Government Reshuffle Means New Small Business Minister
December 16, 2011
By Amy Lyden, Australian Businesswomen’s Network Advocacy Advisor
© Perth Now
Nick Sherry has stepped down as Minister for Small Business after only 15 months in the role, just prior to a major reshuffle by Prime Minister Julia Gillard this week.
The Prime Minister has appointed Mark Arbib, the 40 year old senator for NSW. Senator Arbib also holds the new role of Assistant Treasurer and retains his previous title of Minister for Sport.
There are 2 million small businesses in Australia, of which women own over 30%.
Senator Arbib quoted, “Small business is the heart of the economy. I… understand the importance of small business to jobs and wealth creation. They (small businesses) are the heart of Labor’s economic policy.” Senator Arbib was previously Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development and Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness.
During the global financial crisis, he worked with small business to form and grow the $100 million Apprentice Kickstart Program whereby over 46,000 young Australians were helped to start apprenticeships, also helping close the skill gap felt by many small businesses.
The Australian Businesswomen’s Network welcomes Senator Arbib to this important new role and we look forward to working with him and his office to ensure the small business sector and particularly women-owned small businesses are well represented.
What issues are important to YOU that Senator Arbib should be aware of? Please post your thoughts and concerns.
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY AMY LYDEN
- Charity: Water – “Technology Changes Everything”
- Developing an Asia Plan for Your Future
- Make Care Fair – the cost of not having affordable and flexible childcare
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Amy Lyden – Advocacy Advisor – Australian Businesswomen’s NetworkAn entrepreneur and specialist in ecommerce and online strategy, Amy has had over 13 years of practical experience in these areas. Launching her first website in 1998 Amy was at the forefront of an online revolution without even realizing it. Within a year this site became and remains today a #1 ranking site and global community of pet lovers that attracts over 4 million visitors a year. This Australia-based business, Bow Wow Meow, now sells product online to over 100 countries worldwide. Amy sold this business in 2007 and turned her energy to the nonprofit sector. Amy is currently the CEO of Australian Scholarships Foundation, an organisation that facilitates scholarships for education and training for people who work in the nonprofit sector. Amy is the recipient of numerous business awards including the 2006 NSW Telstra Business Women’s Awards for Innovation, the 2002 National Telstra Business Award and the Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World Grant. Amy is an Ambassador and former Chairperson for the Australian Businesswomen’s Network, an organisation that supports female entrepreneurs. Amy was also invited to serve on the Commonwealth Small Business Council, an initiative by the Federal minister for Small Business. Amy has been profiled in the following books: “Women’s Business, Women’s Wealth” by Amanda Ellis, “Female Entrepreneurs,” by Leiza Clark and “Secrets of Female Entrepreneurs Exposed!” by Dale Beaumont. Amy is passionate about using technology to connect people globally for positive change.
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Are you ready to take your business to the next level?
December 15, 2011
MentorNet will help you get there!
Consider the Top 10 Benefits of the MentorNet mentoring and training program for businesswomen:
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Comprehensive Training in Core Business Skills |
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Over a six-month period (with a small time commitment of 1 to 2 hours per week), you will learn the core skills required for growing your business, including Business Planning, Finances, Marketing, Human Resources, Information Technology and Business Performance Management. |
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A Detailed Business Plan |
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Whether you already have a business plan or need help in formulating one, by the end of the program you will have a detailed plan that has been analysed and revised based on input from several trusted professionals. |
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Mentor and Peer Support |
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Over a six-month period (with a small time commitment of 1 to 2 hours per week), you will learn the core skills required for growing your business, including Business Planning, Finances, Marketing, Human Resources, Information Technology and Business Performance Management. |
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Increase Confidence |
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For many participants, the most valuable benefit of MentorNet is their increased sense of confidence as a business leader. Although it’s normal for novice businesswomen to second-guess their daily decisions, a lack of self-confidence often hinders progress. With the clear direction and assurance provided by MentorNet, you can forge ahead with confidence. |
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Maximise Profit |
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A line-by-line review of your budget will eliminate waste and maximise profitability. And don’t worry about privacy when it comes to your budget; all mentors sign a confidentiality agreement. What happens in MentorNet stays in MentorNet. |
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Overcome Obstacles |
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Sometimes all it takes is a fresh point of view to solve long-standing problems (and sometimes we don’t recognise our problems until others point them out). Expert advice from industry leaders and experienced mentors will help you to overcome all obstacles to business growth. |
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Never Leave Your Desk |
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The pioneering MentorNet program was designed for your convenience. Using our innovative web applications, you can view presentations and webinars, interact with mentors and peers, and advance through your training modules — all from the comfort of your home or office! |
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Cutting-Edge Technology |
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As long as you have the Internet, then you’ll have access to our interactive webinars, teleconferences, and MentorNet resources (templates, checklists, private MentorNet website) that will keep you up-to-date on best practices in all areas of business. |
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Community Building |
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Collaboration is key to MentorNet. You will not only collaborate with your mentor and peers, but you will also become part of a larger community of like-minded businesswomen. Many participants leave the program with invaluable contacts for future vendors, employees, or partners. MentorNet makes networking easy. |
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Prepare for Growth |
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MentorNet is much more than a guide for establishing your business. Growth is the goal. By the end of the program, you will be ready to take your business to the next level! |
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You will study the best practises in marketing, business planning, finances, human resources, technology and business development (learning from expert presenters) in a collaborative program designed specifically for women business owners.
