Small Biz Matters: People, Policy, Purpose.

Changes To 457 Visas & The Effect On Small 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: 30 May 2017

Slight variations and changes to Government policy can have big consequences to small business. Recently in the last few weeks there has been some major overhauls to the 457 visa system in Australia and if you’re a small business which relies on overseas workers to fill the void of the lack of qualified, experienced personnel then these changes will have big consequences to your business and the way you process these applicants into the future. We have an expert on the show today to help you navigate this minefield ….

Welcome to the show Shelley.

Firstly, as a local small business tell us a little about your small business journey and why you are passionate about helping small business owners to solve this tricky problem?

Having worked in the immigration space for the past 10 years I decided to move out of the corporate environment and use my knowledge to assist companies and individuals with their migration needs. I have built my reputation around providing a personalised and tailored service and through this dedication the majority of my work comes through word of mouth.

I am passionate about making the process as seamless as possible for people looking to migrate, the prospect can be a daunting one so at Simply Visas we try to take away the stress so clients can enjoy their stay in our great country.

Topics we’ll be covering:

• Why do, or should businesses consider overseas workers and really how hard is it to navigate your way around the processes in place to engage with a workers on a visa?

Generally businesses will consider employing a skilled overseas worker if they are experiencing a genuine difficulty in sourcing a suitable Australian worker to fill a position. The  process itself really depends on the business, how long they’ve been operating, their Australian workforce, their commitment to training, their industry, the skill set they’re looking for and whether they’ve actively sought out an Australian... so as you can see there are a number of variables. The Department of Immigration and Border Protection places a strong emphasis on training of Australians and the reason for this is because they want to see that the business has an interest in up-skilling Australians, in turn reducing their reliance on overseas workers as a whole.

Simply Visas basically has an initial conversation with a business to go through these factors and gauges the chance of a successful application. In broad terms, the process itself is made up of 3 stages. The first stage is an application for standard business sponsorship - where the business applies for approval to sponsor overseas workers, the length of this agreement is 18 months for a start up and 5 years for an established business. The second stage is a 457 business nomination - where a business nominates an overseas worker to fill a position within their business - the Department will assess whether or not the position is genuine, whether the company has the capacity to support such a role, the scope and scale of the business, the salary on offer, the market and the job description in comparison to the job classification. The final stage is the overseas worker’s 457 Visa, this is where the Department assesses the workers skill set in line with the nominated occupation to ensure they have the relevant qualifications and experience to work in the nominated position.

• In your experience when do businesses typically engage with an immigration lawyer - or better still, when in your opinion is the BEST time to engage with legal support of this nature?

Businesses generally engage a professional to assist when they have not gone through the process before and if they don’t have an employee or division dedicated to global mobility. The best time to engage a professional is before things turn pear shaped, it is always best to gain advice in the first instance rather than attempting something you are unfamiliar with. When it comes to applying to the Department it is always best to ensure a successful outcome for the business and the overseas worker, track records are important and compliance is a major issue, being non-compliant with sponsorship obligations can result in sanctions or fines so it’s always best to be cautious and aim for the best outcome possible. A migration agency like Simply Visas can advise on the chances of success and even assist to identify areas that you may not have considered throughout the migration process.

• What have been the recent changes from a small business perspective and how in your opinion is this going to change the playing field?

There have been a number of changes announced that are in place already and there are more to come. I think the main thing to point out at this stage is that the 457 visa programme is still active and the visa itself won’t be abolished until March 2018. There have however been significant changes to the validity period of the visa, 216 occupations have been removed from the list of eligible occupations and caveats have been applied to certain occupations.

Firstly, the skilled occupation lists have been updated - there is now a short term list and a medium to long term list. If the nominated occupation appears on the short term list the worker will be granted a 457 visa for 2 years - with the option to renew for a further 2 years. If the nominated occupation appears on the medium to long term list then the 457 visa will be granted for 4 years and these workers will also have a pathway to permanent residency.

Anyone who has lodged a 457 visa and their occupation has been removed will have the opportunity to withdraw their application and seek a refund for the fee paid to the Department.

