www.blackbiz.com.au
ISSUE 06 - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
.com.au
Mentoring Aboriginal people into creative roles
BIZPROFILE @indigenousX BlackBiz is excited to profile the Twitter account IndigenousX.
MARKETING MIX Knowing Your Communication Strategy
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
How do you want you and/ or your organisation to be perceived.
Business Feature - Getting to know business tax (pt. 2) 18 - 20
Biztech - Paid Advertising Online (pt. 2) 12 - 14
INDIGCAREER - Shola Diop 26 - 27 ... and much more.
RACISM STRANGELY, WE’D LIKE YOU TO EMBRACE IT.
Racism. It’s a big, ugly topic and All Together Now needs your help to tackle it. By working with us, your business will learn of simple ways to create positive change within your workplace and beyond. Thus helping protect you from the millions of dollars of damage racism causes Australian businesses every year. Since our inception, we’ve helped many different organisations turn racism on its head by bringing this ‘hidden’ issue to the fore. And now we’d love to work with your business too.
Please get in touch with us via any of the methods below and help us erase racism. Contact us:
alltogethernow.org.au www.twitter.com/alltognow
www.facebook.com/alltognow
www.youtube.com/alltognow
EDITORS DESK - Welcome to BlackBiz PUBLISHER DETAILS: Publisher BlackBiz P/L ABN 49 146 020 662 PO BOX 23 Revesby North, NSW 2212 Ph: 1300 739 769 Fax: 02 9475 0921 www.blackbiz.com.au
Editor Paul Newman editor@blackbiz.com.au
Senior Editor
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
Sarah Martin s.martin@blackbiz.com.au
Creative & Technical Director Matt Brady admin@blackbiz.com.au
Contributors Tamar Ferhad Rebecca Harcourt Lillian Haase Paul Newman
Photographers Phillip Philippou MyThinkingEye Photography
Design & Production CrewMark Pty Ltd
Advertising & General Enquiries Email: advertising@blackbiz.com.au Phone:1300 739 769 Stock Photography: iStockPhoto
Disclaimer The authors, editors, publisher and their staff and agents are not responsible for the accuracy or correctness of statements made or information contained in this publication or for the consequences of any use made of the products, services and information referred to in this publication. All liability of whatsoever nature is expressly disclaimed for any consequences arising from any errors or omissions contained in this publication whether caused to a reader of this publication or otherwise. The views expressed in the articles and other material published herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor and publisher or their staff or agents. It is impossible for the publisher and editor to ensure that the advertisements and other material herein comply with the Trade Practices Act 1974. Readers should make their own inquiries in making decisions and, where necessary, seek professional advice. Many images used in BlackBiz are supplied by contributing companies and are accepted in the belief that they are the property of these companies and that they have the right to use them. The publisher does not accept responsibility for any image improperly supplied or acknowledged. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part, without written permission, is strictly prohibited.
Hello BlackBiz Readers, kBiz, Australia’s ember/October 2012 edition of Blac It is a pleasure to bring you our Sept business and us geno on celebrating the dynamic Indi first Indigenous business publicati dynamic Indigenous this light around Australia. To help high community enterprise excellence l media twitter socia son’s we have a bizprofile of Luke Pear business excellence conversation, ia twitter site, med l socia his of shares with us the power account “IndigenousXcellence”. Luke in sharing, le peop us geno both Indigenous and non-Indi IndigenousX in bringing together munity level. com and ess busin us excellence on a personal, promoting and fostering Indigeno
genous owned , we profile award winning non-Indi In the spirit of business reconciliation work within the ions relat ic publ and their specialist business, Dreamtime Public Relations in mentoring g Crai t Jane er own passion of business ambit of Indigenous affairs, and the . roles der people into creative Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islan Tax” providing series on “Getting to Know Business We also have another article in our helping Indigenous ralian Taxation Office (ATO), in information published by the Aust on and associated tax es better understand tax informati businesses and community enterpris Credits, Pay as you go ds and Services Tax (GST), Fuel Tax obligations in areas such as the Goo fits Tax, and more. (PAYG) withholding and Fringe Bene exploring learning lar BizTech article, with this edition Once again, enjoy reading our regu ons MarketingMix Ads that people click on. This editi how to create successful Facebook your business mation on developing and knowing article, provides some great infor ess. to help develop and grow your busin communication, with great ideas have sent in their good le, businesses and organisation who A big thanks also to the many peop our many readers with e shar ity news stories for BlackBiz to Indigenous business and commun and globally. and supporters around the country on of BlackBiz. k and enjoy reading our latest editi Until the next edition, take a brea
Paul Newman BlackBiz Editor & Founder October 2012
BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
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featuring Gumaroy Newman, are your ultimate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Experience! Gumaroy Newman is a leading Indigenous Cultural Presenter, Educator, Entertainer, MC, Traditional Song Man, Didgeridoo Master and a very talented award-winning Poet with the WOW factor!
