It’s Official – Size does matter!
The Australian Taxation Office has just compiled a snapshot of Small Business (turnovers between $75,000 -$2,000,000) by industry type and it is very revealing. Have a look at the ATO website and click through to your business type. What band is your business in? You will be most interested to see where your business lies […]
Three Feet From Gold
Like many authors of non-fiction, Napoleon Hill used real life experiences to illustrate the philosophy of success that was finally to be laid down, and become known as “Think & Grow Rich”. During the 20 years or more of research that went into this great masterwork, he interviewed, and counselled with, more than five hundred […]
Abundance vs. Scarcity
One of my basic beliefs is that there is more than enough knowledge, wealth or anything else that matters to go around. The fact of the matter is that for most people, getting more means that someone else has to go without. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is literally more than enough […]
The Benefits of Business Coaching
A recent study by the International Coach Federation (ICF) reported that among small business owners, the top six professional and business development areas identified in the study were: Productivity and effectiveness Planning Sales and marketing Business management Positioning their firm for the future Leadership The most valuable results of the business coaching experience reported in […]
Why do we work so hard?
Nobody on their death bed said, “I wish I would have spent more time at the office”. (Paraphrased from Heading Home by Paul Tsongas, 1941 to 1977) Why is it you work so hard? Is it because you want to provide a good income and lifestyle for your family and yourself? Sure it is, but […]
How to deal with price increases
Like night follows day eventually we all have to put our asking price up … the question when and by how much? Go talk to your accountan and she/he will tell you the best way to get an instant increased in profitability is to put up your price. Small to medium sized business operators know […]
Difference between Focusing on Problems (Challenges) and Focusing on Solutions
The following cases show the difference between focusing on problems (challenges) and focusing on solutions. Case 1 When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found out that the pens wouldn’t work at zero gravity (ink won’t flow down to the writing surface). To solve this problem, it took them one decade and […]
To do or not to do is the question
As the owner of a smallish business and faced with an unending list of the ever increasing To Do List, a very wise person once said to me -“just do what makes you happy”. Huh ….I thought, all my education and training, all my experience, coaching/mentoring and advice, the web sites giving tips and lists […]
Audit, Plan, Action
Identification, focusing on and prioritising key business activities as we all know is crucial for a business owner. Often it is too easy to do the things you like or are best at and ignore the more tiresome or challenging jobs. Sure you are still working on something but sometimes to the detriment of the […]
How important is external advise to your bottom line?
Almost every successful person (whether they are a sports person, politician, business person, performing artist, etc.) needs someone they can refer to for objective advice. This coach/mentor must be someone who can really add value to the business and whose opinion and acumen the owner respects. Most importantly this person must also hold the […]
Doing business as fast as you can.
Here at Small Fish, things are moving very quickly, lots of changes, lots of excitement and lots of problems to solve. Expect some announcements from us soon. In the meantime, our situation here has made me think of how it is in business for many of us. I keep experiencing it with my […]
First Blog for 2010
Since I am still on holiday, I thought I would make the first Business Blog of the year a bit relaxed. I just stood on the balcony of the holiday house in Arrawarra Headland, near Coffs Harbour and watched some interesting bird activity. I noticed a large black crow on the roof of the house […]