Welcome to our May newsletter!

A message from CEO David Baumgarten
Bread TV show seeks small business operators to match with mentors
Goal Setting Tips and Chat Forum- ask our experts a question
Competition - Name our Rooms
Calling all creatives - great opportunity to display your artwork
Legal tip of the month - when to review your will
Get your FREE screensaver …Sydney Harbour Bridge
Data backup - the oxygen of your business
Business Directory - lodge your business details before June 30th
Need a receptionist but can't afford one? Let us help


UPCOMING EVENTS

Dates for your Diary
Burwood Business Breakfast series - next event 10th May
Community Notice Board - great events coming to a venue near you!
National Small Business Summit 16th- 17th May 2005
Home Based Business Week commences 16th May
Want to implement systems into your business? Program starts May 19th
How do changes to superannuation affect you? Find out at our June Business Forum
Australia Post Small Business Awards Launch - June and July
Small Business Expo is 26th - 28th August

Newsletter edited by Charmedia copywriting services www.charmedia.com

A message from CEO David Baumgarten

Welcome to our May newsletter. The year is flying by…it's May then June and WOW…suddenly you're planning those Christmas parties!

If you didn't get to our Cocktail Function at Hughenden Boutique Hotel at Woollahra on 27th April you missed a great event. Those who attended had a great time and those business cards were being exchanged at lightning speed. Check out the photos on our website this week.

As usual my month has been action packed. I am really pleased to see our Women in Business Mentor Program get underway with 23 participants matched to 23 mentors.

I also had the opportunity of catching up with Julian Sonego from Google. I am on a mission to be educated about metatags and Google advertising. This is the future and all small business should join me in this quest. To assist you we are planning some great joint initiatives with Google…so stay tuned.

I would like to draw your attention to our Community Notice Board where we have a cocktail event at Canada Bay on the 12th May. This event is being offered by the Concord Chamber of Commerce.

Also on May 10th we have the Burwood Council Business Breakfast series sponsored by the Council, Inner West Courier and Clearly Business. Over at Bankstown we have an Export Business Seminar - How to become a new exporter - on May 5th and on May 20th the Torch Newspaper 85th Anniversary presentation Business Lunch. So there is something for everyone. 
 
We are also looking at a regular "do drop in" networking event at our city office. However please do not wait for that to pay us a visit….if you would like to look at our facilities contact Nichole at nichole@clearlybusiness.com.au

Demand for our Clearly Business office facilities continue to increase, however it is not just about room hire, it is also about being part of the business networking opportunities.Our Clearly Business brochures are currently being prepared and we do have an opportunity for a sponsor or sponsors to logo brand their business on this print run. If you are interested please contact Nichole.

In closing, have a great month, enjoy our news and we look forward to seeing you on the 16th May at our next networking event.

Regards

David

David Baumgarten, CEO

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Bread TV show seeks small business operators to match with mentors

One of our new strategic alliances is the Bread TV show. Bread is a half hour business program aired each Sunday morning and repeated on Thursday night.

Bread presents entertaining and informative stories from the small business community - over 96% of all businesses fall into this category.

The program follows ordinary people at key pressure points in their lives. Through these stories, Bread looks at the decisions people make to change their lives, the problems they encounter - and offers advice on how to solve them.

We also see how these business decisions are put into place, and what the short and long-term ramifications of these are.

Jacqueline Van Herden, Group Manager Corporate Affairs (Bread) has asked for our help in sourcing some small businesses for potential inclusion on the show - they will then match those selected with an appropriate high profile/successful business person from the same industry or who has faced the same issue.

The segment of the show is "'Bread Mentor' in which an established industry leader offers expert advice based on their own experience to a small business in the same industry.

If you are interested (and why wouldn't you be?!) please contact Production Manager Claire Burton via email: Claire@postboxbread.tv

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Goal Setting Tips and Chat Forum- ask our experts a question

Clearly defined goals are the corner-stone of any good business plan. They are the implementation of your business vision and their achievement is the measure of your progress.

This month in our chat forum we have Wendy Buckingham who will be available to answer any questions you may have on Goal Setting. Wendy is a leading small business and personal coach and author of "Ready Set Goal!"

She has been presenting workshops and "Goals Clinics" for individuals and organizations for over 15 years. Her workshops address not only the choosing and setting of goals but handling all the less obvious obstacles or "stuff" that can get in the way.

Our other resident experts are also available to answer your questions Paul Wilson (Branding),Linda Hailey (Marketing),Bob Ronai (Exporting), Ken Burgin (Hospitality), Robyn Henderson(Networking) and John Jocy (Selling).

To be a participant in our discussion on Goal Setting follow the step-by-step instructions:

1. Go to our websites www.easternsuburbsbec.com.au or www.clearlybusiness.com.au and click on Chat Forum on the top nav bar or the left hand panel.

