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!