Latest News
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US credit downgrade is not the end of the world
Les Pickett | August 7, 2011Given all the sensational stuff in the media, the following point of view might give a bit of balance.
US credit downgrade is not the end of world. Standard & Poor’s AA rating indicates a very strong capacity to meet financial commitments.
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Nokia offers entrepreneurs $10,000
Helen Hull | August 7, 2011
Time is running out for First 5000 members to submit their business ideas for the chance to win $10,000 grant from Nokia.
The competition is set to close on the 14th August 2011.
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Shopping online from a Fair Trading perspective
Anthony Roberts | August 1, 2011For consumers, shopping online offers ease, convenience, variety and the potential for considerable savings.
For retailers, selling online is an opportunity to expand their market, reduce costs and increase turnover.
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Have your say: energy efficiency standards
Helen Hull | August 1, 2011Would you like to be involved in the development of government policy?
The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency is coordinating consultation on the draft Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Bill 2011 (GEM) and invites written submissions regarding the GEMS consultation paper by Thursday 18 August 2011.
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Are you more Optimistic than your team?
Charlotte Park | July 26, 2011
The higher up you go in an organisation the more resilience and optimism you will find, because it is these traits that get people promoted in the first place.
All roles have a minimum level of experience, skills and education needed to adequately perform the role, but once that minimum is there, higher levels of those factors don’t differentiate people’s performance – it is resilience that makes the difference. -
How to lease or buy an office
Greg Russell | July 25, 2011Whether a tenant is looking for 100sqm or 1,000sqm office the considerations are often the same – finding a space that provides staff with a comfortable working environment to come to every day.
To most businesses, the influencing factors in finding a new office space will include: how many staff they are looking to accommodate; how they will get to work and once they are there; and the efficiency of the space they are in.
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SMEs embrace social media: survey
Helen Hull | July 20, 2011
The use of social media by SMEs has increased substantially over the last 12 months according to research released by Melbourne IT.
The Melbourne IT eBiz Review 2011, which polled 2,264 Australian small and medium sized businesses with an online presence (eSMBs), saw 50% of eSMBs now using social media as part of their customer-facing operations, compared to only 34% last year. -
Goal Attack
NAB - Business View | July 20, 2011
You have a grand business vision; an idea that you’d love to get off the ground to help your SME expand or to ramp up cash flow.
But how do you make it a reality? Goal setting and breaking your idea down into manageable chunks can help it come to fruition. -
Carbon theory at odds with SME business reality
Peter Anderson | July 12, 2011Most business owners are like the rest of us. We’re not political insiders, preferring politics in small doses. We’re interested in getting things done that make a difference, instead of political argument and bureaucracy.
This is why I don’t blame business people being confused about the carbon tax announcement. There are so many mixed signals from the government, with claim and counter claim dominating the headlines.
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Boom or bust, key sectors for 2011-12
Helen Hull | July 12, 2011
It’s good news for Oil & Gas Producers, with the sector topping the list of industries set to boom in the 2011-12 financial year.
On a more somber note, research from IBISWorld also predicts a poor year for Gaming & Vending Machine Manufacturing. -
Ethnic Business Awards entries open
Helen Hull | July 11, 2011Nominations for the annual Ethnic Business Awards, which recognise Australia’s diversity in business, close on 25 July 2011. First 5000 members are eligible to enter the Medium to Large Business category.
Winners will share in cash and prizes including $10,000 for individual category winners from the founding partner and major sponsor – National Australia Bank.
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Trimming costs in the food and beverage industry
Michael McCash | July 6, 2011Food and beverage businesses are facing more pressure to reduce costs than ever before.
The rising Australian dollar combined with fierce international competition has created uncertainty in the industry – especially when it comes to predicting how much stock needs to be produced and/or bought in.
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Quickflix to grow off Telstra referrals
Helen Hull | July 4, 2011Online movie rental company Quickflix has signed an agreement with Telstra which will see the company refer its BigPond Movies DVD customers to the First 5000 member when it closes on 30 September 2011.
As part of the deal Quickflix will also acquire BigPond’s library of DVD and Blu-ray discs and equipment which is expected to help boost its customer base.
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Paid Parental Leave Scheme kicks in
Jo-Anne Hui | June 29, 2011
As of Friday (1 July), the Paid Parental Leave Scheme will be mandatory for all businesses – now is the time for all employers to register their business with the Family Assistance Office.
According to Adrienne Unkovich, executive director at Workforce Guardian, regardless of whether or not you may have employees about to go on parental leave, it’s important to register your business to prepare for the future. -
LinkedIn: key business tool
Helen Hull | June 28, 2011The business focused social media website LinkedIn is a quick, easy and highly accessible way to manage your contacts and business leads.
Tom Skotidas director and founder of B2B social media lead generation agency Skotidas believes LinkedIn is a very effective and efficient way to identify and connect with decision makers.
