PBL Articles

by Andrew Holder, CEO of TDA Interiors and author of Reflections of a Modern Man.

Maintaining a successful career while raising a family of four is no easy task. The modern man does a lot of running: running a business, running a family, running meetings, running up hills, running up bills, running the bath for the babies, running the kids to school, running amok, running around like a headless chook.

You manage a business, but you also have to manage your family. I have found that throughout life many of the same strategies can be implemented in both home and office and it’s been interesting for me to watch my family grow alongside my business.

Work and family are connected, they shouldn’t be kept separate and there is a lot to learn by taking in lessons from both aspects of your life. I have learnt that being a father teaches you how to be a manager and vice versa.

Youth is not always wasted on the young

At home, speed is a necessary part of being a young child. Everything has to be done quickly so that you can get on to the next thing to avoid boredom. Their level of aptitude for the new world gadgets surpasses yours very quickly. At work, we have just employed a number of Generation Y staff. Naturally, there are issues around maturity but if you can get past this you will see the refreshing benefits. Their dexterity with modernity and the digital age can save you thousands of dollars. And, I can now understand and reply to most of their text messages. I can rofl and say thx 4 chat cya 18r m8 :) with the best of them.

Invention: To originate a product as by ingenuity.

Australians have shown themselves to have been great inventors, the tyranny of distance has demanded creative solutions to many challenges.

Sadly, we have seen so many great Australian inventions vanish overseas.

Wouldn't it be great if we, could develop these inventions here so that we could profit from our ingenuity?

What makes “not-invented-here” (NIH) products more attractive than Australian designed and built?

Challenges that all Inventors encounter every day.

“Contempt-before-investigation”, usually by a “learned” professor casually browsing the Inventor's cv, before making any attempt to understand the possibility.

Inventors by nature are optimistic, having a great belief in themselves and their invention.

Inventors are visionaries, they can see in their imagination things that others cannot (it is a gift to be encouraged and nurtured, rather than scorned).

Inventors “live-in-the-question”, “What if it can be done?” “What would it take for it to become a reality?”

Inventors don't recognise the word “impossible”, They say, “We just haven't found away to do it just yet.”

Inventors are usually “self-funded”. They need money to bring their inventions out of the garage to commercialisation. This is a huge “chasm” that needs to be crossed. This is the primary reason that Australian Inventions move offshore.

Where are the Australian Investment Bankers courageous enough to introduce innovative funding to overcome this “chasm”?

There are few innovation Centres in this Country, ALL are under funded.

Venture Capitalists will not look at Projects in the pre-commercialisation phase.

Angel Investors in Australia are few and far between, their money is only accessible via small tight-knit networks.

With the current Global Financial crisis, climate change, and increasing atmospheric CO 2 levels, today Australia needs more inventors to overcome these challenges.

Article by Keith Ralfs - Director PBL
Engineer, Social Entrepreneur & Inventor operates his company Austral Oceanic Services Pty Ltd, an International Maritime Engineering & Naval Architecture Consultancy founded in 1986 from offices in Warriewood

1. An energy audit is a highly recommended starting point. It will show where you can reduce energy and water usage

2. Turn off equipment when not in use

3. Communicate by email and only print if necessary

4. Use fax-­‐modems to sent documents directly from a computer and save paper

5. Produce double sided documents

6. Use paper with maximum recycled content

7. Recycle cartridges and batteries. Depending on the size of business, suppliers will provide recycling boxes.

8. Choose suppliers that take back end of life products and packaging for recycling

9. Don’t leave lights on. Install movement sensors on store rooms, bathrooms, kitchens etc.

10. Turn off all electronic equipment, leave nothing on standby

11. Use waterless urinals and dual flush toilets. Fix dripping taps immediately

12. Search for ‘greener’ products and services in the local area. As well as supporting local businesses it means less travel miles, less energy used to get to your office.

13. When renovating / building new, make decisions based on ‘green credentials’ -­‐ passive design principles -­‐ natural materials that can be recycled eg. Interface carpet tiles -­‐ non toxic materials eg. Paints, joinery building boards -­‐ recyclable furniture such as refurbishing existing of Herman Miller’s Aeron chair which is 94% recyclabe

14. A recommended reading source is the Sensis ‘Sustainable Growth book written by John Dee from Planet Ark: http://www.about.sensis.com.au/Small-­‐Business/Free-­‐Sustainable-­‐Growth-­‐book/

This list is by no means exhaustive.

At Climate Action Pittwater, we have experts that can advise and assist your business on the path to a Sustainable Business

A couple of month’s back I attended a fascinating workshop during which it was mentioned that a new, post-GFC economy may be coming into existence - the Economy of Trust.

In this economy, reputations and ethical values really do matter. One's word would be one's bond. There would be no misuse of inside information. There would be no exploitation of consumers. A "free" offer really would be free! Confidential information would actually remain confidential - even without any signed legal agreements. And the spirit of an agreement - not just the letter of the law – would be honoured.

