Business News 246

November 2015

LOCAL GOVERNMENT TIME FOR CHANGE ISSUE 246

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

18. COVER STORY

5 Biz News 12 New Appointments 13 Inside Word

14. FEATURE

22 Business Advice 23 Finance

“We have this idea of bureaucracy in local government, and it’s generally things that we’re frustrated at. It doesn’t work the way we like it to work.”

– Jennifer Pahlka

26 Governance 32 Elevator 34 Tech Guy 42 Business Events

36. ARTS ISSUE 246 NOVEMBER 2015 Read online at: www.biznewsmag.com.au

38.

44 After Hours 50 Cool Stuff

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EDITOR

GST TALK PUTS REFORM ON THE AGENDA

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he momentum around tax reform seems to be gaining, finally, with PM Malcolm Turnbull on the charm offensive and talking up this critical national reform agenda.

Treasurer Scott Morrison has insisted that the independent analysis by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) into a New Zealand-style 15 per cent GST was an independent move by Nationals backbencher David Gillespie. And it may well have been, but whether connected to Coalition’s plans for reform of the tax and transfer system or not, the headline-grabbing move has both put the issue on the national agenda and given the Turnbull Government the opportunity to appear more moderate and still back in a GST increase in a clear win for the Coalition team.

When we bring the GST into the reform agenda – and it was firmly off the table for the Rudd, Gillard and Abbott Governments, being widely viewed to be political poison – tax reform becomes more intertwined with the Reform of the Federation White Paper, due at the end of 2015. An increase in the GST would allow for the reduction or scrapping of inefficient state taxes such as stamp duty as well as making way for reductions in the corporate tax rate, income tax rates and payroll tax. If the states were to become more economically independent as a result of increased GST revenue, then that has clear implications for the structure of the federation.

Questions around how to appropriately fund the ballooning costs of health, education, the National Disability Insurance Scheme and aged pensions, however, will remain.

If we are looking at real tax reform, not just a tinkering around at the edges, most of us will lose a bit – certainly in the short-term – in the way of GST hikes, the tax treatment of superannuation contributions and income, maybe even negative gearing, and most of us will gain a bit, through reduced income and corporate tax and stamp duties. Any big reforms will need to pass the public fairness test.

There is a great big carrot in the growing debate around tax reform. If we could get it working well – and there is no such thing as a perfect tax, and certainly no such thing as a perfectly

equitable tax system - in the long-term, we might just find ourselves living in one of the world’s most stable economies with a population right at the pointy end of high living standards. That is what we have been gambling with in our previous decades of short-term tax handouts, poor returns in the transfer system and the abject failure to invest the proceeds of the mining boom years into a national infrastructure program.

Another looming issue set to bolster the reform agenda is bracket creep, with the nation’s medium income earners set to find themselves in the second top tax bracket. If I were a political advisor, would I endorse allowing a sizeable proportion of the nation’s medium income earners to slide into second top tax bracket, thereby making a tax reform agenda that includes a GST rise attractive to voters when they head to the polls next year to vote? I would certainly consider it, and I’d bet that they are.

Political reform is driven from the middle, and you can be sure it is on middle Australia that the Government will be focused. As Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey found, lean too heavily on the most disadvantaged, give too much to the most advantaged, and you will find yourself in very hot water.

Under the current system, Joe Hockey’s now notorious three-word mantra of ‘lifters and leaners’ is perhaps more accurate in the reverse; Australia is only one of three OECD* nations that provide a hefty leg up to the top 10 per cent of earners, at the expense of middle- and low-income earners. Smokin’ Joe was right when he suggested Australians have an economically unhealthy expectation of government hand outs. More than half of the annual $7.7 billion in negative gearing and the capital gains discount tax concessions is claimed by the nation’s top 10 per cent of earners.

Australians who work hard and acquire wealth in doing so should be both rewarded and applauded, but at the moment we are overrewarding and under-applauding such success.

But much more than a few individual success stories, we need to be building a national success story across the economic spectrum, and to do that we need successful reform.

DAVINA MONTGOMERY *The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development – apologies for the rampant acronyms in this piece.

BUSINESS NEWS | 4

BIZ NEWS

THE SKY IS THE LIMIT FOR AVALON

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ember for Corangamite, Sarah Henderson, said the endorsement of the Avalon Airport Master Plan by the Federal Department of Defence is set to trigger a new wave of development opportunities at the Linfox site.

The Avalon Master Plan provides the planning mechanism to expand the existing domestic terminal to accommodate international operations without a Major Development Plan (up to 10,000 square metres); construct a new international terminal and airfreight terminals as well as provision to extend the existing runway and build additional runways; develop the site to accommodate retail, commercial and industrial operations; continue the Australian International Airshow until at least 2025; construct a rail link into the airport; and develop recreational and sporting facilities.

Under the Master Plan, the curfew free status of the airport will continue and the City of Greater Geelong will remain the Planning

Authority. The Master Plan is effective as of September 2015 and is current for a 20-year period.

“Avalon Airport has the potential to be a very significant driver of jobs, new industries and economic growth. With the Federal Government’s commitment to help fund an international terminal (contingent on an international deal being concluded), Avalon Airport CEO, Justin Giddings, said, “While future developments will in many instances require final Department of Defence and City of Greater Geelong approval, the sky is the limit in terms of the opportunities now available at Avalon Airport.”

Ms Henderson said she was very keen to see Avalon finalise a commercial deal to bring international flights to our region.

In other Avalon news, the airport has signed on as a corporate partner for the 2016 Oates Vic Open, to be hosted from 4-7 February at Thirteenth Beach Golf Links.

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 5

BIZ NEWS

IT INVENTION TEST WINNERS LOOK TO HEALTH SOLUTIONS

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lberto Rizzoli of Melbourne-based Aipoly has scooped the $10,000 prize at ICT Geelong’s IT Invention Test with his company’s development of an application that uses artificial intelligence to, quite literally, lead the blind.

The winning App identifies and narrates the viewpoint of a smartphone’s camera so that vision-impaired users can navigate independently.

The best locally developed application was awarded to CNSDose, a cloud-based medication guidance system to enable doctors and patients to reduce trial and error in the prescribing of anti-depressants, developed by Dr Ajeet Singh.

The best seed entry, which is in the early stages of commercialisation, went to Eye-Track-Me, developed by Sven Krome. This is a customer relationship tool for eye surgery centres to keep potential customers informed by providing free and easy to use vision tests.

Sponsors of the IT Invention Test include the City of Greater Geelong, Geelong Angels Investment Network and StartupCloud.

SECURING THE FUTURE OF GUF

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he City of Greater Geelong is calling on CBD property owners to nominate their vacant properties as a future home for the gaming and internet business GUF.

Mayor, Darryn Lyons, said Council was committed to the Malop St business and would help GUF’s owners relocate to new premises if Council acquired the building that currently houses GUF as part of a plan to revitalise CBD laneways.

“Council has been working with the owners of GUF for the past month to find a suitable venue,” the Mayor said.

“We have already had one property owner indicate their interest in accommodating the GUF and Council will assist with the relocation of the business.”

The Mayor, who is Chair of the Central Geelong Task Force, called on any other property owners in the CBD to nominate their properties as a future home for GUF, so as to give the business a variety of options for the GUF to consider.

“Retaining the GUF in the CBD, is a good outcome,” he said.

“We need to achieve this as well as implementing the plan to revitalise the CBD.

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BIZ NEWS

FUTURE OF 22,000 FINANCIAL ADVISERS REMAINS UNCERTAIN

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eakinPrime, one of Australia’s largest providers of financial services training, has called on the

Federal Government to provide clarity over transitional arrangements for existing financial advisers following the announcement of new minimum education standards for the industry.

DeakinPrime CEO, Simon Hann, commended the decision to raise the professional, ethical and educational standards of new financial advisers by requiring them to hold a degree, but warned that uncertainty surrounded the plight of existing advisers.

“The introduction of a minimum tertiary degree qualification for all new financial advisers from 2017 is a major step forward for the industry and consumers,” Mr Hann said. “The new minimum education standards will create a stronger sense of professionalism and help to lift the quality of advice and ethics across the industry which is sorely needed.”

But he warned that ongoing uncertainty surrounding existing financial advisers could set the reform agenda back.

“We call on the Government to remove uncertainty and provide clarity for Australia’s 22,500 existing financial advisers and their

employers. Our research shows that around 75% of existing financial advisers do not have a relevant university degree. Most just have the basic (Regulatory Guide) RG146qualifications,” Mr Hann said. “The industry must urgently address how to ensure these advisers become compliant – or risk them leaving industry.”

Deakin University Senior Lecturer in Financial Planning and Superannuation, Dr Adrian Raftery, said the decision to defer transitional arrangements to a yet-to-be-formed body only added to the uncertainty facing existing advisers.

“The risk is that the industry will have to sit on its hands until an independent body is formed and meets before any decisions are formally made, endorsed and enforced. That’s at least another year of uncertainty and perhaps longer – a year when advisers could put to use by working towards the necessary qualifications,” Dr Raftery said.

Mr Hann said demand for professional development, compliance training and workplace training programs had lifted dramatically in the past year, as planner groups moved to stay ahead of the anticipated legislative changes arising from the Murray Report in 2014.

IS THAT THE REAL YOU?

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acebook’s Verified Pages program is being expanded to include local businesses in Australia.

Verified Australian local business pages will be have a public

grey badge that shows that the page has been authenticated as representing that business.

“We are expanding our Verified Pages program to include local businesses for the first time,” said Kirsten Bury, Product Marketing Manager for Facebook Pages.

“Now, local businesses in Australia can add a badge to their page that lets people know they’re visiting that business’s official Facebook presence. We plan to extend Verified Pages for local businesses to more countries soon.”

When the Verified Pages program is rolled out, page administrators can access a request to verify their page, with verification via their phone number or official documents.

Facebook will also be rolling out the verification program to businesses in the US, Canada and New Zealand.

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 7

BIZ NEWS

IS GEELONG THE NEXT ‘SILICON BAY’?

Geelong Chamber of Commerce was pleased to introduce the following new members at our October After 5 event .

Hosted by RACV Torquay Resort.

Apprenticeships Matter Business in Heels Berkeley Lodge Enterprise Monkey JC Procurement RPI Australia Pty Ltd The Company People Pty Ltd To discuss your possible membership with the Geelong Chamber of Commerce, Contact: Jody Keating, Membership Services Manager.

Ph: 0429 223 432 Email: jody.keating@geelongchamber.com.au

INTRODUCING THE CHAMBER’S NEW MEMBERSHIP CATEGORY

Executive Member Executive Membership is a new Chamber membership category that is now open to all members of the Geelong Chamber of Commerce, and on application thereafter.

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ate last month, the Pivot Summit 2015 leaders gave Geelong a thumbs up -’you can do it’ call to over 300 delegates at The Pier on Geelong’s waterfront with inspirational keynotes from U.S. digital anthropologist Brian Solis, Wollongong’s Elizabeth Eastland, mastermind of Illawara’s innovation ecosystem - iAccelerate and Victoria’s own Shaun Hotlhouse, CEO of world sport technology powerhouse Catapult.

There was plenty to get excited about with a new term for our lexicon ‘disruptive technology’, which means a new way of doing things, not an enhancement of current technology. The microwave, the Internet and Uber taxis spring to mind.

Brian Solis challenged delegates to make sure that any approach to technology and innovation starts with a purpose – a human purpose. He shared his view that the future of business needs to focus on being relevant to people and that we need to understand the role of storytelling.

“Why aim to think outside of the box?

There is no box,” Mr Solis said. iAccelerate’s Elizabeth Eastland believes that community sharing is critical for

innovation and that diversity isn’t just something that we should explore and support – it creates a positive economic outcome for starts-ups.

Catapult’s Shaun Holthouse said that every start up is naked in the mirror.

“There’s a lot of self-criticism as a startup – you see all the flaws. As a founder CEO you are the lawyer, the strategist and the cleaner. Most importantly, Shaun the evangelist, kept banging on doors until they started to open both here and overseas. Nowadays Catapult technology outfits more that 700 of the world’s elite sports teams. The right technology for the right time from a Victorian start up.

The one classic Matthew Bishop (The Economist) reference that blew me away was: “The pace of change will never again, be as slow as it is today”. Just ruminate on that awhile.

Pivot Summit 2015 was about inspiring, motivating and educating Geelong’s digital and creative professionals and equipping them with ideas and insights to innovate within their own businesses and generate economic and social benefits for the G21 region. Visit www.pivotsummit. com.au

Benefits include: ·

Attendance at two of four

boardroom briefings annually

along with Geelong Chamber of

Commerce Corporate Partners.

·

Three tickets to After 5 networking

events with priority booking.

Can be used for staff or colleagues

or as part of your corporate

hospitality program.

·

Invitations to special events and

exclusive briefings throughout

the year.

To make an enquiry about the Geelong Chamber of Commerce or to find out more about the Chamber’s new Executive Membership, Contact: Jody Keating, Membership Services Manager.

Ph: 0429 223 432 Email: jody.keating@geelongchamber.com.au

JON MAMONSKI

BUSINESS NEEDS TO THINK LIKE START-UPS

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he Commonwealth Bank Business and Innovation Study has found that established businesses need to putting as much value on innovation as smaller start-ups.

According to Commonwealth Bank research findings, a lack of ideas, time and resources are the key roadblocks to business innovation; while one in four mid-size businesses say they don’t have the data required to make strategic business decisions. Other innovation roadblocks listed by business include a lack of time and resources, business partners who are all talk and no action, and a lack of data to help them make better business decisions.

The majority (70 per cent) of Australian businesses surveyed say innovation is critical to the future of the Australian

economy. However, close to one-in-ten (7 per cent) have declared that innovation is not important to the success of their business.

Adam Bennett, Group Executive, Business and Private Banking, Commonwealth Bank, said the findings show a need for mid-size businesses to think more like start-ups when it comes to innovation.

“Innovation starts with asking questions about how to do things simpler and more efficiently. While business owners often think of innovation as involving the use of technology, more often it involves thinking critically to better understand business challenges and opportunities,” said Adam Bennett, Commonwealth Bank’s Group Executive, Business and Private Banking.

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BIZ NEWS

RELEASE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CELEBRATES 8 YEARS OF GEELONG BUSINESS SUCCESS

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mall business in Geelong is critical to the success of our city.

Release Property Management Director, Renee Reynolds, said she is proud to have been a part of the success of Geelong’s small business community, with her business turning 8 in November.

“I still remember the excitement of opening the doors to Release.

Wondering, will Geelong embrace the idea of a real estate agency 100% focused on Property Management? Yes, Geelong did!”

“When we first started, I saw the property management industry change with rental prices declining due to economic changes and large subdivisions being released. There has, however, always been a demand for rental properties and, over the past couple of years, I have seen strength returning to the rental

market, and in turn, rental prices increasing.

“I also saw a decline in the demand for commercial properties, as with the recent changes to the economy and employment in Geelong, there was uncertainty in the community, however, the commercial market is regaining strength and there is again positive enquiry in this area,” said Mrs Reynolds.

Over the 8 years, Release has celebrated many milestones; winning the Geelong Business Excellence Award in the Small Business Category and taking out the Real Estate Institute of Australia and Victoria award for the best Small Residential Real Estate Agency.

The business is now preparing to move offices in January 2016 into a new premises in Pakington Street.

