Business Matters Magazine Issue 71

, I'M YOUR'S TAKE ME!

ISSUE

71

2015

SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES FOR BUSINESS AND LIFE

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Editor’s Note with Vickie Magic

Print advertising is great for people to see it, feel it, touch it, and people do love to hold a glossy LOCAL magazine in their hands and read about the latest ‘How to for business and life’ and see who is doing what on the Sunshine Coast. But if you are not embracing social media, know that YOU WILL BE LEFT BEHIND. We absolutely have to embrace it and we have to look for innovative ways to stand out. We hope you have seen our new initiative on our Business Matters Magazine Sunshine Coast facebook page, we will be out and about on the Sunshine Coast doing some beautiful creative photographs and a daily video of ‘What Matters to you’. Take a look, we hope you love it. We constantly have to think outside the square and do something to get ahead of our competition.

On that note, lately I have been giving a bit of thought to competition - of course, we can’t control what others do around us, in business and life it is likely that we will encounter competition.

How do you react in the face of competition? Some get nervous, some get frustrated, some get angry, and some even get even. My advice to competition, which is inevitable in business and in life is, ‘Do what you do but do it better than anyone else. Look at your processes, look at your vision, look at your team, and innovate, innovate, innovate.’ What do you do better? What can you do better? Get your loyal customers on board to support and endorse you, but most of all know that there is room in the market for everyone, there are so many fish in the sea. Just ensure that your bait is top shelf, ensure your bait doesn’t get stale, ensure that your bait is the bait that the fish you want to catch love to eat. Don’t just keep doing what you have always done up your game and then up it again. Do what you do to world class standards, at the very least, all that will happen is that your marketplace will have more than one amazing product to choose from. Let’s face it, everyone chooses the person or product they choose based on their own personal desires, and if we all had the same personal desires, the world would be a pretty boring place.

So step up, step out, but never ever step aside.

We hope that you are loving our BRAND NEW MAKEOVER. Like we say, never rest on your laurels, always look for what else you can do to improve your product, even if it is already amazing. Ask yourself the question, ‘Is it world class? What can I do to make it even better?’

Vickie Magic

SCAN HERE TO HEAR VICKIE’S FREE OFFER FOR YOUR BUSINESS

A DOZEN REASONS why astute business professionals and business owners CHOOSE TO ADVERTISE in Business Matters and Life Matters Magazine.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

The wide distribution from Beerwah to Pomona gives them an impact on the Sunshine Coast.

The magazine is full of Education, Inspiration and Positivity.

It connects like-minded business professionals and owners to each other.

The magazine celebrates business and life on the Sunshine Coast.

The magazine has a five week shelf life, keeping advertising alive longer.

Has won multiple awards, including 2013 ‘Sunshine Coast Small Business of the Year’ Is read by influential decision-makers, approximately 35,500 people each issue.

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Photography and design are all included in the advertising costs and given to the advertisers to use elsewhere AT NO COST.

9 10 11

Advertisers love the FREE tickets to the easy networking launch parties.

Advertisers love the FREE informative educational workshops put on every issue.

Advertisers love the FREE assistance they get with putting their advertising campaign together, including the design of the ad.

12

Advertisers love the credibility the exposure gives them in the market.

Because business matters, but life matters too!

BUSINESS MATTERS 3

CONTENTS BUSINESS MATTERS // COLUMNS 09 Mayoral Business 09 Sponsored Linx 12 Powering Business Potential 15 Finance Tips 18 Mentoring Business 23 Digital Business 38 Carmel’s Car Chat

Small Business of the Year: Business Matters Magazine

Published by Matters Magazine ABN: 95 131 837 833 P. 5444 4456 Noel Burns House 18/21 Nicklin Way, Minyama Editor/Advertising Enquiries: Vickie Magic, 5444 4456 or 0433 198 868 editor@bmmag.com.au Photographer/Distribution Operations Manager: Dranko Magic, 0408 751 863 magic@bmmag.com.au Personal Assistant: Jasmine Sharpe admin@bmmag.com.au Business Development Manager: Jen Forster, 0403 236 783 jen@bmmag.com.au Design: BrandGrowth Sub Editor: Louise Hickey www.louisehickey.com Writers and Columnists this issue: Bill Olah, Carmel Fulton, Chris Childs, Jan Watman, Jodie Chapman, John Lobwein, Kimberley Lunch, Lauren O’Connor, Mark Jamieson, Mandy Napier, Michele Evans, Melinda Bingley, Michael Shadforth, Rod Richards, Sandy Olah, Steve Goodman, Greg Searle, Isobel Coleman, Vickie Magic, Yvette Adams Online: www.bmmag.com.au Distributed from Beerwah to Pomona.

Readership approximately 35,500.

Printers: The Ink Spot Commercial Printers Maroochydore 5443 5431 Advertorial Column Column Advertorial Editorial SCAN HERE TO HEAR BMS FREE WRITE UP OFFER

Feature Story Matters

We are proud of our innovation of videos at the end of some of our articles. To view the videos, download a QR scanner with your smartphone (the app we have found to be the best so far is i-nigma. Just go to your applications and search for it, then download the free application).

4 ISSUE 71

LIFE MATTERS // COLUMNS 46 Local Business 50 Could Toxin Overloads Effect Your Sleep,

Mood and Hormones?

62 Vehicle Life 63 Mindset for Life 67 Love Life 69 First Cab Off the Rank BUSINESS MATTERS // MATTERS 24 HR Matters 25 Legal Matters 26 Lending Matters 27 Insolvency Matters 28 Insurance Matters 29 Accounting Matters 30 Medical Practice Matters 31 Website Matters 32 Brokerage Matters 33 Advertising Matters 34 Money Matters 35 Commercial Real Estate Matters 36 Photocopy Matters LIFE MATTERS // MATTERS 53 Body Matters 54 Skin Matters 55 Sustainability Matters 56 Make-Up Matters 57 Eyebrow Matters 58 Family Matters 59 Lifestyle Matters 60 Mechanical Matters FEATURES 06 Top 10 Ways to Use Social Media 10 Social Media – How To 14 Social Media Hacks 16 LinkedIn Updates 48 Water is the Driving Force of Nature 64 Be the Change – Jamie’s Touring Solutions

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CMB0199

TOP 10 WAYS

to use Social Media and Mobile Devices to Connect with Consumers

BY STEVE GOODMAN

6 ISSUE 71

The one sure thing about targeted marketing in this digital age is that your target is always moving!

First there was online marketing, then social media marketing, and now ‘moving’ is the operative word, as the first place that most people will ever engage with your brand is on a mobile device.

The most recent statistics from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) say that 81 per cent of mobile phone users access the Internet more than once a day from their devices. More than half of all Australians use a tablet, as opposed to a desktop, to access the Internet. The ACMA also said that tablet users are generally in management or higher positions, earning $80,000 per year or more.

Certainly this is a market you want to tap into. However, you must adjust your digital marketing strategy to be most effective with a mobile device. People do not engage with digital contents the same way on a phone, or even a tablet, as they might on a desktop.

This is particularly true when it comes to social media marketing with the majority of users of Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest accessing these sites from their phones or tablets.

Here are 10 ways to optimize your online marketing experience for mobile devices.

5 Size Does Matter

When it comes to creating mobile content, you have to be brief, not only because people are likely to be in hurry and on the move, but you must ‘get small,’ and make sure your content is the right size to be engaging on the smaller screens of phones and tabs.

6 Local Search

Similar to hyper local apps but less interactive, you must be sure that you come up on a local search. To do so, submit your mobile website to Google My Business. Also make sure your complete address is listed. People searching on a mobile are likely to be using a ‘Local Search’ and you want to be able to be found.

7 Have a Mobile Friendly Blog

Again, if you have a blog as part of your CMS (and you should!) talk to your web designer to make sure it is mobile-friendly and easy to be accessed and read on mobile devices.

You must adjust your mobile marketing strategy specifically to grab that customer who is ready to take action.

1

Optimise Your Facebook Tabs

8 Eliminate Redundancy

2

Make use of Locality Specific Apps

9 Monitor Mobile ‘on the go’

As mentioned in the intro, most users of Facebook are accessing the site from their mobiles, so you must make sure your Facebook tabs are optimised for these devices. You can probably find a template to do this on your own by searching, or I recommend a third party app provider that specialises in this area such as Woobox, ShortStack or TabSite.

One of the best ways to maximise the immediacy of marketing to a smartphone is to use location specific apps. These are like coupons that ‘pop up’ on user’s phones while they are in a target store or free drinks or appetisers for people waiting to get a table at a specific restaurant.

3 Twitter Campaigns

As with Facebook, your Twitter campaigns need to be optimised for mobile users. Some tips to do so are, be sure to leave room for retweets, use hashtags appropriately, and be sure to tweet about big events relating to your business while they are happening.

4 Make use of ‘Mobile Only’ Networks

Be sure to include ‘mobile only’ networks, such as Instagram, as part of your content marketing strategy (CMS). Instagram is becoming exceedingly popular, particularly among the 18-34 demographic, and it has the advantage of being able to post both pictures and videos. Publishing to Instagram allows you to integrate your content with other platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

People who are using their mobiles to stay abreast of things, generally do not ‘log in’ and out of the various sites they may be following you on, but stay logged in for real time updates.

So, you want to try not to send out the same message, at the same time, to all of your mobile marketing platforms to avoid ‘message fatigue.’

You know the old adage – ‘If you can’t beat them, join them’. Your customers do not stop interacting with your social media presence as soon as you leave your desktop for some reason, or when your work day is over. Make sure you, or whomever is responsible for your CMS, has mobile alerts set up on their own mobile devices for when significant posts are made about your business by your followers.

10 Vouchers and Discounts

Voucher services such as Groupon and Living Social have become a boon to service oriented business. If you are using such vouchers, make sure you are leveraging all of their mobile marketing opportunities, such as geolocation, referrals, mobile sharing, et cetera.

What it all comes down to is this. A person shopping online using a mobile device as opposed to a desktop, is in a different mindset. They are already ‘on the go’ and probably in need of making an immediate decision, as opposed to doing casual research in the comfort of home in a robe and slippers. You must adjust your mobile marketing strategy specifically to grab that customer who is ready to take action.

BUSINESS MATTERS 7

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mayoral business

with Mark Jamieson, Sunshine Coast Mayor

In just a few weeks, the site where golfers have enjoyed playing and competing in their favourite sport for decades will begin its remarkable transformation into a 21st century CBD for our Sunshine Coast.

The 53 hectares that have been a much loved home of the Horton Park Golf Club will officially pass into the hands of our Council with the club moving to its new course near Bli Bli. It will be an historic moment in our region’s history.

I was fortunate to receive a guided tour of the new Maroochy River Golf Club recently and can report that the club members, who have been very patient through this relocation process, will be delighted with their spectacular new course and facilities.

As the golf club enters an exciting new chapter of its life, so too does our region with the Maroochydore City Centre reaching a pivotal phase – the start of physical work on the ground.

Initially we will see demolition work and site preparation largely on the north-east section of the site followed by bulk earthworks and infrastructure construction for Stage One. Recently I announced details on the development management company and its Board of Directors to oversee one of this country’s most exciting projects - Australia’s only greenfield CBD at this time.

This is a ‘game changer’ project for our region and we have the right model and the best people in place to produce a city of which we will all be proud.

Known as SunCentral Maroochydore Pty Ltd, the development management company will oversee detailed design, construction, marketing and sales in the Maroochydore City Centre.

The company will be responsible for the full range of development management responsibilities including detailed precinct design, oversight of construction of public infrastructure such as roads, pathways, water and sewerage and public areas, as well as the marketing and sale of land.

It will also be charged with attracting capital and business investment into the site.

Council has high expectations of this project and on behalf of our community, we will be expecting quality results.

The SunCentral board directors, led by chairman Doug McTaggart, have impeccable credentials and extensive experience in company management, property and infrastructure development, commercial investment markets and managing stakeholder relationships – skills that we focused on specifically in the recent recruitment exercise.

Importantly, every one of the board directors has links to the broader Sunshine Coast, while John Knaggs, who has an intimate knowledge of the region and this project as our Council’s CEO, will be the inaugural CEO of SunCentral Maroochydore.

We aim to be Australia’s most sustainable region and our Council is confident that this company will deliver a city that reinforces this goal.

Frequency and consistency are key Target your posts if you use paid advertising

by Lauren O’Connor With so many obsessed with the numbers of ‘likes’ and ‘followers’ they can gain via their business’s social media accounts, business owners are obviously concerned with attracting new followers and invest time into seeing these figures grow, but retaining the people you have invested so much time into attracting should also be a priority.

The decline in organic reach on social media platforms is also a hot topic. It is not due to the fact that algorithms are changing but because more businesses are opting to use paid advertising, which in turn must decrease the amount of organic traffic and reach.

Otherwise, what would the push be to invest in paid advertising?

Given all of this, there are several points of action SMEs can put in place to ensure they’re getting the most out of their social media accounts: • Post consistently, not only for when your audience is most likely to be online but in the quality of your content and types of posts.

• Target your posts if you use paid advertising • Respond quickly to comments • Connect with your audience with words and pictures • Review your post performance The reality here is that people do not sign up to social media platforms so that they can keep up to date with your business; your business updates are merely a convenient addition. So, make sure your audience takes notice and give them the engaging content they desire.

TM

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Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson keeps BM readers up-to-date on what’s happening on the Coast. www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au BUSINESS MATTERS 9

SOCIAL MEDIA HOW TO

BY MICHELLE EVANS

We asked Michelle Evans from 4 Ingredients to share her knowledge that built 4 Ingredients to having nearly 600,000 Facebook likes.

Marketing in 2015 is different than it was even a few short years ago. Social networking is now fully integrated into our lives, and some people don’t know how to live without it (mostly people under 25).

As Gary Vaynerchuk says —“Market in the year you live in” - as technology changes ever more rapidly. Marketing in any age is about eyeballs and ears, so if you go where those are and present your message well, you’ll succeed.

First of all, let’s look at the numbers.

Where are the eyes and ears of your customers?

Social Media Stats Australia March, 2015.

Source: http://www.socialmedianews.com.au/ social-media-statistics-australia-march-2015/ 1. Facebook – 14,000,000 users (up 200,000) 2. YouTube – 13,600,000 UAVs 3. WordPress.com – 6,000,000 4. Tumblr – 4,800,000 5. Instagram – 4,000,000 Monthly Active Australian Users (Facebook/ Instagram data) 6. LinkedIn – 3,400,000 7. Blogspot – 2,800,000 8. Twitter – 2,791,300 Active Australian Users 9. WhatsApp – 2,400,000 Active Australian Users (see calculation below) 10. TripAdvisor – 2,000,00011.

Tinder – 1,500,000 Australian users (my estimation) 12. Yelp – 1,500,000 13. Snapchat - 1,070,000 Active Australian Users 14. Flickr – 700,000 15. Pinterest – 350,000 16. Reddit – 160,000 17. MySpace – 120,000 18. Google Plus – approx 60,000 monthly active Australian users (my estimation *revised*) 19. StumbleUpon – 50,000

LinkedIn for Business LinkedIn for business is great for networking within your industry and for connecting directly with clients. How you behave on your LinkedIn business page is very different to how you behave on your business Facebook or Instagram Page.

LinkedIn is a great way to be able to share stats, details and specifics about a product, ruling or policy within your field. This is where you have complete permission to be the ‘geek’ in your field without boring your customers. This is where you get to showcase your knowledge, talent and point of difference.

1. Profile Pic - Make sure your profile picture showcases your brand and your personality.

2. Your headline should absolutely represent what you do now and what you do well - Expertise/Awards - What you DO! 3. Your website and other social media links should be included so that you can engage across other platforms and cross pollinate content when the time/subject matter makes sense.

4. LinkedIn has the largest average household income per social media network so what you post here has to matter and be of value. Be the authority/expert in your field by posting about YOUR industry, products and services whilst networking with like-minded business/industry experts on LinkedIn. Join groups that relate to your business or market and start connecting as they are your buyers.

Share articles and add your commentary. Create your own groups and start the conversation. Be the ‘go-to’ person in your field. Make sure your resume is up to date.

21. Digg – 18,000

5. If you write a blog or content, and importantly you keep it up to date, have the link on your profile. Be more compelling and get people wanting to reach out and connect with you.

22. Delicious – 16,000

6. Linkedin is not only great for B2C it’s phenomenal for B2B.

20. Foursquare/Swarm – 25,000

10 ISSUE 71

Create your own show, same bat-channel, same bat-time! It’s the easiest way to find yourself in the daily habits of your followers.

Ask the question and use Facebook insights to find out WHEN your market is online and be sure to build a strategy around what you post and when. Don’t be too heavy with your posts in the morning. Light, inspiring but on subject is the best way to ‘uplift’ your audience and make THEM feel good about what you are doing and making your morning posts a part of their daily habit.

Mid to late afternoon, most followers are usually asking the question, what’s for dinner or show me a way to save time and money when I still have a lot to do and not a lot of hours left in the day. BE USEFUL. Post something that will solve a problem that relates to your product and their problem. Content is not king, USEFULNESS IS KING! Posts on Facebook after 8pm is where there is the most traffic.

But by then we’ve all had a rough day and we want to be either entertained or we want to have our say on a subject. This is the key ‘second screen’ opportunity time of the day. Second screens are when the tablets and smartphones come out whilst we are relaxed, sitting on the couch with our attention on TV and on our phones, especially during commercial breaks.

That’s when you can really create a buzz and it’s a great time to sell if you’ve built up permission during the day with posts that create value or share content that is USEFUL.

When and how should we use Facebook/ LinkedIn/Instagram?

It depends on YOUR market, YOUR industry and YOUR appetite for keeping a system and YOUR attention focused on each platform. I believe you should pick one platform and be the best you can before moving onto another platform. Time is of the essence, so give your full attention to one platform, build a tribe and then integrate your marketing and sales strategy onto other platforms as you build knowledge and followers.

Ideally, over time you will have a fully integrated strategy across platforms that make sense to your business where you focus on the type of content and consider the context/ platform you post. You must always test and measure, always be looking at ways to simply do better and get more leverage.