The 2012 MentorNet program starts 12 June.
Applications are now being accepted. Learn more about the program here.
ABN Members save a significant amount of $$$ towards their MentorNet tuition.
Not sure if you’re MentorNet ready?
Register now for a free consultation to find out if the program is right for you.
Watch the Me & My Mentor information session webinar.
11 Tips to Stay Healthy this Christmas
December 15, 2011
By Catherine Pritchard, Radiance Healthcare Centre
It’s pre-Christmas party season and with that can come some late night parties and plenty of good cheer.
Get through the silly season unscathed this year…
so that you can enjoy abundant energy and vitality and enjoy the holidays as well.
Tip 1: Get inspired about living a healthy life and all the benefits that go with it. When you are inspired, it makes it so easy to commit to a style of eating and way of life no matter what is going on around you and still have fun!
Tip 2: Avoid sugary cocktails and soft drink mixers. Laden with sugar and extra calories, these are definitely on the Christmas no-no list especially if you want to keep that waistline
Tip 3: An oldie but a goodie: Alternate water with a glass of alcohol. It will help you slow your drinking down and re-hydrate.
Tip 4: When it comes to BBQ’ing, don’t ever char the meat. This is one of the most unhealthiest things you can do to meat and to your body. Numerous studies link blackened meats with a higher risk to bowel cancer.
Tip 5: Have a good quality multi-vitamin or B vitamin supplement before you go out. Alcohol robs our body of B vitamins and can leave us feeling fatigued and washed out the next day.
Tip 6: Protect your liver! The herb St Mary’s thistle is long regarded as one of the best liver tonics. Give your liver the TLC it deserves and have some St Mary’s.
Tip 7: Limit your intake of refined sugar as this also puts on the kilos and saps your energy. Watch those desserts, candies, Christmas biscuits and cakes – keep an eye on just how much you are eating in any given week. Keeping a food diary might be helpful.
Tip 8: Buffet dinners often spell over-eating. So go into it with care. Watch your portions and take your time eating. Check in with your body regularly and see how full you are. Stop when you are around 70% full. Portion control is definitely vital here to get through a buffet dinner without feeling like the side of a house afterwards!
Tip 9: Water. Water and more water. When we are on holidays and out of our routine, we can forget to drink the elixir of life – water.
Tip 10: Keep up (or start) your exercise over the holidays and during the party season. Make a deal with yourself that if you indulge a little more than what you thought you would, then you will do extra exercise the next day
Tip 11: Remember to stay focused and true to your health goals AND have a wonderful and safe Christmas!! It’s possible to do both!
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY CATHERINE PRITCHARD
- Sharpen your axe for peak brain function
- Eight Ways to Minimise Headaches
- Kick start your year with a healthy, scientific detox
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Catherine Pritchard - Radiance Healthcare CentreCatherine is a scientific naturopath who is experienced in working with business women to increase their energy, motivation and productivity. Her innovative programs are based on the latest research and incorporate simple dietary changes so that you can get the most out of each and every day. Prior to commencing her career as a naturopath almost 10 years ago, Catherine was an industrial chemist in an oil refinery. Her scientific background caused her to seek out the latest technology to assess your health, energy and vitality. In conjunction with a thorough assessment, these state of the art tests allow her to personally prescribe you the most suitable nutrients that will make the greatest impact on your health and wellbeing.
