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The new Small Biz Matters program is all about People, Policy, Purpose. It is conversational and chatty and dedicated to empowering small businesses and their advisors to engage with policy and advocacy. Why? Because what Government does very much Matters to all Small Biz. Good and bad. A labour of love, in 2014 Alexi Boyd started broadcasting to give back to the local small business community. She knew information and support was lacking. Now with over 220 podcasts, the show is sought by PR Agencies and Government departments for its rich, informative content. Media Partners include universities, the Australian Tax Office, ASBFEO, COSBOA and international fintechs. Sponsored by the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman’s office, each week we sit down with experts, advocates, business leaders, policy makers and politicians to dive into specific areas of government policy that affects your business and clients. We’ll give you a heads up on what’s coming down the policy pipeline, find out who’s fighting in your corner and empower you with ways you can influence those decisions which affect your business every single day. The program is broadcast weekly on Tuesdays live on local community radio Triple H 100.1FM, through the Community Broadcasting network, and wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Episodes
Tuesday Oct 24, 2023
Tuesday Oct 24, 2023
Small Biz Matters: People, Policy, Purpose ~ Episode #210
Broadcast date: 24th October 2023
Host: Alexi Boyd, Small Business Advocate & Policy Advisor
Guest: Hon Bruce Bilson, the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman
I sat down with The Hon. Bruce Bilson, the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman to discuss how small businesses can be more involved in policy and what ASBFEO does to support small business. In what way do they speak on behalf of the small business community represent us in Government consultations – particularly in difficult policy areas.
We discussed in what ways ASBFEO assists with dispute resolution, improving payment times, and learned about the tax concierge service the office provides to small business who are resolving problems with the ATO.
Always an interesting discussion, Bruce will be joining Small Biz Matters throughout the year to inform listeners on what advocacy work ASBFEO is conducting, and how you can be involved.
PEOPLE - Can you tell the audience a bad why you’re so passionate about small business and what you’ve done over the years to support? The reality is governments have a lot of impact on small business is through regulation. So realistically, is there anything that can be done, or any thought leadership which can improve this situation?
POLICY - In your opinion, is there a good place to start for small businesses who want to be more involved in reducing red tape?
PURPOSE - Can you tell the audience about the role of the ombudsman and how you influence policy in the federal Govt?
Bruce Billson commenced his role as Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) in March 2021. The Ombudsman is an independent advocate for small and family businesses.
Bruce brings three decades of experience, knowledge, commitment and an understanding of the issues facing small business. Bruce was the Australian Government Cabinet Minister for Small Business from 2013-2015, a founding Director of Judo Bank and has held various board appointments, including the Franchise Council of Australia, Deakin University Business School and Australian Property Institute. He has also owned and operated a number of small businesses, and knows first-hand the joys and challenges this involves.
To find out more go to: https://www.asbfeo.gov.au
Next week on the show we welcome the CEO of the Australian Retailers Association Paul Zahra live in the studio. It’s their 120 year anniversary so we’re going to talk about how they represent their 50,000 retail shopfronts throughout Australia. what makes a successful association last? As a national body, how do you balance the policy work across so many different government agencies? And importantly, what do you think will be the focus of small business policy in the next 12 months?
Tuesday May 18, 2021
Tuesday May 18, 2021
Small Biz Matters – #208 Providing the small business community with educational content and advocacy since 2014
with Alexi Boyd, broadcaster, advocate and small business owner.
Date: 18 May 2021
We all live, work and spend money in a global economy. E-commerce, virtual assistants, zoom calls & remote working are not new concepts. So what’s stopping you from operating your business globally?
As a small business we can struggle to see the bigger picture - scaling, growing internationally, a true global business - concepts which can seem out of reach for most of us. But what if this was a real possibility? What if there were government supports in place to help you? You just need the right advice and then you’re ready for global growth.
