Edition # 30

THE #1 TRADESMAN LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Is A Connected World All It’s Cracked Up To Be? Content Twister

Todd Lovelock

Smoothstone Concrete Polishing Platinum VIP Member

Issue #30

April - May - June 2013 Proudly Australian

+

Being Owed Money Is History!

Boot Camp

Best Bits!

Welcome,(welcome,(to(another(killer( edi2on(of(Trade(Talk(Magazine.(It’s(April,( and(to(be(frank,(a(quarter(of(the(year(has( passed.(Are(you(any(closer(to(your(goals?( It#must#be#said,#a#huge#congratulations#to#Adam# Scott#for#the#biggest#single#achievement#by#an# Australian#golfer#recently#by#breaking#Australia’s# 79#year#drought#at#the#Masters.#There#is#certainly# much#rejoicing#in#the#golf#industry.#A#win#that# needs#to#be#capitalised#on#immediately.#I’d#say# he’s#hit#his#goal!#What#do#you#think?

There#is#one#serious#goal#on#our#horizon…#and#it# should#be#for#all#of#us.#About#60#days#till#the#Tough( Bloke(Challenge,(Sydney.#Have#you#registered?

Dates#and#details#see#page#X.#You#need#to#get#in# quick#to#ensure#you#have#a#place#in#our#specific# time#slot.#It’s#only#7km#as#a#TEAM…ALL#IN#I#say…# Do#it#now…

Another#one#you#need#to#book#(VIP#Platinum# &#Platinum#members),#while#your#‘in#the# moment’,#is#the#Think(Big(Work(Shop,#21#&#22# June.#We’re#taking#registrations#through# mylifestyletradie.com.au#AND#accommodation#is# currently#on#a#discount.#Take#advantage#of#that# while#you#can!#(See#page#6) If#you#feel#you’ve#lacked#a#bit#of#direc[on#of#late,# changed#tact#within#your#business#and#need#to#‘plug# yourself#in’#to#a#road#map#‘going#somewhere’#versus# ‘nowhere’,#then#this#Work#Shop#is#not#to#be#missed.# Plus,#[me#to#have#a#bit#of#fun.#What#do#you#say?# Will#we#demote#King#Luke#perhaps?#Switch#with# Dunce#Deb?#Ohhh,#the#suspense!

Talking#goals,#I#think#Todd#from#Smoothstone( Concrete(Polishing(Pty(Ltd#should#be#pre^y#proud# of#what#he’s#achieved#with#systemising#his#business.# When#you#feel#like#you’ve#literally#become#a#travel# agent#to#ensure#your#boys#get#to#work#on#[me,#the#

Is A Connected World All It’s Cracked Up To Be? Page 3

Smoothstone Concrete Polishing. Page 7

What are the consequences?

VIP Platinum Member Todd Lovelock shares his top 3 business tips.

Increase your Productivity and Gain More Free Time Outsourcing. Page 9

How to get more done and have more free time doing it!

TradeTalk 1

systems,#in#the#cloud,#are#a#must#for#produc[vity.# He#shares#his#journey#on#page#7.

Plus,#a#huge#congratulations#to#Anthony(and(Annie# from#Mr.Switch(Electrical#for#their#recent#win#in# the#National(Small(Business(Champion(Awards(for( ‘Trade(Services’(2013.#A#well#deserved#award#for# the#effort#and#commitment!#See#page#6.

So,#with#the#March#Boot#Camp#come#and#gone,# who’s#been#busy#using#their#new#Content(Twister( (thanks#to#Taki)?#To#show#you#exactly#how#you#can# make#it#work,#check#out#page#13.#We’ve#even#done# a#video#on#it.#Ready#and#waiting.

(test#and#measure#here#we#come)#plus#interviewing# for#a#new#employee…#yes,#we#are#on#the#hunt#for#a# Marketing#&#Admin#Assistant#‘Extraordinaire’#for# Lifestyle#Tradie#and#the#calibre#is#HIGH!#Amazing# what#offering#‘school#hours’#can#produce.#We#plan# to#check#them#out#thoroughly#to#prevent#a#dud# decision#based#on#our#article#to#you#(page#17).# That’s#it#from#me.#We#really#look#forward#to# introducing#you#to#the#newbie#soon.#Be#kind# won’t#you…

To your success, Andy

With#all#this#fabulous#software#at#our#fingertips#to# improve#our#productivity#that#in#turn#gives#us#back# TIME,#I#do#wonder#why#Ange#ended#up#questioning# our#‘connected(world’#(Page#4).#A#rant#I’d#call#it!# Lucky#we#sent#her#on#a#holiday#to#Noosa#with#her# girlfriends#recently…#to#disconnect!

y And

That#said,#we#are#back#in#the#thick#of#things#having# ‘pushed#the#bu^on’#in#Dr.DRiP#for#the#new#CRM#

Content Twister.