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10 Suggestions to Extend Your PR
December 14, 2011
By Johanna Baker-Dowdell, Strawberry Communications
When you think about generating PR for your business, I imagine the first thing that enters your mind would be writing and sending out a media release, which would then lead to interviews with the media or being quoted in an article.
This is a great place to start, but I want you to think about the other ways you can extend your PR beyond the media release.
To help you along I’ve included 10 ideas below:
1. Write articles about your area of expertise
For example, Kristy-Lee from Footprint Recruitment writes about HR. These articles can be sent to industry magazines, newspaper sections and blogs.
2. Offer yourself as an expert for an interview
Everyone will soon be thinking about New Year’s resolutions, so it’s the perfect time for Alycia from Coastal Accounting Services to speak about setting business goals.
3. Call the radio station
We all laugh about the loonies who call talkback radio, but not all callers are loonies and this method might fit in with your message. Breakfast and drive time radio segments often have call-in topics and some even have free business promotions on certain days if you send your details.
4. Current affairs programs
If you watch Today Tonight or A Current Affair, they are always asking for people to send them stories, so make yours topical and pitch it.
5. Letters to the editor
When I worked at a newspaper, this was one of the best-read pages in the whole paper. If the issue was good, the editor would turn it into a story and interview the writer.
6. Online editions
Many media outlets now have online editions and invite readers to send newsworthy information and, sometimes, even tell the news themselves in a special section, so it’s worth checking out your local paper.
7. Run a competition
Many businesses run competitions and if it’s newsworthy, the media might be interested. For example, the Miss Australia pageant is a fundraising event, but always covered in the media.
8. Product reviews
Pick 5-10 media outlets that you know are popular with your customers and offer them a review sample of your product or a CD with images, information or even a song if you’re a songwriter. Your customers will see third-party opinions on your product and the cost to you has been minimal.
9. Responding to source call outs/calls for witnesses
Whether this is someone who has filmed a video of a bushfire and posted it to YouTube, or responded to a request SourceBottle, it is often first in, best dressed, so take advantage of opportunities as they arise. The LinkedIn Answers section works similarly, in that you can answer a question on your topic of expertise and others can see what you have written. They can contact you if they need more information.
10. Advertising
I left this to last because this will involve you outlaying money to promote your business; but if you ever buy advertising in any medium, ask for editorial space or time as part of the deal.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY JOHANNA BAKER-DOWDELL
- Five Lessons from Business Mums
- Make Your Media Release Social
- How to Get Your Awards Entry Shortlisted
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Johanna Baker-Dowdell - Strawberry CommunicationsJohanna owns and runs writing and public relations service Strawberry Communications. The agency builds relationships with the media and key stakeholders on behalf of its SME clients. This service is provided through careful research and strategic communication, then maintained by telling the business’s story through amazing publicity and expertly crafted words. Strawberry Communications is based in Launceston and was launched in 2007. Johanna has more than 16 years experience in the media industry and is also a freelance journalist and blogger.
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Energise Your Business with Easy New Year’s Resolutions
December 13, 2011
By Nerida Gill, Admin Bandit
I’m tempted to add “New Year’s resolutions” to my list of dirty words. The phrase is just too steeped with failure — it doesn’t help, of course, that the media loves to bombard us with abysmal statistics.
Apparently 25% of us can’t even stick to a resolution for a week and 88% fall by the wayside within a year.
There’s even an industry that analyses the top reasons we fail!
Are we really that pathetic?
No.
I think we fail because no-one has taught us to make effective resolutions — our resolutions are too vague and focus on the negative, which means we either have no plan of attack or have to deprive ourselves of something we love, such as chocolate.
So I’m not going to give up making New Year’s resolutions just yet… I’m just going to make ones that are specific and optimistic. I’ve brainstormed a list of bite-sized things we can all do to boost our businesses and refresh our enthusiasm in 2012.
Best of all, they’re (mostly) free and take less than five minutes to start!
Learn and grow
Professional development is a breeze, not to mention fun and inspiring when you:
- Join an association (and later take on a role)
- Get familiar with your local library’s business section
- Hire a consultant
- Attend a workshop or conference
- Learn how to write a press release
Get organised
A few simple strategies will transform the way you work. To get more done in less time and with fewer hassles:
- Set three to five specific goals at the beginning of each week
- Write a daily to-do list, tackling the most important tasks first
- Divide your time into blocks of related activities to reduce distractions and interruptions. For example, make your phone calls or answer your emails in a single sitting
- If you catch yourself procrastinating, ask yourself, “Is this the best use of my time?”