Trena Blair from FD Global Connections, is an expert in transitioning businesses of all sizes into having a global presence. She’s going to explain the logistics, the pitfalls involved with setting up globally and some strategies to ensure that you’re prepared and NOT attempting this monumental change to your business all by yourself.
Welcome to the show Trena.
Topics we’ll be covering:
- Under what typical circumstances would you consider setting up an office overseas?
- Examples of small businesses who have done just that?
- Expanding on opportunities you may not have here in Australia
- Is there a particular type of small business or sector of the economy which do this better?
- What’s involved in setting up and launching a business in US in particular
- Visas
- Office space
- Restrictions about being an overseas based business?
- Cultural differences?
- Are there restrictions from the Australian side? ATO?
- What about a non-physical presence? Who can you utilise to help you?
- Interim sales professionals and tapping into that process?
- How are they paid - Retainer
- What are some of the pitfalls to setting up a presence overseas?
- Growing too fast
- Typical mistakes you see
- Growing a network
- Webinar - scaling during turbulent times
- Which industries at the moment are seeing growth in global market
To find out more go to their website: https://www.fdglobal.com.au
Forbes 2018: "Trena Blair is an expert in expanding businesses from Australia into the U.S., with New York as the entry point."
Trena is a global citizen, having lived and worked in Australia and the United States of America (New York) during the course of her 20+ year international executive career. During her career, she managed global regions including Asia Pacific and the America’s.
Trena has extensive expertise in working with organisations in establishing holistic sustainable business models and served for 7 years as a Business Excellence Evaluator for Business Excellence Australia. This led to her passion of working with Australian companies to prepare them for, and launch, in the USA, specialising in New York.
In addition to her executive responsibilities which included working at a Telco startup, Trena has founded 2 startup's, including an Italian luxury import/wholesale business. In 2014, Trena founded and is CEO of FD Global Connections which works with Australian companies to prepare for and launch their business in the USA, and also USA companies launching in Australia.
Tuesday May 11, 2021
Tuesday May 11, 2021
Small Biz Matters – #207 Providing the small business community with educational content and advocacy since 2014
with Alexi Boyd, broadcaster, advocate and small business owner.
Date: 11 May 2021
You couldn’t get more topical than this at the moment. Equality, fairness and equity in the workplace. Our country’s leaders have failed so can the small business community become the leaders in this space and embrace a new philosophy around fair and equitable discussions?
The reality is many small businesses don’t even know what their obligations are, let alone how to be equitable, fair and equal when engaging with others. Today’s guest might just be able to help us with this. I found her social media presence to be refreshing at a time when I felt only disappointment and dissolution in the way our country was being run. Her thought provoking posts led me to invite her on Small Biz Matters to help us tackle this important topic.
Cathy is passionate about equity and equality in the speaker space, and was disappointed to find that the traditional speaker agency and bureaus tended to only feature celebrities and professional speakers; the same perspectives but repackaged differently. So she founded Keynoteworthy which aims to see diversity and inclusion on stage, and she joins us today to share her own small business journey and help us to see things differently, or rather, equitably.
- What does it really mean to be to be fair and equitable?
- Why did you decide to become self-employed and start your own business, Keynoteworthy?
- There is a lot of talk about diversity, equity and inclusion. What does it mean? Is it all just corporate-speak?
- Pronouns, how to understand them and what meaning they hold for individuals?
- Why should small businesses think about diversity, equity and inclusion in their business?
- Is it a must as part of your duty of care to your staff?
- What about the speaker’s circuit, and choosing those who speak for your branding?
To find out more go to their website: https://keynoteworthy.com.au/
About our Guest:
Cathy Ngo (pronounced norr) is an entrepreneur, writer, presenter, speaker and who thrives at the intersection of tech, comedy and activism. She’s the founder of Keynoteworthy, a challenger speaker agency and social enterprise focused on bringing diversity and inclusion.
