Nearly 10 years into their business, Maggie and Bryan Jacobs realised they were missing out on opportunities to expand their trade. The owners of Geraldton Rubber & Conveyor had focused on working hard and providing great customer service since first opening in the Mid West town. But it wasn’t until happening upon RSM Business Local and seeking...
When jeweller Julianne Karavitis relocated from Melbourne to Kalgoorlie, she saw an opportunity to launch a niche fine jewellery design. With the help of the SBDC’s Business Local team, Julianne has turned her love of jewellery into a vibrant business with a positive impact on her local community. Turning a passion into a thriving business is a...
Paying for professional advice when you start a business will save you money later on. So what advice is worth paying for? The answer to this question really depends on the kind of business you run. For example, if you’re an accountant running your own business, you know your way around a profit and loss statement and understand the difference...
A new service from the Fair Work Commission offers free legal advice on employment matters such as unfair dismissal and workplace bullying cases. The Workplace Advice Service is available to small business owners in Western Australia who don’t have in-house legal, workplace relations or human resources staff. As part of the service, eligible...
There’s no perfect time to start a business – but navigating the challenges of a tropical cyclone and pandemic would be enough to test any new business. Wendy Drew has made the most of the SBDC’s regional support through RSM Business Local, to help her Karratha business not only survive, but thrive, in challenging conditions. After years of...
While navigating the uncertainty of COVID was a challenge for many small businesses, for popular Geraldton restaurant Skeetas, the pandemic proved a boon for trade. Western Australia’s hard border is likely to have played a role in the regional business’s uplift. Tourism Western Australia’s most recent Intrastate Market Profile showed that...
When you first develop an idea you may decide to test it as a hobby but it’s important for tax purposes to know when an activity becomes a business
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but it certainly doesn’t feel that way when someone copies your business idea, product or artwork. So what protections do you have available to stop a copycat? There is nothing that can infuriate a business owner as much as noticing something they have come up with being used by another business...
Find out what Western Australian business owners have said are the most important things they have learnt about running a business.
Our business advisory team receives a number of calls from business owners who provide services or support to participants of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) or are considering becoming NDIS providers. Here are the top questions business owners have been asking about the NDIS - and answers from an NDIS expert. The National...
You may be entitled to compensation if your landlord is carrying out works that are causing disruption to your business. Some of the situations in which you can claim compensation are: if general works are being carried out by the landlord in your shopping centre or building the shopping centre or building are being redeveloped the disclosure...
A feature of my role as the Small Business Commissioner is that I am often asked about emerging issues in the small business landscape, particularly as each new year commences. While I sometimes wish for a clearer crystal ball, the benefit of having a network of peers across business and all levels of government, as well as having access to our in...