05 Dec 2019
Aus Christmas retail: bah humbug
Adelaide Timbrell & David Plank |
A weak economy and ongoing discounting periods are putting a dampener on the Christmas spirit in retail.
Small business
03 May 2019
Instant help for SMEs to kit up
Guy Mendelson | Portfolio Lead - Business Owners, ANZ
New legislation will provide a helping hand to SMEs wanting to upgrade equipment or tools.
03 Apr 2019
FEDERAL BUDGET 2019: small business perks
Isaac Rankin | Managing Director - Commercial, ANZ
Tax write-offs and funding for apprenticeships are some of the promises for SMEs from the 2019-20 Australian Federal Budget.
02 Nov 2018
A starter of support in NZ
Tony Field | bluenotes contributor
Entré is a student-run organisation helping young entrepreneurs get a start in business.
08 Oct 2018
Cybersecurity risk in business – it’s personal
Cosi De Angelis | GM Transaction Banking & Asset Finance Solutions, ANZ
To truly assess risk, a digital business strategy must consider cyber risks inside the business and the home.
01 Oct 2018
Lune: the cashless croissanterie
Jemma Wight | Production Editor, bluenotes
As people move away from cash, so too will businesses like Melbourne’s Lune Croissanterie – and there’re other benefits.
26 Sep 2018
The Australian dream needn’t be over
Nick Higginbottom | bluenotes contributor, ANZ
Alternate property models are the solution to keeping a generation out of long-term renthood, developer says.
17 Sep 2018
bluenotes debate: the digital strategy SMEs need
Cosi De Angelis | GM Transaction Banking & Asset Finance Solutions, ANZ
We chat to a panel of experts about the importance of establishing a digital strategy to drive growth in your SME.
17 Sep 2018
SMEs & the energy spent on energy
Gareth Arbuthnot | State Manager Business Banking Vic/Tas, ANZ
Data, analytics and technology can be better employed by SMEs to control their energy use.
11 Sep 2018
Digital to define the future for SMEs
Isaac Rankin | Managing Director - Commercial, ANZ
A digital strategy will soon be as much of the fabric of Australian SMEs as a balance sheet.
07 Aug 2018
SMEs, energy & control
Cosi De Angelis | GM Transaction Banking & Asset Finance Solutions, ANZ
Australian SMEs are facing an energy efficiency challenge. Here’s how one business turned it into an advantage.
17 Jul 2018
Too small to fail
Mark Hand | Group Executive Australia Retail and Commercial Banking, ANZ
SMEs don’t fail nearly as much as you think they do. So why does the myth persist?
13 Jul 2018
Just for kicks: lessons in business tactics from the World Cup
Tomasz Ng | bluenotes contributor
In football, the teams which think it through are the ones which prosper. It’s the same in business, these five tips show.
10 Jul 2018
INFOGRAPHIC: how SMEs connect
Melissa Currie | Visual Production Editor, bluenotes
See how Australian SMEs are using social media to connect with customers, build brands and advertise.
03 Jul 2018
Precision & a little help on the way to startup success
Shane White | Content Manager - Institutional, ANZ
We speak to a startup success story which changed the direction of its business – thanks to a little help from a partner.
29 Jun 2018
For SMEs, knowledge is success
Cosi De Angelis | GM Transaction Banking & Asset Finance Solutions, ANZ
For owners and operators of small business, staying informed is staying ahead of the game.
30 May 2018
The reforms SA business owners need
Alan Read | SA Corporate Agriculture Director, ANZ
We chat with a panel of experts on the impact of South Australia’s state budget on business conditions in the region.
24 May 2018
For SME scams, the best defence is defence
Guy Mendelson | Portfolio Lead - Business Owners, ANZ
Australian incidents of business email compromise increased by 230 per cent between 2016 and 2017.
22 May 2018
How boomers are changing the landscape for small NZ towns
Briar McCormack | New Zealand editor
A retirement village in the centre of a small town could be a blueprint for boosting regional NZ.