Cathy has a degree in Business, majoring in Human Resources because she didn’t want to be an accountant, lawyer or doctor. Much to her parent's dismay, they still don’t know what she does for a living.
She’s spent more than ten years climbing and playing ‘snakes and ladders’ in Australia’s top listed companies before hitting the ‘bamboo ceiling’ several times (it’s like the glass ceiling but thicker). Entrepreneurship has always been in Cathy’s blood from a young age.
Outside of work, she dabbles in stand-up comedy at random covid-safe bars and restaurants and mainly jokes about being positively discriminated against for being Asian-Australian. She is also an obsessive indoor plant collector and has a hard time trying to keep them alive.
About Keynoteworthy
Keynoteworthy solves the problems that events and conference organisers have in finding and booking speakers that reflect the diversity of gender, sexualities, ethnicity and ultimately, perspectives and ideas that event-goers and sponsors are increasingly looking for.
Tuesday May 04, 2021
Tuesday May 04, 2021
Small Biz Matters – #206 Providing the small business community with educational content and advocacy since 2014
with Alexi Boyd, broadcaster, advocate and small business owner.
Date: 4 May 2021
That’s where the brick walls start to pop up.
In the last 12 months things have changed; lending criteria, requirements for financial fitness, what the banks are looking for and looking at have evolved. The goalposts have shifted. So who can you turn to, to untangle the maze?
Today we welcome David Gandolfo, Chair of Advocacy at CAFBA Commercial and Asset FInance Brokers Association of Australia to explain what you need to know in regards to changes over the past 12 months, what to expect now in small business lending, and what to do to access funds more efficiently.
- Tell us about CAFBA as a professional association and what you do for your members and the small business community as a whole?
- In your experience How has covid impacted business borrowing over the past 12 months?
- The evolution of small business lending - credit crunch, second tier lending
- The loan deferral scheme & other options
- What can business borrowers do to manage their funding requirements and get better outcomes?
- Tactical tips on preparing your business for accessing funding
- Financials & interims up to date
- Identifiers in place to prove you are who you say you are
- Why is ATO tax debt such an issue?
- Are you up to date with ATO & reporting or not?
- Why is having a loan with the ATO a problem when borrowing?
- What are banks looking at - bank accounts, tax portals, spending patterns, benchmarks for your industry
- How do you see things going forward?
- What’s going to change in the next 12 months for small business’ lending - will there be improvements to lending criteria for small business?
To find out more go to their website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-gandolfo-86736116/
About our Guest:
Director of Quantum Business Finance, which arranges Equipment Finance (Lease, Hire Purchase and Chattel Mortgage). Our clients range from small and medium sized businesses through to ASX200 companies and Government authorities, and we assist them to acquire the necessary plant, machinery, motor vehicles, computers etc that are used to run their businesses. Quantum is a broker with a panel of over 25 commercial lenders, from whom we source the best outcome for the customer, and then arrange the approval and documentation through to settlement. Broking firms like Quantum are known for their long-term personal relationship with each customer, which allows us to have "line of sight" and a first-hand understanding of each customer's needs. We are a highly capable business that assists other capable businesses. See www.quantumbusiness.com.au
Board Patron and Past President of Commercial & Asset Finance Brokers Association of Australia (CAFBA), which is the peak national body of both commercial and equipment finance brokers in Australia. CAFBA is a self-regulating body which enforces stringent education, probity and procedural standards on its members, and advocates for its members and their clients through high-level engagement with regulators and legislators. CAFBA strives for industry excellence through education and scholarship programs, and is heavily engaged with regulators to make the clear distinctions between the very different needs between consumer and commercial borrowers.. See www.cafba.com.au
Advisor and Former Deputy Chair of the Council of Small Business Australia (COSBOA), which is the country’s peak body exclusively representing the interests of SME businesses. COSBOA has a proud history of strong advocacy on small business issues ranging from taxation and workplace relations, through to competition law and retail tenancy. COSBOA is an association made up of associations whose members are small and privately owned businesses. (e.g. The Pharmacy Guild, Master Grocers, etc) and we are the collective voice exclusively representing the interests of small businesses through policy change and regulatory reform at all levels of Government. see www.cosboa.org.au
Tuesday Apr 27, 2021
Tuesday Apr 27, 2021
Small Biz Matters – #205 Providing the small business community with educational content and advocacy since 2014
with Alexi Boyd, broadcaster, advocate and small business owner.
