Theft and fraud are on the rise and small business owners arent exempt!

Rehmann.com states:

So what can your company do? The best starting point is to implement proactive themes in your workplace. The first of these is to create a culture of high ethical standards. CEOs and other executives who set an example for staff and expect them to follow this example are vital. This ethical culture begins before an employee is even hired by utilizing background checks to screen job applicants and carries through to a zero-tolerance policy when dealing with offenders.
Source: Rehmann, see below*.

Ive personally never had the experience of staff stealing from me or attempting fruad (that I know I know of!) so its quite an eye opener to read around what goes on out there in SME-land.  Police Checking services like UrbanVerified.com can provide information indicating if there is any criminal background associated with a particular individual, which is a good start, but obviously doesnt by any means protect a business.

Rehmann goes on to recommend several additional important steps:

A well thought out oversight plan should include:

A risk management plan that includes a written policyPeriodic assessment of your fraud risk exposureEstablished prevention techniques that are adhered toEstablished detection techniques to uncover fraud eventsA reporting process that is designed to encourage input on potential fraud

Source: *http://www.rehmann.com/resources-insights/business-wisdom-2/item/906-with-fraud-on-the-rise-is-your-business-a-target

All food for thought, as probably all of us a bit on the lazy side with protecting our identity assets?!

A colleague of mine in Australia let me know about an interesting case study they recently posted about how important it is to not only KEEP your WordPress website updated, but also to make sure that your WordPress Theme is compatible with the latest WordPress updates, and if it isnt, how do you remedy the situation.

The Case Study involved a Firm of Accountants in Aspley,  a suburb in Queensland, Australia, who suddenly found their WordPress website wouldnt post any new pages they created. Upon investigation it was revealed that the Theme of the website was to blame.

The Good and The Bad of  WordPress Site

If youve chosen WordPress for your website, you probably know that being an open source platform means any WordPress developers around the globe can have access to your site and work on it. If your website is on some web agencys CMS solution, you are bound to that agency and they basically hold all the cards if a dispute should arise.

Another major draw card is that WordPress sites are easy for people who arent well versed in computer technology to  build and use.

It also helps that WordPress has a multitude of Themes and Plugins to help make each site unique and functional.

Sadly the same characteristics that make WordPress so popular are also its biggest weaknesses. For example the open source nature and variety of plugins create numerous critical security challenges. WordPress sites that arent properly maintained and locked down are a relatively easy target for hackers.

Another thing to watch out for is the theme. The increase in mobile internet usage means that themes need to be responsive, in other words capable of changing to suit the device its being viewed on, whether PC, tablet or mobile phone, making reading easier.

There are both good and bad themes, depending on how well they are developed, supported and work, with the best themes working every time WordPress issues new updates. Themes that are bad are often not compatible with WordPress updates.

The company involved in this case study had a theme which was no longer compatible with the latest version of WordPress. Every time a new page was created, the site would only display the page listing recent blog posts.

The Solution

A new website was created which was almost an exact replica of the problematic website but using an updated theme and Visual Composer.  Replicating a WordPress site with a new one is possible.

While this may have done the trick with other sites, in this specific case the old theme contained problematic coding to display each page which a webmaster had to manually go through and input each pages contents into the new, replica site, a painstaking process which had to be done one page at a time.

As this case study highlights, using a well-supported and professional theme for your WordPress site is crucial. Its also important to ensure it is updated and remains compatible with the latest version of WordPress.

Recently I had a problem with my front loading Bosch washing machine.   To get help with getting it fixed I turned to Dr. Google and found that the nearest appliance repair service to me was Sentinel Appliance Repair.

I was happy because I’d read that more and more appliances are becoming disposable and local appliance repair shops were becoming harder to find.

I must admit it does seem crazy that the expertise these sorts of guys have accumulated over many years, or, I guess even decades, is being overlooked.  Instead consumers are just going out and getting a new one.  Not for me – I was pretty happy with my WM.

These guys seem to cover most areas around San Antonio, and I was pleased that they mentioned Bosch on their website as one of the brands they knew.

The experience didn’t disappoint, and my machine is now back in business!

It was interesting chatting to the technician and he shared the frustration about the “disposable appliance” mentality.  He said their company encourages people to first try a repair as ultimately it can save a lot of money.

I got the whole but from him that people need to check whether the appliance service is certified and has a valid license, to check their experience and reviews and consider if they offer emergency services …  all the good ‘ole fashioned service-based business stuff.  Good on him! I was already sold but he was a friendly guy and obviously knew his stuff.

