Gloss june 2014 by GLOSS MAGAZINE

JUNE 2014

Founder & Editor in Chief JANINE GARNER | janine@littleblackdressgroup.com.au Contributing Editors Melissa Browne, Nikki Fogden-Moore Kate Stone, Chris Allen Featured This Month Alice Ruhe, Avril Henry, Lauren Hall, Lynn Ross, Victoria Butt, Mariette Rups-Donnelly, Clare Cope ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES ads@glossmagazine.com.au EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES editorial@glossmagazine.com.au DESIGNER Melissa Aroutunian | aroutunianm@gmail.com Published By: LBDG | littleblackdressgroup.com.au MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES AND FEEDBACK www.littleblackdressgroup.com.au info@glossmagazine.com.au

ÂŠ LBDG 2014 All content in this newsletter is protected under Australian and International copyright laws. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of LBDG is strictly forbidden. The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this online magazine at time of going to press, and we accept no responsibility for omissions or errors. All rights reserved.

#LBDG #bebrave #netweave #collaborate

A Message From Me Hi there and welcome to the June issue of GLOSS. The past month has been one of the busiest and most challenging for me personally of my entire professional life, with the delivery of my first manuscript to my publisher on June 1. What a rollercoaster – tears, laughter (sometimes mixed up together), furious typing sessions, lots and lots of coffee – but above all, a great appreciation for the support of those who value what I do, and the knowledge that my own values are in the right place. I think that is very much a theme that runs through this month’s issue. Value – and values. From Lynn Ross’s belief that what you put on your skin should be as good as what you put in your skin, to Avril Henry’s vision of what a real leader should be, all of our contributors embody an incredible value system which I personally know they live by – and from their contributions to GLOSS, they most definitely add value to others’ lives. On this note, I want to personally thank Beckie White, owner of Miss Velvet and indefatigable LBDG member for hosting the ‘Circle of Life’ fundraiser which brought in funds for LBDG’s own First Seeds Fund, alongside the Luke Batty Foundation. Beckie, this was an amazing evening, filled with tears, an extraordinary amount of laughter and goodwill, and on behalf of First Seeds I am so grateful for the efforts you and your team made. Keep warm this month. Enjoy all that GLOSS has to offer – and remember to Connect~Inspire~Succeed

If you would like to write for GLOSS, or are interested in advertising with us, please contact us via editorial@glossmagazine.com.au

FEATURES

05 A MESSAGE FROM ME 08 IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE 12 EVENTS CALENDAR 14 INS AND OUTS - JANINE GARNER

16 MORE THAN SKIN DEEP: AN

A MESSAGE FROM ME

INTERVIEW WITH LYNN ROSS

18 AS A LEADER WHAT MATTERS

TO YOU - AVRIL HENRY

CONTENTS BODY & SOUL

June Issue 20 FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK

ROAD - KATE STONE

23 GETTING RECRUITMENT

MONEY TALKS

RIGHT FOR A SMALL BUSINESS VICTORIA BUTT

26 UNSOCIAL MEDIA - CHRIS

ALLEN

LOIS LANE LIVES

28 BUSINESS BASICS: LBD AND

CASHFLOW - MELISSA BROWNE

31 LEARNING FROM OTHERS MISTAKES: ASSETS - ALICE RUHE

IN CONVERSATION WITH CLARE COPE

ARTICLES

38 LBD’S OUT AND ABOUT

NEWS & REVIEWS

RUPS-DONNELLY

44 BRINGING FITNESS BACK:

FEATURES

42 TOP NINE TIPS - MARIETTE

SEVEN STEPS TO GET BACK INTO FITNESS - NIKKI FOGDEN-MOORE

46 NEWS & REVIEWS 48 LOIS LANE LIVES: A

COMPLETE SPECTACLE - KATE STONE

In This Month’s Issue MELISSA BROWNE Contributing editor, Melissa Browne is an author, entrepreneur, business owner, and shoe & jumpsuit lover. She has two successful, award-winning businesses - Accounting and Taxation Advantage & Business Advantage Coaching and is the author of the recently published to rave reviews business book, More Money for Shoes. A regular contributor to the Sydney Morning Herald, find Melissa on twitter at @ melbrowne_ or visit acctaxadv.com.au

NIKKI FOGDEN-MOORE Contributing editor, Nikki Fogden-Moore is all about practicing what she preaches – and what she preaches is balance. Balance between work, home and maintaining your personal best. The owner of Life’s A Gym, Nikki is a motivational speaker, trainer and all round powerhouse who will help bring your body and soul together. Connect with her on twitter @nfogdenmoore or visit www.thevitalitycoach.com.au

KATE STONE Contributing editor, Kate Stone is a ghostwriter, columnist, copy writer and editor who has a passion for all things social media and graphic design. If she isn’t living in someone else’s head, she is online or onscreen, or often both together. She is determined to bring her love of the written word, presented as beautifully as possible, to people whether they like it or not. Find her in one of her various guises on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@oskythespy, read her own writing at http://whatkatedidnext.com.au or e-mail her at kate@webwitch.com.au if you are looking for someone to time share your brain with.

CHRIS ALLEN Contributing editor, Chris began his career as a soldier and was commissioned as an officer, serving with the Royal Australian Regiment.He was engaged in humanitarian aid work for CARE International during the 1999 East Timor emergency and in the wake of September 11, 2001 became involved in Australian government protective security. Chris oversaw an unprecedented security upgrade of the Sydney Opera House, and later held the position of Sheriff of New South Wales. Chris’s first novel, Defender, was self- published before being re-released by Momentum Books with his second novel, Hunter, released at the end of 2012. Both novels rocketed to the top of the charts and there is a US film / TV franchise in development. His third title in the series, Avenger will be published this year. www.intrepidallen.com

CLARE COPE Clare is the Creative Director at Values Pendulum. The Values Pendulum is a dynamic, cross-contextual ‘thinking-style’ model which identifies the causes of unrealised individual performance and business growth. www.valuespendulum.com

In This Month’s Issue LYNN ROSS Lynn is the director/owner at Skin Naturalé, Eath and Body, and Brown Skin Secrets. Skin Naturalé is a Skincare company with products made from Natural and Organically derived ingredients. www.skinnaturale.com Earth and Body moisturisers and body scrubs made from Fruit and Vegetable Extracts to nourish the skin and improve tone and texture. www.earthandbody.com.au Brown Skin Secrets was launched in November 2013, this range has been developed to target the characteristics of darker skin tones. www.brownskinsecrets.com.au

ALICE RUHE Alice has practised in the Insolvency and Corporate Recovery Industry for over 10 years and is an Official & Registered Liquidator and Registered Trustee in Bankruptcy. Alice is a member of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and the Australian Restructuring Insolvency and Turnaround Association and has experience in all forms of corporate and personal insolvency administrations. Alice has had experience dealing with administrations involving the building, hospitality, information technology, accounting, medical, retail and various other industries. www.smbvic.com.au

VICTORIA BUTT Victoria Butt is a seasoned recruiter with experience spanning 10 years across the international and national banking, commerce and financial markets, in both London and Sydney. Victoria set up Parity Consulting in January 2012 and has since built a successful recruitment business specialising in Marketing and Product Management recruitment. www.parityconsulting.com.au