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CONTENTS - ISSUE #06
COVER FEATURE
page
Creative Dreaming Dreamtime Public Relations is proud to be one of the first specialist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communications consultancies established in Australia. - Tamar Ferhad ........................................................................... 6 - 11
ARTICLES
page
Graduation Time with the Batchelor Institute ....................................................................................... 16 - 17
FEATURES
page
BUSINESS FEATURE Getting to know business tax (Part 2) - Paul Newman........................................................................ 18 - 20
REGULARS
page
BIZTECH - Paid Advertising Online - Facebook - Lillian Haase........................................................... 12 - 14 MARKETING MIX - Knowing Your Communication Strategy - Tamar Ferhad..................................... 21 - 23 BIZPROFILE IndigenousX - Tamar Ferhad................................................................................................................ 24 - 25 INDIGCAREER - PROFILE: Shola Diop - Rebecca Harcourt ............................................................. 26 - 27
BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
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BIZPROFILE - Dreamtime PR
Creative Dreaming
by Tamar Ferhad L to R: Dreamtime PR team members: Kiah Buckskin-James, Jasmine Slade and Janet Craig
Dreamtime Public Relations is proud to be one of the first specialist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communications consultancies established in Australia. Founded and run by non-Indigenous businesswomen, Janet Craig, BlackBiz was keen to learn about the business goals and focus on reconciliation in business, and Janet’s passion in mentoring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in creative roles. 6
BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
BIZPROFILE - Dreamtime PR
BB:
Thanks for your time Janet, Can you start by explaining the reason for establishing Dreamtime Public Relations?
JC:
Whilst working for Aboriginal community controlled organisations, I saw the creative potential of Aboriginal people and yet there were limited career opportunities available for them in the creative sector. Then and still today, the greater number of employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are in ‘blue-collar’ industries or the health sector. Few opportunities exist for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to explore their innate creative potential in a truly satisfying role. When I say this, I am not saying all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people want a career in the creative sector; some may be more interested in quite diverse roles; but what I am saying is that equality of opportunity is still limited and I hope, through Dreamtime, that we can fill a small void. All my life I have been amazed by the structure of human society and why all people aren’t considered equal! Why are there a low class, middle class, and upper class? Why do we treat anyone differently because of their class, education, economic status and culture? As a teenager, I was discriminated against when it came to being promoted to a higher position because I went to an ordinary high school, not a college. All the college graduates got the opportunities regardless of whether they had the skills or will. No-one took into account my history and why I couldn’t go to college nor whether I had the skills and will – my father was crippled with multiple sclerosis all my life and we just didn’t have the money regardless of the fact I was a straight A student. I had to leave school three-quarters through year 11 because my family needed me to go out and work to pay board. My teachers begged my parents to keep me in school and send me to university but they couldn’t afford it. I went to university eventually when I was in my midtwenties to study communications but my chosen field was Archaeology, hence Indigenous communications is perfect for me. So, I believe I have an understanding of where my Aboriginal staff come from – they haven’t
had the opportunity like others to do what they really want to in life. I am also amazed at companies who take on Aboriginal trainees and once they are no longer a trainee, let them go. One of my employees, who is absolutely brilliant and is my right-hand person has this to say: “Since leaving Year 12, finding employment was difficult. Regular visits to Employment Agencies and Aboriginal Employment Brokers were necessary. Temporary opportunities presented themselves and I took them as they came with every hope that my attitude, dedication and skills would allow for an extension of that non-permanent contract. In July 2011, yet another 3 month contract ceased and I was once again left unemployed. Being Aboriginal, I contacted yet another local Aboriginal Employment Broker who tried her hardest to find something suitable and it wasn’t until mid-August that year that an opportunity became available. I have now been working with Dreamtime Public Relations for 1 year and have already completed my Certificate IV in Business Administration ahead of schedule and am now studying a Diploma of Business. I could not be any more thankful for this opportunity.”
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BIZPROFILE - Dreamtime PR
... Her resilience astounds me … she’s had her knocks but she still believes in herself and now she will only go on from strength to strength. If I had my way, I’d keep my staff forever but that’s not always to be. Dreamtime’s first apprentice/ trainee stayed with us for 7 years before he decided to move on. I tried everything to keep him including restructuring his job to fulfill his IT passion but not to be. I’ve offered him other jobs since and ‘hopefully’ he will come back one day. I remember when a young Aboriginal girl from WA walked in our front door asking for a job. Of course, we employed her and then we employed her cousin from WA as well. Both, eventually decided to go back home to family and both have progressed into satisfying careers. I occasionally hear from them; they are still very much a part of the Dreamtime family. One is driving a big truck on the mines, even though she’s a brilliant writer but the money is too good and she’s setting up her future. At Dreamtime, we also help our Aboriginal staff, as much as we can, with life skills. I remember when I was working for one Aboriginal health service, a young lady coming to me and saying: “I’ll never own a house like you”. My response, of course, was “why not”. I gave her some information and a few months later she proudly announced she had bought her first home. There’s no such thing as ‘no’ or ‘can’t’ to me. Where there’s a will there’s a way. My partner and I were fortunate to have made solid property investments long before Dreamtime was established, and we are able to share this journey and the learning with our staff. I want all my staff to own their own home, buy a car of their choice, and enjoy life like everyone else. Why shouldn’t they? The other reason I started Dreamtime was because I was passionate about culturally appropriate communications. At my first job in Aboriginal community control, I received extensive teaching from Elders about their stories, and what they wanted their communications to look and feel like. I had come from a position where my budget was $1 million a year to a position where $100k was stretching it. So I innovated ways to achieve the same quality while 8
developing a look/ feel that my Aboriginal employers wanted. As a result, many other organisations walked in the door and said: “I want that”. Consequently, I worked 3 days a week and consulted for 2 (or 4 including weekends) to produce communication materials for other organisations including the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), the Aboriginal Health Council of SA Inc., and others. One of my most memorable experiences in life was spending time with and learning from Puggy Hunter, the then Chairperson of NACCHO. He loved sharing his learnings and knowledge with me of which I am very grateful and can pass onto my Aboriginal employees today. Puggy knew my heart was in the right place and anyone who genuinely helps community was worthy of his undivided attention. The day Dreamtime was born was when I had been working at the Aboriginal Health Council of SA Inc. for 8 months and not servicing my previous employers or clients due to a contract situation. A previous colleague rang and asked me to start my own company. It took less than a week to establish Dreamtime Public Relations as a company, with $500 in the bank, a few clients and a lot of passion.