I think it’s fantastic if you have the time and budget to hit Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn at once, but remember you have to pay attention to every platform, post regularly and listen. So once again, if time is an issue, pick one where you have the biggest audience for your market/followers and do it well.

Facebook: Great for Images, posting organic videos and showcasing the personality and culture of your brand. Post at least once a day and make sure you post content that relates to YOUR brand and is genuinely YOUR content. If you are not sure on how to start, begin with what customers want to know. Go through your emails and ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ and build posts around those questions.

Remember Social Media is NOT about you, it’s about the experience of the user/customer on the other side of the screen. Yes it’s a business, if you create enough value, listen and are consistent with your content you will get sales at scale because Facebook IS content marketing AT SCALE! Repetition equals reputation, so be consistent with what you post and how you post and when you post.

Instagram: Great platform for brand/image and keeping it warm and fuzzy. Unless you’re in fashion, food or entertainment, it’s usually a complimentary platform to Facebook and YouTube for your business. Posts early morning and late at night do really well. It’s when we are looking for inspiration or to escape.

Paid likes, should we buy them? What should we pay?

I think a balanced approach and everything in moderation is key with earned and bought likes et cetera. I didn’t pay for one like until we hit around 400,000 followers. If someone was going to be on our page, it was going to be because they wanted to be part of our tribe and would eventually buy from us. When we really wanted to take on the USA however, I did a one month program with Facebook direct and was mentored on how to target our types of customers to their location, interests, age and background. It really is BIG DATA being used at its most effective.

I budgeted $50 per day with $25 for likes that were people who were ‘into’ our type of cooking/recipes in targeted locations in the USA. The other $25 per day was focused on website clicks to customers in that area to our USA landing page and products.

The results were outstanding. For the entire month we averaged .13 cents per like and .09 cents per website clicks. Better than I could of have expected from a Google campaign and the website click conversions to sales were 28 per cent. The $1500 spent for the month was cheaper than flying to the USA and doing a traditional media campaign. I’ve done it twice since and it always centres around the release of a title. The campaign was effective because of the intelligence of Facebook data and because we had a ready-made ‘tribe’ on our main social pages that act as brand evangelists for new followers. Trust, reputation, sales!

Always consider the margins in your product and acknowledge your appetite for advertising online. The Facebook campaign worked for us because our products RRP$19.99 and a Google campaign that could potentially cost us dollars per click automatically eat up our profit. If you however are selling a product that has a margin in the hundreds or thousands of dollars I would recommend an integrated Facebook and Google campaign and measure both daily, and adjust accordingly. www.4ingredients.com.au

BUSINESS MATTERS 11

powering business potential with Kimberley Lynch, CCIQ

CCIQ helps small businesses with big social media platform The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ) has the power to attract several million impressions across its various social media platforms every month.

with its e-commerce solution – an online shopping platform which enables small businesses to quickly, easily and cheaply set up their own online shop.

Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and Pinterest provide a huge audience to CCIQ.

The Studio None solution is similar to Shopify, allowing businesses to get up and running quickly with an online store.

Unlike Shopify, it is Australian owned and free to get started.

Small businesses benefit when CCIQ promotes them on these platforms, featuring new and exciting stores as part of its ninepence project.

CCIQ, in conjunction with digital creative agency Studio None, has set up an online shopping mall where small businesses can have an Internet store ready to go in a matter of minutes.

More than 250 small businesses have signed on to ninepence since it went live in December, including outlets for women’s fashion, jewellery, food delivery, books and sports gear.

Developed specifically for small to medium sized businesses, ninepence takes all the hassle and cost out of selling online. A small business can go from sign-up to selling in under an hour and not have to pay the thousands and thousands of dollars’ worth of fees and charges.

Ninepence is a unique online shopping mall – different from other store platforms like Facebook, Shopify or eBay. And with the support of CCIQ and its social media strategies, small businesses are suddenly being viewed worldwide.

The concept originated when CCIQ put out a challenge on social media last year calling for small businesses which could help other small businesses to get in touch.

It is a virtual home for an online shop. We take all the hassle out of setting up an online business by managing everything for a business. We look after the security and hosting, domain registration and design at no cost. And with unlimited products and unlimited storage, it’s the perfect vehicle to build an empire.

A recent CCIQ Digital Readiness Study found companies have wide scope for enhancing their online retail and e-commerce capabilities. Results revealed that 60 per cent of Queensland businesses receive less than 10 per cent of their revenues through online sales.

It’s usually quite difficult for small businesses to sell online, particularly those who are just starting out and have very little capital for marketing. This is gamechanging in that it provides a simple fool-proof solution.

Many answered the call. Brisbane-based digital creative agency Studio None proved to be second-to-none

Kimberley Lynch is the Regional Manager for the Sunshine Coast & Wide Bay Area for CCIQ, the peak industry body for businesses in Queensland. We exist to provide a powerful voice for small business and to power our members’ potential through providing access to essential tools, services, information and advice. Not a member? Join now. klynch@cciq.com.au // www.cciq.com.au

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12 ISSUE 71

DOES YOUR BUSINESS NEED A CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER? OUTSOURCE IT! A CFO represents:•a business partner •a provider of analysis •a leader of change •an innovator A Chief Financial Officer is not just about crunching numbers or scorekeeping. In fact, the role of the CFO has changed dramatically. CFO Outsource supports the transformation of the finance function from an inward-looking, historical financial reporting and controls function, to one that spends more time focused on strategic decision-making and value creation.

The CFO may not be setting the strategy but they are an integral part of its formulation, delivery and monitoring.

The role of CFO has never been more demanding and it should be said, rewarding. CFOs now have a fairly broad remit and greater responsibility for driving business strategy and success than you might think.

How CAN we help YOUR BUSINESS?

We are flexible to our clients’ needs and can tailor a solution to meet your requirements and budget, from a high level monthly review to weekly on-site visits or a specific project engagement. The ability to understand your business beyond turnover is very important.

Cash Flow

Performance drivers

Systems and processes

Financial reporting

Communication

Cash is the lifeblood of a business. Managing and planning cash flow is something small businesses constantly struggle with

Identifying and measuring the key indicators; the ‘big levers’ in your business

Delivering quick results and reports using technology and best practice solutions

Report the key controllable figures so decision-makers can correct any problems and formulate strategy

Not to overanalyse or slow down processes, but to keep everyone focused on the key decision areas

About Us?

A key part of our model is working as part of your team focusing on financial reporting, operations, systems, and performance. We step into the gap between bookkeepers, external accountants and management to bring leading principles to your organisation.

Our process involves gaining a first-hand understanding of our clients’ business at the operational level to ensure our advice is relevant and actionable. To facilitate this, we seek to work on site at our clients’ premises wherever possible or find technology based alternatives which enable close engagement between our CFOs and clients.

Our Chief Financial Officers will deliver real solutions for your business by: ● Providing accurate, reliable and timely financial information ● Showing you how to take control of cash flow ● Driving growth and earnings predictability ● Implementing best practice financial management ● Reducing your finance and accounting staff worries

Outsourcing and shared service centres are becoming widely used to increase cost efficiency without some of the risks or expertise required of performing the function in house. CFO Outsource is the first of its kind on the Sunshine Coast, so we are hoping that local businesses get on board with our outsourcing concept.

Michael McManus and Tamara Cross

We want to be part of your finance and strategy solution.

If you would like to find out more about how an outsourced Chief Financial Officer can bring accounting and finance expertise into your business our team is ready to assist.

Tamara Cross: 0413 774 511 Michael McManus: 0424 290 968 info@cfooutsource.com.au K1 Building 17/16 Innovation Parkway, Birtinya www.cfooutsource.com.au BUSINESS MATTERS 13

Social Media HACKS

BY CHRIS CHILDS

I’m pretty confident that if you work in business and you are reading this, you probably don’t need convincing that social media is a necessary marketing activity in 2015. You already know that, right?

Whether you self-manage, have an internal community manager or outsource your social media, with changing algorithms and policy updates, staying on top of your social game is a full-time job. Perhaps what would be most useful are the tips, tricks and shortcuts I have learned from working with my digital team to manage different brand accounts across various social media platforms.

FACEBOOK • Post directly to Facebook Third party tools will decrease the amount of people who can see your post.

• Schedule a week of posts ahead of time Then you can limit your time on Facebook to just 10 minutes, morning and night, to action notifications.

• Create a content bank Gather all your marketing messages and turn them into bite-sized social content. Organise and store your content on Dropbox, so it’s easy to access when implementing your post schedule.

• Use a mix of paid and unpaid content For increased engagement, supplement your unpaid strategy with targeted, boosted posts and ads.

LINKEDIN • Best for B2B marketing Deliver professional messages to professional people. It’s social media without the cat memes.

• Endorsements Endorse people you have worked with in a genuine way and they will do the same for you.

• Showcase your work Successful people back themselves, and LinkedIn is the perfect space to speak about your latest and greatest professional achievements.

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PINTEREST • Pin your brand to life If your brand were a person what would it be interested in? Curate a strong visual identity and connect with your audience on a human level.

• Upload original content ‘Re-pin’ from your website and blog to create powerful SEO backlinks.

INSTAGRAM • Brand your images Use an app to add your logo or website to your images.

Then if someone reposts it, you have obvious ownership!

• Influencers Spend some time searching for the leaders and influencers in your industry. Follow them, like, comment, repost their images and tag them to subtly suggest they do the same for you.

GOOGLE + • Give your SEO a boost Frequently sharing relevant content to your profile will boost your performance in Google searches.

• Integrate with YouTube Whenever you post a video to YouTube, you can automatically share to Google+. YouTube is the second biggest search engine in the world, after their owner Google. This means there are great search benefits that come with a dedicated presence on both platforms.

When promoting a brand across multiple platforms, make sure all graphics are creatively strong and follow the optimal proportion and size guidelines of each social media site. Create links between profiles and anticipate that your clients may follow you on more than one platform. Sending one message out on every platform at the same time is going to irritate your audience. To avoid this, use an editorial calendar and plan out what marketing messages will happen when and where.

And if it’s all too hard and you want some support, do what I do. Engage the experts from a specialist agency to do it for you!

Happy posting!

business finance tips with Jan Watman, Start Fresh Finance

Car Loans for Self Employed If you’re self-employed, a micro business owner or an entrepreneur, you may feel anxious about applying for a car loan. Without a regular pay cheque coming in, you fear you could be rejected by a bank or lender just because you’re going it alone.

This does not need to be the case. As a business owner, you actually have many more options available to you in terms of car and vehicle finance. As self-employed workers who often face frustrations with car finance, it’s reassuring to know there are some options available.

Consumer Loan Options This option is for people who are using the car for personal purposes. A consumer car loan, commonly referred to as a ‘car loan’ is regulated by the National Consumer Credit Protection Act (NCCPA). This law safeguards consumers applying for credit, clearly detailing the lenders’ and borrowers’ obligations and rights.

To get approval you will have to provide financial statements proving you can pay the loan back. These may include (but are not limited to) individual tax returns for sole traders and company tax returns for the past two years. They may also ask for bank or financial statements to assess your eligibility as well.

Business Loan Options If you intend to use your vehicle for business purposes (over 50 per cent of the time), you may want to consider - a Chattel Mortgage, Finance Lease, Commercial Hire Purchase or Rent To Own loan. These loans are NOT covered by the NCCPA.

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In some cases, you may not have to provide proof of income as you can opt for a Low Doc Loan, where you are self-declaring your income.

As a business owner, you actually have many more options available to you in terms of car and vehicle finance. As self-employed workers who often face frustrations with car finance, it’s reassuring to know there are some options available.

Jan, who has 25+ years in the finance industry, helps high net worth clients and businesses to obtain finance. Her passion is educating, planning and working with her clients to achieve their dreams.

0468 371 449 // www.startfreshfinance.com.au

Ph: 07 5444 5044 www.seerestaurant.com.au BUSINESS BUSINESS MATTERS MATTERS 151

5 16 ISSUE 71

5

LINKEDIN UPDATES YOU NEED TO KNOW

for your business.

BY YVETTE ADAMS

Most people know that LinkedIn is a social network on which you can create a profile (a little bit like an online resume) and make connections. But those features are where many businesses stop, thinking that is all it can do.

Like many other social networks, LinkedIn is extremely feature-rich and in some cases, you need to be given some training or spend hours watching videos and reading help files. Not only that, Linkedin is absolutely innovating at a rate of knots, and there are a wide range of cool new features being rolled out all the time, which you may or may not be aware of.

So here’s a quick rundown on five of the newer features on LinkedIn that you may not be aware of: 1. CUSTOM BACKGROUNDS Came out: JULY 2014 Noticing that Twitter, Google+, Facebook and other social networks offer people the ability to customise their profile with a header image and use that opportunity, LinkedIn rolled out the ability to add a custom background to your LinkedIn profile too. The recommended size is 1400 x 426 pixels and adding something which further ‘tells your story’ or even just brightens your profile up is a good idea. Use tools like PicMonkey or Canva to make it extremely easy to make a super cool profile image.

2. PUBLISH POSTS ON LINKEDIN Came out: JAN 2015 Since January 2015, in addition to posting status updates or short form communications on your profile, you can also publish ‘posts’ or long form communications on your LinkedIn profile. Whether you want to repeat a blog post you’ve also written over on your website, or use it as a soapbox for something else which is important to you, the ability to publish posts is an opportunity to further showcase your existing professional content from your blog, thus positioning you as a thought leader in your field.

3. LINKEDIN’S CONNECTED IPHONE APP Came out: July 2014, Android came out February 2015 You may have the standard LinkedIn app on your phone, but do you have the ‘connected’ Linkedin app? Connected gives you a sincere way to say hello – from updates on work anniversaries, birthdays, promotions and job changes to when people you care about get mentioned in the news. This is a helping hand when you’re trying to nurture relationships with connections you have on LinkedIn or in business in general. Who doesn’t like a birthday wish?

4. IMPROVED SEARCH Came out: Ongoing LinkedIn is now helping you find people and jobs faster by surfacing results that are most likely to be of interest to you based on connections, companies or groups you may share with that person. It also has autocomplete implemented which means that if you type just the first couple of letters for the person you are looking for, it will render results of all those starting with the letters you have typed. LinkedIn has also revised what search results it provides, now serving up both your connections and potential connections.

5. STAY INFORMED Came out: Ongoing LinkedIn is a treasure trove of professionally relevant information that can help you be better at what you do.

Now, when you run a search on LinkedIn, they surface relevant content like posts and SlideShare decks from thought leaders directly within your search results to help you stay informed about what you searched for.

Like all social networks, LinkedIn will no doubt continue to roll out future updates. If you’d like to stay in touch with these, follow us on social networks or sign up for our newsletter: www.thecreativecollective.com.au/newsletter_signup

BUSINESS MATTERS 17

business mentoring

with Rod Richards, Business Enterprise Centre

Social Talk Without Speaking Communication is one of civilisation’s greatest evolutions. Development, advancement and innovation in every facet of humanity originate and terminate by the use, interpretation and outcomes of communication. Language can broker political and business deals, words can ignite love and relationships, written law manage anarchy and caring words give comfort to the abandoned child. Communication defines our species, our life.

Marketing is everything you do in business. Marketing is business communication. How the business story, value proposition and messaging is communicated determine business success.

Business cannot expect success without compelling, relevant communication to its market. And understanding where the market and customers congregate is a key. Men don’t buy socks so no sense advertising in men’s magazines - if you sell socks.

Social media has emerged as the difference and disruptor in communications. The world’s information and communications lives online. Social media is the new word-of-mouth, both positive and derogatory. Providing information, advertising, seeking endorsements and engaging in customer feedback is expected as business social life. Any idea worth sharing can create exposure online.

And much of what goes online stays online regardless of the personal or business consequences.

The small player can stand and shout out their business messages alongside corporates. Business accessibility is a customer expectation. Hiding behind a corporate or government firewall is not acceptable or defensible. Being social is all about exposure, authentic current and as it happens.

For business, making sales is paramount. However on social media platforms being authentic is more important than occupying space to collect eyeballs and spruik buy-now. The big sell is bad social behaviour.

Being social is about establishing a conversation and consistency in engagement. Choosing a social network for business may require looking beyond Facebook. A social online survey tells me the current best performing social network for marketers is Instagram.

Pinterest generates more retail referral traffic than YouTube and Google+ combined.

Teenagers are hooked on Snapchat and Tumblr because parents are on Facebook.

Social media is not sales and marketing panacea. Nor will it compensate for poorly articulated value propositions and adhoc business marketing strategies. But it can be a conversation worth starting and sharing.

Rod has 27 years’ experience as a company owner, director and entrepreneur, and 10 years as a Business Mentor and educator. He is a founding Director of the Business Enterprise Centre Sunshine Coast and Queensland Director of BEC Australia (non-profit Network).

1300 133 058 // www.businessenterprisecentresunshinecoast.org.au

THINK DIFFERENTLY THINK FRESH THINK START FRESH FINANCE Why contact thethe Start FreshFresh Finance team? team?

Why contact Start Finance “I just want say abeginning, big THANK dealing YOU fromwith me and for aallpleasant your help,experience. you are wonderful.

“From thetovery JanSno was We had the pleasure of Jan’s assistance in purchasing a truck for our business.

Jan walked us through our application via phone calls and emails as we live Jan was extremely helpful andno patient withfor us Jan always to explain we didn’t interstate.

Distance was barrier totaking workthe hertime magic.

Our iffinance understand & going above and beyond what was expected of her.

We found her professional was organised without any hiccups and with a quick turn around. I would at all times and felt at ease with her from the start. We never felt like we were just another recommend Jan at Start Fresh Finance to anyone who is after efficient sale! Jan was recommended to us from another customer and we feel very confident in and friendly service.” recommending her to anyone, she is excellent at her job.”