LOCAL FIRM MAKES 2015 BRW FAST 100 LIST

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ocal mortgage referral company, Nexus Partners, has made the 2015 BRW Fast 100 list. Securing the number 16 spot on the coveted business list, Torquay-based Nexus Partners now have staff located across Australia and are in negotiations to expand into New Zealand.

Each year the Business Review Weekly (BRW) publishes a list of Australia’s fastest growing companies. Each company is ranked according to average revenue growth rates over the proceeding four years.

Nexus Partners has experienced rapid growth in the last twelve months, with professional referrer sign up figures doubling since October 2014. The company is set to achieve a turnover of $11 million this financial year, up from $3 million in 2013/14.

Brothers, Chris and Andrew Campbell, started Nexus Partners in 2007 with the aim to bring significant change to the way that professionals managed the mortgage needs of their clients.

“We created a simple referral model that is efficient, compliant and effective. This model has proven to be very popular with professionals such as accountants, financial planners and real estate agents across Australia,” said Nexus Director, Andrew Campbell.

He put the number 16 ranking in the BRW Fast 100 down to the company’s willingness to embrace creative IT based solutions, a dedicated team and strong client and lending partner relationships.

Nexus Partners were the only financial services firm to be included in the list’s top 20 companies.

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 9

TIME HONOURED

IT BEGAN WITH SIXPENCE …

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n 1905, as Alfred Deakin became Australia’s second Prime Minister, our country’s population was under four million people. King Edward the VII was on the throne and the Eiffel Tower was the world’s tallest building. The average lifespan at that time was just 47 years.

A small group of postal employees made a simple decision, expressing true Aussie mateship. In an era with high levels of poverty and low levels of female employment, those 37 compassionate, forward thinkers had seen the crippling impacts after the passing of fellow workers. A decent funeral was an outlay few could afford, but longer term, the loss of the family breadwinner was often catastrophic.

Their idea was to set aside six pence into a jar each week, which became a savings fund to draw from to cover funeral expenses and support the family left behind. Membership of the morbidly nicknamed ‘coffin club’, meant that for a few coins, they could give each other a hand during the most difficult of times.

Now, 110 years later, the choice those young men made has guaranteed the financial security for thousands of Australian families over several generations. While the name has changed

to ‘Australian Public Service Group Benefits’, or APS, the core beliefs of the organisation remains the same; people financially supporting each other, rather than becoming a profit generating entity.

As times changed, so has APS. From its humble beginnings, the organisation has swelled to membership of almost 29,000 people and holdings of around $100 million dollars.

For less than the cost of a take away coffee, Today’s APS members have access to the fund’s generous funeral insurance, enabling families to pay fitting tributes to their loved ones and grieve with dignity and respect, without being concerned about the expense.

But funeral cover is just one of the many financial management services that APS has developed into.

Director of Marketing and Client Engagement for APS, Roger Gerny, explained that, “APS was born from the Public service, but the membership has certainly evolved.”

APS members are no longer just postal workers, as, in 1938, the Australian Government trusted in the ethical responsibility

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TIME HONOURED and cooperative attitude APS funds were managed with, so all Australian Public Service personnel became eligible to join.

The APS membership base has broadened to include: current and retired members of Government departments, the Defence Forces and Reserve members, Federal Police, employees of ex-government organisations like Qantas, Australia Post and Telstra, as well as emergency services members, along with the spouses, siblings, parents and children of those working in these organisations, aged up to 100 years of age.

Belonging to APS has its advantages, with the group providing inexpensive loans exclusively for those members who pay their $3 weekly fee.

The organisation’s services extend to a myriad of financial planning, insurance, fiscal education, investment, taxation, estate planning, savings and Wills amenities. These services are also provided for clients who are not eligible to become members. By utilising APS, over other financial providers and services, you are supporting an organisation that exists for people, not profit.

“Every cent that APS generates is accounted for with transparency. It goes to the membership body, or to the Australian Public Service Benevolent Society’s Charitable Foundation, which APS supports. The ASP foundation provides ongoing financial assistance to the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, ensuring that children who need help most have it,” Mr Gerny said.

Alongside the foundation’s commitment to children impacted by cerebral palsy, its membership and financial clients are also encouraged to add their support. APS accepts donations for the APS Foundation, and donations are fully tax deductable.

The organisation, which began as an act of kindness for others, continues to give our vulnerable community members a hand, so they can improve their life outcomes.

Rather than wasting enormous amounts of the members’ funds on promotion, APS prefers to provide old-fashioned, personalised service to illustrate how their products might suit prospective clients or members. The way that most of the financial

management and insurance holders discovered how APS fits into their situation, was by attending one of the free advisory sessions offered by Mr Gerny, or by word of mouth.

“We do a lot of things to educate the public service departments.

We do lunchtime seminars to show people how they can manage their finances, so they get the messages of what we can do directly and have the ability to ask questions about our services,” he said.

APS is different because it is not a bank. As Mr Gerny explains, “Most financial services exist to make a profit for that organisation. We are a not for profit group in the strictest definition.” Despite offering the same kinds of financial products, all benefits generated from the economic prosperity of the organisation belong to the members and the charity the membership supports.

JODIE WHITTAKER

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 11

NEW APPOINTMENTS

ALYSON MILLER

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER - PATHWAYS Pathways is delighted to announce Alyson Miller as our new Chief Executive Officer.

Alyson brings extensive executive leadership experience and a strong knowledge and understanding of the mental health sector. She has worked in the not-for-profit, public and corporate sector s for more than 30 years and for the past six years, has been Chief Executive Officer of On the Line, one of Australia’s leading providers of remote professional counselling services.

Alyson has previously been the Director of Development with Jewish Care and Director Business Development with Melbourne City Mission. Alyson was also the CEO of Fast Forward Positive Lifestyles. Fast Forward is a Scottish not-forprofit focused on youth education, drug and alcohol misuse and mental health issues.

Alyson is delighted to be returning to work in her home of Geelong after six years commuting to Melbourne. Alyson will start at Pathways on Thursday 5 November and is looking forward to meeting the staff and stakeholders across the sector.

As we move into a new era, we are confident that Alyson has the skills and drive to lead Pathways’ continued development and growth in the coming months and years.

TOURISM After 5.5 years managing the iconic Vue Grand Hotel, Connie Trathen has joined the team at Tourism Greater Geelong and the Bellarine.

She will undertake a range of digital marketing and industry engagement projects.

With her background in the tourism and hospitality industry, Connie will bring great insight and operator perspective into the operations of the regional tourism organisation.

MARKETING Shelley Best has moved fulltime into managing Splice Communications. Shelley has more than 20 years’ experience working in media, marketing and communications roles across a wide variety of mediums. She has worked in government and private enterprise as well as television, radio and newspaper and has extensive experience in brand management, digital marketing and strategic communications.

She established Splice Communications in 2014 and works with clients in Geelong, Ballarat and Melbourne.

MARKETING

REAL ESTATE

Jess Gregson has joined Prestige Jayco as Marketing officer. Jess, who holds a degree in Business Management from Deakin University was previously Marketing Communications Coordinator at YMCA Geelong, before taking up the role of National Sales Coordinator at Rip Curl Head Office Australia. In her new role, Jess will coordinate all marketing, advertising, sponsorship and promotional activities for the leading caravan business.

With years of experience in the local Real Estate industry, Stephen Thomas has joined the Hayeswinckle office in Highton.

With previous experience as a Marketing Director, Stephen knows what it takes to be a leader in his field and has adapted seamlessly into the real estate industry. Driven by strong ambition for a successful career, Stephen says he’s impressed by the priorities and ethics he sees in action at Hayeswinckle.

BUSINESS NEWS | 12

INSIDE WORD

GEELONG CONNECTED COMMUNITIES SPONSORSHIP PUTS THE WIND IN FESTIVAL’S SAILS

Pat Murnane, Roger Grant and Comodore Chris Williams signing the agreement

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eelong Connected Communities has announced its second year of sponsorship of the Australia Day weekend community celebrations run in conjunction with January’s Festival of Sails Regatta.

The Geelong Connected Communities Shoreside Festival will again be a major highlight of the annual Festival of Sails event, run by the Royal Geelong Yacht Club.

Chair, Roger Grant, says Geelong Connected Communities (GCC) was established to support the local community, and sponsoring a vibrant community festival is the perfect opportunity to show that commitment.

“Geelong Connected Communities has had extraordinary success in just two years,” said GCC Chair, Roger Grant. “So far we’ve put more than half a million dollars back into the local community and sponsoring the Festival of Sails Shoreside Festival is a ideal avenue to share that support on a broader level.”

Geelong Connected Communities is Australia’s largest community enterprise and it’s hoped the model will be rolled out in other regions across the country.

“This is a highly successful community company established to benefit all Geelong residents,” Mr Grant says.

“When anyone opens an account at a participating Bendigo Bank Branch and requests the GCC as their beneficiary, a commission is paid to the company by the bank. An independent board of directors, made up of local community representatives then allocate those funds back into the community in a variety of ways, including supporting public events like the Shoreside Festival.”

Festival of Sails Chairman Chris Williams says he’s delighted Geelong Connected Communities is sponsoring the Shoreside Festival in the Steampacket Gardens precinct for a second year.

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FEATURE

FROM OLD TECH TO HIGH TECH Creating the offices of the future

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hen was the last time you thought about the office copier? For one Geelong business, staying at the cutting edge of integrated office technology has seen them rapidly expand and scoop top honours at this year’s Powercor Australia Geelong Business Excellence Awards.

– all tagged and accessible via the company network. These new machines are designed to streamline the paper trail.

SC Technology Group is, in many ways, a very typical Geelong business. Managing Director, Robert Hunter, has worked with copiers since his first Toshiba technician job at age 19. From technician to sales to management to ownership, he learnt the business from the ground up. His wife, Julie, joined the business full-time when they started a family and together the Hunters have continued to innovate and to expand. Along the way, they have gone from a one-man operation to a staff of 26, and opened a second branch in Ballarat in 2013 - all on the back of some not-sohumble office copiers.

For Robert and Julie, staying at the cutting edge has been driven by their partnership global giant Toshiba. The couple purchased the business in 1992 as an exclusive Toshiba business partner, servicing the Geelong region, and the partnership between SC and Toshiba has strengthened over time, with SC now the highest selling Toshiba dealer in the Australia and South Pacific region, with customers locally, nationally and globally.

The white box in the corner has gone from copy and print, to scanning, to now being multi-function devices that are driving office automation. It isn’t the first place you would look for high tech solutions to data management, but Robert explains that the office copier has, “changed from something that sits in the corner and prints to now being a full hub of information, and not only getting information in, but what it does with that information. It’s like an on-ramp to the business’ network.”

The new generation of office automation sees that big white box incorporating software systems designed to receive and divert incoming hard and soft copies of files into different areas of the business. Integrated data management systems can receive, sort and file emails and digital files, diverting information into accounting systems, stock management, sales or customer files

“With increasingly mobile workforces, you want to be able to see those documents on a PDA or laptop from anywhere. There is a lot of software involved in the backend that we do,” Robert said.

The advent of the digital office manager, known by its buzzword moniker of ‘office automation’ is changing the way we work. No longer do piles of documents and teetering file stacks need to fill the workspace of the person at the front desk. Emails received at a virtual front desk means that customer emails that might be going back and forth separately from five or ten people in the business are all tagged and sorted into a single customer file. Every detail of every interaction and transaction with that customer can then be readily accessed. Just think of the time and headaches that would save.

In a warehouse, multi-function devices (MFDs) can print documents that, once they have been ticked off, can be scanned and then the document erased and the paper reused by the machine. The systems can recognise, scan and systematise barcodes, and the latest machines use voice recognition, so you can be wearing headphones out in the warehouse and tell the machine what stock you need to fill orders for which clients.

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FEATURE For businesses like SC, with sales people on the road, just-in-time stock management and reductions in Cost of Goods Sold are all tangible benefits to the business bottom line. And then there are the less tangible benefits, both in time and providing more responsive, more professional customer service.

“People get an invoice in, they’ll check that it’s right, enter it into the system, send it on to be approved, a week later it will be ticked off and after all that they get it back to be paid. With these systems, all of that is automated. The document comes in electronically, the system will strip the information out of that document, matching purchase orders with the amount with who authorised it and it goes straight through to accounts payable,” Robert said.

“It makes everything easy to track,” Julie added, “so you can see in straight away where an invoice or a job is up to and taking away all that heavy data processing time.”

And while these smart systems can make a significant difference to small and medium businesses, in cutting costs and raising productivity, imagine the difference these integrated and automated systems could make in data-heavy the health and education sectors, and schools in Geelong have been quick on the uptake of smart systems. Imagine walking into a hospital or medical centre and having all of your health records complete and up to date in real time, all accessible on a tablet computer by every nurse, doctor and specialist you see?

Before joining Robert in the business full-time as CFO, Julie worked at Deakin University, helping to secure research grants, as well as managing the business accounts. Robert and Julie started a finance company to provide finance to SC customers and, with the business growing and the arrival of the couple’s son, Josh, Julie shifted her career over to the business.

The new showroom and office space on West Fyans Street is five-times the size of the original Yarra Street showroom and, while there is room for dozens of staff, I could count only five on site, and was told the business practices what it preaches, using automated and fully networked systems so sales and technician staff can operate remotely.

“We hardly actually see each other at work,” Julie said with a laugh. “Rob is mainly selling and I’m doing my own thing here on the admin side. We have our weekends as a family, bike riding or running around the river.”

“When you look around Geelong you see so many good local businesses who have grown, and we’ve grown with them”

SC Technology Group is part of a citywide growth in business-tobusiness service providers, and being nominated for the Geelong Business Excellence Awards earlier this year provided the impetus for the Hunters to take stock of how the business has grown in recent years.

“It showed us what we’ve done and where we’ve come from. We used to unbox equipment in a car park in Yarra Street and roll it in because we didn’t have a warehouse, to now, with all of our stock undercover and secure,” Robert said. “It feels a bit like a 25 year progression of an overnight success.”

For SC customers, reducing their paper use as part of their overall carbon footprint and reducing costs are key drivers of purchase decisions. Innovations ranging from office automation software solutions to offering the world’s first multi-function device to use erasable toner, so print can be erased and the paper reused, as well as customised solutions and no-cost training are helping them stay ahead of the pack.

And all three of the Hunters were in training for Run Geelong before a netball injury saw Julie sidelined. SC Technology Group are major sponsors of Run Geelong, along with a host of other community sponsorships, and their enthusiasm for how the business growth has allowed them to give back is palpable.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Robert said of Run Geelong. “When you walk along the waterfront and look back across to Geelong and there are people as far as you can see, you can’t help but see what a great event it is for Geelong.”

The company supports 32 local community organisations and schools, and have committed to ongoing sponsorship of Bravehearts Geelong, to five years as a major sponsor of Run Geelong and a four-year sponsorship of Encompass Community Services, as well as coming on board as the Platinum Partner of the Geelong Chamber of Commerce for a term of five years.

They pointed to the extraordinary history of Give Where You Live in driving philanthropy in Geelong, and the company is a major sponsor of Feed Geelong.

“Geelong is an amazing place, with the amount of people who do give and genuinely give back,” Robert said.

“When you look around Geelong you see so many good local businesses who have grown, and we’ve grown with them,” Robert said, “and that’s great because of all of our profits stay in Geelong.”

Community support wasn’t the only aspect of the business that the couple had comb through and quantify as part of their Business Excellence Awards application. “We had to look at our client retention rate and we had lost something like one per cent, and that still kills us and we want to know why, so we can learn from that,” Julie said. “We really are passionate about our relationships with out clients, and I hope that as we continue to grow that we can keep those relationships.