For me, I was happy to not have been joining the ranks of the disposable appliance consumerist club!

I do wonder if the big appliance manufacturing companies build in obsolescence?  I’m sure they do.  Maybe it makes sense form a shareholder return perspective but certainly not from a sustainable contribution to the planet!

Are you one of the small business owners waiting for the processing of 457 visas for foreign workers?

According to reports a number of small business owners are angry at the delays in processing 457 visas, meant to facilitate the filling of temporary skills gaps, but now with these delays the whole purpose of the visas may be defeated.

Although the Department of Immigration and Border Protection boasts about processing claims within 40 working days or 8 weeks, a number of small business owners have complained about 4 months + delays.

As these small business owners explain, running a small business, lack of key staff due to delays and shortages could have devastating financial effects on the business.

Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/opinion/john-durie/small-business-angry-over-section-457-visa-delays/news-story/f53d0b941627c2403cc3abb8d014ce35

According to an article on Smh.com.au the 2016 federal budget is full of surprises for small businesses.

There was also welcomed news for small business owners with regard to accessing the small business entity tax concessions.

Currently for a business to qualify as an SBE it must have a turnover of less than $2 million.

This threshold has been the same for a number of years and has been long overdue for an increase.

Qualifying as an SBE provides small businesses with many tax concessions including simplified depreciation rules, the ability to fully write off assets costing less than $20,000 in the first year, simplified trading stock valuation rules, and an immediate deduction for prepaid expenses that cover a period of 12 months or less.

Read more at http://www.smh.com.au/small-business/finance/a-super-budget-that-helps-small-business-20160508-gopioe.html

An article on HuffingtonPost.com.au highlighted how some Australian small businesses are cracking the American market. And it still has opportunities for savvy entrepreneurs.

But the sheer size of the market means many businesses are overwhelmed about where to even begin and how to get a slice of the market share.

The article goes on to give some success stories for US domination and tips for other start-ups that are trying to crack the market.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/05/26/how-these-aussie-small-businesses-have-cracked-the-us-market/

There are certain developments in the technological realm that have an impact on your small business.

Here are the top 4:

Find out more at http://www.forbes.com/sites/quickerbettertech/2016/05/29/small-business-tech-this-week-twitter-abandons-the-buy-button-and-now-you-can-eat-your-six-pack/3/#45dbeb4614b8

Not everything a big business does is right, there are some tips small business can give to bigger firms.

Even without the huge budgets, some small business are doing their marketing right. Some even better than the big firms.

Small businesses are known to drive innovation and some big companies are now realising the importance of fostering a small business culture.

In a recent post on HuffingtonPost.com.au business resilience expert and founder/CEO of the Resilience Institute Stuart Taylor gives his advice.

Taylor explains that in recent times, entrepreneurs and startups have been the ones driving change and innovation, challenging the status quo and most big businesses arent yet equipped to follow their lead.

Read more at http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/05/28/what-small-business-can-teach-the-big-end-of-town-about-disrupti/

Small and medium business  mental health is one of the major issues for the 2016 federal election.

Public health and Medicare are major election issues but the Council of Small Business Australia is urging politicians to make the mental health problems in the small business sector a priority.

Employee mental health is often spoken about, and thats good because it is important, but employers mental health can easily be neglected. We cannot afford to overlook the mental health of this sector of the industry.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/small-business/managing/federal-election-2016-small-business-mental-health-a-priority-20160523-gp1mr2.html#ixzz49i1V3yCe 
Follow us: @smh on Twitter | sydneymorningherald on Facebook

A recent article on HuffingtonPost.com.au provided some advice and inspiration for those battling to find an appropriate name for their business.

A major challenge that many new business owners face is one that has a massive impact on the success of their business the business name.

In the article some top Australian small business owners share their stories of how they came up with the names for their start-ups.

Read the article here for more inspiration and advice.

Small business owners are usually good when handling workplace health and safety issues regarding their employees but are often slow to act when they themselves are involved, particularly  mental health issues.

Small business owners in Australia are the least likely to ask for health with mental health issues and risk losing their companies as a result.

According to Kate Carnell, the first Australian small business and family enterprise ombudsman says small business owners are amongst the most affected by mental health problems.

She highlighted that smaller operators should seek help if necessary and assist those in their business that need help with mental health issues.

Source: http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/small-business-owners-at-risk-of-mental-illness-if-they-dont-speak-up/news-story/120c21b53689b0ec6abae8a9eb696d55

A pilot Small Business Safety Advisors (SBSAs) program has been established by NT WorkSafe to provide small to medium businesses improve their work health and safety standards.