BB:
You have over 25 years experience in marketing and public relations and Dreamtime Public Relations is 10 years old. As we know, being an expert in a field does not always translate to being an expert in running your own business. So what challenges did you experience setting up your own consultancy and getting it to this stage?
BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
BIZPROFILE - Dreamtime PR
JC:
In South Australia you can just set-up a company by signing some documents and putting some money down; no experience or education necessary. Well it’s not that easy - lucky for me my partner and I had a reasonable financial backing and have been able to put extra money into the business when required. There’s so much to learn about running a business effectively and it’s imperative because staff jobs are at stake. A business owner has to be an expert at management, administration, financial management, sales and marketing, and human resource management in addition to their chosen field. It’s a huge undertaking … just when you think you know it all, you get the biggest shock of your life as there’s many things you just don’t know. I’ve had to undertake additional courses in order to learn how to manage a business and have lost a lot of money along the way in unlearned decisions and business consultants. Even last year, we paid an accountant $53,000 when it should’ve been around $22,000 … we thought he had our best interests at heart but as soon as I realized we were being ‘ripped off’, we changed accountants. You’re constantly learning. You never know it all! The major learning for me has been not to let go control to someone else … it’s easy to get caught up in the ‘doing’ rather than the ‘managing’. Whilst you can delegate, you must always know exactly what they are doing and why, even your accountant,
and if you don’t know, find out. There’s plenty of ‘free’ government-funded small business support out there. Let ‘google’ be your friend. When I first started the business I used excel spreadsheets to record timesheets and track finances. Then as the business grew this haphazard system became burdensome and my partner, who was on excellent money as an engineer at the time, came into the business to set-up systems. The business was not doing that well then and it took a few years and some personal investment to get it back on track. As a creative, I initially rejected being systemised, but I am now the greatest advocate. My advice to any small business is get your workflow and finance systems set-up from the outset so that you have an accurate record of the history, trends, and can map out the future. We’ve spent a lot of money on trialing different systems and now believe we have the perfect marriage in Workflow Max (production software) and Xero (accounting software). Both systems are ‘in the cloud’ so we can manage the business from wherever we are. Another great learning is choosing the right staff. You’ve heard the saying ‘one bad apple spoils the rest’; well we’ve experienced that first-hand. One staff member with a poor attitude can upset everyone and if there’s not a good feeling in the office, this puts stress and strain on everyone and the work stops coming in. So now my staff conduct the interviews to ensure the ‘right fit’, and we select staff based on ‘will’ not ‘skill’ as we’ve found that we can teach people ‘skill’ but we can’t teach ‘will’. I suppose the only area I wasn’t lacking in was marketing but then marketing a business can be a whole lot different. This time I wasn’t just doing a marketing project, I was marketing for the future. So understanding the numbers and target audience has never been more imperative as is knowing the Dreamtime PR team members: Jordan Lovegrove & Pam Wales
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BIZPROFILE - Dreamtime PR
... peaks and troughs and planning ahead. If you don’t market effectively, the work doesn’t come in, and your staff’s jobs are at jeopardy. I hate ‘selling’ and instead prefer to focus on ‘fulfilling clients’ needs and establishing long-term relationships - we consider all our clients to be part of our Dreamtime family. Some of our clients have been with us for 10 years and vary from small clients to large. Everyone has a budget and we work with our clients to produce a quality outcome regardless of size. Our view is a small amount of marketing done well is much better than a lot of marketing not done well – the latter can destroy reputation not to mention have little effect on growing your business. If you don’t know how to market effectively, employ someone who does to make sure your money is well spent. So what would I have done differently? Enroll in a business management course from the outset and network with other business owners to learn what their mistakes and solutions have been. My view is, the only reason many small businesses fail in their first 3 years, is because they don’t know how to manage a business and don’t have the personal financial backing to prop it up when things don’t go to plan. ‘If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again’. Mistakes are the biggest learnings in life, so welcome them, learn from them, and move on.
BB:
You said that you set up Dreamtime Public Relations in order to help train, mentor and grow Indigenous communications professionals through your Dreamtime Development Program. This is a very different role to getting results for clients. What has this journey been like for you?
JC:
In grooming Indigenous communications professionals, we are in fact getting better results for our clients because they are getting the benefit of the work being done by Aboriginal people. There’s a lot of family and cultural knowledge that our
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Aboriginal staff bring to a job and teaching them ‘how to do it’ is the easy bit. Dreamtime was set-up with a two-fold objective: one to mentor and grow Indigenous communications professionals and the other to produce quality culturally appropriate communications for our clients. Back when I commenced work in Aboriginal organisations they had little choice of communication agencies and many resorted to using agencies which had no Aboriginal employees and no idea about cultural appropriateness, or they did it themselves. Still today, many organisations are using agencies with little or no knowledge of Indigenous culture. It shows – my staff can tell when a non-Indigenous person has designed a logo or brochure, let alone written something! We’ve had our knockers along the way – it’s not easy being a white woman running an Indigenous-focused business. And it hurts the whole team when people question my integrity. But we prefer to service clients who love our business and what we do because it makes the journey for the whole team a happy and worthwhile experience. When I first started Dreamtime, I aimed to mentor enough Indigenous communications professionals to place one at each Aboriginal health service in South Australia. Well it’s still an aspiration and my dream of having a floor full of trainees in the city is still a goal. But to get there, I need to get lots more work in the door as you can’t just employ and train people without work to do. It’s the old chicken and egg story! So if I come knocking on your door for work it’s because we want to mentor more Indigenous communications professionals and also provide exceptional culturally appropriate services for our clients.
BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
BIZPROFILE - Dreamtime PR
BB:
cialists Tips for budding communications spe ite development at high school. 1. Do a Certificate II in graphic design or webs and work up to a degree. 2. Secure a Cert III traineeship or apprenticeship re so you can pass it on to others. 3. Learn as much as you can about your cultu s; there’s a lot you can learn from them. 4. Listen to your more experienced colleague opportunities are there for you to enjoy. 5. Follow your dream, not your head … all life’s
As any mentor, your results through your mentorees’ success would make you very proud. Which have been your proudest moments? What kind of achievements have your staff enjoyed?
JC:
My proudest moment was when our first Aboriginal employee won a national award for logo design and gave a speech to 500 dignitaries. He was only in his early 20’s at the time but had started with us fresh from year 12. Either he learnt those speaking skills from being involved in meetings and campaign pitches or he was just a born natural. Regardless, I was so proud of him! Over the years, we’ve won various awards and these have been proud moments for the whole team. Belonging to a winning team is one of the best feelings and one that every team member has contributed to. Dreamtime Public Relations’ awards include: • 2012 – Finalist Telstra Women’s Business Awards SA • 2011 – Finalist Fast Movers Award SA • 2010 – Finalist National Small Business Champion Award • 2010 – Finalist Telstra SA Business Awards • 2008 & 2009 - Small Business Champion Award SA • 2008 - National Drug & Alcohol Design Award • 2003 - NAIDOC Business of the Year Being a Finalist in this year’s Telstra Women’s Business Awards was a huge compliment. I still don’t know who nominated me but I’d like to thank them as it was and will continue to be an incredible journey and learning experience. Even though I didn’t win, being one of 12 Finalists out of 4,163 nominees in South Australia was a great achievement. I’d also like to thank all our clients and friends who provided messages of support – this alone reassures me that I’m in the right business! We hope more awards are coming in 2012 with our Administration Officer completing her Cert IV in less than 12 months and our Graphic/Web Designer completing his apprenticeship in 18 months instead of 3 years.
BB: JC:
What does the next five years hold for Dreamtime Public Relations?
Over the next 5 years, Dreamtime will continue its journey towards the dream of having a floor full of Indigenous communications professionals in training. We are currently revising our own marketing strategies and aiming to secure clients in other sectors that match our knowledge and experience in order to grow the business and provide more employment opportunities. Having an ‘aeroplane’ view of the business is extremely important for planning forward. I always keep an eye on the political agenda as this affects our business most and with an impending review of Indigenous expenditure and federal government election, it’s time for us to think about new markets. My first priority is always to provide sustainable employment for my team into the future. At the same time, we are implementing our succession plan and providing training to our Aboriginal employees in the area of business management. My hope is that when I retire that one of my Aboriginal staff will manage the business and this person will mentor the next manager and so on, so Dreamtime Public Relations continues for generations beyond ours to provide employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in visual communications.
More information www.dreamtimepr.com.au
BlackBiz would like to congratulate Janet Craig and her Dreamtime PR business on being a Finalist in the Telstra Women’s Business Awards SA 2012 from 4,163 nominations.
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BIZTECH - Lillian Haase
Paid Advertising On
facebook Learn How to Create Ads that Get Clicked
W
ith Facebook Advertising you can target demographics of people very specifically which is why so many businesses and other organisations advertise on Facebook.
You will see paid ads showing on Facebook along the right hand side of almost every page as shown in this screenshot.
You can link your ads to your website or your Facebook page depending on what you’re trying to achieve. Facebook ads are not overly difficult to set up and manage (unlike Google Adwords can be). But, your biggest challenge is increasing the conversion rate by tweaking and testing different ad versions. 12
BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
BIZTECH - Lillian Haase
Tips on How to Create Ads that get more Clicks Probably the most important tip I can give you is… Make sure your ads have a reason. Such as a sale, an offer for a discount or free gift, or advertise a limited time promotion. Second to that, it’s important that the page you send clicks to has a clear message that invites people to contact you. This way, you make sure that you can have a higher chance of converting a click into a sale and getting a return on your investment.
Choosing an Image The 3 Known Best Images for Facebook Ads: 1. A close up of the face of a woman who looks happy and who is looking directly into the camera. 2. Headshots of celebrities, notable public figures, and company owners looking happy and straight into the camera. 3. Company logos. If your logo is bland spruce it up with a different background, border, or add more text. (Avoid the colours blue and white because they blend with Facebook’s colours). Images to avoid using: 1. Avoid animal images (unless it’s relevant to your business or it’s entertaining) 2. Avoid product images (they don’t convert very well) 3. Avoid images that you don’t have permission to use. 4. Avoid low quality images. Be sure to adjust your image properly so it doesn’t get skewed or fuzzy in the ad.
TIP - AD IMAGES Test 7 to 10 different images per campaign to experiment on what works and what doesn’t.
Choosing a Headline Best Headlines: • Write to your target audience • Ask questions of your target audience – what might they be doing or planning in their life right now? i.e. “Planning a holiday?” “Looking for an original gift?” “Planning a party?” “Looking for wholesale suppliers?” • Write something controversial. • Write something that generates curiosity. • More Tips on writing headlines for Facebook can be found here. Avoid: • Avoid making your headline too wordy. There are only 25 characters but you don’t need to use them all. Short and snappy works. • Avoid talking about your company. Instead, focus on the benefits to the customer/prospect, not what’s so fantastic about you or your company.
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BIZTECH - Lillian Haase
... • Avoid using empty questions like “Why should you buy from us?” Instead, if you want to use a question, make it intriguing - “Is your house safe?” (And be sure to answer the question on your website or Facebook page otherwise people won’t hang around after clicking.) • Avoid clichés • Avoid all caps the word FREE. It used to work well, but not so much now.