In the process of taking on four new members of staff, by the end of 2013 SC Technology will have a team of 30 across Geelong and Ballarat. The Ballarat office was opened in 2013, and the expansion into the neighbouring regional city where Southern Cross Business Machines began precipated the change of name and brand to SC Technology Group.

“It is hard, it’s the hardest thing about growing, because when we started it was just Rob and people always dealt with Rob. But because we are bigger now and we have a sales force, Rob can’t get out to see everyone. That’s why we want to be a part of the local networks, so that people can catch up with us face to face, and we want to hear how they are going.”

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BUSINESS NEWS | 16

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COVER STORY

ROADS, RATES & RUBBISH Local Government Under Review

T

he Victorian Government is putting the state’s local government system under the microscope for the first time since the current Local Government Act was put in place in

1989.

There has been local government in Victoria since before there was a state government of Victoria, with the Town of Melbourne established by the Governor of New South Wales in 1842 and the Borough of Geelong established in 1849. Victoria didn’t separate from the colony of NSW until 1851.

Local Government had its first mention in the Victorian constitution in 1979, where today it is “a distinct and essential tier of government”. The current Local Government Act 1989 removed the administrative distinction between shires and cities. But the really big shake up of local government in Victoria occurred not through a new Act, but through a Premier with a new idea of what local councils should look like.

In 1994, with the state in the grips of recession, Premier Jeff Kennett tore through local government structures like an echidna on an anthill, dissolving 210 councils and sacking 1600 elected councillors. Prior to the reforms there were 65 cities in Victoria, which was more cities than there were in England and in retrospect was a staggering example of over-inflated sense of self-importance writ large.

The Kennett reforms created 78 new councils, which rose to 79 when the Shire of Delatite was split between Benalla and Mansfield in 2002.

A lot has changed in the 26 years since the Act was put in place, and with over 90 amendments added over that time, the legislation has become unwieldy, unnecessarily complicated and with loopholes you can drive a badly-behaved councillor through.

We, the people, have until December 18 to have our say on how councils operate in a way that might actually be listened to,

before returning to our normal state of complaining to each other about our local council.

The Victorian Local Government Act Review Discussion Paper was released in September and its 128-pages of discussion points provides plenty of food for thought.

A six-member advisory committee has been appointed to provide independent advice on the review and includes former City of Greater Geelong CEO, Kay Rundle. The Discussion Paper is the first step in the production of a new Act. Once the issues with the current system have been identified by councils and the community in this phase of the process, options for reform will be issued in a directions paper in 2016, followed by consultation around the drafting of a bill in 2017, with the new Act to be put in place in 2018.

Minister for Local Government, Natalie Hutchins, said the review of the Act would be far-reaching and comprehensive, examining issues from the role and functions of councillors and CEOs, to donation regulation and how complaints should be handled.

The Minister has openly pointed to an agenda of improving the integrity and capacity of local government, driving a more modern and productive relationship between councils and the linking of rate rises to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) under a Fair Go Rates system.

“With the Act being established 26 years ago, it needs updating because it doesn’t deal with a whole lot of issues that are current to councils now, like advertising on websites, using social media, and things that weren’t relevant or even not in existence in 1989.

“Services have changed and services have been added to council agendas. Some councils are operating in a very different way than they were 26 years ago. They are all the things that we need to consider in this Act and the scope is pretty large. We can even look at whether the council election structures are working,

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COVER STORY

Ph whether the voting process are working and whether they are relevant. Are council meeting times accessible for the rest of the community? There are just so many areas for us to look at as part of this review,” Ms Hutchins said.

Roads, rates and rubbish are the traditional trigger issues for public angst when it comes to our local councils, but over the decades we have added parking, planning and public spaces, and a plethora of other areas that we can take umbrage at councils’ performance in.

“This is absolutely an opportunity for the community, for rate payers, to have a say about what they want to see changed and improved about their local council. They can get on to the website and there is a simple email format for people to put in their comments and those comments will be fed into the inquiry,” the Minister said.

“We want to hear from people about what’s not working, about what is working – we want to know about the good things – and we want to hear about the things that can be improved.”

Business interaction with council has markedly increased since 1989 and as our local economy becomes increasingly one dominated by small to medium enterprise (SME) businesses, putting processes in place that smooth the relationship between local business and local council has never been more important.

and delivering 25 years ago compared with now and how our society has changed,” Ms Hutchins said.

“There are so many things that councils could be encouraged to do through the Act to become more open and transparent with their decision making processes.”

The Andrews Government introduced a rate capping amendment to the Local Government Act into parliament in October that would link council rate rises to the Consumer Price Index starting in the 2016/17 financial year. The move fulfills a pre-election commitment from Daniel Andrews to introduce a Fair Go Rates program.

The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) was vocal in its objection to the policy, with the peak body for local councils labeling the policy a ‘failed Kennett reform’ and saying the policy will see councils either cut services or reduce maintenance on community facilities.

“We want to ensure that we are encouraging anyone that wants to stand for local council so that we can get the best representatives from the community.”

“For the business sector, I think it’s about how well they are communicating with the local council and what are those processes that are working well, and what are the processes that are taking up time, that aren’t easily communicated, and that may be costing them money in wanting to develop or expand their businesses in the local area. We need to ensure that the Act provides the flexibility for local councils to be able to support those local businesses in a timely manner,” Ms Hutchins said.

“There are some restrictions that have been created, unintentionally, through the Act not being modernized. It has been subject to 92 amendments, and that makes it in part a bit piecemeal and we need to make sure that we bring it up to speed and make it easy for people to understand. We don’t want to make it overly complex.

“One of the barriers that I find to people putting their hands up to stand for council as a councillor is that they don’t necessarily understand what all the rules and laws are in regards to council, and the Act is quite complex. We want to ensure that we are encouraging anyone that wants to stand for local council so that we can get the best representatives from the community, not seeing the Act or council processes as part of a barrier.”

The revised Act in 2018 will stand for at least a decade, and given how long this review has taken, possibly two or more.

Population forecasts predict that the number of people calling Greater Geelong home will grow from 231,453 in 2015 to 320,791 by 2036. Council operations and services will grow along with the local populations. The story is the same across regional and metropolitan Victoria and the effectiveness of local government will be that much more influential in the success of the state.

“Having some mechanisms in place so that we can regularly review and update the Act is going to be an important part [of the review of the Act] for us. Every 25 or 26 years is probably not appropriate when you think about what it was councils were doing

Despite concerns from local councils, the policy has been a popular one with state oppositions in recent years. In Western Australia, the Labor Opposition went to the 2013 state election with a policy of rate capping, and in 2014, the Liberal Opposition promised introducing rate caps in South Australia if elected. Neither party won those elections.

“I think there’s been some frustration around the increases that people have had to pay. Over the past fifteen years, on average, rates have gone up around the 6 per cent mark, and of course people’s wages or pensions haven’t gone up by that much. There is a disconnect there and people are not sure where that additional funding is going,” Ms Hutchins said.

“For those councils that have a big or one-off project that they want to continue to get more revenue for, they will need to engage the community, be open and transparent and demonstrate that they’ve got the community on side for them to be able to get a higher cap than other councils.”

The section of the Act that deals with the City of Greater Geelong, the City of Greater Geelong Amendment Act 2012, is due for review in 2016 as part of the agreement to institute a publicly elected mayor for the city. Next year is also a council election year and elections will feature strongly in the review of the Act. “We need to ensure, particularly with postal voting, that people have the information they need to make a decision about who they are voting for,” the Minister said.

I queried with the Minister whether scrapping preferential voting at council elections would form part of the review.

“That is an option on the agenda and we are welcoming any feedback that people might have on that. The last thing that we want to do is to stifle democracy, but if people have any concerns about non-genuine candidates running then they should really have a say about that and feed that into the enquiry.”

Andrew Katos MP sits on the side of the political fence from the Local Government Minister, but having served on the Geelong Council from 2008 before standing for and winning the seat of South Barwon in 2010.

“We made the major change as a Coalition Government of bringing in the directly-elected mayor, which was something the Committee for Geelong and the business community had been lobbying for.

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COVER STORY “David Morris, who was at the time the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government conducted quite an extensive consultation around the directly elected mayor and it came back loud and clear that at that stage the community didn’t want the ward structures changed but supported a directly elected mayor,” Mr Katos said.

“As far as I’m concerned, the system hasn’t worked. The twelve councillors and mayor doesn’t work and I think we need to go to a model similar to Melbourne, where you have the Mayor and Deputy Mayor on a ticket. Then you have either seven or nine councillors at large, or you might have three multi-councillor wards around the city and however you split that.

“You need to give a mayor the ability to run a ticket and to try to get people around the mayor who are sympathetic to the mayor’s vision and want to see that happen. The way it is at the moment, it’s all factionalised.

“It’s become a circus in that sense, because people aren’t looking at what the mayor is proposing on merit, and that’s how councils should be making decisions. It’s been going on at the City of Greater Geelong for a long time and by doing a restructure of the Local Government Act we might find a way forward and get this factionalism out of council.”

Politicking has been rampant in the councils in recent decades and the Geelong council is particularly well known for splitting down party lines.

services, Aboriginal services, recreation facilities, aged services, capital projects, leisure programs, engineering, arts and culture programs, environmental management, disability services, tourism and marketing, planning, parks and gardens, youth programs, events, urban growth planning, local laws, family support services, strategic planning, aged care, community funding and economic development.

The City boasts a skilled, dedicated and largely communityminded workforce, but as a bureaucracy, it faces some very big challenges. The grindingly slow pace of the bureaucracy is a source of community frustration. In a dynamically-changing region, the local government organisation should be leading at the cutting edge, not dragging behind the wider community.

And there are widely recognised issues of culture that have captured the attention of the Minister this year, with the City under the cloud of a bullying probe. Former Human Rights Commissioner, Susan Halliday, issued a damning report that found a culture of bullying was rife in the orgnanisation.

“It’s been going on at the City of Greater Geelong for a long time and by doing a restructure of the Local Government Act we might find a way forward and get this factionalism out of council.”

“You should be assessing a proposal on its merits and not because you’re getting a phone call from a state or federal politician telling you how to vote,” Mr Katos said.

The 13 candidates at the recent Kildare by-election demonstrated the disingenuousness of local council elections. Mr Katos described it as, ‘a cavalcade of stooges’ designed to manipulate the result through preferencing.

“The stooges need to be dealt with,” Mr Katos said, saying that the VEC practice of printing the individual candidate’s preference selections in voting packs provides a cheap way to run a stooge.

He said candidates should have to pay for their own voting materials if they want to include preferences, reasoning that candidates who are running purely to funnel preference votes will not want to pay and the genuine candidates will not want to pay for voting materials for multiple people.

Interim CEO of the City and the Mayor of Geelong both said bullying and intimidatory behaviour will not be accepted at City Hall.

Geelong is not the only council to be dogged by allegations of bullying in recent years. In 2013, the entire Wangaratta Council was sacked by the State Government after an investigation revealed a ‘toxic’ culture of bullying, and Kelvin Spiller was called in as acting CEO to steer the embattled rural city through the crisis. Other Victorian councils have attracted the attention of the Minister this year as well.

“Unfortunately, there have been circumstance, particularly in the last twelve months, of just a handful of councillors that have breached that code of conduct and not faced any consequences as a result of it,” Ms Hutchins said.

“There have been some individual issues in Geelong, but there have also been individual issues at other councils as well. We’ve just had a bill passed through parliament to improve this area of governance that have both given the councils themselves more powers to investigate, but also some more powers to myself as the Minister for Local Government to intervene in a situation where it’s affecting the performance of the council.”

“It’s the classic, if I’ve got a man [candidate] then I put an attractive woman in as the stooge, if I’ve got a woman [candidate] then I put a nice looking man as the stooge. That’s how it works and that’s how people do it. If you eliminate that, the stooges will drop off like flies,” Mr Katos said.

Under the changes to the Local Government Act, passed in late October, the Local Government Minister now has powers to sanction individual councillors rather than councils as a whole, to appoint a monitor and report back to the Minister in a very short timeframe.

Another alternative is to simply remove preferencing from local government elections altogether. Another option for breaking the status quo in local councils would be the introduction of mandatory terms, limiting representation to two or three terms as a means of driving innovation and fresher thinking at council level.

“One of the criticisms of the process before these changes was that quite often an investigation would take twelve months or even two years, and in that time the councillor would continue to behave a way that was not acceptable,” Ms Hutchins said.

Geelong is among the largest of the state’s 79 Councils, which collectively represent around 5 million Victorians. The City of Greater Geelong not only represents the people of Geelong, it employs a lot of them as well, with a total workforce of 2,675 people in 2014-15 (1,515 full time equivalent).

Services delivered by the City range from emergency services planning, transport planning, sports facilities, community wellbeing and health programs, early learning and childcare

In response to the Government’s response to bullying probe at Geelong, she said, “Look, everything is on the table at the moment for the Geelong council and yes, we are considering a monitor for Geelong.

“There was one area where I felt extremely restrained and frustrated [prior to the recent changes to the Act], as did many councils, and that was in the area specifically around the code of conduct - with particular councillors breaching their own council’s code of conduct and me as the Minister not having a

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COVER STORY

mechanism to intervene and assist the rest of council, who are trying to get on and do the job they are elected to do. Really, the only legal remedy that I had under the Act was to stand down the entire council, which is something that no Minister wants to do, because [councillors] are democratically elected.”

“We shouldn’t have councillors or officers flying off to Denmark to look at wind turbines, that’s not the role of local government.

They are the extreme examples, but councils need to go back to the basics of what they are responsible for, and then you wouldn’t need rate capping.”

But it isn’t just councillor conduct that the Minister has her eye on.

“Local government is a creation of state government, so state government should [set out] what local government’s roles and responsibilities are and make sure they stick to it,” Mr Katos said.

“I’ve been pretty vocal about councils needing to lift their game in supporting diversity in their own leadership echelons and [addressing] gender equity. Certainly, women make up the high majority of the workforce at around 63 to 65 per cent, but when you look at leadership roles in councils across the state [women] make up less than 10 per cent of the leadership in some areas.

“There is not an even playing field when it comes to women in local councils getting into leadership roles and we do need to address that,” the Minister said.

The standards of behaviour in local government have attracted plenty of headlines in recent years, but the review of the Local Government Act will be looking far more broadly at the whole of local operations, and, as a community, there are many questions to be asked.

Are we being realistic in our expectations of how much councils can do? From addressing social and economic disadvantage, encouraging economic investment and job creation, addressing community issues around cultural diversity, gender equity, ageing, youth disadvantage, community health, to infrastructure and urban planning, questions of ‘what can council really do?’ are valid.

Mr Katos said the boundaries of local government responsibilities need to be clearly drawn and councils required to work inside those boundaries.

“I think the change that needs to happen is that at the moment you have councils off advocating on things and spending ratepayers’ money on things they have utterly no responsibility for. They yell back that it’s advocacy, but I would say that they should be advocating for the roads and footpaths that need fixing, for your local sporting clubs, not climate change or gay marriage or any issue that isn’t a responsibility of local government.

“The responsibilities of local government used to be in the Act and Bracks took them out in the early 2000s. Local government had defined responsibilities and [knew] where their goal posts were. That was removed and now we have councillors off spending ratepayers money on pretty much anything they like,” Mr Katos said.

