October 2005 Newsletter

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	Newsletter October 2005

	Welcome to our October newsletter! In this month's newsletter: News from CEO David Baumgarten Independent Contractors update ESBEC Star Ranking for NEIS Women In Business Mentor Program completes for 2005 Your Good News Stories Businesses we have helped along the way Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) scheme Business Law Brief - Legal Issues of Running a Business Dragon's Den: Channel 7 business investment program seeks participants Petrol - are rising prices affecting your business? How can a Virtual Office service help my business? DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Marketing Toolkit for Business Owners - workshop 13th October Is your business ready for growth? Workshop 25th October Business Thursdays: Innovation 20th Oct; Branding Awareness 27th Oct Business Awards Gala evenings Community Noticeboard - October Events Selling on eBay - workshops coming in November News from CEO David Baumgarten WOW…what a month Business September has been! If attendance at our events was a barometer of the month's success, it must have been overwhelming. We had over 350 attendees at our events during the course of the month. As usual, I have been out and about. The month started with the BEC Annual Conference in Hobart. An opportunity to catch up with other support agencies and obtain new skills, find out what is just around the corner for small business, and of course do some serious networking. As I am now on the Executive Board of the National NEIS Association, I was fortunate to be on the official table. Peter Dutton, Federal Minister for Workplace Participation was our guest of honour. What an impressive person he is - very in tune with business having been brought up in a family business environment. I also did my fair share of networking in Sydney during the month. I must give some accolades to Sue Williams and Julie Blarasin from Canada Bay. They organised a business cocktail function in Drummoyne with a great venue, a good mix of attendees and superb food and drink. A must on the business networking circuit. Check our Community Noticeboard for the October/November networking events. I also attended the official launch of a new book, Made in Australia. This book is brought to you by IBM (it's easy to forget that IBM was once a relatively small business) and looks at our business heroes who reveal their secrets. In this month's newsletter we showcase our new Growth Program for businesses in operation for two years or more. If you fit these criteria, you are growing your business and need help…. read on! Our first workshop 'Is your business ready for growth?' is on 23rd October. We also profile some of the businesses we have assisted, introduce you to Business Thursdays and put you on notice of 'must-do' workshops in November - The Basics of Selling on eBay and Beyond the Basics (Advanced eBay). Oh …and we have a new segment 'Your Good News Stories', starting this month and inviting good news stories from your business to share with others. Before you dive into the newsletter…our good news… For the second time in a row we are one of the 4 top performers in AUSTRALIA for the Federal Government New Enterprise Incentive Scheme. (See the Government's media release for the full ratings). On another note we have a new number for our Bondi Junction Office, it is 90897611. I am also inviting feedback on how rising petrol prices are impacting on your business. In closing, I would like to welcome a new member to our team, Gaby Ferrera, who is our client liaison officer at our city office. Have a great month! David Baumgarten, CEO Back to Top Independent Contractors update Malcolm Turnbull, Member for Wentworth, says independent contracting is all about the freedom to contract. Independent Contractors of Australia is an association offering advice and resources to anyone wanting to be an independent contractor. ICA Chairman Angela MacRae provides regular subscriber tax tips: this month's tips look at income tax and GST news, pending tax and super bills, interesting legal cases, new ATO publications and other useful information. Angela also supplies a special topic every month. October's topic is: 'The Tax Office Compliance Program for 2005-06'. To find out more, please visit www.contractworld.com.au Back to Top ESBEC Star Ranking for NEIS We have been running the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS) on behalf of the Federal Department of Workplace Relations for 12 years now. Starting off in the Eastern Suburbs we now offer the program across metropolitan Sydney. In the 2000/2003 contract our organisation scored a perfect 5 star ranking. This put us in the top 5% of performers in Australia. In the star ratings just released our organisation scored 4.5 stars of a possible 5 stars. This put us again in the top performers in Australia. Our consistent performance may be rewarded by the extension of our current contract (which expires 2006) for a further three year period to 2009. The achievement of this