Mentors Wanted

The next MentorNet program stars on 5 February (see schedule above for details). If you have five or more years experience in business we’d like to invite you to be a mentor. Previous mentors report the following benefits: Increased confidence, improved leadership and mentoring skills, networking, as well as the satisfaction of supporting another to grow their business. To apply, click on the Apply Now link at the top of this page. We hope you can join us.SuziPS Places are still available for mentorees to join this program. Last day for applications is this Friday. Program starts 5 Feb. 

Uniform Industrial Relations Laws Across Australia

ABN members have regularly identified the complexity and contradictions between state and federal IR laws as a real issue affecting small business.  According to today’s “Australian” newspaper, the Government has taken steps to address this situation, with  a uniform national industrial relations system, including identical federal and state laws covering most workers, planned to be in place by 2010 if a blueprint being considered by the Rudd Government is approved.

Details of the plan have not yet been made public, but the concept has already kicked off a lot of controversy, with its proponents hailing it as a great step forward; and its opponents seeing it as destructive to small business.

Here’s a link to the story and readers’ comments: http://www.news.com.au/comments/0,23600,23106193-421,00.html

The ABN will be writing to the Deputy Prime Minister about this initiative, on behalf of our 20,000 strong community.

We need YOUR input to ensure our correspondence is truly representative – so please post below to let us know your thoughts about the potential impact of uniform IR laws on your  business - or call me on 0439 908 108 to register your opinion – the more comments we receive, the more accurately we can represent our members’ opinions and concerns!

Susan McGrath

National Special Projects Manager (Public Policy and Advocacy)

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Susan Wareham McGrath - McGrath Career Management Susan Wareham McGrath is the owner of McGrath Career Management, a national career consulting and HRM agency. She is also General Manager of McGrath Migration Lawyers, one of Australia’s longest established corporate and individual migration advisory firms, which has assisted thousands of businesses and individual clients since its inception in 1983. Because we can expect to work for at least 45 years, Susan believes we should make our careers work for us, rather than working as wage slaves just to pay the bills. And as the owner of two businesses herself, she is passionate about supporting other small business owners to get their HR and recruitment processes right the first time! Susan is tertiary qualified in psychology and human resource management, holds a post graduate qualification in public policy development and is a nationally accredited trainer. She is a strong advocate for the personal and professional development of women, and she is an Advisory Board Member of the Australian Businesswomen’s Network. Email: susan@susanwareham.com Website: www.susanwareham.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/Susan_McGrath Blog: www.susanwareham.com LinkedIn: au.linkedin.com/in/susanwmcgrath Member Profile: See Susan’s Member Profile

You were able to provide me with answers…

It was the consultation process that helped me make up my mind to join MentorNet. I had read about the program through the newsletter but the consultation process provided me with the information I needed. You where able to provide me with the answers I needed to my questions. Also you gave me more information about the program, especially how I can benefit from it.

 

Maria Ganis, Personal and Professional Life Coach, Enosis International

 

Find out for yourself. Ask for a 30-minute obligation-free consultation today. Email us at mentoring@abn.org.au

Female Parliamentarians 2008

Our new parliament has 66 female members, many of whom are first-time representatives, keen and eager to respond to lobbying initiatives that will help them make their mark!  24% of Cabinet, the Outer Ministry and Parliamentary Secretaries are also women, leading significant portfolios including Employment & Workplace Relations, Health & Ageing Climate Change & Water and Familes, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.Following are links to the parliamentary web pages of each of our female representatives.  Those pages contain further links including biographies and links to the representatives’ personal home page.  FEMALE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES  JANUARY 2008Australian Labor Party

