The 2023 calendar year has drawn to a close. For many, it was still a year of hangover effects from covid and poorer economic conditions. For many others, it was a year of substantial growth and increased profits. So what set those businesses apart? In this episode, our host Paul Sweeney reflects on some of […]
What do you need to consider when choosing an accountant for your business? It’s an important decision – getting the right accountant for your needs can help you build a profitable and healthy business. Here are some key factors to consider: What services does your business need? What are your values? What are the qualifications […]
One of the accepted risks of running a business is being audited by the tax department. Nowadays, there are multiple government agencies that you and your business may need to deal with, apart from just the Australian Tax Office and possible income tax audits. With increased data sharing between government organisations, it has become much […]
What can you do to give yourself the best chance of success in your business? Following on from our last episode on business health checks, Paul Sweeney shares the 7 steps you need to take to create some positive changes in your business. What kinds of outcomes can you expect? Your business will be more […]
In general, small businesses are not healthy. Here are some alarming statistics – Australian Small Business and Family Enterprises Ombudsman (ASBFEO) has found that 49% of small business owners make less than average wages, and two out of 5 micro and small businesses are not profitable. Interestingly, there are also businesses who are thriving in […]
Events have long been a go-to strategy for businesses aiming to showcase their products or services. However, it’s not uncommon for these efforts to fall flat despite the considerable investments of time, effort, and money. In this episode we address the questions of: How can we turn the tide and make our events successful? How […]
Knowing your business and providing amazing products or services is only part of running a successful venture. Another crucial aspect of business success is building positive relationships. From fostering business-to-business ties, to encouraging return customers, to keeping fantastic staff – how you manage relationships is integral to your business. We are joined by Jason Owen, […]
Business owners – here’s an important question to ask yourselves, “Do my customers actually know what I do for them?” We are joined again by Nathan Williams (Customer Return) to look at this crucial issue – and how the use of storytelling can help bridge the gap in understanding and build your relationship. You can […]
We hosted The Business Behind Your Business Meet Up – a fun celebration for our podcast community. All of our podcast guests and listeners have been a special part of our podcast and we wanted to say thank you, plus hear from everyone about their business journeys. It was a great opportunity to network and […]
One of the biggest issues for business owners is managing cash flow. Healthy cash flow is crucial for the success of any business. Cash flow is a term that is often confused with profit. Business owners often say, “My business is busy and profitable, so why don’t I have any money in the bank?” Find […]
We are joined by Anna Ruth from Freedom for Humanity for an eye-opening chat about modern slavery. Freedom for Humanity is an organisation committed to creating a world where human rights are upheld, and all individuals can flourish and thrive. In this conversation we delve into Anna’s profound insights, her passion for human rights, and […]
As a small business owner, have you ever thought about doing business with large companies and decided it was never going to happen because it was just ‘too hard’ or the differences between your business and theirs were just too great? Find out how to successfully bridge the gap between small businesses and larger businesses. […]
Are you ready to grow your start-up but not sure how to attract funding? It is important to have your business ready before you try to gain investors. Roshan Sidhu from Frank Law looks at some important things you need to do to make your business investment ready: Make sure your business structure, documentation and processes are […]
Are you feeling time-poor in your business? Maybe you’re looking for ways to free up time in your busy days? Automation is the key! Learn how some simple strategies and tools can help you make better use of your time. Your business will be more productive and efficient. Some of these time-saving strategies include: Develop […]
Following on from our episode on the benefits of automation, Paul Sweeney (Pretium Solutions) takes a closer look at how you can get started using automations. First of all, it’s important to decide what would benefit from automation. Some of the key things to look for in tasks are as follows: Is it a repetitive […]
You may have heard that Australia is adopting eInvoicing, a new standard and network to help businesses with their invoicing needs. Larissa Walker, the ATO’s eInvoicing Business Adoption Lead, joins us to raise awareness of eInvoicing and to share information on the many benefits to businesses. When we’re talking about eInvoicing, this isn’t just the […]
The premise of ‘keep it simple’ has been widely used and helpful for many people in many scenarios. It’s about not overcomplicating things which can leave room for problems to develop. ‘Keeping it simple’ also applies to business. As a business owner, the more complicated you make things, the more steps that you add in […]
Getting a tax refund is good, right? Everyone loves a tax refund! But, if this tax refund is for your business, then it may be a sign of trouble! It’s time for a closer look at what is happening in your business. Find out why tax refunds are bad for business in this episode with […]
