The Secret to Motivating Your Team in a Downturn

Business Mentoring, Career Development, Human Resources Issues Comments

It is critical, particularly during challenging economic times, that business owners recognize their employees for all their hard work. If you can reaffirm and re-enforce your team members’ value and contribution while your organisation is coping with the global downturn, you stand a better chance of retaining your best people when the economy turns around and opportunities to leave become plentiful. Read the rest…

Hobbies Don’t Make For Business Success

Business Mentoring, Marketing Comments

Everyone is finding the current economic climate tough. It’s times like these that sort out those who are serious about business success from those who are not prepared financially or skill wise to make a go of it.

It can be really disappointing to be forced to let go of a business idea that you thought would succeed – but in these financially tough times that’s the decision many fledgling and low profit business owners have had to make.

The reality is that a business built on a nice idea but not making any money is actually called a hobby. It is a tough lesson to learn but business success is not about keeping yourself occupied. It’s about running a commercially viable enterprise that makes money and has proper procedures and policies in place to ensure future success is maintained. Read the rest…

Culture is Caught Not Taught

Business Mentoring, Marketing Comments

Today I took 10 of the WNA Members I personally mentor to ‘The BIG Small Business Solutions One Day Seminar in Brisbane. It was a great day, attended by over 400 business owners and featuring a range of expert speakers including David Koch, but it was keynote speaker Tom O’Toole who stole the show.

I had not met Tom before, he’s the man behind the Beechworth Bakery which is one of Australia’s greatest small business success stories. Tom was both hyperactive and inspiring. He spoke about how he had built his team of 200+ employees on the belief that ‘culture is caught not taught’ and the importance good customer service will always play over price.

Anyone can bake buns and sausage rolls, but not everyone can turn selling them into a total purchasing experience. With this guy attitude is everything. He told many stories but in particular his attitude towards competition was refreshing.

He reflected on what happened when a very stylish two story bakery had opened its doors close to his own shop. Instead of worrying about the competition Tom and his team continued doing what they have always done, offering great customer service, a value based work environment for employees and a shared vision for business excellence. Read the rest…