Technology
The most important 'pop up' ever?
Bhakthi Puvanenthiran A former soldier and a storage expert from Adelaide might be making global history.
How fast food is overtaking supermarkets
![Tony Featherstone.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/1/3/i/z/7/w/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gp8rm6.png/1464825421794.jpg)
Tony Featerstone What happens when ordering food online or eating out each night becomes the norm for more people?
How to handle bad online reviews
![Prospective customers almost always look at online reviews.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/s/a/v/u/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gp28w5.png/1464739850860.jpg)
Bhakthi Puvanenthiran Customers love complaining online, but you don't have to take it lying down.
Fast broadband: transforming towns to tech hubs
![Canberra Data Centres makes about $50 million earnings a year.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/j/1/o/b/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gowqb3.png/1463636927345.jpg)
Ben Salmon COMMENT: Access to new technologies and fast broadband is helping to drive a movement of 'Silicon Suburbs' in regional Australia led by bold entrepreneurs.
Data protection for small entities
![Small businesses must be aware of their obligations to protect customer data.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/c/3/n/u/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gory59.png/1463945792728.jpg)
Ursula Hogben COMMENT: Data protection breaches can result in a loss of vital business data and customer trust. Do you know your obligations? Do you understand how to comply?
Do we really understand innovation?
![Ideas are powerful, but maybe not that powerful.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/k/h/3/x/z/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.goq6gy.png/1462781614594.jpg)
Jason Wyatt COMMENT: Politicians and others love talking about it - but there's scant evidence to suggest they know what it means.
The best free apps for small business
![New approach: Dan Kranjcic uses his iPhone to help run his business.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/9/l/q/y/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.go9pta.png/1461052117487.jpg)
Cara Waters The best free iPhone and Android apps to help your small business run on the run.
Art sales go online
![Bluethumb founder Edward Hartley says the online marketplace makes it easier to be an artist.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/4/6/o/u/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.go45vi.png/1462508925931.jpg)
Nina Hendy Art fairs are shutting down and galleries closing but online art sales are skyrocketing in Australia.
Tech unicorn moves in on Australia
![Slack co-founder Cal Henderson says success has come from embracing failure.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/n/v/7/8/k/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gnuvri.png/1459496595474.jpg)
Cara Waters From the ashes of a failed video game start-up to the world's fastest-growing business application ever, why Slack is targeting Australia.
Reinventure backs Flare HR to disrupt default super
![Flare HR co-founders Daniel Cohen, Jan Pacas and Saul Kaplan plan to disrupt default super.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/n/o/o/n/j/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gnp5br.png/1459156446998.jpg)
James Eyers Westpac's venture fund has taken a stake in Flare HR, which promises to overhaul company engagement with employees and tackle apathy about personal finance.
Welcome to the cash-free cafe
![Saxon Wright, founder of Pablo & Rusty's Coffee Roasters, shows off his Frank Green cup at the Coffee expo at the ...](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/n/p/y/4/8/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gnpz35.png/1459120963079.jpg)
Cara Waters Saxon Wright's coffee business turns over $10 million a year but he's going cash free at his latest cafe opening in Brisbane.
'Want it now' shoppers put Aussie retailers under pressure
![Ivan Lim, co-founder of online furniture retailer Brosa, says technology is a key part of his business.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/k/s/4/y/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gnj4i8.png/1458018119417.jpg)
Nina Hendy Australian retailers face mounting pressure to lift their game as shoppers demand better products, faster delivery times and cheap or free shipping options.
The perils of social media
![Your private life is no longer private.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/n/2/1/v/e/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gndly7.png/1457496033188.jpg)
Christine D'Mello Our private use of social media could be one of the pitfalls of the modern workplace.
GlamCorner scores in the sharing economy of fashion rental
![GlamCorner founders Dean Jones and Audrey Khaing-Jones have a background in finance rather than fashion.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/n/9/r/9/c/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gn9pt2.png/1456988895881.jpg)
Cara Waters A trend towards access not ownership is behind the $800,000 boost to this designer dress rental business.
Male sellers on eBay have edge over women
![Melanie Fodera, 21, has been selling on eBay for about seven years.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/z/5/1/u/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmz4we.png/1455935807297.jpg)
Pam Belluck Sellers on eBay know certain things matter: item description, appealing photos, strong seller ratings and, of course, price. Now, a study suggests another factor is at play.