These changes will have a flow on effect to permanent residency applications however the full extent of these changes have not yet been determined.

Further changes are due to be announced on the 1st of July which include further adjustment to the skilled occupation lists, changes to the training benchmarks, a requirement for police clearances which previously were only required in certain circumstances or for permanent residency applications, tightening of the English language requirements and expanding mandatory skills assessments.

The new TSS visa will come into effect in March 2018, it will have 2 distinct streams - short term of up to 2 years and medium term of up to 4 years.

The fees will go up to $1150 for the short term stream and 2400 for the medium term stream.

A higher standard of English will be required for the medium term stream.

Only occupations on the medium term stream will have a pathway to permanent residency.

Labour Market Testing - where a company has to prove they have advertised and unsuccessfully located an Australian worker - will become mandatory unless international trade obligations apply.

The training requirement for businesses will be revised.

• What do you think the government was trying to achieve with these changes and do you think it will work?

Unfortunately change is the only constant when it comes to immigration and it’s just the nature of the industry. Some say these changes are purely political and a tactic to win votes however as an agent it is my job to simply interpret the new legislation and apply it correctly.

The one thing I will say is that I was quite surprised with the number of trade occupations remaining on the skilled occupation lists. In my opinion there are many occupations which should be going to Australian workers, and where once apprenticeships were an appealing prospect this no longer seems to be the case. I believe this goes back to education and outlining options to our younger generation as well as the benefits of working in a highly lucrative industry.

It’s hard to say what affect these changes will have in the long term and I truly believe we won’t know until 5-10 years down the line when there are even more skills shortages how this will affect Australia as a whole.

To find out more go to their website: http://simplyvisas.com/

Developments in Bookkeeping

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: 16 May 2017

Bookkeeping is a tiresome task for some, but for others a joy! This week on Small Biz we chat to a bookkeeping expert at the cutting edge of all new developments in the industry. Her business   Small Business Financial Ops and she’s going to share with our listeners the new apps and industry developments which are there to assist small business to get their bookkeeping back under control.

Welcome to the show Cate. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your small business journey.

Topics we’ll be covering:

• Discussion in relation to disruptive technologies in industries such as bookkeeping...
   
• What new apps are out there to help small business take control of their bookkeeping?
   
• Why go paper-free and in the cloud?
   
• How and when is a bookkeeper a payroll expert & management consultant?
   
• Why is it important to make sure that your bookkeeper is also a BAS agent and a member of a professional association, and why is it important to know what and how they are doing whatever they do for you?
   
• Briefing consultants like bookkeepers: how you can save yourself money in the long run by ensuring that you're organised to handover to a bookkeeper?
   
• How you can set your business up to save time and money on bookkeeping, no matter WHO Is doing it?

To find out more go to Cate’s website: www.sbfo.com.au

Engaging with the Disability Sector for New Employees

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 May 2017

For many reasons it's very important to be across the disability sector. Not just from the perspective of finding the ideal employee (which Northcott assists business with all the time) but also to be conscious of the needs of current and potential clients. Did you know one in five of your potential clients may be experiencing some sort of disability - and it’s not just the ones we can visually see. Is your business inviting, inclusive?

Hiring a new employee with a disability can be daunting but Kiran and Deenie are here to help. Taking listeners not only through the practical process but also the benefits and incentives available to small business owners when engaging with a disabled employee.

Welcome to the show Kiran & Deenie.

Topics we’ll be covering:

• The importance and of having an inclusive workplace
• The benefits to small business for hiring employees with a disability?
• Who are Northcott and what are their values?
• Are there any Govt or organisation grants, funding, subsidies which small businesses can access when employing an employee with a disability?
• Tell us about the event on Wed 24th May

Nourish Your Business Soul With Natures Beauty

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: 2 May 2017

As part of our Small Biz Journeys series this month we welcome Amy Harrison from Art of the Flower  to share with us the path that led her to run her own small business – and its not what you’d expect….

Welcome to the show Amy!