“Local governments are pretty well organized as a sector and they are very good at lobbying both state and federal governments,” the Minister said. “There is no doubt about that.

What I think I will get some feedback from residents about is ensuring that information and those activities actually get filtered back down into the local community and fed back.

“A lot of the interaction between councils and ratepayers depends on council meetings and ads or articles in local papers. I think that in this day and age we need to step a little bit beyond that and think about some more direct messaging to communities on things that are important to them. Councils are in a really good place to be able to communicate and deliver those messages.”

It did seem as if the Minister was suggesting that council departments should open their doors to the community.

“Well, I am suggesting that and widening out the conversation with community.

“Nothing sharpens the community’s mind more than when there is a natural disaster and I’ve been privileged to see some councils work under some pretty stressful situations, particularly bushfires, earlier this year. They did a fantastic job and why they did a fantastic job is that they heightened their communications and connectedness with their communities. They did throw their doors open in a time of crisis and people in those areas got to see their councils in a whole new light.

“That said, it shouldn’t take a natural disaster to get councils engaging with their communities at that level.”

City of Greater Geelong, along with the other 78 Victorian councils, the Municipal Association of Victoria and the Victorian Local Government are all working through the discussion paper and formulating their official responses to the review. One thing that we know for sure is that there a lot more to come on this story.

For further information, or to have your say at the new Local Government Act Review website, visit www. yourcouncilyourcommunity.vic.gov.au

DAVINA MONTGOMERY BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 21

BUSINESS ADVICE

FRANCHISING, A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS?

S MCFARLANE PATTINSON, MANAGER - BUSINESS ADVISORY, CROWE HORWATH GEELONG

hould you start a franchise or start your own company? This is a tough question, as successful franchise ownership requires a very specific mindset. Franchising is about replicating and selling a proven business model.

Franchisors are successful business owners with an established business model that works for a particular product or service who like to expand their business and have chosen to invest their money, time and resource into doing it in a replicable, scalable franchise model.

Buying into a franchise system allows business owners to minimise the risks they face as a business owner. In return for a monthly royalty fee, franchisees receive significant support from their franchisor. However, is it all really worth it and is buying a franchise a recipe to be successful?

Recently we have seen allegations reported in the media that the 7-Eleven chain of convenience stores have severely underpaid and grossly overworked employees in contravention of key employment standards. This story is just one of many that has shed light on workplace practices of well-recognised brands in Australia, with the practices of Grill’d, Bakers Delight, Gloria Jean’s and La Porchetta having come under scrutiny.

In addition, franchisees usually contribute to a common Marketing Fund via payment of a regular Marketing Levy (either percentage of sales or a fixed dollar amount). As of 1 January 2015, franchisors must now maintain this money in a separate and dedicated bank account to contribute to marketing activities. Yet we see a number of franchisors lacking in transparency and franchisees do not know their rights to information on how marketing funds are spent.

Franchises vary in what they offer – some offer a lot of support others, while others are set up on the bases that the franchisees does not obtain support. They have different terms and conditions, fee structures and lengths of agreement.

This article provides general information only, current at the time of production. Any advice in it has been prepared without taking into account your personal circumstances. You should seek professional advice before acting on any material.

Crowe Horwath Financial Advice Pty Ltd is the holder of Australian Financial Services Licence number 238244 ABN 51 060 092 631

For a person with little or no prior business experience, they can learn core business skills and have access to a business model that has proven to be successful in other locations with a known brand. However, there is less autonomy, more restrictions, and fees to be paid.

So, should you start a franchise or start your own company? This is a multifaceted decision and giving it due attention may improve your

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successes. Owning any business is like caring for a loved one and there is a lot more to running a successful business than meets the eye.

From my experience, franchising is merely a prepacked model that assists with an idea and provides you with the necessary tools to begin selling to the market. However, not all franchisees are successful from beginning; like any business, it still requires a sound business mind and ample amount of attention towards cash flow management, business planning and making key investment decisions. Franchising does not eliminate you falling into the 50 per cent of businesses that fail with in the first five years; nevertheless, it should provide you with enough support to run a successful business.

Review the following to start thinking about whether franchising or business owning is for you: • Do you have the ability, commitment and personality to run your own business?

• What are your strengths and weaknesses?

• What type of business appeals to you?

• Can you work within the limits of a franchise?

• Are you passionate about the brand?

• Are you prepared to go into debt to buy a franchise?

• Are you prepared to work long hours and make sacrifices?

• Do you have the support of your family?

• What do you want to achieve going into business? E.g. investment, to sell, a career.

As an Advisor, I say to you “plan, plan, plan” before making a decision and understand all the pros and cons. There is a heap of information online and be sure to visit the Franchise Council of Australia website.

If you do decide to proceed with a franchise, make sure you understand your financial position at all times to be able to control cashflow, creditors, make decisions about purchases, stock levels and all of your compliance issues, including payroll.

It is pivotal to make the right decision for your circumstances and commence this exciting journey with a plan. Ensure you surround yourself with a team of experienced, expert Advisors who can help you pinpoint a viable business ownership opportunity.

FINANCE

THAT (OTHER) BIG F WORD

A

fter reading a recent article on the subject, l thought I’d share my thoughts with you on how most of us allow our feelings to override facts, particularly in times of fear and stress.

MARTIN CARTER, BUSINESS MANAGER, MORRIS FINANCE

That being the case, the big F word this month refers to feelings and the importance of recognising that feelings aren’t facts.

The modern dictionary defines feelings as an emotional state or reaction to experience; we all have our share of sadness, stress, fears and tears, as well as happiness, joy, laughter, anticipation and excitement.

Facts to me are the reality, the actuality, the certainty, and truths, performing a balancing role when our emotions or feelings threaten to take control.

moment. This can result in some pretty unhealthy behaviors with undesirable consequences. How many times have we shouted something we have later regretted because in the moment we were feeling angry? In the moment, those feelings were very real, but they weren’t necessarily facts.

My advice is to find the inner calmness, space and time to see those feelings pass, knowing full well that they aren’t going to last forever. The secret to controlling the reactions to your feelings is to begin to become an observer to yourself “Remember, your your feelings, simply noticing feelings are not the and how the feelings come and go problem, it’s what we through us, without having to act do with them that is on them.

problematic.”

One of the most crippling of all the feelings we face on a personal or business front is the fear of failure; but more critical is the way we react to these feelings. If we look at failure as the incredible learning experience that it often is, or choose to look for the lesson we’re meant to learn, then we will continue to grow, generally not making that same mistake again.

Remember, your feelings are not the problem, it’s what we do with them that is problematic. We often allow our feelings to become the ringmaster and run the show, acting on impulse to either avoid or gratify whatever we are feeling in the

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A treasured secret l learnt some time ago is that the most helpful and probably the most considered way to react is to express whatever you are feeling with a statement, such as, “l am feeling bitterly disappointed at the moment,” whilst considering the facts prior to letting your feelings steal the show, reminding myself once again that feelings aren’t facts. Years of experience in managing this difficult practice tells me that as long as I remain an observer to this process, I will be okay as the feeling will pass.

In conclusion, one of my most practiced adages is, “life is 1% what happens to you and 99% the way you react to it,” so, until next month, onwards and upwards in your quest for improvement in inner self control, finding the right balance between feelings and facts!

VECCI

FOOTY FRIDAY NOT A WIN FOR BUSINESS VECCI calls for grand final Friday holiday to be a one-off wonder as business is hit by significant cost

A

s Geelong business counts the cost of Victoria’s first grand final Friday public holiday, VECCI continues to call on the government to ensure this event is not repeated in coming

years.

You may have seen the significant TV, print and radio coverage and social media activity regarding our protest as we highlighted the costs incurred by business, including our own estimate that employers across Victoria had to pay their staff $543 million to not work on the day.

Examples of costs include: • Additional wages costs of $14,000 for a supermarket operator due to penalty rates.

• A building materials supplier paying $9,500 for its 50 full- and part-time staff not to come to work.

• Some health sector operators paying over $200,000 in additional wages for the day.

• An adult casual shop assistant was entitled to be paid $52.21 per hour instead of their regular Friday hourly rate of $23.73.

• A full time security officer working at an event cost 2.5 times their ordinary hourly rate to work on Friday, earning $46.17 an hour instead of $18.47.

As a Victorian business, this holiday cost VECCI over $120,000 through lost revenue, paying people not to come to work and operating our advice line service to members and clients.

Victorian taxpayers paid over $20 million to cover extra public sector employee costs for the day.

Local governments had to bear the burden of increased costs of operating services. This would have been particularly costly for Geelong’s important and growing health and aged care sectors, which cannot close their doors or reduce staff levels just because a public holiday has been created.

Geelong’s tourism and hospitality sectors also bore the brunt of the new public holiday and the associated rise in labour costs.

Although many businesses chose to stay open, the majority of businesses experienced a loss in profitability or just managed to break even.

Businesses in Geelong and throughout Victoria contacted VECCI asking us to see if we can have this decision reversed. We will continue to campaign on their behalf to see this holiday is not repeated in years to come.

MARK STONE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, VECCI

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ENERGY

FIVE WAYS SMALL BUSINESSES CAN CUT ELECTRICITY COSTS

S PETER BENNETT SALES MANAGER, SMALL BUSINESS

mall businesses are often faced with the challenge of juggling their expenses with their cash flow and the cost of electricity is often a shock when the bill arrives. It doesn’t always have to be this way, according to Peter Bennett, Sales Manager for Small Business at ERM Business Energy.

1. Turn computer screens off every night – screens use more power than the computer itself.

Consider using laptops if you can – they typically use 50 – 90 per cent less power than a desktop computer.

“When looking for an electricity retailer to provide power to your business, there are plenty of confusing discount offers and it pays to look at the bottom line. The base rates across different retailers vary significantly, so discounts aren’t always what they seem” said Mr Bennett. He also suggests that looking at the actual rate you pay in cents per kilowatt hour is the only way to measure the real cost of your electricity and to accurately compare prices.

3. S et the air-conditioning to 18 degrees in winter and 25 degrees in summer and fix the controls so they can’t be adjusted.

A small business customer is typically classified as a business that spends less than $30,000 each year on electricity. Mr Bennett said that if you’re a small business owner looking for ways to reduce your electricity bill, consider the following tips:

2. Service air-conditioning and heating facilities regularly to ensure they are running efficiently.

4. Install motion sensors for lighting in unoccupied areas like the toilets, copy room and storerooms so lights are only on when they need to be.

5. C heck your electricity bill. If you are on a time of use tariff, consider whether it is possible to shift some energy usage from peak times to cheaper off peak times.

“We’re business electricity specialists and so we can provide businesses with a bill health check, a no-obligation quote and advice on their electricity” Mr Bennett said.

For more information on ERM Business Energy and its offers for small business, contact call 134 376 or visit ermbusinessenergy.com.au ADVERTISING FEATURE

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 25

GOVERNANCE

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT – WHY AND HOW

E

very non-profit organisation (NGO) has a range of stakeholders that, whether it likes it or not, have either a direct or indirect relationship and impact on both the strategic and operational management of the business.

• Quantifying the stakeholder reporting/accountability expectations and requirements as a result of the relationship;

A stakeholder can be defined as an individual (e.g. a client, a supplier), a group of individuals (e.g. an industry association, an organisation’s members) or an organisation (e.g. the media, funding bodies the government), all of which have an interest in the daily activities of the business. In the non-profit sector, especially where government or third party funds are involved in contributing to service delivery, the board and management must decide how it will engage and manage this group to mutually satisfy individual needs.

Why is stakeholder engagement important in the nonprofit sector?

It is generally accepted that in today’s political and economic environment, the demand for NGO services is ever increasing and the funds available do not seem to be able to meet that demand – this means that funding bodies have to make choices and funding receivers have to be accountable and demonstrate that the service provided by their organisation generates change, not just an output or outcome. In the decision making process, funding bodies generally consider stakeholder engagement as one of their criteria in the selection process of who gets what and when. Stakeholders represent the community and government is spending community funds, so how an organisation engages with and is perceived by its stakeholders is a key success factor in the allocation of funds.

Furthermore, stakeholder engagement is important because it is the right thing to do, not just because it should be done to satisfy a third party need. If a board engages with stakeholders from a performance rather than compliance perspective, then a better result is guaranteed for all parties in the relationship.

How does an NGO create a stakeholder engagement plan?

To achieve the best result, a cross section of the organisation (from the board to service delivery and administration) should participate in all stages of creating the plan. These stages include: • Agree on the definition of a stakeholder in the context of the business’s activities; • I dentifying individuals, groups and organisations who meet these criteria;

• Undertake a risk assessment on each stakeholder i.e. how critical is the relationship to the organisation achieving its mission?

• Develop an engagement plan that mitigates the above risks in a manner that takes the initiative rather than one that simply responds to an immediate demand or crisis; • Appropriately resource the implementation of the plan; • Put in place a reporting mechanism that will provides evidence to the board that the plan that has been developed is actually being implemented and the expected results achieved through this process; and • Include the review process in the annual and monthly board agendas.

Other steps that can be taken to assist in the stakeholder engagement and management process include: • Create a Complaints Management policy including criteria, reporting and board review process; •E stablish a Whistle blowing policy and for the board to take a leadership role in the communication of that policy throughout the organisation – this will send a powerful message to all staff but none more so than taking immediate action if a particular situation arises; and • Informal and ad hoc meetings with key stakeholders – this demonstrates that the board really does care about the relationship and wants to receive personal feedback to confirm that which is being reported – stakeholders generally appreciate the opportunity to interact directly with a board of an organisation.

In summary, stakeholder engagement should not be considered as simply a compliance requirement. Stakeholders have varying degrees of importance to an organisation and the engagement strategy should correlate to that importance level. It is a far better approach to take the initiative and keep all stakeholders informed relative to their relationship with the business than to wait until a crisis develops and then deal with that at that time. The board must take a leadership role in the development, implementation and review of the strategy and thereby demonstrate that stakeholder engagement is critical to long-term success and sustainability.

MARK SCHULTZ For further information, go to www.governancetoday.com

BUSINESS NEWS | 26

INSURANCE

CYBER CRIME – INSURANCE PLAYS A ROLE

W BRAD TRESIDDER Managing Director of Tresidder Insurance Group based in Geelong and sits on several boards and audit/risk committees.

ho remembers the widely accepted definition of “malicious damage” being a brick being thrown through a shop front window, or graffiti on the side of a building wall? If you’re like me, it doesn’t seem like that long ago. While these events still happen, the new widely accepted definition of “malicious damage” is also called “cyber crime”. Unfortunately for us folk in our beautiful city of Geelong and neighbouring regions, the perpetrators are no longer local - they are global.

To put into context the scale of this new malicious damage exposure, consider 1 million seconds equals 11.5 days, while one billion seconds equals 31.7 years. 11 days versus 31 years. This increased global exposure to billions rather than millions is pretty confronting, as are the emerging risks of cyber crime when we are now exposed to perpetrators who can attack our business from any corner of the globe.

Fortunately, as new risks emerge, so do solutions to combat and manage them. For example, business interruption insurance played a significant role in the industrial revolution by providing protection for capital investment into machinery after a loss. Cyber Insurance has evolved as a solution to this latest threat.

In the October 2015 Geelong Business News, cyber crime was the cover story. Davina Montgomery’s comprehensive overview of the security breach exposures to stolen data or corrupted systems was so profoundly accurate in our experience of risk and insurance broking. I’m not an IT technician, my 12 year old son knows more than me on the subject, but what I do know is that Cyber Insurance has been a reactive tool of risk management for cyber crime, and now its more affordable and accessible than even 12 months ago.