Date: 27 April 2021
Small business can be an incredible ride: exhilarating, rewarding, fulfilling, exhausting, challenging, and sometimes depressing. How do you ride the highs and lows without completely burning out? And as a small business owner where can you find the strategies and support you need, particularly when you’re going through those tough times?
In today’s Small Biz Matters show we’re joined by Tim Hoopmann, Beyond Blue Speaker, who is going to share where you can get help and what to do if you’re in a position to help other small business owners. NewAccess is a free and confidential mental health program developed by Beyond Blue. Over six sessions, coaches with a small business background will work with you to overcome difficult issues, providing you with practical skills to manage stress and get you back to feeling like yourself.
There are some great resources produced by the team at Beyond Blue and Tim, our regular guest on mental health for small business will share his own experiences and how he’s supported others.
- What is New Access for small business owners?
- What can you expect from the programme as a small business person?
- Why has it been set up specifically for small business owners?
- How long has it been available?
To find out more go to their website: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/newaccess/newaccess-for-small-business-owners
PLUS…
The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman’s My Business Health web portal - https://www.asbfeo.gov.au/my-business-health/home
Everymind’s Ahead for Business digital hub - https://www.aheadforbusiness.org.au
The Support yourself and small businesses: A learning course for business advisers developed by
Beyond Blue and Xero - https://www.headsup.org.au/training-and-resources/educational-and-training/beyondblue-resources/small-business-advisers
About our Guest:
Tim Hoopmann has owned and operated a bookkeeping practice specialising in cloud services for over 10 years. He transformed his business from a desktop and paper based practice to a cloud bookkeeping practice, 100% online and paperless with streamlined and automated processes.
Tim utilised technology to change the way he serviced his customers by moving them online and streamlining their bookkeeping and finance. Showing them how to take back control and sit in the drivers seat of their business thus allowing them the freedom to focus on key revenue generating areas of their business instead of being buried in day to day processes.
Tim is passionate about helping businesses make the transition to being fully automated and cloud based though enabling the power of todays technology. This will allow for greater freedom and the ability to enjoy a powerful work/life balance.
Tim is a speaker for beyondblue helping to increase the community’s understanding about mental health. He knows the importance of mentally healthy workplaces and shares his experience in how to create an environment that values mental health.
Tuesday Apr 20, 2021
Tuesday Apr 20, 2021
Small Biz Matters – #204 Providing the small business community with educational content and advocacy since 2014
with Alexi Boyd, broadcaster, advocate and small business owner.
Date: 20 April 2021
As councils and governments try to balance the needs of the environment, accessibility, urban infrastructure and private developments, small business can often be left to last in the consultation process.
But if you’ve ever attended any kind of small business key stakeholders consultation group, a new networking event or even headed to a new venue in an unfamiliar area, you’ll learn that a key issue for small business is parking - and it’s not just about retailers.
So how does government, enterprise, and small business find the right balance in this important issue that can affect a small business’ livelihood - and make it fair? Well, funnily enough there’s an app for that.
Michael Doherty, Head of Business Development for Smarter City Solutions joins us to explain that with good research by government departments, a fair consultation process and an enterprising tech solution the balance can be found which supports small business and the entire community in which we operate.
- So why is parking so important to small businesses, particularly retailers?
- It’s all about foot traffic and customer turnover
- It’s not just about the high street or CBD
- g. city of Sydney are trying to remove parking for competing reasons
- Whose responsibility is it to communicate to small business customers
- It’s important this is transparent and clear
- How does technology support reducing traffic commuting issues?