Topics we’ll be covering:

• Broadly your small business journey and what led you to start your own business:
  • Slave to retail but passion was artistic but more in the hands-on
  • Random conversation with a colleague in London; of all things!
  • Researched, learned more about the art form and then built on it
  • Came back to Oz, trained and got some experience in the retail side of things in different, corporate stores.
  • Relief of finding something you loved and something you were good at!
  • Dove straight into her own retail space - and made the most of her experience in Visual
  • Make connections with community - letterbox drops, WOM, little bit of a niche in a certain area. And finally throwing money at networking.
  • Finally realised that online was the way to go… that and weddings.
  • Actually discovered the she was working ON the business that IN it! So the move which was imminent was a blessing in disguise
• Why is colour so important to your working environment 
  • colour of nature is indescribable. We try and mimic it with art, paint, tones - even photography! The shape, the tone, the texture can only be captured with real flowers and real life
  • Mental health, oxygen in your working environment (not wise to have plants in your bedroom)
• Let’s share your expertise with our small business listeners
  • Home office environment - bring it inside. It’s not difficult to even take a cutting of some greenery and bring it inside
  • Plants are ever changing - the shape, the shifts of life, the seasons - bringing that all inside
  • Indoor plants need natural light & watering (less in winter) and talk to them! They like to be next to other plants and Orchids for example don’t need too much water - and don’t forget to move them around.
  • Weekly plants might be better in the office environment (tropical flowers, native flowers last longer and have a smaller carbon footprint.)
  • Every now and then put them outside for a dose of real light, real air & real water!

To find out more go to Art of the Flower’s website:  www.artoftheflower.com.au

Illness and Invoices

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: 11 April 2017

What happens when business owners become sick? Should you soldier on or take a few days off? Also, should a two-week invoicing cycle be enforced by the government?

• High density of small business owners in the Hornsby area
• What happens when business owners become sick? Stop and think.
• Take care of yourself when you become sick - take a day off; turn phone/emails off and just rest
• You are more likely to make errors and be less productive when you are sick
• Don’t share your illness with co-workers
• Employers rarely send sick employees home
• 2-week invoicing period - never discussed in parliament
• Countries like France enforce this, and saw an increase in profitability - accelerating their economy
• Average invoice to payment time is 58 days

Improving Mental Health in your Small 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: 4 April 2017

Its different from a J.O.B. being a business owner. We don’t work 9-5 we work all ours. We live, we eat we breathe our small business. For many it is our everything, our identity, our baby… and with its ups and downs come a rollercoaster of of positive and negative emtions and all that turmoil can be mentally and emotionally exhausting.

But what affect is this all consuming entity having on the mental health of those which breathed life into it? And how important is your mental health as the business owner to ensure the life of your business well into the future?

Warning! This is one of those self-care topics because as business owners we need to look after ourselves first before helping others. Kind of like popping on the oxygen mask on a place before helping those around you.

On this week’s show we turn to you, small business owners who are the experts - not only in your field but also as experienced business owners, to share your best tips for ensuring & maintaining mental health whilst keeping your business going. So here are their suggestions…

Aruna Ellis from Pregnancy & Parenting TV has some great, specific suggestions around Mindfulness: Be mindful, you can practice this in many ways, at work, make drinking water a ritual. not a habit a ritual, put an alarm on every time you reach for your bottle, consciously breath, make subtle body changes, put your feet down, straighten your back, consciously roll your shoulders back, close your eyes while drinking your water and just saver the taste and feel of that water in your mouth and going down your throat. THIS WILL WORK IN MANY WAYS 1. break the pattern of stress in your body and mind. 2 give time for the water to absorb rather than run through you . 3 that mindful correct posture will fill you with oxygen you need to keep a clear head.

Ange Sinclair the Digestive Detective takes the perspective for your mind and body: Make sure you take a lunch break away from your desk. Not only good for your mental health but also excellent for your digestion. Go to a green space if you can find one (for) at least 30 mins. Good to take 3 really deep breaths before you start eating to switch your brain from fight or flight (which most of us live in at work) to rest and digest.

Ursula Hogben from Legalvision showed her real research & resourcefulness; drawing on Beyond Blue’s support services:  My top 3 are reflection/remembering our purpose, at least 15 mins exercise a day, and spending time with great people - sometimes business owners who get the challenges, other times loved ones for their care and support :) Beyond Blue has a special program for business owners called business in mind.