AVRIL HENRY Avril is a widely acclaimed keynote speaker, consultant, business and career coach, mentor and author, who is passionate about diversity, developing collaborative leaders and positive workplaces. Avril is a Fellow of CPA Australia, a Senior Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia, an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Australian Human Resources Institute. Avril is the author and co-author of several books on leadership and the different generations at work, and in 2010 released her first children’s book. Her latest book, “Leadership Revelations II How Australians Lead in Crises” was released in May 2012. www.avrilhenry.com.au

MARIETTE RUPS-DONNELLY Mariette is in demand as a guest speaker. She has developed a number of speaking topics suitable for conferences, seminars, workshops, dinners, lunches and breakfasts. Drawing on her years of experience as a performer and as a corporate trainer her keynote speeches are a wonderful mix of information, inspiration and entertainment. www.powerhousepresentation.com.au

F ir

Prou d

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por sup ter

eht f o

orP du

iF sup ter por

tS e e d s Fu e e d s Fu tS

Congratulations to LBD member for hosting the inaugural Circle Of Life event in Melbourne. Raising over $8500 for our very own First Seeds Fund. Thank you Beckie for your incredible support.

Events JUNE - AUGUST 2014

JUNE 1 2 3 4 FIRST SEEDS FUNDRAISER MOVIE NIGHT PRIVATE SCREENING, “GRACE OF MONACO” - SYDNEY 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 FIRST SEEDS FUNDRAISER MOVIE NIGHT PRIVATE SCREENING, “GRACE OF MONACO” - MELBOURNE 12 EXCLUSIVE DINNER SERIES SYDNEY 13 14 15

16 17 18 COCKTAIL CONVERSATIONS - SYDNEY 19 THINK TANK “BRAND ARCHETYPES” DEBBIE O’CONNORSYDNEY 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 THINK TANK “BRAND ARCHETYPES” DEBBIE O’CONNOR MELBOURNE COCKTAIL CONVERSATIONS - MELBOURNE 27 28 29 30 31

Calendar JULY

AUGUST

EXCLUSIVE DINNER SERIES SYDNEY THINK TANK “BRAND ARCHETYPES” DEBBIE O’CONNOR BRISBANE COCKTAIL CONVERSATIONS - BRISBANE EXCLUSIVE DINNER SERIES SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE DINNER SERIES MELBOURNE THINK TANK “DOUBLE YOUR BUSINESS IN 2015” MELISSA BROWNE - MELBOURNE THINK TANK “DOUBLE YOUR BUSINESS IN 2015” MELISSA BROWNE - SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE DINNER SERIES SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE DINNER SERIES SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE DINNER SERIES MELBOURNE EXCLUSIVE DINNER SERIES BRISBANE THINK TANK “DOUBLE YOUR BUSINESS IN 2015” MELISSA BROWNE - BRISBANE

Throughout history, people with new ideas—who think differently and try to change things—have always been called troublemakers. - Richelle Mead, Shadow Kiss This month I celebrated my birthday, and it led to a great deal of heartfelt thinking – not least because I was submitting my very first manuscript to a publisher, and as a result I had been bearing in mind amazing business books that have had an impact on my life.

Ins and Outs Janine Garner

I remember when I first picked up Sheryl Sandberg’s book, Lean In – and the fireworks that it set off in my head. I already had a great admiration for her openness and honesty after her brilliant TED talk of 2010, and the continued willingness she had to speak her mind in the written words following this just added to my opinion that here was a woman who simply got it. She was prepared to stand up and say ‘we don’t have to pretend to be super women; it’s OK to admit that perfection is a myth’. She encouraged us to support each other, to stop the self-sabotage, and for our amazing men to step up and support us more too. But when we talk about leaning in, there is an area where the esteemed Ms Sandberg doesn’t put much of a focus, and it happens to be a focus dear to my heart. It’s a whole world of opportunity, of adventure, of knowledge and insight and incredible talent. It’s a world where women and men are not only leaning in – but leaning out. It’s the incredible galaxy of innovation that is entrepreneurialism. The talent that is being attracted to the start-up sphere from corporate is phenomenally strong, and in many regards underestimated. Sandberg addresses the issues faced by women in positions of power within corporate – but what about those brilliant women running their own entreprises? More and more, women are choosing to take their own paths, to take the road less travelled, because they see the opportunity in being able to work collaboratively with big thinkers in a freer and more receptive environment. They can run their own teams without interference from bureaucracy, enjoy more flexible working hours (whilst still trying to work out how to control the hamster wheel admittedly) – but most of all, they are able to put their own dreams into a realisable form.

They are able to lean out. What do I mean by leaning out? Leaning out is the philosophy of teamwork within a frame of standout innovation. It is the understanding that not only is it essential to be a voice at the boardroom table, it’s also essential to take that voice beyond the boardroom and into one’s own enterprise if that’s where the dream lives. Leaning out is about taking an idea to new heights – and making it happen. It’s about saying ‘yes I will succeed’ when everyone else says ‘no you won’t’. It’s about embodying the spirit of future change, and seeing it go from concept to concrete. I am going to put this in very personal terms. For years, I saw success as making my way up the corporate ladder; about beating the boys at their own game. I embodied the ideals of ‘leaning in’; I was open and vocal in how I thought things should be. I made no bones about the fact that I wasn’t perfect – that my life was best fulfilled outside of the home; no matter how much I loved my family, if I attempted to be a stay at home mum, it would end in tears for all of us, and that this was OK – that my working to make the top of the corporate tree was the right goal for all of us. But then I realised something. No, I was not a stay at home mum – and believe me, I am not questioning that choice by any means; but what I did realise was, that equally, I was not Sheryl Sandberg. I was not interested in just leaning in. I wanted to have an out as well.

The rest, as one might say, was history wrapped up in a little black dress. That little black dress has been, and continues to be, a story of innovation and invention. It is a story of collaborative business and amazing women who want to change the way they interact as entrepreneurs. Again, with all due respect to Ms Sandberg, if she had the network that I am fortunate enough to enjoy, I feel that ‘leaning in’ may be a past concept. That if she were to lean out and embrace all that is available within the realm of the entrepreneur as well as those fantastic corporate minds, she would perhaps see how to not only keep talent within the latter arena – but it would also give her some insights into the strength of how women engage in a sphere which they are making so much their own. To be able to see both the vision of those who wish to work as identities separate but together, as well as those who see the inherent value of the corporate intrapreneur? It’s a new game. A new space. Are you ready to lean out?

