‘Wait and see’: Family businesses hopeful as border closure cleaves Albury-Wodonga in two

Matthew Elmas

7 July 2020

Wodonga-based businesses Arnold's Fruit Market and Border Crane Consultants are waiting for permits to be able to continue trading as the border between Victoria and New South Wales is closed.

Arnold's Fruit Market Victoria NSW border

Manrags-co-founders-Michael-and-Tina-Elias

Sock subscription startup Manrags raises $400,000 in 24 hours to launch the “AfterPay of textile recycling”

Entrepreneurs, Startup News

Stephanie Palmer-Derrien

7 July 2020

Aussie sock subscription startup Manrags has raised $400,000 in 24 hours, after its new textiles recycling product sparked a surge in revenues.

Brendan O’Connor: The government must decide if it will help small businesses to be paid on time or not

Finance, Politics

Brendan O'Connor

7 July 2020

A Senate Inquiry is being held into the federal government's new legislation for payment times for small businesses. But there are significant flaws in the Bill, says Labor's Brendan O'Connor.

Commonwealth Bank fixes service outage preventing businesses from processing EFTPOS transactions

Finance, Information Technology

Matthew Elmas

6 July 2020

Commonwealth Bank EFTPOS machines are having issues, leaving some business owners unable to process payments on Monday July 7.

How to double your sales without increasing your marketing budget

Online Marketing

Darren Urquhart

7 July 2020

Why making some strategic changes to your website could be the best investment you ever make. Here's how to improve your conversion rates.

Two-thirds of charges dropped against ATO staffer who blew the whistle on small business garnishee notices

Legal, Tax

Shannon Jenkins

7 July 2020

The legal case against ATO whistleblower Richard Boyle has taken another turn, with 42 of the 66 charges against him being dropped.

Aussie-founded fintech Fast raised $30 million in the middle of a pandemic — now it’s snapping up the best talent Silicon Valley has to offer

Coronavirus, Startup News

Stephanie Palmer-Derrien

7 July 2020

Having secured $30 million in Series A funding in the middle of a pandemic, Domm Holland's Fast is growing in a challenging Silicon Valley ecosystem.

Benjamin Chong aussie startup investment

COVID-19 sees more dollars invested into bigger deals, while early-stage startups get left behind

Coronavirus, Startup News, Venture Capital

Stephanie Palmer-Derrien

7 July 2020

Aussie startup investment was higher in Q2 2020 than over the same time last year. But, the number of investments significantly decreased.

Advice

“They’re people, not buildings”: How to maintain a strong client relationship in the time of social distancing

Business Advice, Coronavirus

Richard Scenna

7 July 2020

There is no doubt that COVID-19 has changed the way we think, act and connect. Here's three tips for ensuring you maintain a positive client relationship.

Directors beware: You may be left exposed when government COVID-19 measures end

Coronavirus, Legal, Tax

Andrew O'Bryan

6 July 2020

Directors of companies that have sought deferrals from the ATO, or that are relying on any of the relief measures, should be wary. Here's why.

Woolworths fined $1 million over spam email snafu: Here’s what SMEs can learn

Business Advice, Legal, Marketing

Matthew Elmas

2 July 2020

Woolworths has paid the price after breaching spam laws more than five million times in less than a year, sending emails to unsubscribed customers.

The “last great reform”: 20 years later, has the GST delivered what the politicians promised?

Politics, Tax

Bernard Keane

2 July 2020

The GST was meant to end the black market, lift the national savings rate and boost revenue to the states. Twenty years on, has it delivered?

Navigating EOFY 2020

ATO throws lifeline to landlords, confirming it will accept expense claims for empty Airbnbs

Coronavirus, Property, Tax

Matthew Elmas

29 June 2020

Landlords will be able to claim rent expense deductions on properties that have sat vacant during COVID-19, the ATO has confirmed.

July 1 changes: SME tax cut to save business owners thousands

Tax

Matthew Elmas

29 June 2020

An SME tax cut will come into effect from July 1 after the Morrison government fast-tracked measures to ease the burden on businesses.

COVID-19: Does EOFY mean the end of your payroll tax waiver?

Coronavirus, Tax

Stephanie Palmer-Derrien

23 June 2020

COVID-19 means this end of financial year is far from usual, and this June 30 also marks the end of some coronavirus payroll tax exemptions.

Salary sacrificing, asset write-offs and bad debts: The secrets to lowering your small business tax bill this EOFY

Business Advice, Coronavirus, Tax

Adrian Raftery

23 June 2020

Small businesses face a more complex tax time this year but some simple tips will help them to maximise their deductions, says Adrian Raftery.

