Small Biz Matters: People, Policy, Purpose.

Stress at Work and Natural Ways to Reduce it

Small Biz Matters – a half hour program each week where you can work ON your business rather than IN it.
with Alexi Boyd from Boyd Office Management Services
Date: 23 January 2018

Stress. Some would say to be expected when you’re running a business. But no one told me it was going to be quite THAT stressful, right? There are long days, missed family moments and many, many long hours losing sleep trying to get that pitch, that web wording, that client work completed.

It’s as though there is a page for your To DO List that goes on FOREVER. But have no fear small business colleagues. You already know we’re all about practical strategies here on Small Biz Matters and there are some great practical strategies to help you alleviate the stress of running your business. Here to share some with us is Christine Pope, Homeopath Nutritionist & Naturopath.

Welcome to the show Christine.

Stressed, overloaded, overwhelmed, overwrought! For many small biz people this can be a common challenge and in this podcast with Christine Pope, Naturopath we look at what some common stress symptoms are and how you can use diet exercise and lifestyle improve your resilience to stress.
Physical symptoms can often include headaches, stomach upsets, palpitations and mood changes. So how can you ensure that you are treating the cause of the symptoms ?
Dietary changes are really critical to help you become as resilient to stress as possible. There are a couple of simple changes that you can make which will assist, in particular adequate protein is critical. Loading up on simple carbs and coffee is not the answer.
Lifestyle changes that you can make are often as simple as backing off from the screen at night. Learn how you can improve sleep hygiene to get better sleep.

Topics we’ll be covering :

• What are some of the physical symptoms of stress?
• Can I change my diet to help manage stress better? (Fats, proteins and carbs)
• Is it worth looking at supplements ? (Magnesium, Multi, Adaptogens)
• What else should I consider (sleep, sleep hygiene, exercise)

To find out more go to her website: https://www.facebook.com/christine.pope.7

Navigating Entitlements for Employers

Small Biz Matters – a half hour program each week where you can work ON your business rather than IN it.
with Alexi Boyd from Boyd Office Management Services
Date: 9 January 2018

In the third interview in this series; Small Biz Matters brings back a local expert on Employment Law; Michelle Archer from Archer Law practice based in Hornsby. After the response from the last podcast I’m pleased to welcome back a true, local expert on the subject. So welcome to the show and thanks for sharing all of your knowledge with us this morning.

POINTS WE’LL BE COVERING:

• Best practice in handling compulsory Xmas closure period as company policy
• Leave requests when employees have none accrued
• When good employees go bad – and don’t come back from holiday!

Emotional Intelligence

Small Biz Matters – a half hour program each week where you can work ON your business rather than IN it.
with Alexi Boyd from Boyd Office Management Services
Date: 21 November 2017

Ush Dhanak from Collaborate HR joins us this week to discuss the hiring process, the "getting out of the rabbit hole" technique and how to apply emotional intelligence in your business.

• What is EQ?
• What does it mean for the hiring process
• “Getting out of the Rabbit Hole” technique
• How can we use it in small business – employees & other relationships
• Applying emotional intelligence as a sole trader – client relationships

Implementing Technology

Small Biz Matters – a half hour program each week where you can work ON your business rather than IN it.
with Alexi Boyd from Boyd Office Management Services
Date: 14 November 2017

Technology plays a crucial role in small businesses. This week we discuss the time it takes to implement new technology, the cost of technology and how to choose the right software for your business.

• Update on events in the Hornsby area
• Wrap up of previous shows
• Implementing technology in your business
  • Who to ask in order to research? other small businesses, networking groups
  • How does a lack of time impede our ability to implement technology?
  • Where to look for the best apps – insidesmallbusiness, smh small business, itunes ratings, newsletters
  • The importance of having a good, notable accounting system
  • Ask yourself does this software solve a problem? Marketing, finance, CRM?
  • Does this software fit in my current processes & skill level?
  • Time management once you’ve decided on which tech software to use for your business – allocate the time & decide with implementation and ask if you need to outsource this – what’s the cost?
  • Is this technology going to evolve with your business - be prepared for change. Ask your mentor!

