Past Events

by Franziska Iseli-Hall, PBL member, small business marketing strategist and founder of Basic Bananas

It was a beautiful, fresh spring morning on the Northern Beaches: the sun was shining, the sky was blue, the birds were singing … it was a great day to hold the Pittwater Business Limited breakfast seminar.

More than 140 PBL members and guests met at Bayview Golf Club to network, connect and learn on October 19. Guests included representatives from business consultants, driving schools, graphic and web designers, accountants, electricians, lawyers, HR specialists, florists, photographers and many other diverse Pittwater enterprises, small and large.

The Honourable Bronwyn Bishop MP, Federal Member for Mackellar, Mr Rob Stokes MP, Member for Pittwater, the Mayor of Pittwater, Cr Harvey Rose, the Mayor of Warringah, Michael Regan, Pittwater Councillors Jacqueline Townsend and Julie Hegarty and the General Manager of Pittwater Council, Mr Mark Ferguson, were in attendance.

Andrew Holder, CEO of TDA Interiors, parent to four young children and owner of five successful businesses spoke about the work/life balance and the trick of managing your business and spending quality time with your family. “Did you know that there are 2.4 million cities in the world and Australia has four of the most livable cities in the top ten?” Andrew asked. “Sydney is close to top of the list so then why should we have a work/life balance issue?”

The thing is, he said, that it’s not all about money. It’s about combining work, family and fun.

“My life is pretty much one entity, I don’t have a life balance issue,” Andrew said. “If you treat the whole thing as one, there is no issue.”

Other important key factors in achieving a balance were to choose the right people and partners for all areas of your life, to plan a beautiful future with your loved ones and to celebrate successes.

“Choosing the right profession and doing what you love most is all important,” he said.

A key point Andrew shared with his PBL audience was that his personal success with work/life balance was due to the fact he would break things down into manageable chunks.

For more eye-opening insights from Andrew Holder, check out his recently published book Reflections of a Modern Man. Visit his website: www.andrewholder.com.au for more information.

Why PBL works

· ‘I always enjoy the fantastic speakers – they’re full of ideas and knowledge. Whether I’m catching up with other business owners I already know or meeting new ones, I always enjoy myself networking over a delicious breakfast.’ Cathy Beddy, Cheeky Monkeys Play House

· ‘Attending PBL Breakfasts is fabulous for small business people looking to meet new people. I love the fact that you will find out about a new business every time.’ Sue Heins, Inspiring Women

· Driving to work, I was whistling along with some ‘happy songs’ blasting through the radio, ready for a great day of work and family and, as Andrew said in today’s presentation: ‘making it one and making it fun’. Franziska Iseli-Hall, Basic Bananas.

By Mardi Dean, New Business Manager & Social Media Director at Push Creative

160 guests attended the Pittwater Business Limited Breakfast on August 31 at The Terrace on Pittwater, the biggest attendance in PBL’s history!

It is always a pleasure returning to the PBL breakfast events seeing familiar faces and meeting many new local businesses.

The guest speaker for the morning was Craig Rispin CSP, Business Futurist and Innovation Expert. His expertise lies in emerging business, people and technology trends and how companies can profit from them.

He is an award-winning speaker and has addressed audiences across 5 continents and has consulted with CEOs of leading companies worldwide.

Some of his clients include: Apple, Disney, GE, IBM, Mercedes Benz, BHP Billiton, Canon, Colonial First State, IBM, Kimberly-Clark, NRMA, Symantec, and Toyota.

Now a keynote speaker and innovation consultant, Craig shows his clients how to Know First, Be First and Profit First.

Craig is a compelling speaker who walks the room and looks right into your eyes as he speaks. He humorously, engaged with the audience by asking many questions and in turn we interacted with one another, Craig had everyone’s attention. No wonder he is an award-winning speaker!

A Futurist is a real job, it is an amazing opportunity to have great conversations about what that future could be. Craig asked “Do you think the future is set or do you think we can nudge it a little bit to adjust the outcome?”

Richard Morgan, one PBL’s directors, answered, ”Yes we can definitely give the future a nudge. I believe it is already being nudged by Social Media. The newspapers are going to have to adjust dramatically”.

