Welcome to our winter newsletter!

Welcome from ESBEC CEO David Baumgarten
Cocktail Function -Australia Post Small Business Awards Launch
Email Alan Jones about Government cutbacks to small business.And a Big Thank you to our Local Mayors & Members of Parliament
Introducing your networking chat forum
Some insurance scenarios you might not have thought about…..take advantage of a 10% discount on your next insurance policy
Using Music in Your Business - what you should know
IT Corner - Disaster Recovery Planning

Upcoming Events

Key Strategies to Create an Innovative and Successful Business - 24th Aug
Launch of 2004 Sensis e-Business Report
Networking Workshop... 'Making Fun Work' - 15th September 2004
Business September 2004 - Business Breakfast 1st September
Successful Telemarketing Workshop will be back by popular demand!

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Welcome from ESBEC CEO David Baumgarten

Looking back over the past 6 months I would have to say that it has been a rollercoaster of incidents. It all started in December when we were broken into and all our computers stolen, this was then followed by database problems, backup issues then a computer virus which penetrated through two firewalls and our Norton anti-virus.

Yes, having all the luck, the virus was one that attacks only certain configurations of servers and managed to isolate a key component of our Microsoft exchange. Compounding all this was the announcement at the beginning of the month that the State Government had - without any consultation with the BEC Association of NSW or individual BECs - decided to withdraw funding.

All these events required me to go into 'disaster recovery". I dipped into my 'toolbox' of solutions and brought out the appropriate recovery action plan. My strength at these times was my clients. We are all operating small businesses and what I was going through is no different to what you go through. I suppose the lesson learned by me is to have a disaster recovery plan for all the key elements of the business.

In this newsletter we preview the Australia Post Awards, ask for your help in emailing Alan Jones with your concerns about funding cuts to small business, review our telemarketing workshop held in June and look at forthcoming networking and training events - including Michael Gerber of E-myth fame.

I would also like to remind you that you can register for our chat forums for free business advice and networking.

Here's to a great start to the new financial year for all of us!

David Baumgarten CEO, ESBEC

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Cocktail Function - Australia Post Small Business Awards Launch

TV personality Kerri-Anne Kennerley amused and enthused 200 small business operators at the launch of the Australia Post NSW/ACT Small Business Awards last week. Hosted by Easts Leagues Club in Bondi Junction, the event encouraged small businesses to enter for up to eight categories of awards.

The evening was officially opened by David Baumgarten, CEO of the Eastern Suburbs Business Centre which is a supporting sponsor of the awards. Australia Post introduced the award categories and showed highlights of last year's awards ceremony - the overall winner receives $15,000, a trophy and promotional support, while individual category winners win $5,000.

After door prizes were given by the awards' other principal sponsors, NRMA and Optus, Kerri-Anne took the floor as guest speaker. A successful businesswoman in her own right, she spoke of persistence, energy and attitude as being the keys to business success.

A highly entertaining speaker, her speech was peppered with jokes and amusing anecdotes from her career as a media interviewer and presenter. Questions from the floor consisted primarily of expressions of gratitude from small businesses featured on Kerri-Anne's morning show, testimony to the value of media exposure for any small business.

The evening closed with refreshments and an opportunity for the audience to network with each other and meet the speakers.

The awards have been running since 1997 and were established to recognize outstanding achievements by small business in a range of operational areas. The theme for the 2004 awards is 'building your future', acknowledging the role small business plays in supporting and linking local communities.

Entries for the awards close 24th September and an entry form can be downloaded from www.auspost.com.au/awards. The awards will be presented at a Gala Awards Dinner on October 16th.

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Email Alan Jones your thoughts on Government cutbacks to small business. And a big thank you to our local Mayors and Members of Parliament!

As you are all aware we have found ourselves in the position of having State Government funding to small business and the BEC Network withdrawn without prior notice.

I would like to express a very big thank you to all the support we have received over the past month. It has been humbling to see how we have made a difference to so many.

The BEC Association has asked us to put out a call to all small business operators to send emails to alanjones@2gb.com expressing your concern about the funding cuts to the BEC Network and small business.

