Do you really want your business to grow?
The fact that you’re reading herBusiness Blog suggest you do; however, you’re part of a teeny 6 percent who go online to find information to help improve their business, according to the April 2010 MYOB Business Monitor. The results of the company’s latest quarterly survey are, dare I say, shocking — one third of business owners don’t do a single thing to improve performance! Of those who do, most turn to their accountant for advice. As the owner of an accounting software business, there’s one thing I know for sure … there’s a lot more to running your own business than finances. In fact, getting back to that survey, the three improvements business owners think will make life easier over the next 12 months have nothing to do with their accountant at all:
- Healthier supplier relationships and pricing.
- Enhanced staff skills and performance.
- Better banking facilities, especially e-commerce.
So where do you turn when you want a more successful business? Let me preface my suggestions with three things: first, you’ll be surprised at how readily available and inexpensive (often free) assistance can be; second, even the smallest effort has a domino effect, leading to surprising opportunities; and, third, I apologise in advance if my examples, drawn from personal experience, seem like bragging… I really believe anyone with a sound business concept that they are willing to grow can achieve similar things. Find Your Niche As a working mum with two teenage sons, and an office at home, three organisations specifically aimed at women like me provide valuable support. Needless to say, Australian Businesswomen’s Network, which hosts this blog, needs no introduction! I’m also a member of the Women’s Network Australia and Business Mums Network. Check these out for articles, success stories, events, networking opportunities, e-newsletters, blogs and useful links, some of which are free, even to non-members. As well as oodles of inspiration and support, my involvement with the above organisations has yielded unexpected rewards: I now write for this blog, sharing my knowledge and experiences. I have a monthly lunch date to “talk business” with five other ABN members. Some of my enduring and supportive business relationships have come from meeting women through these networks. Of course, your niche may be completely different — it could be eco-friendly, rural-focused or politically active, just to name a few. Reach for the Peak Peak bodies or industry associations exist for one purpose … to serve you! Membership benefits are similar to those outlined in the section above, with the addition of:
- Industry news and directories
- Publications and reports
- Opportunities to nominate for awards and access industry specialists
- Conferences and other professional development
- Introduction to new suppliers
- Information on new regulations and legislation
- Industry advocacy and publicity
I belong to Women in Information and Communication, which brings people together to champion women in technology — yes, there are quite a few of us! I’m thrilled to have won the WICked Woman of the Year 2009 award for my contribution to the ICT industry, and had the opportunity to speak at one of their breakfast events earlier this year. If you don’t know which group represents your industry, simply do a Google search using the name of your industry, such as retail or tourism, and the phrase “industry association”. Meet a Government Agent Not a secret agent, but a government advisory service to support business at federal, state and local levels! Young or old, a start-up or established, an entrepreneur or exporter — these provide grass roots business information, including the nitty-gritty of: financial management, making a growth plan, commercialising ideas and understanding the legalities of running a business. As soon as I dedicated myself full-time to my company, Admin Bandit, I was privileged to received a grant to work with one of Canberra’s best-known business coaches. I took free workshops on business basics with Canberra BusinessPoint, an ACT government initiative delivered by Deloitte. Within two years, I won the Business Plan Award for a business less than two-years-old at the inaugural Canberra BusinessPoint Gala and Awards. More recently I’ve received support from Lighthouse Innovation, a free business incubator service. Unfortunately, finding government agencies isn’t easy. For some reason, there’s no central point that lists every available resource, which means you’ve got a couple of evenings trawling the web ahead of you (hmm, perhaps there’s a blog post in that?). Start by checking out the following:
- Canberra BusinessPoint’s page of links to useful federal and ACT organisations — don’t ignore the ACT organisations if you live in another state … do a Google search to see if similar services are available where you live.
- AusIndustry’s Small Business Advisory Services program — to download a PDF of the 36 business advisory centres across Australia.
- Do another Google search to find your state government’s small business portal … simply type “small business” and your state’s name.