Discrimination and Harassment in the Workplace

Small Biz Matters – a half hour program each week where you can work ON your business rather than IN it.
with Alexi Boyd from Boyd Office Management Services
Date: 7 November 2017

In the third interview in this series; Small Biz Matters brings back a local expert on Employment Law; Michelle Archer from Archer Law practice based in Hornsby. After the response from the last podcast I’m pleased to welcome back a true, local expert on the subject. So welcome to the show and thanks for sharing all of your knowledge with us this morning.

WHAT IS DISCRIMINATION?

Direct discrimination is where a person with a particular characteristic is treated less favourably than a person or persons without that characteristic.

Some of the specific characteristics or “grounds” covered by Federal Acts include:

•             Race – Racial Discrimination Act 1975;

•             Age – Age Discrimination Act 2004;

•             Disability - Disability Discrimination Act 1992

•             Sex (gender), sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status, marital or relationship status, pregnancy or potential pregnancy, breastfeeding or family responsibilities – Sex Discrimination Act 1984

Also note section 351 of the Fair Work Act 2009:

Section 351 of the FWA states:

(1)           An employer must not take adverse action against a person who is an employee, or prospective employee, of the employer because of the person's race, colour, sex, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, family or carer's responsibilities, pregnancy, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin.

Indirect Discrimination can also happen when a practice or policy may on its fact appear non-discriminatory or neutral, but which may have a disproportionate detrimental effect on a person/persons with a particular characteristic.

WHAT IS HARASSMENT?

By far, the most common form of harassment is sexual harassment.   Survey results in a 2014 guideline published by the Human Rights Commission, indicates that one in five (21%) of people (including both men and women) reported being sexually harassed in the workplace in the previous 5 years, that 79% of the harassers were men and almost one-quarter of the victims were men.  

The SDA states that a person sexually harasses another person if:

“(a)  the person makes an unwelcome sexual advance, or an unwelcome request for sexual favours, to the person harassed; or

(b)  engages in other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature in relation to the person harassed;

in circumstances in which a reasonable person, having regard to all the circumstances, would have anticipated the possibility that the person harassed would be offended, humiliated or intimidated.”

Note that there does not have to be repeated behaviour, one incident is enough to breach the section, however most cases involve repeated behaviour which often escalates over time.  But whether one incident or many, employers are obliged to treat all allegations seriously.

The SDA provides some of the circumstances to consider as to whether sexual harassment has occurred including, but not limited to:

“(a)  the sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status, marital or relationship status, religious belief, race, colour, or national or ethnic origin, of the person harassed;

(b)  the relationship between the person harassed and the person who made the advance or request or who engaged in the conduct;

(c)  any disability of the person harassed;

(d)  any other relevant circumstance.”

Also note the definition of "conduct of a sexual nature" includes;

“making a statement of a sexual nature to a person, or in the presence of a person, whether the statement is made orally or in writing.”

WHAT IS BULLYING AT WORK?

Unlike sexual harassment bullying requires repeated unreasonable behaviour.  The bullying jurisdiction under the Fair Work Act 2009, does not directly allow for any claims for compensation but does allow a worker to apply to the Fair Work Commission for orders for the bullying to stop.  Before orders are made, the FWC will usually require that the person has first tried to resolve the situation internally and if unsuccessful, the FWC will conduct private conciliation.

The definition is found in section 789FD

(1)          A worker is bullied at work if:

(a)          while the worker is at work in a constitutionally-covered business:

(i)  an individual; or

(ii)  a group of individuals;

repeatedly behaves unreasonably towards the worker, or a group of workers of which the worker is a member; and

(b)  that behaviour creates a risk to health and safety.

(2)          To avoid doubt, subsection (1) does not apply to reasonable management action carried out in a reasonable manner.

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO AVOID DISCRIMINATION/HARASSMENT AND BULLYING IN THE WORKPLACE?

•             The first and most important reason is that it can result in very real and long-lasting psychological damage in the person being harassed.  It sends a message that that person is not valued and is incredibly destructive to confidence and trust of workers in their fellow workers and in their employer.  There have even been incidents where young persons have committed suicide following repeated bullying at work.

•             A workplace without these issues is a more inclusive and productive workplace and a better place for everyone to work. 