Futurists are reversed historians. Lets create preferred futures, rather than just let it happen to us.

Kevin Roberts, CEO of Saatchi and Saatchi, is considered a thought leader in the advertising industry. He says only two things can set you apart from your competitors, Foresight and Innovation. Apple computer embodies this idea.

Craig initially worked for Apple. They had a 6 week induction of the “Apple way” before selling a computer. Steve Jobs stood in front of the employees and said you will be selling computers today but not always. In the future we are going to do something different. I don’t know what that is right now but we will find out. The employees were to sell computers 4 days a week and on the 5th day Apple would ask a question that will transform Apple Computers into the world’s most profitable phone company, and the worlds most profitable consumer electronics company. The question, “Is there a better way?” Simple enough. Do we all apply this to our company? If the answer is no then I dare say think about it.

Organisations that don’t adjust to the future changes are falling apart. “Technology has given absolute transparency to our customers, every business is going through this. New regulations are impacting every business model that is based on commission”.

Jack Welsh, the Chairman and CEO of General Electric says, “If change is happening outside faster than on the inside, the end is in sight”. We need to move faster than our customers. It is keeping your mind open to new opportunities, to new possibilities, new challenges. When a chapter closes, a new one emerges. Craig says, those that are looking beyond the horizon asking what’s coming? and how can I be a part of it? have an advantage.

10 years ago, Craig Venter changed the world forever. By mapping the human genome. Biologists researched the connection with certain forms of cancer and viruses. The Venter Institute did the DNA sequencing of the virus and the human DNA and found that all sorts of viruses cause cancer. May 2010 Craig Venter announced the first synthetic cell. A cell made starting with the digital code in the computer building the body with 4 bottles of chemicals, assembling in yeast and transplanting it into a recipient bacterial cell and transforming that cell into a new bacteria species. This is the first self replicating species that we have had on the planet whose parent is a computer and the first species to have it’s own website coded in it’s genetic code. These species expire in 18 months.

The Chinese have developed a way for E-coli to store data. One gram of bacteria can store 90 gigabytes of data. This is science reality today. Craig Venter says “If he wasn’t a member of world’s future society for 30 years, he wouldn’t have been able to apply foresight to his area of medicine”. The idea behind the genome is to transform energy production worldwide.

“What got you here, won’t get you there”, Jack Welsh

Steve Jobs taught Craig that when there is most risk that is when you innovate. Two weeks ago Apple became the most valued company in America, The IPad was valued more than oil. Every successful initiative Apple has had is when there was the most risk. The IPod was launched two weeks after the 9/11 attacks. It was the exact time when people needed a little music in their lives.

Craig finalised by saying, “Continue looking into the future and creating your preferable outcome”.

To find out more about Craig Rispin you can take a look at his site, http://www.futuretrendsgroup.com or buy his book, http://www.howtothinklikeafuturist.com

A special thanks to Craig Rispin, the PBL sponsors, organisers and directors, this event was one of the best!

Mardi Dean, New Business Manager and Social Media Director of Push Creative, www.pushcreative.com.au @PushCreatives
facebook.com/PushCreative

You can view photos of the morning from Luminere Imaging, http://luminere.com.au/PBL/31082011/content/index.html - Thank you Orlando!

Report By Franziska Iseli-Hall, Director at Basic Bananas Small Business Marketing

FULL HOUSE! Yes, PBL hosted another completely booked out networking breakfast on Wednesday, 29th June with 140 PBL members attending at Bayview Golf Club.

The PBL breakfasts are not your regular networking event, there is a strong sense of collaboration, connecting and learning, this time with guest speaker Paul Wallbank.

A writer, broadcaster and entrepreneur, Paul helps businesses find opportunities. He founded PC rescue in 1998 and has always been interested in the evolution of business.

‘In 1992 personal computers changed the way we operate as a small business, suddenly we can do what the big corporates are doing’, Paul states.

A few years later came the internet and the development of the html language in Switzerland. ‘The start of the internet boom - connecting with people anywhere in the world. Suddenly we could read the New York times the morning it was published… things changed dramatically.’