Jen & Nicole Paul O’Shea - NSW Sno & Leota

Contact Jan on 0468 371 449 jan@startfreshfinance.com.au www.startfreshfinance.com.au 18 ISSUE 71

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BUSINESS MATTERS 19

s e lv e s m e h t g in v a Australians are not le e r a d n a t n e m e ir t e r enough money in . t u o t h g u a c y ll ia c n a n getting fi eir life expectancy ating th ng age by underestim ro w e th at g in tir re e Australians ar in their golden years. ed ed ne ey on m of and the amount

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20 ISSUE 71

rking Only 28 per cent of wo to 80 Australians aged 50 have believed they would tire. enough savings to re than the average you’ll live much longer er 35 years,” oth an d fun and have to or and Pacific ect Mercer’s managing dir rson said. de An vid Da r market leade

nd an alarmingly The research also fou alians (40 per cent) str Au of high number ment because of are forced into retire before they were ess illn redundancy or ready to call it quits. many Mr Anderson said too on owning the t ian rel Australians are m fund their the p hel to me ho family leaving a are y retirement and the ings. sav ir the in le” ho “gaping ger than they “People are living lon living on average are expected and they they previously five years longer than were,’’ he said.

BUSINESS MATTERS 21

22 ISSUE 71

digital business with Greg Searle, Anypoint

The Plan - ing To put this into perspective, we are talking about a start-up scenario for digital business. The process would be different for an existing business that is developing a new product/service and has resources available (budget, people and infrastructure) and an established market.

You could get carried away with your idea. It is different, the technology is feasible, a ‘quick scan’ of the market indicates that there is solid demand. Your price point seems right. As the excitement grows in your brainstorming session with every new comment that is put up on the whiteboard, you conclude you’re on to a winner. What next?

Commitment is the key. Plan the work, and work the plan.

The most effective way I have found to put some ‘meat’ around the idea is to work backwards. I say something like, ‘In November 2015 I will do a soft launch of my new product/service’. So now, what has to happen to achieve this outcome?

There is a plethora of resources available on project planning and management, which is beyond the scope of this article, however this is essentially what the next step is all about. Your plan typically needs to consists of four things: 1. What needs to be done – the tasks 2. What you need to do it – the resources 3. How long will it take – the timing 4. What will it cost you – the investment It is all about making the intangible, tangible. Because we are specifically talking about your digital business idea, we need to bring the idea into the material world, give it substance.

1. The technology – choose a development platform that is robust, scalable, cross platform, well known.

2. The finances – make sure your return on the investment is commercially viable. Create a time phase (month by month) cash flow.

3. The market – be very clear about who you are marketing to, how you will reach them, what will win them, how many sales you expect to make over what timeframe.

4. Your team – find a mentor that knows the business and has been there before.

In the next issue, we have to look at how executing the plan will be funded.

Greg is the Managing Director of Anypoint Pty Ltd. He has built several IT businesses over a 40 year career. To the first 10 Business Matters Readers who contact us, he will give a free individual assessment on ‘How You Can Make Your Business Viable in the Digital World.’ Not only that you will receive $1,000 voucher that you can use if you engage Anypoint to deliver a digital solution.

1300 932 277 // www.anypoint.com.au

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BUSINESS MATTERS 23

HR Matters

SOCIAL MEDIA CHECKLIST Social media is here to stay and companies had better start utilising these platforms, or they risk being surpassed by competitors. Businesses are able to market their brand to more expansive and receptive audiences, by developing strategies tailored to the online environment. Fortunately, guidelines apply to a variety of social mediums; so your company can engage with customer online with confidence.

DO: • Post frequently, tag businesses in your network and respond to comments, likes and shares in a timely manner.

• Focus on creating quality content for a limited number of social platforms instead of exhausting your resources. You’re likely to produce inferior content when using several mediums.

• Use social media to gain immediate feedback, for collating testimonials and identifying new leads.

• Promote your social accounts when distributing company contact details. This instills trust in tech-savvy customers.

• Allocate expenses so you can advertise on social platforms, to increase your following and ensure more of your contacts see your posts.

• Monitor competitors while generating your own unique company content to share.

• Create a social media policy to keep your brand’s voice consistent.

• Encourage genuine customers to respond to your posts, instead of staff members.

Now that you know what to do with your brand on social media platforms, ensure you do not

KATHARINE BOGARD Haycroft Workplace Solutions

24 ISSUE 71

engage in the actions listed below. If you do, the damage to your brand could be severe.

DO NOT: • Retaliate to negative comments. Direct them to contact customer service for further discussion, offline.

• Share everything you see; instead discover sources for inspiration.

• Post low quality images without captions, especially if they have lost their relevance. For example, an event that happened over a week ago.

• Make a hard sell or anticipate a direct correlation between your social engagement and sales.

• Allow staff to post negative content about your company to their personal or competitor pages.

• Expect your customer base to be the same as your social media fan base.

• Use your company’s social media account. Posts that are acceptable on your personal profile, may be inappropriate on a business page.

• Ignore the recommended image size for different social platforms. Ensure you check the suggested dimensions.

Use these guidelines when formulating marketing strategies so your business can use social media to its greatest capacity. Maintaining a strong online presence will ensure you are able to reach a broader audience. By engaging with customers on their preferred platform, your fans are more likely to become advocates of your brand instead of a competitor’s.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Katharine’s qualifications in graphic design, journalism, advertising and creative writing enable her to implement comprehensive marketing solutions for businesses nationally and globally. The support of Haycroft Workplace Solutions’ professional team and flexible work arrangements, empower Katharine to focus on her health.

Legal Matters

EMBRACING THE SOCIAL CHANGE Strategy #1 – Don’t do anything stupid that can be photographed and posted by someone else!

But seriously folks, we must all appreciate that social media in all its guises, is here to stay.

And what is social media? Yes, it is Facebook, Twitter, Google, WhatsApp, but it is all so very much more and it plays an active part in every one of our lives on a daily basis.

MARKETING • Stay in touch with your existing clients, as long as you have your clients’ approval to do so • Advise your clients/social media; ’friends’ of a sale, upcoming special • Generate new sales leads and/or prospects

We have all heard and possibly seen the horror stories of silly people doing stupid things, believing they were having some harmless fun, to only find out that the people they didn’t want to find out found out, their boss found out and/or their prospective employer found out and quashed any chance they had at their dream job.

BUILD TRUST • Ensure your business maintains an up to date profile on LinkedIn and Facebook by keeping all your data up to date • Post client testimonials on your website • Publish the details of business success stories • Publish a list of FAQs regarding your services.

Should we be looking to learn how to embrace and use this once known phenomenon? Most definitely yes, as it is no longer a phenomenon, it is a medium by which individual and business get in contact and stay in contact.

So what can a business use social media for?

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Do not be afraid and embrace social media because you do not have to look very hard to find data that clearly shows clients will use social media as a part of their buying process well before they ever set foot in your business.

And in closing, if you are ever in doubt, refer to Strategy #1.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mark has been Practice Manager at Griffiths Parry Lawyers since January 2014. Mark is a long term resident having lived here since 1976. Mark spent a large part of his working life in the Banking industry, but has also owned a number of small businesses and has a passion for same.

Joanna Sheridan – Solicitor Joanna obtained her Bachelor of Law degree from Southern Cross University. Joanna was admitted as a Solicitor to The Supreme Court of Queensland in February 2014 and brings to Griffiths Parry Lawyers an ideal Gen Y influence.

En to E R F io t a lt s consu

Another vital factor in your social media strategy is to ensure that if you work in a specialised field, any content you publish, is written in such a way that your target audience will understand.

Employ the KISS ‘keep it simple and straightforward’ principal.

As a business we need to have a very clearly defined strategy stating what it is we wish to achieve well before we start working out the what/when and how.

We should also have a clearly defined social media policy for our business setting out what is and isn’t acceptable by our employees, including ourselves.

MARK WIGGINS Griffith Parry Lawyers + Notary

EDUCATE • What does your business do?

• What is special about your product/service?

Explain your unique selling proposition • Do you know something that you think total strangers should/would like to know? Blogs!

Mention this ad when booking an appointment!

What we do: We can expertly guide you in the following areas of law: Commercial Litigation Small Business Franchising Family Law Development Residential and Commercial Conveyancing Commercial Law Body Corporate and Building Unit Management Rights Elder Law, Aged Care, Succession Planning – Probate, Estates and Wills

Your partners in success since 1974.

A Griffiths Parry Lawyers + Notary Level 2, 12 Innovation Parkway, Birtinya, QLD 4575 | PO Box 1515, Buddina QLD 4575 P 07 5390 1400 F 07 5390 1499 W www.gplaw.com.au

BUSINESS MATTERS 25

Lending Matters

SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES Love it or hate it, social media is here to stay.

Powerful and omnipresent, the top social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+, Tumblr, Instagram and Flickr are never far from our daily lives in both business and pleasure. Leveraging these beasts to build and maintain a business is perceived by most as a surefire component in our business arsenal.

However many businesses venture into the social media battlefield without a strategy. Shooting with all guns blazing will only create a shotgun blast that most probably will not focus on your intended target. Trying to hit the bullseye with a blindfold is not easy. Now I’m not suggesting that social media strategies require sniper capability but a focused artillery barrage with the right range and ordinance will produce infinitely better outcomes.

Your social media strategies should be a component of your overall goals. But first you have to determine which social media sites best suit your objectives.

Consideration needs to given to which sites have the right demographics to locate and engage with your target market. This could be one or a number of sites. Google+ for example is driven by content quality while Instagram is a visual based site that uses images and photos. If you have an existing and sizeable customer database, a survey of your clients may help to determine

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the most suitable sites. But many questions will have to be considered. What’s your main focus?

How much time and resources are available for your social network commitments? What content are you going to post? What combinations of images, photos, text-based and video will work best? When and how often? What brand or business image are you trying to promote? What strategies are your competitors following?

The tactics for your strategy are endless. But when your artillery finds suitable targets, ongoing analysis and feedback will be necessary to adjust the campaign to ensure your aim remains focused. The time required to create and implement your strategy should never be underestimated but planning is essential. Time spent planning will achieve more and cost less.

Systems that you develop will help maintain control of your updates and industry relevance.

After implementing your strategy, you will need to engage with the audience that talk back to you.

Squeezing the most from these interactions takes time. Wow! A huge commitment but potential for exponential returns. The question is do we have the skills to develop and implement the best strategy? My guess is maybe not. If this is the case it’s probably a good idea to engage a social media specialist. That’s not me but I’m sure it would be a good investment. Good luck.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Richard West is the owner of Top Ten Home Loans, mortgage brokers on the Sunshine Coast. He has over 25 years’ experience in the domestic and international banking and finance industry. Richard is a graduate of the University of the Sunshine Coast and holds a Diploma in finance/mortgage broking management.

Looking for a home loan?

Speak to a specialist Call us - our services are free

Richard (0402 845 285) enquiries@toptenhomeloans.com.au

26 ISSUE 71

Insolvency Matters

SAVE MONEY ON YOUR HOUSEHOLD BUDGET How long has it been since you last spoke to your electricity supplier? Or your gas or Internet provider, or mobile phone company? Australians tend to set and forget with their utility providers but the competitive nature of these industries means new deals are always available. If you are at the end of your contract or were never locked in to begin with, jump online and shop around. Look for any new companies on the scene and see if you can find a cheaper supplier. You can always give your current supplier the opportunity to beat any quotes you get if you are really happy with their service.

The same can be applied to your mortgage.

Refinancing your loan can be a great way to secure a better interest rate and reduce the minimum repayment, increasing cash flow. Some fees may apply to breaking your mortgage before the end of the term so look over your contracts carefully before you go ahead with refinancing.

A car is essential for most Australian families, but the costs associated with owning a car have been identified as one of the biggest expenses for the average household.

Keeping your car maintenance in check will ensure it runs efficiently, saving you on fuel costs. Have it serviced regularly, ensure your tyres are pumped up to the recommended pressure and substitute the air-conditioner for fresh air on longer drives.

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A car-pool is a great way to save money on transport costs and it can be really convenient for time management.

Saving money on food can be tricky because the family has to eat. Reducing spending on food isn’t about cutting back on the amount of food you buy, it’s about making good decisions on the food you do buy. Eating out at restaurants will chew through your food budget. If you do go out for dinner, try places offering free kids meals with a paying adult and look online, on shopping dockets and in the newspaper for discount vouchers.

Planning your meals ahead of time is the best way to cut back on spending. Write a shopping list of what you will need for the week and get it all in one big shop. By following a list and sticking to a plan you are less likely to buy extra snacks and things which send the bill through the roof.

Keeping the kids active and entertained can be hard and expensive, if you don’t know where to look. Your local library provides access to books, games and DVD’s free of charge. They also host a number of activities, particularly through the school holidays, often free or for a nominal fee.

Your local council advertises a range of fun and free activities for kids throughout the year.

The Debt Relief Hotline will also be able to suggest a number of ways you can reduce your debt, from budgeting tips and advice through to debt consolidation and settlements.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Riley Jackson has over 20 years’ experience in assisting and developing strategies for individuals and small businesses on ways to improve their financial circumstances. Based locally with Affiliates located across Australia, we are able to assist clients all over the nation.

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BUSINESS MATTERS 27

Insurance Matters

TAX AUDIT INSURANCE - COVERING THOSE HEFTY ACCOUNTANTS BILLS The Australian Tax Office states each year that they will be targeting certain business industries and sectors for tax evasion. Each year, many businesses are contacted by the ATO to conduct an audit/ investigation of their tax affairs. The costs of these audits and the time taken to organise the paperwork for viewing is time consuming and can be expensive.

Tax audit cover will not cover you if you are audited because you haven’t lodged your tax returns, or your failure to provide the information required to the tax department or statutory body. The policy will cover the accountants fees and time to provide the relevant documents to support your audit.

The extent of the cover will depend on the options you select:

Tax audit can often be added to your business package or your management liability insurance

1. Business Audit Only - including investigation costs. (Be warned some insurers don’t cover investigation costs, always select including investigation cover) This cover EXCLUDES Personal Tax returns of the directors and the Superannuation funds.

2. Business and Directors cover - again including Investigation costs. (excludes Superannuation and self-managed funds) 3. Individual Cover - excluding self-managed super funds and super funds, business audits.

4. Superannuation Funds - Excluding directors, and business audits.

Tax audit insurance will not pay any penalties or fines. Rather the investigation costs, accrued by the accountant/ statutory body to provide the information required for the audit or investigation.

SARAH FISHER Austwide Insurance Brokers

Tax audit can often be added to your business package or your management liability insurance, otherwise is available as a standalone policy, renewable yearly.

You are able to select a variety of option covers depending on the size of your company and your audit requirements.

Please be aware that any advice offered is General Advice only and has been prepared without taking into consideration your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before deciding to acquire a financial product please consider the Product Disclosure Statement and whether the product is appropriate for your individual objectives, financial situation and needs.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sarah Fisher has over 21 years’ experience in General Insurance brokering. Sarah enjoys assisting small business owners with their business insurance portfolios to ensure that they have the most appropriate cover available to cover their business assets. Her business is based in Tewantin, but able to assist clients all over Australia.

LET US COVER THE RISK! Your Business Insurance Brokers • Business • Tradesman • Public Liability • Professional Indemnity • Commercial Motor • Landlords & Strata

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Suite 9, The Atrium, 91 Poinciana Ave, Tewantin www.austwideinsurancebrokers.com.au Austwide IBS Pty Ltd T/as Austwide Insurance Brokers | ABN 65 237 964 223 | Authorised Representative No. 343827 | Authorised Representative of Ausure Pty Ltd T/as Ausure Insurance Brokers | ABN 94 096 971 854 | Licence No. 238433 28 ISSUE 71

Accounting Matters

WHY A CASHFLOW STATEMENT IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL? Simply, it shows where your ‘cash’ originated and where it was spent.

Many growing businesses have failed. More often than not the failure is due to the inattention to take care of cash so it’s unforgivable that business owners don’t report on their cash.

performance to the bank balance. Now it’s easy to see this business is in trouble and needs short term cash funding quickly.

The overdraft is over its limit and cash being paid to the directors is not affordable.

This example shows the two parts of the cashflow statement separately. The top half reflects the trading performance of the business.

Sales are increasing, operating costs are steady, and profits up - a great result, right?

Well not really, but it’s an easy mistake to make.

This business is hiding something that threatens its survival.

The Early Danger Signs are Evident with the Right Report The bottom of the cashflow statement shows a reconciliation of the business’s trading

CHRIS BURNS Complete Business Strategies

The story of the business is common for early stage and growing businesses. Cash generated from sales is diverted to capital payments. The effect of those payments is not shown on your P&L or Balance Sheet so it is often overlooked.

If you do no other management reporting review and understand your cashflow statement.

Conclusions The conclusions are clear: 1. Make sure you receive a cashflow statement (and projection) as part of your regular management reporting; and 2. Understand the impact your business decisions will have on cashflow, not just profitability.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Chris is a Chartered Accountant and a Director of Complete Business Strategies. During his 20 year career Chris has helped hundreds of clients improve their business outcomes and looks forward helping many more.

Missing a link in your financial reports?

Call us on 5439 1600 and let us engineer your success.

Level 1, Capital One, 9 Capital Place Birtinya QLD 4575 p: 07 5439 1600 e: support@completebusiness.com.au www.completebusiness.com.au

BUSINESS MATTERS 29

Medical Practice Matters

RESEARCH AND REVIEW Are you looking to purchase, buy in, expand or renovate a practice?

Getting your loan and payment structure correct can make the difference in your practice.

Business and commercial finance is very different to residential finance. There are many ways to structure your setup, but it is vital to get it right early on as it can have a major impact on both your business and personal long term wealth.

It is also important to review your ownership structure (i.e. company, trust, SMSF and spousal transfers).

Laws and guidelines are changing all the time.

ALBERT BORZILLO Wealthmed Australia

Laws and guidelines are changing all the time so it is important to take advantage of these opportunities because the right entity and ownership of assets can significantly improve your ability to borrow or access adequate future funding.

Did you know that in most cases private practice owners have the ability to borrow up to 100 per cent of the value of the business and can access up to 100 per cent funding for all business related equipment and fitout expenses? As a medical practitioner you might also be able to borrow up to 95 per cent of the value of your residential property. Get help to source the right deal and review your finance providers periodically, this could save you and your business thousands of dollars.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Albert has over 30 years’ experience as a practising accountant and is dedicated to achieving excellent outcomes for Wealthmed clients. He is a member of CPA Australia and has wide experience in both industry and public practice. If you’re reading this, pick up the phone and say hi!