•             Protection for the employer against claims.  Compensation in discrimination claims is increasing and presents a real liability risk. An employer can be sued if discrimination/harassment is taking place.  If you as an employee are the perpetrator then you will not be very popular with your employer if they are sued because of your behaviour.

•             Protection for the employee against sanction from the employer for misconduct.  Engaging in discriminatory conduct can be grounds for dismissal without notice.  This can have flow on effects for an employee’s entitlements, reputation and career.

•             Protection for the employee against claims made directly against the employee. Both the employer and the employee can be sued for sexual harassment. Damages for discrimination matters are increasing and general damages over $100,000 have been awarded in the last few years. This is in addition to any economic loss that may be suffered.

EXAMPLES FROM THE CASES

•             Compensation for sexual harassment

This is an important recent landmark case which has significantly increased general damages for discrimination/harassment cases.

The Applicant was a senior executive with Oracle.  She was working with another executive named Mr Tucker.  The Court accepted that Mr Tucker repeatedly sexually harassed Ms Richardson over a six month period and found he engaged in conduct on 11 separate occasions which involved sexually suggestive remarks in private and in public, text messages and calls.  Ms Richardson repeatedly rebuffed him and the behaviour continued.  Ms Richardson tried to informally complain but this was not successful and an investigation was launched.  Mr Tucker apologised and was given counselling.  Ms Richardson was removed from the projects she was working on, to remove her from Mr Tucker’s presence but believing she had been demoted, eventually resigned.  The Court found that she had not been demoted but awarded $18,000 for psychological injuries suffered for the sexual harassment.

On appeal the Full Court of the Federal Court said that such an amount was out of step with community standards and significantly increased the award to $100,000.  In this case the employer accepted vicarious liability and therefore was ordered to pay this amount although Mr Tucker was also personally sued.  If the employer had not accepted that it was possible that Mr Tucker would have been ordered to pay this amount.

•             Termination for racial/religious comments.  Recent case.

A worker sent an email to a large group of persons in the workplace which suggested Islam was a religion of violence and which attached a slideshow which in the words of the FWC could:

“fairly be characterised as advancing a case through words and pictures that Islam is an aggressive and violent religion which constitutes a threat to the civilized world.”

The Employer terminated the employment of the worker.  The worker made an unfair dismissal claim. 

The sending of the email was found to be a valid reason for dismissal (although compensation was awarded to the worker based on other reasons)

Anderson v Thiess Pty Ltd [2015] FWCFB 478 (Ross J, Hatcher VP, Simpson C, 30 January 2015).

•             Compensation for “sex romp prank”.

Two workers set up a room as if a “sex romp” had taken place and told their cleaner colleague that two other employees were having an affair and had used the room for that purpose.  The Applicant believed that this had happened and he cleaned up the room.

Two days later the applicant was told by his colleagues that it was a prank and that the sex romp had not actually taken place.  The Court accepted that the cleaner was deeply humiliated and distressed by the prank.  The Court rejected claims by the workers that they only “wanted a laugh” and that the cleaner had accepted their “joke”.

The Court found that the intention was to humiliate the cleaner and that his “acceptance” of the joke was his way of coping with the humiliation.  The Court ordered the employer AND the workers to pay the application more than $150,000 in compensation.

HOW TO AVOID DISCRIMINATORY CONDUCT

•             Use common sense – don’t make jokes based on race, sex or age.

•             Recognise that people who are offended or upset by discriminatory comments often don’t speak up due to embarrassment or fear.  Don’t assume that because someone laughs or does not object they are not hurt or offended.

•             If you see/hear behaviour that is not appropriate, say something.  It is important that everyone work to create a culture which is inclusive and free from discrimination.  It is often hard for the victim to speak up and make complaints so calling out behaviour when it occurs creates a better culture.

•             Be careful at work functions especially if alcohol is being served.  Work functions are notorious for inappropriate interactions and you can easily get into difficult territory when people’s inhibitions are compromised.

•             Sexual content and emails – just don’t!!  Don’t access inappropriate information at work, don’t send it to anyone and don’t forward anything you receive. 