- Adoption of electric & driverless
- Disabled parking
- Selling with Government - what has your experience been of the procurement process
- What top tips would you offer for those interested in selling to government
- Govts not doing their research to find out the different options in the private sector
- Is the solution a multi-app approach - where does that happen elsewhere?
- Which city is the gold standard?
To find out more go to their website: https://smartercity.com.au/
About our Guest:
Michael Doherty - Head of Business Development for Smarter City Solutions
Michael Doherty has been at the forefront of parking technology for close to a decade, having worked with many of the businesses behind Australia’s leading parking and payment apps and cloud-based permit and compliance technologies. As Head of Business Development for Smarter City Solutions, he oversees the sales and marketing of unique integrated parking solutions for local councils, universities and corporate clients all over Australia.
Michael was the first employee at Smarter City Solutions when it launched as CellOPark in 2013. He returned to the company in 2020 after several years at parking availability app UbiPark, as well as SenSen Networks, one of the world’s leading AI solutions providers for smart cities and enterprises.
Multi-disciplined with a solid, 25-year strong track record in information technology, Michael embraces disruptive technology and looks forward to a future where parking permit stickers and coin-fed meters are a thing of the past.
Tuesday Apr 13, 2021
Tuesday Apr 13, 2021
Small Biz Matters – #203 Providing the small business community with educational content and advocacy since 2014
with Alexi Boyd, broadcaster, advocate and small business owner.
Date: 13 April 2021
It’s been tough for everyone these last 12 months but conceptually, it’s been difficult for those of us who are largely soldiering on to understand what it means, really means, to be shut down. We think of the inconvenience, the hassle of wearing a mask and of course, the hit to the bottom line.
So what is it really been like when an entire industry, worldwide, is brought to its knees. Imagine one day you’re open and trading as normal with stock, employees and happy customers, and the next nothing. Zip. Nada. Employees sent home with no wages, stock slowly
It’s kind of like a really, really, really long blackout with severe consequences for everyone and everything you hold dear.
So, I thought it would be a good idea to bring into the studio Shaun de Vries, Hospitality Expert & Advocate from Open Pantry to educate us on how Hospitality is faring all those months later and how we might be able to help.
- Let’s take a practical approach and explain to us what it’s been like for the hospitality industry in the last year
- It’s not just about closing your doors and saying no wages to your staff
- Uncertainty means it takes longer for consumers to come back
- Even a short term lockdown can break the business - key dates are really important to these businesses - be conscious of the dates for the industry
- Stock levels - has this changed the way the industry deals with stock suppliers etc? What about the relationships?
- What skills and attributes have you seen from those who have successfully navigated the crisis
- From adversity comes power and it’s Shaun’s belief that Melbourne hospitality will bounce back and be successful
- The movement to online ordering - different verticals
- Back of house operations were really crucial - good management was a real strength
- Time and cash was really necessary to pay for those online platforms
- Putting their head in the sand was never a good idea
- What can the industry learn from this experience
- Be better at planning in terms of crisis - actually have processes in place
- Not having too much stock
- Think less about staffing & recruitment - use tech as an enabler rather than thinking of it another cost
- In what way can small businesses in the hospitality industry support one another and be an advocate for their colleagues?
- Who’s doing that well?
- Be better at planning in terms of crisis - actually have processes in place
To find out more go to their websites: Principle of Hospitality- https://www.principleofhospitality.com/
Open Pantry Consulting - https://www.openpantryconsulting.com/
About our Guest:
Shaun, Open Pantry Co’s founder has been an industry leader in Melbourne’s hospitality industry for over 20 years. Shaun has been a venue owner himself, he knows the commitment, effort and experience required to develop a concept into an award-winning, and profitable venture. He also knows how to develop a process to get there that’s enjoyable and rewarding for all involved.