Does your business rely on labour? An aging population and falling immigration rates already reduced our labour market and then COVID-19 made staffing challenges that much harder. So how can your business grow and prosper during these challenging times? Paul Cripps from PK People Solutions explores the issues around labour shortages and provides some ideas […]
Do you need to know more about your customers or competition? What about trends affecting your industry? Or generational shifts in society? Successful businesses are all about providing great solutions to difficult problems faced by your customers. To make sure you are on the right path, it is crucial to have the right information to […]
Delegation can be a great tool for business owners to use – but only if used correctly! Otherwise, employees can feel resentful (“I’m getting the jobs no one else wants!”) or overwhelmed (“This isn’t my job, why am I doing it? I have no idea what to do!”) Raj Nathoo from Keystone Active Learning shares […]
As part of our celebration of our 100th episode, we asked our listeners what topic they would like covered. The consensus was to do a compilation of the best business advice from listeners. So that is what you will find in this jam-packed episode! We heard from business owners and professionals about the strategies that […]
It’s something that all businesses (and individuals) dread – a data breach. We all know by now how important it is to protect our data. But despite the tools and education available, these data breaches still happen. And sometimes, like the recent Optus breach, they are massive. This incident has led to many important questions […]
Sales is commonly listed as a problem area for businesses. But where to begin with fixing things? What can you do to improve your sales? Nathan Williams, founder of Customer Return, joins us to look at some of the biggest sales issues faced by businesses including: Developing the right pitch Creating a sales process that […]
Running your own business is amazing, right? The freedom, the power, the money – more like, the STRESS! Stress is something that everyone experiences, but for small business owners, it can feel extreme as you try to grapple with every problem imaginable and find solutions to please everyone. It’s an uphill battle that can leave […]
Running a successful business is all about the profit, right? While being profitable is the ultimate goal of a business, one of the most important factors (and one of the biggest pain points) is management of cash flow. So what can you do to improve your cash flow? Paul Sweeney from Pretium Solutions explores some […]
We assume accuracy is beneficial all of the time, but perhaps not always necessary. You can think of situations where accuracy might be sacrificed for speed perhaps, creativity, or just to get the ball moving on a project. Remember the saying by Catherine Carrigan, ‘Perfect is the enemy of done.’ But when is accuracy essential in business? Accuracy […]
Standard operating procedures (or SOPs) are about making things simpler at work and saving time. The work day is full of so many tasks and it makes sense to keep things as easy as possible. SOPs help you organise and streamline your activities to make the best use of your time. This is especially important […]
Are you guilty of mindless spending at work? Maybe you have cash leaking from your business and you don’t even realise it! Paul Sweeney (Pretium Solutions) explores some of the most common areas where money is wasted: Unused or under-used subscriptions Unnecessary licences Old subscriptions from past employees Automatic renewals These areas are often overlooked […]
Maybe you’ve been wondering how this podcast came about? A bunch of factors coming together resulted in Paul Sweeney wanting to create a podcast focused on helping small business owners. First of all, Paul comes from a small town where he saw first hand the implications of local businesses succeeding or failing. Success of failure […]
Paul Sweeney, the host of The Business Behind Your Business, is back and ready for another exciting year of delving into the world of small business. We are settling into 2023 now with the Australian summer holidays fading into memory and busy routines returning. We are also seeing a push from many businesses to have […]
Are you feeling stuck in the day to day routines of your corporate job? Have you ever dreamed of running your own business? You are not alone! Many people take the plunge into the SME waters – but is it worth it? And is it the right decision for you? If you are thinking about […]
Business owners spend a lot of time thinking about the things they should be doing. What are the latest trends to get on top of? What are the newest tools you need to be using? What are your goals and targets for the year ahead? But few business owners take the time to think about what […]
Do you feel like you are stuck in a rut making the same goals for your business every year because these goals are never achieved? Maybe it’s time to take a closer look at how you are setting your goals. Paul Sweeney (Pretium Solutions) explores how goals are developed – and asks the all-important question […]
Did you know that a series of changes to industrial relations laws have been happening in Australia? Some have come into effect in Dec 2022 and others are happening throughout 2023. Many business owners are not aware of these changes. It is necessary for business owners to keep on top of this information – ignorance […]
Are you curious about starting a business? Do you want to learn more about the SaaS industry? Maybe you are interested in becoming an entrepreneur yourself? Listen in and gain some insight from our special guest, Stuart McLeod, co-founder of Karbon. Stuart has had many experiences as an entrepreneur. He started off in his early […]