And Tatjana Domazet at Power of Coaching agrees stating a walking group or meditation for 20 - 30 minutes is beneficial. You might want to consider this as a team building exercise.

Jennifer Taylor from vividity photography has two top tips: OK, because in a previous iteration of my career I was a yoga teacher, I'm going to second the advice above about meditation and exercise and healthy eating habits.....but my top tip at the moment is to allow a little time for silliness. I like to put on some 80s music and dance like a no one is watching, because they're not. I work on my own!!

And my second tip is phone a friend. That could be someone in the same industry as you, or someone you've known since you were 4. The key thing is that it's a person who makes you feel good just to be around.

Maureen Thompson agrees but adds the importance of a furry friend to keep you company!

Tania Teperson, Personal Stylist at modaboutstyle suggests the importance of taking breaks; Being able to get away occasionally, even if it’s once every few months, it kind of gets the juices flowing and refreshed again! Engaging in activities that you enjoy releases "feel good"endorphins.

And Debra Pittam from Person Centred Leadership draws on practical advice to help alleviate the stress: Last thing before you stop working or first thing before you start make a to do list or go a brain dump to get everything out of your head to free up your brain space (for focus and clear thinking). Prioritise and do the hardest thing on your list in the day 1st thing.

Here are some more great resources for businesses when it comes to mental health awareness:

https://www.headsup.org.au/creating-a-mentally-healthy-workplace/small-businesses

https://www.ato.gov.au/general/financial-hardship/small-business-owners-experiencing-mental-health-issues/

The information on this website and in the podcast is provided as a service to the public and offers general information only. It is not intended to be and should not be relied on as a substitute for specific medical or health advice.

You may wish to seek support from the following organisations when listening to this program:

National 24/7 Crisis Services • Lifeline 13 11 14 http://www.lifeline.org.au/  • Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 http://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/  • Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 http://www.kidshelp.com.au/  • MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78 http://www.mensline.org.au/  

(photo courtesy of https://www.flickr.com/photos/liveoncelivewild/ )

The Dark Art of Brand

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 March 2017

Branding. It certainly is a dark art. Where to begin? How do you differentiate yourself from the competition in what ALWAYS seems to be a flooded market (no matter what industry you’re in). How to stand out? How to stay relevant, hip, happening… it’s a minefield.

We are the experts in our field but I’ve never met a plumber who tried to brand themselves. It takes knowledge of industry, patience, creativity - many attributes we simply don’t have as small businesses, or worse still, we THINK we do but really don’t.

Welcome to the show Aranka.

Topics we’ll be covering:

• What’s crucial to a good brand?
• Why should you NEVER rush the branding process?
• What is a brand blueprint and why is it important?
• When is the best time to audit your brand?
• What is a Brand Audit process exactly?
• Can these concepts be applied to all industries or just those with “creativity” elements?

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• What’s crucial to a good brand?

Let’s first understand what is a brand.

It is every touch point that a prospect or client uses to understand your business.

A brand presents the brand story in a logo, words, messages, video, audio, sound, pictures, style, website, email, SEO, product, packaging, signage, car signage, PR, advertising……everything.  So it is every engagement that you have with a prospect, all customer experiences including the telephone call you just finished.

Usually you need help from a specialist who knows how to ask the right questions, to tease out from you the things that you don’t see within your business, the things that make your business unique, special, different and the ability to focus on the how you add value to your clients.  Then you need to be honest with them and let them create a brand that aligns to your brand story.

Great brands tell great stories.  And by stories I don’t mean making it up.  I mean knowing it so you are authentic, clear and succinct and visually representing what people are looking for when they look for a product like yours. It has to resonate with people.  It is also about people talking about you and being prepared to endorse you.  

When there is no story you don’t get noticed.

• Why should you NEVER rush the branding process?

There are so many things to decide:

• what are you offering,
• who is it for,
• how will you be remembered
• can people find you easily
• how are you different
• what is the competition doing
• what do they look like
• is there a gap in the market that this business will serve
• what makes you special, unique, different,
• why you?
• Do people understand the value?
• What is the user experience that you want to create?
• What is your vision, mission, and values?