2. On the top of the page you will see Welcome Guest (Log in) (Register). Click on Register and follow the instructions.

3. Once you've registered you will be sent an email asking you to click on a link to verify your registration. Once registered you can go to the chat forum and log in with your user name and password.

4. To post questions to Wendy or our other panel experts, click on the forum called Panel of Experts and either start a new topic or add your post to an existing topic by clicking Add Reply.

We also offer other forums where you can get general advice or network with other small businesses:

If you require business advice, click on the forum called Business Advisory Online and click on the topic Advice for Small Business.

If you want to network with other small businesses, click on the forum called Small Business Networking and then click on the topic Networking.

To give you a taste of Wendy's expertise here are some of her hot tips on great goal setting:

When coaching her clients to set their business goals, Wendy uses the following questions to help them achieve clarity, certainty, motivation and results.

1. Is your goal a SMARTY goal? SMARTY goals are worded so they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, and Realistic and have a time frame. They are also checked out to make sure they are truly Yours and not an influence from somewhere else.

'Our company is going to make a big profit this year' is not a SMARTY goal. 'Our company is going to increase its net profit by 30% this financial year' is SMARTY. However if you are investing in new equipment, staff or have loans to pay off that would be offset against profits, this goal may be achievable, but not realistic.

2. Why do you want this business goal? Now this may sound like a silly question, but it's not! You need to be really clear as to why you want the goal - what it means to you to achieve it and where it will lead. List everything you can think of: big, small and seemingly trivial, that are driving you to achieve your business goal.

What will you have in your life when you have achieved the goal? What will you have proved? Make sure there is something on that list that really turns on the lights for you and will keep you going when the going gets tough.

3. What may you have to give up to achieve this goal? Focusing on a challenging business goal can be both physically and mentally demanding and time consuming. The much-lauded 'balanced lifestyle' may have to go out of the window for a while. Are you willing to confront and make the necessary sacrifices? Can you forego things like lifestyle, security, travel or family time to achieve this goal?

A good way to get to the heart of this one is to make two lists: the first lists the benefits of achieving this goal and the other lists all the things you may have to give up or have less of in the short term.

4. Is this goal Yours? Back to the Y in SMARTY. If your business goals are riding on the back of someone else's ideas, ambitions, inspirations or hope, you may indeed achieve your goal but be headed for frustration and disappointment down the track. Your personal needs and values should also be met.

Although the major goal of a business is often to make money, there need to be other more esoteric visions and goals in place for ongoing personal satisfaction.

5. Make sure your business team can regard this goal as their own. In business situations where you may need to set goals for your team, it is important to make sure each person can identify what's personally in it for them.

Where possible, after you have decided on the 'bones' of the goal, involve them in the process and in making decisions on the SMARTY goal factors. If you can uncover the personal benefits for each member of the team in achieving organisational goals and remove any considerations and resentments, you will be ahead of the game in intention and synergy.

For more information, articles & tips see www.wendybuckingham.com.au

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Competition - Name our Rooms

As you know we have been very busy getting our city office completed. The painters are gone, the furniture is in ….now for the fun part.

We are now looking for your help to name our rooms. Yes, we have a reward of a free ticket to our next networking event on the 16th May  (see the Networking Calendar on our websites for more details).

How many rooms? Well, we have a training room, a boardroom and two meeting rooms Some suggestions to date are to name them after our local councils, e.g. the Waverley Room, Woollahra, Bankstown etc.

Others have suggested we name them after landmarks in the area. Bondi Room, Bridge Room, Central Room, Harbour Room. As you can see, we do need your help.

We are offering a free ticket to our next networking event if we select your suggestion, so get your thinking caps on! Please email your suggestions to Tania@clearlybusiness.com.au

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Calling all creatives - great opportunity to display your artwork

We have a lot of wall space and what we lack now are paintings to hang on the walls.

To support our many businesses that are from the creative field we are offering you the opportunity to hang your work in our centre. Obviously if it catches someone's eye and they want to purchase your work of art we will secure you the sale.

If you are interested please contact nichole@clearlybusiness.com.au

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Legal tip of the month - when to review your will

As business operators we should review certain legal documents at regular intervals. This is part of best business practice.

One of these documents is our will. So when should you review your will? Our legal expert Richard Christie says:

• At regular intervals, eg. every 2 years
• Upon any of the following occurring:

(1) Marriage.
(2) Divorce.
(3) Change of name.
(4) Death, illness, insolvency of executor.
(5) Sale of items left "in specie" in the will.
(6)  Family members have further children.
(7) You become involved in a new business.
(8) Family or financial circumstances change significantly.