A very BIG thank you to:

Peter Debnam, State Member for Vaucluse, Paul Pearce, State Member for Coogee, Peter King, Federal Member for Wentworth, Clover Moore, State Member for Bligh and Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney, Councillor John Comino, Former Mayor of the Municipality of Woollahra, Councillor Peter Moscatt, Mayor of Waverley and Councillor Murray Matson, Mayor of Randwick

for all their assistance in expressing concern to the NSW Government about funding cuts to the BEC Network and in particular The Eastern Suburbs Business Enterprise Centre.

It is pleasing to see a bi-partisan approach of support and commitment to ESBEC to ensure it continues its valued role in the business community.
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ESBEC Chat Forum

We will shortly be emailing you your instructions on how to utilise our chat forum. The forums are a great way to get business advice or simply connect with other small business operators.

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Some insurance scenarios you might not have thought about…take advantage of a 10% discount on your next insurance policy

Business contents or business property insurance

Covers the physical loss of or damage to your business property from certain events such as fire. This would cover the replacement of your business equipment, work in progress or stock held at your home business, which would not, in most cases, be covered by your home insurance.

Scenario -
A fire damages your home business store room just as a big order comes in and the stock is destroyed. Business insurance would cover the replacement cost of this stock.

Business machinery breakdown insurance

Covers the repair or replacement of business machinery such as freezers, computer or other electronic equipment.

Scenario -
Your home business computer breaks down, leaving you unable to access customer details. Your home policy is unlikely to cover the repair of your computer as it is used for business.

Legal Liability insurance

Covers your legal liability for an injury to another person or damage to their property in relation to your business activities (eg customers, employees and the general public).

Scenario-
If a friend or relative is visiting and falls and breaks their leg due to your negligence, your home insurance policy will cover it; if a client is visiting and falls and breaks her leg in the same circumstances, it won't. It also includes product liability, which compensates consumers for injury suffered from the sale or supply of your business's products or services.

Business Interruption insurance

Covers lost revenue or increased costs that you may face if you're forced to suspend your business activities because of fire, flood or other disasters. The increased costs can include your time spent organising replacement stock and potential damage to your reputation.

Scenario -
The damage to stock as a result of a water leak in your home business store room means you are unable to fulfil customer orders. Business Interruption insurance provides you with the funds for alternative premises and covers the lost income of not meeting those orders.

Professional Indemnity insurance

Covers professionals providing advice or consultancy to clients if they are sued for breaching their professional duty of care. This is not just a consideration for traditional professionals. Many types of professionals who work at home require such insurance including hairdressers, massage therapists, vets and marketing or management consultants. Indeed, any person who is regarded by their clients as an expert should have professional indemnity insurance.

Scenario -
An architect who works at home prepared structural drawings for a building and it was subsequently alleged that the drawings contained errors. Costs of the alteration and the resulting delays in construction were claimed.

It is impossible to reduce all risks and whilst you can transfer some risks through insurance, it is preferable to reduce risks to an acceptable level.

We have a national sponsorship in place where ABBi will provide a 10% discount off normal ABBi rates to all eligible referrals from the BEC. The discount applies to the business clients of the BEC. Please quote the following unique source code (Eastern Suburbs BEC source code is 0647) when you contact ABBi (www.abbi.com.au) for a quotation.

Using Music in Your Business - what you should know

WHAT ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS LISTENING TO?

Music has become such a vital marketing tool in business todaythat we almost take it for  granted. Whether you are a major corporation or a smaller enterprise like a café or retail shop, music helps to define the style and ambience of your establishment.

Music can also affect sales. Research indicates that the music you choose can impact on customer mix, attract customers, influence customer behaviour, entertain employees and increase turnover.

Even music on hold for your telephone system ensures your customers are pleasantly occupied when accessing your business.

WHY YOU NEED AN APRA LICENCE

Established in 1926, APRA (The Australasian Performing Right Association) is a non-profit organisation that collects and distributes copyright royalties for composers, lyricists and music publishers.

Music is the intellectual property of composers who, like other suppliers in the marketplace, deserve to be paid for the use of their product.

All businesses who choose to play copyright music, whether on the actual premises or as music on hold, will need permission from the copyright owners. In most instances an APRA licence provides a simple solution.

This is because APRA collectively administers the public performance and communication rights on behalf of the majority of Australian and overseas copyright owners. APRA simplifies the legal process for business proprietors, who would otherwise need to obtain a licence from each copyright owner whose music they wish to play.