Page 13

Are You Owed Money.

Page 15

Other articles include; • It’s Award Season! - page 6 • Lifestyle Challenge…Are You Ready?

- page 6 • THINK BIG Workshop - page 6 • Prison Material, Bad Reputation or Good Fit - page 17 • Reminisce Over The Best Bits Of Boot Camp - page 19

Keep your existing customers engaged in your business by this very simple tool.

How to collect the money you are owed…an article by Dr. DRiP’s Debt Collector.

• How Apple Have Managed to Make A Few Extra Millions - page 21

TradeTalk 2

Lifestyle Tradie Helping You On The Road To Success MEMBERS – You are never far from help.

Unlimited phone support on 1800 704 822.

Lay it on the plate...

Is A Connected World

All It’s Cracked Up To Be?

Having'recently'relished'in'a'long'weekend'away'with'the'family,'in'at'times' un8contactable' locations' ‘somewhere’' on' Sydney’s' north' coast,' with' no' mobile' phone' service'(unless'you'held' it' up' in'the'air' at' the'top' of' the'hill…)'or'internet'access,'it'got'me'thinking'about' the'level'of'connectivity'we'have'today.

Mobile#phones#and#the#internet#have#literally# ‘plugged#us#in’#24/7#to#communication#with# family,#friends,#and#even#workmates.#But#did# any#of#us#think#about#the#inevitable# expectations#to#make#ourselves# constantly#available?#Is#it#just#me,#or# have#you#noticed#that#there#seems#to# be#some#perverse#unwritten#rule# creeping#in,#which#implies#that# because#we're#easy#to#contact#we# also#have#a#personal#responsibility# to#respond#instantly?# I#clearly#remember#the#days#when# the#world#somehow#managed# perfectly#well#without#any#social# networks,#online#chats#or#mobile# phones.#While#I'm#not#advoca[ng# we#can#now#get#by#without#these# tools,#I’m#just#saying#we#don’t#need# them#every#minute#of#every#day!

Okay,#I#hear#you#saying#‘but#in#a# tradies#world,#the#mobile#phone#was# literally#revolutionary#for#the#industry.’#I# get#it.#They#too#have#come#a#long#way# from#the#brick#phone#on#a#battery#charger# briefcase!...#even#still,#do#you#really# EVER#get#any#‘down#time’?

TradeTalk 4

In#a#previous#world#not#so#long#ago#(cough# cough!),#I#remember#arranging#to#meet#a#friend# at#the#sta[on#at#10am#the#following#day,#and# without#any#further#discussion#you#were#both# there,#on#[me.#There#was#no#alternate#venue# op[on#or#changing#plans#at#the#last#minute# because#the#sun#was#shining#and#perhaps#the# beach#would#be#better.#You’d#just#be#there.#Like# you#said#you#would.

The#phone,#back#then,#was#attached#by#a#curly# cord#that#only#just#reached#the#privacy#of#your# bedroom.#We’d#give#the#caller#complete#100%# attention.#Today#we#chat#on#our#mobile#phone# while#multiitasking#–#driving#the#car,#while# passing#food#to#our#kids,#while#checking#dates# on#a#calendar#all#while#holding#a#conversation.# Know#what#I#mean?#And#actually#‘knowing’#the# person#on#the#other#end#of#the#phone#is#clearly# preoccupied#with#another#task#than#with#what# you#are#saying#is#a#bugibear#too#much#to#handle.

I#remember#a#day#when#we#were#dropped#to# the#library#to#research#a#school#project#from# one#single#book#praying#it#would#be#on#the#shelf.# Today#we#sit#in#the#comfort#of#our#home#opening# countless#pages#in#google#on#one#single#topic# that#it#causes#a#headache#from#overload#simply# thinking#‘where#do#I#start?’.#There#is#almost#too# much#informa[on#to#handle.

So,'have%you%ever% thought%of%switching% off%from%the%world…%

a'shocking'revela8on'I'know!

By#switching#off#for#a#bit#you’re#saying#“no”# to#being#plugged#into#this#connected#world# 100%#of#the#time#and#saying#“yes”#to#making# time#for#reflection,#‘dream#big’#thinking#or# just#deistressing.# 5 TradeTalk

It#could#be#something#as#simple#as#turning#your# phone#off#over#dinner#with#friends#or#family.#It# conveys#a#very#powerful#message#to#those#you# are#with#that#they#are#important#to#you.# You#could#even#commit#to#taking#a#day#a# week#away#from#your#computer#screen#–#the# “screenifree#Sabbath”.#Go#spend#the#day#with# your#family,#your#friends.#Get#some#fresh#air…# go#live#a#little!