More Than Skin Deep: An Interview With Lynn Ross

Kate Stone

The first thing I will say is that I have previously interviewed Lynn Ross’s husband, Hish Fernando, otherwise known as part of the dynamic duo that makes up Picture the Coast, previously featured in GLOSS; and, up until the point of chatting to Lynn, I thought I had met the original Energiser Bunny. As it turns out, I was wrong. With three complementary branded businesses underway – Brown Skin Secrets, Earth and Body and Skin Naturalé - Lynn is something of a force of nature, and one of the most enthusiastic people I have ever had the pleasure of talking to. Her products – makeup and skincare - all have a concentration on using natural solutions to promote inner and outer beauty, with different aspects for the different brands of the business. In a very short time, she has truly started to maximise her own potential by not only dreaming big, but by thinking and acting big and realizing those dreams. And where did those dreams come from? Firstly, from watching her own skin suffer as a result of heavy makeup use. ‘I had perfect skin as a teenager, but I always put rubbish on it, and thought (erroneously of course) that having darker skin, I didn’t need sunscreen. I started university very young and went into a fairly senior HR position at 20, which involved giving advice to a lot of senior managers. Naturally I tried to appear older – and so I used a lot of heavy makeup’. This resulted in Lynn’s skin virtually breaking down, with scarring and pigmentation… and the curse of women everywhere, adult acne. In the meantime, she also fell pregnant with her gorgeous daughter, and her skin was literally covered in hives, which turned out to be a reaction to her baby’s DNA. For 99% of the population, this would have been enough to break out the Kleenex, burrow under the doona and wait for the chocolate semi-trailer to arrive. Not Lynn. After trying virtually every skincare product on the market, she started researching. She went to conferences. She met with cosmetic chemists. And seven long years later, two brands were born, with a third to follow later – one to cope with the particular issues that ethnic skin face in terms of effective, safe makeup, and beautiful skincare that was literally safe to eat.

Lynn is remarkably calm about what she has achieved.

with what they are putting on their body as well as in it.

‘It’s basically been about solution finding’ she says. ‘In times of adversity, there are choices – and my choice was to find a solution to my issues, and I realised that it was much bigger than me.’

As she says, not only is giving back very important, but also reaching out – because she knows the impact that it had on her when she was looking for solutions. She wants people to make considered decisions and understand what their choices are.

She is passionate about bringing a natural solution to skincare to Australian women and to the world, and being able to do this within her own business is hugely inspiring. ‘Having more family time and being able to determine the times I work gives such satisfaction. I still work hard, if not harder, and my stress levels have probably gone up, because I am wearing multiple hats! But I know that I am becoming smarter at what I am good at, and the flexibility is incredibly rewarding’. I asked her whether she felt supported generally as a female entrepreneur in Australia. Her reply was comprehensive and very interesting. ‘It’s knowing where to LOOK for support – men are for more open in the way they share their support networks – I have found on occasion that women have been pushing their own businesses rather than helping each other. In a mixed group, the men are more likely to interact rather than push their own agenda. There is a general lack of confidence in women as well – whereas men are more likely to back themselves. It’s not so much a lack of support – more a case of ‘where to find support’. It’s also harder for females with a family to get out and get connected’. Her ultimate goal for her brands is to grow the multiple aspects whilst keeping them true to their original inspirations. She is adamant that the use of the purest possible ingredients will not be compromised, and this strong ethical stance is something which applies not only to her branding but is clear in her dealings with people on a social and business level. She is empathetic, caring and reaches out to everyone she meets. This is obviously one of the reasons for the success she has enjoyed so far; her personality shows through in her brands. She wants to challenge the norm in terms of skin care and make the alternative readily available – not just to Australian women, but to women everywhere who struggle with their skin and

For me, skincare has always been a priority because I am one of the palest people on the planet. Point a 100-watt lamp at me and I will generally turn a bright shade of lobster. But do I generally consider what goes into my skincare? Well, no. And herein lies Lynn’s genius, and the reason why her brands are going to succeed. She made me stop and think, and examine what I was using. If she can do that with someone whose main priority is a big flashing 30+ - then imagine what she can do with women who are a little more enlightened? I’m off to look up the list of nasties in my sunscreen. And then talk to Lynn again. By the way, Earth and Body really does smell good enough to eat… Just saying. I think I need a sandwich.

As A Leader What Matters to You? Avril Henry

A great friend and colleague, Graeme Cowan, sent me a brilliant poem titled “What Will Matter?” by Michael Josephson, which got me thinking about what really matters to people, and in turn, this caused me to reflect on what really matters to me. The poem draws attention to the fact that at the end of our life’s journey, our wealth, fame and power will “shrivel to irrelevance.” Any grudges, resentment and frustrations will disappear, as will our hopes, ambitions and plans. Where we came from, our gender, our race, all will be irrelevant. The poem challenges each of us to ask how we will measure the value of our days. So, I started thinking about what matters to me. My core value is making a difference. I want to make a difference in my children’s lives, regardless of what age they are. I know I have made many mistakes as a parent, but I hope that my children will one day remember me for being loving, and courageous enough to admit to my mistakes and say “sorry”. I want to make a difference in my loved one’s lives, knowing that I have done my best to nurture, support and love them no matter what, and while I have not always been able to be present at all important events, like swimming carnivals and Easter Bonnet Parades, I was there whenever it was physically possible, clapping, cheering, shedding tears and willing to look foolish for love. I want to make a difference in the lives of my friends and know that I have always tried to be a kind, generous, loving friend who would offer support, advice (when asked), a shoulder to cry on with a good glass of wine, and an honest opinion when I believed it was the right thing to do for my friend. I want to make a difference to someone in every audience, workshop, coaching session and seminar, hoping that they take away something they have learnt from my words which improves their professional life and career, and hopefully their personal lives and relationships. I want to know that the lives and careers of my students who I have taught through the UWS Aspire program, have been enriched by something they learnt from me. I want to make a difference by giving back to the community, the way the community has given to me in all the places I have lived and worked around the world, whether through scholarships, mentoring or fundraising events.

I want to know that when I get to the end of my life, I have been “all used up,” with nothing left in the “tank” and no regrets. As leaders, making a difference should be one of our top priorities. How do we do this? We do this by: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

listening with an open ear and an open mind creating hope creating an environment where people can be the best they can be being courageous, and always doing the right things, not the popular things making a difference in people’s daily lives motivating and inspiring people by showing them not what is, but how things could be in the future being a change enabler, leading and communicating the what, when, why and how of any change acting with integrity, being honest and trustworthy in all your dealings giving employees the opportunity to do meaningful work building strong relationships that give people a sense of connectedness making employees and clients feel good about themselves through feeling valued having an appetite for learning and new ideas valuing difference rather than seeking conformity having a service mentality based on under-promising and over-delivering being tenacious and persevering, never ever quitting, especially when the “ going gets tough” creating a compelling vision of a new, better future that people want to go to.

Do this, and you will have a competitive edge, both in terms of the quality of your people, and the respect and loyalty of your clients. If you want to be a respected, inclusive, supportive leader, in your professional and personal life, then lead by example and give respect to your family, friends, employees and your clients, include others and give them your whole hearted support. Don’t let your fears and perceived limitations of yourself sabotage your ability to be great and to lead a fulfilling life. Grab opportunities, give out what you want, and just see it come back with abundance!! Above all keep it real, for yourself and for others! As Michael Josephson’s poem concludes: “What matters is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you. What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what. Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident. It’s not a matter of circumstance but choice.”