An APRA licence gives your business access to popular music from around the world for as little as $1 per week and the licence fee is tax deductible as a business expense.

HOW TO OBTAIN AN APRA LICENCE
It's as simple as filling out a single page APRA licence application. Once you have applied for your APRA licence you will not need to reapply for a licence each year. A renewal notice will automatically be sent to you for payment of your annual fee. APRA also takes this opportunity to update any changes relating to your use of music.

WHERE LICENCE FEES ARE DISTRIBUTED
Approximately 86 cents in every dollar collected in licence fees is returned to the music copyright owners. The remaining amount covers APRA's administration costs, which are among the lowest of any copyright collecting society in the world.

OTHER MUSIC LICENCES
Some small businesses may be eligible for a Complimentary Licence. Further information is available by contacting our Client Services Department on 1800 882 772.

Current licensing information is also published on the APRA website: www.apra.com.au

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IT Corner - Disaster Recovery Planning

Disaster Recovery Planning (DRP) is a critical component for the ongoing success of businesses of all sizes.

In our three part series, we will examine the major components necessary for constructing a DR Plan which will help you survive those inevitable computing hiccups.

The first article deals with the process of identifying those factors which place your business at risk. The full article can be read by clicking here or visiting http://esbec.bluefly.net.au/

Craig Colnan, Bluefly Business Systems.

Need more help? Contact Craig or Tony on (02) 9340-7375

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Key Strategies to Create an Innovative and Successful Business - Seminar Tuesday 24th August

Are you looking for strategies to increase effectiveness in your business and your life?

Do you want to improve your bottom line without employing more resources?

Our strategic partner Business Connect continues to entice us with seminars that anyone wanting to shift their business to a whole new level must attend.

This seminar features Stephen Lundin, author of bestselling management book 'Fish!, demonstrating how to boost morale and improve results. Plus:

• Tom O'Toole's amazing business success story
• Innovation, Entrepreneurship and of course Risk!
• Intellectual Property - Maximise the value of your business.

For bookings and more information visit www.businessconnect.com.au/seminars.

Launch of 2004 Sensis e-Business Report

Our Strategic partners Sensis have made available a number of tickets to the Eastern Suburbs BEC Network to the breakfast for the official launch of the 2004 e-business Report. Details are:

Monday 2nd August, 2004
7.45 for 8.00am start
Dockside, Cockle Bay Wharf, Sydney

Keynote speakers Steven Shepherd, Sensis Chief Economist and report author, and co-author Christina Singh, will deliver an overview and key findings of the 2004 Sensis e-Business Report - The Online Experience of Small and Medium Enterprises.

Brad Bond, co-founder of Invizage Technology, a highly respected multi award winning national IT outsourcing company for micro and small business, will speak about his first hand experience of the IT Industry.

To secure your seat book online via our Networking Calendar

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Networking Workshop...'Making Fun Work' 15th September 2004

This workshop is focused on showing you how you can become more confident in your everyday use of humour and how you can use this in business to profit from the Power of Fun.

It is very much a 'how to' presentation full of techniques, hints and explanations. This workshop will cover:

Section One:

• Humour in Your Life
• 10 Steps to a Funnier You
• Identify your & others Humour Style
• Humour Confidence
• Creating Humour

Section Two:

• Humour in Your Business
• Humour in Management
• Humour in Customer Service
• Humour in Business Branding
• Humour in Action

To book online please go to our Workshop Calendar.

Business September 2004 - Business Breakfast 1st September

Small Business September 2004 is quickly approaching and we are finalising the first key event - the Sky Channel Broadcast being held at the usual time of 7:30 to 8:30am on Wednesday, 1st September 2004.

The topic will be on marketing - more details coming soon.

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Successful Telemarketing Workshop will be back by popular demand!

For those who managed to get to our above workshop you would agree that it was packed with information about telemarketing.

Our presenter Jenny Cartwright delivered practical tips on how to telemarket and how to prepare that all important script before embarking on this much dreaded exercise. Jenny showed us that we do not need to be frightened about telemarketing. Properly used it can add significant value to the business bottom line.

By popular demand we will be offering this workshop again in November 2004.

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