Ever wonder what happens at VIP tables?

Last week was a mixture of many night events and occasions to attend.

One of them was a local Business Award night where the VIP's are all herded together onto allocated tables...prime seating of course ( a bit like prime real estate).

These VIP tables are always a miss or hit affair. You have dignitaries from very different backgrounds sitting in close proximity and it either ends up boring as anything or a surprise of laughs and misdemeanors.
Last weeks was the latter and without getting anyone into trouble I have to say it was the funniest I have attended in many years.The usual suspects were there (like me) who have seen the event many years running but we had some new blood at the table (the 3 local councils + some lovely fellas from the Defence Force) and it was funny to watch the competitiveness start amongst the mayors as to whose area had the most award winners.
They had never attended this event before although Manly Council did the right thing and had actually sponsored part of the Awards night (which meant they had put some monies in towards it).
It became a hotly contested night with running scores kept by the mayors from Pittwater & Warringah (both males of course) who also kept the audience involved with which area was leading....Discussions were on things like "you've got a separate magazine in your area whereas we've got 1 magazine between 2 council areas) could be heard as Pittwater have a separate magazine compared to the Manly/Warringah area...bragging rights were at stake and feelings were running high.

Who had the last laugh?
The owner of the event.

Right at the critical time of announcing the Business of the Year, he tells the audience that it was wonderful to see the 2 mayors so involved in the winners, so much so that maybe next year they would actually become sponsors like Manly had!

These events only happen because of someones passion and money.The Northern Beaches really has a dreadful reputation compared to other areas for people not sponsoring and putting in monies to promote and sponsor events. The reason these events can exist is that the promoters find outside of the area organisations to put money into events the Northern Beaches residents can enjoy.
Please think how your small business can promote itself through local events, the cost is usually a lot less than you think!

Finally a new baby was born...

Well this week (it's now Thursday) I finally have a functioning office with phone, fax, internet and email! Relief isn't the word I can think of about being in my new office, it's more a feeling of pressure being lifted and my shoulders are relaxing instead of being up around my ears!

Now that I'm here I'm already wondering how I managed before.
People are already dropping in for meetings and talks, the phone (landline) has started ringing and I haven't even told the public the number yet.

So what else has been happening besides the move you may ask?

Realisation that many balls are still in the air and needto be attended to very soon!
There seems to be 2 extremely diverse things going on in the business world.
Some are struggling incredibly financially and others are booming and not coping with the sudden expansion.

This is certainly a time for businesses to take a hard look at themselves and take advice. I've been speaking to accountants who are lamenting that their clients aren't listening to their advice and then being upset when things are falling apart.
These professionals are there to assist, even if you don't like what they are saying, you must listen to them. Accountants don't like giving hard facts or suggestions unless they think you really need it!

The highs and the lows

If you are following my story so far, my days have been a mixture of running business events and seminars, trying to move an office and of course meeting with local businesses for an Advisory Service that we run.

The move is not going well so far (putting it mildly) as I am still in my old office wondering if I even imagined moving in the first place!
My office furniture still hasn't arrived or been installed, the electrician thinks he may actually finish today and to top it off Telstra cut off my lines in my old office as we should have moved by now. Surely 2 weeks notice was enough?
Which means no fax and importantly no web or emails today until I get reconnected!

5 phone calls later I am told Telstra may be able to reconnect me today but aren't sure...
So these are my lows.

However you must always remember that great things can happen too and not to let the negatives ever outweigh the positives.

The highs?
Yesterday I was called in to Council meet with a new manager and was told that all the Council's staff have been told they are employing Business Economic Development Officer. Hurray!
(For those that don't know the story, please read blog titled "We need an Business Economic Development Officer")
How long this may take, could be an issue however if it has been publicly announced to all the staff it really must be happening. Great news for the local business community!

I hope the new person and I will be meeting regularly to work on plans and make the life of a small business person in our Council area a lot easier when dealing with Council.

Sometimes you get to a point when you don't know whether to laugh or cry, my option is usually a bit of silliness to have a good laugh (those close to me may say it's more like hysterical laugh) but it's important to keep on smiling!

With the new Employment laws coming into effect from July 1 ,I read in a magazine how little prepared businesses are for the new changes.

Having started info sessions on these laws it is a little surprising how many business aren't bothering to attend. There is things businesses can do now to prepare for it. Unlike my move (which may happen sometime in the future) this will be in effect from July 1. There will be extra laws coming through as the year progresses however businesses need to start thinking about how much holiday pay is owing to the employees as there by some industries that will have to pay the staff more in wages, which means more in annual leave.

Currently we have 5 basic fairness laws that must comply for every employee, after July 1 there will be 10.
One of the highs and lows of a business is your staff, look after them as they look after your business!

The joys of organising a "move"

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment...

I've got a fabulous new office to move to soon, the office furniture people have a floorplan and are busy trying to sort out a useable floorplan. My current funiture is deemed not "cool" enough to use (as I work for a not for profit, our funiture is all donated) so my current office looks a little like a Vinnies store.
The electrician couldn't meet me last week as there was a problem receiving keys from the owners, so now the telephone is delayed until the electrician can get in as he can put in the data points as well.

Are you following me? No? Don't worry, I'm lost too and I'm supposed to be organising it!