- Set a time limit on meetings and stick to it
- Spend 10 minutes a day doing those tasks you avoid… it quickly adds up.
Develop your business relationships
Networking doesn’t have to be scary; in fact, it can be surprisingly effortless:
- Join or friend business-related Facebook pages and regularly leave comments
- Say “thank you” more often: acknowledge everyone from your team members to the speaker at a seminar
- Decide to be cheerful: smile, compliment or chat to your customers, suppliers and associates, even if they’re grumpy or difficult
- Give people something for nothing: your time, advice, free samples or even small gifts
Attract more customers
Don’t have a marketing and promotions budget? A little creativity and Internet savvy go a long way:
- Join social networks. Get on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Flickr
- Start a blog or guest post on a related blog
- Create a new email signature with all your contact details, including address, phone numbers, email, website and social networking links
- Engage with small business forums: ask questions, leave comments and share your experiences
- Invite customers, suppliers and associates to join your mailing list
- Develop partnerships with complementary businesses
- Share your expertise: run free workshops, make videos for Youtube or write an e-book to download from your website
- Run a competition or donate prizes to an event
- Start an incentive/rewards program
MORE GREAT POSTS BY NERIDA GILL
- Ho Ho Ho, A’ Christmas Networking We Go
- Entrepreneurial Qualities: Lessons from the Life of Steve Jobs
- Keeping Up With Your Brand: A Reality Lesson from the Kardashians
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Nerida Gill - Admin BanditNerida Gill is the creator of Admin Bandit, a web-based accounting package designed specifically to make keeping the books easy for volunteer treasurers in community groups. After winning numerous business awards, Admin Bandit is in a growth phase after recently attracting external investment.
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Get your time back. Productivity tips for business owners.
December 12, 2011
Does it ever feel like time evaporates? As it gets closer to Christmas, I’m feeling the pressure of ‘too little time’ more than usual.
But, with two weeks until we close the office for Christmas, I’m determined to continue to have focused and productive time in the office.
That’s why I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s webinar with Angie Spiteri of Time Equals Money.
This event, which is free for premium members of the Australian Businesswomen’s Network (i.e. StartUp and Growth members) is called: The 7 Pillars to the Ultimate Efficient Business – National Webinar.
Angie promises to shows you how to recover time and work super efficiently, so that you and your team can get on with your work… and enjoy life!
I’m looking forward to picking up some tips! And I know that sometimes being more productive is a matter of being reminded of the strategies that work.
Here’s what she’ll cover:
- Create uninterrupted focus in the workplace (Oh, yeah!)
- Resolve conflicting priorities
- Formulate the BEST solutions to create a REAL sense of urgency
- Keep in the direction of your targets (WITHOUT stress)
- Uncover personal time-stealing habits – and create unique solutions to resolve them
- Lose the team habits that STEAL your time and MONEY
I hope you’ll join me. Call 1300 720 120 today to register or register online here.
Webinar Details:
| Date: | Tuesday, 13 December 2011 |   |
| Time: | 10.15am for 10.30am – 11.30am AEDT | |
| Venue: | Webinar, from your home or office | |
| Price: | Growth Members: FREE | |
| StartUp Members: FREE | ||
| CommunityPlus Members: $35 | ||
| Community Members: $39 | ||
| Non-Members: $39 |
Suzi
Believing in Your Staff Pays Off – Video Interview with Penny Spencer
December 10, 2011
Penny Spencer is the owner of award-winning corporate travel agency Spencer Travel. For 60% of her staff, Spencer Travel has been their only job – and, this team dynamic, Penny tells us, is part of the reason for her success.
In this video interview we discuss:
- How starting off stuffing envelopes was her foot in the door of the travel industry
- Why she focuses on staff training as a way to build business culture
- How also how taking the time to believe in your staff pays off and
- The importance of mentoring
Enjoy this interview with Penny Spencer.
Watch this interview on the Australian Businesswomen’s Network website now.