It’s#not#only#a#great#way#to#enhance#your# relationship#i#and#plenty#of#research#shows#that# good#rela[onships#are#the#key#to#life#sa[sfac[on# i#but#also#to#allow#yourself#to#relax#and# disconnect#from#your#work,#coming#back#to#it# with#renewed#vigor#and#passion#the#next#day.#

From'this'off'the'cuff'rant,' you'need'only'remember' one'simple'thing…'

technology%serves%you…% you%don’t%serve%it!

CHALLENGE:) Next%&me%you’re%with% your%mates%stack%your% phones%on%the%table%upside% down,%and%the%first%to% check%their%phone% throughout%dinner%has% to%pay%the%bill!

Opportunist or Strategist?

Do you live day by day, jumping from one great idea to another (or so it seems)?

Not 100% where the money has gone and not really sure where it’s coming from either?

OR

Are you a business owner that knows what the future holds? Have a list of objectives? Do you know how to get there and have a plan? Do you follow the path set to achieve these objectives changing only when circumstances or current environment throws you a curve ball?

OPPORTUNIST

STRATEGIST

A person who exploits circumstances to gain immediate advantage rather than being guided by principles or plans.

A person that considers the long term direction of the business. They analyse current and consider future environment/issues and develop an achievable road map to connect the present with future state in an ethic and morale manner to achieve business objectives.

Someone that leaps from one open door to another.

Know their vision and stay the course.

Short term action for short term gain.

Short term action for short and long term gain.

‘THINK BIG’

2013 Work Shop Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd June, Melbourne

CONGRATULATIONS

Mr.Switch Electrical

Calling all Platinum and VIP Platinum members… this is an event NOT to be missed…Why? Quite simple really… it’s time to bring out the ‘Strategist’ in you to set you and your business up for SUCCESS. This is a ‘hands-on’, get down and dirty, Work Shop where we will dive into your both your Business Plan and Marketing Plan, PLUS have a heap of fun along the way.

Can you handle that? I bet you can…

SPECIAL OFFER… for a limited time!

The Mercure Melbourne Treasury Gardens, is offering a special member rate of $165 per night valide for a limited time… so be quick. Dates are Friday 21st June and Saturday 22nd June.

Check Out The Full details on mylifestyletradie.com.au - Go to Events/Next WorkShop

Winners of Small Business Champion Awards 2013 for 'Trade Services'.

A well deserved win Anthony and Annie for all the hard work and dedication you apply to your business.

TradeTalk 6

Lifestyle Tradie Member Profile ‘Today, after 12years in business, we finally have control of our finances with set monthly turnover and profit targets. We’re systemised using a cloud based CRM and have reduced the headaches of business! It’s a much happier place to be!’

Todd Lovelock Smoothstone Concrete Polishing – Platinum VIP Member www.smoothstone.com.au

1. Tell us a little about your situation, business, family etc.

I have been married to Mahlah for nearly 14 years. We have 3 kids, 2 boys - Dayton 13 & Aspen 8 and a daughter Memphis 6. We live in Shepparton, Victoria but I grew up on a wheat farm in NSW. I believe this upbringing lay the foundations for a great work ethic and taught me a lot about risk management!

I didn’t actually do a tiling apprenticeship; I learnt the trade working for a tiler as a sub-contractor for 4 years.

The week we got married in 1999, at the age of 21, I began contracting as my own identity - Todd Tiling Pty Ltd (back when it was still a good idea to have your name on the door). I bought a trailer and some tools on borrowed money…especially after the cost of the wedding!

I always had the dream to operate my own business and the drive to make it happen. It wasn’t a matter of “if”, just a case of “when”.

I worked pretty much 7 days a week for the first few years, building the business and saving for a new home with a baby on the way.

In 2005 I purchased our first grinding equipment and started Smoothstone Concrete Polishing Pty Ltd. It was a complimentary business to the tiling as it allowed us to do our own preparation work and provide alternative

7 TradeTalk

finishes to our already large client builder base. The company has evolved to supply install of all flooring types including food and industrial flooring. Ceramic tiling has taken a smaller roll due to the competitive nature of the wet trades in Australia now.

Through the improvement of financial analysis of our business we quickly realised the profits were far better in Smoothstone and our focus quickly shifted to this sector of the business and less so on tiling. Our core tilers have been enthusiastic about broadening their skill base and have been enjoying the challenge of alternative finishes.

Our business focus is now on retail flooring with a mix of polished concrete, vinyl, carpet, tiles and epoxy. Five national retailers are our bread and butter, with smaller ones filling the in-between. The office is a little more like a travel agency most weeks with jobs on the go in multiple states at once.

2. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced in the past 12 months?

Cash flow - A couple of customers fell over on us 18 months ago leaving us to carry a large amount.