To top this off, I've received 2 newish 2nd hand computers that I have to get networked and wireless and work out when is the best time to be off the air so my main computer can have it's brain removed (hard drive for all you techies) and transplanted into the newish computers.

On a personal front, the man in my life is about to sell his place and I've been trying to get his place looking good for the sale, however it still has a way to go and since I can only be there on the weekends..I can only achieve so much as somewhere I am also supposed to rest somewhere on a weekend.

It's always amazing to me how much it all looks like a mess until the end when it all fits neatly together....and everything works out in the end.

I'm in the mess part at the moment and it's getting very scary- but I love the fact that soon it will be over and I'll wonder what the hell I was worried about in the first place.
Starting up a business can be exactly the same - you wonder how it's going to look at the end when you are about to start..and then it just happens.
All the same emotions apply: excitement, fear, anxiety, occasional crankiness when things aren't going as they should, then joy and pride.

Considering this is going to be the 3rd office move in 2 years, you'd think I'd be used to it by now but it's something I doubt you ever get over quickly.

My last move was assisted by 2 gorgeous south americans who lacked english skills, this didn't bother me until I realised that when I was parking that their left was really my right and we provided a comedy act in reverse parking a fully laden trailer!
Lots of hand gesturing and laughing (from them, myself and the frightened bystanders) made it certainly one of the most memorable moves in the past!
Stay tuned to see how I fair this time.

We need a Business Economic Development Officer!

Yet again, another phone call received from a government department asking for information about businesses in the area...yet again, unable to assist, grrrr.
What's this about? I hear you ask.

Let me explain....

Most Councils have someone really important in their department for the business community. They are called a Business Economic Development officer. Their job is to liase between businesses and the council, encourage new businesses into the area, create an exciting mix of industries and assist with lists of businesses in the area etc. provide statistics. How much would it assist your business if you knew how many others of the same were in your area?
How much would this assist in your marketing, your business plan and understanding the community you are in?

The Northern Beaches has been lacking in this area, especially the Warringah Council but also Pittwater as well. Pittwater had one but decided to put him in another more important job in the council (what that could be who knows?) Warringah Council were talking of "sharing" one.
WHAT?????

Warringah especially needs one as the diversity of industries hidden in this large area is huge.
Yes again, another govenment department (State Gov this time- Federal week before) is phoning me looking for information for statistics and assist businesses in the area.

How can businesses in this area get assistance without someone collecting the data to prove how many industries are here?
We are stuck in a catch-22 situation.
Until we get the data, it is not deemed important as it'sjust a mixture of industries. Who would be willing to collect all the data without getting paid for it?
No one of course.

That's why we need a Business Economic Development Officer and I urge all business owners to write to their councils insisting they have one. The business community are rate payers too and we are often forgotten in the "community mix" of a council area.

Local businesses didn't get us into the financial challenge we have world wide. Large corps did. We should be looked after like gold, we hire local people, supply to the locals, for gods sake we ARE the locals in many cases!

Joys of Funding and finance!

Just when I thought I was busy, along comes some government funding to show me how busy I can be...
With all the busyness leading up to Xmas, I became aware of some funding that the Warringah Chamber of Commerce could apply for to assist businesses through the current financial times.
Having been on a board many years ago that assisted businesses in the same way I thought I would give it a go and see if I could successfully apply.
Having added it to my things to do list before I headed off overseas for Xmas I crammed as many hours as I could into the submission and sent it off with relief.
As luck would have it, I was successful and now am also running a Business Advisory Service as well as expanding the Chambers events to accomodate the criteria requested.
After getting over my shock and delight of winning the submission, I now have the duty of assisting businesses that are in need of help or advice.

It is so wonderful to be able to really assist businesses and not just tell them where to go ( in the nicest possible way of course) but also in real terms...paying for their coaching, legal or accounting advice. The down side is all the statistics and reporting that must accompany all of this. However it is a small price to pay for the knowledge that it really has made a difference.

It seems strange to offer all this assistance for free to the business owners, however it is great to be suddenly in the position to do so. The last time we offered this much assistance many business owners were too afraid to ask for help (in 2000 when the GST came in). too many closed for my liking as they couldn't seem to deal with the cashflow dance that was created when the GST came in.
I can only hope that this time, business owners won't let their egos get in the way of accepting assistance and letting them miss this wonderful opportunity!

Update on Marysville Fire Victims

As of Saturday 14th March, the survivors of Marysville were allowed back into their once beautiful township, to sift through what remains from 'Black Saturday'.

Even though overwhelmed with a number of the community unaccounted for, this community is so united and ready to rebuild their lives and town already a new Chamber of Commerce has formed and keen to act.

Strong ties between Marysville and the Northern Beaches have developed they appreciate the tremendous generosity of the Northern Beaches local business community, Inspiring Women and community at large and want to keep us up to date. The supplies donated have been warehoused in a 'co-op' set up so the people can help themselves to what they need.

Thanks to one Inspiring Woman, Lynda Dyer for donating 100's of copies of her book "Good Grief" has been well received and read in helping this grief stricken community. We also acknowledge the Grief Counselling body of Sydney providing counselling to the children.

To Genevieve Collette (another Inspiring Woman) thank you! She has donated her time in volunteering her culinary skills in feeding the multitudes. If anyone has a couple of weeks to spare and wants to assist in teaming up with Genevieve , take your tent or caravan and call her on 0401 212 303.