Welcome to our April newsletter!
See below for news, tips and the latest small business initiatives:
Welcome from CEO David Baumgarten
Community Noticeboard… What's happening in your area?
Get your FREE screensaver…with more to come!
Clearly Business Virtual Office services - Give your clients the right impression
Write the Book, Write the Business
Legal tip of the month - commercial leases
UPCOMING EVENTS
Dates for your diary this month
Cocktails and networking… Don't forget the business cards!
National Small Business Summit 16th- 17th May 2005
Home Based Business Week starts May 16th
Business Systems are go! Action Plan starts May 19th
Australia Post Small Business Awards Launch - coming to your area soon!
Welcome from CEO David Baumgarten
What a month March proved to be! We had a visit from a UK Small Business delegation headed by Max Wyn Griffith, Chief Executive Small Business Services, UK Government, and accompanied by Tim Holmes, the UK Consul General. After we got over the shock of the influx of Federal police who came with them, it allowed me to provide them with an insight into our operation.
Clearly Business Virtual office facilities are now up and operational. So if you need your telephone answered in your business name we can help. We will tailor the services available to suit your needs.
On the Sydney Business Advisory side, we continue to see many clients come through our City & Bondi Junction offices for a free Business Consultation.
Our Women in Business Mentor Program has now started with 20 participants who have been in business between 6 months and 2 years. Our Home-Based Marketing program also got underway in March.We are currently running a New Enterprise Incentive Scheme program in the City and one to commence in Bondi Junction on 18th April.
I also had the pleasure of at long last meeting Jason Keir from Telstra, who is the Metropolitan General Manager for Sydney East & South Regions. It was very reassuring to see how committed Jason is to assisting small business.
We are working very closely with local councils ikn our Sydney Business Advisory Service area. I have also had a number of discussions with Graham Humphries from Bankstown Council regarding some joint initiatives ,also working with Eugene Sarich and Anne Clarke from Burwood Council on hosting some networking events in the Burwood area. I am hoping to catch up with Kim Anson, General Manager of Waverley Council over the next month. The incredible Stephanie Kelly from Canada Bay continues to offer a multitude of events for business residents of that area. I am slowly getting around to other councils in my Sydney Business Advisory area.
We have also been very busy in the Eastern Suburbs where we continue to offer business as usual. Our next networking function is at the Hughenden Hotel on the 27th April. Our Business Facilitation service continues to be in high demand.
As you can see we are like you ….busy busy busy …balancing all the balls in the air, looking forward, not backwards and always on the lookout for initiatives and services that will benefit our small business clients. Until next month…keep focused and enjoy this month's newsletter.
Regards
David Baumgarten, CEO
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Community Noticeboard… What's happening in your area?
We now look after 14 Local Government Areas in Metropolitan Sydney. I have been amazed at the number of Business Networks and functions that are available across Sydney.
To ensure you are informed of what is happening in your Local Government Area we have launched our Community Noticeboard page, which will highlight on a monthly basis any networking functions we come across.
If you would like your event listed please email webmaster@easternsuburbsbec.com.au Click on the links below to view our Community Noticeboards:
ESBEC Community Noticeboard
Clearly Business Community Noticeboard
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Get your FREE screensaver…with more to come!
Lunagraph Screensaver ( Download......Remember to Virus test before installing on your PC)
Over the next few months we will be supplying you with free screensavers which you can download and install as wallpaper on your desktop. Images are supplied by Ed Hughes from Lunagraph (contact details below). We ask that you respect copyright and only use it as a screensaver for your computer.
Our April image is a genuine lunagraph (TM). A lunagraph is an image created by Ed using moonlight as the lightsource.
"This particular image was exposed onto film between midnight and dawn, a six hour exposure", says Ed. "During that time my camera was mounted on a tripod with the shutter locked open. I kept the shutter open until some colour appeared in the sky. The streaks of light in this image are created by the movement of the stars - like brushstrokes of light."
The camera Ed used used for this exposure is a medium format camera (Mamiya RZ-67pro II), with very large negatives - 6x7 cm in size. That's about 7 times the size of a neg from a standard SLR camera, and about 10 times the size of the image sensor in a typical digital camera.