3. How have you tackled that challenge?

How do you feel about it?

We have implemented 3 key actions:

1. Micro budgets

7. Favourite tool and why?

2. Better contracts

Laser measure and scalex plan rule - saves so many hours quoting and tendering.

3. All customers are placed on the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR).

4. How have you and your business changed since joining Lifestyle Tradie?

We are much more focused on our numbers to include segmenting our customers and job types and margins of each.

We now know where our leads for work have come from.

We now have monthly turnover and profit targets (at first I scoffed this was possible for our type of work).

We have also implemented cloud based Task Manager IMS which has reduced a lot of headaches for our project management. Lifestyle Tradie has really helped me focus on systems to automate our business.

5. Where do you see your business in 5 years?

Not much larger but I would like to have a project manager in both Melbourne and Shepparton office so I can take less of a hands-on role.

8. Tell us something quirky about yourself that your buddies don’t know.

I didn’t talk till I was 4years old! (In my defense I was an only child until I was 7 and my parents had tried for many years to have a baby – so you can imagine I didn’t really need to talk!)

9. Who would you most like to have lunch with and why?

My wonderful wife Mahlah. We don’t get a heap of time together and so it’s great to slip out for a nice lunch in the middle of the day and just catch up without work or kids.

We are always hardest on the ones we love, yet I really enjoy Mahlah’s company. She really is one of the smartest people I know and I truly value her opinion or view on things, whether the topic is business or not.

6. What are the top 3 things you have learnt about business that you would recommend to others and WHY? 1. Staff are your number 1 asset unless you want to do it all by yourself for the rest of your life.

Managing staff is something that does not come naturally to me, but I’ve worked out that mainly staff need to feel valued in the team.

2. F i n d a w o n d e r f u l b o o k k e e p e r a n d administrator like Joanna… Stick to running your business and let someone else chase money and organise the finances. Make sure this is not your wife so your business still runs while you’re on holiday.

3. Answer your phone! Our best customers are very busy project managers spending other people’s money. Don’t make it hard for them to find you and give you work.

TradeTalk 8

LOST IN THE WEB

Highly Effective

Internet Marketing

For Trades Businesses

Increase your Productivity and Gain More Free Time Outsourcing.

Do you ever find yourself short of time?

Do you keep on putting the important tasks off to tomorrow?

I’m sure like myself many of you answered yes to at least one of those questions.

Well here’s the good news…stop putting off the tasks that you can get achieved today. And I don’t mean staying up until all hour of the night to get it done!

Gone are the days where you have to do it all yourself! Today you can simply go online and hire a freelance employee to complete the work done for you…and at very little cost too! Through websites like E-lance and O-Desk you can post a job, hire a freelancer, monitor the progress of the freelance employee and finish the job by a certain deadline. Whether it is a designer, writer, illustrator or programmer that you need, there is a freelancer out there waiting for your job.

9 TradeTalk

Let’s talk Elance…

Elance is leading the way in today’s hiring revolution. It is the top platform for online work and is the most-popular place to find, hire, manage and collaborate with online freelancers. The best thing about it…it doesn’t cost a cent to register and post jobs to instantly access a community of over 2 million of the world’s best freelancers. You can find web programmers, mobile app developers, graphic designers and other freelancers with excellent skills.

It is a really simple 7 step process…

1. Research – take some time reading other jobs posted to educate yourself about what to write in your own ad.

2. Post your job - Once registered you're free to post jobs.

3. Review job proposals – browse each proposal and review their portfolio of previous work, tests passed, job feedback/ rating (just like eBay) and more.

4. Select a freelancer - award the job to a happy freelancer.

5. Manage and collaborate online Track job progress in your shared Workroom. Stay on top of jobs by setting milestones, viewing work in progress, video conferencing with freelancers and more.

6. Pay only for work you approve simply deposit funds into their licensed

escrow and your freelancer will be paid when milestones are met.

7. DONE!

O-Desk works in a very similar way.

They have over a million contractors ready and waiting for your job.

Similarly to E-lance, you are able to sign up and post jobs for free.

Payment is only on completion of the job. O-Desk follows the same seven step process like E-lance above.

Using&E(lance&and&O(Desk&will& save&you&money&using&a&highly& skilled&contractor,&it&will&increase& your&business’&productivity,&and& best&part…&it&frees&up&YOUR&time.

Check&out&our&“How&To”&Videos&on& mylifestyletradie.com.au.

TradeTalk 10

Money On The

Move

How To Ensure Your Business Isn’t Left With Extravagant Outstanding Debt

T

his isn’t a trick topic… the answer is simple. In the maintenance game it’s called an ‘EFTPOS machine’ and the building game it’s called ‘Progress Payments’… but the question I want to ask is ‘How many of you are really doing it?’.

