Anthill Magazine
What is Anthill?
It's a business magazine.
What’s it about?
It's about innovation, entrepreneurship and rapid business growth.
Until Anthill was launched in September 2003, the bulk of existing business titles in Australia were mainly concerned with issues of relevance to small/micro businesses or large corporations (one or the other).
Anthill was developed to bridge this gap, appealing to highly innovative and ambitious ‘fast’ growth businesses - SMEs with rapid growth potential and larger companies that realise the value of reinvention to stay ahead.
It does not focus on the traditional ‘nuts and bolts’ of business development (although this is a key element of editorial content), but instead it highlights the inspiring thrills, spills, trials and tribulations of business development and rapid commercial growth.
Business can and should be fun, right!
Octyl (SMART 100)
We saw the need for Business to be able to access simple, clear web strategy consulting + planning, and thence order 'best of breed' related site/s and systems, for a low cost (less than half that of traditional processes), get it fast, and then access ongoing support and an ever expanding library of member's only 'how-to' content on Web Marketing (and anything that touches it), along with the usual 'how to use the system' type stuff and direct support. This is the advanced (revised) version of something I've been working on (albeit slowly) for 3.5 years.
Colour Accounting (SMART 100)
The two founders realised that they weren’t alone with their struggle to learn accounting, particularly so in the business world where financial illiteracy is rife. In Melbourne, in 1992, Mark and Peter started to design a new sort of financial literacy workshop for businesses. Further development ensued in South Africa and we went global in 2000 with a two-day financial literacy workshop. We continued to refine our unique learning system and today this same workshop takes about 5 hours. We have other products with e-versions underway and will launch the Colour Accounting learning system as a product this year.
modpod™ (SMART 100)
The innovation came to life when Modra Hayes was approached by a number of fly in/fly out miners to solve the quality of accommodation problem that existed in remote locations around Australia. Traditional mining accommodation was considered to be uncomfortable, dirty, and not aesthetically pleasing or attractive to live in. The modpod™'s use of composite fibre technology was specifically designed to redress the deficiencies of traditional mining dongas. Modra Hayes has also designed and is constructing a modpod™ Mass Production Facility (MPF) capable of producing one modpod™ or more per eight-hour shift.
myAnswers (SMART 100)
We discovered that the keywords we were using to deliver self-created (text) content could be treated as 'managed interaction objects'. Or in simple terms, keywords could be embellished with logic to allow a mobile user to perform fairly complex but identifiable tasks and functions, by effectively proxying a user of existing system interfaces. From this point it quickly developed where keywords come together to create an 'answerSpace'. The keywords provide structure to the browsing, enquiry and resulting information for users of mobile devices, to access common or high demand elements of an organisation's web and business systems.
Massive Rain (SMART 100)
I was watching TV and the subject was a Singaporean ship had become stacked on the beach at Caloundra Qld. To refloat the vessel two Chinook helicopters were used to take containers off the ship, some with a weight of over 7,000 kgs and out of the blue the following crossed my mind: "If a 7,000 kgs-plus container can be easily lifted by a Chinook, a water tank can be easily lifted as well...If the biggest fire chopper can lift only 6,000 litres or kilograms...Bingo! I got a new idea and long research begins."
Cardlimbo (SMART 100)
This innovation initially came to life when my business partner and I recognised that Australians had almost no flexibility when it came to the use of gift card vouchers. We soon discovered that the market was worth about $1b and that 1 in 3 cards were never redeemed, representing an incredible waste. We wanted to provide a service that gave people the option to use gift cards as they wanted to. A market study demonstrated that similar services existed in North America but not yet in Australia.
MySecureOffice (SMART 100)
I realised that most small business owners underestimate the importance of having a 'Business Continuity' strategy in place, in particular not having someone helping them to actively manage one.
Sixteen innovative Australian digital projects to watch
Sponsored Message: Sixteen of Australia and New Zealand’s best digital projects will have the chance to be mentored by some of the biggest names in digital and entertainment media as part of X|Media|Lab ‘Global Media Ideas’ two-day lab, starting next Friday.