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU BUSINESS NEWS | 27| 27

Consider these common claims experienced by insurers of the past year alone: • Costs of notifying individuals potentially affected by a suspected data breach • Credit monitoring services for individuals who are affected by a data breach • Costs to restore data and reconstruct media content on websites • Costs to restore software corrupted by a third party hack • Payment for ransom monies following extortion and ransom demands • Business Interruption payments for loss of profits following weeks of affected trading • Payments for civil penalties and compensatory awards levied by regulators • Third party liability payments arising from online multimedia content, transmission of viruses etc.

Our view is to identify the risk, assess the exposure and manage internally through best practice. Davina’s cover article provided several internal measures for increasing security and protection from cyber crime events. Insurance that is purchased correctly will always play a key role in the management of risk, and in this case Cyber Insurance is no different. You transfer a portion of the risks that cannot be managed internally to the insurer for a premium. Premiums start as low as $900, which would equate to only 5 hours worth of billing time by an ICT technician. So, the numbers stack up, and in our opinion, so too do most of the new Cyber insurance policies being offered in the Australian insurance market.

Talk to your insurance advisor about the appropriate cyber insurance product for your business risk profile.

It’s also worth bringing in your internal or external ICT people when doing so to make sure you are conveying the core risks you want to be insured for.

WORKPLACE

THE WORKPLACE WELLBEING DIVIDEND

I

nvesting in a healthy workforce with a well-balanced lifestyle is increasingly being recognised as a significant driver of business performance and growth. And where some of the world’s biggest companies have led, many of us are now following.

Google is recognised year after year for innovation. It is not only the company’s exponential growth or highly profitability that attracts attention. This world-leading employer is celebrated for their methods used to enhance employees’ happiness and health outcomes.

Google staff work in a physical environment that is flexible, beautifully designed and welcoming. Workspaces flooded with natural light are decorated with bright colours and purpose-built social places. Weather permitting; employees are encouraged outside, instead of meeting in stuffy boardrooms. The complete portability of laptops on wireless networks enables them to complete tasks while soaking up vitamin D and enjoying fresh air.

Increased levels of activity are promoted. Bicycles are used to move between buildings and scooters make indoor transits more exciting. Break times are deliberately fun times, with staff urged to play. Basketball games, football competitions, yoga classes, rock climbing walls or simply having a walk are encouraged. Exercise and deliberate acts of silliness are a regular part of Google employees’ days, to enhance physical health and stay mentally fresh.

Google carefully considers their staff’s nutritional needs. Ever changing and free selections of healthy snacks and meals are provided, so people are free to work around the clock should they choose. Having access to nutrient rich, delicious foods improves mood and maintains energy.

Google make time management simple with a range of visiting and permanent services. Inconvenient, time consuming appointments for health needs, personal grooming and special treats are conducted in the workplace to save taking time off work. They provide laundry and dry cleaning too, so that otherwise exhausting chores and work occur simultaneously.

Working flexible hours is encouraged, with Google making it undesirable to join the throng of people clocking on at 9am and off at 5.30pm. Staff can arrange their working times around their family needs, caring commitments and social life. More convenient work hours decongest freeways, free up car parks and allow employees to have fulfilling lives outside of work.

Why would Google invest so much into its staff? Lazlo Bock, Google’s Senior Vice President of People and Operations explains that, “people who are exceptional are motivated and driven beyond being good at their job and their pay cheque.”

Google recognises proving to your staff that they matter, lowering workforce turnover, increasing ambition, reducing sick days, stimulating workplace pride, boosting morale and motivating staff to excel.

Bock admits his company goes the extra mile to finance extraordinary perks, but adds, “You don’t need a lot of money to do what Google has done. If you give people freedom they will amaze you.”

PricewaterhouseCoopers research confirms for every dollar companies spend on improving employee mental health opportunities, a $2.50 return is made. How many other investments provide a 150 per cent dividend?

The World Health Organisation has developed ‘Healthy Work Places’, a guide to improve emotional and physical health, safety, and create a greater sense of community at work.

Communications occur more effectively and efficiently with respect, so the WHO recommends employers generate a sense of belonging, hold staff in high regard and enhance the community of employees. Belonging and inclusiveness lead to empowerment, having greater ownership over their tasks and improving productivity.

Spending a Google-sized budget to ensure staff contentment is an impossible dream for most workplaces. Fortunately, there are many inexpensive ways to modify workplace culture and still improve employees’ happiness and health.

0439 353 958 elisha@elphotography.com.au www.elphotogrpahy.com.au

BUSINESS NEWS | 28

WORKPLACE In Melbourne and Sydney, Swisse nutrient company employees enjoy a ‘happiness day’ off each month in addition to their leave entitlements. The Australian company believes that by providing bonus time off, improved job satisfaction, fewer sick days are taken and staff have higher engagement levels.

Some employers are making changes to combat the impacts of prolonged stillness forced by traditional office furniture. Being stuck in a chair can place stress on the spine, impede circulation, puts pressure on joints, increases the frequency of headaches, causes muscle wastage and decreased overall fitness. Sitting, we are told, is the new smoking. A recent alternative to sedentary workers’ lifestyle is the standing or active desk. An ergonomically designed active desk elevates the work surface, to increase physical activity.

To beef up the desk’s benefits, a challenging balance board, for coordination and core strengthening, or placing a treadmill under the raised desk can turn an inactive job into a whole body workout.

A healthier body improves psychological performance too.

Provide wholesome fresh snacks. Having platters or baskets of fresh fruit available, for example, means staff would have a healthy alternative to the 3pm slump munchies of sweet or fried food.

Find out what professional services employees might appreciate onsite. Regular motivational gatherings, massage opportunities, nutritional advice, quit smoking sessions, exercise planning or perhaps counselling services could give staff some valuable health improvements at little expense.

Ensure everyone has access to a professional mentor. Find people to assist with teaching staff, providing additional group training, sharing career advice and being a workplace sounding board.

They will enhance employee morale and improve confidence.

Research shows life-long learning builds resilience, equips staff for change and delays retirement. Stretching the intellectual muscle also helps with mental flexibility.

Meetings do not have to occur seated at a desk. Go for a walk, using a mobile to record notes instead of paper. Exercise has been proven to reduce fatigue and invigorate the imagination.

Where possible, look at adopting more flexible working hours and locations, using technology. Imagine working around the needs of aging parents, in the night if that suits, or while childcare is most accessible. Avoid the commute and increase productivity by generating flexible work. A recent survey by Data2decisions showed 70 per cent of people believe a more flexible work life balance would be advantageous, yet only 59 per cent of women and 65 per cent of men put that into practice.

Obliterating all beige areas with a simple coat of paint in a stylish, calming or energising new colour can be an emotional boost and give creative stimulation.

Since at least one third of our lives are devoted to work, it makes sense to do it smarter instead of harder and create opportunities for happier and healthier workplaces.

Tweaking workplaces and culture to promote employee health can be performed by even the smallest of businesses.

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TOURISM

GETTING REEL WITH TOURISM GREATER GEELONG & THE BELLARINE Tourism Greater Geelong & The Bellarine (TGGB) represents great businesses in a brilliant destination. Exceptional experiences are delivered for international and domestic visitors, every single day.

TGGB is the Regional Tourism Organisation spanning from Werribee to Barwon Heads, incorporating Bannockburn, Geelong, Portarlington and all the areas in between.

Their core role is to increase tourism yield for the region. Strategically, they do this by building consumer awareness of the region and encouraging visitors to our destinations to stay longer and spend more.

Consistent with their ‘working in partnership’ philosophy, TGGB works together with the tourism industry and local government to promote the region as a “must see” destination. There are more than 400 members from all aspects of the tourism industry and three municipal stakeholders invested in the organisation to grow and develop tourism in the region.

Led by an independent chairman, the board of 10 delegates represent a broad range of tourism industry niches as well as relevant skills-based members and municipal representatives. Together, they oversee the implementation of the strategic plan for the organisation with a focus on four key areas: • Promotion • D evelopment • P artnerships • Governance Tourism is a growth sector in this region. Right now, it supports over 4000 jobs in Greater Geelong & The Bellarine and is estimated to be worth $640M. It’s an industry made up of businesses from hospitality, retail, accommodation, services, transport and more.

Now, we’re making it even more worthwhile for new members to join TGGB and help them grow regional tourism even further with the “Reel Benefits” campaign.

TGGB is offering members a chance to win a 12-week advertising campaign at Village Cinema worth $3000 for referring new members to join. The existing member and the new business that becomes a member will both be entered into the draw. This will help grow the network and invite further quality offerings to the membership.

Some of the main benefits of tourism membership include: • A dedicated business profile on the regional website www. visitgeelongbellarine.com.au and connected with state and national tourism sites.

• Opportunity to participate in local, regional, interstate and international

marketing programs.

• Tailored professional development programs and networking opportunities.

• A dedicated visiting friends and relatives marketing program to capitalise on the large residential population of Geelong.

• Potential to be featured in public relations and media engagement program with a focus on traditional media as well as digital content, online publications and bloggers.

• Opportunities for listings and features in consumer publications including visitor guides, maps and visitor information.

• Potential brochure distribution via the Visitor Information Centre network across the region.

Here’s what some current members have to say about their membership and partnership with TGGB: Nicole Newman – Director – The Food Purveyor My first interest has always been about spreading the word about the awesome producers we have within our region. The Food Purveyor knew that working in collaboration with Tourism Greater Geelong & The Bellarine, and The Bellarine Taste Trail, was a smart way to be able to connect with more makers and growers, as well as getting the word out on a greater level.

They are also simply a good bunch of people that I enjoy dealing with.

Jesse Hughes – General Manager – Vue Grand Hotel We have been a member for over 10 years now. This alone says that we trust in the work of Tourism Greater Geelong & The Bellarine implicitly. They are forward thinking and look to be leading the way in how a tourism organisation represents the region. We have received fantastic media coverage over the years as a direct result from the work of the TGGB team and more recently have found great value in the Professional Development Program available to members.

Lyndsay Sharp – Director – Leura Park Estate, Jack Rabbit Vineyard, Flying Brick Cider Co, Curlewis Golf Club The decision to become a TGGB member was a no brainer! The TGGB team are extremely passionate, pro-active and supportive - their multifaceted strategic initiatives form the backbone of the increasing profile and visitation to our wonderful region.

BUSINESS NEWS | 30

GETAWAY

EXPERIENCE SUNSET FROM THE BAY ABOARD SEAROAD FERRIES! If you’ve ever dreamed of sailing off into the sunset then now’s your chance! Searoad Ferries has just released its Summer Sunset Sailings dates for the 2015/2016 season, with departures from Sorrento and Queenscliff.

Taking place on Saturday the 16th and 23rd of January and 13th and 27th of February 2016, the Sunset Sailings are the perfect way to relax, unwind and enjoy some down time with family and friends. If you’ve been impressed by the views from the ferry during the day, then you will love the way the Bay and Peninsulas light up at night!

On top of the breathtaking views and spectacular sunset, passengers on the Sunset Sailings will also receive a regional tasting platter, a complimentary drink

on arrival, tea and coffee, and live music. Drinks can be purchased at bar prices throughout the night.

All of Searoad’s onboard facilities are available for passengers to enjoy, including the comfortable lounges, full length windows for maximum viewing, external viewing decks and outdoor seating, onboard café and children’s play area.

From Queenscliff, Sunset Sailings depart at 7.00pm and return at 10.30pm, with tickets costing $85 per person.

Sorrento sailings depart at 8pm and return at 9.45pm and cost $75 per person.

To book or make enquiries, please visit www.searoad. com.au or call 03 5258 3244

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 31

the

ELEVATOR

Business and Professional Women Geelong Networking. Advocacy. Professional Development.

BPW Geelong, a not-for-profit organisation forms part of the wider BPW network of clubs around the world.

Advocating for all working women and small business owners, BPW Australia have lobbied on paid parental leave, equal pay, childcare and superannuation for women.

BPW are a lead agent of Economic Security 4 Women, an alliance reporting to federal government.

At an international level, BPW has a consultative status at the United Nations.

Events BPW Geelong hosts monthly events for women of all ages. Dinner, with an inspiring guest speaker is usually held on the second Tuesday of the month.

The highlight of the year is the May “Moving on Up” breakfast attracting over 250 attendees.

Everyone is welcome to attend our events.

Student Mentoring Program We run a successful mentoring program for year 11 and 12 students from a local secondary college.

Selected students are given the opportunity to meet with members and professional development consultants and attend monthly events.

Projects We regularly get involved in community projects such as Baclinks “Best Foot Forward” and Geelong Mums.

Find out More Email bpwgeelong@gmail.com to go onto our database to find out about events and projects or contact our President, Belinda Lyle Tel: 0409 432 196 for more information.

The ELEVATOR allows businesses the opportunity to give their ‘Elevator Pitch’ to the rest of the regional business community free of charge.

For more details email abbey@adcellgroup.com.au

Setting the standard for excellence, business owners are connecting and working smarter with PACE Business Services’ fully equipped state of the art serviced offices, meeting rooms and flexible virtual office packages designed for your business growth.

Customer experience ultimately defines your business brand and positions your product or service in the marketplace. Prospects and customers want to connect, be heard, and know that they will be taken care of. By web, phone or in person, the style and consistency of exceptional customer service is paramount to your business success.

Regardless of the size or stage of your business, PACE Business Services is READY for you. Walk in, set up, plug in and focus on growing your business.

When meeting with your clients and prospects really matters, WOW them by doing business in our corporate board and meeting rooms.

Your success IS our success. Partnering with PACE Business Services enables you to hit the ground running, make connections, generate some business and make some money. Knowing that your calls are covered and that your customers are being taken care of gives you peace of mind to focus on service delivery, business development, and to totally relax and spend quality time with family.

Experience the difference now with a FREE no obligation trial by calling the PACE team and mentioning this article. Set yourself up for success today!

Level 1, 27-31 Myers Street Geelong 03 5223 8900 admin@pacesec.com.au www.pacebusinessservices.com.au

Splice Communications recognise that most small to medium size businesses need a ‘marketing manager’ to develop, identify and implement marketing and public relations strategies that enhance their engagement with their customers and clients.

But many businesses simply cannot afford a dedicated marketing person.

That’s where Splice comes in.

We work with you to develop marketing and communications strategies that are a unique fit for your target audience and your business.

Splice Communications is your full service marketing team offering: • Marketing audits, strategy development and implementation • Public relations and media engagement • Digital and social media marketing research and engagement strategies • Management of all your social media channels • Ghost writing of blogs • Function and event design and management • Brand design and implementation • Website development • Professional product and profile photography Whether you are simply looking for a strategy to implement for your business, or someone to take care of all the details, Splice can develop a strategy that is a perfect fit.

Shelley Best Splice Communications 0457 264 838 shelley@splicecommunications.com.au /Splice-Communications splicecommunications @splicecommunic8

BUSINESS NEWS | 32

THE ELEVATOR

Capture Real Estate offers a wide variety of photography services within the Greater City of Geelong and surrounding areas. Our main focus is providing excellent customer service and satisfaction, as we value the customer’s input throughout image creation.

Images are captured with top of the range digital SLR Camera’s with high-end lighting equipment. This provides you with an edge when advertising your images on print or web with professional photographs + full resolution edits making your home look its very best when it comes to selling. Additionally, your ages are processed with great detail using the latest computer software & tools to remove blemishes and increase image clarity.