Let’s talk EFTPOS machine.

With advances in technology, long gone are the days where you need to wait to get back to the office to process a credit card attached to a landline. The portable EFTPOS

11 TradeTalk

machine can be carried from job to job, and is now designed like a mobile phone with a SIM card that transmits information through a signal immediately. It’s called serious Money on the Move…

The nature of this, however, like any mobile phone, it does experience the occasional ‘black spot’; an underground garage or a house in a valley. Our team have been know to hold the device in the air to receive a signal to confirm payment!

The portable EFTPOS machine immediately increases cash flow by collecting payment on the spot and

as a result reduces the outstanding debt to your company. No more

maximum deposit of 10%. If the contract price is more than $20,000,

excuses from the customer to pay: with the option to use a credit card or their savings account, and the best part, any credit card that declines can be addressed with

you can ask for a maximum deposit of 5%. Could be different in your industry… check it out.

the customer face to face.

Hot tip: Don’t be afraid to call your merchant bank after using it for a few months to ask for a better rate. ce It could be the differen of money in your pocket versus the bank!

For trades where the EFTPOS machine is simply not an option, how do you ensure you still get the money you are entitled to faster?

Let’s talk Progress Payments.

If the job is only a few thousand dollars, it’s acceptable to request Progress Payments from your customer. The rule of thumb is simple: you can only charge for materials and labour already completed.

The remainder of the job can be invoiced on completion. The final invoice should show the full amount of the job, minus the deposit and minus any progress payments received. If you want to prevent using your own funds to outlay for materials in advance, then this method is a MUST to ensure you stay on top of your cash flow.

Using one or both of these methods will improve your business cash flow and ensure you have less outstanding debt. Happy days!

Did you know you’re allowed to request a deposit to secure the job and hence get the funds to purchase the materials to start the

If you’re NOT doing this there is simply No More EXCUSES!

job? The NSW Home Building Law

Y! A D O T on i t c a e k Ta

states if the contract price is $20,000 or less, you can request a

TradeTalk 12

SPILL THE BEANS.....

‘MIND-BLOWING S E C R E T S F RO M A M A R K E T I N G M AV E N ’

Content Twister “It costs significantly more to acquire new customers than it does to retain them and the most successful businesses understand the importance of maintaining customer relationships” explained Taki Moore at our recent Boot Camp. There is a very easy way to do this by way of sending them a regular email.

This(raised(the(ques2on(–(what%do%I%write% about?%Won’t%I%run%out%of%content?# A#fabulous#solu[on#to#this#was#the#‘Content# Twister’#to#help#provide#the#ideas#to#write#about# and#ensure#you#never#run#out#of#content!

For(example:( The(5(Reasons(Why#You#Should#Call#A#Plumber# Before#Trying#to#Change#a#Tap#Washer.#A(rant( about(why(‘billyVbum(crack’(tradies(give(the( industry(a(bad(name((with(the(link(reminder( that(we(are(NOT(like(that!)

The#Content#Twister#template#(below)#includes# the#main#topics/subjects#relevant#to#your# industry#(for#us#Blocked#Drains,#Leaking#Taps#etc)# across#the#top#columns,#and#then#the#varied# Ar[cle#Types#(rant,#ques[on#and#answer,#‘how# to’)#down#the#rows.

Content#Twister#is#developed#(below)#with# subject#and#article#types,#then#numbers#are# randomly#assigned#to#each#of#the#squares#in# the#table.#This#is#the#order#in#which#your# emails#are#being#sent#out.#The#example# below#is#for#a#plumbing#company.

ARTICLE TYPE

SUBJECT Blocked Drains

Hot Water Systems

Leaking Taps

Water Leaks

Leaking Toilets

Rant

6.

12.

2.

15.

9.

Question and Answer

16.

3.

24.

10.

20.

How To Articles (1-7)

1

17.

8.

23.

14.

Reasons Why (1-5)

21.

7.

13.

19.

4.

Story with a Lesson

11.

22.

18.

5.

25.

The#table#above#gives#you#25#emails#worth#of#content.#If#you#are#sending#one#email#every#two#weeks,# then#you#are#only#1#email#short#of#a#years#worth#of#content!

13 TradeTalk

For(emails(to(be(effective,(there(are(4( important(rules(to(consider…

1.!Keep!it!simple%–%concise%and%to%the% point,%that%way%your%customers%won’t% see%you%as%a%burden%but%a%welcome% distraction.

2.!Keep!it!relevant!–%readership%will% be%higher%the%more%relevant%it%is.

3.!Keep!it!frequent!–%keep%up%the% conversation%to%ensure%you%stay%‘topA ofAmind’%and%aware%of%the%services%you% offer.%Every%2%weeks%is%a%good%start.