09 May 2018
BUDGET 2018: five key takeaways for SMEs
Guy Mendelson | Portfolio Lead - Business Owners, ANZ
More support, opportunities and relief highlight the benefits for Australian small-business owners from the 2018 budget.
03 May 2018
She's apples on the Tassie outlook
Gareth Arbuthnot | State Manager Business Banking Vic/Tas, ANZ
Tasmania’s economic situation is solid – and with the right decisions there could be further good news ahead.
27 Apr 2018
The need for Dignity and education
Susana Lei’ataua | bluenotes contributor
Companies can help their staff feel more personally supported in one simple way, says Dignity co-founders.
23 Apr 2018
Gate to plate in New Zealand
Briar McCormack | New Zealand editor
Booming tourism and a healthy local market are challenging the NZ hospitality sector.
22 Mar 2018
PODCAST: bricks and mortar have a future in retail – just smaller
Jo Masters | Senior Economist, ANZ
Growing overheads related to physical stores becoming a bigger issue for retail, retailer group boss says.
13 Mar 2018
Bridging the gap between paddock and plate
John Bennett | General Manager Commercial & Agri, NZ Central Region, ANZ
How do consumers place a value on what you do if they don’t know your story?
06 Mar 2018
IWD2018: action, results & equality in start-ups
Carina Parisella | Innovation editor
Females make up over half the population, but less than 20 per cent of all start up founders – what is creating this gap?
28 Feb 2018
CEOs must set the tone to lead cultural change
Isaac Rankin | Managing Director - Commercial, ANZ
Two experts share insights into building winning business cultures.
23 Feb 2018
Go with your gut: chef McConnell
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor, bluenotes
Restaurateur says there’s not always a guide book for operating a business.
20 Feb 2018
How to get in (and out) of small business
Gabrielle Mitchell | bluenotes contributor
We share six tips for crafting a roadmap to business success – and six tips on getting out.
16 Feb 2018
Celebrating opportunity on Lunar New Year
Tony Field | bluenotes contributor
We speak to an SME owner on celebrating a life and business in NZ in the Year of the Dog.
12 Feb 2018
How to keep a customer
Nigel Bowen | Freelance journalist
Winning a customer is hard. Keeping them is harder. Here are seven ways to do so.
08 Feb 2018
Six retail trends for 2018
Gabrielle Mitchell | bluenotes contributor
Omnichannel is back. People still want to touch an item before they buy it.
05 Feb 2018
Ice cream of the crop
Briar McCormack | New Zealand editor
We chat to two entrepreneurs looking to bring a new ice age to NZ.
23 Jan 2018
SMEs: go digital and grow
Gary Parkin | SA State Head Small Business Banking, ANZ
We hear from an SME saving 22 hours a week in administrative tasks since turning to cloud-based digital platforms.
19 Dec 2017
The craft: new frontiers for Australian micro-brewing
Shane White | Content Manager - Institutional, ANZ
With Australia covered, craft beer producers are looking offshore for their next round – and Asia has a thirst for the product.
14 Dec 2017
Mindset: the final piece of the success puzzle
Guy Mendelson | Portfolio Lead - Business Owners, ANZ
Australian businesses have the means and capability to change the way they do business – but do they have they mindset?
11 Dec 2017
Six tips for SMEs to thrive this Xmas
Gabrielle Mitchell | bluenotes contributor
We share expert advice on how they get the most out of this make-or-break time of year.
08 Dec 2017
Aussie agritourism, cubed
Simone Stella | bluenotes contributor
Visitor numbers continue to grow in winery regions – and one business is moving to take advantage.
07 Dec 2017
APIs, the secret sauce of the future for SMEs
Guy Mendelson | Portfolio Lead - Business Owners, ANZ
SMEs with advanced levels of digital engagement are 50 per cent more likely to grow revenue.
01 Dec 2017
Six tips on family business (from award-winning family businesses)
Gareth Arbuthnot | State Manager Business Banking Vic/Tas, ANZ
We speak to owner/operators of two family businesses about what makes them successful.