This tip was provided by Richard Christie, McMahons National Lawyers
Tel (02)926 89111
Email: rchristie@mcmahons.com.au
Website: www.mcmahons.com.au

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Get your FREE screensaver …Sydney Harbour Bridge

Download Lunagraph Screensaver (Remember to Virus test before installing on your PC)

We have another free screensaver 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 May image is a genuine lunagraph (TM). A lunagraph is an image created by Ed using moonlight as the light source. 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.

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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Data backup - the oxygen of your business

Yes, I am back on my favourite topic. To be honest I consider backup to be the oxygen supply of your business. Without a proper back up system and without oxygen we do not have a future. No backup, no business future.

It is so easy to take your eye off the ball in relation to this. We have everything backed up daily HOWEVER just recently we shifted some files between our Bondi Junction and City server and yes, we forgot to reconfigure our backup system. Thank God my IT guys gave me a gentle reminder, I would have completely overlooked it.

We do offer a backup service. If you are interested to know more just enter your email details on the right-hand panel of our home page. We will get back to you.

Remember, business is about positioning, positioning and positioning. It is also about networking, networking and networking… And can I add one other - business is also about backing up your data!

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Business Directory - lodge your business details before June 30th 

One of our goals is to encourage businesses associated with us to do business with each other. One of the ways we facilitate this is through our business directory.

Up until 30th June 2005 we have a free listing policy for all. So be quick - after 30th June it will cost $48 pa (inc GST) to list your business (of course if you are a member it is included in your membership).

For further details see our Business Directory

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Need a receptionist but can't afford one? Let us help

Is your business at the stage where you need a receptionist but cannot afford one? Having your phone answered for you is not just about convenience, it's about growing your business and giving the right impression.

Let us help you through our personalised answering service, just one of the many virtual and serviced office facilities available at Clearly Business. Some of the features of this valuable support service are:

• Telephone answered in the name of your business with your promotion
• Call either transferred to you or directed to your Microsoft Inbox

We are very competitively priced and have three virtual office packages to choose from. We are also offering discounts on our serviced offices, so if you are thinking of moving to a new office space or out of home, give us a call.

The discounts being offered for the serviced offices (six available, for 1 to 3 people) are:

• An office rented for a term of six months or more will received 30% off the first months rent, 20% the second month and 10% on the third.

Rentals start from $280 per week (fully furnished and serviced). For more details about virtual and serviced office facilities contact Nichole on 02 9212 0555or nichole@clearlybusiness.com.au

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Dates for your Diary

Marketing and Sales:  You are Your Business - May 5th

Free Tax Seminar (ATO) - May 9th

Small Business Today - Is it for you? Workshop - May 10th

Business Planning Workshop - An Introduction - May 11th

Networking Workshop, City - May 16th

Home-Based Business - Better Systems - Starts May 19th

Financial Statements and Talking Business - May 23rd

For more information see our Networking, Training and Workshop calendars on the left-hand menu bar

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Burwood Business Breakfast series - next event 10th May

I am pleased to advise that the Burwood monthly business breakfast series has been launched. This is an initiative of Burwood Council and is sponsored by Clearly Business and Inner West Courier.

All breakfasts will be held at the Burwood RSL and will commence at 7.15am for a 7.30am start. Our speakers for the initial three breakfasts are:

10th May 2005
Peter Thorpe
The Secrets of Internet Marketing, what you should know!!

• A totally different approach
• Use this powerful medium to increase your business
• What works and what doesn't work

7th June 2005
Aggie Marek, Manager, Small Business, ACCC

Do you know how the Trade Practices Act affects your retail business? What are your rights and obligations in relation to:

• fair trading,
• advertising and selling,
• providing warranties and giving refunds to consumers?

22nd July 2005
Robyn Henderson
The Power of Networking

• The do's and don'ts for effective networking
• The psychology of networking — how, why, when and where it works
• Turning business cards into business
• How to continually move out of your comfort zone
• How to enjoy attending networking

To obtain further information or to book online visit Clearly Business Networking Calendar

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Community Notice Board - great events coming to a venue near you!

Don't forget to check the Community Noticeboard on our website for details of networking and training events and in your area.

In May you can look forward to a free export seminar in Bankstown, cocktails in Canada Bay and networking workshops in the City. There's something for everyone so start putting some dates in your diary!

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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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 www.mybusiness.com.au 

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Home Based Business Week starts May 16th

The NSW Department of State & Regional Development has designated the week commencing 16th May 2005 as Home Based Business Week.

We fully support this initiative and will keep you informed via our website of activities to be held during this week.

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Want to implement systems into your business? Action Program starts May 19th

Commencing 19th May 2005 we offer you the opportunity to put together an Operations Plan and an Action Plan for improving all aspects of your business. We also ensure that you build growth strategies into your plan.