Capture Real Estate specializes in Real Estate Photography, Professional Portraits, Graphic Design, Floor Planning, Digital Enhancing, House Styling, Fast Delivery, No-Risk Guarantee, Professional Service and most importantly a Friendly Team. We pride ourselves on using the latest file formats for your images, which are always ready for the customer to start advertising straight away. Our turn around image and edit times are exceptionally fast with a guarantee of images sent to you by the following day or at the very latest two days from the shoot. If it takes any longer we will give you your money back, guaranteed.

Capture Real Estate’s goal is to provide the customer with the very best marketing and advertising tools to ensure your home or property is looking 10/10. Giving you the best sales advantage possible.

Contact Capture Real Estate today! stefan@capturerealestate.com.au www.capturerealestate.com.au 0418 607 632

Phillipa Challis of Live Life Laughing shows organisations and individuals how to laugh their way to better business.

Laughter makes staff more productive and focused because they have more energy; it increases communication skills; opens minds to new ideas; and heightens optimal performance.

Founded in late 2012, Sweet Things by Caroline was born from Geelong chocolatier, Caroline King’s, love of working with chocolate, and the creative possibilities chocolate presented to her. With five years experience in the chocolate industry, Caroline continues to take pride in creating and producing unique, high quality chocolate products, using only finest quality Belgian couverture chocolate, as well as designer decorated biscuits, which have recently been added to her range. Caroline invests much creative energy into the decorative and visual aspect of all of her products, whilst still always striving for delicious flavours, to tempt all palates.

Staff appreciate their health and wellbeing being taken seriously. The more regularly an organisation or business has a laughter session, absenteeism is lower and staff retention is higher.

As all products are hand crafted by Caroline, in Geelong, products can also be personalised or customised to meet clients’ specific requirements.

This can be achieved through:

Global studies and scientific research shows that staff are also less stressed, more motivated, and healthier.

Laughter boosts their immune system.

* Custom printing (e.g. logos) on chocolate; * Use of business branding colours when making products; * Names/wording (edible) on products; * Customising of packaging (e.g. with branding/colours).

Stressed unmotivated staff, absenteeism and low morale can kill your business. Geelong based Live Life Laughing, established for 13 years, helps hundreds of clients turn their businesses around to achieve a healthier, happier, vibrant workplace.

Participants often report how immediately after a laughter session they feel revitalized and enthusiastic, and how the elevated feeling lingers for days.

Contact the Laughter Lady Phillipa Challis from Live Life Laughing to explore how you can have a funfilled morale boosting activity that provides real benefits which actually work. She will design a package tailored to your needs for your next team building activity, seminar, business retreat or conference.

Secure your 2016 activity date today.

These products are ideal for a variety of uses, including: * * * * *

Corporate gifts; Staff gifts/incentives/rewards; Favours/gifts at events/conferences/launches; Promotional and marketing tools; As an addition to a boardroom table or a meeting with clients.

With Christmas rapidly approaching, be sure to contact Caroline to discuss your corporate gifting needs.

0418 521 265

SweetThingsbyCaroline

phillipa@livelifelaughing.com.au

sweetthingsbycaroline

Live Life Laughing

laughterlady

Phillipa Challis

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 33

sweetthingsbycaroline.com.au hello@sweetthingsbycaroline.com.au

FIX YOUR TV SOUND Got a great TV picture? How about the sound? You don’t have to buy a cinema to improve your listening experience.

Logitech have been making quality, economical sound systems for years and the new Z533 could be what you need.

Logitech’s Z533 desktop system includes a pair of speakers with 2.6-inch full-range drivers and a companion ported subwoofer with a 5.25-inch front-firing driver. A wired control pod extends from the subwoofer to allow for control of power, volume, and bass. Connection options include 3.5mm and stereo RCA jacks, plus a headphone output. The Z533 system retails for $199 but can be found as low as $139.

Every month, our Tech Guy, Jon Mamonski, brings us the wildest, most mind-blowing gadgets he can find...

I’M ON MY WAY LG has launched its latest smartwatch, the Watch Urbane 2nd Edition. Like the first model, it has a circular display, but is the first device to combine Android Wear with a built-in cellular connection for calls and data, so you can leave your phone at home, something even the upgraded Apple Watch can’t do. Android Wear means this watch should have more apps ready for internet-connected use even when your phone and Wi-Fi are out of range.

Behind its 1.38-inch 480x480 res P-OLED display there’s a 570mAh battery that LG claims can still last through the day with the help of a Power Saving Mode. There’s no word on price or exact release date yet, (best guess is $499), but it’s going to the US and Korea first.

MICROSOFT DOES A BRILLIANT NOTEBOOK What if you wanted a Surface tablet, but you wanted a laptop Surface something with a bigger screen, something with the perfect typing experience of a laptop. Well, it’s happened; Microsoft’s first laptop with a 13.5-inch display, an Intel Core processor, up to 16GB GDDR5 RAM and a claimed 12hour battery life. Microsoft is calling it the Surface Book and, like every other Surface in the product line, it’s still a detachable, convertible PC.

APPLE’S NEW OS Apple’s new iPhone operating system, iOS 9, is less about wow-factor features and more about getting the apps we use every day running faster and a little more efficiently. Siri is more proactive and has clearer understanding of your questions. Spotlight search is richer and deeper, and there are new multitasking features for the iPad. There’s a battery widget on the Today screen, letting you know how much power remains in your device (and Apple Watch, if you have one). If you move from one app to another, there’s a handy “Back to” button that takes you back one step along a trail.

Have you accidentally SHOUTED at friends via text because you’ve tapped the Shift button twice?

The letters on the keyboard now visually switch between caps and lowercase depending on what you do with the Shift key, which also changes colour when you tap it.

Siri can now also handle more specific requests like showing you photos from a specific time or location when you ask and also keeps tabs on what you’re doing to get a sense of who you like to talk to, what apps you like to use and when you like to use them. Once it’s done this, you’ll start getting Siri Suggestions for apps and contacts when it thinks they’re appropriate. iOS 9 comes with formatting tools to add headers and full-blown checklists right into your notes. The added richness here isn’t just textual, either. Adding photos or links to websites is dead simple and brings some much-needed depth to what once was a bare-bones experience.

BUSINESS NEWS | 34

BLACKBERRY IS BACK BlackBerry has confirmed its first Android device, called Priv, combines the best of BlackBerry security and productivity with the expansive mobile application ecosystem available on the Android platform. It’ll arrive by the end of 2015.

Rumours indicate that it will have an edge-to-edge screen, QWERTY keyboard slider and 18-megapixel camera.

CHILL OUT APPLE DATA PLAN KILLER If you have data plan with a cap, it’s probably a good idea to go into iOS 9’s Settings and turn off WiFi Assist.

The feature switches an iPhone’s data connection to your mobile carrier when it’s experiencing shoddy WiFi. It’s not so great when you have a pretty low data cap and it switches from WiFi to cell without your knowledge. If you’re part of this group, head to Settings > Cellular then scroll all the way to the bottom of the page to turn off WiFi Assist to keep your mobile carrier from taking all your money on your next bill.

PHONE AS YOUR PC

Netflix engineers like to build things. At the 2015 World Maker Faire, the company unveiled its prototype and instructions for a big button that it calls “The Switch.” When you hit it, The Switch dims the lights, activates your phone’s ‘Do Not Disturb’ feature and gets Netflix ready for your entertainment.

Think of it as a Netflix Chill button.

Microsoft has revealed a Display Dock that turns Windows 10 phone into makeshift computer. The add-on lets you plug in a conventional 1080p monitor (DisplayPort or HDMI) and up to three USB peripherals to run universal apps at desktop sizes, alongside a desktop-like taskbar and task switching.

There’s no mention of pricing yet.

SNEAK PEAK

WINDOWS PHONES ALIVE AND KICKING

There’s plenty of noise around the top end phones like the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Apple’s iPhone 6 series, but what about the cheap and cheerful models that many of us buy? Here are some details of the Lumia 550, Microsoft’s first entry-level Windows 10 handset, due in December. It has some handy features over other economical devices, with its 4.7-inch 720p screen and speedy 4G data. There’ll be a Snapdragon 210 processor, 8GB of expandable storage, 5 megapixel rear camera and 2 megapixel front cam and you’re likely to pay around $175 - a bargain when compared to the slower Samsung Galaxy J1, $199 or the Motorola E 2nd Gen at $249.

The Microsoft Lumia 950 (5.2”) 950 XL (5.7”) are large and powerful smartphones powered by the Windows 10 Phone OS. It stands out with their, OLED displays with 1440 by 2560 pixels. Inside ticks Qualcomm’s octa-core Snapdragon SoC, which, in the XL, has been liquid-cooled to facilitate heat dissipation. The camera is exciting, with a 20MP sensor with OIS and a triple LED flash. The latter uses three LEDs to produce more natural colours.

Further specs include 32GB of on board storage, a microSD card slot, and a 3440mAh battery that can last through 19-hours of talk time. The new USB Type-C port at the bottom is also welcome.

Should sell for $695.

AUDIO STREAMING TO YOUR SPEAKERS Wouldn’t you just like to point your phone at your speakers at home and have them play your favourite tracks straight from your phone? The Chromecast Audio is pretty smart. You plug the little cylinder into a power outlet and then connect it to your speakers using the provided 3.5mm-to-3.5mm cable, or a third-party 3.5mm-to-optical cable or the equivalent RCA converter. Then you’ve got a smart speaker. Coming this Christmas for about $49.

CHROMECAST 2 Chromecast disrupted the video streaming world with a little dongle that, when plugged into your ‘dumb’ TV, made it smart.

The first thing you’ll notice about the new Google Chromecast is its form. But more interesting by far is its function. The new Chromecast app solves the biggest issue with the first iteration - finding stuff to watch. The app pulls in information from compatible services like Netflix and Hulu and will let you search for and stream shows and movies without having to jump in and out of 17 apps. It’s a simple idea, but it transforms the Chromecast from a standard casting device into a legitimate competitor for more functional set-top boxes. Also available by Christmas for about the same price as the audio device.

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 35

ARTS The Delta Riggs will headline at the StreetLife Festival in November

STREETLIFE FESTIVAL 14 NOVEMBER

Inspired by Melbourne’s St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, Geelong’s inaugural StreetLife Festival is a daylong event celebrating urban culture with live music, sensational food and street art.

StreetLife Festival will spread across three central alleyways in the heart of the city’s cafe, arts and entertainment precinct, transforming them into a bustling street party featuring some of Australia’s best live music acts including locals Residual, Imogen Brough, Revolution, Levi Anderson, Izzy Losi, Yirramal, Jack Harman and Luke Biscan.

Costa Hall. Geelong hosted the only Australian performances of Hamlet during its mammoth two-year world tour visiting more than 200 countries. Local productions and professional events also contributed significantly to GPAC’s attendances throughout the year.

The Annual Report also reveals a sharp increase in attendances at events in the Family Magic program, with sell-out performances of shows based on children’s books including Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton’s The 26-Storey Treehouse and Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes and Dirty Beasts. Attendances at Family Magic performances were 61 per cent ahead of the year’s target. www.gpac.org.au

The brainchild of local event organisers Michael Ward and Kieran Blood, who established the annual Geelong Great Australian Beer Festival, StreetLife Festival also features an acquisitive art prize, the Lee Lin Chin Affair, honouring the SBS newsreader who is renowned for her quirky behaviour and dress sense. The StreetLife Art Competition is open to everyone of all ages from anywhere in Australia. www.streetlifefestival.com.au

GPAC’S THEATRE ATTENDANCES HIT A HIGH NOTE GPAC’s 2014-15 Annual Report reveals an increase in overall attendances, boosted by big jumps in the annual Deakin University Theatre Season and Love Central Geelong Family Magic programs.

During the year, 16,298 people attended Deakin University Theatre Season productions - 38 per cent ahead of the 201415 target. GPAC General Manager, Jill Smith, attributed the increase to exclusive productions of Sydney Theatre Company and Barking Gecko’s Storm Boy, as well as the touring production of Hamlet from London’s Shakespeare’s Globe, at

Storm Boy

BUSINESS NEWS | 36

ARTS

IN LANSDSCAPE: SUSAN SUTTON, AMANDA BLAKE-SUTTERBY AND KAYO YOKOYAMA

FRIABLE: THE LOST GARDEN—AMANDA JOHNSON UNTIL 6 DECEMBER 2015

6 - 21 NOVEMBER

Metropolis Gallery’s latest exhibition brings together the beautiful work of three artists.

Susan Sutton is well known for her keenly observed, atmospheric images that reflect her ongoing interest in the effects of light and space in the natural and urban landscape, whether in the bush, under a railway bridge, on the beach or in the street, while Amanda Blake-Sutterby’s paintings celebrate landscape with a clarity that addresses both order and randomness, which co-exist in nature perfectly. Her work represents a lifelong connection with the environment, from bushwalking and boating in local lakes to picking mushrooms and saving tadpoles from fast evaporating ponds.

Blue Mountains glass artist Kayo Yokoyama emigrated from Japan in 1997 to study Fine Arts at Sydney University. Her love of Australia is represented in her beautiful etched glass and most of her works are about identity and belonging. In her most recent series of etched glass, Sanctuary, the search for a home has been extended to a home not physical, but internal, unaffected by location. www.metropolisgallery.com.au

Forming part of the Geelong region artists program, Friable: the lost garden is informed by field trips to remote Southern Tasmania, iconic views of country and archival material from 18th century voyages. The recent paintings by Amanda Johnson explore early agricultural and botanical empire building, or colonisation by seed. Evoking French and British expedition plantings, including Bligh’s fated apple trees and the French gardens of Recherche Bay, garden sites are re-mapped as fanciful white Edens. www.geelonggallery.org.au

PARALLEL PRINTS UNTIL NOVEMBER 22

In an intriguing exhibition concept, The Parallel Prints project presents the same exhibition simultaneously in New Zealand, at Art at Wharepuke and the Art Gallery of Ballarat.

Using the uniqueness of the reproducible print allows for the same works to be viewed at the same time in different parts of the world, highlighting the democratic nature of printmaking and questioning the aura of the unique. Which venue is showing the ‘real’ work? Which the reproduction?

Eleven Australian artists have been invited to join New Zealandbased printmaker Mark Graver to contribute to the simultaneous exhibition, including James Pasakos, Bruno Leti, Martin King, David Frazer, John Neeson, Antonietta Covino-Beehre, Deborah Klein, Deborah Williams, Melissa Smith, Jodi Heffernan and Susanna Castleden.

ANCHORING THE WIND…BECAUSE I MATTER 16-21 NOVEMBER

Somebody’s Daughter Theatre presents the culmination of a long-term collaboration between the Department of Education and Training, local government, community health organisations, and the Victorian Commissioner for Children and Young People.

SUSAN SUTTON Otway Metamorhosis 2014 oil on linen, 120 x 90cm.

KAYO YOKOYAMA Once Upon the TIme 2015, etched glass, 25.5cm high x 16cm wide.

A new Australian theatre work, Anchoring the Wind…Because I Matter explores the issues surrounding some of our most vulnerable young people, especially those in Care and those who work with them and gives voice to their stories while navigating the complexities of the Care system and envisioning a safer world.