• Bird, Ms Sharon, Member for Cunningham
• Burke, Ms Anna, Member for Chisholm
• Campbell, Ms Jodie, Member for Bass
• Collins, Ms Julie, Member for Franklin
• D’Ath, Mrs Yvette, Member for Petrie
• Elliot, The Hon Justine, Member for Richmond
• Ellis, Ms Annette, Member for Canberra
• Ellis, The Hon Kate, Member for Adelaide
• George, Ms Jennie, Member for Throsby
• Gillard, The Hon Julia, Member for Lalor
• Grierson, Ms Sharon, Member for Newcastle
• Hall, Ms Jill, Member for Shortland
• Irwin, Mrs Julia, Member for Fowler
• Jackson, Ms Sharryn, Member for Hasluck
• King, Ms Catherine, Member for Ballarat
• Livermore, Ms Kirsten, Member for Capricornia
• Macklin, The Hon Jenny, Member for Jagajaga
• McKew, The Hon Maxine, Member for Bennelong
• Neal, Ms Belinda, Member for Robertson
• Owens, Ms Julie, Member for Parramatta
• Parke, Ms Melissa, Member for Fremantle
• Plibersek, The Hon Tanya, Member for Sydney
• Rea, Ms Kerry, Member for Bonner
• Rishworth, Ms Amanda, Member for Kingston
• Saffin, Ms Janelle, Member for Page
• Vamvakinou, Ms Maria, Member for Calwell

Independent

• No female Independent representatives

Liberal Party of Australia

• Bailey, The Hon Fran, Member for McEwen
• Bishop, The Hon Bronwyn, Member for Mackellar
• Bishop, The Hon Julie, Member for Curtin
• Gash, Mrs Joanna, Member for Gilmore
• Ley, The Hon Sussan, Member for Farrer
• Marino, Ms Nola, Member for Forrest
• Markus, Mrs Louise, Member for Greenway
• May, Mrs Margaret, Member for McPherson
• Mirabella, Mrs Sophie, Member for Indi
• Moylan, The Hon Judi, Member for Pearce
• Stone, The Hon Dr Sharman, Member for Murray
• Vale, The Hon Danna, Member for Hughes

The Nationals

• Hull, Mrs Kay, Member for Riverina

FEMALE SENATORS JANUARY 2008Australian Democrats

• Allison, Lyn – Senator for Victoria
• Stott Despoja, Natasha – Senator for South Australia

 Australian Greens

• Milne, Christine – Senator for Tasmania
• Nettle, Kerry – Senator for New South Wales
• Siewert, Rachel – Senator for Western Australia

 Australian Labor Party

• Brown, Carol – Senator for Tasmania
• Crossin, Trish – Senator for Northern Territory
• Hurley, Annette – Senator for South Australia
• Kirk, Linda – Senator for South Australia
• Lundy, Kate – Senator for Australian Capital Territory
• McEwen, Anne – Senator for South Australia
• McLucas, the Hon. Jan – Senator for Queensland
• Moore, Claire – Senator for Queensland
• Polley, Helen – Senator for Tasmania
• Stephens, the Hon. Ursula – Senator for New South Wales
• Webber, Ruth – Senator for Western Australia
• Wong, the Hon. Penny – Senator for South Australia
• Wortley, Dana – Senator for South Australia

 Country Liberal Party

• No female Senators

 Family First Party

• No female Senators

 Liberal Party of Australia

• Adams, Judith – Senator for Western Australia
• Boyce, Sue – Senator for Queensland
• Coonan, the Hon. Helen – Senator for New South Wales
• Fierravanti-Wells, Concetta – Senator for New South Wales
• Fisher, Mary Jo – Senator for South Australia
• Patterson, the Hon. Kay – Senator for Victoria
• Payne, Marise – Senator for New South Wales
• Troeth, the Hon. Judith – Senator for Victoria

 The Nationals

• Nash, Fiona – Senator for New South Wales

Welcome to the herMentor Site!

 

 

Welcome to the herMentor site – the official website for the Australian Businesswomen’s Network’s mentoring program, MentorNet.

 

At this site you can read stories from women who have participated in the program (which was launched in January 2007) with funding from the Federal Government under the Building Entrepreneurship in Small Business program.

 

In the right hand panel you’ll find links to:

• Success Stories from participants
• Media articles
• Recommended sites
• The Australian Businesswomen’s Network site

The navigation panel at the top of this page links you to information about the program, how it works, how you can apply to be a Mentor or Mentoree as well as the schedule for the next program (which commences in February 2008).

 

 

Are you Mentor-Ready? If you’re not sure whether you and your business are ready for mentoring, then take advantage of our obligation-free 30minute consultations. Call Fiona de Zotti on 02 8345 6108 or email her to book your consultation.

 

For more information on the program you can also contact our office at 1300 720 120.