Follow the Yellow Brick Road Kate Stone

So. Perth. Home of the Great White Shark, the Great White Gina Rinehart, and the Great White… well, admittedly pretty damn great white wines. And for the last six months - home to me. The Great White Insomniac. I’m not sure that I add anything to the landscape, but what there is a distinct lack of here in the Wild Wild West is the opposite of blanc de blanc; the little black dress – or, in its plural form, the LBDGroup. I have so far managed to survive with frequent exposure to the online community. Thankfully, my fellow members in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne have been kind enough to keep me in the loop despite the time difference and the lack of attendance at master classes, think tanks, and dinners. However. All this changed at the end of May, when Glinda the Good Witch (aka Janine Garner) said ‘there’s no place like Melbourne’ and suddenly I was sitting in Richmond with REAL PEOPLE. This is where the magic of Oz – I mean LBDG – kicks in. We talk a lot in LBDG about netweaving. But I would like to stress that in talking about the week that was, the word that really comes to mind is one that often comes up as a hashtag in LBDG social media posts. #collaborate. What I got to see within that week was not about networking, or even netweaving. What I saw was an active and busy community helping each other with no interest in gain for self. This wasn’t contained to Victoria either. From a Sydney member running a master class, to a Melbourne member supplying the premises for said master class, through to interstate members meeting and greeting each other with familiarity and genuine pleasure at dinner – this was a week filled simply with women who were interested in supporting each other because they cared and understood each others’ journeys.

Nowhere was this better illustrated for me than at the fabulous Beckie White’s fundraiser ‘Circle of Life’ on Friday May 30th. Beckie is of course the (beautifully made up) face behind the stylish Miss Velvet and a Melbourne LBDG member, and she held an incredible night that benefited amongst others, LBDG’s own philanthropic arm, the First Seeds Fund. The other main recipient of the evening’s proceeds was the Luke Batty Foundation. I don’t think there is anyone who is not aware of the tragic circumstances of Luke’s death, or the horror that his beautiful mother Rosie has to live with every day. What was phenomenal was the way LBDG members responded to Rosie on the night. I wouldn’t expect anything less, but I know from later correspondence with her just how much she loved the spirit of Beckie and her friends – and yes, all those LBDG members who piled in from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane AND PERTH to support one of their own. This is what LBDG comes down to. It comes down to Beckie White organising an amazing fundraising night in Frankston. To Carolyn Dean and gang doing the same in Sydney with a fab girls’ night out at the movies, and ditto with Margot Andersen in Melbourne. To Amanda Mallia gathering everyone for drinks in the south, and Katherine Gonzales-Cork giving space and time for master classes in Brisvegas (I’m allowed to call it that, I used to live there). Collaboration. Friendship. Generosity. Recently a fellow LBDG member was in Perth, and we joked about how lunch turned into a mini LBDG outpost. But when I think about it, it only took two of us, because that spirit of collaborative thought is so strong. One of the things we do so well in LBDG is look after each other. This has nothing to do with business, or ‘what’s in it for me’, or any deals. And I may be back in Kansas – er, Perth, but already I have had people checking up on me. So I suppose there may be an LBDG presence in Perth after all.

YOU ARE

CONFINED only

BY THE

WALLS YOU BUILD

YOURSELF

Getting Recruitment Right for Small Business

Victoria Butt

One of the hardest challenges small businesses face is how to recruit and retain successful staff that are right for their business. Large organisations find it difficult so it’s unsurprising that small businesses find it much harder! There are numerous reasons as to why it’s so difficult for small businesses; money, time, available skills, reputation risk, cultural alignment, values alignment, potential impact on customers, client and other staff, location etc. This challenge is made especially difficult by the emotional investment small business owners put into their businesses. The top 3 most consistent challenges faced by small business are; 1. Cultural/values alignment Most organisations (both large and small) discuss the importance of finding staff that are culturally aligned to their business. However, it is often hard for business leaders to define that culture and clearly articulate this to internal and prospective staff. Business values are a set of beliefs that define a company culture. 2. Lack of time/resources to train Time means money for leaders of small businesses and the challenge they face is finding time to train alongside the ‘business as usual’ activities, the unexpected obstacles and family life. The common thought process is to find a staff member who has relevant experience so they can ‘hit the ground running’. 3. Versatility/flexibility of staff. The intricacies and complexities of a small business are often underestimated and it is important that staff are both nimble and reactive. Employees of small businesses often have to think on their feet and change direction efficiently and quickly. Top tips to successful recruiting Ensure you hire in line with your company values. If the business leader and staff are clear about their company values, it will provide a framework to recruit and retain successful staff.

Regardless of someone’s skills and capabilities, if a member of staff is not aligned with the company’s values; there will be business cultural conflict from day one. Engage existing staff members in the interview process to ensure the company values are reinforced. Two ways to identify an applicant’s values are through specific value based questioning and online psychometric testing. One of the leading FREE online tests is the Tony Robbin’s DISC test. http://www.tonyrobbins.com/ue/disc-profile.php Hire based on values and attitude, not on previous work experience. When recruiting, small businesses tend to focus on finding the most suitable applicant in terms of experience because it will save time on training, (and therefore save money). Due to the intricacies of a small business, the ‘on boarding’ time does not differ dramatically whether you take on someone who is a proven entity in their field versus someone with the right skills and cultural alignment. Accept that a new member of staff is an investment in terms of time and money (whether they have the relevant experience for the role or not). Use multiple channels to attract new staff. It’s simple, the more channels you use, the more chance you will have at successfully meeting good people for your business. It is the consistency at which you energise these channels which will determine the volume of prospective applicants you will be introduced to. It is important to write a job description before you start advertising for a new role to ensure you have clearly defined what is required from the new staff member. Where appropriate, use all or some of the following channels; • An industry or a functional specialist recruitment agency • Engage your network; ask your clients and suppliers for their opinion as to who they rate in your industry and why • Traditional advertising (free and paid advertising sites such as Seek.com, CareerOne, Gumtree) • LinkedIn social updates • Paid LinkedIn advertising • Actively ask peers for referrals • Networking groups and events

• Graduate advertising at local Universities • Offering internships Interview and on board smartly. The expression ‘hire slow and fire fast’ could not be more true. The application and interview stage is an important part of the process and it is vital that you are thorough and consistent in your methods for each new member of staff. It is imperative that business owners conduct at least 3 interviews with a prospective applicant before making a final decision. The more varied these interviews are the better, and should include; • Telephone Screening – Do not underestimate the value of telephone screening. It will save you time and money, and you will avoid unnecessary face to face meetings with unsuitable applicants. If you engage a recruitment agency, it is important to guide them on specific questions they should be asking the prospective applicants before deciding on a shortlist • Informal Interview over coffee – remember to sell the role to the applicant at the earliest point • Formal Competency/Values Based Interview - The perfect balance of a job interview is 75:25 where the prospective applicant speaks for 75% of the time and interviewer will speak for 25% of the time. Leave 10 minutes at the end for questions from the applicant • Peer Interview • Psychometric Testing • Roll Play Interview • Written/Verbal Testing • Case Interviews • Presentation • References –Most applicants will provide favourable referees however, if you have identified further areas you would like to explore, ask the prospective applicant for an existing/previous manager to speak to. Providing small business owners are flexible on which prospective applicants they consider but inflexible on the value/cultural alignment to their business, they can achieve a solid long term match. Remember, there is no such thing as the right business with the wrong people!

