and brand that should really know better). So without any preamble, the clock on 2012 is ticking down so let’s dive right it – in no particular order. CommBank It’s becoming an annual event. The bank marketing (“rebranding”) campai...

28. Ben Prendergast

One of the most high-tech assets we possess is our own brain – but sometimes it need a little prompting. 5 ways to get the creative juices flowing. Gimme fiveThis week, I'd like to share with you five things I do rout...

29. 8 lessons for the would-be wealthy

Right across the country, final year high school students are breaking out the pre-mixed drinks and preparing to toast the final days of their secondary education. Once the exams, muck-up days and school formals are finished, thoughts will turn to university and other forms of tertiary education. But while there will...

30. Government announces superannuation changes: Everything you

The federal government has finally announced its long-awaited changes to the superannuation system, following weeks of speculation – and the industry says it's a mixed bag. While there are some worrisome changes, such as capping the tax exemption on earnings for superannuation streams above $100,000, others will benefit taxpayers, such as a reform of the controve...

31. Employers more likely to lose unfair dismissal case under Fa

Employers are urged to observe the correct processes when firing staff, as decade-long research into unfair dismissals finds that claimant success rates have soared under Labor’s Fair Work Act. Academics studying unfair dismissal cases from 2000 to late 2010 arbitrated by Fair Work Australia and its predecessor bodies have found that claimant success rates have lifted from 33% under Work Choices to 51% under the current Fair Work Act. They say that claims under Fair W...

32. Sack well, and prosper

I was reading Michel Hogan's piece from last week Let Culture be your Guide and it occurred to me that Michel didn't talk much about the people that were let go. Other than "we let them know why they were going and we worked with many of them again in the future". Her article focused on those who stayed. Now I'm not an HR specialist, or even truly a people person, b...

33. Disgraced Energy Watch founder Ben Polis speaks: I’m broke

Ben Polis, the disgraced founder and former chief executive of Energy Watch, claims he is the victim of a vendetta by energy retailers, disgruntled former employees and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. A dishevelled looking and erratic Polis gave an in-depth interview to SmartCompany last night to set out his side of the story before Justice Shane Marshall, of the Federal Court announced penalties against Energy Watch and Polis in Melbourne today.

34. Why the wealthy are in the firing line

Has wealth become a dirty word in these recessionary times? A survey released last week by American Express revealed just 29% of high-income earners actually like being described as wealthy, down from 35% last year.   There are probably a few reasons that the r...

35. Small business changes its mind

The SmartCompany Election 2007 poll has revealed a strong swing by small and medium business owners. We uncover what SMEs care about, and who are they going to vote for. By AMANDA GOME. By Amanda Gome

36. NEW: Simon Lloyd

There’s nothing wipes the winning smile from an estate agent’s face like discovering that prospective buyers have taken encouraging words from finance brokers to mean “pre-approval”. Show me the pre-approvalIn real estate, part of th...

37. Kids clothing company Oobi in ACCC firing line

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has launched legal action alleging illegal price interference against kids toy and clothing company Oobi and its founder Alexandra Riggs.The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has launched legal action alleging illegal price interference against kids toy and clothing company Oobi and its founder Alexandra Riggs.The ACCC claims online retailers supplied by Sydney-based Oobi were told supply would be cut off if ...

38. FEDERAL BUDGET 2012: Wayne Swan's surplus by a thousand cuts

Well, he's done it. Treasurer Wayne Swan has kept his political promise to deliver a surplus in 2012-13, with his fifth federal budget set to swing from a deficit of $44.4 billion this year to a tiny surplus of $1.5 billion in 2012-13.   But getting there will not be easy. To reach the surplus, Swan has been forced into one of th...

39. The economy: a state-by-state report

How are Australia’s states and territories performing? We find out by analysing eight key indicators: economic growth; retail spending; equipment investment; unemployment, construction work done; population growth; housing finance and dwelling commencements. Just as the Reserve Bank uses decade averages to determine the level ...

40. The $80 billion Indian opportunity that's too good to ignore

While most of the focus for our exporters has been on China, India presents the big opportunity – possibly larger than what Australia can get out of China. Leading companies are already doing business in India, and it is among the top 20 export destinations. Now, with forecasts of Australian investors pouring in $80 billion in the next year, further opportunities abound. Consider the numbers India has a population of 1.2 billion people. That makes it secon...

41. Is Australia’s economy suddenly spluttering? A SmartCompan

After what most commentators have described as a weak Christmas trading period, entrepreneurs have returned to work in 2011 to a run of worrying data releases about the Australian economy. Retail sales, new home sales, building approvals, surveys of manufacturing, construction and services – every result has shown an economy finishing 2010 with a whimper, and starting 2011 in much the same way. But does the data point to a tough year ahead, or will Australia's economy bounce ba...

42. Close the unfair dismissal back door

The introduction of WorkChoices prompted sacked employees to seek compensation in other ways. There are ways to protect against it. BY MIKE PRESTONSacking staff will never be easy, but after the Howard Government moved a year ago to protect businesses with fewer than 100 employees from unfair dismissal claims, many business owners hoped some of the heat had been taken out of hiring and firing.Twelve months on business representatives and lawyers agree that the WorkChoices laws ...

43. Employer groups say raising minimum wage will cost jobs

A rise in the minimum wage will result in job losses and higher costs for thousands of Australian small businesses, business groups say.      They say the decision should take into account the viability of struggling businesses.   The announcement is in response to a call from t...

44. Race day drinks? Don't mix with work... Tattoos [good ones]

Race day drinks? Don't mix with work Tattoos [good ones] for kids Google's mobile phone entry not what was expected   Do your staff get p!ssed at Cup Day lunch? Or more often? Will your staff be popping a bottle of bubbly to...

45. Slump in business investment shows the recession is far from

The green shoots of economic recovery were trampled all over yesterday with the release of new data showing business investment plunged by a record 8.9% in the first three months of 2009. It appears businesses have simply stopped cancelled investment and expansion plans in the face of falling consumer spending and rising unemployment. Speeding on equipment, plant and machinery tumbling by 10.8%, the biggest quarterly fall since the survey began in 1987. Private non-residential cons...

46. The Great Escape – how Australian exporters survived and e

This year - the year of the global financial crisis (GFC) - was meant to be the year of trade Armageddon. This was the year that the bottom would drop out of the export market and everyone would stay at home and never venture beyond our shores. This year was meant to lead to a reversal in globalisation and a ‘buy local' revival. The economy was supposed to decline, the labour market was supposed to fracture and we wer...

47. Chris Thomas

SEO and SEM are too important to stuff-up. The biggest bank got it wrong – but we can all learn from its mistakes. Read on...SEO and Australia's biggest bankThe Commonwealth Bank of Australia launched its new website recently. Full marks on the design; it looks good! But if we take a sticky-beak under the bonnet, there are some search engine optimisation basics that have been completely over-looked. First of all, the home page title tag reads "homepage". Bit of an overs...

48. Just one thing

Throw out your long lists of things to do. Here are two simple steps to make your business better.Just one thingI don’t know about you, but I often feel a bit overwhelmed at this time of the year with all of the th...

49. Private equity returns

50. Tough love

If you’re Gen-Y and sick of the bad rap your generation is getting, only you can do something about it. MICHAEL PHILLIPS By Michael PhillipsAs a typical “boy” I spent a lot of my junior y...