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Thursday 28 August 2008

Australia's online magazine for entrepreneurs & SMEs

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2008 SmartCompany Awards
SmartCompany Awards 2008
The hottest small and medium business awards in Australia.


Energise Enterprise 08
Victoria's small business festival running throughout August. Find out how SmartCompany was involved.


News & Trends Box
SmartCompany Headlines
Get the latest small and medium business news headlines on your website or intranet.


No Payroll Tax
No Payroll Tax
Sign the petition and help us get the politicians to cut this terrible tax.


Multi-billion dollar industries
Multi-billion dollar industries of the future
10 industries have been nominated. Is yours one? 


Federal budget 2008
Federal Budget 2008
Read about the washup from Federal Budget 08.


bullet-proof your business
Bullet-proof your business
Survive the slowing economy with these tips.


Tax Advice
Tax Time Advice
All the tax advice and tips you need now that June 30 has passed.


Top Searches

  1. Mimco
  2. Costco Australia
  3. Rubi Shoes
  4. Leadership
  5. Commander Communications
  6. Making money
  7. Philip Bonney
  8. Entrepreneurs
  9. iPhone reviews
  10. Green slogans

Top 75 searches... 


The power of Google
The power of Google
Whatever you do, don’t mess with the $200 billion giant.
SEO mistakes
10 biggest SEO mistakes
Get better search rankings with an SEO strategy, but watch out for the traps.
10 ways to lose your business
10 ways to lose your business
Watch out for these 10 ways you could lose your business.

Smart Blogs

Better than free

Webmaster : Pinpointing why people are willing to pay for certain web offerings could unearth your next competitive edge. JOSH CATONE

Be asset tidy

Gen-Y Millionaire : Is it an asset or just making you an ass? KIRSTY DUNPHEY

‘Best’ is a relative concept

Funding Your Business : Are you the best person to run your company? It depends on who is asking the question. DORON BEN-MEIR

Partnerships – til death do us part?

High Heeled Success : Mistakes can be the best sort of experience, so here is what I have learnt about business partnerships. MARCIA GRIFFIN



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

Feedback

Ray Borradale writes on The intrapreneur career path: When looking at a franchise offering one of the good gauges of the success of the franchise system is the number of long-term multi-site franchisees within that system (posted 28 August)... more.

Dan Cavalli writes on 10 secrets of successful B2B selling: I regard your site as very informative and it does provide information that is invaluable to me, thank you. However this particular article has not addressed small businesses’ real issue; how to grow bigger faster (posted 27 August)... more.

Bec Winnel at HSA Design writes on Do Not Call: We would like to see, at least, small businesses able to list their numbers. Not only annoying, it wastes our time (posted 27 August)... more.

Confused Gen-Y responds to Aunty B: I agreed with everything you wrote and I absolutely loved your response, it made my day! (posted 26 August)... more.

Neil Bolton at Recruitment Systems writes to Confused Gen-Y: I agree with Aunty B, particularly the bit where she says “Your generation is fantastic and powerful and will rewrite all the rules. But do us a favour. We are in control for a little time yet. Just bide your time” (posted 25 August)... more.

Meredith Thurstans from Thurstans Joinery writes on Do Not Call: I get approximately five unsolicited calls per week (posted 21 August).

Christine Feary writes to Aunty B: As a 21 year old female I know how difficult it can be to convince older men (particularly those who have been in the industry for longer than I have been alive) to take me seriously (posted 21 August)... more.

Fuzzy writes to Aunty B on water supply at work: We did something better, we changed our water cooler to a mains water one with filters and hot and cold water... Costs $550 per year and well worth it (posted 20 August).

Jon Hui in Brisbane writes about Aunty B: Had my email posted and Agony Aunt's reply generated the "Ah ha" moment I needed. As a blinkered, focused and "take no prisioners" entrepreneur, don't have many Ah Ha's happen these days (posted 20 August)... more.

Brian Snell at United Products writes on the Do Not Call proposal: I am extremely concerned at this proposed move. We sell our product to very large companies as well as hundreds of small businesses. All contacts are made by telephoning them (posted 19 August)... more.