This exciting program will also explore the potential for the development of strategic alliances through arrangements such as joint purchasing of business supplies, co-location etc.

Outcomes for the Better Systems program are:

• A first cut operations plan and an action plan for improving all facets of your business operations and building in the capacity for growth
• Greater understanding of the range of issues which need to be addressed to build cost effective and efficient business operations
• Improved skills in assessing and developing your business operations

Program Structure

Each Action Program will offer participants a combination of:

• A series of four three-hour action workshops that examine up-to-date business concepts and planning tools;
• A three-hour Group Review Clinic that will provide opportunities to apply the business tools and promote shared learning;
• Outcome-focused take-home activities designed to be completed at home; and
• Effective team support structure which will provide networking opportunities.

The workshops and review clinics will promote close alliances and sharing of knowledge.

Do not miss out - BOOK NOW, PLACES ARE LIMITED!

For more details and to book your place see the Training Calendars on our websites:

ESBEC Training Calendar
Clearly Business Training Calendar

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How do changes to superannuation affect you? Find out at our June Business Forum

Michael Carmody, Commissioner of Taxation has written to us as follows:

"The Australian Government's choice of superannuation fund initiative starts on 1 July 2005. It will give many employees the right to choose the superannuation fund into which their superannuation guarantee contributions will be paid.

In support of this initiative the government will implement an extensive education campaign through the Tax Office, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the Consumer and Financial Literacy Foundation.

We want to help employees understand their rights and make informed decisions, and ensure that employers are equipped to fulfil their obligations.

We recognise the important role your organisation will play in helping employers and employees to successfully implement their choice of superannuation fund. With this in mind, we want to let you know about some of our planned education activities.

On 11 April we began a mailout to all employers of an information kit containing a letter, the Choice of Superannuation Fund guide for employers (NAT 13185) and copies of the standard choice form (NAT 13080).

Also on 11 April we launched a website, www.superchoice.gov.au and information line, 13 28 64. Copies of documents and more information will be available from these sources.

An advertising component of the education campaign will begin shortly involving television, radio and print media. Over the coming months we will provide further information, through a number of channels, to help employers and employees understand the choice of superannuation fund.

More information and copies of documents can be obtained by visiting www.superchoice.gov.au or phoning 13 28 64 between 8.00am and 6.00pm, Monday to Friday."

In response to these changes we are offering a two hour Business Forum presentation, facilitated by Michael Hallinan from our member TOWNSENDS BUSINESS & CORPORATE LAWYERS, on the new choice of super legislation that becomes effective on 1 July.

These changes affects all employers, no matter how small. We will have copies of the documents from the ATO at these events.

Details are:

Presenter: Michael Hallinan
Date: Mid June, exact date to be confirmed
Venue: Clearly Business offices, Level 19, 23 Castlereagh Street, Sydney
Cost: $20.00 (inc GST) Includes light supper. (Member discount applies to this event).

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Australia Post Small Business Awards Launch - June and July

Just to remind you of the dates for the launch of these awards.

To secure your place at one or all of the following launches put it in your diary and email Tania@clearlybusiness.com.au

Bankstown
July 20th - Bankstown Launch of the Australia Post Small business Awards
Cocktails 6-8pm Bankstown Ridges Bass Hill 
Keynote speaker: Mark Tonelli, Olympian

Canada Bay
July 26th - Breakfast: Inner West Launch of The Australia Post Small Business Awards
Time 7.15am for 7.30 am to 9.30pm
Venue Concord Golf Club, Majors Bay Rd, Concord (entry via
Flavelle Street)
Keynote Speaker: Ita Buttrose

City
June 30th - Lunch: Official Launch of The Australia Post Small Business Awards
Time 11-2pm
Venue: Wentworth Hotel CBD
Keynote Speaker: - Peter Switzer
In attendance (to be confirmed): NSW Small Business Minister, David Campbell

Eastern Suburbs
Tuesday July 5th - Cocktails : Eastern Suburbs Launch of The Australia Post Small Business Awards
Time 5.45 pm for 6pm to 7.30pm
Venue:  Easts Leagues Club, Bondi Junction
Keynote Speaker: - Andrew Daddo

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Small Business Expo is 26th- 28th August 2005 at Sydney Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour

This month I met with Karen Watkins from Business Connect. This company is the event co-ordinator for this major small business event. Karen has a lot planned for the show…however I have been sworn to secrecy.

However I can tell you that this year The Small Business Expo is co-locating with the Money Expo, so visitors not only get a wealth of information on how to thrive in business, there's also an opportunity to meet and hear some of Australia's best financial speakers.

New media partners include Channel 9, News Ltd (Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun) and Money Magazine. We will keep you posted of more details as we get them.

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