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check out our video (youtu.be/autBwoevsqc) Wealthmed is a Corporate Authorised Representative No 444018 of Private Wealth Pty Ltd AFSL & ACL No 320404 ABN 15 771 186 421.

30 ISSUE 71

Website Matters

FOUR TIPS FOR USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO BUILD YOUR BRAND If you want to sell products, build your audience, drive traffic to your website or raise awareness, your audience needs to know who you are in the first place. Here are four tips you need to know about using social media to build your brand: 1. Choose networks that support your brand image Take the following factors into consideration: • Facebook is the best for promoting brand awareness • Instagram is a great option for fashion companies and retailers • Google+ can be a great platform to reach men in the technology industry • Pinterest is excellent to reach those interested in fashion, cooking or retail • LinkedIn is a strong choice for promoting business-related content

MEL MYERS Jetpack Web Design

2. Provide valuable and shareable content Create a stronger brand reputation by focusing on creating useful content that your audience will want to share. See what posts others have been successful with and put together your own, better versions.

3. Leverage influencers The fastest way to build your own audience is to leverage the audiences existing influencers have already built by tagging them or their websites in your posts. They will be notified of your tag and if your content is strong they will share it with their existing audience.

4. Use social campaigns to promote content Consider paid campaigns to extend your reach on social networks. A growing number of brands use strategies such as pay per click, contests, and giveaways to successfully gain visibility and generate leads.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mel has been running successful online businesses for 18 years and has written numerous websites and online applications including manufacturing facilities, accounting systems, shopping carts, and even a search engine. Mel is the owner of Jetpack which specialises in creating amazing websites.

We DESIGN WEBSITES YOU CAN BE PROUD OF

BUSINESS MATTERS 31

Brokerage Matters

DOES YOUR BUSINESS HAVE A UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION? The interesting thing about a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is that this unique attribute or feature doesn’t necessarily have to be unique to you, your product, or your services; you only have to create the perception that it is unique in the mind of the audience you are addressing. And if by so doing, you become the only one in your business category talking about your product’s special attribute; you end up owning its uniqueness.

Whether you’re an established business or a new venture, identifying the essential elements that can help build your business’s name and reputation will get you started on the road to fame, fortune and fun times.

This concept of a USP is an important lesson to consider when putting together a marketing strategy. Don’t doubt for a minute that there is a particular facet of your business you can promote as being unique, whether it’s in the products or services you create, the way you

ROD RUSSELL Savvy Business Sales

sell them or the amazing after-sales services you offer, that keeps customers coming back.

Believe me, in the mix there will be something you can transform into a USP. All you have to do is find it and communicate it to your potential market.

To effectively communicate your USP you firstly need to be able to prove it. You must also be able to demonstrate why you are better than your competition and give comfort that you provide excellent service and offer quality products.

Your marketing should portray that you are a reliable, integral and ethical business that is here for the long term, providing unmatched after sales and customer service. You want your clients to know that you listen and will address any problems that arise.

Buyers are attracted to businesses with USPs, could this be the difference to ensure your sale when the time comes?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rod’s unrivalled professionalism and years of experience have earned him the reputation as the Sunshine Coast’s most successful business broker. He continues to raise the standards in business sales.

the doors to the terrace are now open for the taking

*Million dollar view included

The Terrace Seafood reSTauranT An iconic, award winning business that attracts loyal patrons from all corners of the country Established 23 years, this is the first time “The Terrace” has been offered for sale with the option of securing this magnificent freehold land and building. Currently operating with a high performing team in place, capable of operating the business under full management if required. With a timeless fit out and million dollar views, it is no wonder the business achieves sales of approx $23 000 week in week out, month after month.

The consistency of The Terrace is rarely seen in this industry.

A sensational opportunity to acquire a very special restaurant.

We invite expressions of interest above $400 000 plus freehold (optional).

Call Rod Russell on 0409 931 600 | Brisbane Rd, Mooloolaba | www.savvybusiness.com.au 32 ISSUE 71

Advertising Matters

MANAGING SOCIAL MEDIA EFFECTIVELY These days when we hear the words ‘social media’, we tend to think of Facebook, Twitter et cetera and see it as a fairly recent phenomenon.

Truth is though that ‘social media’ has always existed, it just wasn’t so instant and so far reaching. Talking amongst friends at a social gathering is an example of this in its purest form. We like hearing what others are up to and telling our friends the same.

ANDREW WATERS Creative Concepts Advertising & Marketing

be a dud, they are sure to tell their friends about it to warn them off making the same mistake. Likewise if they have just had a great experience they will want to tell others as well.

This method has limited reach though and with the rise of instant online communication through social channels this natural tendency has been multiplied by several orders of magnitude.

Truth is, that ‘social media’ has always existed.

This can be good or bad depending on what people are saying about you.

It’s also an unfortunate fact that bad travels further and faster than good.

At these gatherings we often speak of our experiences good or bad with various brands or businesses. If someone has purchased a new washing machine and it turns out to

Having a professional manage your social media presence is a wise move as incorrectly managing an errant post can make a bad situation worse.

That being said though a well-managed social presence can be a real asset to your business.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Andrew ‘Muddie’ Waters is a Creative Director who has more than 23 years’ experience in the advertising industry. Andrew recently won national and international awards for his design work.

Brighter ideas for your budget …it’s not what you spend, it’s how you spend it Spending wisely now can save you a lot in the future.

Advertising your product or service effectively is a difficult thing in today’s diverse market. It’s hard to know where your precious budget is best spent. Should you spread it across a range of traditional media or target new media exclusively? Which outlets or publications are going to be best for your target market? There are so many options that it is very hard to know what to do.

That is where Creative Concepts can help.

We examine all the options and develop an effective plan to help you move forward.

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graphic design | web design & construction | corporate branding | media planning & placement | radio/tv commercials | printing | electronic media BUSINESS MATTERS 33

WHAT HAPPENS TO SUPERANNUATION AFTER WE DIE?

Money Matters

For many people, superannuation benefits form the largest part of their estate. And as such, it is a very important part of estate planning, becoming increasingly so over time as balances increase, and more people utilise superannuation to grow their wealth.

death, his daughter did not take into account his nomination and paid all of the deceased member’s benefits to herself. The NSW Supreme Court held that she was entitled to take this action under the fund’s trust deed and the Will was ineffective.

However, clients can be surprised to find that their Will can be completely ineffective when it comes to disposing of their superannuation benefits on their death. Your benefits may not automatically form part of your estate and therefore may not be disposed of through your Will.

This can have dramatic consequences, as was seen in the case of Katz v Grossman [2005] NSWSC 934. In Katz’s case, a member of the fund died with two children – a daughter who was a trustee of the family SMSF and a non-member son. The father left $1 million in superannuation benefits with a direction in his Will it was to be split between his two children equally. On his

The trustee of your superannuation fund is generally required to pay your benefits either directly to your dependants or to your estate.

You may be able to nominate whom and in some cases how these benefits are paid depending on the specific rules of your fund.

There can be different tax treatment depending on who receives your benefit, how the benefit is paid and whether any life insurance proceeds are included. There are strategies that can be utilised to ensure your superannuation benefit is paid in a tax effective manner.

This article is intended as a source of general information only and no reader should act on any matter without first obtaining professional advice.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR As a Financial Planner and CPA, Michele recognises that effective financial advice is holistic and incorporates a plan to create and protect wealth, in the context of an individual’s tax structure. Michele has an in-depth knowledge of complex including SMSFs, Family Trusts, Business Structures, Bare Trusts and Asset Protection.

MICHELE PURVIS UAS Financial

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(07) 5444 0506

www.uasfinancial.com.au

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34 ISSUE 71

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Commercial Real Estate Matters

SOCIAL MEDIA SHAKES UP SALES METHODOLOGY Offline platforms have traditionally been the main marketing channels for commercial real estate agents; relying on print publications, signboard advertising, mail merges and networking groups. The introduction of social media into the mix has been a slow onset yet the results are garnering quick results across the industry.

Historically, database growth was acquired organically through chamber meetings, networking, channel partner marketing and referrals, requiring valuable time out from the working day. LinkedIn aligns with the traditional methodology while amplifying the reach of potential buyers and vendors tenfold through the number of potential connections, circles and groups online.

Time-poor investors and buyers can log onto social media and inspect the suitability of properties from the comfort of their office or home, at a time convenient to them, through videography posted on YouTube channels, LinkedIn profiles or Facebook pages.

MICHAEL SHADFORTH Ray White Commercial North Coast Central

This can also contribute to a higher rate of registered interstate or overseas auction bidders.

LinkedIn, Facebook, Google + and YouTube have changed the terrain in how commercial properties are presented to the overseas markets. With the advent of the Asian investment market concertedly directing their focus on Australia, astute commercial real estate agents are promoting properties on Weibo (a Chinese microblogging social media site with over 500 million users) as part of their online strategy, harnessing the power of social media to increase reach.

The Big Top is a great example of how a social media strategy can complement an online and offline marketing strategy. Regular posting of interesting visuals, videography, new tenants and community-focused stories of interest were part of the Facebook strategy in the lead up to its launch, acquiring a growing following of over 4,200 people which will increase over time with check-ins and new likes, as it continues to promote its tenants and the community.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michael Shadforth, Managing Director of Ray White Commercial North Coast Central, has a proven history in sales, leasing, commercial projects and developments, offering strategic marketing solutions to ensure clients success.

Modern Industrial Warehouse + Offices

Convenient Location – Reduced to Sell

First Time Offered!

• 481m Modern Industrial premises • 323 m2 ground floor + 158m2 first floor office + mezzanine • Dedicated tiled reception area + showroom • 4 x first floor offices • Ducted air conditioning, kitchen & internal amenities • Front and rear roller doors

• Tenant are moving to larger premises • Can be subdivided into 2 tenancies (approx 153.5m2 each) • Showroom or Retail users • For Sale $695,000

• Multi-Tenanted Investment • Stand Alone Property • Vacancy Upside • Two buildings with Strata Potential

Sale David C Smith 0412 712 680 Brett O’Malley 0414 721 900 davidcsmith.commercialsc@raywhite.com Property ID 1110860

Sale Chris Massie 0412 490 840 chris.massie@raywhite.com Property ID 1243026

Caboolture, 2/42 Cessna Drive 2

Lease Damien Poole 0414 457 022 damien.poole@raywhite.com Property ID 1290790

Ray White Commercial North Coast Central

Maroochydore, 3/1 Norval Court

Ray White Commercial North Coast Central

Caboolture, 16-18 Aerodrome Road

Ray White Commercial North Coast Central

Industrial Unit For Sale

Mooloolaba Esplanade Retail

Maroochydore, Corporate Centre, Norval Court

Coolum Beach 4/61 Link Crescent

Mooloolaba, 2/87 Mooloolaba Esplanade

• Approved for offices, specialists and allied health • Secure undercover parking • Close to Maroochydore CBD • Two electric lifts - quiet environment • Full bathroom amenities including shower

• Good parking (12 spaces in complex) and plenty on-street • High clearance roller door (approx. 3.7m) • Concrete slab construction warehouse or factory • 88m2 downstairs with kitchenette and bathroom • 23*m2 mezzanine office with air-conditioning • Vacant possession

• Ideal use: Restaurant /Cafe • Exposure to Mooloolaba Esplanade • Unique undercover, exclusive seating area • Adjacent to National Retailers Surf Dive Ski and Ben and Jerry’s

Sale Brett O’Malley 0414 721 900 David C Smith 0412 712 680 brett.o’malley@raywhite.com Property ID 1203241

Sale Drew Westbrook 0488 980 684 drew.westbrook@raywhite.com Property ID 1270110

Strata Titled Offices

Ray White Commercial North Coast Central

Lease Emily Pendleton 0402 435 446 emily.pendleton@raywhite.com Property ID 1136326

Ray White Commercial North Coast Central

Ray White Commercial North Coast Central

BUSINESS MATTERS 35

Photocopy Matters

FIVE TECH TRENDS FOR BUSINESS IN 2015 The coming year is shaping up to be another big one for emerging and established technology.

Buzzwords like cloud, mobile and big data are probably all too familiar, so what should be on your radar? We look at five tech trends set to have an impact on business in 2015.

The ‘Internet of Things’ is gaining momentum In naming its top 10 strategic technology trends for 2015, Gartner characterises the ‘IoT’ as ‘data streams and services created by digitising everything’. In physical terms, it’s about creating a global ecosystem of connected physical objects that can sense, calculate and exchange data. BuddeComm predicts that Australia will be home to up to 50 million such devices by 2020, powered by cloud computing and 4G wireless networks.

3D printing is carving out a niche Global shipments of 3D printers are expected to rise by 98 per cent in 2015, according to Gartner. From custom-fitted medical prosthetics to boutique fashion items and jet-engine parts, what’s formally known as ‘additive manufacturing’ will gain more widespread acceptance as units become faster, more versatile and more affordable, in turn helping to reduce the time to market of a wide range of products and emerging technology.

BRET DAVIS BBC Digital

The mobile retailing boom will intensify Smartphones are becoming the Swiss Army knife of clever shoppers. Map applications can instantly connect product enquiries with store locations.

Social media offers a cheap and convenient way to share special offers, and many brands are using social media to gauge consumer sentiment.

QR codes are getting a new lease on life as more businesses make their websites mobile friendly.

In the latest emerging technology news, ANZ has announced its smartphone payment system will be going live early in the year. According to BuddeComm, Australian online shopping sales will total a whopping $25 billion in 2015.

Infinite data centres will power predictive analytics As silicon chips get smaller and more efficient, data centres are able to fit more capacity into the same floor space and reduce overall CPU idle time. This gives birth to the ‘infinite’ data centre, where there is no readily defined limit on how much computing power can potentially be packed into each square metre. In 2015, this new technology will help to drive down the cost of on-demand software and put the power of predictive analytics in the hands of more SMBs. Is your business riding the wave, or still getting to grips with last year’s technology?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bret Davis has been in the photocopy industry for as long as he can remember, he knows that to keep up with business today the photocopy industry has to recreate itself to include everything for document storage both paper and digital, and that is exactly what they have done.

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A world with computerized clerical… Impossible?

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1300 249 992 | www.bbcdigital.com.au 36 ISSUE 71

When you hear the song call 1300 468 911

hot91 .com.au for the full song list!

monday 20th april

tuesday 21st april

Wednesday 22nd april

thursday 23rd april

Friday 24th april

8am

Katy Perry – Firework

Milky Chance – Stolen Dance

Mark Ronson feat Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk

Pink – So what

10am

INXS – One Thing

Meghan Trainor – All About That Bass

Hooters – And we danced

12am

Pink – Just Give Me a Reason

Madden Brothers – We Are Done

2Pm

Sheppard - Geromino

4Pm

Bruno mars – Just The Way You Are

monday 27th april

tuesday 28th april

Wednesday 29th april

Echo Smith – Cool Kids Pharrel Williams Happy

Jessica Mauboy – Can I get a moment

Jessie J feat BOB – Price Tag

Robbie Williams – Rock Dj

Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud

Duran Duran – Hungry like the wolf

Hozier – Take me to church

Sheppard – Let me down easy

Taylor Swift – Shake it off

Bruce Springsteen – dancing in the dark

Taylor Swift - Style

Daft Punk - Lucky

Belinda Carlisle – Summer Rain

Calvin Harris feat Ellie Goulding - Outside

Kenny Loggins Footloose

Birds of Tokyo - Plans

Ellie Goulding – love me like you do

B52’s – Love Shack

Taylor Swift – Blank Space

James Bay – Hold back Tom Jones - Kiss the river

Ed Sheeran - Sing

Train – Drops of Jupiter

Sara Bareilles - Brave

Magic! - Rude

Taio Cruz - Dynamite

David Guetta ft.

Sam Martin – Lovers on the sun

Pink - So What

thursday 30th of april

Friday 1st of may

monday 4th of may

tuesday 5th of may

Wednesday 6th of may

thursday 7th of may

Friday 8th of may

8am

Mr Probz - Waves

Mike Posner – Cooler than me

Peking Duk – Take me over

Yolanda be cool – Sugar Man

Avicii – The Days

Cash Cash feat Bebe Rexha – Take me home

Justice Crew – Que Sera

10am

MKTO - Classic

Lily Allen – Not Fair

Pat Benatar – Love is a battlefield

Pink - Try

Kim Wilde – You keep me hanging one

5 Seconds of Summer – She looks so perfect

Nico & Vinz – Am I wrong

12Pm

Sia - Chandeliar

Katrina & The Waves – Walking on Sunshine

Santana feat Rob Thomas - Smooth

Dave Dobbyn – Slice of heaven

Sia – Elastic Heart

Calvin Harris feat Haim – Pray to God

Bon Jovi – Livin’ on a prayer

2Pm

U2 – Pride (In the name of love)

Robbie Williams - Angels

Van Halen - Jump

Black Keys – Lonely Boy

Clean Bandit feat Jess Glynne – Real Love

Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams

Avicii – Hey Brother

4Pm

OMI - Cheerleader

Veronicas – You ruin me

Rihanna – Don’t stop the music

Charli XCX – Boom Clap

Maroon 5 - Sugar

Meghan Trainor – Lips are moving

Lenny Kravitz – Are you gonna go my way

BUSINESS MATTERS 37

carmel’s car chat

with Carmel Fulton, Pacific Motor Group

Two, Four or All? Confused about which Drive Train you need in your new car? 2WD, 4WD or AWD? The Drive Train can be one of the most confusing aspects to purchasing a new car and the final decision is 100 per cent dependent on your lifestyle.

The options here are two wheel drive (2WD), four wheel drive (4WD) and all wheel drive (AWD).

2WD is easy, so let’s deal with that one first. These models only have a front differential (front wheel drive) or a rear differential (rear wheel drive) but not both. This would account for a majority of the cars on the road and is the preferred option if you are only doing suburban driving.