Today, social media is becoming a more and more powerful business tool. Even politicians seem to embrace social media and use it to their advantage (or disadvantage). Social Media is really taking over how we do things, it’s much more than only a marketing tool.

We can’t fight the trend, we live in a global economy. The internet is becoming more and more accessible all over the world and with it, new opportunities and threats are born.

‘Google places, Facebook, True Local – you have to be on there, especially if you are in hospitality and retail’, Paul advises.

In the 20th century we used to advertise through the printing press, radio, TV etc. It was much harder for small businesses to get the word out there on a budget. The big corporates had money to blow on big campaigns, not the little guys though.

In the 21st century social media has enabled small businesses to engage with their prospects, get the word out there, receive and deal with feedback instantly and market themselves on a small budget.

Small business owners need to embrace this opportunity ‘it’s like surfing, if you go knee deep only, you get smashed on the sand bank, it’s more dangerous than going to the back, past the waves, so you can see what’s coming in and which waves you choose to take’, Paul states.

And there are a lot of waves coming at us so we better paddle right out there and catch them!

To find out more about Paul Wallbank, please check out his website www.paulwallbank.com

A special thanks also goes to all the fabulous sponsors and the PBL directors for making this event so memorable, leaving the community wanting more.

“I thought it was a very interesting breakfast and allowed me to connect with the community and to learn more about current trends and issues that affect the local businesses. I look forward to the next one.” Tony Le Bars, Divisional Manager, The Manly Daily

Franziska Iseli-Hall, small business marketing strategist and founder of Basic Bananas www.BasicBananas.com

To view some amazing photos taken at the June Breakfast please to go www.jondibbs.smugmug.com – Thank you Jon!

To watch an awesome video of the June Breakfast filmed by Bill Adams from My Life Stories please go to the Pittwater Business Facebook Page

'Cracking the Connection Code' was the name of an informative and entertaining presentation made to many local business owners by Robert Gerrish founder of Flying Solo.

Over 100 guests at the Annual Pittwater Business Limited (PBL) and Pittwater Council's networking breakfast at the Royal Motor Yacht Club in Broken Bay, Newport were treated to secrets from Flying Solo’s experience as the online connected voice of the Australian micro business community. www.flyingsolo.com has 23,000 business subscribers throughout Australia and over 100,000 visits per month.

Gerrish, the founder of Flying Solo (established in 2000) had some reassuring words for businesses faced with a multitude of contemporary digital marketing and social media alternatives.

“Keep it simple. Get back to basics and don’t be in hurry. Don’t panic, you won’t miss the bus if you don’t rush into embracing twitter or facebook. If social networking proves to be as beneficial to business as is proclaimed it will still be available when you are ready to embrace it for your business. But first you need to work out the strategy to connect your business to your customers.”

“Why? Who? What? and Where?, that’s all business owners need to concentrate on,” explained Mr Gerrish as he took his audience through a persuasive and well-illustrated presentation.

Why does your business want to connect? Who does the business want to be? What is your business pitch? Where should the business focus its activities?

Drawing on examples from the Flying Solo blogs, archives and in-depth online surveys the presenter illustrated his talk with amusing anecdotes and a number of small business case histories.

In response to audience questions Robert Gerrish gave an insight for small business owners‘ as he revealed the results from a recent survey Flying Solo undertook when they asked over 1,300 businesses “What are the main concerns for your business?” In order of worry:

1 money (or lack of)
2 wearing too many hats
3 time management
3 ideas - being able to bounce ideas off qualified people

Did Flying Solo have any advice to these concerns which are fairly typical of many of the one million independent business owners throughout Australia?

“Know your own business and where you need it to positioned. Ask and employ consultants and experts to help your company grow. Above all, develop a connection strategy. Connecting is a slow process but keep at it - it works.”

Much food for thought over a full cooked breakfast in a spectacular room overlooking beautiful Broken Bay on a very chilly start to a startling June day on the Peninsular.

The record number of attendees at this business breakfast confirms the speaker’s statement that you need to take a long term view of connecting your business. PBL is now in its 5th year and continues to grow and Pittwater Council continues to be a major sponsor and supporter of the networking initiative.