The program was designed to improve the capabilities of smaller businesses to manage their own workplace safety processes.

Advisors will be working with businesses in the state on a request basis, providing assistance in improving WHS practices.

Part of the aim is to help companies with the challenges of understanding and implementing workplace health and safety laws and legislative requirements.

Source: http://content.safetyculture.com.au/news/index.php/05/safety-advisors-help-small-business-improve-work-health-safety-standards/#.VzTkEYR97IU

Are you grappling with the idea of starting your own business but are too afraid to take that plunge? Here is some real world advice and questions you can ask yourself before deciding if youre ready.

Innovation has become an important word for small businesses, in fact all businesses especially since the Prime Minister released the governments $1.1 billion innovation plan last year. But how can you as a small business actually put it into practice.

In an article on HuffingtonPost.com.au, Dr Amantha Imber, an innovation psychologist, author and founder of a business consultancy says we shouldnt be overwhelmed by the term, it simply means a change that adds value to the company.

Its an all inclusive term, so anyone in the business, regardless of their position can come up with ways to innovate in their specific designation.

So what can we do new or differently to benefit the future of the business? Lets read more at http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/04/18/expert-tips-for-small-business-to-introduce-and-drive-innovation/

Following the recent Federal Budget, experts explained that for the South Australian economy the biggest gain was the $90 billion in defence programs for the state.

Another good thing though was the tax cuts for small business.

Also the treasury has confirmed that the small business retirement exemption will continue, so if youre planning on selling your business, you can use it as part of retirement planning and contribute more to superannuation than the $500,000 lifetime after tax contribution cap.

Read more about what the budget means for small businesses at: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/experts-urge-sa-small-business-to-invest-create-jobs/news-story/369087b4f59273e309136d136b9e47c7

Starting a creative business can seem like a real challenge but some successful entrepreneurs have provided some advice for those of us doing it for the first time.

In a post on ArtsHub.com.au 3 creatives who have managed to succeed at their creative business start-ups gave this advice,

For more go to ArtsHub.com.au

Most of us, especially small business owners tend to name our businesses based on sentiment but there are some other aspects that need to be considered.

Find out more at http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/start-up-entrepreneur/three-must-dos-for-naming-your-business.html

A number of businesses were recently slapped with fines by the Fair Work Ombudsman because of payment issues with many companies found to have been underpaying their employees.

This prompted an article on Smartcompany.com.au highlighting some of the common misconceptions about employee payments.

Here are 7 employment myths that you shouldnt fall for as a boss,

Get more information at http://www.smartcompany.com.au/people-human-resources/industrial-relations/42360-seven-employment-myths-bosses-shouldn-t-fall-for/

According to a post on Afr.com these are the top 5 bad habits of small business owners that you need to avoid,

Read more at http://www.afr.com/business/small-business/avoid-the-top-5-bad-habits-of-small-business-owners-20160413-go57a4

Australia Post is busy testing the use of drones for deliveries which is expected to benefit small businesses. The drones would be used to deliver small packages and the system has already been trialled in Melbourne.

Watch this video to learn more.

Come on Paypal are you serious??

Recently this guy Neville (@1FightingIrish) posted this on Twitter!!

Check carefully the five bio pics all blokes!

No doubt they are all experienced individuals whose opinions on diversity may be worth hearing, but isnt it a bit hypocritical that theres not a female in site?!

As Neville says: Nice work Paypal!

If youre a small business owner looking for funding, theres good news, according to the Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index.

According to the index, March 2016 saw the days of mass rejection of small business loans coming to an end, following the analysis of 1000 small businesses.

It was revealed that big banks approved 23 per cent of funding requests in March which is an increase from the previous month.

Institutional lenders also improved their approval rates from 62.7 per cent to 62.8 per cent in March.

Find out more http://_http://smallbiztrends.com/2016/04/small-business-loan-approval-rates.htmlwp_link_placeholder

The construction industry has long been known as a male dominated industry, where women are often made to feel intimidated and not welcome, or worse harassed with wolf whistles and the like.

So I was pleased to see, as I was scanning through my blog list today, a short article posted on a blog by a training group that offer the safety qualification White Card online.  The blog highlighted what a company called Hilti were doing to attract and retain female workers in the construction industry.

Kudos to Hilti!

Read more here

https://www.whitecardonlineexpress.com.au/industry-news/supporting-women-in-construction/ 

No matter your niche there are a number of apps that would benefit your small business.