4WD vehicles have both a front and rear differential (hence all four wheels have drive) and they have the ability to ‘lock in’ both the front and rear via a centre differential. This style of vehicle is designed primarily for the serious off-roader who wants to go on the beach or on tough tracks.

AWD is very similar to 4WD but they don’t have the centre differential to lock in the front and rear. This system was designed primarily as a safety feature because with power (drive) being sent to all four wheels, the car will be much more stable on the road. The downside to this may be that the fuel economy is a little worse than a 2WD vehicle because the engine has to work harder.

Carmel Fulton is a Concierge for Pacific Jaguar Land Rover, she is passionate about motoring and understands the importance of meeting her clients’ professional and personal needs when walking into the new Jaguar Land Rover Showroom at Maroochydore.

5458 9786 // www.pacificmotorgroup.com.au

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Recruitment Induction Policies and Procedures Performance Management Terminations And anything your HR team would do

Email Sandra now at info@myhrmanager.net.au to receive your FREE HR Compliance checklist to ascertain your starting point and check if you are on track.

CALL NOW on 0406 774 062 or email info@myhrmanager.net.au to find out more 38 ISSUE 71

Do you want to get noticed?

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LOCALS

IN

BUSINESS AND LIFE

NAME: COMPANY:

Stuart Excell The Fryer of Whitby Traditional British fish and chip shop in the Brightwater Estate in Mountain Creek. British favourites including North Atlantic cod and haddock, pies, pasties, black and white pudding and ye olde Scottish favourite, haggis. We have fresh cut chips as you remember from many years ago, all cut, prepared and cooked on the premises.

PHONE: 07 5438 8058 COMPANY: F45 Training Mooloolaba F45 Training Mooloolaba is a unique group fitness facility with a genuine holistic approach to achieving results. Using functional exercises, F45 can cater for all levels of fitness from non-gym goers to professional athletes - all in the same session. Session types range from high intensity cardio, strength training, core strength and boxing and change every single day.

VISIT: www.f45training.com.au/mooloolaba

HPM Accountants welcome Allison Brown to the team Call and mention Business Matters for an obligation free meeting to discuss your business and accounting needs pre 30 June!

• Review and improve your tax position before 30 June • Business advice • Xero and cloud based solutions • Self-managed Superannuation Funds • We are passionate about business, cloud solutions and client education • A fresh approach to the accounting industry, the visit to the accountants’ office is now an enjoyable one

“HPM are often my sounding board to initiatives I consider implementing and our regular business planning sessions help keep me honest with myself about my business.” A Griffiths

1300 77 13 93 | www.hpmaccountants.com.au BUSINESS MATTERS 39

NAME: COMPANY:

Sandra King My Human Resources Manager My Human Resources Manager is a local business providing an affordable service to businesses to outsource their human resources tasks e.g. recruitment, policy and procedures, training, performance management and terminations. Alternatively, a business can engage one of our skilled HR mentors to set up their own internal compliant HR function.

Simplifying HR! PHONE: 0406 774 062

Tamara Cross and Michael McManus

CFO OUTSOURCE A key part of our model is working as part of your team focusing on financial reporting, operations, systems, and performance. We step into the gap between bookkeepers, external accountants and management to bring leading principles to your organisation.

THREE STRATEGIES FOR SOCIAL MEDIA SUCCESS 1. Do it regularly – post news, blogs and updates regularly and consistently. But, take the approach that you are going to positively contribute to the online community you are trying to reach. Don’t fall into the trap of being a ‘serial sharer’ who does nothing but re-distribute the thoughts and work of others without offering any of their own insights.

NAME: COMPANY:

Kim Wykes Skywise Skywise is a local cloud consulting firm specialising in Xero and other cloud solutions. Having used Xero in public practice accounting since 2007, Kim is one of the most experienced Xero specialists in Australia. Our aim for small businesses is to develop a seamless package of cloud solutions to meet all their business management needs. We provide conversion, training, bookkeeping and BAS services.

VISIT: www.skywise.com.au

LOCALS

IN

2. Keep it brief and relevant – people are time poor; use a 30 second video rather than a 1500 word essay. Keep it relevant on social, economic or political issues that people can relate to and if you can make someone laugh or cry in the process, then that’s a bonus.

3. Monitor your channels regularly - Most social media platforms have reasonably good monitoring functions for business users. Get to understand the significance of click-through and interaction rates, and benchmark your results against others where possible.

Look at what content is driving audience engagement.

0424 290 968 | www.cfooutsource.com.au

BUSINESS AND LIFE

REVIVAL CLINIC Revival Minyama and Peregian Beach. Operating since 2003.

Revival specialises in how to ‘Get Your Body Back’.

Advanced scientifically validated technology is utilised to help clients: • Reduce fat

NAME: COMPANY:

• Reshape their bodies

• Reduce the ‘difficult’ areas

• Develop strategies to Live Better, For Longer with preventative health strategies • Reduce cellulite • Increase energy

• Educate clients on how to improve their chances of living better, for longer.

Everything is non-toxic, non-invasive and pleasant. Debbie Chappell has been a natural health practitioner since 1992.

THREE STRATEGIES FOR SOCIAL MEDIA SUCCESS

Debbie Chappell

1. Post relevant content regularly. Light hearted but with a message is best.

2. Be conscious of peak traffic times. 7-9am, Noon-1pm, 4-6pm 3. Have your own blog that auto-publishes, also at peak times. www.revivalclinic.com.au

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NAME: COMPANY:

Mark Sheppard DFS Group DFS Group is a specialist development consultancy with expertise in town planning, landscape architecture, environmental services and liquor licensing. We use our broad range of expertise to achieve high quality development outcomes for our clients.

We love what we do and pride ourselves on our excellent working relationships with our clients, Council and State Government departments.

VISIT: www.dfsgroup.com.au

Michella Francis Venus Consulting Pty Ltd Has the productivity within your team decreased and the corporate culture is not what it used to be? Did you know, that research indicates that having to replace an employee will cost you at least $10,000? We pride ourselves in valuable seminars which will increase productivity, reduce mental health issues and increase your bottom line.

PHONE: 1300 30 40 18

LOCALS

IN

BUSINESS AND LIFE

NAME: COMPANY:

NAME: Ben Hammond & Ted Russell COMPANY: Bliss Mobile Mechanics A local business providing a mechanical service that comes to you rather than traditional based servicing in a workshop. Our goal is to change your perception of mechanics, and make your life a little easier PHONE: 07 5325 1120

NAME: COMPANY:

Tania Barton Hobbits Knob Cat Retreat We aim to provide a unique, prestigious cat boarding facility which promotes optimal health and wellbeing to cats, with peace of mind to owners by soaring above and beyond the standard expectations. We offer individualised, personal care to cats by a qualified, professional, passionate team.

VISIT: www.catretreat.com.au

Mark Charge Smile IT Smile IT provides proactive monitoring, cloud system integrations and migrations, and support. If you’re using outdated technologies or labour intensive processes, they’ll give you technology that keeps you smiling! They have a well-established, proven approach to technology that puts you in control of your business. Find out how your business can benefit from smiling!

PHONE: 0434 257 545

Are you looking to: Improve cash flow and profitability in your business?

Streamline your processes? and Collaborate with your team, advisors are? bookkeeper from wherever you to the cloud!

Then it’s time to take your business Kim Wykes is one of the most experienced Xero specialists in Australia, she can work with you to get the most out of Xero - doing the books isn’t just about tax time, knowing your numbers can help your business succeed.

Find out more about Xero at a FREE information evening on: Monday 18th May 2015 5:30-7:30pm At ‘Share Space’ Shop 3, 22 Beach Road Maroochydore Register on our website www.skywise.com.au or email theteam@skywise.com.au Ph 07 5473 9073 | 0416 006 723 BUSINESS MATTERS 41

Attract new customers into your business using Bartercard.

No joining fee 100% sales guarantee

Bartercard reduces expenses and conserves cash across a great range of services while filling spare capacity. I’ve been trading for more than 15 years, and it can actually be quite fun to earn money you wouldn’t otherwise have, then look at what you can spend it on!

Dr Pat Hannan

- Ocean Orthodontics

Call Bartercard today!

1300 BARTER bartercard.com.au/packages 42 ISSUE 71

Bartercard helps us to turn empty tables into profits! We’ve saved a great deal of cash with setting up and running our restaurants and we’ve attracted new customers. Bartercard has given us an edge in the marketplace.

Luke and Katrina Bartlett - Forty-five 51 Restaurant

InstaLife

LifeMattersMagazine

#LifeMatters #BecauseLifeMatters #SocialMediaStrategies

BUSINESS MATTERS 43

STRONG IS

THE NEW SEXY

YOU’D BE FORGIVEN FOR THINKING THAT THERE’S SOMETHING IN THE WATER AT INVIGR8 HEALTH CLUB 24/7, MARCOOLA.

family’, getting behind them so much, they probably wouldn’t have come so far.

Not one but six ‘strong and sexy’ members and trainers will be competing on 24 May at the 2015 INBA Brisbane Classic (International Natural Bodybuilding Association).

Debbie Holland, another member of the gym, wanted to help people realise their potential and show them that it’s all about mindset. If she could do it, as a single mum, starting from rock bottom then anybody could!

Kylie Dexter, Kerri Griffiths, Kellie Howard, Debbie Holland, Sarah McConville and Sarah Hansen have challenged themselves physically and emotionally with total determination and pride and have inspired the entire club and its members with their focus and courage.

Kellie Howard, a PT at the gym also decided to join the girls.

She wanted to show her clients that as a working mum of four, you can train for something like this and juggle it all successfully. Sarah McConville, also a PT at the gym offered them support and knowledge as she has previously competed in her first INBA in May 2014, which placed her in the top 8.

Kylie Dexter always dreamed of competing but never thought she could do it. At the same time, Kerri Griffiths had just completed an Eight Week Challenge at Invigr8 and won. So as support to Kylie and as well as testing how far she could push herself physically and mentally, decided to go for it too. They all agree that if they didn’t have Invigr8 Gym, ‘their second

The team at Invigr8 have thoroughly reveled in watching the girls transform over the past six months and can’t wait to see them shine on stage at the end of May. They would welcome and encourage any other aspiring women out there wanting to follow in their footsteps to contact them for details on how to get started.

Invigr8 Health Club 24/7 Ph: 5448 8890 www.invigr8.com.au

Qualified accountant specialising in bookkeeping

LOOKING TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY FROM YOURSELF AND YOUR TEAM?

 Registered BAS agent  Payroll & PAYG  Xero Certified Partner MYOB & QuickBooks  Accounting software setups  Mobile service

Flexi Fit Training is the productivity catalyst specialising in group fitness, yoga, massage and lifestyle workshops all facilitated within the walls of your office.

John Pickering, the accountant who is passionate about bookkeeping.

Call John Pickering on BookkeePing and aCCounting ServiCeS

The accountant specialising in bookkeeping

0401 717 630

Julianna Garrard 0408 615 202

flexifittraining@gmail.com www.facebook.com/FlexiFitTraining

FLEXI FIT TRAINING

www.flexifittraining.com

V.I.S.A. boasts a 99% success rate for our clients’ visa applications Talk to us about all Australian Migration visas including:

Professional advice explained in terms you will understand.

 Student visas  General Skilled Migration  Employer Sponsored Migration  Temporary Working visas  Business visas  Family visa stream

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MENTION THIS ADVERTISEMENT AND RECEIVE A MIGRATION ASSESSMENT (45 mins) AT OUR DISCOUNTED RATE OF $88.00 (inc GST).

44 ISSUE 71

0407 930 929 sue@visa.net.au

www.visa.net.au

Catering for business meetings and groups, parties and celebrations 19 Caloundra St, Landsborough Phone 54399555

Technology and coffee the

‘SECRET WEAPONS’ to work/life balance

Running three IT businesses, consulting to international law firms, assisting local charities and still having a life sounds exhausting but one Sunshine Coast woman has done it, and managed to write a book about it too.

After 21 years of being asked ‘how do you do it?’

Michelle Hamer has released a book full of tips and tricks for start-up businesses in relation to her secret weapon for success: technology.

“It’s my secret weapon to getting through the volume of work I do. It’s my PA, my answering machine, my memory, and it’s always with me,” said Michelle.

Her book, Technology Made Simple For Start-Up Businesses, combines her love for good-quality coffee and her passion for technology together. Michelle believes that over the past 21 years she has been in business, many of her great decisions

were made over a cup of coffee, so she invites the reader to grab a cup of coffee at different stages throughout the book.

Michelle runs three technology businesses that provide services such as training on a variety of PC desktop applications, providing consultancy services in relation to the setup of computer environments and assisting clients to develop their technology strategies.

She also recently joined the Balance by Deborah Hutton team as their technology consultant.

The book was officially launched on Wednesday 22 April. Books are available in e-book format or hard copy. For more information please visit www.smartavice.com.au or contact author, Michelle Hamer, Director of Smart Advice on mobile 0412 588 062.

COMMENCEMENT OF PRACTICE It is with great pleasure that Robin Kerr together with the staff at Integrated Pelvic Physiotherapy welcome Dr Alice Mackenzie to our team! Dr Mackenzie brings to the clinic her bubbly personality, along with intense dedication and a significant depth of knowledge in her areas of special professional interest.

She has a special interest in: • Women’s health • Men’s health • Pre and post-surgical care • Pelvic floor dysfunction • Lumbo-pelvic dysfunction • Pre and postnatal women Dr Mackenzie is the creator of the “Bump to Bub” antenatal and postnatal care system.

Taking you from Bump to Bub Ph: (07) 5441 4764 Email: info@ipphysio.com www.ipphysio.com BUSINESS MATTERS 45

local business

with Michael Shadforth, Ray White Commercial North Coast Central

Fluidity and Openness Key to Evolvement Five years ago, the general consensus would have been that social media was a reserve solely for individuals looking to connect with friends and family on a personal level – how things have rapidly changed!

The advancement of technology and online platforms have forced businesses to adapt to current trends in social media marketing and advertising, or risk getting left behind their competitors who embrace it.

Businesses are refining marketing approaches to more direct channels and understanding it’s more important to utilise a couple of social media platforms and use them extremely well, rather than having a scattered strategy with no real funnel metrics in place or way to determine attributes.

As social media platforms evolve – like Facebook’s ‘pay to promote’ advertising revenue stream – so too does the way a business measures the success of the strategy and the return on investment. Whereas once a metric was the number of clicks acquired, now it is the number of offers redeemed or sales conversions.

Businesses are learning to measure and review clients and customers engagement to determine their current and future behaviours. Commentaries are invaluable for obtaining direct feedback on satisfaction, predicting future market trends, as well as for keeping up to date on what competitors are doing.

Businesses are now more transparent than they have ever been online and it is something that can be harnessed advantageously to build on or develop a social media strategy as trends evolve.

An article featured in The Guardian newspaper last year stated ‘Research suggests by 2017, video will account for 69 per cent of all consumer Internet traffic’. With new social media platforms presented to the market, ongoing smart business practice is to identify and roll out a social media strategy that allows for continuous review, and importantly, fluidity and openness to evolvement and change.

Michael Shadforth is President of the Sunshine Coast Chamber of Commerce and Innovation Queensland (CCIQ), President of the Caloundra Chamber of Commerce and Managing Director of Ray White Commercial North Coast Central.

1300 25 50 75 // www.raywhitecommercialnorthcoastcentral.com

Nominate now for Queensland Tourism Awards 2015 For the past 30 years the Queensland Tourism Awards have acknowledged and celebrated Queensland’s highest achievers in the tourism industry.

Council will conduct a number of workshops during June at Kawana and Montville to demonstrate how to write effective award submissions.

Council is once again supporting this event by encouraging Sunshine Coast tourism operators to nominate for the 2015 awards.

For more information about the Queensland Tourism Awards visit www.queenslandtourismawards.com.au

Businesses must nominate for an award by Monday 18 May 2015, however written submissions can be lodged until 17 August.

www.business.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au 46 ISSUE 71

Business Matters ......

BUT LIFE MATTERS TOO! Relax and enjoy a three day escape to your own South Pacific Paradise Resort right here in Noosaville our beautiful Sunshine Coast.

Enjoy your two bedroom ground floor apartment with the four swimming pools, two spas, sauna, tennis courts, bbq area.

Choose a package to suit your needs: DOUBLE Pamper Romantic Getaway : Arrive Friday at 2pm to a champagne goodie basket including nibbles and chocolate, Saturday enjoy a couples massage on site in the luxurious day spa.

Relax in the heated spa, detox your body in the sauna. Sit back by one of the four tropical pools and enjoy your getaway. Check out late Sunday or stay the night to enjoy the Sunday afternoon life on- site music by the bar.

Pamper for her – All of the above with the massage for one.

3 night Getaway weekend – Arrive Friday after 2pm, leave anytime Monday. Accommodation Only 2 night – Arrive Friday after 2pm, leave AM Sunday.

Accommodation Only

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Prices start from just $320

Contact us for more information and pricing on 0408 751 863

WWW.PAGOPAGONOOSA.COM.AU BUSINESS MATTERS 47

Water

is the driving force of nature’

Leonardo Da Vinci

BY ANDREW DUDEK Imagine having an instant hand wash literally wherever in the world you are and whenever you needed one.

Imagine luxuriating under a long hot shower despite being nowhere near any bath facilities or electricity.

And imagine having the freedom to manifest these opportunities, anytime, anywhere, and instantly, by simply...reaching into your own pocket!

Such are the wondrous possibilities now available to everyone in the world - thanks to the forthcoming launch of SpaTap - the world’s first eco-friendly, pocket sized, ‘one size fits all’, unbreakable, go anywhere, lifesaving, water rationing, shower and tap!

SpaTap’s design brilliance and innovation emphatically stepped out of the realms of imagination this year and into the world of reality; winning first prize (Gold) at the 2015 Water4Africa Standard Bank Awards and in doing so, beating a worldwide field of over 470 contestants.