Unsocial Media

OK, Soapbox time… Isn’t it ironic, don’t you think, that we’ve all seemingly gravitated towards this collective self-loathing over our obsession with social media to the point that we are now posting admonishing or other finger-pointing-type memes about the pitfalls of said obsession on Chris Allen our social media platforms? Seriously, we’re like moths to a flame with our smart phones, tablets, laptops or whatever. If it’s there we have to look at it, even if what we’re looking at is utter drivel, which it mostly is. I saw one today – yes, I know – that said ‘We’re swamped by information yet devoid of wisdom’. How true! I mean, how many times can you watch that clip of an athlete falling down hard on a race, getting up and continuing to run, with the video clip culminating in treacle about her inspiration and heroism? ? I don’t know how many times as schoolboys my friends and I hit the dirt hard during sporting events, lost bark, bled, got concussed, got up and got on with it. No one filmed it. It wasn’t inspirational. It wasn’t heroic. It was just life. You might have been lucky enough for one of the parents to call out from the sidelines, ‘Up you get mate.’ And off you’d go again. Do we really need to see that over and over? No, we don’t. The thing that I find most ironic at the moment is that we all talk about being on our iPhones too much – neglecting our friends, our kids, dare I say it, our partners – but, still we don’t change our behaviour. Yet, the moment someone shares that online movie ‘Look Up’ that’s currently doing the rounds, or Julian Lennon posts a picture of iPhones stacked on a restaurant table with the message ‘First one to check their phone pays the bill’, we can’t LIKE it quick enough. What the hell is wrong with us?

I think we’ve simply become obsessed with distraction. We have to be doing something, no matter how mind-numbingly pointless, all the time, every second of the day, until we finally escape the noise and sleep. My point here is be distracted by the important stuff. While your face is locked on that 5x7 screen, the world, your life, is going on around you. By all means, use it to communicate, but don’t let it rule your behaviour. If you’re out for dinner with loved ones or friends, and the phone rings, leave it. If it’s important enough they’ll call back. Seriously, if you’re in mid-conversation and then someone turns up out of the blue and says, ‘Oh, why don’t you just ignore them and come and sit at our table?’- would you? And if you did, would you then have the temerity to just insert yourself back into the original conversation you’d just discarded in favour of one apparently far more interesting? Well, that’s what you do every time you allow the phone to pull you away from those you’re with. Try to set yourself some controls or personal triggers only you know that will help to moderate your desperate obsession with your device of choice. If you’re with your kids and they want you, put it down. If you’re at the table – coffee, dinner, whatever – put it away. If you’re talking to someone, don’t keep checking it. All that says is, ‘There may be someone far more interesting than you calling me right now’ – leave it! They can call back or you can call them back. And, seriously, if you’re on the train home or otherwise on your own and you want to do something useful with it, don’t surf Facebook, or kill your brain cells playing those stupid games. Read a book or catch up on world events, or actually search for things that are of interest to you personally - don’t be force fed the stuff that is currently ‘trending’! Who cares about Kimye’s wedding? I sure as hell don’t!

Business Basics: LBD & Cashflow Melissa Browne

These last 12 months we have seen some incredible businesses go into liquidation. The retail sector has been particularly susceptible but really, no sector is immune. Some of these businesses have been shortlived affairs but some have almost been national icons, such as the fabulously talented Lisa Ho. What this proves is that the number of years you are in business or the talent of the business owner does not automatically mean that your business will be a successful one. What it also means is that business owners need to understand their cash flow. That’s because without cash in the bank, even the most successful business will fail. Without cash you can’t pay your team, your suppliers, your rent or yourself. I like to compare Cash flow in your business to the LBD. It’s the one great staple that every wardrobe and business needs. It’s not something you’re going to wheel out everyday but you want to know a great option is there when you need it. So how do you make sure you have good cash flow in your business? Well, you can start with the following ten actions: • Have strong terms of trade with your customers. When it comes to retail the terms are usually fairly simple. Customer buys your products either in-store or online, customer pays for product immediately, cash goes into bank account. Simple. When it comes to wholesale or professional services, the game changes completely. That’s why it’s important to have clear terms of trade around when you are going to be paid. • Invoice quickly. This might seem like a strange one. Of course you’d invoice quickly, right? The problem though is you can become so busy making sure your orders are fulfilled or your work is completed that your invoice isn’t sent out until a few weeks later. As part of your terms of trade, make sure you are able to invoice as soon as possible and then make sure that you do it.

• Create systems. This might seem like a strange part of the cash cycle. But with good systems there is consistency around how long it takes for orders to be completed or work to be performed. This means you can plan how long it will take for work to be completed or orders fulfilled and when you will be paid so you can manage any shortfall in your cash flow. • Create efficiencies so sales are fulfilled faster. When you create your systems, you can recognise any steps where you can become more efficient. This should mean shorter production or workflow times, which means work is completed or orders are fulfilled quicker and cash hits your bank account faster. Efficiencies might include dual screens, cloud based solutions, consistent automated sales techniques or better production methods. • Have and use cash flow budgets so you can plan for problems or low sales periods. It is so important to know how much it costs you to keep your doors open each month and what sales figure you need to make in order to not only meet your costs but to make a profit. It is also important to be aware of any holes that may arise either from seasonality or gaps between sales made and you receiving payment. • Use good debtor collection systems. Sending an invoice when you remember and then crossing your fingers hoping you will be paid is not a helpful debtor collection system. You are not a bank or a charity but too many business owners act like one by giving extended terms and not charging interest. Make sure you make it clear what your terms of trade are and then have a system to collect your debts. If you’re not good at collecting debts then outsource this function. • Maintain great relationships with your customers. It simply makes good commercial sense to have great relationships with your customers so they want to do business with you. It also means you can rally them if you need to drive your sales and be able to have that difficult conversation if they are taking too long to pay. • Maintain great relationships with your bank. Make sure your bank manager understands your business and is willing to support you with finance if you need it. If they don’t, then you need to find one who will. • Understand how long it takes for you to get paid. This means getting to know your cash cycle. So understanding the time it takes from a customer placing an order through to you being paid. The whole process from the order to payment might be 40 days and you need to ensure that you can fund both the order and your operations for those 40 days until payment. If it’s a large order and you suspect you might not be able to manage, then it’s time to talk to your bank manager. • Ask for money up front. This might seem cheeky but ask for part or all of the payment up front. You may do this for smaller orders or you may ask for partial payment for large orders. This means that the order can be funded by the customer, rather than by you. Don’t be a business statistic or a cliché by burying your head in the sand. Instead, take control of your business and your bank balance by understanding and taking control of cash flow in your business. To download free tools to help you take control of your cash flow head to LBD and Cash flow under the Shopping List Items at www.moremoneyforshoes.com.au

Learning From Others Mistakes: Assets Alice Ruhe

I am a firm believer in learning from others’ mistakes. As an insolvency practitioner, I deal with failed companies and businesses on a daily basis. My aim over a series of articles in the next few editions of GLOSS is to outline some of the issues I have seen in failed businesses so that you can see how they may be relevant to your business and, where necessary, take appropriate steps to minimise risk. As an accountant, most things I deal with centre around a Balance Sheet and it is for this reason I have structured this series of articles as follows: • Part 1: Assets • Part 2: Liabilities • Part 3: Equity and Structures Financial Statements & Management Reports Whether a business is operated as a sole-trader, partnership or company, be it a start-up, in a growth phase or merely trying to consolidate its place in the market there are a number of issues at play in the financial statements of which (however boring it may seem) the owners, or directors need to be aware. We are sometimes so caught up in making the next big deal, getting out the orders on time or managing our staffing issues that (what should be) the mandatory weekly or monthly review of management accounts is sometimes delayed for extended periods. Directors and business owners need to be aware of their obligations to:• keep appropriate books and records; and • not trade whilst insolvent. It is for this (and many other) reasons that it is imperative that business owners have an accounting system that works for them. It doesn’t matter if the system is basic or whiz bang, so long as you can get reports at the push of a button that accurately show the financial performance or position of the business. Of course, the reports that come out of these systems are only as good as the information entered into them, which is why whenever possible, having access to a good bookkeeper or accountant is a must. You can be the best Real Estate Agent, Personal Trainer or Plastic Surgeon, but if you don’t know what is happening with your finances you are sitting on a time bomb.