Tweet revenge for businesses
![Twitter chief executive and co-founder Jack Dorsey is trying to make Twitter more business friendly.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/n/z/o/t/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmybtq.png/1455856728555.jpg)
Cara Waters Businesses can now take complaints offline and avoid a social media meltdown.
Podcasts for entrepreneurs
![Emma Clark and Tess McCabe record a podcast called 'The New Normal' about parents running creative businesses.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/s/o/f/7/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmxhyc.png/1457893472983.jpg)
Cara Waters If you're a parent who runs their own business, a business owner who loves a beer or looking for tips on building an online audience, there's a podcast for you.
Image is everything, but filters sure help
![Topaz filters completely transform your photographs.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/p/2/s/2/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmp2i6.png/1455710753331.jpg)
Terry Lane Two filter sets, Topaz and Nik, plug into Photoshop. Which one comes out ahead?
Spotcap Australia to share in $48.5m raising
![Lachlan Heussler, Spotcap Australia managing director, says he is in talks with all the major banks and expects to ...](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/j/e/a/4/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmje65.png/1454417007149.jpg)
Shaun Drummond New small business lender Spotcap will use a €31.5 million ($48.5 million) debt and equity injection from private equity house Finstar Financial Group to expand operations in Australia, Spain and The Netherlands and into new markets.
The million-dollar tennis selfie business
![Spectators take selfies at the Australian Open which has catapulted Social Playground into the spotlight.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/a/t/c/q/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmai69.png/1453424693366.jpg)
Cara Waters Annabelle Smith built a million-dollar business from our obsessions with selfies at the tennis and other events.
Your boss can read your WhatsApp
![Is your boss reading your instant messages?](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/d/5/8/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gm5poy.png/1452798995784.jpg)
Cara Waters Australian employers are already within their rights to read employees' instant messages.
Outrage at employee-tracking devices
![The OccupEye device.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/3/z/4/8/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gm3usb.png/1452641345885.jpg)
Cara Waters Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper has quickly removed tracking devices from journalists' desks after a backlash from unions and staff.
School kid turns app entrepreneur
![Spencer Porter, founder of LOWK8 app.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/0/k/0/7/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glzo2g.png/1452112515118.jpg)
Cara Waters How 16-year-old Spencer Porter created an app and got it stocked by Apple.
5 business trends set to shape 2016
![Immersive reality technology could have important applications for small business.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/k/m/j/g/j/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gm03fi.png/1452041749488.jpg)
Adam Courtenay Futurists predict the top trends that will impact on your small business this year.
Tech IPOs face tough investors
![Atlassian co-founders Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar watch as their company's shares open on the Nasdaq.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/l/2/8/8/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glzm45.png/1452508875596.jpg)
Alex Barinka and Eric Newcomer For investors to pile in tech companies will need to show profitability not just promise.
My business fell into a Google black hole
![Matt Lawry, owner of Yellow Octopus, says dropping out of Google's rankings can destroy small businesses.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/l/e/y/5/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gll29c.png/1450064233867.jpg)
Cara Waters Small businesses beware. Google can hijack your profitability by blacklisting your company if your SEO is found wanting.
Drone businesses have lift off
![Deb Saunders from ANU tests out a drone for wildlife tracking.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/i/f/g/w/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gliexc.png/1449555184051.jpg)
Gayle Bryant Drones aren't just for hunting terrorists. They're being developed to assist businesses with everything from preventing shark attacks to pizza delivery.
10 business lessons in 10 years
![Sean O'Meara founded ImPOS 10 years ago and has learnt a lot from both his mistakes and successes.](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/f/c/x/c/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glfcdl.png/1449190831675.jpg)
Sean O'Meara How Sean O'Meara started up ImPOS and turned it into a point of sale software business with $7 million revenue.
Making money out of shark attack paranoia
![Close call: Pro surfer Mick Fanning is attacked by a shark during the finals of the J-Bay Open in Jeffrey's Bay, South ...](/web/20160620135826im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/j/4/g/e/9/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gl8lxj.png/1455174602616.jpg)
Kate Jones Aussie entrepreneurs dive into shark deterrence technologies after a sharp rise in attacks.