The ‘SpaTap story’, and more particularly the story of Stuart Mason, its Sunshine Coast inventor and director, is a rollicking tale of vision, dogged determination, inspiration, passion and a ‘never say die’ attitude, coupled with an unshakeable resolve that his invention is not only a device every person on Earth would benefit from but actually a paradigm changing revolution in the way water is rationed, dispensed and utilised.

Stuart’s background, running eco-friendly events and witnessing first hand suffering and death while working with aid organisations Oxfam and Medicine Sans Frontiers, was the powerful catalyst which compelled him to do something, anything to fix the problems.

Stuart says, “The figures are truly disturbing. Lack of potable water causes the death of five million people annually and it’s totally avoidable! It’s a known fact that half of these are children, and that’s one child dying through lack of clean water every twelve seconds.”

Already, Stuart’s humanitarian spirit has seen shipments of SpaTap delivered to cyclone ravaged Vanuatu and several schools in Kenya desperately needing access to water. At the Endeavour Foundation in Maroochydore, a dedicated team of SpaTap assemblers are in gainful and grateful employment.

Also on the Sunshine Coast, a slow but tantalising revelation is emerging - the SpaTap’s potential to dramatically enhance the recreational and lifestyle sectors, most likely in a way never before seen in Australia or the world.

The SpaTap’s uses are necessarily universal; basically, anyone needing water on tap...needs a SpaTap!

48 ISSUE 71

The applications in the outdoors/recreational sector are indeed mind-boggling, but here are a few: At the beach, camping, golfing, fishing, boating, BBQing and outdoor cooking, motoring, hiking, gardening...it’s limited only by one’s imagination.

“When I visit the beach with my family I can wash all the saltwater and sand away off of all of us with only a 1.5 litre bottle of water, and to make it even more luxurious I just leave the bottle on my car dashboard and in under an hour we have a lovely hot shower; we can even clean the surfboards off, now that’s water saving at it best”, he says.

More excitement beckons on the horizon. A full ‘rainbow suite’ of seven colours is now approaching market release.

Water heaters, filters and distillers will one day soon complement the SpaTap’s water sanitation potential.

Benefits to the environment? Each SpaTap fitted to any discarded bottle (which would therefore be destined for waste) is of course one less bottle in the landfill, one less bottle in our marine environment; such is the SpaTap’s brilliant ability to ‘upcycle’ or repurpose the millions of bottles which otherwise end up as pollution.

There’s a buzz in the Sunshine Coast air; Stuart has been approached to appear on ‘Dragon’s Den’ in the UK. High level national and international retail chains are in earnest negotiations for large scale rollouts. ‘Mrs Australia World’ Sarah-Rose Sellars, is in discussions to be the face and ambassador of SpaTap as she continues her drive to become crowned ‘Mrs World’ in November.

Stuart says, “I would so dearly love the whole Sunshine Coast to warmly and proudly embrace the SpaTap. To know that we can truly achieve all and anything we set our hearts and minds on” as he reflects from his humble Mount Coolum office.

We hear you, and we congratulate you Mr Mason... and the whole world is now watching this space!

To join the SpaTap ‘lifestyle and humanitarian revolution in health, hygiene and humanity’ visit www.spatap.com, watch our videos, and like us on Facebook!

For a Chance to Win Please enter the SpaTap/Business Matters competition.

Simply complete the following: ‘After hearing about SpaTap in Business Matters and watching the SpaTap videos, I think the SpaTap would be an excellent device in my life and for all Australians because…’

Email your entry to: win@spatap.com Five entrants will win a SpaTap !

LIFE MATTERS 49

t c e f f e s d a o l r e v o Could toxin ? s e n o m r o h d n a your sleep, mood

! n a c y l e t u l o They abs

by Jodi Chapman, havioural Centre Advanced Wellness & Be

Case Study A 39 year old female patient suffered with eight years of severe depression, panic attacks, chronic fatigue, insomnia, weight gain, and hypoglycaemic symptoms.

These included nausea, shaking, weakness and fainting every two hours, unless food was ingested to stabilise the blood sugar. All blood testing showed normal blood sugar levels, with no diagnosis of hypoglycaemia. Metabolic profiling and toxic markers were tested to find high levels of styrene toxicity with a symptom description range of dizziness, lightheadedness, headache, drowsiness, nausea, impaired balance, fatigue, depression and anxiety. Treatment for detoxification began with symptom relief within four months of correct diagnosis.

If you have any concerns, you’re welcome to discuss testing options such as thorough food analysis, metabolic profiling and environmental toxicity, with the team at Advanced Wellness.

50 ISSUE 71

What do these debilitating conditions all have in common?

• Fatigue or Insomnia • Depression or Anxiety Attacks • Chemical or Food Sensitivities • Weight Gain or Loss • Bloating, Digestive Pain or Constipation • Hormonal Imbalance or Cancers Suffering these symptoms may lead to further chronic illness

In today’s western culture, being exposed to toxic substances is inevitable, creating havoc with your health and mental wellbeing. Toxic substances from the environment or in your diet can impact your mood and energy almost immediately, creating a reaction for up to 24 hours, or they can build up to cause years of ill health, depression, anxiety, and chronic disease. The liver comes into play when you consume anything of a toxic nature to your system, and can be very different for every individual. During this time, enzymes and nutrients required by the liver for detoxification are used in excessive levels in this system, disrupting sleep, mood, digestion, and energy, where these enzymes are also necessary. Your liver is designed to process these toxins and have them excreted from your body, however, problems develop when the toxic load becomes too much, and disease processes begin. This can be treated, and eradicated, by supplying the liver with the extra boost it needs, and putting in a little effort to make a few changes in your home, to stop the cycle.

What to avoid?

�

Pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides are endocrine disruptors, known as xenoestrogens, causing oestrogen dominance conditions such as breast, prostate and testicular cancer, obesity, infertility, endometriosis, early onset puberty, miscarriages and diabetes. Include organic fresh fruit and vegetables, herbs and spices, and hormone-free meats where possible. When choosing foods that are not organic, avoid the dirty dozen: apples, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, hot peppers, nectarines, peaches, potatoes, spinach, strawberries, sweet bell peppers; and include the clean 15: asparagus, avocados, cabbage, cantaloupe, sweet corn, eggplant, grapefruit, kiwi, mangoes, mushrooms, onions, papayas, pineapples, sweet peas (frozen), and sweet potatoes.

�

Preservatives affect up to 65 per cent of the population with reactions such as fluid retention, weight gain, irritability, headaches, migraines, asthma, sinus, hives, rapid heart rate and sometimes anaphylaxis. Most commonly used in wine, beer, soft drinks, diet products, dried fruits, bottled sauces such as fish or soy sauces, balsamic vinegar, seafood, minced meat and sausages, though can be added to almost anything. Always check the label.

�

Alcohol, drug use, medications, and even food allergens or intolerances will trigger a response that can last from hours to days. Allergy testing can be of great benefit, and there are many types of tests available, some better than others. Speak to your practitioner about your choices first. The more toxic your liver, the stronger your food sensitivities respond.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jodi Chapman BHSc is a qualified Nutritionist and Naturopath specialising in the field of optimal performance for mental and physical energy, particularly recovery from depression, anxiety and ADHD.

�

Skin care with parabens and chemical sunscreens all have a xenoestrogenic effect include makeup, soaps, shampoo and conditioner, body wash, moisturiser, and facial products. All of these chemicals increase your risk of liver toxicity, hormonal imbalance, or some types of cancers. Choose mineral organic makeup, which is commonly available, and choose natural zinc sunscreens, which are chemical-free and just as effective.

�

Plastics such as non BPA-free bottles, can leach plastic substances into your food. Avoid heating or freezing foods in plastic containers, and drinking hot liquids from styrofoam cups. Always use glass bottles or ceramics for cooking or for your water. Avoid using cling wraps, especially in heating food, microwaving also should be avoided.

�

Household cleaners, such as bleach, dishwashing liquid, spray cleaners, and laundry powders are also very toxic and hormonal disruptors. There are many healthier choices now available in the supermarkets.

�

Styrene and xylene found in paints and solvents, toluene from automotive sources, phthalates and benzenes found in personal care products and phthalates found in any scented items such as air fresheners, candles, and plastic items, are all detrimental to your nervous system and endocrine system. Conditions affecting your nervous system, such as mental health disorders, severe depression, anxiety and panic attacks, and hormonal imbalances and disorders, not to mention all kinds of cancers can be produced due to these overloads.

Phone 5443 1987 / 44 Baden Powell St, Maroochydore info@advancedwellness.com.au www.advancedwellness.com.au

LIFE MATTERS 51

IT’S A CATS LIFE...

at Hobbits Knob Cat Retreat ‘DOGS HAVE OWNERS BUT CATS HAVE STAFF’ IS A QUOTE THAT ANY CAT LOVER WOULD KNOW AND AFTER A VISIT TO HOBBITS KNOB CAT RETREAT YOU COULD BE FORGIVEN FOR THINKING THAT THIS FELINE PARADISE WAS ITS SOURCE AND INSPIRATION. FROM THE MOMENT YOU ARRIVE, THE PEACEFULNESS AND TRANQUILLITY OF THIS NINE ACRE PROPERTY ARE THE FIRST THINGS YOU EXPERIENCE. ENCOMPASSED BY BEAUTIFUL TREES AND SUNSHINE, THE PURPOSE BUILT, ELEVATED BUILDING IS NOTHING SHORT OF A FIVE STAR HOME FOR YOUR BELOVED KITTY. LIFE MATTERS CAUGHT UP WITH THE CREATOR AND OWNER TANIA BARTON TO FIND OUT WHY, AT HOBBITS KNOB, IT IS VERY MUCH ‘A CATS LIFE’.

We asked Tania how it all began. “I had an obsession with scrolling through the Sunshine Coast property guide, and a boring, untold story of a little three line ad grabbed my attention.

The moment I drove up the driveway for an inspection, my head was spinning with ideas and I knew this is the place where all my dreams could come true. My vision, (although not as amazing as the one we have created) was so clear that I couldn’t leave the property without signing on the dotted line. The property name was ‘Hobbits Knob’, creatively carved in a sign amongst the vegetation on the front of the property, given by the previous owner combining her nickname and the geographic outlook, so we decided to keep it.”

When Ivan and I were only 21, I got a great offer to be a caretaker at a Dog Boarding Kennel and Cattery, where I worked seven days a week morning and afternoon and was a Vet Nurse during the middle of the day. I was so in love with my life and the animals that we decided to continue my ‘cat motel’ dream and would spend endless hours drawing plans of our dream cattery. During the next six years we both worked extremely hard in each of our jobs, we got Ivan’s Builder’s licence and we were able to save enough money to purchase our land, put an extensive Material Change of Use into the Council for

a licence, and for Ivan to build our dream. When we were only 29, we officially opened the doors to Hobbits Knob Cat Retreat, with my daughter Tiger-Lily only three months old at the time.

Behind every successful business is a successful team.

Tania says, “Our team are our biggest asset for both our cats and clients simply adore them. When I employ new staff, my most important attribute is their passion, not only for cats, but for life. Working at Hobbits Knob Cat Retreat isn’t just a job, this is their passion, and spending their days with cats is considered normal and they consider themselves extremely fortunate to have such a position. I have four long term staff members and two new members of the team. They all have their own hobbies and interests outside of Hobbits Knob Cat Retreat which gives a balanced work and lifestyle as well as bringing skills and knowledge to their work environment.

Hobbits Knob Cat Retreat will now be offering a drop off and collection service! We are in the process of finalising the paperwork with a number of Veterinary Clinics from Caloundra to Noosa and the Hinterland where they will become our safe drop off and collection point for cats wishing to come to the cattery. We also have some very exciting ventures coming up, but I cannot share the details at this point.

Hobbits Knob retreat is very affordable with five levels of accommodation to choose from catering for the budget conscious to the very long term stays. They personalise every quote according to the cat’s needs and personality as to which type of accommodation would suit. Sometimes the biggest, most expensive suite may not suit a particular cat. On offer is an all-inclusive service from individualised care and attention to premium diet and cuddle time, play time and exercise to clean comfortable bedding. Tania and the team understand the emotions of leaving behind a loved one in someone else’s care, but their passionate, professional, caring team are there to help.

Phone 5478 9882 | www.catretreat.com.au

52 ISSUE 71

YOUR BODY MATTERS

BY DEBBIE CHAPPELL, REVIVAL CLINIC

Fat Loss or Weight Loss?

Around 70 per cent of Australians are overweight or obese.

Yes, we have recently taken over as the fattest country on the planet. That’s one gold medal we can do without.

To do the right thing for our body, we need to understand the difference between weight loss and fat loss. We are so obsessed by what the scales show us. We really need to pay a lot more attention to our measurements and our fat percentage.

After all girls, if you had a body like Elle McPherson and weighed 100kg, would you care? Of course not.

So FAT LOSS is the main goal.

We need a scientific approach to be successful. The failure of a typical ‘diet’ where the main focus is calorie control is that you lose both fat and muscle. Since muscle is a major component of our metabolism and it burns about 10 times the energy that fat does, we don’t want to lose any of it. Unfortunately, many lose five kilos which is comprised of three kilos of fat and two kilos of muscle.

When the weight goes back on it is five kilos of fat so the net position is much worse than before the diet.

A successful fat loss eating plan will stimulate the metabolism, quickly reduce fat, maintain or build lean muscle and educate on how to make better lifestyle choices. The system also needs to be easy to comply with and comfortable to follow without hunger.

To do the right thing for our body, we need to understand the difference between weight loss and fat loss. We are so obsessed by what the scales show us. We really need to pay a lot more attention to our measurements and our fat percentage.

TIME TO GET YOUR BODY BACK? SPECIAL OFFER (normally $187) *New clients only

$49*

OFFER INCLUDES: • Relaxing and painless focused light therapy for fat and cellulite reduction • Papilio Fat Burning Session • Body Composition Assessment Scientifically proven approaches to fat loss, cellulite reduction and body shaping. Unique services to Sunshine Coast.

www.revival.net.au MINYAMA

5477 5788

Floor 1, 15 Nicklin Way Minyama

PEREGIAN BEACH

5471 2288

2/12 Grebe St Peregian Beach

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Debbie Chappell has been a multidisciplinary natural health practitioner since 1992 specialising in cellulite reduction, fat management and preventative nutrition. She founded Revival in 2003 and is devoted to helping people live better, for longer.

LIFE MATTERS 53

SKIN MATTERS

BY JESSICA LUISE BOLLINGTON, SKIN BY JESSICA LUISE

Keep your skin fit this winter!

Winter is quickly descending upon us and most of us would feel like we are getting a little dried out and tired looking. Here are nine tips to keep yourself looking fab through the Winter months!

WE WELCOME DR ZAC TO SKIN.

1. Take a look at your nutrition. Make sure you are having enough essential fatty acids and drinking enough water.

Providing in depth consultations, injectables and skin treatment advice. Aesthetically Dr Zac feels that a natural look is best and believes in a less is more approach.

2. Start a course of skin peels particularly peels that contain lactic acid, which can be extremely plumping and hydrating.

Dr Zac is at the top of his field and is sought after to train other doctors in his industry. To arrange an appointment call the clinic today 5452 7121. Limited consultations available and bookings are essential.

3. Avoid cleansers with sodium laurel sulphate as this particular ingredient can dehydrate the skin further.

LASER TECH HAIR REMOVAL

4. Avoid exfoliating with facial scrubs that do not have perfect sphered exfoliating beads in them. Using scrubs of another nature may cause micro scratches on the surface of the skin contributing to further dehydration and can also allow in unwanted bacteria.

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5. Seek professional advice from your skin therapist. Your therapist should give you a skin care routine to use at home to suit not only your skin type but your skin’s current condition.

6. Don’t forget sun protection! It may not be summer but UVA and UVB are just as damaging!

Prevention is better and easier than cure.

7. Go get your skin checked by a medical professional for sun spots and moles. This will give you a point of reference and you should always check for any changes in sunspots, moles and freckles.

8. Use an eye cream and a lip balm! We don’t have oil glands on these areas. They easily get dry and dehydrated in the winter months and can look fatigued, not to mention the fine lines that can be pronounced.

9. Get yourself a great sleep-in treatment mask.

It’s often easier to commit to using a mask if you don’t have to wash it off after 15 minutes.

YOUR SKIN MATTERS

When it comes to non-surgical face lifts and skin firming, radio

frequency is giving results in the areas of fine lines, wrinkles, ABOUT THE AUTHOR

sagging contours, acne scarring and post-baby belly tightening.

Jessica Luise Bollington is an extremely passionate After a treatment course, the best results are observed six beauty therapist, whomonths has over a decade of experience post-treatment, once collagen has fully matured. Further in the beauty industry.improvements Over the can years Jessica has be made by incorporating skin treatment laser technology. successfully managedpeels, an microdermabrasion award-winningormedi spa,

and has trained and worked alongside therapists both nationally and internationally. Skin is one of her greatest WEtheWELCOME passions and she loves challenge of Skin Analysis, DR ZAC in salon treatment program writingTO andSKIN. advising her Providing in depth consultations, injectables clients on how they can change their skin at home.

54 ISSUE 71

and skin treatment advice. Aesthetically Dr Zac feels that a natural look is best and believes in a less is more approach.

Dr Zac is at the top of his field and is sort after to train

Break the routine!

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Free consultation – results can last 5 years!

Face $250* or Face and Neck $285* AFTER Normally priced from $550

Services Include: Laser Tech Super Hair Removal, Laser Tech Skin Rejuvenation, Rf Non-Surgical Face Lift, Ultrasonic Liposuction, Paramedical AFTERPeels, Facials, Waxing, BEFORE Microdermabrasion, Treatment Spray Tanning, Manicures and Pedicures, Shellac and Massage.

THE FRACTIONAL FACE LIFT NEW TREATMENT Completely non-invasive, and one of the most exciting new NOW OPEN ATSunshine 21 Ocean Street, Maroochydore. treatments on the Coast. The fractional facelift will make your skin lift, Phone improving5452 sagging 7121. contours of the face and neck, fine lines, wrinkles and scarring.

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visit www.skinbyjessicaluise.com.au Face $250* or Face and Neck $285* Normally priced from $550.