Solvency As outlined above, directors need to ensure that they are not trading whilst insolvent. A company is insolvent when it is unable to pay its debts as and when they fall due. The best way to monitor this is to have financial statements that correctly reflect the climate in which the business is operating. If the books have been manipulated or do not read correctly and do not present the true picture of the company/business for whatever reason, the director should be aware of this and take steps to rectify the problem. Although the balance sheet may “look” solvent, the test is whether the director knew or ought to have known that the company was insolvent. Examples of where this discrepancy might occur include: • Related Party Asset Loan Accounts recorded at values that are unlikely to be recovered can your associated company really come up with the cash to pay the $500K outstanding on your balance sheet or should this amount be written off? • Having liabilities classified as assets and vice versa - your credit card and overdraft debts should be listed as liabilities not assets • Incorrect allocation of current and noncurrent assets - is the $500K owing by the related party and listed as a Current Asset really going to be paid back in the next 12 months? Once your balance sheet is in order, then you can easily run reports and simple ratios (eg: Current Assets/Current Liabilities) to satisfy yourself that you are continuing to trade solvently. Further, if you do these ratios regularly, and at some point an abnormality is detected, immediate steps can be taken to identify any issues and correct them accordingly. Accounting for Tax Many accountants only see their clients once a year for tax purposes and run the accounts of the company the best way they know how to minimise the tax payable by their clients. It is important that your accountant is truly aware of your business goals, any difficulties you are facing and the major events that have:

1. Occurred in the past year; and 2. Are due to occur in the upcoming twelve months. Although it is attractive to present accounts in a certain light for tax purposes, know that if something goes wrong and those accounts are relied on in an insolvency event, they may cause assets to be exposed. Accordingly, know how your financial statements read and any associated risks which may be attached thereto. You may decide that the risks are worth the current tax savings, which is fine as long as you have made an informed decision. Debtor Collection – Preferences We all know that “Cash is King” and that we should ensure that we transpose our debtors into cash in an efficient manner, however it is important that businesses have a structured debtor collection process which is followed diligently. Many business owners are not aware that if one of their customers goes bankrupt or into liquidation, if the customer has made a payment on a debt within a specified period (normally six months, sometimes longer) the Trustee in Bankruptcy or Liquidator can claw back the payment from the creditor where: 1. The Debtor was insolvent at the time of making the payments, or became insolvent as a consequence of making the payments; 2. The transactions resulted in you as a creditor receiving from the Debtor, more than you would have received in respect of the debt if the transactions were to be set aside and you were to prove for the debt in the bankruptcy or winding up of the Company (ie: if there is going to be anything less than a 100 cents in the dollar dividend to all creditors); and 3. There were reasonable grounds for you to suspect that the Debtor was insolvent at the time of the preferential payment being received, or that awareness would have existed that the Debtor was likely to become insolvent in the near future. The first two points are generally a matter of fact. Although the third point can be subjective, the usual evidence which is relied upon by insolvency practitioners when running these cases are:

• Payments which have occurred outside usual payment terms; • Late payment notices being issued by the creditor; • Entering into payment arrangements with the creditors which have subsequently been broken; • Legal action being taken by a creditor; • Numerous follow ups/calls between the debtor and creditor, broken promises etc. I have seen a number of companies lately who have had to deal with insolvency scenarios themselves as a result of liquidators claiming from them substantial preference clawbacks which they have been unable to pay. Accordingly, if you operate a business that is heavily reliant on debtors, ensure that you discuss with your advisers the best way to set up collection guidelines which may mitigate against the risk of having your well-earned money clawed back off you. Plant & Equipment -PPSR Registrations This topic, like most others in this article, could be the subject of its own piece. However, in short, if you are in the business of leasing/lending/hiring assets or plant and equipment to third parties as part of your business, make sure that you have registered your interest on the Personal Property Securities Register (“PPSR”). If you do not, and your assets are on hand at another business or individual’s premises at a time when that entity is subject to an insolvency event (read: goes under). You may lose your title to those assets to the liquidator or trustee of that business. This is a very important issue to consider and if you operate at all in this space you should confirm with your advisers that you have adequate security over your assets. Inventory - ROT/PPSR Registrations If you are a supplier and on-sell inventory for sale, having an appropriate Retention of Title (“ROT”) clause in your terms and conditions is key. In very broad terms, these clauses notify the business with which you are dealing that the title to the stock that you are supplying remains yours until such time as it has been paid for in full. There are different clauses that have different impacts and it is important that you discuss with your advisers the clause that is most appropriate to your case.

Also, it is presently not enough to merely have an ROT clause signed off as part of your terms and conditions and have notification of same on your invoices etc. Your ROT clauses now also need to be registered on the PPSR for them to take effect. Related Party Loan Accounts If your balance sheet shows amounts owing irrespective of whether the loans are to related parties (including “director loans”) , know that if a liquidator is appointed to your company, he/ she will call on the loan and may bankrupt or wind-up the debtor (which may be the director or an associated company) if payment is not forthcoming. I have seen business groups with intricate structures in place come unstuck because of unpaid director loan accounts. Sum-up The above issues are relevant to most businesses, however at different levels of significance. Whenever in doubt, always seek further advice from your advisers, and if warranted, seek a second opinion. In the next piece, I will raise some points surrounding creditors and liabilities. If you have queries with respect to any issues outlined above or insolvency in general, please do not hesitate to contact me on aruhe@smbvic. com.au This article is intended to provide general information only in summary format on relevant issues. It does not constitute legal or financial advice, and should not be relied on as such.

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You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a plan for your day, until you have a plan for your life.

- Anthony Robbins

In Conversation with Clare Cope 1.