•             Be careful with social media.  There are cases where posts on social media even when done outside of work hours have been cause for dismissal and upheld by the FWC.   Don’t be friends with people at work if you are going to vent about the boss or staff members! 

Speaking from the Heart - Transforming Your Message with Your Body and Voice

Small Biz Matters – a half hour program each week where you can work ON your business rather than IN it.
with Alexi Boyd from Boyd Office Management Services
Date: 10 October 2017

Presentation skills…. Not generally considered the forte of small business. But in this age of “genuine connections”, face-to-face networking events and the perfect pitch nailing your message is crucial to getting out there and being heard.

There's a lot of noise online and it's difficult to cut through; we can learn the tricks of this trade easily enough but being present in the room with a potential client or business connection is a harder skill to master. Well, luckily we have an help today for our small business listeners.

Dr Gary Wohlman is one such expert, here to share his  wealth of expertise and years of experience working with individuals, consultants as communications skills coach, bringing people's voice and message out into the world as they've always dreamed possible.

Welcome to the show, Gary.

Topics we’ll be covering:

• Integrating the 3V’s of communication – the Verbal, Vocal & Visual components, delivering your key messages with greater ease, efficiency and inspiring your listeners to action.
• Developing Self-Talk to empower presentations on all stages of your life - Practice 3 keywords and matching gestures you came up with as a way of ‘getting into the zone’ instantly just before speaking or making a presentation, so what you say and how you say it are in tune and aligned – making it easier than ever for you to reach people with your intended message. Feel free to contact me for further assistance in matching your verbal message with your physical delivery, and watch your business and relationships soar.
• The Grid System for ‘walking your talk’ as you place each key PEA (Point, Example, Application) in specific spots on whatever stage you are on, to clearly choreograph your communication and streamline remembering your content, while simultaneously training your audiences to easily grasp what you are talking about as you move consistently through these same spots during any live presentations you give.
• The “Modeling the Hero” exercise to reclaim disowned qualities projected onto heroes, role models and mentors

Other questions:

1) How do you see yourself as a transformational presentation coach?

2) Give us a sound bite of the type of presentation breakthroughs your clients typically have through working with you…

3) What is one of your most powerful tools you can guide our listeners through, to enhance the impact and effectiveness of their live presentations?

4) Tell us what you mean by the 3 V's of communication…

5) What is the Hero exercise?

6) What is one further tip you'd like to share with our audience?

7) What upcoming workshops do you have where people can have an opportunity for a presentation breakthrough?

8) What other means of support can you offer our listeners to help them bring out their voice and message into the world as the've dreamed possible?

To find out more, visit Dr Gary’s website : www.mypresentationdoctor.com

While living in the United States, Gary graduated with honours from the esteemed Horace Mann private school, receiving the Headmasters award for the top student excelling in both academics and athletics. Graduating with a combined Pre-Med. and Psychology degree from Johns Hopkins University, Gary saw his future as a child psychiatrist and set his sights on medical school, yet felt a greater calling from the burgeoning new field of self development.

He moved to the west coast, where he pursued humanistic studies in the Human Potential movement, taking courses in San Francisco at the Californian School of Professional Psychology, which encouraged all manner of innovation. Here he developed his own system of transformational body therapy that grew over four decades into the presentation coaching that is now the Wohlman method.

In 1990, Gary was invited to visit New Zealand as a keynote conference speaker for health care professionals. As a practitioner who was accustomed to working one-on-one with clients, Gary presented in the way he knew how, by inviting individual audience members onto the stage, one by one, to work with them on the challenges they had in presenting communicating and connecting.

News of Gary’s presentations soon spread. His authentic, real life scenarios were a lively change to stultifying power point keynotes which proliferated the stage, and he was invited back to Australasia for a series of workshops. As Gary’s presentations became more popular the triad of his life – athletics, academia and self development – and his devotion to integrating body, mind and spirit – fell into place. As new frontiers opened up for his pioneering personality, he picked up his sticks and moved down under to Australia in 1997.

To Gary, unlocking the dynamic energy system by the ability to feel centred and in command had a natural synchronicity with his early acclaim as a gymnast, track star, and springboard diving champion. Integrating this physicality into the core of presentation coaching is the foundation of the Wohlman method, which was government accredited in Australia in 2002. During this same period he received a PhD in Transpersonal Psychology and Expressive Arts Therapy.