An authentic, gritty drama, Anchoring the Wind…Because I Matter is laced with hope, humour and song. www.courthouse.org.au

‘SHADES OF NATURE’ - ANITA BARRETT FROM 31 OCTOBER

Anita Barrett’s exhibition Shades of Nature at Aireys Inlet’s Eagles Nest Gallery showcases the local artist’s uniquely eyecatching canvases of Victoria’s surf coast and nature.

Living in Geelong gives Anita easy access to the beaches she loves and loves to share through her abstract and impressionistic paintings. Paintings and sketches by Anita are a personal record and visual journal of scenes that have inspired her to capture the beautiful environment and community that surrounds her for others and herself to enjoy.

AMANDA BLAKE-SUTTERBY Anglesea Full Bloom 2015

www.eaglesnestgallery.com.au

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 37

NEW FOUNDATION FOR TYPE 1 DIABETES Affecting over 120,000 Australians, Type 1 diabetes is a life-long autoimmune disease that destroys the body’s ability to produce insulin. Although it’s one of the most common chronic childhood diseases, it can be diagnosed at any age and, unlike Type 2 diabetes, is not linked to any modifiable lifestyle factors. There is no cure and it cannot be prevented.

Founded in 2015 by Geelong residents Ange and Leif McCaughley, after experiencing firsthand what their daughter, Lila, and their family have to go through living with Type 1 diabetes on a daily basis, the unique Geelong-based Type1 Foundation supports and empowers young people living with Type 1 diabetes and offers much needed support to their families.

After their experiences with Lila, Ange and Leif recognised that many Type 1 diabetics suffer in silence and experience many social challenges and well-being issues. They decided to be an agent of change and created the Foundation with the vision of working closely with both St John of God Hospital and Barwon Health to support those living with Type 1 Diabetes and help them manage

GIVE WHERE YOU LIVE CEO WINS STATE AWARD

Give Where You Live CEO, Bill Mithen, has won the Regional Development Victorian Leadership and Innovation Award at the Victorian Regional Achievement and Community Awards last month.

Celebrating regional Victoria’s high achievers and community contributors, the awards recognise the valuable contributions that individuals, communities and businesses make to regional and rural Victoria.

The Leadership and Innovation Award shines the spotlight on those who have overcome significant difficulty, adversity or hardship to achieve excellent outcomes and raise pride in their community and Victoria.

their condition responsibly, as medical research shows that Type 1 diabetics have a much better health outcome if they are able to manage their illness.

An inaugural Gala Dinner will be held on 21 November at The Pier Geelong to officially launch the Foundation and raise funds to financially assist families to send their Type 1 child to Diabetes Camps, support families in hospital with take home hypo kits and offer care packages to newly diagnosed families.

Tickets for the dinner are available from trybooking.com/150177 and include a three-course meal, drinks, guest speakers, an auction and entertainment by Madhouse.

The Foundation is also asking local businesses to support the cause through donations of vouchers or gifts to be used on the night. Call Annette Bongiorno on 0409 930 516, Michelle Abbott on 0404 358 650 or Ange McCaughley on 0422 286 054 for more information about how you can help. www.mycause.com.au/charity/9066/TheType1Foundation

According to Give Where You Live, Bill was nominated for his “inspirational and adaptive leadership, driving an organisational change to enable a 60 year old organisation to reinvent itself and provide the greatest measurable impact on disadvantage with its limited resources.”

The City of Greater Geelong was also a winner at the Awards, taking out the Parks Victoria Environmental Sustainability Award for the five-year Greenway project to revegetate more than 20 kilometres of the Ted Wilson bike trail along the Geelong Ring Road.

Patron of the Awards and Minister for Regional Development, Jaala Pulford, congratulated all award winners.

BUSINESS NEWS | 38

COMMUNITY NEWS LOCAL PROVIDER READY TO SUPPORT NDIS EXPANSION Local disability services provider, Karingal, is preparing to expand its services following the announcement in September of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) rollout for Victoria.

The scheme will be introduced progressively across the state as part of the national rollout of the scheme over the next three years, starting from 1 July 2016.

Karingal Chief Operating Officer, Brandon Howard, said the announcement aligns with Karingal’s vision of a fully inclusive community where people with a disability live the life they choose.

“This is a momentous day for people with a disability and their families, with approximately 105,000 Victorians to benefit from the rollout,” he said after attending the announcement.

“It will empower people with a disability to ultimately lead a more fulfilling life, providing independence, opportunity and a greater inclusion within their community.”

Karingal currently offers a wide range of disability services across south-west Victoria and the Barwon, Mornington Peninsula and Wyndham regions, supporting more than 2000 people. It also supports more than 30,000 people to find employment through MatchWorks, including people with a disability.

Brandon said Karingal was prepared for the increased demand to provide high quality supports and opportunities to individuals and that the organisation would help educate people on how to best prepare for the scheme.

“Inclusiveness is at the forefront for Karingal, so we are very excited that we’ll be assisting more south-west people to achieve their goals - whatever they may be - so that they can live the life they choose.”

GALA PARADE

Geelong’s Geelong Connected Communities Gala Parade will this year, in the much-loved event’s 99th year, transform into a magical twilight Christmas Parade as it raises funds for the Barwon Health Foundation.

The annual event will be held on 14 November with organisers promising a visual spectacular and a fun and enchanting atmosphere, igniting children’s imaginations with glittering lights, LED parade floats and performers, the best of the past, some new exciting inclusions and a few surprises too!

RUN GEELONG

The annual Cotton On Run Geelong fundraising event presented by GMHBA returns this year on 22 November with 100 per cent of every registration fee going straight to the redevelopment of the Maternity Day Assessment Unit at Barwon Health’s University Hospital Geelong. The hospital project also includes redesigning the Baxter Maternity Services entrance and the main reception and waiting area.

The unit is staffed by midwives and doctors, who assess and monitor the health of pregnant women and their unborn babies. The community’s need for the Maternity Day Assessment Unit has grown by 10 per cent in the past five years and continues to do so - in 2014, more than 4,200 pregnant mothers presented to the Unit for care.

The redevelopment of the current service will create a more spacious environment to welcome families into Baxter Maternity Services and the Maternity Day Assessment Unit.

Participants in this year’s Run Geelong have a number of events to choose from, including a six- or 12-kilometre run, a six-kilometre family walk and a one-kilometre junior run. If you can’t make it on the day but still want to be involved, you can also register as a virtual runner and nominate someone to run on your behalf with 100 per cent of your registration still going to support the Maternity Day Unit redevelopment.

The Run Geelong fun doesn’t stop at the finish line, with post run entertainment including a live performance by Jessica Mauboy, food trucks, activities and giveaways, a free kids’ entertainment zone and a massage tent.

For more information and to register visit geelong.runaustralia.com.au

CALLING ALL CRAFTY TYPES

Handmade Crusade is calling on Geelong’s extensive local crafting community to don needles, yarn and thread in an initiative that will help bring a smile to the faces of Geelong’s families in need.

The inaugural campaign hopes to inspire young and old alike to knit, crochet or sew a soft toy for a child to enjoy.

The brainchild of Belmont mum and Fickle Fickle’s Anna Host, who is running the campaign in conjunction with not-for-profit volunteer organisation Geelong Mums, Handmade Crusade was inspired by similar collections run in Melbourne and internationally and by seeing how much Anna’s own children love receiving something that is handmade just for them.

“Handmade Crusade is not about giving money – instead, it’s about putting time, thought and care into making something for a child to love,” Anna says. “It’s a great way to unite as a community and gift some joy. As a crafter myself, I know there are many new and existing creative businesses that can help make our region a happier one through doing what we do… making!”

Local stores have joined the cause, with Elly Broadbent from Print Patch hosting a “crochetalong” last month, and newly opened Newtown space The Sewing Room Geelong running a Crafternoon from10am to 4pm on 7 November that will see completed toys donated to the cause.

For those in need of more inspiration, Anna has created Pinterest boards with patterns and photos for crafters at any level (pinterest. com/handmadecru0326 ).

Handmade Crusade Toys must meet the following requirements: • Fabric can be old or new, but MUST be laundered • All polyfill and stuffing must be new • Toy must be appropriate for children aged three to five • Avoid using buttons or small materials that could come loose and become a choking hazard Donations will be collected at Hub Retail and Studio, Herne Hill, The Sewing Room and Motherworld in Geelong West. All donations must be delivered by November 27.

For more information, call Anna Host on 0421 733 033, email anna@ficklefickle.com.au, go to facebook.com/HandmadeCrusade or instagram.com/handmadecrusade.

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 39

COMMUNITY

Ford volunteers hard at work at Jirrahlinga

FORD VOLUNTEERS REACH OUT TO GEELONG COMMUNITY During Ford’s Global Month of Caring in September, more than 13,000 Ford employees, retirees and dealers across the world rolled up their sleeves to support over 310 community service projects aimed at strengthening their communities.

“Ford Global month of Caring is one of the many ways Ford and its employees are going further to improve the quality of life for people in the communities where we live and work,” said Jim Vella, President, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services.

Locally, 150 employee volunteers from Ford Australia’s Geelong and Broadmeadows operations supported four volunteer projects facilitated

by Karingal BacLinks by undertaking a range of tasks such as cleaning, gardening, painting and maintenance at Jirrahlinga Koala and Wildlife Sanctuary, Northern Bay College, Narana Aboriginal Culture Centre and the Geelong Animal Welfare Society (GAWS).

BacLinks Manager Joanne Forssman said it is fantastic that Ford understands the importance volunteering plays in creating strong and healthy communities. “The community organisations we work with are always thrilled to have assistance from Ford volunteers; they are such hard workers and very passionate about supporting their community.”

GMHBA HELP CREATE A WELCOME SPACE AT BARWON VALLEY SCHOOL.

YOUNG WOMEN TAKE THE JOURNEY TO WORK

Barwon Valley Special Developmental School caters for approximately 190 students with moderate to profound disabilities, aged 5 - 18 years. Like most government schools, Barwon Valley struggle to engage sufficient resources to manage the needs and maintenance of their expansive school grounds.

Volunteers from Geelong-based health insurance provider GMHBA were thus welcomed with open arms when they spent a day working alongside students to perform general grounds maintenance to enhance the ambience of the school.

GMHBA Community Relations and Partnerships Manager Amy Gillett said working with local organisations through their volunteering program is a tangible way they can show their community support. “A fun, safe and clean play area is essential for all schools and we’re proud to be involved in improving the play environment for the children at Barwon Valley School” said Amy.

Recently Karingal BacLinks, Coulter Roache Lawyers and employment provider MatchWorks partnered together to present Journey to Work; an event that offers young women from disadvantaged backgrounds an opportunity to take part in a series of workshops to help them prepare to enter the workforce.

The 10 young women, aged 16-25 and currently involved in a job placement program with MatchWorks, face significant barriers in seeking and gaining employment. By taking part in this event they were given a helping hand through specialised advice on interview skills, employer expectations and professional presentation, as well as confidence building hair and makeup makeovers. They also received an outfit suitable for interview, plus accessories, generously donated by Target.

Coulter Roache have supported Journey to Work since 2011, assisting many participants in their quest to enter the workforce. Managing Principal of Coulter Roache Lawyers Tom White said, “With the support of our staff we are able to assist these young women by way of mentoring and helping develop their skills. We understand that employment not only brings financial benefits but it plays an important role in our sense of identity and our level of participation in society.”

CARING FOR CARERS At some time, most of us will either be a carer or need a carer. National Carers Week celebrates and recognises the 2.7 million Australians who are in a caring role for either a partner, a parent, a child, friend or neighbour.

The volunteer team from GMHBA ready for work

With the support of Geelong Connected Communities, Alcoa and GMHBA, carers from around Geelong were treated to a couple of hours of pampering and time out for themselves at a Karingal BacLinks facilitated event where they enjoyed a high-tea catered by Seasons by Karingal and an afternoon of relaxation provided by Centre of Excellence students.

BUSINESS NEWS | 40

Looking to lend a helping hand?

Karingal DoCare is calling on the generosity of community members as it aims to strengthen aged care services in the greater Geelong region.

After community services organisations Karingal and DoCare Geelong amalgamated in July, a smooth transition followed.

DoCare staff were offered ongoing employment with Karingal while volunteers continued in their roles.

The merger has resulted in Karingal’s volunteer base growing to more than 250, with Karingal DoCare seeking more volunteers to assist older people across the Geelong region.

Karingal DoCare provides proactive social support for older people including home visiting, home library, café style support and social outings. According to Karingal DoCare Social Support Manager Siarhra Atkins, the benefits are invaluable.

“Our aim is to prevent social isolation,” she said.

“We’re able to achieve this by assisting older people to establish new friendships and experience greater community inclusion, while still maintaining their independence.

“Our volunteers play a crucial role in offering this companionship, which is greatly appreciated by both the client and the volunteer.”

Siarhra said that a small commitment could make a big difference.

“Even if people were willing to dedicate a few hours a week to volunteering - it all helps,” she said.

The service - for people aged over 65 - is supported by financial assistance from the Commonwealth and Victorian governments through the HACC (Home And Community Care) program.

Prospective volunteers should contact Karingal DoCare on 5298 1053. More information can be found at www.karingal.org.au/volunteer/karingal-docare Karingal also has volunteers who support people with a disability to be more actively involved in community life.

The Ultimate Corporate Christmas Gift $120 Gourmet Hamper includes: • A bottle of Swan Bay Cuvee • Little Creatures beers • luxury magazine • house-made biscuits • beer glass • BBQ tongs and apron • freshly ground sustainable coffee + seven Seasons by Karingal best sellers

Free delivery for all orders placed

by November 15th

Proudly supporting hospitality careers for people with a disability

To order visit www.seasonsfoods.com.au or call 5272 1777 Karingal Inc. (Vic) Limited Liability Reg. Assoc. A0038261E ARBN 158 375 903 ABN 97 468 305 401

Upcoming

BUSINESS EVENTS LIGHTBULB TRAINING SOLUTIONS

BUSINESS IN HEELS

DATE: Wednesday, 11 November 2015 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

VENUE: LEFT BANK 1 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank.

DATE: Monday 16th November

VENUE: Geelong Chamber of Commerce GUEST SPEAKER: Tania De Jong on How to unleash creativity in your life and 10 Moorabool Street, GEELONG organisation COST: $199 +gst TIME: 7.00 -9pm.

Customer Service Boot Camp is for customer service providers who want to brush up on their people skills, air their concerns, ask questions and learn what it takes to become and remain a Customer Service Superstar.

BOOK: www.lightbulbtraining.com.au for more information!

ENTERPRISE GEELONG BOOST YOUR BUSINESS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA DATE: Wednesday, 11 November, 2015 18:00 to 20:00 VENUE: Deakin Waterfront Campus (D2.104 - John Hay Building), 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong COST: FREE Further Information Digital Enterprise PHONE: (03) 9490 1427

www.enterprisegeelong.com.au

ENTERPRISE GEELONG WEBINAR - AVOID PROBLEMS IN YOUR FRANCHISE - HINTS AND TIPS DATE: Thursday, 12 November, 2015 12:15 to 12:45 VENUE: Not applicable COST: FREE

Further Information Victorian Small Business Commissioner www.enterprisegeelong.com.au

BOOK: http://businessinheels.com/ fevent/204/business-in-heels-novemberchristmas-creativity/ TICKETS: Include a glass of bubbles/ wine and sampling this amazing food

GEELONG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NOVEMBER AFTER 5 DATE: 18 November 2015 VENUE: Village Cinema – Ryrie Street, Geelong Hosted by Village Cinemas Geelong 5.30pm – 7.30pm

GEELONG BUSINESS NETWORK Breakfast Forum

This is a ticketed event. Members $40.

