Blogs

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What Twelve-Step Programs Can Teach You About Dealing with Chaos

By Tammie Horton (Phynix Initiative) posted 14 days ago
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Twelve-step programs have helped millions of adults who felt like their life was spinning out of control. Even if you’re not addicted to alcohol, drugs, or gambling, their philosophy may help you when external events make your situation seem unmanageable. Maybe your life has been disrupted by health issues, job loss or the impacts of COVID-19. Maybe your relationships are strained, or you’re isolated from others. Your wellbeing depends on how you respond to challenging situations. Take a closer look at twelve-step programs and the lessons they contain. You’ll find wisdom that you can apply to any kind of hardship. Face Reality: Know yourself. ...
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RD Consulting (Chamber Member Spotlight - December 2021)

By Canberra Business Chamber posted 01-12-2021
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RD Consulting started life as a dream. A dream to communicate more effectively, with greater client-centricity, and with bigger impact. RD Consulting’s CEO, Colin Anstie , has been passionate about business since his childhood. From collecting trolleys for 20 cent pieces to picking and selling daffodils on the side of the road, in many ways, Colin has been chasing his passion of providing people with services his whole life. But he found his ‘why’ after working in private sector marketing during his early professional career at Telstra and Commonwealth Bank. Colin had grown frustrated with lengthy bureaucratic processes and believed ...
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Simply Lentils (Chamber Member Spotlight - November 2021)

By Canberra Business Chamber posted 16-11-2021
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An interesting Q/A with Manjula Misha, Owner & Director - Simply Lentils When and why did you start thinking of getting into business? I returned from my India trip last year on 22nd March after completing an intensive Yoga teacher training course, to be welcomed by quarantine, lockdown and a series of restrictions. I had plans of starting my own Yoga classes in Canberra, but the universe had something else planned for me. It had been two years since I arrived in Canberra from Melbourne, and I was on a career break. I was trying to figure out my life or should I call it mid-life crisis!! It took me two years to explore myself by ...
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Government Support - Wage Subsidies for Staff

By Talha Tariq posted 03-11-2021
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Dear Members, I hope you are well and had a successful re-opening in bringing back your clients and customers. Lockdown may be over but businesses still need support to recover from the impact that the lockdown had on their operations. With government support diminishing as we reach target vaccination rates, thankfully, businesses have other options available to them to qualify for incentives such as wage subsidies for new trainees/apprentices. To assist with the impact of COVID-19, the federal government is providing support to all employers who engage an Australian Apprentice/Trainee. The Australian Government has announced the Boosting ...
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Scott Leggo Gallery (Chamber Member Spotlight - October 2021)

By Canberra Business Chamber posted 26-10-2021
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Scott's interesting journey from being a diplomat to a photographer cum businessman In 2003 I was deployed to the Middle East for the war in Iraq. I was in a fortunate position to see and experience both successes and failures. But one failure stood out, involving an attack by the US Army, using over 30 Apache attack helicopters against one of Saddam Hussein’s elite republican guard divisions to the south of Baghdad. The mission was a massive disaster. Every single helicopter was shot and severely damaged. One Apache was shot down, with two aircrew captured as prisoners of war and paraded on TV. Others struggled to make it back because of the damage. All the ...
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Productivity Commission's research on SME access to finance

By Canberra Business Chamber posted 05-10-2021
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This week, the Productivity Commission released a new research paper ‘ Small business access to finance: The evolving lending market ’. This study examines SMEs’ access to debt finance, which is the more common option sought by SMEs needing external finance. It focuses on the medium-term trends that are changing the market rather than the temporary disruptions due to COVID-19. The PC research found that almost 15 per cent of Australian SMEs applied for debt finance in 2018-19, compared to only 5 per cent applying for equity finance. In 2017-18, most SMEs (69%) seeking debt finance applied to banks. While Australian banks remain the major source of funding for ...
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DAANA (Chamber Member Spotlight - September 2021)