Marcus Browne writes on Why can't I argue with my boss?: That was funny.... my stomach's hurting... hold it I've got to wipe the tears from my eyes (posted 18 August); and Sean Segond von Banchet quips "Touche!"

John Kirkby from expatjob.net writes on Call to expand guest worker program: I don't understand how the unions can justify their objections to the scheme (posted 18 August)... more.

Bill Ross writes: I refer to the article Strong dollar and lack of innovation damages tourism industry and point out the political comments stated distort the truth (posted 18 August)... more.

Mary Culshaw writes on eating at work: I have been on both sides of the fence, when people wouldn't dare open food at the office before everyone from boss to junior all stopped at the same time for a 15 minute morning tea break (posted 18 August)... more.

Dan Cavalli writes on Do Not Call: Your article sent shivers down my spine. I have several businesses and I haven’t been informed of annoying telephone calls to any of them (posted 15 August)... more.

Matthew Magain writes on Jott for iPhoneJott is not available in the Australian iPhone app store, and if you download it from the US app store, it doesn't work anyway (posted 15 August)... more.

Gail from Kingswood Motel in Tocumwal writes on Do Not Call: We are a small business in the hospitality industry and live at our business. Hardly a day goes by that we don't receive a multitude of unsolicited calls trying to sell us something (posted 15 August)... more.


Top Story

Australia's top 10 mobile moguls

Australia’s top 10 mobile moguls

Following the launch of the iPhone, the mobile industry has become hot property. But this is not a new sector. As BRAD HOWARTH reveals, a group of industry pioneers have been slowly building Australia’s mobile industry for more than a decade.



Tax & Legal Update

CGT tax relief

Real CGT relief for your business

Does your business operate with active or inactive assets? It can be an important tax distinction, and could free your company from unnecessary capital gains pain. By ROBERT RICHARDS


Lunch with an entrepreneur

John O'Neill Komosion

Digital directions

John O’Neill, the chair of online strategy and digital agency Komosion, talks to AMANDA GOME about shaking the status quo in the face of the changing online space.


Industry Trends

Tyre retailer industry trend

Tyre retailers feeling a little flat

High fuel costs are weighing heavily on the tyre retailing sector and the switch to small cars looks set to further hurt the industry’s prospects. IBISWorld’s ROBERT BRYANT reports.


Rich Secrets

Zara Amancio Ortega

Fashionably wealthy

A unique model for supply has snared fashion label Zara accolades in the global fashion stakes. JAMES THOMSON reports on how founder and Spain's richest man Amancio Ortega stitched up the number one spot.


Hot Innovator

Nathan Isterling Footy Tips

Footytips.com.au picks another winner

The humble office footy tipping competition has taken to the web seamlessly, and footytips.com.au founders Nathan Isterling and Heath Kilgour are set to ramp up their site’s capabities. By JAMES THOMSON


Grow Your Business

Grow your business Tom McKaskill

Get the competitive advantage

By definition, a strategic acquisition should change the acquiring business, not simply add more of the same. By TOM McKASKILL


Entrepreneur Online

Huy Truong Yarra Capital Partners

Truong's private equity wishlist

Yarra Capital Partners’ Huy Truong has a clear idea of the businesses that will make the strongest returns – and they are all in the SME marketplace. He tells AMANDA GOME why.


Wealth/Super

Super tactics in a downturn

Super strategies for tougher times

As the economy slows, smart SME owners can turn to their super funds to provide immediate benefits that will help cushion their business’s and their personal finances from any economic fallout. MICHAEL LAURENCE reports.


Web Secrets

Online retail secrets

Retail pathways to online profit

If you already have a retail presence, but not much online, you may not survive the coming lean times. CRAIG REARDON looks at how ‘traditional’ retailers can get the most from some straightforward online efforts


Industry Growth Focus

Industry Growth List Dun & Bradstreet SmartCompany

Top 50 construction firms

The SmartCompany Dun & Bradstreet Industry Growth List for the construction sector reveals a fragmented broader industry that has shown strong growth in favoured parts but revenue that is sensitive to wide ranging influences. By MIKE PRESTON