Choosing Body Copy What to write: • Tell people what they can expect after they click your ad. • Include a call-to-action. Tell people what to do by using compelling verbs and inspiring a sense of action. i.e. ‘Grab this!’ ‘Take it!’ ‘Claim yours!’. • Identify a problem and tell them the solution can be found by clicking through. Avoid
Getting Started To start advertising on Facebook go to http://www.facebook.com/advertising/ Follow the steps and fill everything you can in. Once it’s set up you can go back and add or change things. Once your ads are running check the account daily and be sure to use Facebook Ad Analytics which is in your advertising dashboard so you can adjust your campaigns accordingly. Once you get some ads running you’ll see click data and can keep on rearranging your settings and image ads until you find one that brings you a great response. To Learn more about Facebook Advertising check out these links…
• Avoid deceiving people
https://www.facebook.com/help/?page=245316378826196
• Avoid an overly salesy message
http://www.facebook.com/business
• Avoid being vague, cute, or writing clichés
And for learning how to target the right people, here’s a great article: http://socialfresh.com/facebook-ad-options/
• Avoid saying something unrelated to your website or offer
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BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
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BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
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MDK_BP0812
ARTICLE - Batchelor Institute
Graduation Time More than 150 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from some 50 communities represented from all states and territories of Australia were honoured with awards at the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education graduation ceremony held at the Desert Peoples Centre on Thursday 6th September.
I
t was a joyful day for graduating students, their families, friends and communities; and for Batchelor Institute it represents another key milestone of high achievement in its continuous commitment and development of adult-learning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Former outstanding student and now a successful Home Liaison Officer working with the Department of Education and Training, Debra Joanne Lyons, responded to the students with her enthused energy and passion to inspire others and influence change within the communities. In her own words, “ongoing study continuously inspires� her. The ceremony began at 2pm with an Academic procession of lecturers and graduating students wearing stunning gowns led by the popular Drum Atweme group of the Yipirinya School who provided wonderful and talented entertainment for the entire audience. A multitalented Indigenous lecturer for Creative Writing, Yvette Holt, was the MC and gave the welcome to the 16
Precinct address. Ms Holt presented the graduation ceremony with enthusiasm and respect for Indigenous Knowledges and cultures. The audience was entertained with her jokes and charismatic personality. Centre for Appropriate Technology Chairperson Peter Renehan was the keynote speaker, and shared his inspiring story about past and present Indigenous workforce developments. The story emphasised both the resilience of Indigenous people in spite of facing numerous challenges and that Indigenous people continue with their efforts to grow stronger as a community. Batchelor Institute Director, Adrian Mitchell stated that the graduation ceremony is a wonderful opportunity to recognise the achievements of our students who have worked hard to succeed in their studies. ‘The Institute is growing stronger than ever. Our Higher Education courses, delivered through the ACIKE partnership with Charles Darwin University, Vocational Education and Training and Higher Degrees by Research courses are closely aligned to
BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
ARTICLE - Batchelor Institute
key employment opportunities, particularly in rural and remote Australia. Batchelor has a long history of contributing to the development of stronger, safer and healthier communities, and the new facilities at the Desert Peoples Centre, shared with our partners the Centre for Appropriate Technology offer the opportunity for a sustained period of growth for the Institute. Our dedicated staff here in Central Australia are also a great asset and have substantially improved the outcomes for Indigenous people from the education and training they deliver or support and the collaborative relationships they have established with industry, the community and other organisations,’ Mr Mitchell said. Head of Faculty Health, Business and Science, Professor Jan Schmitzer, spoke to the audience about her fourteen years of wonderful working experience with Batchelor Institute. She also said that it is significant to continuously develop Indigenous
education so that Indigenous people can strengthen their identity, achieve success and transform their lives. The graduation was witnessed by students’ families, local residents, and people from many communities, and organisations. This was a wonderful opportunity for the visitors to explore the Desert Peoples Centre. The ceremony was broadcast live by Batchelor Institute Indigenous Media Unit Radio Rum Jungle through CAAMA Radio network, NIRS, TEABBA Radio, and Radio Larrakia. Everybody enjoyed the afternoon tea which was served with a large mouth-watering cake and a variety of dishes on a beautiful sunny day. Media Contact: Imran Naveed Senior Marketing and Communications Advisor Tel: (08) 8951 8322 Fax: (08) 8951 8311 Email: imran.naveed@batchelor.edu.au
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BUSINESS FEATURE - Paul Newman
Getting to know business tax (pt.2) Helping you understand basic tax information when starting and running a business
I
n our last edition we provided information published by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), in helping Indigenous businesses and community enterprises to understand basic tax information in starting and running a business. In building on that information, this article provides ATO published information on getting to know business taxes in the areas of: 18
• Goods and Services Tax; • Fuel Tax Credits; • Pay as you go (PAYG) withholding; • Fringe Benefits Tax: and • Paying Tax.
BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
BUSINESS FEATURE - Paul Newman
Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Fringe Benefits Tax
The GST is a tax of 10% on most goods and services sold in Australia.
As an employer, you have to pay fringe benefits tax (FBT) if you provide fringe benefits to employees.
How does GST work?
Fringe benefits are goods or services (not money) you give to employees or their families. They can include things like:
If you are registered for GST, your customers pay the cost you charge plus 10% extra. This 10% is the GST. You then send those 10% GST amounts to the ATO, usually four times each year. To do this you fill in and send the ATO a form called a business activity statement (BAS), which the ATO will send you.