The resulting image can be printed to a much larger size than digital-camera files and still look great, because a negative that size can be scanned to a file size many times greater than can be captured by a digital camera. This image cannot be created effectively using a digital camera because:
a) the batteries would probably go flat in a six hour exposure and
b) with long exposures, particularly at night, there is lots of ugly "digital noise" in to the file and the file is almost unusable.
We hope you enjoy the image. You can see other lunagraphs and photographs by visiting Ed's website: www.lunagraph.com.au
Installation instructions
To install on a PC you will first of all need to save the file to a location you can remember (such as the desktop or My Pictures). Then click on the Start menu, go to Control Panel, Click on Appearance and Themes, select Change the Desktop Background, click on Browse and find where you have saved the image (select it) and finally click on Apply.
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Clearly Business Virtual Office services - Give your clients the right impression
Would your business benefit from the outward appearance of having an office in a central City location.? Do you have the need for an occasional office or meeting room? Or do you just want your telephone answered in your business name? Maybe you're located interstate or overseas but need a Sydney presence?
The Clearly Business Virtual Office and Hot Desks may be exactly what you need. The virtual office service allows you to have your telephone answered in your absence or when you are busy with appointments, meetings or just getting on with your business. You will never miss an important call from your customers/clients.
A virtual office solution gives you all the benefits of an office location, without the need to be there, and at a low cost. Reception is open from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm each business day and we will answer your calls in your business name.
Our staff will also screen and manage enquiries. Calls can be transferred to you on a land line, to your mobile or any other location - locally, interstate or internationally, providing a complete and professional service to you and your client.
Are you in the city for a meeting? Need a space to work in between appointments? Sometimes you don't need a full office, but a place to work for a short time: hot desking is your solution. Available hourly, ½ day and full day. Hot Desks are available at $15.00 + GST per hour.
As a virtual office client you are entitled to use the Clearly Business facilities at a 10% discount. Information & benefits of our GOLD SERVICE, SILVER SERVICE and BRONZE SERVICE can be found on our website www.clearlybusiness.com.au or call us on 02 9212 0555.
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Write the Book, Write the Business
Do you have a professional, spiritual or business speciality that others need to know about? Want to write a book about it but don't know where to start?
This month I am profiling Joy Aikin, one of our members. Joy Atkin is a writer, teacher and creativity coach. Over the past seven years she has ghostwritten five books for clients to support their business and/or spiritual vision, including "Open For Inspection - Inside the Minds of Australia's Leading Real Estate Agents" for Deborah Vanderhoek.
Joy's most recent client project is for internationally renowned Jungian psychologist, business coach and rabbi, Dr Fred Grosse. She has also written her own title on the creative process.
Joy runs a practical, one day workshop which empowers those attending to write the book that will write their business. Attendees will be shown how to clarify their theme, create a book structure, create a chapter outline and get a title that will get you noticed. Most of all, those attending these workshops will be inspired to make your non-fiction project a reality!
To find out more or to contact Joy visit www.writewellwritenow.com or call (02) 9564 6058
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Legal tip of the month - commercial leases
Check the assignment clause before you sign your commercial lease.
Usually the assignment clause in a lease will provide that the lessor will agree to an assignment of the lease providing the new tenant meets certain criteria such as supplying satisfactory business references, being solvent and being supported by a bank guarantee or security bond.
After approving the proposed new tenant's financial standing, the lessor will ask you and the new tenant to sign a Deed of Assignment of Lease. In the Deed there will sometimes be a clause, which states that you are liable for the balance of the current term of the lease.
In this way the lessor can ask you to pay the rent in the event that the new tenant does not. It is most unwise to sign a lease without studying the lease and in particular the assignment clause carefully. An experienced solicitor can help you by negotiating changes to the draft lease for example by insisting that the lessor give you a release of liability should you wish to assign your lease to someone else.
The money you spend on getting this advice is an investment that could save you many thousands of dollars in potential liability.
This month's legal tip is from Richard Christie, McMahons National Lawyers
Tel (02)926 89111
Email: rchristie@mcmahons.com.au
Website: www.mcmahons.com.au
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Dates for your diary this month
Small Business Today - Is it for you? Workshop April 12th
Business Planning Workshop - An Introduction - April 13th
Financial Statements and Talking Business - April 18th
Women In Business Program - Meet the Mentor night - April 26th
Networking Function Hughenden Boutique Hotel - April 27th
For more details see the training and networking calendars on our websites:
ESBEC Networking Calendar
Clearly Business Networking Calendar
ESBEC Training Calendar
Clearly Business Training Calendar
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Cocktails and networking… Don't forget the business cards!