4.!Remember!to!make!the!email!all! about!the!customer.%The%main%goal% with%these%emails%is%to%make%the% customer%think%you%are%helping%them% out…% That%said%don’t%forget%to%put%a% mention%of%your%company%towards%the% end%of%the%email%that%way%your% company%will%be%the%first%thing%they% think%of%when%they%need%the%services% you%have%to%offer!

For%Platinum%members:%Taki’s'presentation'is'live'on' mylifestyletradie.com.au,'under'Events/Boot'Camp'March2013 All%Members:%See'our'training'video'and'template:%type'in'Content' Twister'in'‘Search’.

!!!!!!!‘Best%Of’!Video Are You Listening To

Your Customer?

How often do you take the time to ask your customers what they think about your service, your company? And when you do, do you listen? I mean REALLY listen?

Do your customers think: “You’re behaving like you love me but it’s not genuine”.

This short funny skit shows the relationship between the advertiser and the customer. It might highlight a few home truths!

Go to MyLIfestyleTradie for You Tube ‘Best of’ Videos.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

TradeTalk 14

Being Owed Money Can Be A Thing Of The Past… if you read and take action on this article…

Are you owed Money?

I am sure over 50% of you replied….Yes! It’s frustrating when you, together with your team, work hard to give your customers the best service possible. Then, whether it’s a one off job or a loyal customer, at times it’s a struggle to receive the payment for the professional work completed. It’s just not fair!

I'am'surrounded'by'tradesmen.'My'husband' and'his'brother'are'both'plumbers,'plus'we' have'family'members'who'are'builders,' electricians'and'others'that'work'in'air' condiIoning.''The'one'thing'they'have'in' common'is'being'owed'money'at'some' point'along'the'way'J'from'7'days'to'7'years,' from'small'amounts'to'a'large'sum.''

I'therefore,'understand'first'hand'what'it’s' like'to'have'unpaid'accounts'in'your' business,'and'grasp'how'difficult'and'ImeJ consuming'the'task'of'recovering'these' funds'can'be.

This'is'where'I'step'in'and'share'with'you' how'I'can'help'to'recover'some,'if'not'ALL'of' the'money'owed.

I'have'over'20'years'experience'in'debt' recovery'and'clients'to'include'Credit' Unions,'Banks,'trades,'large'and'small' businesses.'With'an'extensive'understanding' of'the'building'and'construcIon'industry'I' now'specialise'in'debt'recovery'for'trades' and'contract'to'Victor'A'Bizannes,'solicitor.

No'longer'do'you'have'to'worry'about' unpaid'accounts'that'distract'you'from'the' 15 TradeTalk

producIvity'and'efficiency'of'running'your' business.''

How%it%works.

Let%me%do%it%for%you.%Yes,%a%simple%phone% call%to%hand%over%the%debt%you%wish%to% claim%is%all%you%need%to%do.

The%first%step%is%a%Solicitor’s%Demand% LeKer%sent%to%the%customer.%Currently% 72%!of!all!outstanding!money!is! recovered!once!this!leBer!has!been!sent.% It%gives%them%7%days%to%pay%otherwise% they%could%be%facing%legal%ac&on.%%A%court% proceeding%is%something%most%people% want%to%avoid!%% Once%the%demand%leKer%has%been%sent%all! of!the!communicaCons%with%the%debtor%is% made!through%us%unless%otherwise% s&pulated.%No%need%to%deal%with%awkward% situa&ons.

If%no%reply%is%received%and%you!decide%that% you%want%to%take%legal%ac&on,%documents% are%prepared,%filed%and%served%to%enable%

us%to%get%Judgment%in%the%Local%Court%of% New%South%Wales.% Once%Judgment%has%been%entered%then% we%can%then%proceed%to%the%recovery%of% the%money%owing%by:

1.Garnisheeing)the)debtor’s)wages.

2.Garnisheeing)the)debtor’s)bank) account.)

3.Sending)a)Sheriff)to)seize)goods) at)the)debtor’s)premises.

Of%the%remaining%debt%that%has%been% taken%further,%either%before%reaching% judgment%or%in%the%proceedings%of% recovery,%97%%has%been%recovered,% leaving%a%total%of%0.84%%of%debt% unrecovered.

Success!to!me,'is'that'my'client' (you!!)'receive!all!money!claimed,! including!all!Court!filing!fees,! solicitor’s!costs!and!addiConal! interest,!which!can!be!claimed!aJer! proceedings!have!been!issued.

I!look!forward!to!helping!you! recover!YOUR!hard!earnt!money.!