Do you have to register? You should register for GST if you: • Are in business and your total income is $75,000 or more a year (or you think it will be); • Are a taxi driver; or
• The private use of a work car or other work equipment – for example, a computer or phone; • Paying private health insurance; and • Cheap loans, entertainment or goods. If you give your employees fringe benefits, you must register for FBT. You should then tell the ATO you’ve made these payments using a FBT return. You send your FBT return to the ATO after the end of the FBT year, which runs from 1 April to 31 March each year.
• Want to claim fuel credits.
For more information about Fringe Benefits Tax visit www.ato.gov.au/fbt
If your total income is less than $75,000, you don’t have to register for GST, but you can choose to register anyway if you want to.
Paying Tax
Registering for GST means you can claim back the GST you pay on goods and services you buy for your business – but only if you have a tax invoice from your supplier. For more information about GST and how to register for it, visit www.ato.gov.au/gst
Fuel Tax Credits You can claim fuel tax credits if you use fuels in your business – for example, in machinery, equipment, or cars. This will give you back some of the money you paid for your fuel. For more information about fuel tax credits, visit www.ato.gov.au/fuelschemes
Pay As You Go (PAYG) withholding If you have employees, you will need to register for PAYG. For more information about PAYG withholding visit www.ato.gov.au/paygw
EXAMPLE:
PAYING TAX
Alex has been busy as she has had to work pretty hard – and Scott has too. She’s proud of having run her own business for a bit over a year. She has met some great people and built up a good number of repeat customers. They’ve been really good for the business too, letting other people know about all the delicious food she sells. Even though Alex now feels like she has her tax under control and on track, the first time she had to do a BAS she was worried that it would all be too hard. So she went to a BAS agent (someone who is an expert in doing BAS). They showed her what she had to do, and after that she has been doing it on her own. As a sole trader, Alex puts down all the money from her business on her own tax return – she didn’t have to do a separate tax return for her business, so it was pretty easy. This year she even made a small profit, more than she expected. She and Scott went out with all their family to celebrate how well they were going.
BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
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BUSINESS FEATURE - Paul Newman
... Income Tax Income is the tax you pay on any money your business earns.
you may only have to do your BAS once a year. Larger businesses may have to do it once a month.
Each year the ATO asks you to fill out a form to say how much money your business has made. The form is called a tax return and you send it to the ATO after 30 June each year. If you have set up your business as a sole trader or as a partnership, you will use your own tax return to report this money. If you have set up your business as a company or trust, you will have a tax return just for your business. If you have made a profit you will probably have to pay some tax. The ATO recommends you put aside some money throughout the year to help pay this.
When you get your BAS, fill it out, send it to the ATO and pay any money you owe by the due date, which is written on the activity statement.
For information about income tax for businesses, phone the ATO on 13 28 66
Should you have any questions on getting to know your basic business tax, you should contact the ATO for help, or talk to your business accountant.
Activity Statements (BAS and IAS)
Until our next business tax article, enjoy getting to know your business tax.
Businesses use an activity statement to let the ATO know how much tax they need to pay, including GST and PAYG. If you’re registered for GST, the ATO will send you a business activity statement (BAS). The ATO sends most businesses their BAS every quarter (Three months). However if you operate a small business,
If you’re not registered for GST, the ATO will send you an installment activity statement (IAS), instead of a BAS, to fill out in your first or second year of business. For information about BAS or IAS, phone the ATO on 13 28 66
For more information and support in helping you to get to know your business tax, the ATO have a detailed guide about business tax for small business and to order a copy phone: 1300 720 092.
Some useful Websites include: Australian Taxation Office Indigenous page – www.ato.gov.au/indigenous
If you’re selling Indigenous art, there are some other things you need to know about tax. For more information, visit the ATO website at www.ato.gove.au/indigenous and then select ‘How tax applies to Indigenous artwork.’
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Indigenous Business Australia, for business support – www.iba.gov.au Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporation, for registration and support for Indigenous corporations – www.oric.gov.au Indigenous Business Council of Australia, for business support and contact such as your local Indigenous chamber of commerce – www.ibca.org.au
BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
MARKETING MIX - Tamar Ferhad
Knowing Your
Communication Strategy
YOUR COMMUNICATION STRATEGY: How do you want you and/or your organisation to be perceived.
I
n Issue 2, I focused on your marketing message and being different from your competitors. In this issue, I want to revisit your marketing message in terms of your communication strategy. Communication is not purely about what you say, but more importantly, what is being understood by your target market each time they are in contact with you and/or your organisation. If you clearly understand your marketing message, then you clearly understand the connotations you want associated with you. Therefore you need to consider the following steps to help create the communication arm of your effective marketing strategy:
1. Your target market
Where are they geographically? How old are they? What are their likes/dislikes? Why would they want your product/service? Are they currently loyal to a competitor?
2. Your message
What are you telling them? What do you want them to think? Can you position yourself as an expert? Do they want to be associated with you? Do they trust you? Why are you different from your competitors? Your message is not about how great you are, but how you will improve the lives of your clients. If you are marketing
BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
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MARKETING MIX - Tamar Ferhad
... to professionals, how are you going to improve their profitability by increasing sales or reducing costs? If you are marketing to consumers, what image is associated with being seen with your product? Ie, the Matjarra brand of herbs represents supporting Indigenous employment and sustainable and organic farming. Purchasing their herbs means you are choosing to be environmentally and socially responsible
3. Your reach How do you get your message across?
c. Blogs Are you a coach/personal trainer/ nutritionist and can you provide daily tips demonstrating your expert knowledge? Or can you subscribe to other people’s blogs and create thought provoking discussions?