Tell us a little about your business and what you do Values Pendulum® is a values based thinking model I created a few years ago and have built a training program, online membership and corporate program around. At it’s core is the premise – “Change Your Thinking, Change Your Results”. By understanding what drives your thinking and that of others, you’re able to make better decisions for your life generally, have higher quality relationships and drive strategic based outcomes in business at all levels of the human chain from recruitment to development to talent selection to leadership. We train individuals in the professional services industry on the Values Pendulum® model and profile tool for use in their own businesses and we work with businesses seeking to integrate human data with business data to be better informed on their core asset – their people – in order to drive business outcomes.

to building a business navigating through an ocean of unknowns was a bold decision to begin with and I take my hat off to anyone that has made that same decision. Along the way I’ve encountered many situations where tough decisions needed to be made and expect that to continue, as is the nature of business. I think what makes any decision brave is when you’re moving from a place of certainty to one of uncertainty, a place of known to that of the unknown. Central to me in business is to do business with people whose values are aligned with mine. If at our core we are not aligned in how we go about business then that relationship either can’t go forward or should cease to exist. I had to cease an arrangement that was in place in relation to my business because of this very reason. At the time, it appeared to be a tough decision requiring some bravery to execute, yet in hindsight it was such a straightforward decision to make.

What’s the bravest decision you have had to make in your business?

On the one hand the bravest decision made in my business so far was making the decision to build a business! Breaking away from a career that was structured, certain and supported

We’re at an exciting stage of business right now. Currently adjusting our offering to ensure it is scalable and better positioning ourselves in the market.

What’s your vision for your business?

Businesses typically have access to the critical business data it needs to ascertain a level of predictability or foresight to feed into business decisions. Yet, few businesses have access to critical people data to help drive a level of predictability or foresight around what their people will do or think in a given situation. Which is ironic really considering that the execution of any strategic plan requires people to do something! So the vision for Values Pendulum® is to provide high quality, critical, core data on the human intelligence that resides within a business to help inform strategic business decisions.

First thing you do in the morning?

I’d really like to say something profound like an hour of meditation in my zen garden but in reality the first thing I do in the morning (apart from the obvious!) is feed my dog Cocoa. In a funny way it’s a constant daily reminder that there are others that rely on me for certain things and that life is a constant juggle between self and others. It’s a nice reminder each day to not be so focused on others at the detriment to self and likewise to not be so focused on self to the detriment to others.

Most inspiring quote?

“You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore” Christopher Columbus

Top 3 tips for women in business?

1. Laugh often: I think people generally have a tendency to take life and themselves too seriously. And as women, we have a fantastic ability to take ourselves lightly. With the many things we juggle at the one time on a daily basis we know that not everything goes to plan and even our best intentions somehow go awry. 2. Make more mistakes than anyone else – quickly: With every mistake I make I learn quicker than if I played it safe and aimed to get ‘it right’; fail often; it’s the fastest way to grow.

3. Have more questions than answers: This is one way in which I measure if I’m challenging myself enough; for each question I get answered I create three more in it’s place to ensure I’m constantly finding new ways to do something, or think, or achieve; and more avenues to explore to further grow and expand the possibilities for self and others.

What would you tell your 21 year old self now if you could? Listen to your Mother!!! Sounds a bit cliché however I’ve discovered more about my Mum in my 30’s than I did in the 30 years prior and have uncovered a person that is wise, clever, courageous, playful and funny. I realise she’s such a powerful untapped treasure trove of wisdom that I value for her unique and different insight into my life and life generally. So I would tell my 21 year old self to listen with open ears, ask more questions of and spend more time with this amazing woman.

Contact Details: www.valuespendulum.com

LBDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OUT AND ABOUT

Thank you to member Layne Beachley for invitation to Manly Warringah Sea Eagles game. Make sure to book tickets for Layneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Aim For the Stars Gala event on the 5th of Sept - mention LBDGroup to join our tables. www.aimforthestars.com.au

LBD Sydney Dinner at La Brasserie - in depth conversation, idea sharing, great company. Everything that LBD is about and so much more.

Launched in January 2011, Events Boutique is a passionate and energetic firm offering a personal one to one service. Founder & Director of Events Boutique, Samantha Fieliciano introduces her business. Check it out! http://vimeo. com/96040221

Congrats to LBD member Karen Gately for this great coverage in The Age.

Our sell out movie night fund raisers in Sydney and Melbourne raised over $6500 for the First Seeds Fund, supporting women and children at the grass roots of Australia. Thank you to everyone who came along in support. Keynoting with a View Janine Garner speaks at Clayton Utz Brisbane before the LBDGroup dinner. “Dream big. Then dream bigger again. It will happen. Promise. Have an amazing weekend.” #LBDG #dreambigger

@LBDGroup

Congratulations to Debbie O’Connor and the well deserved recognition for her achievements in the Penrith Press.

We want to know what you’re up to! - Simply email Lisa on support@ littleblackdressgroup.com.au with details & photos & we will do the rest.

With every experience you alone are painting your own canvas, thought by thought, choice by choice - Oprah Winfrey

LBDG’s First Seeds Fund brings together its members and friends to support the lives of women and children with a focus on education and employment. We are currently funding an educational scholarship and programmes supporting Year 6 to Year 12 children in the disadvantaged NSW community of Warwick Farm. “The power of the First Seeds Fund comes not in the strength of the individual but through collaboration, the creation of a singular strong voice and a strategic approach to philanthropy,” says Janine Garner, founder of the First Seeds Fund. “Together we can all become architects of change.”

To make a donation to the First Seeds Fund please click here.

Top 9 Tips Advice from Mariette Rups-Donnelly â&#x20AC;&#x201C; International Speaker, MC, Consultant. Coach in all aspects of Presentation, Communication and Performance. Director of Powerhouse Presentation.

Respect the Opportunity A presentation is an opportunity to use your knowledge and experience to help others. It is also an opportunity for personal PR and brand building. Respect it. Give yourself time to research each particular speaking event and each audience. Block out time to create your content and to develop a clear structure that supports your message.

Content First, Slides Second. Do you really need slides for your presentation? If you do, remember that your slides are there to support your presentation not to be the presentation. Develop your content and structure first and then create slides to add a visual component to your message. Too often the message is pushed and squeezed to work with the slides.

Rehearse on your Feet Presenting is a physical activity so get on your feet and rehearse. A rehearsal is a practice for the real thing, so do it out loud to an imaginary audience. Do it often to get the flow of the presentation into your body.

Make an Entrance Grab the audiences’ attention immediately. Begin in a way that they don’t expect. It doesn’t have to be dramatic (unless that works for you). “In today’s presentation I’d like to tell you about....”, doesn’t cut it. If you were an audience member what would spark your interest?

Be Real Bring your real self to the platform rather than a presenter self. Really talk to the audience. Use spoken language. Speak from your knowledge and experience, not from someone else’s. People can tell if you are not completely grounded in your information.

Your Words are the Message your Voice is the Music. Words are important. How your voice expresses the words is even more important. Make sure you are easy to understand. Speak clearly and at a volume and pace that works for the audience. Develop your vocal resonance and range so your voice has the capacity to express all the intellectual and emotional subtleties of your message.

Your Body Talks Too Your body never stops talking so make sure it is saying what you want it to say. Move with purpose. Use gestures that add value to your message rather than distract from it. There is a whole layer of subliminal influence you can tap into if you use your body movement well.

Connect Emotionally You want to inspire your audience? Then you must connect emotionally to yourself and to them. You cannot fake this. It is not about ‘showing’ the audience how you feel, it is about allowing them to see it. Care about your audience. Live your message.

Finish with Style Think carefully about the final impact you want to have on your audience. Make it memorable and leave them wanting more.