Services Include: Laser Tech Super Hair Removal,

SUSTAINABILIT Y MATTERS

BY CHRIS SLY, BUSH AND BEACH HOMES

Shade and Temperature Control A simple solution to Queensland’s hot summers Often it’s the simplest ideas that prove to be the most efficient and effective.

The amount of solar energy that beams down on Queensland is a huge contributor to the heavy load that conventional air conditioners and cooling systems have to carry. Add in the heat from electrical devices in the home such as computers, televisions and fridges and there is a lot of heat hitting the walls of your home from all sides.

Given how much heat is absorbed from direct sunlight, it makes sense to ease the burden on air conditioners by increasing the width of the eaves where appropriate to shade the walls. Shading techniques have the capacity to reduce the amount of solar radiation hitting a home by up to 90 per cent.

Verandahs, flyover roofs, fixed canopies, and shading hoods near living spaces are all ways which control the amount of sunlight to which your home is exposed.

Consider using lightweight materials, as they absorb and retain far less heat.

Create.

Escape.

Discover.

Bush and Beach ‘Greensmart’ homes combine environmentally friendly materials to form creative rooflines and facades that are perfectly at home in the Australian Bush or at the Beach. Wide verandas, eaves and flyover rooflines, combine with breezeways to provide passive heating and cooling year round. Expansive decks create the perfect space for outdoor kitchens enhancing the Australian lifestyle we all enjoy, also doubling as undercover play area for the children regardless of the heat or the rain.

Sloping Land?

Not a Problem for Bush and Beach Homes! If you’ve got a sloping block we’d love to hear from you, Bush and Beach Homes specialize in building on sloping land. Let us talk to you about all the great features and benefits and help you to work out what’s going to be best for both your needs and the requirements of your site.

“

Anne Robotham and Bruce Turnbull We approached Bush and Beach with our ‘must haves’, wish list and budget. We met them on-site and were overwhelmed by the Concept drawings they presented. These exceeded our expectations and surpassed what we had achieved with the original architects. What is more, the estimated build cost was very comfortably within our budget.

”

Some other general tips to consider are using lightweight materials, as they absorb and retain far less heat, and the use of light colors will also reduce heat absorption.

Sustainable building is achieved through a combination of cutting edge design principles and old-fashioned common sense solutions. Apply the principles and your home can be cool during summer, warm during winter with a minimum of cost – and your home will be a great place to come back to at the end of the day.

Our team of professional consultants and home builders will help you to get the best value out of your building budget.

For more information call today on

1300 329 033 visit bushandbeach.com.au or facebook.com/bushandbeach

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chris Sly – Managing Director – 30 years of experience in construction and management have equipped Chris to position Bush and Beach Homes as industry leaders in the category of Sustainable Homes. Bush and Beach success is all about their people, and together with fellow Director Mark Cruse they have assembled an exceptional team of skilled and experienced construction professionals capable of exceeding your dreams for your new home.

Drop in for a coffee and a chat about your requirements or schedule a free land consultation and discuss your ideas with one of our friendly and experienced design consultants.

LIFE MATTERS 55

MAKE UP MATTERS

BY DEE MCMAHON, AURA MAKEUP

100% Vegan / Cruelty Free Cosmetics

Start-Up Support for Students So you’ve finished your course in makeup, now what?

High-performance products of the highest quality for students, makeup artists & industry professionals Access to exclusive Artistry deals Lifetime discounts on cosmetics (proof of enrolment required) No-Annual Fee Gain real-life experience through our industry development program

Take the next step and set up your own business, create an online portfolio, update your social media profiles, apply for an A.B.N. and obtain industry discounts and benefits. There is help out there for you to get the tools that you need to develop your business, like being able to market yourself, and networking.

There are free membership programs designed to support makeup artists and students. As a student and makeup artist, you are eligible to join member discount programs that entitle you to receive exclusive life-time discounts on quality, professional products available.

Great tools are essential for great work Creating a professional makeup kit doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg when starting out and availing yourself of membership programs and industry discounts helps you put together a quality kit. Great tools are essential for great work and you want to use quality products that will help you achieve the high industry standards required in a competitive industry.

Tips to break into the business: • Seek opportunities to further your skills and stretch your talents • Apply for internships where possible, and learn from the best • Work at a makeup company – they offer in-house training which will add to your experience • Volunteer your services and grab every opportunity to try new products and develop your own style

Aura Makeup are dedicated to supporting the Makeup Artist Community For more information or to apply for your PRO Membership follow us on facebook.com/auramakeupAUS www.auramakeup.net Call us on 0423 324 456

As in any profession, success comes from staying focused and learning as much as you can about your chosen profession.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Founder, creator and co-owner of Aura Makeup, Dee McMahon has been specialising in makeup for over seven years. She has been behind the scenes of Fashion Weeks around the world and knows exactly what is expected from a cosmetics product. The creation of Aura Makeup, which is 100% Vegan and Cruelty Free, came from a strong passion to consciously create a makeup brand that could cater for the everyday woman, beauty enthusiast and professional makeup artist, as well as being gentle on the skin.

56 ISSUE 71

Cosmetics for the everyday woman & the professional makeup artist delivering high performance results on camera & your skin!

www.auramakeup.net Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/auramakeupAUS Find us on Instagram: auramakeupaus

PHOTOGRAPHY Surie Studios

MAKE UP Aura Make Up

HAIR Dustie – Studio Brisbane

EYEBROW MATTERS

BY SARAH CHAPMAN, ALLURE MEDI SPA & BEAUTY LOUNGE

Do you need to go to Brow Rehab?

The average lifespan of an eyebrow is four months Full brows are in, there is no doubt about it. But how can you achieve the perfect fullness for your face, without looking like Groucho Marx? To achieve thick, full brows, we suggest you consider going to a ‘brow rehab’! Whether your brows have been plucked away over time or vanishing due to hormonal changes, a great brow rehab program can work wonders!

A brow rehab program consists of many aspects, with a therapist who is committed to researching your hair patterns and customise a program unique for you. So what needs to be known about the anatomy of brows?

1. There’s a lot of hair to work with!

According to the Bosley hair transplant company, the average person has about 250 hairs per eyebrow. Some reports show that never-plucked brows can have as many as 1100!

2. Brows do have a lifespan The average lifespan of an eyebrow is four months, meaning the eyebrow hair will be in anagen phase for four months before it enters telogen (resting) phase and fall out.

To achieve thick, full brows, we suggest you consider going to a ‘brow rehab’!

3. Grey hair will happen... Age gracefully They eventually turn grey just like the rest of your hair, but thankfully, this generally occurs years after your head hair. The main point in this fact is DO NOT tweeze/pluck this hair! The best method is to trim the hair. Pulling one grey hair generally leads to pulling out another... and another... AND ANOTHER! 4. I have a gap!

Don’t despair! This may not be a permanent issue. The hair on your brows grows as individual strands rather than in the one-to-four-hair follicular unit grouping of scalp hair, so there are more follicles to work with.

WHAT IS BROW REHAB? Brow rehab is a 3 month programme in which you would attend the salon every 3 weeks for your brow rehabilitation and Allure Medi Spa & Beauty Lounge will recreate your brows to their original perfection.

WHO IS IT FOR? Allure Brow Rehab is perfect for anyone who is unhappy with their shape. Whether it’s been a case of overtweezing, incorrect shaping or poor nutrition leading to hormonal changes, the team at Allure, along with the Baieme Brow Rehab range can help get your brows to their best possible state!

WHAT’S INCLUDED? •

Peronalised Consultation including information on your stages of hair growth and what can be done to recover your Brows

•

4 x Professional Only Indian Gooseberry Growth treatment

•

4 x In Salon LED LIGHT TREATMENT TO STIMULATE FOLLICLES

•

1 x Allure Arch Angel Brow Design

•

3 x Allure Arch Angel Follow Up Brow Design

•

+ Baieme Brows Rehab Pack to take home and use daily (incl retail Gooseberry growth serum and Night Time Conditioning Concentrate rrp $79)

YOUR INVESTMENT LUDES This 3 month programme which INC own very r you + 4 spa visits over 3 months $502) (rrp 9 $29 only is Baieme Brows Rehab Pack

There are as many as 1100 hairs on those brows that be shaped into a masterpiece!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah Chapman is the owner of Allure Medi Spa and Beauty Lounge, Sarah is passionate about the difference that perfect eyebrows can make for both men and women.

LIFE MATTERS 57

FAMILY MATTERS

BY JOANNE BOUGHTON, BOUGHTON LEGAL

Potential Implications from Social Media

YOUR FAMILY

matters!

Participating in social media can easily land us in hot water – especially if we are in the process of separation or divorce, or involved in court proceedings. Unfortunately we often forget that once something is posted on sites such as Facebook it is invariably seen by others who may screen shot, print or otherwise record the information posted.

I find that more often than not court documents now contain reference to, and attach as evidence, all sorts of information and photos from social media sites where a person may have posted something inappropriate in a moment of frustration, intoxication or lapse of judgement. It can be difficult to provide a satisfactory explanation to a Judge, Magistrate, ex-partner or children for something inappropriate once it is out there in the world of social media.

Is it true?

Is it necessary?

Is it kind?

My recommendation is to think, think and think again before posting anything in social media - particularly if you are in the process of or about to be heading along the journey of a separation, divorce or court proceedings.

An age old saying can be well applied to our use of social media – before speaking or posting we should always ask ourselves ‘Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?’. If not, then best not to say it or post it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joanne Boughton is a family lawyer with over 21 years of experience assisting clients in family law matters, she is passionate about assisting clients through the difficult process of separation so that they can move on with the rest of their life.

58 ISSUE 71

Boughton Legal provide expert advice in all Family Law matters including: • Divorce • Property Settlements • Binding Financial Agreements • Dispute Resolution • Parenting Arrangements • Powers of Attorney • Mediation Boughton Legal are offering a free initial (no obligation) consultation in all Family Law matters.

Phone: 5313 4999 Email: mail@boughtonlegal.com.au www.boughtonlegal.com.au

M1, PO

LIFEST YLE MATTERS

BY SEAN AND KATIE DURKIN, OPEN HOUSE KAWANA

Using Social Media to be more Social!

Another week goes by, you struggle through your work with no end in sight. Sounds familiar? Ask yourself when you were graduating school was your plan to be in that continuous spiral of work? If you were like us, you would have wanted to keep your social life going as well.

Here is a list of a few things you can do to manage your business and social life without wearing out completely.

1. Business Meetings Doesn’t matter if it is staff, colleagues or big clientele, everyone prefers to get out of the office onto some neutral ground. The cost is definitely worth the reward.

2. Using your lunch breaks sneakily Organise with your friends, family or colleagues to meet out for a bite or a coffee.

3. Eating out Australia now has a diverse culture and that brings foodie heaven. You will be surprised how affordable eating out can be.

4. Your day off Why would anyone choose to live and own a business on the Sunshine Coast, there’s nowhere harder in our opinion!

One reason is the beauty all around us. Pack a picnic and explore what is right on our laps with your loved ones.

Pack a picnic and explore what is right on our laps with your loved ones.

Social media has made all these things easier and funnily enough, more affordable. Our favourite restaurants and cafes have Facebook pages that tell you what offerings they have. They may be live music, comedy or just great value meal deals.

Our challenge to you is be honest to yourself and make your lifestyle matter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

With over 10 years’ experience in the furniture based industries, Sean and Katie are owners and creators of Open House Kawana, a large retail space selling directly imported hardwood furniture, homeware, kitchenware and women’s fashion. They have incorporated this with a modern fully licenced café, all under the one roof for lifestyle convenience.

LIFE MATTERS 59

MECHANICAL MATTERS

BY BEN HAMMOND AND TED RUSSELL, BLISS MOBILE MECHANICS

How to find the right mechanic for you

Need a MechaTnAic? LIFE JUST GO WHOLE LOT EASIER!

Choosing the right mechanic can be a very daunting task for those of us who don’t know a lot about our vehicles and the automotive industry has developed a bad reputation for taking advantage of this situation.

The first step is to research; a simple Google search allows access to a broad range of service centres and mobile mechanics in one particular area. Once you have found a list of service providers for your vehicle, read reviews and comments, and also ask those around you for their experience and opinions.

I wouldn’t have a clue, I just drive the car!

When you have narrowed down your search, call up your short list mechanics and compare prices, available times, and the different service options they provide.

In saying this, it is important that when on the phone to take note of the way you have been spoken to and treated, after all you are the paying customer so you should be treated with respect and assistance.

Customer service should be a selling point when choosing someone to work on your vehicle. Ask all the questions you need to make sure you’re not left with any doubt, if there is any hesitation or attitude from the service centre then maybe that can be enough of a reason that it’s not the right one for you.

In the next issue, we’ll talk about what to do when you have chosen the right mechanic for you.

NO DOWN TIME FOR YOUR BUSINESS FLEET! ASK US ABOUT OUR OVERNIGHT SERVICE!

The Bliss Mechanics have over 30 years combined experience and understand that first impressions count. You will personally meet your mechanic, receive a reminder text and a follow up call. It couldn’t be easier!

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Book your Blissful Mechanica Experience TODAY! Log Book Service Full Service Minor Service or repairs Fleet Servicing - day or night!

Servicing the Sunshine Coast

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Long story short, Bliss Mobile Mechanics Sunshine Coast was founded in 2014 by two friends. Ted has been working in the automotive industry for over 10 years, working on motorcycles to 20 tonne trucks and everything in between.

Ben has over five years’ experience in the mobile service industry, working with electrical trades and within the automotive industry. Together, Ted and Ben want to change the standard of the automotive service industry.

60 ISSUE 71

5325 1120

mechanic@blissmm.com www.blissmm.com

DIY MINI WORKOUT

WITH F45 TRAINING  MOOLOOLABA Meet one of the F45 Trainers – Jordan Why did you become a trainer at F45?

When Sonny and Laura opened F45 Mooloolaba I instantly knew I wanted to be a part of the concept. I strongly believe in the training and support everything that the company represents. Functional high intensity training that provides variety and a ‘fresh’ feel to circuit training. Coming from a very active up-bringing this training comes natural to me and I enjoy every session as either a trainer or participant.

Team Training - Life Changing

The reason why these words are a big part of the F45 concept is that it really is evident within the studio. We aim to create a community here at F45 Mooloolaba and that’s exactly what we are doing.

SQUAT PRESS EQUIPMENT - Either a Medicine ball, dumbbell, barbell or anything that can apply more load to the exercise. As seen in the demonstration a medicine ball is being used.

TARGET MUSCLES - Legs and shoulders WHY - This compound movement incorporates the whole body while dominantly working the legs and shoulders.

Ensure that the core muscles are engaged to keep a strong midsection during the exercise.

          

By training together you are held accountable for not only yourself but each other. It’s great knowing that whenever you come to train, that the people next to you will be there to help you through each exercise and ultimately the session.

What is your favourite session at F45?

Hands down my favourite session is the ‘Firestorm’. It is 27 stations of strength, resistance, core and cardio and finishes me every time! One main aspect to our sessions is that you get out what you put in and I’m not just saying that. The sessions are set up for you to take advantage of. We cater for any fitness level from beginner to professional athletes, and that’s the best part.

PARTNERED PUSH-UP EQUIPMENT - No extra equipment needed for this movement. By adding a partner it introduces co-ordination and communication. If a partner is unavailable, use a wall, pole or object to touch at the end of each rep.

TARGET MUSCLES - Chest and Triceps WHY - This exercise is a great adaption to the standard push up. Adapting exercises can help with motivation as new movements can promote learning and a different work load. Ensure that your partner/target object is a reach away; this will introduce core stability and strength as you work harder to reach for connection

          

WALKING LUNGE WITH BICEP CURL EQUIPMENT - Dumbbells TARGET MUSCLES - Legs, Biceps and Core WHY - This weighted functional movement uses the entire body for strength and co-ordination. This exercise targets the legs and biceps while surrounding muscle groups must work hard to keep a strong posture during the movement.

TEAM TRAINING  LIFE CHANGING GROUP FITNESS FUNCTIONAL TRAINING H.I.I.T. SESSIONS SESSION TYPES INCLUDE STRENGTH, CARDIO,  GROUP FITNESS  FUNCTIONAL TRAININGTABATA  H.I.I.T. SESSIONS and BOXING  SESSION TYPES INCLUDE STRENGTH, CARDIO, TABATA and BOXING  UNLIMITED SESSION  UNLIMITED SESSION MEMBERSHIPS MEMBERSHIPS    

CIRCUIT TIMINGS  Set up each station up so that changes between the stations can be made easily.  Once warmed up, get yourself ready to start.  Complete each exercise twice for 45 seconds WORK and 15 seconds REST.  Once completed all 3 exercises have 60 seconds REST. That is 1 Round.  Complete 2 more Rounds at the same timings for a total of 3 Rounds.

LIFE MATTERS 61 5444 7642 | 105 BRISBANE ROAD MOOLOOLABA | F45TRAINING.COM.AU/MOOLOOLABA |  F45 TRAINING MOOLOOLABA |  F45TRAININGMOOLOOLABA

vehicle life with Ron Hill Auto

What creates social buzz and excitement?

While everyone knows social media is a valuable medium for customer engagement and lead generation, how can you effectively use networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to unlock these benefits? Do we start with asking customers and friends to ‘like’ us and to share information about their customer experience? This is definitely a good start.

Of course, nothing can take away the essence of good business and that is looking after your customers. Being warmly welcomed, listened to carefully and asked what your needs are, coupled with providing clear communication about your car and fixing it with care and expertise - these are the most important things.

We can use social media to share our brand and services but it is the service provided that will win a customer for life. Ron Hill Auto celebrate their big 40 this year which is definitely something great to share with Facebook friends.

Although the average person connects so much with their car, it’s not the hidden meaning or connotations that get people engaged on social media; it’s the physical cars. “It’s the cars themselves that drive the most social buzz and excitement,” said Rob Milne, the North American Director of Marketing Operations for Mazda. “When we get into some of the more human aspects, there’s a little less interest. When we’re showcasing the product, the technology, photos of our engines – that’s when people get excited.”