Cocktails plus networking in the elegant surrounds of a Victorian Federation house are the ingredients to a networking function you cannot miss.
We have not even advertised this event as yet and we already have 30 people who have heard by "word of mouth "of the ever popular networking event at the Hughenden Hotel in Woollahra.
The event is being sponsored by the Australia Post Small Business Awards and is open to members & non members. The number of attendees is limited to 80, so hurry to book your place.
If you would like to come and meet other small business operators please book online via our websites:
ESBEC Networking Calendar
Clearly Business Networking Calendar
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National Small Business Summit 16th- 17th May 2005
Brought to you by COSBOA (Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia Ltd.) and My Business Magazine
Want to be part of the small Business event of the year? The National Small Business Summit is Monday 16th May (opening Dinner) and Tuesday 17 May 2005 (One day Event).
Join Australia's leading product, service and political decision-makers as they canvass:
Unfair Dismissal - how changes to the law will impact small business owners
Hiring the Right Staff - how to beat the skills crunch crisis
Government Incentives to help your business profit and prosper
Changes to BAS lodgement laws
Streamlined reporting and accounting for small business
Technology advances to cut time and save costs!
And lots, lots more.
Opening Dinner: Prime Minister John Howard
Breakfast: Shadow Minister for Small Business, Tony Burke
Luncheon: Federal Labour Leader, Kim Beazley
To book or find further information visit http://www.mybusiness.com.au/summit or download the COSBOA newsletter
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Home Based Business Week starts May 16th
The New South Wales State Government through the Department of State and Regional Development has announced a week devoted to the Home Based Business Sector.
Home Based Business Week has been branded with a broad technology theme to lift the veil on areas of technology which some home-based operators may find daunting.
This week of events will provide home-based operators with a chance to meet up regularly and overcome one of their biggest problems: isolation.
We are committed to supporting home-based business people throughout the Sydney Metropolitan area. We provide assistance to this growing business type via the distribution of a CD-Rom, 'Homebiz Kit: Grow your business at home', which is available at our Bondi Junction and City offices.
We are also delivering the Home-Based Business Action Programs on behalf of the NSW Department of State and Regional Development. We are supporting the New South Wales Department of State & Regional Development in their Home Based Business Week as home-based operators account for 66.2% of all small business operators in NSW.
The opportunity to meet other home-based operators and to share ideas and learn new tips and tricks is vitally important. It provides an ideal platform to bounce ideas off other likeminded business people and to build strategic business alliances.
We will advise you further of events taking place during Home Based Business Week.
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Business Systems are go! Action Plan starts May 19th
Many home-based businesses lack an operations strategy for their business and effective systems. Does this sound like you?
The good news is that commencing 19th May 2005 we offer you the opportunity to put together an Operations Plan and an Action Plan for improving all facets of your business. We also ensure that you build growth strategies into your plan.
PLUS you will also improve your ability to assess and develop your business operations and explore the potential for the development of strategic alliances through arrangements such as joint purchasing of business supplies, co-location etc.
This course is part of the Home-Based Business Action Program which is deliveredon Behalf of the NSW State Department of Regional development
More details can be obtained on our websites:
ESBEC Networking Calendar
Clearly Business Networking Calendar
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Australia Post Small Business Awards Launch - coming to your area soon!
I am very pleased to advise that the above awards are nearly here. As we now look after an expanded area we are assisting with a number of Small Business Award functions.
The good news is that you have more than one function to choose from. So there are no excuses for not attending one of these events!
You can have cocktails in Bondi Junction with Andrew Daddo on July 5th or if you prefer, with Olympian Mark Tonelli at Bankstown on the 20th.
You could also have breakfast with Ita Buttrose at the Canada Bay launch at Concord Golf Club on July 26th or join us for lunch at the official launch of the Awards at the Wentworth Hotel in the CBD on June 30th. Peter Switzer is our Keynote Speaker and I believe Premier Bob Carr will also be in attendance (no, I am not making a speech!)
Like last year all these events are free to ensure that every small business operator gets access to the information on how to submit an entry form. For more details see our website Community Noticeboards or email reception@clearlybusiness.com.au to register your interest.
ESBEC Community Noticeboard
Clearly Business Community Noticeboard
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