excellent effort is a team result. I want to thank my current Staff and also my previous staff Natasha Poole, Rachel Wolfenden and Matt Groves. A Special thanks to Richard Walden, Jenny Rush and Peter Escott from the Department for their ongoing support in the delivery of this program. Back to Top Women In Business Program completes for 2005 The graduation for our above program was held at our city office a few weeks ago. The 2005 mentorees and mentors were a fantastic group. In all we had 21 mentorees participate in the program . We have profiled two of these mentorees, Carolyn Dean from IntoFocus and Helen Davis from Oh de Toilette, in the Case Studies section of our website (click on the link on the top navigation bar to view these and other case studies). Special thanks must go to our mentors who contribute their time on a volunteer basis. Very, very special thanks to our serial mentors who assist year after year. Our thanks also to Jo-Anne Miley and Julie Scott from the Department of State and Regional Development for giving us the opportunity to run the program again. We are now taking applications for our 2006 program. We are hopeful of running the program again on behalf of the Department. For further information email: ketrina@clearlybusiness.com.au Back to Top Your Good News Stories Operating a small business can at times be a thankless task .When we achieve a goal or breakthrough it is good to share it with others. What we are offering from November is an opportunity for you to tell others the good news about your business. Simply email Nichole@clearlybusiness.com.au. This month's good news stories: *Trace Personnel, a sponsor of this organisation, is proud to announce the launch of a dedicated office in the Sunshine State. Long-term Queensland resident, Cressida Ward, has been appointed as the Recruitment Manager for the Queensland office. Cressida has a wealth of experience in the recruitment industries both in Australia and overseas. Cressida's educational studies, field experience and extensive experience as a Recruitment Consultant and Team Leader give her appreciation and insight into the personnel industry and in dealing with a broad range of businesses. Cressida, along with the rest of the team at Trace Personnel, looks forward to supporting you in achieving your business goals. Contact Trace Personnel today at their new Brisbane office on 07 3391 6912, at their Sydney office on 02 9281 5466 or email jobs@tracepersonnel.com.au Cheryl Macnaught, Executive Manager, Business Development & Marketing, Bankstown City Credit Union Ltd.* Cheryl and her team won the Investor Magazine Awards for Excellence in Financial Services Cash Management Account of the Year. Congratulations! Back to Top Businesses we have helped along the way We are often referred to as the quiet achievers as we go about our job of assisting people to start a small business or helping existing business operators get to the next level. I thought you might like to have a walkthrough of some of those we have helped. *JR7* - Limited numbered edition Women's and Men's tees. Check out www.jr7.com.au for this fashion business that is reaching the world. It's a website, it's a showroom, it's a hotel! Yes, but not just any hotel, no, no, no. A glowing neon, multi level, dream-like castle of a hotel. Pay a visit and you'll see what we mean! *RAVEN Massage for Mums -* Do you wish you could find a way to enjoy and benefit from a professional massage in the comfort of your own home without having to organise care for your children? Raven Massage provides massage with childcare for weary mums. Visit www.ravenmassageformums.com.au to find out more. Swap Books and Music - Alina Duncan opened her shop in Bondi Junction twelve months ago. With a background in music retail, nightclubs and radio, Alina wanted to open a store where lovers of books, CDs and films could make exchanges and new discoveries. Tel. 9369 3287 Pasta Emilia - Anna Eoclidi was raised in the Emilia region of Italy where she learned the art of pasta making from her grandmother. Her Bronte-based pasta lab opened in May 2005, producing fresh pasta using organic ingredients and traditional recipes. Tel. 0432 969 426 *JRC Accounting services-* Based in Carlingford they provide bookkeeping (fixed fee), Basic MYOB setup ($600). And debtor control Clientele include the trades,consultants and retail they also have a number Accountants who outsource their bookkeeping maintain their own brand. JRC motto" let us to what we enjoy -"Bookkeeping' you go out and make the money" Jimmy Chan can be contacted on (02) 98682389 Mobile 0425247666 Email: jrc.accounting@optusnet.com.au Ingrid Louise Choosing between sexy and lacy nightwear and the frumpy version manufacturers think "nanna" wants, today's real woman want their nightwear to be pretty, comfortable and easy to wear. Ingrid Louise sleepwear and P'leisure wear is pretty and practical. Modest without being prudish, Ingrid Louise nighties for the woman who wasn't born yesterday. You can wear your Ingrid Louise nightie in the morning at breakfast, collecting the paper, being in the