By Canberra Business Chamber posted 22-09-2021
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DAANA's inspiring story Award winning Indian Restaurant We, Sanjay and Sunita, along with our two young children, migrated to Canberra, Australia, in January 2012 and confronted the challenges faced by most new migrant families. After the initial struggle with finding a home and employment, our family quickly settled into a routine. However, as trained chefs, we had always dreamt of following our passions and starting a restaurant. This desire was fuelled further by what we saw as an under-representation of the kaleidoscopic richness of the Indian culinary heritage in Australia, particularly in Canberra, where the Indian cuisine presented to diners was ...
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Government Support - Wage Subsidies for Trainees/Apprentices

By Talha Tariq posted 22-09-2021
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Dear Members, It is hard to digest that businesses are doing it tough but your resilience is commendable and we will get through this together. I understand there are some concerns around the eligibility criteria/application process for the ACT government's business support grants and it may not even be enough for us to sustain our operations. Thankfully, businesses have other options available to them to qualify for incentives such as wage subsidies for new trainees/apprentices. To assist with the impact of COVID-19, the federal government is providing support to all employers who engage an Australian Apprentice/Trainee. The Australian Government ...
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Attention Employers - COVID-19 vaccine claims scheme

By Linda Hudson posted 10-09-2021
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Many SME’s want to support their staff to become fully vaccinated against COVID -19. But directing employees to be vaccinated can have significant consequences in terms of risks to your business. If as an employer you require, recommend, encourage, subsidise, or facilitate COVID-19 vaccinations for your employees, you may face a potential workers’ compensation claim if employees suffer a medical adverse reaction and cannot work because of being vaccinated. Common symptoms include fatigue, headaches, nausea, or dizziness. To alleviate the risk of liability to employers, the Federal Government has introduced the COVID-19 vaccine claims scheme to reimburse employees ...
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Co-working space @ 1 University Avenue Canberra City

By Craig Phillips posted 16-07-2021
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PWP has private offices and permanent desks available - Level 4, 1 University Avenue Canberra City When starting my own business, if it wasn't for WOM, I would not have known about available office space in the city. What I valued was having the opportunity to work in a professional work environment, amongst support people, having access to meeting rooms and technology. I think working in a co-working space was the best leg-up for my business because:- ✅ You get all the benefits of working in a large office, with no overheads. ✅ Opportunity to make new contacts and friends ✅ Flexibility to WFH or an office ✅ Close proximity to referral partners ...
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Beginning FY 21/22 Financial Year with a new way to develop your accounting team

By Harry Hoang posted 05-07-2021
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As we are now in the first few days of new financial year, we see more businesses that are struggling in hiring the right staff for their Accounting Team. If you are running a small business or non profit organisation in Canberra, you might be struggling to retain good accountant in your team! Also, nature of accounting industry is with high turnover of staff. On average, permanent role is turning within 12 to 18 months while casual and part time is just 4 to 8 months. One of the reasons could be that the level of stress is so high that encouraging staff to find new environment to try new thing. The other reason is that most accountants would require professional ...
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Time for an ACT business growth strategy: the Chamber's call for action in our 2021 budget submission

By Graham Catt posted 16-06-2021
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In our 2021-22 ACT Budget Submission the Canberra Business Chamber called on the ACT Government to fund critical research and deliver a detailed strategic plan for business growth. Chamber CEO Graham Catt noted the high rate of business closures in the ACT and said the lack of data around the underlying issues threatening the long-term survival of the Territory’s small to medium-sized businesses presented a barrier to economic recovery and growth in the ACT. “During the peak of COVID, it was to be expected that business closures would occur,” Mr Catt said. “But even before the pandemic, we had a trend of unusually high failure rates compared with the rest ...
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End Of Financial Year 2021 Tips For Managers and Business Owners

By Harry Hoang posted 16-06-2021
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End of financial year can be a stressful time for executives and business owners. But think of it this way—you’re running a marathon, it’s not far from the finish line, you just need to push through to achieve your personal and business goals. Here’s a quick checklist to help you get your financial affairs in order before the 30 June deadline. Undertake analysis - To see if you will achieve your budget in the last quarter. If you haven’t made budget, consider what you can do? Cut costs? Improve sales? Or lower your expectations? Review your financial performance from July to end of financial year - The best report in any accounting software is ...
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Business can  lead ACT vaccination push