21 Sep 2017
SMEs: social is where your customers are
Guy Mendelson | Portfolio Lead - Business Owners, ANZ
In an increasingly competitive SME space reaching customers is more important than ever. Social media is an opportunity – if done correctly.
21 Sep 2017
Big data, big opportunity for SMEs
Briar McCormack | New Zealand editor
Once a tool strictly for high street, big data SMEs are making use of the opportunities big data presents.
11 Sep 2017
Podcast: a social and entrepreneurial mindset
David Lewis | Australian business professional and founder of The Mentor List
In the Mentor List’s latest podcast they talk to Jan Owen about unleashing the potential of young people to lead positive change in the world.
21 Aug 2017
Here’s cheers for NZ craft beer
Briar McCormack | New Zealand editor
More than just great beer; business smarts are key to capturing consumers in New Zealand’s craft-beer market.
14 Aug 2017
From farm to fridge, give or take 8000km
Guy Thompson | BlueNotes contributing editor
Bulla CEO Alan Hood talks to bluenotes about milking the opportunities for Australian dairy in Asia.
24 Jul 2017
The accumulative benefits of agtech
Reina Webster-Iti | bluenotes contributor
Modern technology saves time and energy on the farm – and leads to better outcomes.
07 Jul 2017
Aus agtech: fast, nimble & taking on the world
Isaac Rankin | Managing Director - Commercial, ANZ
The nature of Australian agricultural technology gives players the ability to take on the world.
04 Jul 2017
Setting up your SME for the new FY
Tania Motton | ANZ General Manager, Business Banking Australia
Tax time doesn’t have to be a struggle for SMEs. Here are six tips for setting up for FY18 success.
03 Jul 2017
Sprouting through gaps in the market
Reina Webster-Iti | bluenotes contributor
For Kathryn Fleming, the success of her start-up stems from perseverance.
27 Jun 2017
Success on the hop in NZ
Briar McCormack | New Zealand editor
The craft beer explosion has led to a renaissance for its key ingredient – and those who produce it.
15 Jun 2017
Microbiz looks to growth
Tim Honcoop | Account Director at DBM Consultants
Microbusinesses are less concerned with industry conditions compared with their larger counterparts.
30 May 2017
Challenges mount for Australian retailers
Narayanan Somasundaram | Economics & finance reporter
Consumers are tightening their belts as surging household debt forces them to rethink spending.
11 May 2017
Budget2017: certainty for SMEs
Gabrielle Mitchell | bluenotes contributor
Kate Gibson speaks on video about the impact of the federal budget on small businesses.
27 Apr 2017
How to make it big in Asia (from someone big in Asia)
Jane Cooper | bluenotes contributor
No-added-sugar chocolate, Superfoods and Cancer Council sunscreen are among the products of Vitality Brands Group, an Australian company founded by James Wright (CEO) and Richard Meyrick in 2003.
20 Apr 2017
ON THE COUCH: Elliott on business’ most important resource
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor, bluenotes
If you’re trying to work out the source of a problem in your business – no matter what the size – it’s worth taking a closer look at your people, ANZ CEO Shayne Elliott says.
03 Apr 2017
There’s no slowing consumers in China: Blackmores CEO
Anna Green | CEO Philippines, ANZ
Don’t expect to see a slowdown in consumer activity in China, Blackmores CEO Christine Holgate says, as there’s no shortage of demand from the country’s rapidly growing middle class.
31 Mar 2017
Five key habits of growing SMEs
Tania Motton | ANZ General Manager, Business Banking Australia
Small businesses are not just the lifeblood of growth in Australia and most economies, delivering true innovation and higher employment, their experiences can offer lessons for businesses of all sizes.
28 Mar 2017
Regional Aus: ready for the Asian trade horizon
Christine Linden | General Manager, Regional Business Banking, ANZ Australia
Agriculture has long been a cornerstone of Australia’s economy. As the sector again surges - or “saves our economic bacon” - after 28 per cent growth in 2016 and high expectations for 2017, we’re again reminded of its key place in our economic mix.
07 Mar 2017
Is your business ready for Asia?