 

Best wishes,

 

Suzi Dafnis – National General Manager

Australian Businesswomen’s Network

 

P.S. The site is still being populated with information and resources, so bookmark this site for future reference.

 

Why Mentor?

 

Mentoring is a rewarding role to both the Mentor and the Mentoree. Assisting another reach their goals and being a sounding board and helping the Mentoree identify issues and see the solutions for themselves.

The MentorNet program is the first national 6-month mentoring program ever launched and certainly the first to use today’s web and digital technology to deliver education and mentoring. The program uses a combination of online classrooms, blogs, podcasts, a web-community and virtual meetings to provide structured skills training and mentoring to businesswomen.

Today’s technologies allow us to tap into the richness of this country’s business thinking and education and deliver that direct to aspiring businesswomen in all parts of the country to help them grow their businesses. A successful businesswoman in Melbourne can mentor a woman in Brisbane. Today’s technologies mean that time and distance are no longer barriers.

Your commitment will include 24-36 hours over the 6-month period from 5 February 2008.

This time commitment will consist of fortnightly mentoring sessions with your pod of mentorees (each mentor works with 3-4 mentorees).

The subject matter the mentorees will study is:

• Business Planning
• Financial Development
• Marketing
• Human Resources
• Technology and Business

These modules will be delivered via live webinars, with case study information that the Mentorees will need to work on outside of the scheduled hours. These webinars are not compulsory for the Mentors but you are encouraged to review the recorded webinar session prior to meeting with your Mentorees.

There is no need for traveling outside of your office or home, this Mentoring Program will be delivered from where ever you are located in Australia, or even globally, via the internet.

All that is required from the Mentor is an Internet connection and a separate phone line.

Mentors are matched to their Mentorees based on their business expertise and experience and what the Mentorees objectives and goals are.

We invite you to participate in this exciting collaborative Mentoring program with the Australian Businesswomen’s Network. Download your application form today. See under the Apply Now tab above.

News

I learned the value of working ON the business and as a result I have employed staff

I always had a plan in my head of exactly what I wanted to do. I was a small business person who worked in my store seven days a week. I have now learnt the value of working ON the business and as a result I have employed staff to cover the store every day of the week and I am now there organising our activities, our future, our accounting, marketing etc. This has lead to so much growth and I never would have done if I hadn’t been told to. The program has given me the formal business skills and turned me from self-employed to a business builder.

Tina Tower - Reach Education Centre

Member: Australian Businesswomen’s Network

I have regained my confidence

So far MentorNet is giving me some clarity to my business goals and planning and my Mentor is giving me confidence to follow through some business ideas. The support of the mentorees is helpful in developing my confidence as I have been working in isolation for the past year and lost some of my confidence.

Susse Linton - Susse Collection

Member: Australian Businesswomen’s Network

I believe that MentorNet has helped me a lot

When I heard and read about the MentorNet program last year, I really like to join but I was not sure if they would accept my application because of my age or the years I’ve operated my business.

Anyway, I applied last April and was accepted. I was so happy because I really need help to update my business plan and the timing is good as real estate industry is in a slow market at the moment. So, I have plenty of time to really look at where my business is going and to be able to have a business plan and strategies and system in place before the industry starts moving again. At least, I will be able to fix anything that I need to do and plan well for my company.

We are now in our third month of the program – it’s amazing how time flies and I am still keeping up with doing all my Financials and now my Marketing Plan.

It gives me hope and plenty of thinking and planning to do. One by one, I know that I will be able to really finish and have a business system at the end and be able to run my business well. All my goals I am achieving them as I go and my next move is to make my business known, so now I hire someone to make a new company logo design for us that really represent who we are and what we can offer to our target market. And then, have our website re-design soon. I believe that MentorNet has helped me a lot for me to be accountable and learn to really achieve things step by step. Thank you and more power to ABN and MentorNet.

Riezel Kinsella - Riezel Kinsella Realty

Member: Australian Businesswomen’s Network

My questions re employing staff has been cleared so easily

I just started, however all my questions re employing staff has been cleared so easily! I feel that after the program I’ll still keep using my updated/improved business plan. It is not going to sit on the shelf!

Nina Milanova - Pero Entertainment

Member: Australian Businesswomen’s Network

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