Business Owner
Sacked staff paid to go away
SMALL businesses are forking out thousands to workers to make them go away, with new laws making it "too easy" for them to claim unfair dismissal.
Passionate about sea and seafood
KRISTINA Georges is a passionate business owner on a crusade. The fishmonger established Samies Girl Seafoods by buying a business formerly owned by her family that had gone into receivership.
Diversity fosters urge to innovate
A BEST-SELLING author, named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People, has tipped Australia as having the right sort of cultural diversity to inspire businesspeople to take the risks that are necessary to drive innovative economies.
Software sniffs out fraud
WITH nearly half of Australian and New Zealand businesses falling victim to fraud in any two-year period, forensic technology is rapidly becoming a major corporate survival tool.
Healthy move happened just in time
IT'S a state-of-the-art facility, deliberately positioned to take advantage of a "massive shift in consumer choices", but award-winning Gold Coast company Morlife almost lost that chance.
Ipswich firms rise from the mud
BEAUTY therapist Kate Hill is optimistic about the future after the epic summer flood ripped through her salon in downtown Ipswich.
Simply not a patch on local quality
IT'S a manufacturer's nightmare losing contracts to cheaper places such as China but if things continue to go Kerrie Richards' way, some of that may be changing.
Small business hit by eftpos increase
SMALL business owner Brett Carey has issued a challenge to Bruce Mansfield, managing director of Eftpos Payments Australia.
Rise in fee cuts deep
SMALL business owners have received a kick in the guts from the latest rise in merchant interchange fees, says South Bank hairdresser Carole Haddad.
Keeping the prawn dream alive
JUST one month after Cyclone Yasi destroyed their operations, a north Queensland prawn farm has bounced back to win a Champion Prawn award.
Retailer takes quake in its stride
OUTDOOR clothing retailer Kathmandu says it has achieved sales ahead of expectations since mid-January, with year-on-year same-store growth in Australia and New Zealand.
New sprayer in weed war
NICK Bloor started his "weed management" business when he was a 19-year-old studying law at Queensland University of Technology.
Easier lending for small firms - RBA
SMALL businesses can expect better lending conditions as the economy strengthens, the Reserve Bank says.
Business owners 'need an ombudsman'
SMALL businesses say all political parties are on the nose and they need a dedicated ombudsman to look out for them.
Busy world of burgers takes off
ISSAM and Enza Soubjaki loved the burgers at their local outlet so much they bought the business.
Floods to push many retailers 'over the edge'
RETAILERS still reeling from a depressed Christmas period predict Queensland floods will carve 5 per cent off revenues.
Designer parents make money out of mess
PARENTS turn frustration with their son's messy room into a surfboard storage business expected to make $1 million this year.
LinkedIn set to make share market debut
CAREER website LinkedIn plans to float shares, in a bid to become the first listed major social network.
Nigerian fraud scheme targets businesses
QUEENSLAND police warn local businesses affected by floods to be vigilant after reports of a Nigerian scam targeting pharmacies.
Schools 'should train entrepreneurs'
HIGH schools should provide programs for a growing group of budding entrepreneurs, says Council of Small Business director.
Social sites can boost bottom line
YOUNG entrepreneurs are taking the small business world to new levels with social media, blogs and online marketing.
Website tracks discounts for flood victims
A MARKETING executive launches a website to find and promote businesses that pledge discounts for the nation's flood victims.
Multimillion wine swindle 'mysterious'
A WINE scam has cost companies across the country at least $5 million and has police puzzled.
Market Data
Breaking News
Safeguard assets and save costs
MINIMISING the risk of paying too much tax is easier to achieve than many small business and self-employed enterprises realise.
Bakery rises on gluten-free recipe
JOSEF Zehnder - who bakes to-die-for gluten-free products - is no stranger to success.
Small operators think big, go online
SMALL businesses are increasing their presence online with a view of maximising sales, expanding their customer base and offering a convenient way of shopping.
High cost for a handy appliance
THOSE people who love the hit cooking show MasterChef will know the awesome kitchen appliance called the Thermomix.
Drift to drop anchor at Brookwater
ALMOST four months after floods destroyed its iconic floating venue, award-winning restaurant Drift will reopen this time without the water.
$50 million client in squabble with BoQ
BEFORE their alliance soured, construction entrepreneurs Richard and Jacqueline Mulhern were top clients of BoQ, borrowing almost $57 million.
Real 'service' station keeps Bill paid
NUNDAH'S Buckland Auto Service doesn't sell bread or milk, but more than 50 years of old-fashioned service has kept the customers coming back.
'Red flags' employers should look for
IF you have an employee that never takes a holiday, refuses help, works late and long hours, or has had a change in lifestyle or purchasing patterns, watch out.
Thrifty front in marketing war
BRUCE Doyle doesn't believe in throwing money at a problem. He is what is known as a guerrilla marketer, trained by the leading authority in the field.
Business split on value of iPads
WHILE tech junkies have hailed the iPad as revolutionary, not everyone in the business world considers it a must-have accessory.
Tax office to go easy on flood-hit
THE head of the Australian Taxation Office has ordered his staff to be lenient with ordinary taxpayers and business owners devastated by floods.
Better to be thin and streamlined
HAVE you heard of a "thin client?" - here's a tip it's got nothing to do with the latest fad diet or even your customers.
Baby shopping at touch of finger
A BRISBANE-based company has developed a new iPhone application that allows users to access shopping catalogues at the touch of a finger.
Working warning - beware of office gossip
WORKER unfairly sacked for allegedly gossiping opens up a debate about how much bosses can regulate behaviour.
Biolytix defends financial model
WASTEWATER systems company Biolytix has defended its financial model, despite admitting it took a three-week sales drought to kill the business.
Youth wages 'less than the dole'
BUSINESS owners are struggling to find and hold on to apprentices amid concerns that their wages can't compete with the dole.
'New breed' of entrepreneurs rises up
SOCIAL entrepreneurs are tackling the world's problems and making money while they're at it, says Planet Ark co-founder, Jon Dee.
Bakers burnt in battle for buyers' dough
INDEPENDENT bakers loom as potential victims of an ongoing price war between supermarket giants.
Clean-up costs could be claimable
KEEP your receipts because some flood recovery costs could be tax deductible. That's the advice for small businesses from at least one firm.
ABC chief to be charged over collapse
FALLEN childcare entrepreneur Eddy Groves to face criminal charges relating to his collapsed ABC Learning Centres empire.
Trader fined for baby sleeping bags
ONLINE trader must pay nearly $15,000 in fines and costs for selling non-compliant infant sleeping bags.
Westpac still 'favourite business bank'
WESTPAC still nation's favourite business bank but customer satisfaction with the big four has waned since November, says a study.
Universities take pond scum to G'day USA
UNIVERSITY venture takes plans to grow and turn large quantities of algae into fuel for jets and trains to G'day USA trade show.
Floods force Donut King outlets to shut
GROUP behind Donut King and Michels Patisserie says some of its 108 outlets closed by Queensland's floods may not reopen.
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