Anthill Magazine

Sebastien's plan was to present that model to the likes of Donald Trump and convince him to donate a portable shelter every time he builds a condo (for placement in areas struck by natural disasters). And convince Richard Branson to donate a flight to Doctors Without Borders every time a First Class ticket is sold. But like any entrepreneurial adventure, the universe had different ideas.

Last week, Anthill was the victim of a theft. The loss was felt immediately, not simply due to its effect on morale but also because the loss involved some important documents and many human hours of productivity. Now, there are two things that we can do: (1) Sulk; or, (2) Devise a way to turn a positive into a negative.

The Old Spice commercial captured the imagination of marketers the world over by demonstrating how clever advertising can be used to bypass traditional media (and the costs). And it clearly sold a lot of deodorant. But there is one more test that any media and marketing phenomena must pass before it enters the Anthill Hall of Fame. And, yes, Old Spice now qualifies.

In business circles, Groupon will, for a long time, be known as the Chicago-based startup that scored itself a $1.35 billion valuation within a year of launch. For the rest of the world, it is a website that harnesses collective buying to get consumers cheap products and services. But for ambitious startups, the model could also be employed to sell their own goods and services (and never buy advertising again).

Talking Business is a podcast review of the Australian economy, presented by seasoned business journalists Leon Gettler and Garry Barker, produced in association with the RMIT College of Business. In this podcast, RMIT economist Alberto Posso talks to Leon and Garry about retail trade and engineering construction figures.

What makes for a good strategy to get people chatting and raving about your brand and passing the word on to others? We posed this question to Soup, a marketing agency that works with influential people to spread the word about products and brands. Tracey Coleman, Soup's conversations director, shared this story of a successful cafe in Sydney and what it revealed about word-of-mouth marketing.

I'm often asked, 'What's the most important piece of advice you can give new business owners?' After much thought, factoring in seven years of interviews and coffee meetings with hundreds of entrepreneurs, from single person operations to international masters of the game, such as Bill Gates and James Dyson, and having built my own business over this time, there is one piece of advice that trumps all others.

The darkly comedic introduction sequence, which was developed by UK stencil artist Banksy at the invitation of The Simpsons' producers, was pulled from YouTube earlier today, prompting many tech-scene observers to speculate that the clip, which is clearly critical of the program's production processes, ruffled some of the wrong feathers at Fox.

This week, Leon and Garry talk to Trent Telford, founder and chief executive of Cocoon Data, a Melbourne-based internet security company. Telford’s company combines file and identity protection services, including rights management, so that documents can be secured to protect user privacy as well as right of access.

It's time to ask that important question, 'So, do we have a deal.' But instead, your stomach starts to stir with anxiety, your hands get sweaty, you begin to question your sense of self-worth (or lack thereof) and, before you know it, not only have you failed to close the sale, you've inadvertently demonstrated your lack of belief in the offer (through your hesitation) and started to actually talk down the product in some misguided attempt to demonstrate that you are, indeed, not a salesperson! What are you thinking!

Australian franchises and small businesses are increasingly favoured by overseas investors, especially from China, according to a recent report. The study also highlighted the benefits of pursuing Gen Y franchisees.

This question was presented with an offer to voice my views and suggestions at the next SBDC board meeting on Thursday 21 September. Now, as many Anthill readers probably know, I'm not based in NSW. So, I don't feel qualified to answer. But I do know that close to 40% of Anthill readers do live in NSW. As such, I'm turning the question to you. If you have a suggestion for the SBDC, this is your chance to tell the PTBs (powers-that-be) what you think.

In this podcast, Garry and Leon look at the Reserve Bank’s decision to keep interest rates on hold – for now. But the big four banks will give the RBA until next month to raise rates, or they say they will go it alone. In other news, the Department of Finance looks at $2.4 billion in cuts to pay for the pledges it made during its negotiations with the Independents, and the Housing Industry Association predicts a steep fall in housing starts as the federal stimulus measures fade.

The government has pumped $43 million into an initiative designed to really get under our skin -- from a geological standpoint. The money is going into AuScope, a nonprofit company designed to help governments, universities, and research and science agencies collaborate in their efforts to better understand Australia's natural resources.

Talking Business is a podcast review of the Australian economy, presented by seasoned business journalists Leon Gettler and Garry Barker, produced in association with the RMIT College of Business. It features interviews with prominent business leaders and expert analysis from RMIT academics. Download this podcast to hear RMIT economist Jonathan Boymal talk about the reduction in building approvals caused by interest rate rises, and job vacancy figures showing a tighter labour market.

When the Apple iPad came out, I think I speak for most folks when I said, “Ooo, another premature Apple release!” (with emphasis on that initial bleat). This is because Apple, in my opinion, tends to push its products on us a little too early. Hence Blackberry’s confident stride into the same as yet tentatively-described ether; the Blackberry Playbook.

"Angels without Borders" will be the theme for the upcoming conference, which will feature an international guestlist of speakers and participants. Early-bird registration includes choice of accommodation and closes 26 November.

Longreach -- a portable water-rescue device that can fire an expandable buoyancy device up to 150 metres -- has won the international 2010 James Dyson Awards, an annual competition aimed at coaxing crazy-like-a-fox ideas from the next generation of design engineers.

Ian Campbell, managing director of Melbourne-based manufacturing conglomerate, GUD Holdings, talks to Leon and Garry about marketing, the consumer appliance business, retailers and their “philosophies” and why he does not always find them either useful or profitable. And then there was his highly successful sponsorship of the TV blockbuster “Master Chef” to promote the Sunbeam kitchen appliances company.

The Government of Victoria has launched a $6.5 million program designed to promote the use of small technologies, including nanotech, biotech and information technologies, among business organisations. It's doing so by offering vouchers.