The World Wide Web…whatever did we do before the internet??

I love the internet, I use it daily, in fact I use it many times daily…but then most of us in the business world need to!

With more and more businesses creating an online presence – it is important to protect yourself as best you can!  Even if you aren’t quite ready to launch a website, if you are in business, then I suggest you register your domain name…

In Australia, if you want to register a company or a business name, there are measures in place to ensure it is not too similar to anything else already registered – but there is no such protection for domain names!

In addition, when it comes to domain extensions, it’s important to cover your bases if you want to protect your brand.

If you’re reading this then you’ll see that I own the domain name www.thetaxchic.com , but did you know that I also own the domain names ending in .com.au and .net.au?  If you google them you won’t find anything, although I hope google will send you to my .com address…but I purchased them simply so that no-one else can!

If you decide it’s time and you’d like assistance is registering your domain name, please use the form on our Contact page, and we’ll be happy to help you out!

Regards

How do the sayings go? It’s not what you know but who you know, and the world works in mysterious ways connecting people?

While I firmly believe you still need to “know your stuff”…the “who you know” can be very important too, not just in business but in life!

I am always very humbled when I receive some correspondence that comes from someone who has heard a good review of me…it helps to remind me that I must be doing something right!  And referrals/connections are an integral part of generating business for me, as they are for many business owners.

But when thinking about how the world works with connections, I have recently been well and truly floored by the people who have come into my life…and I mean that in a good way (in fact, I mean that in a really good way!)

Earlier this year I was introduced to a lady at a fundraiser, subsequent to that we had a chance meeting…and I am pleased to now call her a friend.  This lady led me to another professional I’ve had recent contact with, and at a seminar she was presenting just last weekend, I reconnected with someone I have not seen for over 30 years (and we are both still in shock!)

For me, this is a classic example of the world working in mysterious ways – and it’s now up to us to keep these relationships going…I wonder what the world has in store for us?

Regards

Quite often we talk about opening a business or buying a business, but rarely do we talk about closing a business.

A business may be closed for a number of reasons…the obvious being that it is no longer financially viable, but other reasons include the owner not wanting to run the business anymore (and there being no one to hand it over to), a change in personal circumstances, retirement or illness…to name a few.

Regardless of the reason, when making the decision to close your business, there are many things to consider and take care of…you can’t simply “walk away”…even if that’s what you feel like doing!

The Australian Government’s business.gov.au website, has some great information for those considering a business closure, it discusses the following points:

• make sure closing is the right decision
• set a closing date for your business
• take care of your employees
• notify suppliers and customers
• end lease agreements
• sell business assets and pay outstanding bills
• deal with tax and legal matters
• keep business records
• tie up other loose ends
• look after yourself

If you are considering closing your business, please talk to your accountant and solicitor and seek their assistance to ensure the matter is dealt with as smoothly as possible.

And remember, when one door closes, another one opens!

Regards

So you run a business, have a family, enjoy a social life and play sport?  Who has time for red tape?

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) have been listening…yes, they have!

Recently, Chris Jordan (the Commissioner of Taxation), made a speech which announced some new initiatives by the ATO to try and reduce the amount of red tape for small businesses on the basis that “meeting your obligations takes you away from your real business and what you are good at”…

Three of the primary aims of the measures are to provide a service which is more personalised, accessible and reliable, take account of the impact their activities have on the everyday running of small businesses and their cash flow, and work harder to ensure that information and advice is provided in a streamlined, personalised, accurate and consistent manner.

Some of the new initiatives announced include:

• an after hours call back service
• small business fix-it squads
• a “business friendly” approach to managing small business debt
• small business newsroom, and
• a web-chat service

These measures were designed in consultation with 24 small business owners, so if you have the chance to try them out, please do so and report back with your experience!

If you would like to read the full speech, please click here.

Regards