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About the In Her Shoes seriesIn Her Shoes is a regular video series presented by the Australian Businesswomen’s Network and BNet.com.au. Each interview features an inspiring businesswoman and her strategies for success. New episodes are released regularly. Become a Community Member for regular updates. StartUp and Growth Members get updates automatically. Become a Community Member with the Australian Businesswomen’s Network. |
Technology for Small Business Owners
December 9, 2011
By Suzi Dafnis, Australian Businesswomen’s Network
If you’ve explored our website or attended any of our events, you might think that the Australian Businesswomen’s Network (ABN) is a large organisation — but we’re not. We’re a small business, a small team of six people on a good day. And the six of us have to cater to clients all over Australia because women in business are in country towns, rural areas, urban areas and overseas. They’re not always available to come to events, so we had to make our education and information available to them.
Because of this need to make our information widely available and easily accessible, we were very early adopters of many different technologies, and now we train our community of businesswomen to use that technology.
We rely on technology because we don’t have a lot of resources.
I’m sure that a lot of you can appreciate that. We have a small team, with one of our staff actually based in the U.S. and an off-site advisory board, so we need to be able to communicate, share files and collaborate efficiently, sometimes in real time.
We rely on technology to manage our inventory. We need to communicate with our clients every week because 16,500 women rely on us to give them new information about education and resources. As a business owner, I use technology to make sure that I’m updating my skills and have the right information to run my business.
I had the pleasure of attending the largest technology conference in the world this year, South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, where 19,000 attendees shared the latest technologies. I came back with so many great ideas about new technologies that can be used in small business. But so many people are not taking advantage of the most helpful technology: the basic website. For most businesses nowadays, if you don’t have an online presence, you do not exist. If I search for and cannot find you using Google or any other search engine, then you don’t exist for me.
The Internet has changed the way we communicate with our clients.
People expect us to be able to comment on what we’re doing, to collaborate with them and to acknowledge their opinions. We can’t just broadcast to them; you have to give them the opportunity to give feedback. In this way, you can co-create your business with your clients.
At the ABN, we use an online editable website to collaborate on projects, so anyone on our staff can edit it and add content on a moment’s notice, from anywhere. We use YouTube to provide training videos on small business subjects, have our own Facebook page where we provide interesting articles and community updates, a Twitter account, as well as two iTunes channels where we publish podcasts: Social Media for Small Business and herBusiness – Insights for Women in Business. We use a lot of different devices and gadgets and we try to integrate them to give our clients multiple paths to the same destination. Technology allows us to connect with clients, educate ourselves and grow our business.
At this point in history, the question is not: “Should I be using these technologies in my business?” but rather: “How quickly can I adapt the most relevant technologies to grow my business?”
Start with a basic website, then use all those other social media tools to drive traffic to your website. From there, you can start to generate new leads and then communicate with those leads.
For new users, technology may be daunting.
I’m not really a tech-savvy person, but my business goals demand that I use new technologies. When I’m confused or overwhelmed, I may outsource a project to meet my goals. So, if you’re not tech-savvy (like me), don’t let that stop you from taking advantage of all the wonderful technologies available to increase your business.
Go to Google, start researching technologies relevant to your business and you’ll eventually come across a community of individuals in a similar position, looking for the same information. That’s how the ABN has developed into what it is today!
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY SUZI DAFNIS
- Business Mentoring for the 21st Century
- What Should I Write about on My Business Blog?
- How Guy Kawasaki Enchanted Me
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Suzi Dafnis – Australian Businesswomen’s NetworkSuzi Dafnis is the Australian Businesswomen’s Network’s Community Director and Chairperson of the Advisory Board. Suzi has been involved with the network since 1995. In 1998, she took over the network from its founder and has since managed and grown the network. She remains its media spokesperson and a champion of women in business. She is also the editor of the ABN’s newsletters, author of the herBusiness blog and presents the In Her Shoes video series and herBusiness podcast.
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Charity: Water – “Technology Changes Everything”
December 8, 2011
By Amy Lyden, Australian Businesswomen’s Network Advocacy Advisor
I had the pleasure of attending a Charity: Water event last week. Paull Young, the young passionate Aussie who just HAD to work for this organisation when he came across them, presented to a group of about 50 people in Sydney.
You may have heard of Charity: Water, especially if you are active on Twitter and other social media. Charity: Water has very successfully trail blazed new ways of fundraising and getting their story out to millions of people globally through the clever use of technology and social media strategies. Whether you are working for a charity or own your own business, there is much to be learnt from how they do things.
