September 27 2017 Let’s Talk… Late Payments

SMEs are vulnerable to late payers in Australia, with Small Business Ombudsman Kate Carnell stating, in April, that larger organisations are using them as a “cheap form of finance”, restricting their growth and causing solvency issues. From calls for legislation to the introduction of a voluntary code to deter late payments, late payments have never Read More…

September 22 2017 ASIC launches crowd-sourced funding regime

Small to medium-sized businesses will have an opportunity to access crowd-sourced funding to help them begin or grow their business when the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) releases its new crowd-sourced funding (CSF) regime on September 29, 2017. ASIC Commissioner John Price said: “Crowd-sourced funding provides an opportunity for small to medium-sized businesses to Read More…

September 4 2017 Excessive payment surcharge ban now in effect; consumer advocate encourages no surcharges

All businesses across Australia are now banned from hitting customers with excessive surcharges for using certain types of EFTPOS, Mastercard, Visa and American Express cards to make payments. The excessive surcharging ban has applied to large businesses since September last year and now extends to all businesses that are either based in Australia or use Read More…

August 24 2017 From unfair contract terms to optimism: A VSBC update on Victoria’s small businesses

The Victorian Small Business Commissioner, Judy O’Connell, provided Dynamic Business with insights into the state’s small business sector, including barriers to growth and the need for owners to prioritise mental health, ahead of her appearance at the Vodafone National Small Business Summit on Friday (25 August). DB: What will you be speaking on at the summit? O’Connell: Read More…

August 14 2017 Headed for financial trouble? Spotting the warning signs could make all the difference

Business insolvency is a very real risk for many small businesses but countless business owners are not spotting warning signs early enough. The reality is that around 60% of businesses don’t make it past the first three years, which is why business owners should seek help early on to ensure their financial health. But first, Read More…

July 28 2017 Why cash is king for small businesses

The strange thing is you can have a full order book and see that your business is really taking off, but if you don’t have a firm grip on the cash flow situation you could struggle to stay afloat and achieve long-term success. It is important to understand why cash flow matters so much to Read More…

July 24 2017 The energy market: “If we don’t fix it, small businesses will close,” warns Kate Carnell

Small business operators have been described as “the forgotten people in Australia’s energy crisis” by the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Kate Carnell.   According to the Ombudsman, high energy users such as manufacturers and hospitality businesses, are “casualties of a failed system”. “It makes sense for heavy users to negotiate long-term contracts, Read More…

July 19 2017 How a debt detox could help your small to medium business in the new financial year

Many SMB owners think that that debt management is frustrating, repetitive and even awkward, but it doesn’t have to be. When approached with professionalism and a clear plan of attack, the right debt strategy could save weeks’ worth of work per year, while also doubling or tripling working capital. So, why isn’t everyone doing a Read More…

July 11 2017 Debt recovery: what to do and when to do it

Are you struggling to make ends meet? Do some customers take liberties and pay you weeks or months after you finish the work? Do you have a large outstanding debtor balance that just doesn’t seem to reduce? If you answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions then more often than not the answer to your Read More…

July 10 2017 Small businesses urged to prepare now for forthcoming excessive payment surcharge ban

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) is urging small business owners to prepare themselves for the excessive payment surcharge ban that will apply to all businesses from 1 September 2017. The new law limits the amount that a business can charge customers for use of payment methods such as EFTPOS (debit and prepaid), MasterCard Read More…

July 3 2017 When small business suppliers are paid late, this “slows down cash flow for all”: MYOB

Companies that sign-up to the voluntary Australian Supplier Payment Code commit to not only paying small business suppliers within thirty days of receiving a correct invoice but also helping them implement technologies and practices to speed up invoicing. The code is an initiative of the Business Council of Australia (BCA), which believes that it will Read More…

June 29 2017 Top tips to get your SMB paid by EOFY

Getting paid: one of the toughest issues every small business owner faces. As if building a great reputation, creating a stellar client list and securing sales isn’t hard enough – sometimes weeks go by and business owners are still waiting to see the money in the bank. Last year, data from MarketInvoice highlighted Australia as one of the Read More…

June 20 2017 Most small businesses owners haven’t taken advantage of the $20k instant asset write-off

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman has encouraged small business operators to take advantage of the Government’s instant asset write-off extension. More businesses are now eligible to buy equipment (new or second hand) up to $20,000 and write it off immediately after legislation passed the Senate. Multiple claims can be made under the Read More…

June 20 2017 Square launches one-shop-stop for SMBs seeking countertop payment solutions

To save business owners the hassle of having to source over-the-counter payment solutions from multiple vendors, Square has launched an online, one-stop shop offering a suite of third-party point-of-sale (POS) hardware and accessories.    According to the global payment tech company, products available through the online store are compatible with its ecosystem of tools, including the Square POS App and Read More…

May 11 2017 The 2017 Budget is a good starting point but more is needed as SMBs take the global stage

The continuation of the $20,000 instant tax write-off for small businesses will come as little surprise: the Treasurer had been hinting heavily at this in his pre-Budget briefings. However, the announcement that businesses with an annual turnover of less than $10 million can claim up to $20,000 worth of depreciating assets each financial year, is Read More…