Mark Hand | Group Executive Australia Retail and Commercial Banking, ANZ
Australian businesses have been successfully exporting for many years and the growth of offshore opportunities has been enormous – bolstered in recent years by the rise of the Chinese middle class. But an ongoing challenge is actually taking advantage of opportunity.
28 Feb 2017
Secrets of startup success – from Viet Nam
Greg Dodds | Ex-Senior Trade Commissioner, Japan & Vietnam veteran
Lai Hoang Hung lives in a gated community just outside Ho Chi Minh City in Viet Nam. His family company HTD is a market leader in the vital sector of industrial building materials.
21 Feb 2017
What ever happened to the Christmas spending spike?
Mike Ebstein | Director, MWE Consulting
Australian retailers and merchants in general used to rely on a significant lift in turnover from November to December.
30 Jan 2017
From the back of a garage to the top of NZ retail
Angela Barnett | BlueNotes contributing editor
When Shijin (Sking) Zeng, founder of one of Auckland’s largest online shops iFurniture, decided to move to New Zealand he dreamed of setting up his own business.
23 Jan 2017
The secret ingredient to hospitality success
Michelle Duff | Contributing editor, BlueNotes
Success in hospitality is hard, but the right kind of approach can return a hearty serving of returns.
19 Jan 2017
How to get the best value out of business travel
Darrin Grafton | CEO, Serko
If you own or manage a small business there's a good chance you travel - and it's quite possible you travel a lot. But how do you make sure you're getting real value for your travel spend and how do you make your travel budget go further?
12 Jan 2017
Five keys to succeeding in the new China
Nick Henderson | Director, Asialink Business’ China Practice
Building strong relationships and being adaptable are vital for anyone hoping to break into China’s ever-changing business environment. But it’s easy to dismiss these features as abstract and intangible.
10 Jan 2017
Deadly Ponies making luxury handbags in NZ
Michelle Duff | Contributing editor, BlueNotes
Liam Bowden, who began luxury fashion brand Deadly Ponies while studying at university, has never been a stranger to hard work. By the age of 14, the entrepreneurial Aucklander was holding down three jobs in merchandising and sales, a trend that would continue into his adult life.
16 Dec 2016
Maserati, lobster and a window into China
Simone Stella | bluenotes contributor
What do a Maserati and a lobster have in common? They’re often red? Luxurious? Pricey?
08 Dec 2016
Five ways to lead a business in the 21st century
Tim Nelson | CEO, Korn Ferry Australasia
Our workplaces are being disrupted at an unprecedented pace and keeping on top of trends is a non-negotiable part of 21st century management for leaders.
28 Nov 2016
High-tech NZ sailmaker tracks into the Stratis sphere
Sophie Speer | BlueNotes contributing editor
Just as the ocean never stops moving, neither does the sailing industry. For Kiwi sailmakers Doyle Sails, weathering the changes and reading long-range forecasts have been the keys to success.
22 Nov 2016
See-through clothing: the dawn of price transparency
James Stewart | Partner and retail practice leader, Ferrier Hodgson
Digital-first and socially responsible retailers are driving a shift in customers’ expectations based on price and product-sourcing transparency.
06 Oct 2016
Five tips for SMEs to prepare for the peak retail season
Kate Gibson | General Manager Small Business Banking Australia, ANZ
With consumer spending, consumer confidence and business confidence all increasing in Australia, the stage is set for a profitable period for small to medium enterprises over the peak-retail festive season.
09 Sep 2016
The growth challenge and potential of regional Australia
Christine Linden | General Manager, Regional Business Banking, ANZ Australia
The economic, demographic and environmental challenges in regional Australia are real but so too are the opportunities. The strengths in regional communities and businesses provide the foundation to unlocking their growth potential.
31 Aug 2016
Where really is the value in ‘services’?
Robyn Haydon | Author and consultant
Services are the building blocks of getting things done. They're part of making products; making buildings, bridges and rockets to Mars; and of making lives better in the community.