garden, or even when meeting the neighbours! Want to know more visit the web site www.ingridlouise.com or for Product enquiries contact "Ingrid Louise" on 0405 212 882 Visit the Case Studies section on our site (click on the link on the top navigation bar) to read more inspiring stories of businesses which have participated in the many programs that we offer. Back to Top Export Grants Development Market scheme The Hon Mark Vaile MP, Minister for Trade, has released Austrade's report of its review of the Export Market Development Grants scheme. In the report Austrade recommended that the EMDG scheme be continued for a minimum of five years, until the end of 2010-11, and that a number of options for enhancing the scheme's performance be considered. Austrade's recommendation and findings will now be considered by the Government. To find out more: Read the Minister's press release Read a summary of the review report (File of 130.71kb) Download a copy of the full report (File of 1742.45kb) For further information on the EMDG review, email emdg.review@austrade.gov.au Back to Top Business Law Brief - Legal Issues of Running a Business Could your letterhead get you into trouble? While visiting a client's business to discuss a particular issue the client showed us a letter he had written. After discussing the letter we pointed out that the letterhead he had used to send the letter did not comply with the Corporations Act. "Can ASIC fine me?" he asked. We told him: "Yes, but that's just the start of your possible problems." Here is the explanation we gave him. *Company Name* On all public documents a company must set out its full name and its status as a public company with limited liability ("Limited") or a private company with limited liability ("Pty Limited"). *Australian Company Number* With one major exception, on all public documents a company must set out its Australian Company Number. The ACN is a nine digit identifier provided by ASIC on registration of the company. The exception is where a company's ABN and ACN have the same last nine digits in the same order, in which case it is acceptable to use either the ABN or the ACN to identify the business on company stationery. The ABN is an 11 digit Australian Business Number provided for business taxation purposes. *Allowable Abbreviations* The Corporations Act specifically allows some abbreviations. "Australian Company Number'' can be abbreviated to "ACN", "Proprietary'' to "Pty" and "Limited'' to "Ltd''. All of these abbreviations can be used without full stops. Abbreviations not specifically listed in the Corporations Act should be avoided. Obvious spelling mistakes and other minor departures which are unlikely to confuse or mislead will probably not constitute a breach of the Act. *Business Name* A company can use its name as a business name without having to register it separately under the Business Names Act. But it still must use its full company name and ACN on its public documents regardless whether or not it uses its business name. *Registered Address* There is no legislative requirement for a company to show its registered address on its letterhead and other public documents. The company name and ACN/ABN provide sufficient identification and the registered office can then be found by searching at the ASIC company register. A company is therefore at liberty to use its business address or postal address on its public documents. Public Documents So just what are these public documents on which a company must set out its name and ACN/ABN? Generally a public document is any document signed or issued by or on behalf of the company that is signed for a particular transaction or dealing. This includes: business letters statements of account invoices receipts quotes orders for goods or services contracts deeds cheques promissory notes negotiable instruments documents lodged with the Australian Taxation Office documents lodged with ASIC documents produced under any Australian law court documents documents for registration under a land register company minutes emails that do more than just attach other documents. This list is not exhaustive - it simply lists the more common documents. Documents Where the Information is NOT required A company need not set out its full company name and ACN/ABN on: business cards with compliments slips fax cover pages that merely attach other documents emails that merely attach other documents What Penalty is there for Breaching these Requirements? A company can be fined for breaching the Corporations Act requirements. But a fine by ASIC is probably the least of the company's problems. Of much greater significance is the potential for anyone receiving a document which fails to set out the company's details to argue that it was not issued by the company but rather by the individual who signed it or authorised it. In a contractual dispute the recipient could then sheet home liability to that individual and sue the person rather than the company. One of the main reasons we have companies, namely limiting the individual's liability, could then be lost. In addition the