For more information: Please contact Ron Hill Auto on 5443 4444 // www.ronhillautomatics.com.au

Ask about our Development Monitoring Program

Ask about Ask about ourour Development Development Monitoring Monitoring Program Program

A Confident Smile a Confident Child A Confident Smile is is a Confident Child We’ll make smile at Ocean Orthodontics We’ll make youyou smile at Ocean Orthodontics

Relaxing atmosphere and latest technology including: Relaxing atmosphere and latest technology including: Suresmile • Damon Braces • Invisalign Suresmile • Damon Braces • Invisalign

Embrace Experience Embrace the the Experience

The Sunshine Coast’s premium orthodontic provider.

The Sunshine Coast’s premium orthodontic provider.

Findhow out we howcan wetransform can transform your smile Find out your smile today.today.

No referral necessary.

No referral necessary.

Phone www.oceanorthodontics.com.au Phone 5493 5493 3200 3200 www.oceanorthodontics.com.au

62 ISSUE 71

Australasian Orthodontic Certified Australasian Orthodontic BoardBoard Certified

mindset for life

with Mandy Napier, Mindset for Success

Do you prefer porn or social media?

I read recently that social networking sites have become more popular than porn! Now, I am not an expert on either topic but I do know a thing or two about the brain and strategies. Getting clear on your outcome around using social media is critical, so here are a few facts and questions to assist you.

Fact - Facebook is still massive with over 1.39 billion monthly users. Highest traffic occurs midweek between 1pm to 3pm. Thursdays and Fridays have 18 per cent more engagement.

Q. What time are you posting, how often and what days?

Fact - The fastest growing demographic on Twitter is the 55 - 64 year age bracket.

Q. What age bracket are your clients?

Fact - As at January 2015, there were 1.9 billion active mobile phone users.

Q. Does your content display effectively on mobile devices?

Fact - There are one billion people using YouTube videos every day, and bloggers, blogging daily.

Q. What to write about or video? After Hurricane Katrina, some of the top searches were tropical storms! Celebrities are always high in the searches.

Consider writing about topical issues and if you plan on becoming a celebrity, ensure you stand out.

Still unsure or overwhelmed? Don’t worry.

Neuroscientists have discovered dire consequences for your brain with too much ‘liking’ and enjoyment on social media. The dreaded ‘FOMO’ (fear of missing out). But that will have to wait for another day!

Stick with what you enjoy. Be consistent and take small action steps.

Mandy Napier BSC is a Mindset & Performance Coach. She is passionate about helping people harness the power of their minds for optimal performance in business, life and sports. To download your free success resources, click on www.mindsetforsuccess.com.au/getting-things-done.

1300 785 078 // www.mindsetforsuccess.com.au

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Located within the Big Top Market Fresh, Jerakala Beef offers quality beef products and house smoked small goods fresh from the farm every week.

OPENING TIMES Wednesday 10.00am to 6.00pm Friday 3.00pm to 9.00pm Saturday 8.00am to 3.00pm M 0427 654909 www.jerakala.com.au

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BE THE CHANGE CONVERSATIONS with Jamie Hazelden from Jamie’s Touring Solutions

BM speaks with Jamie Hazelden from Dynamic Solar Solutions and Jamie’s Touring Solutions. You may also recognise Jamie as The Australian Bushman or from The Off-Road Adventure Show. Over the last few years, Jamie has managed to stamp his digital footprint to thousands of people through his social media platforms which is why we have chosen him as our Be the Change Conversation in our ‘Life Matters Magazine’.

What are you doing within your industry to ‘Be the Change’?

Well, I think the downfall of most businesses today, especially on the Coast, is that people don’t put themselves out there enough. You have to get out there and make it happen for yourself. That’s where I think we are being the change because we are not just a retail outlet; we do the work inside the shop and we utilise social media and the Internet to reach clients in other states and territories to keep them informed.

When did the business actually begin?

Back in 2007 is when it all began. The business was initially called ‘Dynamic Solar Solutions’, we worked on mainly caravans and motorhomes, and the bigger sort of vehicles.

We changed in 2011 when there was a dynamic change where all the house solar solutions happened and the name didn’t work because everyone would come to us for house solar systems. We only did the solar for vehicles so we had to turn it around and we started to work on 4WDs and camp trailers, as we saw this was a missing market in the industry. That was when we first started doing DVDs. Those DVDs told the story of why and what we do; by getting out there and giving solutions to people who drive 4WDs, and go caravanning and camping.

What do you specialise in?

We cover a large range, from all your 4WD accessories to all your specialised 12 volt wiring. That goes across the board whether it’s a motorhome, a boat, a caravan or your 4WD.

Who is your client and why do they choose you?

Basically anybody who is into any form of recreation.

I think they choose us because we put ourselves out there, we have pride in what we do and we have a great versatile team that works with us amongst it all.

What’s your claim to fame?

Well, with having this business, we have a few different areas. Currently I have Jamie’s Touring Solutions; where you come to us and we will have a solution for your vehicle.

We use the Internet for sales to people around Australia so we talk and communicate with them by email and 64 ISSUE 71

SCAN HERE TO WATCH THE FULL ‘BE THE CHANGE CONVERSATION’ WITH JAMIE

social media. At the same time, I have my own DVD set all coming together right now called ‘The Australian Bushman’ where I go into remote locations and talk to the people who live in those areas. The problem with TV and DVDs out there in the marketplace today is nobody gets to see what is exactly out there. I am trying to do it a different way where I am telling you about what’s out there and the location you can go to, and meet these great people. It’s a wonderful way of doing it. On the other hand, I have a TV show called ‘The Off Road Adventure Show’ (on Channel 10) which covers those remote locations, as well as exploring the local locations where everyone can go to.

We have noticed that you really seem to know what you are doing with your social media.

Tell us a little bit about your strategy.

Our strategy for social media is that we like to push everything out there so it’s not about me, it’s about this business. We put everybody from our team on camera and we interview them; they do their product talks, they talk about what they do on a vehicle, they will talk about a new item that is coming to a shop, and we will explain everything. Not only that, on our website we have wiring diagrams for those who want to learn how to wire something up and we also have little video clips that explain how to do something, or how well an item will work. We communicate topics to our followers about going places, doing things and we bring the customers back to us to do the same; by asking them to share their pictures with us.

Jamie’s Touring Solutions are nearly at 14,000 likes on Facebook - what time length did it take to get to that?

I’d probably say that we’ve got to that basis over the last two to three years with the help of our team constantly uploading clips and posting photos of what is happening.

Give our readers your top tip for business success here on the Sunshine Coast.

The biggest thing is get out there, make it happen yourself it’s not going to be dropped in your lap. You have got to step out of your comfort zone and think outside the square.

What is next for JTS?

Well, there is a lot coming up. First of all, I have to head up to Cape York and do some filming up there. After that, I am going to be filming in Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia. Showing people places where they can go but at the same time showing them the right gear to do it with. www.facebook.com/JamiesTouringSolutions www.jtsonline.com.au // 5492 5071 NEW LOCATION 7 Charles Street, Maroochydore LIFE MATTERS 65

Family!

DELI Kingaroy Cheese A range of soft cheeses and dairy products that have won awards at major dairy produce shows throughout Australia. In an era of mass produced food, Kingaroy Cheese aims to make premium handmade cheese that will be considered high quality anywhere in the world.

Four great varieties to choose from: Stuart River Triple Cream Brie Barkers Creek Camembert Bunya Black Kingaroy Red Washed Rind

FRUIT & VEG BFresh Stir Fry & Roasting Packs Cut fresh daily for your convenience using an arrangement of our quality produce. For a quick stir fry, all the hard work has been done for our customers busy lifestyles. Keep it simple with a steak on the side or add your favourite sauce and meat. In either instance you can have a healthy dinner option ready at home in under 10min.

If it’s a roast you love, then these packs are the perfect. All chopped ready for the oven makes having roast dinners possible anytime of the week. Not just on Sunday!

BFresh is passionate about sourcing and supporting specialty products and produce from boutique Australian businesses.

GROCERY Colony Honey Range Love this product that we have in store. There are three varieties which are all raw and cold extracted.

LEATHERWOOD - Floral, intense, lightly spiced. Sourced from Tarkine Rainforest, Tasmania.

GIANT MALLEE - Butter, malty aroma and toffee. Lindsay Callaway is a fifth generation beekeeper and this honey is in keeping with producing from the Warral area of Victoria.

WHITE MAHOGONY - Complex, sweet and jasmine. This honey is sourced from the Byron Bay region.

Meet our Family…

Brooke Freyling Tell us your BFresh story? I started working at BFresh when I was 15 which is about six and a half years ago now. I was in year ten and since then I have finished high school and a uni degree. BFresh has supported me the whole time with casual work and at times, full time work too.

What is it you love about being a part of the BFresh family?

Everyone is so friendly and supportive. I have known people for like I said, about six and a half years now, especially the bosses. I have a really good relationship with my bosses and they are really supportive. So that’s probably the best thing about coming here; all the friendly staff.

What is your favourite product? All of the fresh fruit and veggies.

I wouldn’t be able to pick one but I don’t do my fruit and vegetable shopping anywhere else. I find it doesn’t last as long from other shops.

66 ISSUE 71

239 Nicklin Way, Warana P. 5493 2839

love life

with Melinda Bingley, MAB Personal Training & Adventures

How do I stay motivated?’

People over-complicate it. Motivation is something you can’t borrow or buy from someone. It’s something you need to find within you - the biggest key to motivation is to be clear of your why and what you want!

What’s a big why?

Think of the bigger picture and the positive ripple effect from achieving your why. Ask yourself why you want to lose weight? How will it make you feel? How pleasurable will it be? Who will it impact around you, that you care for, in a positive way? What opportunities does it gift you? Also, ask how painful is it not changing?

You need to believe it is painful as the brain works with the pain and pleasure principle.

Healthy or Unhealthy Do you want to be healthy or unhealthy?

It comes back to power of choice! Gain clarity on what the two mean to you and stick to one or the other - no in-between.

Healthy Be active five to six days a week // Eat lean proteins, salads and greens for lunch, and dinner // Start the day with a nutritional breakfast to fuel the body // Snack between meals to keep the metabolism going // Healthy mindset // Seven to eight hours nightly sleep // Confidence // Freedom Unhealthy No physical activity // Eat take-out // Skip breakfast and snacks // Negative mindset // Bed late, no regular sleep pattern // Low self-esteem So when presented with the choice, ask yourself: Is this healthy or unhealthy? Does this serve me or not? It will help you with your decision process. Remember we have one life and one opportunity to live life to the fullest!

Respect and honour yourself, live a life full of gratitude and that will keep you motivated!

Mel Bingley is a qualified personal trainer, wellness coach and fitness professional who walks her talk. She has created her successful fitness business from her passion for adventure. Mel has personally trekked Camino De Santiago, Kokoda Trail, Route Burn NZ, Cass Saddle/ Lagoon Saddle NZ and has just completed Everest Base Camp late 2014 and has her sights set on the summit of Kilimanjaro in 2015.

0401 286 200 // www.mabpersonaltraining.com.au

KAIZEN Introducing Gary and the Team at...

Sunshine Coast Coffee Roastery - Bespoke / Contract Roasting - Fresh, Locally Roasted Coffee -

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The only Exercise Physiology Centre on the Sunshine Coast

- Custom Blend Development - Quality Blends & Single Origin Varieties Call/Email us now for a list of our current coffees. Delivered direct to your business Address: 7 Page Street, Kunda Park, QLD 4556 Phone: (07) 5476 8400 W: www.sunshinecoastcoffeeroastery.com.au E: enquiries@sunshinecoastcoffeeroastery.com.au

Exercise Training Programs

Find the right exercises unique to you

Health and Lifestyle Plans

Get a holistic plan specific to you

Stress Hormonal Testing

Find the real reasons behind your stress

Food Sensitivity Testing

Pinpoint specific foods that are harming your body

First Aid Services First Aid Training First Aid Kits and Supplies 12/21 NICKLIN WAY, BUDDINA QLD 4575 PH: 07 5444 4171

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12 Week Programs

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Kaizen Exercise Physiologists Address 2/47 Sixth Ave, Cotton Tree Tel.5641 1132 www.kaizenep.com.au

LIFE MATTERS 67

SCENE @

John Pickering (Pickering Accounting & Bookkeeping Services), Lisa Aitken (Aitken Legal)

Issue 70 Business Matters Launch, thanks once again to BV Pizzeria and Wine Bar at Kawana Island

Jenni Parry (Packaging & More), William D’Arbe & Mandy Napier (Mindset For Success)

Sean and Katie Durkin (Open House Cafe)

Fran Boulton (Maroochy Surf Club), Melinda Shelton (Maroochy Chamber), Leanne Layfield (Caloundra Chamber), Kerrie DeClara (Health and Wellbeing, Sunshine Coast Council)

Westfund 1st Birthday Celebrations

Debbie Neame (Regional Manager Westfund)

Warren Hewes (OzTag) and Bob Whittaker (Qld State Manager Wesfund)

Janine Curran and Debbie Neame (Wesfund)

Kaye Isles, Michele Hamer, Vicki Clarke, Linda Delamonte

Michele Hamer Book Launch - ‘Technology Made Simple’ for Start-up Businesses Jean Hamer , Katlyn Aitken, Deb Battaglini-Clarke

68 ISSUE 71

Donna Hamer, Melinda Dines, Maya Gurry, Kim Mccosker

first cab off the rank with John Lobwein, Suncoast Cabs

Customer Satisfaction Drives Success Suncoast Cabs are the only 24/7 public transport provider on the Sunshine Coast.

With this privilege comes responsibility and over the past few months we have been engaging with our customers to determine how we can better improve your experience when you need a cab.

Over the coming months, we hope to communicate what we have in place, or plan to put in place, to ensure calling a cab is an easy, satisfying process. We find that of the 250,000 people we move every month, feedback is generally positive but we know things can improve. Addressing peak usage times, particularly on Saturday nights, is our greatest stretch on resources – both in the call centre and on the roads.

Our app has been available for more than two years now and customer feedback is overwhelmingly supportive. It’s easy to use and the results from bookings are very satisfying. There are some major improvements in the works as well, so the experience will only improve.

Our social media program is focused on Twitter twitter.com/suncoastcabs and our Facebook page www.facebook.com/SuncoastCabs. We try to inform and entertain everyone and contribute to the region by promoting businesses and events to our growing audience.

We encourage feedback and do not shirk away from any complaints. Complaints, which thankfully are few, only help us improve, and customer satisfaction is paramount.

John Lobwein has extensive experience in the Taxi industry in Australia. Having worked in the Finance and Credit fields for more than a decade, John changed industries in 1996, having held a taxi licence since 1989. Firstly as a taxi owner driver, John found more challenges lay ahead in the management arena. Taking on the role of Managing Director of the largest taxi company in North Queensland at the age of 34, John quickly established the largest serviced taxi area in Australia. After nearly a decade, John moved to Suncoast Cabs where he has continued to improve his knowledge of the taxi industry whilst moving the company into a solid financial position.

5441 8899 // cc@suncoastcabs.com.au

LATIN AMERICA GROUP TOURS

THIS IS WHAT PAST PASSENGERS THINK ABOUT OUR FULLY ESCORTED TOURS This was a tour packed with the “WOW” factor! Definitely the best land tour we have done. Having one’s own personal travel agents accompany us for the entire time was the crown on this ‘Trip of Nature’s and Ancient man’s Wonders’. A busy trip, not for the fainthearted, although it can be self-paced. Highly recommended.

Mike & Karen Coolum Beach

Argentina is a country full of contrasts. Allow us to help you to discover some of them. The Iguazu Falls in the North is an unforgettable experience.

Nothing can prepare you for this amazing jewel of nature; waterfalls, rainforest, wildlife in such abundance that your eyes will get tired. The hot dry planes of Mendoza, offers the rugged country and the magnificent contrasts of the earth. Home of the famous Malbec wine, combine your sightseeing with some wine tasting. The Patagonia region is mostly known for its impressive Glaciers and the Andes as a background.

You feel as if you were touching the ice walls as you get close to it. But if you’ve had enough of nature and want to enjoy life, Buenos Aires, the city that never sleeps, is for you. A city considered the Paris of the South due to its wide avenues, incredible architecture, and well looked after parks and all day activities. At night you can join any of the Tango classes all around the city, you will notice there is no age or gender barrier to give the dancing a go. Get all this and much more by joining us in one of our small group fully escorted tours.

My first day with the Latin American Tour Group was in Buenos Aires starting off with a blast of a night at the Tango dance hall.

I fulfilled my long-time dream of being at Machu Pichu. Shared my Oz lollies at Cuzco Plaza. Stella was our very special and very knowledgeable leader. A most memorable trip and will certainly encourage anyone who is interested to follow this path. Another tick off my “bucket list”…Mexico next here I come!

Many thanks to Stella and Horacio.

Lily – Mooloolaba.

Two ways to discover the magic of Latin America Latin America Group Tours – Escorted small group tours with a difference: WE go with you!

Latin America Destinations – We help you create your itinerary based on your time schedule and preferences Next fully escorted small group tour available: Wonders of the South.

Departing 2 October 2015 - 29 nights visiting Peru, Argentina and Brazil

CONTACT US BEFORE IS TOO LATE: Office: 5492 5274 Mobile: Stella 0400 193 040 Horacio 0466 721 446 Email: latinamericagrouptours@gmail.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/Latinamericagrouptours www.latinamericagrouptours.com LIFE MATTERS 69

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1. Natural Mango Wood Bookcase $850 2. Assorted Fashion from $29.95 3. Fully Licensed CafĂŠ and Bar 4. Large Homeware Range 5. Acacia Dining Suite $2,200 6. A Grade Teak Abstract TV Unit $895 7. Vintage TV Unit $550 8. Vintage Dining Chair $195

Shop 4D / 566 Kawana Way, Birtinya QLD 4575 | Phone: (07) 5437 6888 | www.openhousekawana.com.au 70 ISSUE 71

How to win the inner game of money!

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For more information call Mandy on 0408 666 176

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