Today, Shaun hosts the Principle of Hospitality - The Podcast, an initiative set up in 2018 under the former name of the Open Pantry Podcast, to give hospitality leaders a voice on an international platform. The insights shared by Shaun’s network of hospitality pros have helped thousands of people in the industry. With over 130 episodes so far, Shaun has interviewed big names such food writer Kara Irving, Nick Stone from Bluestone Lane Coffee, Kim Teo from Mr Yum and hospitality expert, Frank Widen.
With the support and knowledge of Shaun, his team and Open Pantry Co’s partners, Open Pantry Co. can quickly apply their organisation improvement model to ensure high-quality execution and operation of any food and beverage brand.
Tuesday Mar 30, 2021
Tuesday Mar 30, 2021
Small Biz Matters – #201 Providing the small business community with educational content and advocacy since 2014
with Alexi Boyd, broadcaster, advocate and small business owner.
Date: 30 March 2021
LinkedIn is the place to be if you’re B2B, we all know that. But are we getting to messaging, profile and social strategy correct? How can we possibly understand the algorithm (which keeps changing) and how can you tell if your message is even making a difference?
Like all social media there’s the good, the bad and the ugly. You still need to be yourself, polite and wear your “happy face” and know where the dangers lie, but this is business rather than socialising and sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference. For example, How do we build a LinkedIn network of followers and how do you find the balance between numbers and genuine connections?
There is literally no one else I would have on this radio show to educate you on priming your LinkedIn profile and LI social media planning than Jillian Bullock. She speaks all over Australia, is the only certified LinkedIn Ninja in Australia and is incredibly generous with her knowledge of the LinkedIn Matrix.
- How can you tell if your message is even making a difference?
- What diagnostics should you be looking at and is this available in the free version?
- What is the role of a LinkedIn Profile?
- Does it depend on your audience?
- Are there any stats around where people look predominantly?
- If you only had time to improve one section, which would it be?
- What's the biggest mistake you see people making on their LinkedIn profile specifically?
- What about in their feed?
- How can we understand the algorithms?
- Can they realistically be manipulated
- Ow frequently does LI make these changes and are they big or incremental so we don’t notice?
- How can people work with you and learn more about you?
About our Guest:
Jillian Bullock is Award-winning & Cert. LinkedIn Expert, Veteran LinkedIn Trainer (12 years), Podcaster, PSA qualified Speaker, Co-Author & Ranked No1 LinkedIn Trainer Australasia 2018 SMMI!
Is your business taking advantage of the 26% increase in traffic on LinkedIn during COVID-19?
Professional services, consultants and contractors are being forced to downsize or finding that clients have dried up. Use this downtime effectively to focus on networking and branding, using LinkedIn as a pivotal tool to create and generate new leads.
LinkedIn can be confusing and difficult to use as an effective and profitable business tool as so much of it is hidden. This powerful platform is the most direct Social Media tool today to showcase your expertise within your niche. Without a great LinkedIn profile ‘selling’ you on your behalf just like a brochure or website you are definitely missing out on business.
If you have been reliant on local trade, face-to-face networking or worse still, converting from stage at events, the LinkedIn platform should be a crucial part of your strategy to ensure ongoing development of business and relationships. Especially now!
On average, I increase people’s visibility on LinkedIn by 600%. Since being recognised by LinkedIn HQ as one of only 12 “LinkedIn Independent Experts worldwide, I was ranked #1 LinkedIn Trainer Sydney in 2019 and In February 2020, I was ranked #1 LinkedIn “Rockstar” globally.
If you are stuck for ideas or not sure what to do next, book yourself in to a free 20-minute discovery session with me at https://calendly.com/jillianbullock
To find out more go to their website: https://linkedinninja.com.au/ or LinkedIn.com/in/jillianbullock
Tuesday Mar 23, 2021
Tuesday Mar 23, 2021
Small Biz Matters – #200 Providing the small business community with educational content and advocacy since 2014
with Alexi Boyd, broadcaster, advocate and small business owner.