19 Aug 2016
Hatching new SME concepts in Beijing
Guy Thompson | BlueNotes contributing editor
The Hatchery is a start-up incubator with a difference. Based in Beijing, the founders have taken their experience with restaurants and pop-up concept stores and created an incubator space where local and international restaurant entrepreneurs can test their menus.
19 Aug 2016
CEOs, le Tour de France and the success of marginal gains
Tania Motton | ANZ General Manager, Business Banking Australia
Every little bit counts. This theory applies in business as much as it does in sport. And it’s one helping the CEOs of small-to-medium companies grow their businesses one step at a time.
16 Aug 2016
Something’s brewing in NZ’s craft beer market
Pete Barnao & Linda Townshend | BlueNotes contributing editors
The first-time Beervana pilgrim gazed around the concourse apprehensively then voiced what many were surely thinking: “Where do I start?”
05 Aug 2016
Five things big businesses could learn from their smaller counterparts
Keren Roberts | General Manager Shared Services New Zealand, ANZ
Small businesses are vital to all economies, providing unique products and experiences for customers whether in big-city alleyways, corner stores or regional communities.
25 Jul 2016
VIDEO: SMEs understand purpose better than big biz
Carina Parisella | Innovation editor
Smaller organisations are faster and more successful at identifying the core purpose of their business compared with larger counterparts, according to one of Australia’s leading executive coaches.
25 Jul 2016
Two burglaries, two engineering students and one competition
Julia de Blaauw | BlueNotes contributing editor
Not many people can say their business took flight after their house was burgled. But that’s how ‘The Hatch’ was born, says University of Canterbury Engineering graduate and Wireless Guard CEO Taylor Howatson.
12 Jul 2016
VCs: No need to be pitch perfect with your start-up
Gabrielle Mitchell | bluenotes contributor
What makes venture capitalists (VCs) see great potential in a start-up? Is there such a thing as the perfect pitch? And what does the innovation boom mean for small businesses?
27 Jun 2016
Only 20% of CEOs have a clear plan to grow their business
Mark Hand | Group Executive Australia Retail and Commercial Banking, ANZ
Sustainable growth is the goal of almost all of Australia’s small and medium businesses. Simple in theory. But hard in practice.
16 Mar 2016
Three fundamentals of effective communication you can't ignore
Dave Halls | Communication expert, international speaker and best-selling author
The cost of poor communication is often far greater than we think. Results from a survey of 400 companies show poor communication cost them a total of more than $37 billion. Other research suggests 30 per cent of projects fail because of poor communication.
01 Mar 2016
Start-ups: debt vs equity vs other (or of all of the above)
Kate Gibson | General Manager Small Business Banking Australia, ANZ
More than two thirds of Australia's start-ups believe they need funding to survive through 2016, according to the StartUp Muster Report 2015. Plenty of existing small businesses are also on the lookout.
29 Feb 2016
The times they are a-changing
Stefan Herrick | Senior Manager External Communications New Zealand, ANZ
Long dominated by big brands from Switzerland and Japan, the watch establishment is being challenged by a new type of competitor – one made possible by the internet.
26 Feb 2016
Making it big in Japan (from outside Japan)
Terrie Lloyd | CEO, Japan Travel KK
In the blizzard of newsworthy announcements about venture capital investments, massive business deals and takeovers, it is easy to forget the 90 per cent of business people who don't hit the news but form the bedrock of our society.
06 Jan 2016
How to prepare for succession in a family business
Mike Norfolk | Head of Private Banking Australia, ANZ
Spending a lifetime on a business, especially one you have established, built up and successfully run is an enormous achievement. It takes passion, commitment and resilience. So it is understandable when the time comes to step away it is a life-changing experience.
30 Nov 2015
The new kind of Kiwi home
Sophie Speer | BlueNotes contributing editor
Mike Greer is a man on a mission to solve Auckland's housing affordability crisis. To do that, the director of Mike Greer Homes is building a lot of houses – thousands of them across the country – and he's doing it in an innovative and revolutionary way.
