Start a Business Smart with Small Business News & Advice

Editor's Note

Where do Aussie start-ups get their investment from? Today, we lift the lid on businesses' funding sources.

All aboard for the small business board

The common wisdom is that only big companies need a board, but start-ups and SMEs can also benefit from having an advisory or even formal board structure in place. BY MARC PESKETT.

Revealed: Where Aussie start-ups get their funding

Finding start-up funding can be tough. Thankfully, as our infographic reveals, it is out there if you know where to look. BY OLIVER MILMAN.

What kind of salesperson are you?

The ability to sell can make or break a start-up. So what’s the most effective way of selling when you’re growing a business? Here are the pros and cons of seven common approaches. BY ALEXANDRA CAIN.

Early starter to success

Young entrepreneur Ben Bradshaw was inspired by magic when he launched the AdWords management company SponsoredLinX. Literally. BY MICHELLE HAMMOND.

10 great lessons to take from SXSW 2012

The annual South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas is a magnet for the world’s most innovative entrepreneurs. Here are the top 10 business lessons from this year’s show. BY OLIVER MILMAN.

The Start-up Mindset

Strategy is overrated

There are plenty of self-help gurus claiming that their strategy is the right one for your business. But can we really think our way through all the challenges the real world throws at us? BY JASON ROSE.

More The Start-up Mindset >

Start-up Profiles

Wajam

Social search start-up Wajam was born out of Quebec-based start-up accelerator Bolidea in 2009. Co-founder Martin-Luc Archambault discusses building a personalised social recommendation engine.

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Start-up Idea

Phone scanner could ward off stomach bugs

A mobile device that can detect if leftovers in your fridge are safe to eat could be heading to a store near you.

News

App studio is Hungry for Subway deal

The team behind Brisbane start-up Hungry Apps is heading to the United States to promote their products, including an app for Subway, after receiving funds from tech entrepreneur Stephen Baxter.

Banning excessive card fees won’t hurt start-ups, expert says

The Reserve Bank is considering a plan to ban businesses from imposing excessive credit card charges on customers, but an expert says the move wouldn’t affect many small businesses.

AngelCube applications close this Friday

AngelCube co-founder Andrew Birt says he’s impressed by the quality of applicants for the incubator’s next start-up round.

IP overhaul to provide certainty for innovators, Government claims

Researchers can now explore new ideas without the threat of patent infringement, the Federal Government says, after new intellectual property laws passed through Parliament yesterday.

Melbourne students limber up for start-up hackathon

University students in Melbourne will have just 48 hours to launch web-based start-ups from scratch this weekend, as part of their participation in Startup Hackathon Melbourne.

More News >

Taskmaster

Fix something that isn’t broken

Isn't it time you questioned why a something in your business is done in the way that it's done?

More Taskmaster >

Tech Tricks

Ignore a network on iOS

If you take your phone or iPad into work every day, or a place where there are a lot of WiFi networks, then you may find that you inadvertently join one you’re not meant to.

More Tech Tricks >

Mentors

More Mentors >

Michael Halligan

Who should I turn to for marketing ideas?

There’s nothing worse than a big mental block when you finally manage to put time aside to try something new with your marketing.

Scott Robinson
Is it worth including a blog on my business’ website?
Blogging is like anything else you do in terms of marketing your business – if it’s not quality and it’s not sending the right message, then you’re simply wasting your time.
Martin Nally
How can I ensure there’s not an (unintentional) gender pay gap in my business?
It really is unforgivable in this day and age to have gender pay inequity in a small business.
Gillian Franklin
How do I calculate my company’s net worth for a loan?
Here is a simple way to work out how much working capital your start-up needs.

Community

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Will it fly?

Need advice and feedback on your business idea, marketing strategy or growth plans?
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Covers everything from advertising and social media to email marketing and sales.
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Gadgets, IT systems, e-Commerce and tech trends - it's all here
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Home-based business

Discussion on everything to do with running a business from home.
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Feedback

Got an idea for StartupSmart? Let us know here.
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General discussion

General discussions about SMEs and start-ups.
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Finance and funding

StartupSmart's Finance group features discussions about financing and funding your start-up.
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Sustainability and start-ups

A place to discuss environmental issues that impact upon start-ups, and start-ups aiming for an environmental niche.
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Latest discussions

Good work Oliver!
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Labor imploding
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Startup TV

watch and learn

AOL’s hunt for start-ups

In its bid to revamp its image from struggling internet portal to dynamic tech business, AOL has a new division that invests in start-ups. Here’s how it works (and what they are looking for).

Previously

Events

2012 Young Entrepreneurs Mentoring Program
This mentoring program is ONLY for entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 35 years with a passion and ambition for entrepreneurship who have been working in their...
How to Build New Value into YOUR Business with Business Model Innovation
Do what you do now in a totally different way to create new value, that's the power of business model innovation. You may have heard people talk in the ...
Financial_Links
Mutual Fund Ratings - Get mutual fund ratings and find the best funds for you with Jemstep's ranking engine. It's free, easy, unbiased, and...
Innovation Through Technology
The world's most successful businesses are harnessing the power of technology. Regardless of the size of your business, you too can use all the cool t...
Strategic Lead Generation
You may have heard the phrase "The Money Is In The List" -- and for a very good reason. Your potential income is directly related to the quantity and quality...