Also at the breakfast guests heard short talks from Mark Ferguson (General Manager of Pittwater Council), The Honourable Bronwyn Bishop MP (Federal Member for Mackellar) and Cr Harvey Rose (Mayor of Pittwater) who kept the small business owners in the audience abreast of major developments on the Northern Beaches.

For further information about PBL (and future networking breakfasts) and Flying Solo (and how to subscribe for free) you can view the following websites: www.pittwaterbusiness.com.au and www.flyingsolo.com.au.

How did the audience enjoy the talk? One of the attendees, Michelle Burton of SMB Interior Design, said “It was good to hear that, as an owner of a micro business, I am not alone in some of my concerns for the growth of my business. The presentation made a great deal of sense. Networking events like the PBL is a way of me connecting with potential clients and meeting useful contacts.”

Networking events are something that Flying Solo founder Robert Gerrish would encourage all business owners to participate in. Or in his words - “Connect and flourish”.

G Henshaw is writer, international marketer and the founder of The Good Thing About... Marketing... www.tgta.com.au

Social media has so changed the marketing and public relations landscape that business operators can not afford to ignore or fail to engage with it.

That was one of the key messages of the presentation by marketing guru Sharon Williams, founder of Taurus Marketing, at Pittwater Business Limited’s Networking Breakfast at Bayview Golf Club last week.

Ms Williams told the audience of about 100 local business people that internet tools, including social media sites like Facebook and You Tube, now offered unprecedented low-cost opportunities for companies to get their names and brands in front of their stakeholders. She said this was a very big change from the days of telex and fax machines that prevailed when she started her marketing career more than 20 years ago.

``Australia is the second highest user in the world of internet time … and the largest growth in internet users has been 39-45-year-olds, so it’s not actually a young person’s thing anymore,’’ she said.

But, apart from scope to generate positive marketing opportunities, she said engagement with social media could also avert potential negatives for a business.

``As the risk manager in your business you should be responsible for monitoring what is being said about your brand online right now,’’ she said. ``While people can write about your personal brand or your corporate brand, that brand is very much out there to take as opposed to us being able to control it as we always used to.’’

Ms Williams said a good tip for those less adept at the new internet tools was to harness the knowledge of younger generations for whom it came more naturally - if not from among staff, then family members - to help them get started.

She also stressed that one of the greatest marketing resources small businesses owned was their databases, which needed to be ``beautiful’’- in other words kept accurate and up-to-date. ``You (should be) communicating with that database constantly, touching them regularly with communication, either by phone or email or social media,’’ she said. ``One of your business-plan objectives should be to increase the number of people on your database. Make it a real priority.’’

She said it was also important when conducting PR or marketing activities to ``know your audience’’ to avoid wasting cash. ``Rather than take a machine-gun approach with your precious dollars, know who your stakeholders are  … know your customers, your suppliers, your influencers, your prospects, your media and your potential staff,’’ she said.

Ms Williams, who is Nine MSN’s resident blogger on small and medium business, also spoke at the breakfast about work/life balance and the strategies she employed to achieve it.  She suggested business operators should know their own strengths and weaknesses and be prepared to outsource tasks they weren’t good at; also to delegate effectively and to have systems to keep staff engaged, accountable and productive.

But, one of the strongest messages from the entrepreneur whose business has now built up a bank of about 400 operational templates, was the value of templating a business and setting up good systems.

Sue Hoban was formerly the long-time business writer for The Manly Daily.  She now freelances as a journalist and media strategy adviser. suehoban@pacific.net.au

February 2009 Breakfast
Royal Motor Yacht Club, Newport

As we come into 2009 there are boundless opportuntities for all business', small or large. Whilst much of the talk focuses on words like "crisis" and "recession", this is not a time to stand still and let fear dictate the direction of your business. Jonathan Brake, marketing and business development specialist and Acting CEO of Council of Small Business will address areas of your business where you might find the greatest opportunities this year.

About the speaker

Jonathan Brake has been in business for over 8 years and has over 20 years experience in marketing and business development working in various sectors including IT, retail, hospitality and commercialisation. Jonathan is passionate about the betterment of small business and has been on the board of COSBOA for the past three years. More recently taking on the role as acting CEO.