d. Staff
a. Website
Do your staff understand your marketing message and are they communicating it through their actions? If you are communicating your environmentally friendly and ‘clean’ pesticides, do your staff keep client houses clean and tidy by replacing furniture which has been moved?
e. Media
Does your message talk to your target market or are you simply talking about yourself? When designing your website you need to look at ways to assist your target market and give them a reason to come back for more. If you are marketing yourself as an organic and sustainable producer, you can provide fact sheets on your website about how to become organic and sustainable so university students access the files and become more familiar with your product, thereby improving your reputation. Have you thought about taking your website viewers on a virtual tour of your premises, then posting the videos onto youtube?
b. Newsletter If you’re a website designer, can clients or prospective clients subscribe to a newsletter whereby they receive tips on marketing their website more effectively
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Do you have newsworthy information in which the media is interested? If so, what does it say about you?
f. Social Media Twitter, Facebook, Youtube - what does your presence say about you? Are you able to generate discussions about your area of expertise? What information will your market find of interest and happy to retweet or like/comment/share? Are your target market happy to be associated with you? Should you be humourous, serious, informative or controversial?
BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
MARKETING MIX - Tamar Ferhad
g. Public Speaking/Networking Events/ Trade Shows Can you run breakfast seminars for your clients and ask them to bring along their colleagues in order to provide some form of advice? Can you speak at professional events as a subject matter expert? If you are an Indigenous cultural consultant, can you provide a room full of people with advice about how to put together a cultural communication strategy?
h. Charity Does your organization have a charity of choice reflecting your personal values and demonstrating social responsibility?
The key to your communication strategy is to focus on the benefit to your market and to create a reputation with which your market wants to be associated. Every bit of information that comes from you and your organization sends a message to your market, so make sure it has the impact you want. Just look at how Apple has positioned the iPhone. People lined up for days to be the first to buy a phone they already have. Really, a phone is for making calls, and a smart phone has a few more sexy gadgets, like email and internet, however, it is such a status symbol, consumers still want the latest iPhone while they have a perfectly good one at home. The Apple phenomena is the perfect example of designing a product which is better than its competitors and then turning it into a desirable object. What lessons can you learn about how others are communicating their messages?
for s ip T k ic u Q ation ic n u m m o C your Strategy
t in as an exper lf se ur yo n 1. Positio dvice - provide a y r t us d in your /services/ y knowledge a w a e iv g e not and petitors ar m o c ur yo s feature . If you mmunicating o c p o st r e 2. Nev your there telling ut o t no e ar u can ket how yo target mar ime, es all the t liv ir e h t e v impro lse will. somebody e ies. ur strateg yo h it w ic t riting 3. Be realis mmit to w o c t o nn a c If you art one. ay, don’t st d a g lo b one ent for to find cont r e si a e ’s it If then e a month, nc o r e t t e a newsl that. commit to
BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
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BIZPROFILE - IndigenousX
PROFILING: IndigenousX
Deadly Tweet by Tamar Ferhad
BlackBiz is excited to profile the Twitter account IndigenousX. IndigenousX, which stands for Indigenous Excellence, supports the philosophy of BlackBiz and many of our followers, which is the celebration and promotion of all things good about being Indigenous.
B
lackBiz is focused on business success and how to get there, the IndigenousX twitter account is focused on the individual, and we are keen to let you all know a bit more about it. Luke Pearson, owner of the account IndigenousX Twitter account, has been kind enough to start the account and share his story. BB: Luke, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and how the idea for the IndigenousX twitter account came about? LP: I’m a teacher living in Newcastle NSW, and I started the IndigenousX account to create a space on twitter where different Indigenous people could come together to talk about the things that matter to them, and to share their own stories in their own words. IndigenousX gives opportunities for people to connect with others, to challenge misconceptions and stereotypes, to celebrate, to collaborate, and to have a bit of fun along the way. BB: How did you promote the account?
 LP: I wanted as good a start for the account as possible so I swapped usernames between my 24
personal account and IndigenousX. This meant it started with all of my old followers, around 4000 people. From there it was just a matter of letting everyone know what @IndigenousX was about and asking a few key people to help spread the word. Since it started, earlier this year, it has grown to over 5500 followers and constantly receives positive feedback, and new followers, from all sorts of people across twitter. We have also been mentioned on the radio a few times which has been fun, and being in Black Biz Bi-Monthly will hopefully help get the word out as well. BB: Who has been the most interesting guest tweeter you have had and why? LP: Every guest tweeter is an amazing person in their own way, so far we have had radio presenters and journalists, teachers and academics, opera singers and hip hop artists, students and CEOs... and all of them have been kind enough to give up their time and share their thoughts, and take on the role of @IndigenousX guest tweeter. The most interesting thing for me is seeing how people interpret the spirit of IndigenousX and how this comes through in their tweets. Some
BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
BIZPROFILE - IndigenousX
people teach a bit of language, share personal and cultural stories, start discussion groups, promote activities and events, or challenge stereotypes and misrepresentations in the media. It is great to see a space where people feel comfortable raising important issues and sharing personal stories that most Australians otherwise would never know existed. BB: We are all aware of nasty people around, did you experience any negativity? If so, how did you tackle it?

LP: The way most people would measure the success of a twitter account is by the number of followers it has, which is around 5550 and growing every day. The real outcome though, is that people have a great time hosting the account, and are proud to represent IndigenousX and what it stands for: Indigenous Excellence. There are also a lot of people who love getting to meet a new @IndigenousX tweeter every week and engaging in the various conversations that come up. The friendships and connections that are made through the account are harder to measure, but are what makes it a true success in my eyes.