Bringing Fitness Back: 7 Steps to Get Back into Fitness Nikki Fogden-Moore

Have you been pounding the keyboard more than the pavement lately? Feeling as if you’ve been in hibernation with long office hours and mega multitasking? It may be time to get back to basics and start treating your body like you do your business. Set some goals, make a plan and activate weekly milestones. Don’t let your health and wellbeing be the last on the list. A healthy mind and body is essential for success in business and in life. Fitness is a lifestyle for me, so there are fresh air moments every day without fail. However the last few months my schedule has seemed to be more about planes, writing and presenting, than making time for fitness. Therefore I declared it the end of my “off-season” to practice what I preach - active every day. I challenge you to think about doing the same. You have one body - FedEx is not going to be sending you a new one tomorrow. Now is the time to work on being your personal best, your healthy self and make healthy part of your lifestyle not a chore. Too often I hear clients say they didn’t have enough time, work got in the way or they lost their motivation and now it’s too hard to get started again. The key is not to get discouraged and focus on how things were, but instead focus on how fit you want to be, and set some milestones. Change your mindset about fitness and health - embrace active living, healthy eating and relaxation as an essential part of being and feeling fantastic. If you’re leading a team of people in a company, then inspire the team to think about their wellness as well with small tangible steps each day. Sign up for a team challenge, go for a walk at lunchtime, and ensure there are healthy food choices in the work environment. Integrate this as a lifestyle not just at home, but in the wider sense of your world. You are their role model and setting an example to create wellness in the workplace creates incredible impact.

Here are my top tips for getting back into your fitness groove, no matter what you’ve been up to the past few months. Whatever your age, location, fitness level or work/life balance element there is a formula you can use to bring fitness and vitality back into daily life. Share these with your team and create a shared sense of healthy goals and active living. 1. Remember WHY it’s important to be fit and healthy - reducing stress levels, increasing overall wellbeing, looking great, feeling great, using your body as designed and generally taking care of yourself are all key benefits. 2. Set a month goal – not 3 months or 6 months – but a 4-week goal. 3. Divide that goal into each week with some milestones per week. 4. Grab your calendar and plan in 30-45 min sessions every second day and 15-minute sessions on the days in-between (you’ll use an hour but the smaller sessions make it seem more achievable). If that seems too much at the moment then go for the 1% rule. 1% of your day is 14.4 minutes - an easy number to remember and an effective amount of time to plan wellbeing into your day without fail.

6. Find a trainer, download some videos, find a training buddy or just get outside with your family and build it into your time together. Either way, connect and get informed on what you can do to start building up your fitness again safely and it will be fun. Take ACTION. 7. Ask for support - let others know this is important to you and you need them to support rather than sabotage or try to take you off track. You are on a mission. It’s human nature for others to test our conviction for new projects so just be clear to people you need them to be positive not dream stealers (as Shannah Kennedy and I discussed on my podcast the other week). For more resources: click here on goal setting, quick workouts for busy people, healthy easy to make recipes for lots of ideas, quick tips and free advice on how you can look and feel fantastic without turning your life upside down. As you kick-start your personal journey into being your fit, healthy self – remember it’s about balance. Focus on what you can add to your life rather than what you have to give up. If you’d like some tips on getting your workplace fit and healthy drop me a line. Remember in order to be our personal best we must do our personal best. Health & Happiness Nikki

5. Make a monthly sheet on a piece of paper, draw up your milestone moments, training and weekly missions and place it front and center – i.e. on your fridge, in your office etc. Sometimes things on computer agenda’s get lost in the ether and once we physically write something down and display it (like a mood board) it becomes more of a reality.

News & Reviews

Featured This Month BOOK: The Obstacle Is The Way: The Timeless Art Of Turning Trials Into Triumph by Ryan Holiday. Ryan Holiday is either incredibly frightening or disturbingly brilliant, depending on your point of view. Previously Director of Marketing at American Apparel, he is the author of the best-selling Trust Me I’m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator, an amazing book which was in itself incredibly frightening. This one dials down the ‘oh my God’ moments and dials up the best business practice, focusing on the reasons why obstacles are actually opportunities in disguise. Short sharp chapters, great case studies. The way business books should be written.

www.amazon.com/The-Obstacle-Is-Way-Timeless/ dp/1591846358/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0

BLOG: Culture is Everything Written by an amazingly charismatic physio, this is a fascinating blog about building effective workplace culture. With posts such as ‘Why Recruitment Starts With Retention’, this is a common sense look at how to make culture count in your organisation. Well worth bookmarking. www.tristanwhite.com.au

WEBSITE: Newsweek Strictly speaking, this is an app. But it’s a great app. And it’s free. Newsweek for iPad gives you everything that Newsweek gives you - but for free, and on your iPad. If you are remotely geeky, or remotely oriented toward political news, this is a good thing. www.itunes.apple.com/au/app/newsweek-for-ipad/ id370903329?mt=8

Lois Lane Lives: A Complete Spectacle Kate Stone

This month has been, to put it bluntly: Totally, utterly, flying by the seat of my pants, possibly need some form of sleep therapy very soon... Cray cray. (Yes, I hang around with Gen Zers – it’s starting to show. Like, totes amazeballs). I feel as though I have words dribbling out of my fingers and toes – and possibly hiding under my pillow. Alongside them are several Adobe products, which, quite frankly, I don’t mind if I never see again. Don’t get me wrong. Writing – and better still, getting to write about exciting and innovative things and then put them into beautiful designs, and then have a total geekfest and put them on a huge screen so that others can see just what a nerd I am – makes my life worth living. But sometimes... sometimes the words tend to run your life, not the other way around. Especially if one finally realise that the persistent nagging pain behind one’s eyeballs, and the fact that one is screwing said eyeballs into a squint despite the fact that one has a computer screen seeable from space means only (you guessed it) one thing. At 42, I really, really needed new glasses. And boy, did I. Those chic little ‘sexy librarian’ numbers register me legally blurred if I forget to take them off 2 feet away from a screen or book. But up close... well. It turns out incessant cleaning of the iPad wasn’t necessary after all. I just needed to Windex my eyeballs.

It has also helped immensely to start hearing the words in my head again more clearly. Little did I know there was a persistent buzz-saw overlaying every article, droning a dirge into every blog and byte. Pain will do that; I had experienced it before, but not at such a – well, a silly (and easily fixable) low level. Inspiration had returned, and the words were not to be crammed back against the tide of my furious (read: wildly inaccurate) typing. This was a big fat win for productivity, but also lead to the above sleepless nights, and my poor partner getting a face full of busily typing fingers during the night, and being asked at 3 o’clock in the morning to look at the latest incarnation of a web page ‘just to make sure it works on smartphones. It’ll only take a minute. You were awake anyway right? In that case, have a look at this article. It’s tiny. 1,000 words max’. To quote Margaret Chittenden, ‘Many people hear voices when no one is there. Some of them are called mad and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called writers and they do pretty much the same thing.’ I hope I am one of the latter, because the ability to write, and be called a writer, is something I covet, a bit like shoes. If not, at least there’s a cat here who seems to answer back. When he feels like it. Now, where did I put my glasses? Oh wait... I’m wearing them. I wondered why my head wasn’t hurting. Totes amazeballs.

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