‘Getting into the zone’ is as much a part of preparing for sports competitions as for any stage presentation. In harnessing the power of the zone as an athlete, it became anchored in Gary’s mind that he needed to create tools and resources to coach individuals to connect inner purpose to outer presentation, and align intention with performance.

For Gary, there is always an overarching sense of achievement working with people to unlock the stored physical, emotional and creative energy – and release the related anxiety, tensions and self-talk holding them back.

Dr Gary’s clients generally come from two paths: firstly performers, leaders or high-profile spokespeople. Their goal is to persuade, entertain, inform or educate and leave an impression. Secondly, those that want to achieve similarly, and may be challenged in expressing themselves, lost for words, floundering for material, simply stuck or nervous.

Companies that have engaged Dr Gary include global corporations, such as Chifley, Capgemini, 3M, Xerox, Geovital, American Express, Air New Zealand, the Intercontinental hotel, Australia Post – as well as a string of not for profits, Make-a-Wish foundation amongst them, and thousands of individuals.

Dr Gary’s quest is to assist his fellow presenters find their authority, authenticity and audience engagement with the simplest, swiftest, most sustainable systems possible. “Here’s to unlocking your true self, speaking from the heart and being heard – with your fullest vitality, physical presence and connectedness – on all stages of your life. It’s an honour for me to assist you in enhancing the impact and effectiveness of your live presentations, and in bringing your voice and message out into the world as you’ve always dreamed possible”.

Marrying the Creative with the Financial Side of Your Business

Small Biz Matters – a half hour program each week where you can work ON your business rather than IN it.
with Alexi Boyd from Boyd Office Management Services
Date: 26 September 2017

As small businesses we need to be adaptable. We MUST be adaptable and in truth its one of our strengths. But what happens when you’re on one trajectory and you decide that headspace, that career, those clients, are not for you. Well, you adapt of course!

Today's guest has done just that, beginning his career in corporate finance he’s transitioned to a business advisor specialising in the creative space - a very different path. ….

Welcome to the show Mark.

Topics we’ll be covering:

• Broadly your small business journey and what led you to start your own business
  • Your own transition between the career path of supporting businesses through roles in accounting and CA work to the more creative side of businesses - advising, as well as marketing strategy and implementation
• Tell us about some great productivity apps you recommend to your clients to be more efficient and keep on top of their workload
  • Schedullo
  • Evernote
  • Wunderlist
  • Trello
• What’s the best way to connect those two sides - the creative and the finance - through marketing to predict and measure
  • Ask yourself - was it worth it?
  • Focus on the two very important WHYs of marketing - WHY do your customers need your product, and WHY are you marketing to them (hint: you presumably want a dollar return on your marketing investment, or some other outcome).
  • Have you conducted Beta (or A/B) testing?
  • BUT don’t use that old corporate model of one team vs another - the goal is to form an integrated marketing and finance vision within your business.
• What’s your ultimate dream?

To find out more go to their website: www.ownyourmark.com.au

Making a Business Work with Local in Mind

Small Biz Matters – a half hour program each week where you can work ON your business rather than IN it.
with Alexi Boyd from Boyd Office Management Services
Date: 19 September 2017

We too often leave ourselves last on the list of priorities as a small business owner. Family, clients and even our employees are treated as more important than ourselves and it means we can end up unwell or worse still, unable to work for a long period of time.

But it IS important to self-care as a business owner; for without us often there is no business, no income and for those employees, no wage!

So how DO we look after ourselves when everything else seems more important? Here to help us today is Kerri Alexander a local Naturopath and Herbalist who’s come on the show to share her expertise with us to help us self care and build long term strategies for business health!

Welcome to the show Kerri Alexander!