Call!me!(Mel)!on!0417!655!986

WriCen%by%

Melissa%Marshall Debt#Recover#specialist#from# Express#Type#Contrac[ng#to# Victor#A#Bizannes#Solicitor

Past!and!Present “When&considering&the&prospect&of&taking&legal&action&against&customers,&we&were& unsure&how&much&it&would&cost&and&if&we&did&pursue&legal&proceedings&how& awkward&it&would&be&to&deal&with&customers&and&the&possibility&of&going&to&court&–& it&all&seemed&too&hard!&& After&speaking&with&Melissa&she&allayed&all&of&our&trepidations&by&clearly&explaining& the&process&and&urging&us&to&collect&money&that&was&rightfully&ours.&She&also&said& that&once&the&legal&process&begins&she&would&field&any&calls&from&customers&as&they& had&been&passed&on&to&Debt&Collection.&By&maintaining&a&comprehensive&paper&trail& the&process&was&made&easier&and&Melissa&was&confident&that&we&could&collect&on& outstanding&debts.& I&am&pleased&to&say&that&since&engaging&the&services&of&Melissa&we&have&collected& over&98%&of&claims.&I&wholeIheartedly&recommend&Melissa&Marshall&to&anyone&who& is&having&trouble&collecting&payment&from&a&customer”.&& Carolyn%Glen Office#Manager Dr.DRiP#Pty#Limited.

TradeTalk 16

Prison Material, Bad Reputation or Perfect Fit? Three Ways To Uncover The Truth About A New Employee in Less Than 5 Minutes That Could Save You Hours of Wasted Time, Energy and Money!

How often have you hired a

staff member only to find out they were a dud?

prevent having hired this inappropriate person? What checks could we have done quickly and easily to find the perfect fit?

You might not have discovered it overnight, but it meant wasted time in training, wasted money and plenty of wasted energy… then to top it off, you had to go back to scratch in the employment process… arghhhhh…

As technology zooms ahead at the speed of lightning, getting a quick check on your prospective employees has never been easier… Let me show you exactly what I mean…

We’ve been there too… we’ve fallen prey to employing the wrong person, especially when the applicant presented themselves perfectly!

It does surface the question: what could we have done differently to

TradeTalk 17

Take Social Media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. A great place to start to check out your prospective employees. In a recent CareerBuilder survey, 37 % of employers investigate job candidates’ social media profiles.

Resource:&CareerBuilder&Survey

This can be a window as to whether you are hiring a wild party animal, who could come to work dusty on a Monday morning, or whether they are a perfect fit with your company culture. 65% of employers looking at a prospective employee on social media are looking as to whether or not a candidate presents him or herself professionally online.

With Facebook most profiles are set to ‘private’, sharing only with their inner circle of friends, however you can often see the single profile picture that matches your candidate. This picture is often enough to pass surface judgment – it is where most people express what is ‘most important’ to them. An image of them and their girlfriend, them and their dog, them out on the town with their mates!

That said, it’s amazing at the number of people who do not select ‘private’ for their Facebook page, hence allowing the world to view everything about you.

The third way of completing a quick check on prospective employees is calling the references provided on the resumes. If they didn’t provide any this is a MUST to request in an interview. So many people I speak to tell me that they ask for references but NEVER call them.

This is one of the most reliable sources of whether the employee is a good fit for your business. You can also gauge whether the previous employer has had issues with the employee by the answers given.

This quick 3 step search will take you less than 5 minutes and is guaranteed to save you time, money and energy. It will prevent you from employing someone that is prison material or has a bad reputation, and put you in good stead to employ someone who is a perfect fit!

Give it a go next time you’re hiring.

A second way to search a prospective employee online is through a simple Google search. Type their name/ surname into Google and see what surfaces - any red flags?

You can also search a phone number to see what results it delivers. If anything comes up that doesn’t sit right with you, then you need to assess whether this person is right for your company.

TradeTalk 18

Laughter, Lessons & Living‌ In Abundance

Lifestyle Tradie Boot Camp March 2013

Living Life Day with Platinum VIP members on Sydney Harbour

Best back flip ev er King Luke

Tony & Tristan

19 TradeTalk

Sarah Total relaxation

Taki

Cam & Deb Trisha

Lifestyle Tradie Gang

Cheers to a great nite!

Stew & Carolyn

Happy B’Day Gezz TradeTalk 20

S I H T IS

R U O IN Y

MAN CAVE? This is where we talk about all cool things that should or could be in the man cave. Gadgets, new tech, cool tools, new inventions or big boys toys, if it’s cool and fun we’ll talk about it.

Assassinate Dirt and Grim

Computer keyboards, mobile phones, digital cameras, they all attract dust and dirt like a magnet. We try to look the other way as our newfangled gadgets get dirtier and dirtier. After all... water and electronics aren't exactly good pals when it comes to washing. But now that we've discovered Cyber Clean Electronics Cleaning Putty our gadgets and peripherals can look like new in seconds. Just smoosh the Cyber Clean putty into the cracks of your keyboard (for example) then peel it off. Instantly it picks up dirt and grime and is ready to go back for more.