Partner content

Tips for running your small business remotely

Articles

iiNet Business

6 July 2020

SMEs are adjusting to the ‘new normal’: whether that’s fine-tuning their remote working routine or heading back to the office. If ther…

What you need to know about casual loading after landmark ruling

Articles

Employsure

29 June 2020

A May 20 landmark decision in the Federal Court found that casual staff with regular and systematic shifts may not be considered ‘casuals�…

How this Aussie AI platform is helping the world get back to work

Article Series, Articles

Australian Landing Pads

17 June 2020

Sydney AI platform Faethm and 2019 Austrade Landing Pad program alumnus is uniquely placed to get businesses back to a new normal.

Half of Aussie SMEs afraid business won’t return to normal fast enough: How you can build resilience in your business strategy and staff

Articles

American Express

17 June 2020

In a world that changed overnight by COVID-19, around half (52 per cent) of small business owners are fearful for their long-term survival if trade doesn’t pick up quickly enough, according to American Express’ Small Business Recovery research.

Startups

Aussie AI startup bags $700,000 to take pioneering sewer-repair tech global

Startup News

Stephanie Palmer-Derrien

6 July 2020

Two university friends behind sewer-repair startup VAPAR will use seed funding to take their automation tech overseas, starting with New Zealand and the UK.

Has COVID-19 supercharged Australia’s plant-based meat scene?

Analysis, Coronavirus

Stephanie Palmer-Derrien

6 July 2020

During COVID-19, Australian plant-based meat startups have been booming. But is it a cause-and-effect situation, or a coincidence?

Afterpay shares surged 23% this week as capital flows in to Aussie tech stocks

Finance, Retail, Technology

Matthew Elmas

3 July 2020

Afterpay shares have recovered from their March lows to top $68.19 this week, amid a broader recovery in Australian technology stocks.

Lights, camera, competition: What today’s startups can learn from the fate of old home movies

Coronavirus, Startup Advice

Benjamin Chong

3 July 2020

COVID-19 will claim many startups but some will reinvent themselves and new rivals will emerge. Here's how your business can get the competitive edge.

Mental health and wellbeing

To run a business or startup successfully, entrepreneurs must prioritise their own mental health and wellbeing. But where does one even start? We suggest diving into the content below. Some is written by SmartCompany's editors, and some is brought to you by MYOB and Smiling Mind.

Why taking care of your mental health is taking care of your business, says Linktree’s Alex Zaccaria

Sleepless nights and cluttered thoughts: Smiling Mind founder Jane Martino and MYOB CEEO Helen Lea share mindfulness tips for small business owners

“I was just not myself”: Entrepreneur Sheryl Thai on COVID-19, mental health and the power of asking for help

“The stats are scary”: COVID-19 is taking a toll on the mental wellbeing of entrepreneurs

Eight tips for relaxation when you’re working from home

“You are not alone”: Small business consultant Angela Henderson shares tips to support your mental health during this crisis

Atlassian-chief-people-officer-Tami-Rosen

Atlassian makes employee survey open-source, encourages businesses to consider staff wellbeing

Tired and cranky? Here’s why COVID-19 is sapping your energy

How to establish a new routine in a time of social distancing, according to an organisational psychologist

Time management tips for small business owners

The future of retail

Workers switching industries en masse as COVID-19 prompts career transitions, LinkedIn finds

Coronavirus, Economy, Recruitment & Hiring

Matthew Elmas

24 June 2020

Retail and tourism workers are considering switching industries en masse on social media platform LinkedIn, according to a new report.

A super model: Why this dress-for-hire startup believes the sustainable fashion trend will be good for business

People, Retail, Startups, Trends

Aron Lewin

22 June 2020

A Melbourne fashion business says customers are embracing the opportunity to hire designer clothing for one-off events because it makes good sense.

Livelihoods on the line: CBD businesses struggle with mass exodus of white-collar customers

Coronavirus, Economy, Hospitality, Retail

Matthew Elmas

17 June 2020

The reluctance of city-based workers to return to their offices is having a flow-on effect for many small CBD businesses that rely on their custom.

Courier options revealed: SmartCompany’s guide to parcel delivery for small businesses

Retail, Transport & Logistics

Aron Lewin

16 June 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated growth in Australia's e-commerce industry, and for retailers in this space, there’s now plenty of postage and courier options to get products delivered.

Partner content

Working from home

Teleworkability in Australia: Almost 40% of all jobs can be done from home, research shows

Coronavirus, Economy, Remote Work

The Conversation

1 July 2020

As Australia emerges from the COVID-19 economic crisis, new research shows that 41% of full-time and almost 35% of part-time jobs can be done remotely.