Topics we’ll be covering:

1. Broadly, your small business journey and what led you to start your own business?

I have always wanted to help and nurture people, to not only help them feel better but for them to be the very best that they can be. To be strong and healthy and vibrant. I always wanted to be a naturopath, but I had no idea that I could actually go to college and formally study to do so. I thought it was just something that had to be learnt through books, experience and the pearls of women’s wisdom handed down through the generations. Anyway by the time I was about halfway through my first degree, I had developed pretty bad IBS, food intolerances, had terrible headaches and anxiety as well so I took myself off to see a naturopath. It was the best thing I ever did for myself and I found myself on a path towards healing and self-discovery. At about the same time I found that Nature Care College were having an open day, so off I went and from the moment I walked in I knew that I had finally come home. This was what I wanted to be doing and sharing with the world. Not only had I experienced the incredible changes and healing that can happen when working with a naturopath, but now I could learn all of those beautiful tools and do the same for others. Once I graduated I began practicing and have been in practice ever since. Now I work from my gorgeous little home clinic in Hornsby so that not only can my patients can take a much needed break from the busyness of the world, but so that I can also be mum and work around my family.

1. The importance of good nutrition, regular exercise and self-care when working for yourself.

I know that we hear it all the time but we really are what we eat. Hippocrates wrote “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” and if you really think about it that delicious bowl of organic muesli with chia seeds, coconut yoghurt or organic yoghurt with rockmelon or whatever fruit you chose this morning will be broken down into their macro and micronutrients of proteins, complex carbohydrates, vitamin, minerals and probiotics and transported and then incorporated into every cell in your body. So if your breakfast was either nothing or a cappuccino and a muffin, you’re probably not putting yourself in the best position that you can to begin your day.

The best way and one of the simplest ways to care for yourself is to eat fresh, wholesome unprocessed foods so that you can give your body all the nutrients that you need to perform at your best. My best rule of thumb is that if your great grandmother wouldn’t recognise it as food, then you shouldn’t be eating it! And healthy eating doesn’t have to be complicated at all. It can be eggs and avocado on toast, or homemade salad with some organic chicken and balsamic dressing. Make it easy and pack yourself lunch and snacks before you head out to work. Take a thermos with a ready made herbal tea so that you can sip on it through the day. Integrate herbal medicines into your daily eating with simple things like drinking nourishing herbal teas and eating the herbs that are growing in your garden. Be sure to feed yourself, if your body and mind don’t have enough fuel then you can’t be at your best, nor can you be of service to your customers

Regular exercise is essential for coping with the stress of running a small business, not only does it increase physical stamina and strength but also improves how we cope mentally and emotionally with the stress. Meditation, even if it’s only 10 minutes a day, is another excellent way to care for ourselves as small business owners and it brings clarity, focus and compassion to our day.

Regular time out can be a challenge for small business owners but is essential. Boundaries and creating time outside of work to look after yourself, to defrag and just enjoy life is extremely important. It’s really easy to get caught in the the mindset of continual overwork, but all that happens is that we become less and less productive. Time out actually increases productivity.

The key for long term success in both small business and life is ongoing self-care. Remember you are the most important asset that your business has! Exercise regularly, meditate or do yoga, eat wholesome foods and use herbs and nutrients to support your mind and body and make sure that you take regular time out to do things outside of your business. Connect with family, friends and nature. Have fun and laugh.

1. Need a boost? Here are some fantastic remedies that can help support you through the highs and lows of running a small business.

Taking care of your nervous system, brain and adrenal glands would be my best advice when running your own business. The demands and hours are long, and the body and mind need support. So my favourite herbal medicines, foods, nutrients and tips for taking care of your nervous system are would be

• Drink herbal teas that have skullcap, oats, lemon balm, chamomile and nettle in them
• Use the ginsengs, but carefully and best under the advice of a herbalist
• Take either a multivitamin or B vitamins daily
• Take magnesium daily
• Include oats in your diet
• Eat well and regularly
• Exercise

My favourites for taking care of your adrenal glands would be

• Drink licorice, rosehip or tulsi tea
• Take B vitamins daily, especially B5 and B6
• Take vitamin C daily
• Take magnesium daily
• Take regular time out
• Get a good 8 hours sleep
• Meditate
• Do yoga

My favourites for taking care of your brain would be

• Use gingko or bacopa
• Take B vitamins daily
• Meditate daily
• Do yoga

KTA Blurb:

I support, empower and guide you to be the best and most vibrant version of yourself. We all want to live the best, fullest, happiest and most delicious lives that we can, but often times we are overwhelmed or frustrated by not being able to find the right balance or advice that best suits us or our lifestyles. This is where traditional naturopathic practice and complementary healthcare is truly strong, because the holistic viewpoint allows for needs of each person to be considered and adjusted for. That is why each prescription is different, because each person has unique physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs, and that is the exquisite beauty and complexity of what we, as naturopaths, do. I see the process as creating a unique and supportive structure around each person, almost like a piece of installation art, using the tools of herbal medicine, nutritional supplements, whole foods, flower essences, exercise, yoga and meditation. So whether you suffer from digestive issues, hormonal or menstrual difficulties or you feel stressed out, overwhelmed, anxious or depressed I will support and empower you to reconnect with your body so that you can take control of your health and wellbeing on every level.

Learning from the Experts - What can Small Businsesses Learn from Executive Coaches

Small Biz Matters – a half hour program each week where you can work ON your business rather than IN it.
with Alexi Boyd from Boyd Office Management Services
Date: 12 September 2017

As small businesses we are constantly learning, adapting and picking up strategies from the many experts we come across. Vicki Writer is one such expert, with years of experience coaching executives to improve  their performance and she’s here to impart her wisdom and knowledge for small businesses.

Frequently we are made aware of sustainability and the importance to us as small business owners but too often leave ourselves last. When we think of sustainability we think of financial, even environmental - but we need to remember our own ability to sustain ourselves. Family, partners, even employees are put well before us and without realising it we are jeopardising not only our own wellbeing & health but our ability to sustain a business. Because too frequently in small business at the end of the day we’re it. Without us there is no business.

So to tell us a little about sustainability from a wellbeing AND financial perspective (and how the two are intrinsically linked) we welcome to the show Vicki Writer from Dare to Achieve.

Welcome to the show Vicki.

Topics we’ll be covering:

• Broadly your small business journey and what led you to start your own business in executive coaching and education
• Tell us about your model the 360 approach.
  • The 360° Solution – ‘Fit for Life’ program can help you develop a compelling and achievable plan to move you from where you are now to where you want to be, building confidence through tools and strategies to help you live your life on purpose.

We are a global speaking, consulting and performance coaching business specialising in the development of human potential.

The 360 Solution was born as a result of wanting to share my unique insights and knowledge about how to get the best out of yourself, live a happy and fulfilling life, build wellbeing, resilience and achieve your potential.

Our signature program - The 360 Solution - Fit for Life program is an online digital 'whole of life' coaching program that looks at a persons life holistically and is based on 20 years of research into motivation and human behaviour over laid with a professional career in financial services spanning 25 years.

The program follows a seven stage process that helps you create a conscious, deliberate and achievable plan for your future across all aspects of your life. Each stage of the process has a distinct set of program modules and there is continuity from one module to the next.

1. The Life Evaluation
2. The Health and Lifestyle Risk Profile
3. The Values Exploration
4. The Vision Commitment
5. The SMART Game-plan
6. The Lifestyle Continuity Plan
7. The Monitoring System

The online coaching program is available to individuals as well as businesses and has the flexibility to be white labelled and rolled out to your clients as a value added service.

In addition, the program is also being utilised by health and wellbeing professionals & employers to help build resilience, motivation,health and well being as well as improve engagement, culture and performance in the workplace.

You can preview the program by visiting our website http://tellyourlifewheretogo.com.au

We have created a range of additional online programs that can be used in isolation or used in conjunction with our Fit for Life program.

All of our programs can be found by visiting our online community www.tellyourlifewheretogo.com.au

To find out more go to their website: https://the360solution.com.au

Interview With Emma Heyde, Greens Candidate For Hornsby Mayor

Small Biz Matters – a half hour program each week where you can work ON your business rather than IN it.
with Alexi Boyd from Boyd Office Management Services
Date: 5 September 2017

This week on Small Biz Matters we interviewed Emma Heyde, The Greens Candidate for Hornsby Mayor, and asked her about the upcoming election and what policies she would put into action for people and small businesses of the Hornsby Shire if elected.