Date: 23 March 2021
In the last 12 months policy makers, regional communities, corporates and small businesses all sat up and have taken notice of remote working. But it’s not a new normal for regional communities.
Part of the evolution of the Tree Change Sea Change concept is the move towards working remotely. So, corporate does it, government does it, but for once small business has been a little bit slow off the mark, slow to adapt to a sensible way to grow.
Is it because we are now fearful of employing in Aust thanks to our archaic employment laws? Ot the tyranny of distance (which is ironic), or a mistrust in internet capacity? Or has the offshoring process simply become too easy and switching back by bringing the jobs, money and employment home again all seems too hard?
Here to talk us through the processes, the new innovations, the myths and the wonderful impact this has had on regional communities is Jo Palmer. One can only describe her as a powerhouse for regional Australia. She speaks for communities and offers actual solutions which make a difference. A person who, put simply, gets it done.
- We are really focusing on the impact that remote work has on rural communities in regards to the attraction and retention of population.
- We have built a new tool that helps those living in metro areas to find communities in the regions to relocate to.
- Happy to talk about businesses no longer being location dependent in regards to staff or their physical location? Storage space and logistics are cheap in the bush!
To find out more go to their website: https://www.pointerremoteroles.com.au/
About our Guest:
Jo is the Founder and Managing Director of Pointer Remote, a company that supports communities, businesses and individuals to leverage remote work to grow. She is particularly passionate about how remote work is an economic development tool to attract and retain populations in the regions. Pointer Remote runs training programs that support business owners to make remote and flexible work actually work in an organisation as well as supporting team members to be the most effective and efficient remote worker possible.
Tuesday Mar 16, 2021
Tuesday Mar 16, 2021
Small Biz Matters – #199 Providing the small business community with educational content and advocacy since 2014
with Alexi Boyd, broadcaster, advocate and small business owner.
Date: 16 March 2021
The silver bullet vaccines are being rolled out and the economy appears to slowly be getting back on its feet. But a recovery for small business is unique and much more unpredictable than that of our larger counterparts.
Remember that we span all sectors of the economy, all geographical regions of this huge country, all spaces available; and across all cultures and diversity our society is made up of. It is difficult to pigeonhole us at all beyond being “small business”.
Given that there are complex issues including stock to replenish, staff to re-train, premises to re-configure and budgets to re-evaluate it’s a huge task to wrangle us as a group let alone provide the support, and administer the government’s stimulus measures.
So how does an agency the size of the ATO manage this and still keep in touch with the unique and complex needs of small business?
This week we welcome back to the show Andrew Watson; Assistant Commissioner of the ATO to explain what stimulus measures are being administered by the ATO and what plans the ATO has in place to support small business in particular when navigating a recovery that effects us all.
- In 2020, the government announced a number of stimulus measures to help businesses deal with the impact of COVID.
- Can small businesses still access any of these?
- What is the ATO responsible for as opposed to other agencies?
- Who are the best people to ask for advice on these matters?
- Now that we’re into 2021 and the COVID vaccine is starting to roll out, we can only hope that lock downs are a thing of the past, and businesses can look to getting back to normal. What should small businesses do to start their COVID recovery?
- What are the mistakes the ATO witnessed from the GFC that small businesses can perhaps learn from?
- In terms of what the ATO would like to see, what should small business do to avoid red flags?
To find out more go to their website: www.ato.gov.au
About our Speaker:
Andrew Watson is an Assistant Commissioner for the Australian Taxation Office in the Small Business line. He is currently responsible for understanding how small businesses engage with the tax and super systems, collaborating with small businesses, industry groups and government agencies to shape the client experience and drive improved digital services. His area also helps small businesses manage cash-flow and digital readiness so sustainable and viable businesses can thrive, and advocates for small businesses within the ATO.