By Graham Catt posted 11-06-2021
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Over the past fortnight I've done some media to help promote the need for Covid Vaccination , and particularly to ask ACT businesses to lead and support their staff. Over that time: Canberrans aged 40 – 49 join ed the list of those eligible for a COVID vaccine. the estimated cost of the Melbourne lockdown over 2 weeks to the economy hit $1.4 billion. there were contract tracing alerts as close to home as Goulburn and Jervis Bay. There are many ways that Canberra businesses can support their people, including : Making it clear that booking and attending a COVID vaccination appointment is a priority that will be supported ...
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Karma Kitchen @ Daana

By Sanjay Kumar posted 03-05-2021
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Dear Members Hope you all are doing well and taking care of each other... This is my first post here and I am extremely excited to start with something very close to our brand-Daana. The Karma Kitchen @ Daana, one of it's kind a unique concept . Please see and share the link on our website Daana.com.au GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY Proud to present our 14th Karma Kitchen at Daana on 11th May 2021. Supporting fund-raising for Mental Health Research with Rotary Woden Daybreak. Karma Kitchen @ Daana. Please come and support the cause. Details are on the link and bookings are essential, please use Daana.com.au for the reservations. ​​​
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Welcome to CBR Business Buzz - Future proofing business networking

By Graham Catt posted 01-04-2021
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Networking is an important part of doing business. It is how we generate new business through referrals, build su p ply chains and identify new opportunities . L ast April, however, any size or type of gathering was banned . We had no idea when or if they would recommenc e . Even when small gathe r ings did slowly resume , strict rules about social distancin g and food and beverag e ser v ice made them challenging. While the Chamber was able to recommenc e Covid Safe networking events in Ju l y 2020, many others are only now starting to hold larger gatherings. Like so many of your businesses, ...
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Is your business idea pitch ready?

By Canberra Innovation Network posted 25-02-2021
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There are many facets when it comes to growing your business, and one of the key components to building success is mastering your elevator pitch. It’s a simple concept: that one-off chance you walk into an elevator occupied by a person who can provide a lifechanging opportunity for you. The catch is, you’ve only got the duration of that elevator ride to get them onboard. So, what do you say? Many entrepreneurs have achieved the height of success from their ability to make a good pitch, being charismatic and knowing how their innovation solves their customers’ problem. On the other hand, there have been many missed opportunities due to people being unprepared, ...
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Thinking of applying for an Innovation Connect Grant?

By Canberra Innovation Network posted 25-02-2021
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The Innovation Connect (ICON) Grant provides matched funding grants of between $10,000 and $30,000 to businesses with innovative products in the pre-market-ready or pre-investment stage that demonstrate high-growth potential. The grant will fund innovative ideas, products, and services, primarily to develop a prototype or prove their technical or commercial viability, and secondarily to assist with market testing and developing a go-to-market plan, software, hardware, and professional services. What could a strong application look like? You should be demonstrating how your business achieves the following: A deeply innovative product Has high growth ...
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97 Things You May Not Know About Paying Your Staff Correctly

By Mandeep Kaur posted 09-02-2021
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“The most valuable assets of a 20th-century company were its production equipment,” said management guru Peter Drucker way back in 1999. “The most valuable asset of any 21st-century institution, whether business or non-business, will be its knowledge workers and their productivity.” As a member-based organisation, we support a broad range of private businesses, the ACT’s key industry associations and many not for profit and community organisations. An important part of the Chamber’s work is helping these smaller employers, who don’t have their own HR or WR specialist, to manage their people and navigate what can be a challenging legal landscape. For example, ...
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Canberra Business Chamber membership soars during COVID

By Mandeep Kaur posted 02-02-2021
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Canberra Business Chamber membership soars during COVID The Canberra Business Chamber has seen its membership grow by about 20% since January, in a year that has proved tough for many local businesses. After numerous industries were affected with the bushfires and smoke pollution, the hailstorm and then COVID-19, Chamber CEO Graham Catt said many businesses were turning to the organisation. “In March and April our focus was providing information about government assistance that was available and health information,” he said. “That information was coming out daily and sometimes more regularly. It was important for businesses to receive that information ...
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