Priced from the tiny low cost of $ 9.99 and available from http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/b88d/

Features ✓ High-tech compound specifically designed to clean your electronics without damage ✓ Simply press into crevices in your devices and peel back to capture dirt and grime ✓ Fast and easy to use ✓ Reusable, clean dozens of electronics items ✓ Biodegradable

How Apple Have Managed To Make A Few Extra Millions…

So, you’ve invested in an iPad, it’s your coolest new toy until you find that you can’t connect a USB to download your much loved family photos.

Why? No USB port like any normal computer.

21 TradeTalk

What where they thinking? Well, money of course!

Today there is a solution: Apple have at long last released an adaptor that allows you to connect a USB to your iPad! Better still they’ve released it for both versions of the connection ports.

If you have the existing connection port the iPad Camera Connection Kit is the one you want! It's incredibly easy to download photos and videos

from your digital camera to your iPad so you can view them on the iPad and share them with family and friends.

The kit includes two connectors, each with a different interface: 1) The Camera Connector features a USB interface. Just plug it into the dock connector port on your iPad, then attach your digital camera or iPhone using a USB cable (not included).

2) The SD Card Reader, used to import photos and videos directly from your camera's SD card. Connect it to your iPad, then insert your digital camera's SD card into the slot.

If you have the new version of the iPad with the Lightning Connector than you are able to buy the SD Card Reader and the USB connector separately.

It does cost of course; The kit is priced at $35 and can be purchased from http:// store.apple.com/au/product/MC531ZM/ A/apple-ipad-camera-connection-kit The Lightening Adaptors can be found at http://www.apple.com/au/ipad/ accessories/ and are priced at $35 each.

Cool!iPhone!Apps!for!Tradies RunPee' Price:%$0.99% FEATURES:

✓#Don’t#miss#anything#important

✓#Know#the#spaces#between# ‘pee’#breaks # ✓#Includes#extras#aper#the#end# credits,#to#ensure#you#stick#around

✓#Timer/phone#vibrator#instead#of# sound#to#prevent#disturbing#others

✓#First#3#minute#synopsis#of#the# movie#incase#you’re#running#late

✓ Know#when#to#take#a#‘pee’#break# during#any#latest#release#movie

A#discreet#way#to#leave#the#cinema#to#take#a#toilet#break#or#stock#up# on#much#needed#popcorn#and#choc#tops#without#bothering#those# around#you.#RunPee.com#app#features#all#the#latest#movie#releases.# Never#miss#the#important#part#of#the#movie#ever#again!

TradeTalk 22

NEXT ISSUE Is Your Business Ready?

10 Questions to ask before employing your first team member.

Proactive or Reactive?

A leadership style that could make or break a business. Which are you?

Lifestyle Tradie Boot Camp March has come and gone… but get ready for a crazy couple of days in Melbourne come the Work Shop in June.

Have you booked yet?

Can’t WAIT to get our ‘hands dirty’… let’s see what your future holds!

nge Andy & A

Smith

Don’t!forget,!want!to!share!your!hot!tips,! recommended!suppliers!or!any!other!information! that!will!benefit!the!Lifestyle!Tradie!Community.!

Drop!us!a!line!to!info@lifestyletradie.com.au

CHANGING ADDRESS? Don’t miss out on a single issue! If you’re changing contact details then ensure to let us know -- simply give us a call or send an email.

This way we’ll keep you plugged into a world of knowledge, tips, news and views.

TradeTalk'is'published'by'and'©'copyright'by'Andrew'&'Angela'Smith,'Lifestyle'Tradie'Group'Pty'Ltd'2012.'All'Rights'Reserved.'This'newsle]er'and'any'accompanying' material'are'for'general'informaIon'purposes'only.'It'is'the'responsibility'of'the'reader'to'comply'with'any'local,'state'or'federal'laws.'SIck'with'me'here'while'I'conInue' with'this'legal'blahJblah.'The'Publisher'has'taken'all'reasonable'measures'to'ensure'that'the'material'contained'within'this'newsle]er'is'correct.'The'Publisher'provides'no' representaIon'and'gives'no'warranty'as'to'the'accuracy'of'the'informaIon'and'does'not'accept'any'responsibility'for'errors'or'inaccuracies'in'the'informaIon'contained' herein'and'shall'not'be'liable'for'any'loss'or'damage'arising'as'a'result'of'any'person'acIng'in'reliance'on'informaIon'contained'herein.'All'done!

For more information, contact: Lifestyle Tradie Group Pty Limited! !

Ph: +61 1800 704 822! ! !

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Email: info@lifestyletradie.com.au Web: www.lifestyletradie.com.au!