Non Members $49.

DATE: Thursday November 19th

Remember to bring business cards to be able to win a door prize!

HOST: COGG

GEELONG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BEYOND BLUE Breakfast DATE: Tuesday, 17 November 2015 from 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM VENUE: The Pier, GEELONG COST: $20

VENUE: Little Creatures Brewery www.geelongbusinessnetwork.com.au

VECCI: FAIR WORK UPDATE AND DEALING WITH CLAIMS BRIEFING SESSION DATE: 19 November 2015 - 10:00am 11:30am

VENUE: Geelong Cats, Fred Flanagan Beyondblue, The Geelong Chamber of room, Kardinia Park, Geelong Commerce, Healthy Together Geelong and COST: $50 for VECCI Members, $80 for Worksafe Victoria invite you to improve the non-Members mental health of your workplace.

If you would like to register or have any BOOK: www.beyondblue.org.au/ questions please contact James Gulli, HeadsUpGeelong VECCI Geelong, 5227 7990 or jgulli@vecci.org.au

BPW GEELONG

November White Ribbon Fundraiser ‘Style & Wool for Ribbons’ DATE: November 17th 5.30pm

TYPE 1 FOUNDATION

1st Annual Gala Dinner VENUE: Mercure Geelong – New Function DATE: November 21st 7pm Centre VENUE: The Pier, Geelong HOST: Kimba J Stylist Tickets $130 or Table of 10 $1200 SPECIAL GUEST: Danielle Chiel (Includes 3 course meal, drinks, guest Members $50. Non Members: $60 (Includes cocktail on arrival, 2 course meal speakers, major raffle and entertainment

by MADHOUSE) + tea, coffee, fashion parade & styling session) Tickets available from www.trybooking.com/150177 www.facebook.com/BPWGeelong

BUSINESS NEWS | 42

Proudly supported by

CHRISTMAS STYLING WITH JULIA GREEN

ACTIONCOACH BUSINESS COACHING

Presented by Brax

Marketing Planning for Busy Business Owners

DATE: November 24th If you are seeking inspiration for all things Christmas, including extraordinary gift wrapping, decorating trees and setting the perfect Christmas table - then a ticket to Julia Green’s Christmas styling tips and tricks is a must.

BOOK NOW: tickets sell fast www.braxwt.com.au

GEELONG YOUNG PROFESSIONALS (GYP) After 5 Event Featuring Nicole Newman, Jamie Edwards & Daniel Hayes.

DATE: Wednesday, 25 November 2015 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM

DATE: Thurs 26th of Nov 5:30pm, VENUE: 248 Malop St. Geelong 3220 COST: FREE TO REGISTER: EMAIL: hugh@actioncoachgeelong.com.au or PHONE: (03) 5201 6949 Hugh Bowman is a Certified Geelong business coach, speaker and trainer who works with Geelong business owners who are serious about taking their business and life to an exceptional level.

ENTERPRISE GEELONG STARTING YOUR BUSINESS COST: $40 includes finger food and drink WORKSHOP VENUE: Western Beach Room Waterfront, VIC on arrival

www.gyp.net.au

DATE: Thursday, 26 November, 2015 10:30 to 14:00

SUPER CHARGE YOUR BUSINESS! WITH PRUE MORRISON AND GUEST SPEAKER COLIN HOUGH To cover all aspects of your business, this event brings together one of Australia’s most experienced Sales/Marketing Managers (with over 45 years’ experience), with one of the top human and business transformation specialists, who is well known for her cutting edge techniques to bring you a jam-packed event DATE: Tuesday 1st December; 5pm registration, 5:30 – 8:30 pm VENUE: RACV Resort, 1 Great Ocean Road, Torquay COST: $47 (promo code “friend” to get a 2 for 1 deal - ends 16th Nov). Tickets are strictly limited and will sell out – prepurchase a must!

Includes Tea/Coffee and Light Refreshments Further Information www.pruemorrison.com/supercharge/ or email support@pruemorrison.com

GEELONG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

VENUE: Geelong City Hall, 30 Gheringhap DECEMBER AFTER 5 2 December 2015 Street, Geelong BUSINESS IN HEELS Mercure Geelong COST: $30 per person DATE: Wednesday 25 November Hosted by Mercure Geelong VENUE: Quban, 11 Malop Street, Geelong EVENT FACILITIES: Wheelchair access 5.30pm – 7.30pm GUEST SPEAKER: Kylie Bartlett, “How to build your personal brand in the digital age” TIME: 7pm - 9pm BOOK: http://businessinheels.com/ fevent/192/geelong-november/ TICKETS: $40 Members. $49 Non Members. Includes a glass of bubbles on arrival, canapés and value packed goody bags.

Further Information Small Business Victoria and Enterprise Geelong

MAGICAL CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND IN GEELONG!

Michelle Flight

DATE: Saturday 5th December, 11am – 4pm

03 5272 4888

VENUE: Geelong Showgrounds

Email mflight@enterprisegeelong.com.au www.enterprisegeelong.com.au

Remember to bring business cards to be able to win one of our fabulous door prizes!

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 43

CONTACT: anna@igby.net.au 1300 48 42 48 www.magicalchristmaswonderland. com.au $35 Group discounts available A day full of fun with Amusement Rides, Craft Workshop, Face Painting, Carols and Pantomimes & Food Trucks.

AFTER HOURS

DOING THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD IN STYLE Tresidder Insurance Group’s, Brad and Cynthia Tresidder, hosted a lucky few VIPs on an exclusive drive day event showcasing the Audi performance fleet on a sunny Friday last month.

Cruising down the Great Ocean Road, one of the world’s most beautiful driving routes, in some of the best and fastest Audi RS (courtesy of Audi Australia and Audi Centre Geelong), the drivers tested each of the cars out on the turns and straights.

After a bite of lunch at á la grecque in Airey’s Inlet then it was time to make their leisurely way home.

Tough day on the job folks!

Paul Marino, Cynthia Tresidder, Brad Tresidder, Luke Chrzanowski – Tresidders

Paul Marino ­from Tresidders & David Murphy from Audi Geelong

Steve Harris, Fiona May , Brad Tresidder, Steve Colla BUSINESS NEWS | 44

AFTER HOURS

A HIGH FLYING CAREER An ordinary man who chose an extraordinary career, Jerry Grayson was the youngest helicopter pilot to ever serve in the Royal Navy and was the guest speaker at the Big Breakfast 2015.

57 Schools were represented at the 13th annual event, which was sponsored by Arthur Reed Photos, Woods Furniture, Bounce Consulting, Telstra, iDenti Tech, Print Design, ViaTek, Sentral Education and Beleza uniforms.

Jerry Grayson

Held at the Geelong Racing Club, Jerry shared his inspiring story with the crowd and encouraged everyone to look at life situations through a different perspective.

Fred Clarke, Danny Kelly

Tracey Brown, Annette Arkinstall, Daryl Moorfoot

Sally McLean, Sandra Murph

Kathy Wesolowski, Scott Hucker, Pam Kinsman

Stan Wawrzyniak, Claire O’Connor

Jerry Grayson, Michael Reed BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 45

AFTER HOURS

Ross Synot, Bravehearts Patron and Founder for Geelong

Ditto, Nicky Buckley, Mandy Berry, Chris Schultz and Meryl Friend

LOCAL SUPPORT FOR ‘DITTO’S KEEP SAFE ADVENTURE’ The Big Bravehearts Birthday Soiree at Lyndon Grove on 9 October saw 132 local supporters join with special guest Nicky Buckley to celebrate the achievements of the Bravehearts Education Team in Geelong over the last four years.

The event, sponsored by Advance Record Management, raised $23,000, with all funds assisting the Bravehearts team to continue their work in 2016, educating, empowering and protecting Geelong children from sexual assault.

Bravehearts is a child protection advocate with no Victorian Government funding. Sadly 1 in 5 Australian children are sexually assaulted before they turn 18 and 90% of the time the perpetrator is known to the child.

Over the last four years the Bravehearts education program, ‘Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure’ has been embraced by 74 primary schools and 82 kindergartens in Geelong.

MC Brian Schultz and Bravehearts’ Mandy Berry

Gary Work, Peter and Sue Newland (event sponsor) BUSINESS NEWS | 46

Graeme Collins, Rachel McArthy and Helen Collins

Kristian and Bridget Morris

AFTER HOURS

Bernadette Uzelac, CEO, Geelong Chamber of Commerce

Sally Capp (VECCI), Justin Giddings (Avalon Airport), Evan Montero (VicSuper) and James Baird (StratHouse)

Darryn Lyons (Mayor of Geelong), Bernadette Uzelac (Geelong Chamber of Commerce), Katrina McPhee (VicSuper) and Richard Wynne MP

Peter Dorling, Chair Geelong Authority

GEELONG’S NEW PLAN FOR KEY INFRASTRUCTURE Victorian Planning Minister, The Hon. Richard Wynne MP, was keynote speaker at a recent Geelong Chamber of Commerce luncheon attended by over 70 chamber corporate partners and special guests. Minister Wynne spoke about the role of the new Geelong Authority and some of the key infrastructure projects for Geelong, including the proposed Convention Centre, implementation of Vision 2 for Central Geelong and the need for a plan for the Moolap foreshore, taking in former Alcoa site at Point Henry. New chair of the Geelong Authority, Peter Dorling, also spoke on the big projects ahead for Geelong. The event was sponsored by VicSuper.

Richard Wynne MP, Victorian Minister for Planning

Peter Dorling (Geelong Authority), Kylie Warne (Geelong Chamber of Commerce), Richard Wynne (Minister for Planning and Kirsten Simpson (VicSuper) BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 47

AFTER HOURS

MACS EXPANSION GAINS GG’S APPROVAL His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd) together with Lady Cosgrove, joined more than 400 guests to celebrate the opening of a new $10 million expansion to Multicultural Aged Care Services (MACS).

MACS now includes a European-style Piazza, a multi-faith chapel and 30 new residential beds.

“The Piazza is a wonderful little city square. Every day the Piazza will bustle with energy, friendship, diversity and enthusiasm that so many people – representing 29 different nationalities - bring to the lifeblood of MACS,” the Governor-General said.

“Today we also open Annie O’Malley House. The Costa family has, for many years, supported MACS, and the generosity of Frank and Shirley has helped make this new building a reality.”

The Governor-General paid tribute to Geelong’s vibrant multicultural community, and the contribution migrants have made locally and nationally.

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AFTER HOURS

HARVEST OF AWARDS FOR BELLBRAE It was all ritz, razzle and dazzle at last month’s spectacular Golden Plate Gala awards ceremony at the palatial home of Awards Patron Dr Martin Ching. Dancers from GSODA set the scene with their rendition of Putting on the Ritz, while fire performers and a 20’s jazz band continued the party that saw 220 of the Region’s top culinary achievers the success of Geelong’s regional food and wine scene. The Awards, celebrating their 12TH year, welcomed new naming rights sponsor, Harwood Andrews Lawyers.

Final scores from the 2015 Harwood Andrews Golden Plate Awards revealed Bellbrae Harvest taking out the overall prestigious culinary award for the second consecutive year in the most hotly contested field to date, while Jesse Hughes from the Vue Grand in Queenscliff scooped the Garuda Indonesia Best Chef for the third year running.

People’s Choice was taken out by new kids on the block Bear and Bean Cafe situated in the Ryrie St car park, while the Battle of the Bean people’s choice coffee award went to Box Office Café.

Caleb Fleet Vue Grand winner Outstanding Front of house person

Ty and Rachael Simons winner best Value for Money Driftwood Café with Digby Hughes Maxim PR

Bear and Bean Staff winner People’s Choice

Andrew Palmer The Gordon with Winner best unlicensed Café Robbie Lecchino King of the Castle

Dan Simmonds Harwood Andrews Jesse Hughes and Caleb Fleet Vue Grand Winner Contemporary dining BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 49

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BUSINESS NEWS | 50

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BOOKS

NAPOLEON’S LAST ISLAND Tom Kenneally When Tom Keneally discovered by chance at the National Gallery of Victoria that Betsy Balcombe, a young girl living on St Helena while the Emperor Napoleon was exiled there, had become the Emperor’s ‘intimate friend and annoyer’, and had then emigrated with her family to Australia, he was impelled to begin another extraordinary novel, exploring the intersection between the ordinary people of the world and those we deem exceptional.

Betsy Balcombe moved as a child with her family to St Helena, ‘that high mid-Atlantic rock of exile’. Ten years later her family befriended, served and were ruined by their relationship with Napoleon. To redeem their fortunes, William Balcombe, Betsy’s father, betrayed the Emperor and accepted a job as the colonial treasurer of New South Wales, taking his family with him.

Tom Keneally recreates Betsy’s friendship with The Great Ogre, her enmities and alliances with his court, and her dramatic coming of age during her years with them on the island. With his ability for bringing historical stories to life in the most brilliant and surprising ways, Keneally vividly shares this remarkable tale and the beginning of an Australian dynasty.

CITY ON FIRE Garth Risk Hallberg It’s New Year’s Eve, 1976, and New York is a city on the edge. As midnight approaches, a blizzard sets in – and amidst the fireworks, the unmistakable sound of gunshots rings out across Central Park.

The search for the shooter will bring together a rich cast of New Yorkers. From the reluctant heirs to one of the city’s greatest fortunes, to a couple of Long Island kids drawn to the punk scene downtown. From the newly arrived and enchanted, to those so sick of the city they want to burn it to the ground. All these lives are connected to one another – and to the life that still clings to that body in the park. Whether they know it or not, they are bound up in the same story – a story where history and revolution, love and art, crime and conspiracy are all packed into a single shell, ready to explode.

Then, on July 13th, 1977, the lights go out in New York City.

WORST WORDS:

A COMPENDIUM OF CONTEMPORARY CANT, GIBBERISH AND JARGON Don Watson Don Watson - with his trademark wit and wisdom - says enough already! The English language is complex and evolving, and can win minds, hearts and nations. Why don’t we try using it?

What is ‘cluster deployment’, and how can you be sure to ‘engage multiple stakeholders through your strategic delivery channel’? What’s the difference between ‘backcasting’ and ‘backfilling’ and could it ever matter?

The language of business and work grows ever more depleted, barren and senseless. Politicians hide in thickets of endless repeated messages, platitudes and clichés, or behind such shameless Newspeak as ‘operational matters’. The thing is viral: leaping from corporate windows of opportunity, it has taken hold in universities and schools, the public service, hospitals, local councils, fire brigades, and even the weather bureau. (What is the difference between rain and a rain event?)

With his trademark management-jargon mockery, he will make you cringe and laugh and possibly die of shame. But above all he will ask you to resist: to fight in the fields and in the streets – and in the offices and on the internet - and never surrender.

TALES FROM THE FLYING KANGAROO Jim Eames I know, I know, don’t judge the book by its cover (an idea blatantly counteracted by the amount of time and effort publishers put into said covers), but if we were going to judge, this has got to be one of the best of the year.

There is something so deliciously Flying High about insider insights into airborne escapades, and how richly rewarding when they are close to home. All this and more Jim Eames – former Director of Public Affairs at Qantas - delivers in Tales from the Flying Kangaroo, as he digs into the hilarious, heroic and just plain odd accounts that are interweaved with the uniquely Australian Qantas story.

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