My Best Mistake
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Selling without a strategy
Read MoreSelling your wares online is an instant recipe for success, right? Not according to Pierre Boutros, who learnt that even the most straightforward business needs strategies in place to secure sales.
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Early starter to success
Read MoreBeing young in business can be an advantage, but having a young family to support leaves little room for error. Ben Bradshaw knows all too well what this is like.
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Snaring the right technical co-founder
Read MoreHaving a great idea is the launchpad for most entrepreneurs, but success is defined by how you develop that idea using your skills and experience, and the expertise of others.
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Shifting to a leadership mindset
Read MoreTaking on a new role in a business can be daunting, particularly if you’re stepping into the shoes of the person who built the business.
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Learning the language of Google
Read MoreSearch engine optimisation is a crucial element when it comes to being seen online, but small businesses often find that becoming visible to customers is harder than it seems.
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The dangers of committing to a big partnership
Read MoreStriking a deal with another company to commercialise your product sounds like an ideal arrangement, but if that company changes hands, suddenly your future can look very different.
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Modelling an overly-lean start-up
Read MoreAll start-ups should ensure costs don’t run out of control, but when you operate in a cutthroat industry such as modelling, you can’t afford to skimp on much if your business is to grow.
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Redefining the concept of loyalty
Read MoreCreating a new concept in any industry is no mean feat, but when you’re operating in a highly competitive market such as customer loyalty programs, the stakes are even higher.
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A GFC-exposed skills crunch
Read MoreExpanding your workforce is imperative if you are to diversify and grow your business, but how do you know the people you’re hiring are up to the job? Rob Davidson found this out the hard way.
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How an overseas deal can get lost in translation
Read MoreNegotiating the terms of a deal can be taxing at the best of times. But the challenge is particularly acute if the other party is based overseas, as details can get lost in translation or slip through the net entirely.
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Shifting from operating solo to a partnership
Read MoreMaking the transition from running your own business to a partnership can be tricky, but it’s a move made by many entrepreneurs looking to grow. What matters is how both parties handle the change.
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Finding your niche market
KnRead Moreowing which niche market you intend to cater for is hugely important, but if you’re unsure how to target that market, your business won’t get very far.
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Playing the franchise waiting game
Read MoreManaging workers within a mobile business can be risky, particularly if you’re not around to supervise. But when your business centres around children’s parties, everything must go to plan.
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How I got my ideal start-up lifestyle – second time around
Read MoreMike O’Hagan is the founder of Mini Movers, providing short-distance furniture moving. The company has operated in Australia since 1985, with a presence in all the major cities.
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Dealing with a nosedive in client spending
Read MoreThe global financial crisis saw the collapse of many established businesses, not to mention the start-ups that were so unfortunate enough to launch in the midst of it.
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How a news article turned my business on its head
Read MoreUsing the media as a marketing tool is nothing new, particularly among cash-strapped start-ups looking to get their name out there.
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Framing a new business mantra
Read MoreEntrepreneurs often speak about “getting off the hamster wheel” when they start a business, which can be difficult when the business is performing well and sales are steady.
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Disrupting the status quo
Read MoreLaunching a new concept in an unfamiliar industry often requires a thick skin, particularly if you plan on franchising your business from the get-go.
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Building the right start-up option
Read MoreTrying to sell off $20 million worth of property during an economic crisis is a near-impossible task, yet Garry Braams found himself with no alternative.
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Bridging the knowledge gap
Promising the world to clients can be a tempting sales strategy for start-ups, particularly in the early days when sales are scarce, but it can also backfire in a very big way.Read More
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From zero to creative hero
Read MoreBeing temporarily dis-engaged from your parents as a teenager might not sound like the ideal background for a successful entrepreneur.
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Winning over reluctant suppliers
Read MoreStart-ups have been known to try every trick in the book to win over sceptical suppliers but when you’re barely out of uni you don’t necessarily have the right skills or experience to draw on let alone a good reputation.
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Outgrowing the dining room
Read MoreWorking from home is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways of starting a business, particularly if you never need to leave the house in order to make sales.
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A debt-laden start-up idea
Read MoreHaving very little money has served as the motivation for many successful entrepreneurs, from Seven Media chief Kerry Stokes to Harry Potter mastermind JK Rowling.
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Battling search engine invisibility
Read MoreOperating online is the norm these days, particularly if you’re a new business. But as Matt and Richard Burgess found out, setting up a website is the easy part. Being found online presents an entirely new set of challenges.
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Jumping the gun with clients
Read MoreNegotiating with real estate agents isn’t most people’s idea of fun, but one business found out the hard way how to deal with the industry in a profitable way.
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Picking the right venture
For many entrepreneurs, choosing which industry to enter doesn't warrant a second thought – they enter a particular market based on their experience and business idea.Read More
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Rebuilding the business model
Building a network for rural and regional businesses is no mean feat, so it’s important to get it right from the start. But when your plan backfires, how do you proceed?Read More
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Recovering from a voucher slip-up
Read MoreSupply and demand can be a precarious balance for small businesses, even more so for start-ups still trying to build up their customer base.
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An untimely debut
Read MoreLaunching a business during a global economic downturn is ill timed, to say the least. But when you’re a start-up, you can’t afford to procrastinate, particularly if you’ve already spent a year preparing.
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Going solo at the last minute
Read MoreStarting a business can be an overwhelming experience, particularly if you didn’t plan on doing it alone. But as Matthew Sampson found out, thinking on your feet is crucial when you realise that you are going solo.
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Tapping into the rural digital economy
Milking cows isn’t an obvious path to website design but entrepreneur Tim Gentle says moving to a rural area proved to be the perfect way to tap into a niche online market.Read More
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Entering into a partnership agreement
Brian Jones is the founder of Fortitude Financial Management, a Victorian-based business providing life insurance solutions across the business, personal and superannuation sectors.Read More
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Biting off more than you can chew
Read MoreAlicia Beachley’s mantra reads like this: “I believe in biting off more than you can chew and then chewing like crazy.”
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Getting clinical about company culture
The ‘culture’ of a business is something many large companies spend a lot of time, and money, getting right. But getting the right mix of staff is something start-ups should be concerned about too, as The Missing Link found out – expensively.Read More
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Being picky about business premises
Despite launching just two years ago, Mount Lawley Pets & Puppies is already changing the negative perceptions of pet shops with its open and ethical approach.Read More
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Being an industry outsider
Read MoreCalifornia-born Carl Harwin is the founder of frozen yoghurt business Wowcow, which recently announced its plans to become a nationwide franchise.
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Ahead of the advertising curve
Despite starting out in a fringe market, independent online publisher Sound Alliance is now considered an essential resource for the likes of big-name brands such as Virgin Mobile and Smirnoff.Read More
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Finding the value in franchising
Read MoreWA-based business What Scratch? is an automotive scratch repair business, founded in 2008 by husband-and-wife team Matthew and Dale Burke.