Funding & Finance

Most business owners stress out at the thought of redundancies. It is very important to find a middle ground (it will never be a perfect balance) between acting under the legal and commercial requirements and responding humanely to people's lives being affected so dramatically. Here are 21 things you must consider before carrying out redundancies.

PowerBuy is the new, fast & easy way to save on I.T. During my last role as marketing director for a well known I.T. manufacturer...

As a new generation of Gordon Gekko's fry under the blowtorch of angry shareholders and world leaders brace themselves for the bill from mass bailouts, it's easy to answer the question, "What is the future of finance?" by simply asking another: "Is there a future for finance?"

How would your business cope with a 20-30 percent drop in turnover? How do business owners deal with the wave of economic uncertainty that's reported on every day in the news, and decide what actions to take to survive and guide their business through (what we all hope will be) the inevitable upturn?

The great Michael Lewis is probably the best and most readable chronicler of the current financial crisis. In this fascinating piece, he investigates the collapse of Iceland, and finds that mass delusion and lack of dissenting voices, products of Iceland's provincial and isolated culture, were keys to this "perfect bubble" and ensuing disaster.

The great Michael Lewis is probably the best and most readable chronicler of the current financial crisis. In this fascinating piece, he investigates the collapse of Iceland, and finds that mass delusion and lack of dissenting voices, products of Iceland's provincial and isolated culture, were keys to this "perfect bubble" and ensuing disaster.

Late last year, destra founder Domenic Carosa launched the Future Capital Development Fund Limited (FCDFL), a new investment fund focused on internet ventures. Here, Carosa chats with Anthill publisher James Tuckerman about the process of starting a new investment fund in Australia.

Los Angeles-based designer Jonathan Jarvis has created a wonderful animated video explaining the complex origins of the current credit crisis.

For these businesses (and their owners) to survive this rapidly changing economic environment intact, they just can't continue to do everything by themselves. To be successful, they need to have an experienced team around them to provide the information, experience and support to meet these growing challenges. This team needs to be able to provide the experienced advice that is needed. They need to know how to handle a difficult economic environment. They need to be flexible. And they need to be affordable for the business.

The Global Financial Crisis (a gift from our good friends, CEOs in the USA) is bringing many of us a lot of pain and there is plenty more to come. However, it also brings us a rare opportunity for change. Let's use this time of pain to make painful changes so that when we hit the upswing, we have a better system.

It might seem logical to discount during an economic downturn. You need to boost sales and attract new customers. And customers are tightening their belts and shopping around for the best price. But is discounting the best option over the long-term?

Take every chance to hear from your customers. Don't waste a single one. If they bother to hit reply and type something out, you should read it. If you're product or service doesn't have the margin to allow for listening to your customers when they want to talk to you, then you're in trouble.

Take every chance to hear from your customers. Don't waste a single one. If they bother to hit reply and type something out, you should read it. If you're product or service doesn't have the margin to allow for listening to your customers when they want to talk to you, then you're in trouble.

It seems like everyone is scrambling to find ways to cut costs these days. Projects are being put on hold, redundancies are piling up, travel scaled back, etc. And when it comes to technology costs, no organisation is safe. But how do you ensure IT does its part to reduce costs while ensuring you don't compromise security or competitive advantage? There are a number of maturing technologies that are peaking at just the right time to deliver in the downturn.

Across the board, strong businesses are those that are well run and designed to withstand outside influences, or have factored in potential risks and have a plan to manage the situation.

Global research group TNS has released research indicating that 44 percent of Baby Boomers plan to postpone their retirement in light of the global economic crisis.

Grow Me The Money is a 12 month online program designed to help small to medium sized businesses become more sustainable and save money....

We decided to ask you, our very innovative readers, to tell us how you have tweaked your own business models to build new revenue streams and make money in this destructively distracting economic climate (rather than 'save' it). And, of course, we'll publish the most interesting, innovative, inspiring and instructional in our Apr/May/Jun print edition.

We decided to ask you, our very innovative readers, to tell us how you have tweaked your own business models to build new revenue streams and make money in this destructively distracting economic climate (rather than 'save' it). And, of course, we'll publish the most interesting, innovative, inspiring and instructional in our Apr/May/Jun print edition.

No matter the markets, or investor appetite, there is a never-ending capital demand for new or expanding companies. And make no mistake – there is money available – it has just become much harder to find.