Natalie Chandler

If the latest MYOB Business Monitor is anything to go by, the Federal Government shouldn’t be basking in the warm glow of a job well done post-Federal Budget. Before state governments go getting their smug on, the MYOB report showed SMEs perceived their performance in an equally dismal light.

Australians can now enjoy cheap and cheerful international shipping thanks to new local startup making big waves, Ship 2 Anywhere. Even bigger things are in the works, with plans to help Australian businesses set up US direct fulfilment services.

My son Reece, who’s five, got an interesting piece of mail the other day from his dentist. When I pulled it out of the letterbox I thought: these people are doing something really right, and yet they’re doing so much that’s so very wrong.

True entrepreneurs are focused, resourceful, passionate, and driven to succeed. They're pioneers discovering new lands, mapping the way forward, comfortable fighting on the frontline.

How’s business? If you had a dollar for every time someone asked you that you wouldn't have to work, right small business owner?

Parliamentary Secretary for Industry and Innovation Mark Dreyfus, is a massive fan of new laws passed last month, designed to strengthen Australia’s intellectual property system. It's always exciting when there's a chance of less red tape getting in the way of running your business.

Serial Aussie entrepreneur Chris Sharkey, alongside his equally intrepid brothers Michael and Peter, has launched yet another internet start-up, Bislr (pronounced Biz-ler).

Just because you network with hundreds of people each week doesn’t mean you’re a good networker. It really comes down to whether you’re doing it correctly. Are you building trust and creating meaningful relationships, or are you making people uncomfortable each time you open your mouth?

Many Australian businesses are on the selling block due to the glut in the pending retirements of baby boomer business owners. Quite simply, they need to sell to retire. Yet, according to the September Quarter 2011 BizExchange Index, the number of businesses for sale rose by over 350%. Meanwhile, their prices halved. More creative ways of selling a business need to be considered.

Way back in the mid-1970s, when dinosaurs still roamed Melbourne’s outer suburbs, Steve Wozniak said to his HP boss something along the lines of ‘I’ve had this great idea: personal computers in every home.’ HP boss, in turn, said words to the effect of ‘Pfff. If that ever catches on I’ll eat my highly-flammable, synthetic safari suit.’

Many salespeople, especially those new to sales, expect people to like them and want to work with them. When they’re told ‘no’ they take it personally. What can you do to deal with a big, fat 'no'?

Many businesses are finding new customers by advertising on Google. However, what you may not realise is that only a small group of people actually click on these paid ads.

About three years back, I discovered this time of year is great for reflection. The pressure eases for most businesses, which creates an opportunity for great ideas to bubble to the surface.

Way back in August ’11, when dinosaurs still roamed the earth, we profiled Aussie tee company Hello Fresco. Hello Fresco founder Jono Chatterton launched the biz to "support me and my global wanderings.” In a similarly laissez faire approach, Chatterton reckons business plans are for losers. To celebrate the release of Hello Fresco's brand-spanking video, Chatterton's offering Anthillians a whopping 30% off your next purchase.

There’s a good chance you’ve heard of this mystical thing called cloud hosting. It’s not always easy to see through the hype, so it’s no surprise that businesses have been hesitant to begin the journey.

Forget about throwing virtual barnyard animals or smooshing your thoughts into 140 characters, Australian online community Wishbook has loftier ambitions.

Just because your CV says you’re a spreadsheet maestro, doesn’t make it true. Before you flub your company’s finances, check out new Melbourne-based online marketplace Vumero.

Often start-up companies waste valuable resources based on suck-it-and-see methodology. The cost of learning from mistakes can be significant – something a lean start-up wants to avoid. Entrepreneurs often have lofty visions of what they want for their business. With the lean start-up concept they don’t have to give up that vision, they just use a better process to get there before the cash runs out.

Centryc Solution’s MeTag Luna Park My Experience implementation was recently awarded the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Marketing Excellence Brass Ring Award and Best Digital Marketing Campaign. Globally, amusement parks earn a cool $24 billion annually – that’s twice the Australian motor vehicle manufacturing industry.

Macquarie Graduate School of Management’s (MGSM) Dr Lars Groeger, lecturer in Management, has joined forces with Australia’s leading word-of-mouth marketing company, Soup, to develop a custom-built Facebook survey app that taps into the social network’s data and maps the flow of offline conversations.Macquarie Graduate School of Management’s (MGSM) Dr Lars Groeger, lecturer in Management, has joined forces with Australia’s leading word-of-mouth marketing company, Soup, to develop a custom-built Facebook survey app that taps into the social network’s data and maps the flow of offline conversations.