Creating a brand is much more that bringing together an icon – a shape that will be ‘the mark’ you are know by and your name.

You can buy a logo from lots of places.  Did you just buy on off the shelf or was it designed to tell your story? The logo is one part, what about the rest? 

How many opportunities to put your brand out there are you missing because these parts have not been thought through? 

What I often see is a logo that does not personify the brand, it confuses the target audience and has no meaning.  It might be a colour that the business owner likes, but its style is not aligned to the business, or it is not speaking to the target audience at all. 

Or worse still, it looks so similar to the competition that when one company spends dollars in marketing effort the competitors sales goes up. And when this happens continuously the business can go broke and the competition flourishes and ends up holding a greater market share.  But then how would you know?

You really need to understand what your business is in the eyes of your prospects, existing clients, suppliers and other interested parties like shareholders for example and ultimately those who would want to buy your business.

What is the problem the business is solving, who is likely to want that service, where are they, how do you reach them?

Let us understand that great brands are stories.  How well that story is told and how it engages the target audiences is how successful the business could be.

• What is a brand blueprint and why is it important?

When we start to design a brand we must understand the DNA of the organisation.  We go through a process that we call the brand blueprint.  A brand blueprint is about creating an understanding of what the business wants to become, why it exists, what is its promise, central idea and how will the business positions itself in the market as well as a lot of other drivers that is intended to create the brand.

It usually involves stakeholders and people who are emotionally involved in the brand and business.

• What is a Brand Audit process exactly?

It is a process of investigating what the perception of the brand is today and what clients think are the best and the worst of the brand, who really gets the business and who is likely to not be part of the future direction of business goals and activities.  It supports how the brand should be evolved to reach a new audience or strengthen the commitment to the existing clients.

• When is the best time to audit your brand?

The best time of auditing your brand is when you are not reaching a new audience.  We have seen a great shift in the way people want to be communicated with and many organisations have not made the change to digital in a way that helps them get more business.  Brands should be audited once every 3-5 years to make sure that the audience understands what the business represents, it is refreshed and keeping up with digital changes and tools that help clients find you.

• Can these concepts be applied to all industries or just those with “creativity” elements?

Having solid brand principles and practices applies to all businesses and even those who are interested in the development of their personal brand.  This is particularly relevant to smaller firms where the brand is the principal and there is a need for intergenerational transfer of the business and the brand needs to evolve to include a greater number of people that now want to build up the business.

Remember your brand will have long term impact on your business the name/font/style/logo/icons all sell your business

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

Networking - The Right Fit

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 February 2017

Its hard as business owner to find the “right fit” when networking. Whilst it is easy to find a local group all too often the connection isn’t real and you find it hard to find commonalities with the other business owners. Finding a group where you have something in common to talk about makes the transition easier and that’s the gap in the market that Real Entrepreneurial Mums brings to the local business scene. We’re lucky enough to have the two Directors Sophie Musumeci & Alison Valenti here on the show to share their dream and their expertise.

Welcome to the show Sophie & Alison.

Topics we’ll be covering:

• Networking for the first time - tips from the experts
• Finding the “right fit” for you and your business
• The transition between Corporate to Consultant
• Why is the small business environment different for Mums?
• Why was there a need in Hornsby for Real Entrepreneur Mums?

To find out more go to their website: http://www.realentrepreneurmums.com.au

Small Business in the News and Small Biz Wrap Up

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 February 2017

• Why would you need funds?
• The different types of capital – bank loans, crowdsourcing, selling shares/equity
• The share selling process for a small business - who will buy them?
• Deal Diligence and how to improve your chances of acceptance
• Why capital growth is needed to drive business growth
• All about BBP and what it hopes to achieve
• The process of the BBP program for businesses
• How BBP works in connection with other Govt organisations (Small Business Commissions, local Councils, State & Federal)
• What are the benefits to Small Business for joining the program?
• How to understand your bill and whether you are on the best tariff, rates etc.
• First places to look for cost-effective energy savings.