tax office may say that the records show the individual trading on their own account rather than through the company and allocate the relevant income to the individual with horrendous tax consequences. Far safer to comply with the Corporations Act requirements - particularly given that it is so simple to do so. Article provided by Peter Townsend Solicitors www.townsendslaw.com.au Back to Top Dragon's Den: Channel 7 business investment program seeks participants Channel 7's new program, 'Dragon's Den', gives innovators, inventors, small business owners or anyone with a great business idea the opportunity to pitch their concept to a panel of actual investors - in front of a national TV audience. In each episode, some business pitchers will receive actual investment capital from panel members, for a negotiable equity share in their company. Others might go home emptyhanded, but hopefully wiser for the advice offered. A panel of investors has been assembled, the members selected for their business expertise and for their readiness to invest their own funds in viable new Australian products and businesses. Channel 7 is currently advertising nationwide for prospective business pitchers and this is where you come in. As part of the pitch, each selected participant on the show will be asked to nominate the amount of investment they are seeking, as well as the share of equity they are prepared to offer. This should be a great show and it's a unique opportunity to secure real investment funding from some of Australia's most successful business people. At this stage, Channel 7 needs to ascertain from each individual or company what stage their business idea is at. Can you answer the following questions? Do you have a business plan? Do you have a patent or pending patent? Is there a prototype? Or is the product already in production? Are you investment ready? How much money are you seeking from investors? How much equity are you prepared to offer in return for that investment? If you can, Channel 7 is very keen for you to apply. Contact Henry Barkman Researcher, Dragon's Den, on 02 8777 7395 or 0405 712 365 for an application form Back to Top Petrol - are rising prices affecting your business? With the rising petrol prices I am curious about how you are absorbing the cost and what impact it is having on your bottom line. I would appreciate it if you would answer the following questions: What type of business/industry are you in? Are the increased fuel costs affecting your workforce in travelling to and from work? Is the increasing petrol price having any effect on your operations? If it is a major effect, what are these effects? How do you intend dealing with the increased costs in the short run and in the longer term if the high prices continue; for example, trying to pass on some of the costs to clients, reducing staff costs, or cutting services? If it is a minor effect, what are these effects? Email your answers to david@clearlybusiness.com.au Back to Top How can a Virtual Office service help my business? I was at a networking meeting last week and a client came up to me to ask, "What is a virtual office service and how can it help my business?" Quite simply, we will answer your telephone in your business name. So if you are in a meeting, overseas or just want to combine a home office with a virtual service this is something to consider. You can also combine this service with use of our city address and our meeting rooms for important client meetings where you need to make a good impression. It is all about having that competitive edge to your business at an affordable price. A virtual office allows you to look professional and compete against those who have support staff or fancy offices. We have a number of packages available or we can personalise a package to suit your needs. To find out more contact Nichole at nichole@clearlybusiness.com.au or call 9212 0555. Back to Top DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Marketing Toolkit for Business Owners - workshop 13th October Big marketing ideas for small business Are you spending a lot of time, money and effort on marketing without getting the results you want? Do you feel you have a 'shotgun' approach to your marketing? Are you confident you're using the best and most effective marketing tools for your business? Would you like a simple and practical approach to get new business and drive your marketing dollar further? To build a successful business you need to enhance your marketing skills and have a clear and concise marketing plan - one that follows simple marketing strategies to keep you focused and on track. If you want to be a better marketer and take a more strategic approach then this workshop is for YOU. "It's the most valuable time I've ever spent on planning how to market my business" Laura Prophet, Prophet Analytics You will receive your own comprehensive workbook Marketing Toolkit for Business Owners full of templates, tips and checklists for marketing your business and a copy of the bestselling book, Purple Cow by Seth Godin. Date: Thursday 13 October 2005 Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm Venue: Clearly Business, Level 19, 323 Castlereagh Street, Sydney To book for this event please download workshop program and booking form from www.businessconnect.com.au Back to Top Is your business ready for growth? Workshop 25th October Do you: feel like you are riding the "growth" rollercoaster? want to take your business to the next level? know where you're heading but need help to get there? The Growth program is a combination of workshops, mentoring and a brains trust for those in business two years plus. The Program has very clear entry and exit pathways, you are in control of the process and where you enter and exit will depend on what stage you are at in your business cycle. *Program criteria* To be eligible for the program you must: be a business that has operated for two years or more have a minimum turnover(not profit of $100,000 plus ) be serious about taking the growth of your business to the next level. The first in our program is our workshop 'Is your Business Ready for Growth?' on the 20th October, where we offer you the opportunity of doing a health check on your business. Our presenter Linda Hailey will show you how to: Identify key opportunities Identify key challenges Create a vision Go for growth You will leave this workshop having identified the key internal and external issues affecting your business the changes required to achieve your vision pathways to address your business issues and vision. To book your place or obtain further information email dmcleod@clearlybusiness.com.au or see our online Training Calendars: ESBEC Training Calendar Clearly Business Training Calendar Back to Top Business Thursdays: Innovation 20th Oct; Branding Awareness 27th Oct In September we trialled our new initiative, Business Thursday, with great success. Each Thursday we held a different workshop between 3pm and 5pm at a cost of no more than $20.00. Your response shows us that this is what you are looking for. The workshops are all business focused and deal with a range of topical issues. We had over 50 attendees at each of these workshops and had to decline bookings on some as we were full. We plan to hold Business Thursdays twice a month. In October we have on offer: Innovation: Creating Standout Products and Services - 20th October Building Brand Awareness - 27th October If you wish to book a place, you can do so online via our Training Calendars: ESBEC Networking Calendar Clearly Business Networking Calendar If you are interested in presenting please contact dmcleod@clearlybusiness.com.au Back to Top Business Awards Gala evenings The closing deadlines have passed …now the long wait for the results. Over the last months I have been involved in two sets of Business Awards, the Australia Post Small Business Awards and the Randwick Excellence Awards. I must say that both events have created a lot of interest in our business communities. If you would like to attend either Gala evening event follow the links below for more details and to obtain your tickets. Randwick Australia Post Good luck to those who have entered. Back to Top Community Noticeboard - October Events This month we have a business breakfast at Bondi - Computers, Love Them or Hate Them, We Can't Live Without Them - where you can find out how to rid your computer of pesky viruses, get the most out of your internet connection and much, much more. In Bankstown you can find out why Germany is a great gateway to Europe for Australian businesses - In Canada Bay we have a networking cocktail function on the 12th October ,for more details of these and other events in your local area, click on the links below: ESBEC Community Noticeboard Clearly Business Community Noticeboard Back to Top Selling on eBay - workshops coming in November I for one have watchd eBay become part of our lives. Like you I have heard many stories from people who trade on eBay. More recently I am starting to see businesses open e-shops on eBay with mixed success. With this is mind I have linked up with eBay accredited trainers to present two workshops in November: The Basics of Selling on eBay - 16th November Beyond the Basics of eBay - 17th November From what I can see, eBay offers the following benefits: Provides a terrific forum for buyers and sellers to trade with minimal set up costs Offers a new method of selling (and buying) which can be done from home simply and cheaply Enables people who are physically prevented from being part of the regular workforce to earn an income Provides excellent online assistance to new and regular users Our eBay workshops explore: Marketing strategies Basic principles of consumer behaviour Product sourcing Avoiding common and uncommon traps The eBay Education Specialist accreditation scheme commenced in Australia in May 2005. Want to know more? Want to gain the skills, understanding and above all confidence to become a winner with eBay? Then book into these workshops. For more information and to book online see our Training Calendars: ESBEC Training Calendar Clearly Business Training Calendar Newsletter edited by Charmedia Back to Top