LP: I leave it up to the hosts themselves to decide how to respond to whatever happens on the account during their week, but my recommendation is always to block and ignore people who are not interested in talking or learning, or are just generally nasty. However, I am glad to say that the overwhelming majority of people who interact with the IndigenousX account are friendly, supportive and respectful and the issue of internet trolls or bullies hasn’t been much of a problem so far. BB: In terms of any change you want to see with the creation of IndigenousX, do you think it is measurable? if so, what have you seen?
Looking for a spot to place your ad?
AUSTRALIAS LEADING
INDIGENOUS BUSINESS
eMAGAZINE BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
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INDIGCAREER PROFILE - Shola Diop
In this editions IndigCareer profile, BlackBiz profiles Winthrop University USA, Corporate Finance, Business Administration student Shola Diop. by Rebecca Harcourt What are you studying? I’m studying a degree in business administration with a concentration in corporate finance. What’s the most interesting thing about your studies? I’ve come to be very interested by the magnitude and complexity of the financial systems and markets around the world. Particularly here in the U.S and back home in Australia. What’s been the most challenging aspect?
Shola Diop
The most challenging aspect has been the effort it takes to juggle my academic studies with athletics. Both finance and college basketball are both extremely demanding, so my biggest challenge has been managing my time effectively and efficiently.
Shola Diop who is in his final year studying
What made you decide to study in the US? Was there one significant moment, opportunity or a number of factors?
for a degree in Business Administration, majoring in Corporate Finance at Winthrop University in the US, shares his story with Rebecca Harcourt, Program Manager of Indigenous Business Education’ at the Australian School of Business, University of NSW. “I have an ambition to work in the business world and cannot see myself working in any other profession. A business related degree will provide much scope for movement during my professional working life.
I’ve been playing basketball since my early teens, and to a basketball player American college basketball is one of the ultimate experiences. I get to compete at one of the highest levels athletically and get an unbelievable study experience in another country all under a full scholarship. My family was the biggest motivation in venturing overseas. But along the way there have been a number of coaches who helped me realize my potential to earn a scholarship to an American university. My biggest opportunity came when Winthrop University offered a full scholarship for me to play and study here in South Carolina.
Who’s your mob?
How would you describe living in the US?
I have combination of Torres Strait, Vanuatu, West African and West Indian heritage.
The biggest differences in livings over here have been the people. There’re really excitable and enthusiastic, especially when is comes to sport. There’re also very warm and welcoming and very community oriented, particularly living on a college campus. I’ve met some great people and families who have made me feel so comfortable and welcome with me being so far from home.
Where did you grow up? I was born and raised in Sydney, mostly around the city. The longest parts of my life were spent mostly in Glebe and Pyrmont. If you could describe your strengths in 3 words what would they be? • Focused • Determined • Efficient. Where are you living now? For the last 3 years I’ve been living in the United Stated in Rock Hill, South Carolina; studying under an athletic scholarship at Winthrop University. 26
When you graduate what’s next? Business wise, I am adamant in continuing my schooling in Finance by persuing either a Masters in Finance or an MBA. During my schooling I’ve taken some interest in corporate financial management, particularly risk management. So possibly my goal after graduation will be to hone my expertise in this area through school and experience. If you could name the 3 most significant role models in your life who would they be and why? I’ve actually only ever really had one role model, and that’s my BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
INDIGCAREER PROFILE - Shola Diop
In 10 years time what do you see yourself doing? It has always been my ambition to start and operate my own successful business. I don’t expect to achieve that within 10 years, however I hope I will a least have accumulated the necessary experience, capital and planning to begin running my own show. For others thinking about studying business, what are your top 3 tips? As a student, my tips for studying and learning business are:. 1. Study from experience. Not only your own but from those professionals willing to share theirs with you.
mum Emelda. She is one of the most diligent and motivated business people I know and has managed to achieve a tremendous deal with the most minimal resources. On top of that, the majority of her efforts as a businessperson have been to help provide recognition and exposure to the Indigenous, South Sea Islander and general Black community of Australia. Plus she’s awesome!
A Song of Hope by Oodgeroo
Look up, my people, The dawn is breaking The world is waking To a bright new day When none defame us No restriction tame us Nor colour shame us Nor sneer dismay.
2. Define a specialization. Studying general business is fine but if you can find a specific concentration in business that you’re particularly interested in, it can help structure your study goals. 3. Learn from the real world. Textbooks are fine, but the business world is always changing so news, magazines, newspapers, financial reviews etc. make all the difference.
Now brood no more On the years behind you The hope assigned you Shall the past replace When a juster justice Grown wise and stronger Points the bone no longer At a darker race.
See plain the promise Dark freedom-lover! Night’s nearly over And though long the climb New rights will greet us New mateship meet us And joy complete us In our new Dream Time.
So long we waited Bound and frustrated Till hat e be hated And caste deposed Now light shall guide us No goal denied us And all doors open That long were closed.
To our fathers’ fathers The paid, the sorrow; To our children’s children the glad tomorrow.
Read more: http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/arts/aboriginal-poems
BlackBiz Indigenous Business Magazine - issue #06 September/October 2012
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.com.au
/JUNE 2012
ISSUE 04 - MAY .com.au www.blackbiz
.com.au
Celebrating
in Business BizProfile Profiling: SS DR. ANITA HEI Indigenous en, businesswom and or auth Reconciliation Ambassador
BizProfile
NT JUNCTION Profiling: PRI Certified 2012 AIMSC plier of the Year Sup us Indigeno
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IN THIS ISSU
er profile NEW - IndigCare ess Grow Your Busin Facebook to eting strategy How To Use an effective mark foundation for Building on your ... and much,
much more.
Got a great story about Aboriginal Business Success? Contact the editor now at editor@blackbiz.com.au www.blackbiz.com.au