I'm sure most of us would like the business-world to be as described above. It would certainly reduce our legal fees! But unfortunately the practical realities of the real-world often seem to intervene.

In Australia, for example, we face a real challenge. The World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010 put Australia at 11th place in its ranking of the ethical behaviour of firms. In comparison, New Zealand firms were ranked first in ethical behaviour.

Of course, both business owners and consumers are all well placed to influence the realisation of an Economy of Trust:

1. Recommend and support companies and individuals that you trust
2. Treat other businesses in the way that you would like to be treated
3. Don't reward sub-standard ethical behaviour with your repeat business
4. Don't accept unethical or dishonest corporate behaviour as normal

Fortunately, in Pittwater we have great opportunities to meet, network and support like-minded ethical businesses and to promote these concepts. And as they say in the classics, from little acorns mighty oak trees grow!

The "Economy of Trust" may actually become a reality!

And Australia may actually beat the Kiwis!!!

Andrew Blunden is the founding director of Pittwater Business Limited and is CEO of Part Time Professionals (www.ptprofessionals.com.au). Part Time Professionals helps companies seeking part-time or contract accountants, financial controllers, CFOs and other experienced executives. They now represent over 280 qualified accountants and executives throughout Australia.

Mistakes happen. We wish they wouldn’t but they do. Sometimes our suppliers let us down or our staff forget to communicate clearly to each other. Sometimes a fantastic system or process we had spent so much time and energy to setup gets forgotten or bypassed.

So, as Business Owners, how should we respond if we’ve made a mistake?

1. Quickly admit your mistake to the client and be honest about it. Transparency is important in building credibility and trust. Ask a senior staff member to follow up with your customer in person or on the phone regarding the situation so that they feel like you are taking the mistake seriously. Put an apology in writing straight away and, depending on the circumstance, also send a gift with the apology.

2. Fix it. Find out exactly what the problem was and work quickly to get it corrected. This may mean staff overtime, extra costs or replacement products but this is a key to keep your customer. The last thing we want to do is lose a customer over a mistake.

3. If necessary, compensate for the mistake. First speak with the client about their expectations before you go in and make an offer of compensation. Getting an understanding of this will save you.

4. Follow up. Even if the client is not a regular customer, a “how are we going” phone call one month after the initial incident goes a long way to reassure your customer’s confidence in your abilities.

5. Evaluate. Why did this mistake happen? What staff members need additional training? Which suppliers do we need to assess? What system or process broke down?

6. Systems and Training. Put the processes and training in place to make sure the occurrence of future mistakes are minimised. The service recovery tools described above can illustrate to your customer how much their business means to you. If handled the correct way, it is possible to turn a mistake into an amazing opportunity as your client-business relationship is strengthened and your internal processes are addressed.

Oscar Wilde said that “Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.” I guess some of us are just more experienced than others.

Mark Barrett is a Director of Pittwater Business Limited and the Director of CIMarketing, an online marketing agency based in Brookvale. www.cimarketing.biz

I can only talk from my experience.

After many years in a retail environment in my print shop, where I deal on a daily basis with hundreds of people who walk through my door, in many different states of minds, being able to say hello to them by their first name and have a chat will always make my day – and theirs.

Think about how many of your clients you know on a first name basis. If it is less than you would like it to be then you are more than likely simply providing your clients with a product rather than a full service experience? Getting to know your clients means getting to know your business. Who are they? What are their needs? Knowing what they need means you can service them better – which means your business can grow.

Good business is all about building relationships. Going beyond simply “do you want fries with that” to “how are you today” can change the way a customer perceives you and your business. If they can come in and feel that their daily chores are exactly not that, they will tell you more about your business than you could ever learn from any course. Over the years my clients have advised and helped me grow and transform my business into what it is today because they have always felt comfortable enough to tell me their needs, and I have always listened- and when it comes to good customer service – it is all about fulfilling needs.

I am proud to say that I know the first name of many of my clients, and even prouder they know mine. I have successfully formed a relationship with them. And they always come back.

Overall, you can’t really go wrong – you make the customer happy, you gain a long term client, you grow your business and hey, you might even make a friend!

So get to know your clients. Let them help you be the business you need to be.

Shayna is Chairman of Pittwater Business Limited and MD of Style Communications in Mona Vale

It’s your choice. The world has turned on its end with the current global finance crisis and companies big (General Motors) and small (like my own) closing their doors, downsizing, making redundancies or declaring bankruptcy.

Over the past two years I experienced my successful Finance and Mortgage Business disappear before my eyes, because of circumstances outside of my control.

I have taken the time to understand the process that I went through. By sharing this experience with others, I might help them recover from traumatic events and recognise that this is a most incredible time in our lives from which we can grow and prosper.

Denial
In my case, everyone was denying that anything bad was happening, this went on for 15 months and day by day the values of clients’ and my own investments dwindled.