How Charity: Water Started
Charity: Water started five years ago when its young founder, Scott Harrison travelled to Africa and saw first hand the terrible plight of so many without the most basic of human needs – water. When he returned to NYC and a friend bought him a $16 martini, he realised that that same $16 could have fed a family in Africa or built a well. He then decided that if more people understood what was needed, the world could be changed. He then founded Charity: Water.
The facts about water
- Out of the seven billion people living on the planet, one billion people do not have access to drinking water. Without seeing and experiencing this, it is hard for the people who do have water (and always have) to imagine what life would be like for these one billion people.
- 2.6 billion people lack access to basic sanitation – toilets, running water, etc
- This is a major cause of preventable disease. 40,000 kids die every day because of lack of access to clean water and sanitation. Not having a “tap and toilet” kills more people than all the wars around the world every year.
- In Africa alone, people spend 40 billion hours every year just walking for water. Usually it is women and children walking many kilometres to the nearest water source, and this water will likely make them sick.
- Charity: Water’s motto is “Water Changes Everything”. Simple, yet true. Not only does access to clean water (through taps and toilets) eliminate much disease, but also kids are able to go to school and entire communities can be transformed.
- $19 will fund a well. This is such small amount that will make such a huge difference to people without access to water – the price of a cocktail or two in a major city.
Online Philanthropy
“Technology changes everything”. Charity: Water does almost all of its fundraising online. It’s clever use of social media to raise money has certainly been its strong suit. In February 2009, they raised $250,000 through Twestival. This was the largest amount ever raised by a charity online.
Twitter: Charity: Water was first on twitter in 2007 with a few hundred followers (that was like rock-star status in those days), and now they have over 1.3 million followers!
Facebook: Over 200,000 likes.
Online Campaigns
Charity: Water doesn’t ask for money, it asks for fundraisers – people to raise money for them. And they have clever campaigns around this premise. One example is the “Give up your birthday for clean water” campaign. People raise money on their birthday and ask friends and family to make a donation instead of buying them a gift. Genius.
We already have more than we need – right? This is all done online and the technology makes it easy to set this up. We are seeing a lot of charities making use of this now, for example “Everyday Hero”, whereby a fundraiser (individual) can set up an online presence to track the donations etc. This is becoming very common particularly for fun runs and other events like “Movember”.
Stats for Charity: Water’s Online Campaigns
Average amount raised by a fundraiser: $1,000
Average campaign: 13 donors, average donation $80.
Charity: Water then emails all donors to show where and when the wells went. They send them links to googlemaps which actually shows the locations of the wells. Their model is that for every $1 spent, $8 is raised. That’s leverage.
A Winning Model
Paull Young says the culture of Charity: Water “Feels more like a tech start up than a charity.” They have raised $26 million so far, and 75% was raised through digital models, more than any other charity using these models. They are experiencing 100%+ growth. And they are just warming up. They have a big hairy audacious goal to raise $2 billion by 2020 (yes, $2 BILLION).
Some tips from Charity: Water
Start with your story and make it their story.- Show them where there money goes. Charity: Water uses googlemaps with GPS to show exactly where the wells were built.
- Use pictures. Charity: Water posts a “picture a day.” Pictures showing the sheer joy that water can bring to people. Real people. They believe in showing people the impact of their giving. Show by photos and share the stories of the people they impact. Show them where their money goes.
- Use narrative – sharing stories. One African woman named Helen said that now that she has water she feels beautiful, because for the first time in her life she can wash herself. Now THAT is powerful story sharing.
- Demonstrate the impact to the donor. Because you donated $30, this well (picture) was built in this location (googlemaps). Helen’s family (picture of Helen’s family) now has access to running water.
We are lucky enough to live in an age where our message can be reached by millions (and potentially billions) of people. Before the ubiquitous use of technology, mobile phones etc this simply was not possible without spending ungodly amounts of money. Today anyone can do this by utilising technology. The key is to have a compelling message that truly speaks to people around the world.
Charity: Water has done this well so far in their short life. And I would bet that with passionate people like Paull Young involved they will get their big hairy audacious goal of raising $2 billion by 2020 and then some.