Need a Melbourne Cup Carnival Corporate Marquee?
Sponsored Message: The 150th Melbourne Cup celebration is an experience not to be missed – and never to be forgotten! Corporate Marquee Packages for the Melbourne Cup Carnival 2010 are selling fast with some Carnival packages for Trackside and Winning Post Enclosures already sold out.
Get your free ‘Renegade Rockstar’ DVD (‘Productise or Die!’)
Sponsored Message: Are you an over-worked, underpaid business owner? Wouldn't you prefer to be an entrepreneurial Renegade Rockstar? Register for your free 'Productise or Die' DVD.
cone-head™ (SMART 100)
This innovation initially came to life when, in 1992, I picked up my daughter's helmet. I pressed my thumb into the foam liner of the helmet and I realised I couldn’t leave an impression in the foam. The foam liner was as hard as a brick.
This incident reminded me of what I had learned as a researcher of helmets during the 1980s, that the foam liners in helmets were too hard and stiff and didn’t effectively absorb an impact force. It was in 1993 I thought of embedding low-density cones within the thickness of the hard foam liner.
AutoCarLog (SMART 100)
AutoCarLog was created as a result of a challenge, a challenge to build a successful technology startup in just seven days and for less than $500. It was born from the need to modernise paperback vehicle mileage logbooks with a convenient, fast, environmentally friendly and tech based approach.
Why 2010 is the perfect year to start a company
In this fast and furious clip, filmed at the Churchill Club's 11th Annual Top 10 Tech Trends event in California last month, Steve Jurvetson is given two and a half minutes to explain why he thinks the future looks bright for 'disruptive' startup companies.
Aussies ‘won’t pay for digital info’
The latest instalment of Australia’s contribution to the World Internet Project finds that Australians are still flocking to cyberspace, with 80 per cent having used it in a recent 3-month period – up from 73 per cent in 2007. Yet, seven in ten Australians are unwilling to pay for news and information obtained from the internet.
NSW seeks young entrepreneurs for Round Table series
Are you a business owner under 35 living in New South Wales? Industry & Investment NSW is inviting young NSW entrepreneurs to a Round Table event on Friday 4 Jun 2010 (3pm to 5pm). This event was developed to help the NSW Government gain a better understanding of the hurdles and expectations of young people who are starting and running a business.
Young Entrepreneurs’ Night Out. It’s baaaaaack! (But slightly different.)
Two months ago, we trialled an event in Sydney called our Young Entrepreneurs' Night Out. The premise was simple; Create a networking event for young entrepreneurs to mingle, learn from peers, drink some booze, make new friends and get inspired. It’s baaaaaack! (But slightly different.)
Gerry Harvey’s tips on growing your business (using your phone)
Sponsored Message: Did you know that phone names are up to 20 times easier for your customers to remember than phone numbers? This is something that retail pioneer Gerry Harvey discovered first hand. Discover Gerry Harvey's tips on increasing the effectiveness of your advertising.
Underbelly “app” for iPhone first shot in new publishing wars?
Australian publisher Allen & Unwin, in partnership with Underbelly authors Andrew Rule and John Silvester, this week launched digital versions of the three bestselling books of the series.
The budget, the mining tax, falling shares… why is the government “all over the...
RMIT economist Sinclair Davidson talks about the latest employment figures, which look positive. He criticises the mining super tax, saying the government is all over the place on the issue and questions assertions in the Federal Budget that we are headed back for a surplus.
Opportunity knocks as “Hoarse Whisperer” rasps
Chemist chain, Chemmart, have seized a cheeky opportunity, launching an online advertising campaign to promote throat lozenges in the wake of the “Hoarse Whisperer” internet sensation. Jim Jacques, formerly known as the voice of harness racing in South Australia, earned the moniker of “The Hoarse Whisperer” after losing his voice while calling an event at Globe Derby Park earlier this week. Here's the video.