Storytelling
I then spent a couple of months talking about how good things had been, the amusing incidents, the wins we had on behalf of clients.

Anger
Then came weeks of anger and remorse at both the banks and finance houses – and myself – for letting it happen.

Closure
Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that my business was finished. Oh what a feeling of relief, I no longer felt the burden of carrying it.

Within a few short weeks I was able to transfer my clients to another financial planning company and several of the non-bank lenders still in business were willing to buy their loans back.

The Future
I ceased worrying about things that were outside of my control.

I see today’s financial situation as an incredible opportunity for business owners to be innovative and creative for I feel it is entrepreneurs like us who will lift the world out of this chaos.

These are the things I would do differently.

1 Take more heed of my instinct and intuition and not listen so unquestionably to ‘experts'.

2 Recognise the end was in sight sooner.

3 Move through the ‘Denial’ phase quicker.

4. Close the doors sooner - to stop the drain on capital reserves.

5 Take time-out. For me it was a motorcycle road trip, to clear my head to recognise opportunities for future growth.

6. Be grateful for the experience and move on.

The good news is that I have now started a new company, working to develop alternative energy technologies that offer sustainable ways of living, repairing our environment, enjoying and honouring our community, our planet.

Keith Ralfs, Director, Pittwater Business Limited.

Members of Pittwater Business Limited have reached deep into their wallets to donate $5,305 to Father Chris Riley’s Youth Off The Streets.

Their generosity came in response to Father Riley’s stirring presentation at PBL’s December 2 breakfast event held at the Royal Motor Yacht Club where all profits had been promised to support his cause.

The funds raised came from the proceeds of ticket prices, member donations, raffles and $295 in sales of Father Riley’s books, “Mean Streets Kind Heart” and “World Beyond Tears”.

Jon Dale, Chairman of the PBL Board, said: “It was wonderful to see our members get into the real spirit of Christmas and help Father Riley make life more bearable for troubled youth.”

Marketing is not a luxury, but rather an essential. The best part is that this can be 100%.free! But first things first, you need to ask a few questions before taking advantage of the free stuff.

Know what makes you different

What makes your product or service different from that of your competition? Research your competition. What are they doing? Where are they? Are they missing an opportunity? Does your product or service stand-out in comparison? What benefits would your potential customers have buying from you rather than from your competition?

Know your customer

What are your target customer’s expectations? What are their buying cycles? What benefits are they interested in? How do they define value? What influences their purchasing decisions? What price are they willing to pay? Why would they buy from you rather than from your competition?

Get Word of Mouth Referrals

Word-of-mouth referrals are, by far, the best method of getting new customers, not least of all because they are free. They are also about trust. As consumers, we are bombarded daily with messages about why we should buy product ‘X or Y’ to a point where it is difficult to differentiate.

Offer Incentives

You can also give your existing customers an incentive to refer you. The more personal, the better. I suggest building a relationship with your customers and then just simply ask them who they think may also benefit from your product or service. It is amazing how people will help out when simply asked. If you do get a referral, a thank you call can do wonders as can an unexpected discount, or freebie, the next time that client deals with you.

Giveaways

Event organisers are always on the lookout for great giveaways that fit with their event. Consider donating your product or service to an event if the audience fits with your customer base.

Prepared by Leon Honour, Director of Pittwater Business Limited and joint owner of Limelite Studio in Collaroy. Limelite Studio is a national award winning portrait studio specialising in capturing your story through photographic artworks. For more information please visit www.limelitstudio.com.au

The Northern Beaches Local Business Awards in 2009 were a great inspiration to hundreds of SMEs on the Peninsula who took the opportunity to compete for a finalist position in the awards. Nearly 500 people packed the Dee Why RSL auditorium for the presentation of the category winners on Wednesday 1 July.

Clearly the businesses involved take these awards really seriously and on the night enjoy the opportunity to reward their staff with a great night out plus the lucky ones get to bask in the limelight when they are called on stage to be presented with the winner’s trophy. In attendance were representatives of all the sponsors of the awards and PBL, being a supporter of the event this year, was represented by Directors Keith Ralfs and Richard Morgan.

I was honoured to join a long list of notable local people who presented the trophies on the night including Mackellar MP the Hon Bronwyn Bishop, Mayor Michael Reagan of Warringah Council, Mayor Jean Hay of Manly Council, Stephen Robertson President of Warringah Chamber of Commerce and Steve Indersmith of Peninsula Living, the Media Partner of the 2009 Northern Beaches Local Business Awards. Finalist and winner details can be found in the August editions of Peninsula Living.

The Board of Directors of Pittwater Business Limited joins the community in offering its congratulations to the finalists and winners of the 2009 Northern Beaches Local Business Awards.

Richard Morgan

Richard Morgan is a Director of PBL, and was Chairman in 2008. He is Principal and CEO of The Pittwater House Schools at Collaroy. Pittwater House is a non-government school and proud to be one of the not-for-profit business members of Pittwater Business Limited.