Small business owners often feel that they have to do something to stand out from the crowd and attract an audience. If that’s how you feel, you’re definitely not alone. Many business owners try to stand out by creating fancy websites that grab attention. Those may work in the short term, but it’s worth considering other ways to market yourself as an industry leader and build relationships with your ideal…  Read more

Steady, reliable cash flow is crucial for the survival of your construction business – so taking steps to ensure your customers pay promptly is a key priority. Debtor days refers to the length of time it takes clients, on average, to pay you for the work you’ve done. A higher number of debtor days means clients are taking longer to pay you. A lower number of debtor days means clients…  Read more

  As a sole trader, you need to apply for an ABN, regardless of your business size. This article explores why sole traders benefit from having an ABN, but first, let’s clear up any confusion around definitions.  What is a sole trader? A sole trader is legally responsible for every aspect of their business, as the only owner trading as an individual. This is the cheapest and easiest business structure…  Read more

When it comes to running a business, the personal assets of sole traders aren’t protected. This is a major disadvantage if anything goes wrong. It’s a big reason why so many Australians choose to set up their own company, which exists as a separate legal entity from its owners.  The company shoulders liability in the face of financial or legal difficulties. This low-risk investment is also a more tax-friendly option,…  Read more

Extraordinary Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants are available to assist directly impacted small businesses, primary producers and non-profits with the costs of clean-up and reinstatement. Disaster recovery grants for businesses Grants of up to $50,000 are available for affected small businesses following the South East Queensland Rainfall and Flooding to hire or purchase equipment and materials, clean up, remove debris, replace or repair damaged infrastructure and stock and other costs associated with the recovery process.…  Read more

Traditionally, employers have relied on giving employees raises as a way to retain their staff and reward them for being hard-working and loyal. Raises can get expensive, and there is often an upper limit for what you can offer when it comes to increasing salaries and wages. Keeping your employees happy makes business sense. You want to keep your good employees, and it costs money to find, hire and train…  Read more

Tax deductibility of COVID-19 test expenses After much speculation, the Government announced that COVID-19 tests, including Polymerase Chain Reaction (‘PCR’) and Rapid Antigen Tests (‘RATs’), will be both:    tax-deductible; and    exempt from FBT; broadly where they are purchased for work-related purposes. This will require the introduction of new specific legislation (i.e., to clarify that work-related COVID- 19 test expenses incurred by individuals will be tax-deductible or FBT exempt…  Read more

Our client of the month for March is Von and John Barnes from Pinnacle Properties Qld a real estate agent located in Enoggera. Pinnacle Properties had its official launch last month which was formally opened by the Honourable Teresa Gambaro MP Federal Member for Brisbane. Xperion assisted Von and John in a number of areas for their new business venture, including; putting the right business structure in place setup and…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Australia Welcomes Back International Tourists After almost two years, vaccinated international tourists and business travelers began arriving in Australia with few restrictions. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said 1.2 million people had visas to enter Australia with 56 international flights due to touch down in the first 24 hours of…  Read more

Whether your small business is business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C), you likely deal with some level of customer churn, especially given the COVID-19 pandemic. Even customers who love your business and your products may have lapsed for a variety of reasons. Whatever their reasons for leaving, it’s still a great idea to try to win them back. Why? Mainly because winning back a lost customer still has a higher success…  Read more

When you run your own business, it’s tempting to take on every responsibility. There are many reasons for doing so: because you want something done a specific way, because you don’t have the time to explain how to do it, or because you’re not sure someone else can handle the task. Delegating saves you valuable time and energy. Sharing duties with your team also fosters a sense of responsibility, engages…  Read more

  Covid has resulted in many business transformations. While some small businesses found themselves shifting their offerings, others moved online or found new niches. If you’re wondering how to continue moving your business forward following Covid, you’re probably not alone. Here are some important tips for navigating the business landscape following Covid. 1. Explore your remote options Having a business model that enables you and your staff to work remotely…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Borders to Reopen to International Travel The borders will be reopened to vaccinated tourists and other visa holders from 21 February. Unvaccinated travellers who have a medical reason for not getting inoculated will need to apply for a travel exemption and will be required to quarantine at a hotel.…  Read more

  When a business first starts out, it’s natural for the owner to be a jack-of-all-trades. You may not have the capital to hire specialists or access to the technology that can help you. As your business grows–or as you look to take a smaller role in your company–you may find the business has become over-reliant on you, which makes it difficult for you to take a step back. Here…  Read more

  Financial security, whether that’s for a business or an individual, requires planning. You need to know where you want to be, where you are now, and how to cross the gap between the two places. Having goals and a plan makes it more likely that you’ll achieve financial security–whatever that means to you. Here are some steps to setting your financial goals. 1. Be specific with what you want…  Read more

When it comes to managing your finances, there are two professions that can help you understand your numbers, and ensure you have a plan to get to where you want to be. Accountants and financial planners can both play an important role in your financial success, but there are some important differences between the two. For any successful business, it’s advisable to have both an accountant and a financial planner…  Read more

Owning your business requires many skills, and among the most important might be the ability to manage negotiations. As a business owner, you could find yourself negotiating in many circumstances, such as: Salary and job expectations with a potential employee Financing terms with a lender Payment terms with a supplier Lease or property agreements Equipment agreements. Your ability to negotiate will have an impact on your financial situation, which is…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. NSW Unveils $1 Billion Support Package for Businesses The New South Wales government has unveiled a $1 billion support package for small- and medium-sized businesses hit by the Omicron outbreak. However, the payment will be capped at half of what was offered during the Delta wave in 2021, after…  Read more

When you think of payroll, you might still envision paperwork and envelopes given to employees by hand. Even with direct deposit being the norm for years, there is still a significant paper component to manage. As with most things, payroll is going digital – and for good reason. There are many benefits to digital payroll for employers and staff alike. Read on to learn why switching to paperless payroll could…  Read more

Foreign resident capital gains withholding (FRCGW) applies to real property disposals where the contract price is $750,000 or more.   The foreign resident capital gains withholding (FRCGW) rate is 12.5%. Once withheld from the sale price, you can only get it back once you lodge your tax return. Depending on the timing of the sale, you may be waiting for this money for months. If you sell property for let’s…  Read more

The NSW Government has announced more Covid business support over the next few months. The package, which starts February 1, includes: a lump-sum payment of 20% of weekly payroll with a minimum payment of $500 per week and a maximum payment of $5,000 per week. It is for businesses with a turnover between $75,000 and $50 million that suffered a 40% downturn in January and projected to do the same…  Read more