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY AMY LYDEN
- Developing an Asia Plan for Your Future
- Make Care Fair – the cost of not having affordable and flexible childcare
- “Balance is B*llsh*t”
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Amy Lyden – Advocacy Advisor – Australian Businesswomen’s NetworkAn entrepreneur and specialist in ecommerce and online strategy, Amy has had over 13 years of practical experience in these areas. Launching her first website in 1998 Amy was at the forefront of an online revolution without even realizing it. Within a year this site became and remains today a #1 ranking site and global community of pet lovers that attracts over 4 million visitors a year. This Australia-based business, Bow Wow Meow, now sells product online to over 100 countries worldwide. Amy sold this business in 2007 and turned her energy to the nonprofit sector. Amy is currently the CEO of Australian Scholarships Foundation, an organisation that facilitates scholarships for education and training for people who work in the nonprofit sector. Amy is the recipient of numerous business awards including the 2006 NSW Telstra Business Women’s Awards for Innovation, the 2002 National Telstra Business Award and the Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World Grant. Amy is an Ambassador and former Chairperson for the Australian Businesswomen’s Network, an organisation that supports female entrepreneurs. Amy was also invited to serve on the Commonwealth Small Business Council, an initiative by the Federal minister for Small Business. Amy has been profiled in the following books: “Women’s Business, Women’s Wealth” by Amanda Ellis, “Female Entrepreneurs,” by Leiza Clark and “Secrets of Female Entrepreneurs Exposed!” by Dale Beaumont. Amy is passionate about using technology to connect people globally for positive change.
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Does Santa Really Know if you’re Good or Bad?
December 7, 2011
By Julie Wise, The Silver Owl
We all indulge during the festive season, but the need to stay Safe and Sound is also important.
Did you know that:
- Australians’ weekly average alcohol intake triples during the festive season
- One third of Australians consume more than 10 standard drinks a week during the festive season
- Nearly one half of Australians aged 20 to 29 admitted to binge drinking during the festive season
Being aware that your brand is impacted by behaviour at social functions just allows us to take simple precautions.
Here’s a selection of the advice issued by corporates to their employees. I think much of it makes sense, even for a small business owner to adopt.
Advice for Sensible Drinking over Christmas and New Year:
- Drink slowly. Make sure you’re chatting more than you’re drinking
- Drink non-alcoholic spacers between alcoholic drinks, such as water, juice or soft drinks
- Choose low-alcohol varieties, such as low or mid-strength beer
- Be aware of the size of each drink – your glass of wine may actually contain two standard drinks
- EAT! High protein foods (such as nuts) eaten before and during alcohol consumption can help slow the release of alcohol
- Avoid shouts or rounds that encourage drinking quickly and in large volumes
- Finish your drink before letting someone top it up – this way you can keep track of what you’re drinking
End of Year Client Functions:
- These are still work events and the same policies and expectations apply – just like any other work meeting
- What you might think is a harmless joke, comment or gesture could be harassment if it offends someone else
- Plan ahead when celebrating. Don’t drink and drive. Leave your car at home and plan to use public transport
- Keep in mind that people have different cultural and religious beliefs around this time of year
- Look out for one another. If you see someone in a dangerous situation – be it personal safety or reputational, speak up and do what you can to get them into a safer situation. This includes leaving the function with them and ensuring they get home.
- If you are a team or business leader, you have a responsibility to ensure that your team get home safely
Social Media:
- Without written permission of your host or your company, you should not post details (including photos) of, during or after the function. Use of brands/names are subject to copyright laws.
- Even with the permission of the companies involved – it is considered common courtesy to ask your companions their permission before you publish their names or tag them in photos
- You may consider changing personal settings on social media, so that you can check who’s writing about you or publishing a photo of you. Perhaps even upgrade your privacy settings so that you authorise anything that includes you prior publishing.
- Do not publish anything that involves people who were not part of your immediate party, circle or are total strangers to you irrespective of the situation in question. Remember to treat (or tweet) others as you’d expect to be treated (or tweeted).
So now more than ever, Santa really will know if you’ve been good or bad!
Note: Statistics were sourced from a survey conducted by Febfast in 2009. 1066 Australians from all states were surveyed. www.febfast.com.au
MORE GREAT POSTS BY JULIE WISE
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Julie Wise – The SilverOwlJulie has over 25 years in business operations, strategy and performance improvements. She is an accredited Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumnus of the Institute of Executive Coaching. She established The SilverOwl specifically to help businesses with their strategies and operational efficiencies. With Julie’s wealth of experience, and network of associates, The SilverOwl provides access to a vast range of business performance solutions and experienced professionals. Julie is on the Australian Business Women’s Network Advisory Board and the NSW Committee for the Australian Women’s Archive Project. In Jan 2010, she joined the Fred Hollows Foundation.
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