When asked by Smh.com.au to provide a list of the most popular free-to-download apps for Australian small businesses, Apple and Google provided this list. These apps are free but have in app purchases.

Find out the rest of the apps at: http://www.smh.com.au/small-business/smallbiz-tech/the-nine-best-free-apps-for-small-business-20160419-go9pta.html#ixzz46mFlSg1B 

An interesting article on Entrepreneur.com discussed the importance of having a blog for the small business owner.

The writer discusses the importance of keeping your customers/ readers coming back to your site with a relevant, valuable, information-rich blog.

This marketing tool for the small business helps you position your product, find your customers and decide how to reach them.

Learn more at: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/271049

Email marketing seems to have developed a bad reputation in many small business circles, as perhaps ill-informed business owners confuse it with SPAM.

Of course proper email marketing, well executed is firstly about as far away from spam emailing as you can get, and two, is still a highlky effective marketing methodology, and often way under utilised by most SMEs.

Cloud-based accounting software Xero, have published here a useful guide to email marketing for SMEs which covers:

Brisbane Tax Accountants www.nbc.com.au recently published a useful article entitled What Small Businesses Need To Know About Email Marketing

This article suggests:

An email marketing system makes it incredibly simple. They can automate most of the process for you and deliver professional looking content.

The key to email marketing systems is having a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system with an Auto Responder.

In the article the author mentions several suggestions for autoresponders such as Mailchimp but that is not really a CRM as well.  Two systems that do have CRMs are Infusionsoft (pretty expensive and complex, but is probably the Rolls Royce level choice!) and Ontraport but there are many others as well.

One important aspect neither of these guides seems to mention is the importance of the subject line.  I see WAY too many businesses send out emails with the headline:  Newsletter May 2016, or similar.  Boring boring!

The subject is THE KEY to getting a good open rate, and without your companys email broadcasts being opened, they arent doing anyone any good!

Finally, below we have included some podcast episode Show Notes pages from ConversionCast, the conversion podcast of LeadPages.  These pages provide some really interesting case studies about increasing conversions with email marketing:

Getting a 300% increase in sales with email marketing: http://podcast.leadpages.net/ryanmoran/

How DigitalMarketer tripled click through rates:
http://podcast.leadpages.net/digitalmarketer/

How one blogger boosted revenue per email by 5X:
http://podcast.leadpages.net/yaro/

News.com.au recently posted an article of 44 business predictions for 2016.

While some of them are a little on the lame side, here is a sample of a few which are interesting:

On-demand delivery and logistics will expand to small businesses

New on-demand delivery and logistics services will emerge during 2016 to meet the ever increasing requirements of online shopping and fast food ordering and services like UberRush and Amazon Flex

Same-day delivery and cross-border selling will expand

This is a continuing reflection of the online selling platform and marketplace that we seeing growing like wildfire not only across nations like Australia and United States  the UK but indeed globally and across international borders generally, so the reason that these sorts of services will be springing up will obviously be to meet these kinds of needs. These kinds of logistical challenges present all sorts of difficulties for logistics providers but its exciting to see some innovative entrepreneurial solutions surface, as the demand for these sorts of services continues to increase in 2016 and beyond.

More businesses will come up for sale as Baby Boomers look to retire

And for sure we do know about the demographics of the baby boomer generation who are in their stage of life where they have accumulated significant wealth and built in many cases significant businesses, so the advice here is that if you do have a business you may want to think about selling it sooner rather than later before the number of business coming on the market reduces capital value.

Despite increasing internet connections, human connection remains the most important

This is an interesting at prediction and certainly has a lot of truth. We can see that from The massive rise of social media the fundamental human need for connection is not going away however there is only so much connection need that an online platform can provide and particularly in a business environment the challenges challenges facing us going into 2016 is how can we meaningfully increase the human connection or at least the perceived human connection or ways of customising personalised human connection through our various marketing and selling channels

Small businesses should tighten cybersecurity in anticipation of more cyberattacks

And again this prediction is closely linked to the massive rise of the commerce and the way in which we are living our lives more and more online one of the most important ways for small businesses of course is to look at the security of their website and all of their online communication and storage methodologies such as email and cloud based storage we recommend small businesses engage experts to address these issues proactively rather than waiting until its too late!

You can read more of the 44 small business predictions in the original article here: http://www.news.com.au/finance/small-business/fortyfour-business-predictions-for-2016/news-story/e7a5ab49f0f7202ab701956a2b7ee340