27 Oct 2015
Five insights for unlocking Asia
Mukund Narayanamurti | CEO, Asialink Business
As a nation, Australia is linking with Asia in more ways than ever before. It's a development opening up a wealth of opportunities for the business community in the region, particularly small- and medium-sized companies.
09 Oct 2015
Silicon valley or death valley for Australia's start-up culture?
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor, bluenotes
BlueNotes and PwC Capital Edge are presenting a series of discussions and roundtables with industry experts, ranging across the wide capital markets universe from start-ups and entrepreneurs to risk and digitalisation.
09 Oct 2015
The swear jar driving an SME to Asian success
Kirsty Quested | Editor, The Small Business Company
Blonde Robot is a small business with big ambitions. What will stay small however, according to founder and CEO Chris Horsley-Wyatt, are the words spoken within the company's walls. And all Blonde Robots are putting their money where their mouths are.
21 Aug 2015
NZ's craft brewers go froth and multiply
Pete Barnao | BlueNotes contributing editor
Something special is brewing in New Zealand's craft beer industry. Demand for distinctive, quality beer is bubbling over at home but also growing abroad at a rate unimaginable a few years ago.
06 Aug 2015
How to make the most of your unicorn moments
Fred Schebesta | Co-founder and Director, finder.com.au
We've all watched from the sidelines as other companies receive massive attention for their public reaction to newsworthy events, with some gaining huge social followings or new business growth as a result.
03 Aug 2015
Why ChAFTA is more than just another FTA
Mike Smith | Former Chief Executive Officer, ANZ
The decision by China's President Xi to travel to Australia last year to sign a Free Trade agreement, while largely symbolic, remains one of the most important economic events in Australia's recent history.
21 Jul 2015
Australia's venture capital drought
Ivor Ries | Guest columnist; Senior analyst, Morgans Financial Ltd
Although Australians pride themselves on being innovative and able to adapt to new circumstances, the reality is our economy and political processes are slow to adapt to new realities.
20 Jul 2015
The fintech goldrush is here
Patrick Maes | Former General Manager Strategy & Planning, ANZ
A lot has been said about the relationship between banks and fintech start-ups. Many have implied an adversarial relationship or spoken of banks needing to take an acquisitive approach (via corporate ventures).
08 Jul 2015
Three things keeping NZ SME owners up at night
Fred Ohlsson | Group Executive, ANZ Australia
Small business confidence in NZ remains high despite a pullback from record levels in the June quarter but a number of concerns for owners remain, ANZ NZ managing director of retail and business banking Fred Ohlsson says.
29 Jun 2015
Making the leap to Asia
Andrea Clarke | Independent video producer
Making the leap to Asia is a dream for many small-to-medium Australian businesses. The opportunity on offer in the growing region is huge and companies like One Life. Live It are meeting the challenge.
16 Jun 2015
Six ways to help save your SME from cybercrime
Christine Linden | General Manager, Regional Business Banking, ANZ Australia
It's easy to think cybercrime and identity theft only happens to big business. It doesn't. With over two million small businesses in Australia, lifting awareness, improving education and taking real action to prevent these incidents is fundamental for the health of the sector.
29 May 2015
Three ways to help SMEs tap into Asia
Mark Whelan | Group Executive Institutional, ANZ
The many markets of Asia offer incredible potential for growth but often Australian companies, especially small-to-medium businesses, don't know where to start. Industry, government and the finance sector can all play a role in helping shape this growth, provided we get the settings right and enable SMEs to feel confident they can expand.
13 Mar 2015
Foodie mums take slice of pie market
Pete Barnao | BlueNotes contributing editor
Absence makes the heart grow fonder. And the stomach. Maree Glading and Jessie Stanley returned to New Zealand from their big OE in the UK hankering for a good Kiwi steak and cheese pie.
19 Jan 2015
The one issue holding NZ SMEs back
Fred Ohlsson | Group Executive, ANZ Australia
New Zealand is a great example of a small place that can do very big things. Over the past 18 months, the country’s economy has been held up as an example of how to catch a strong tailwind.
11 Sep 2014
Australian small business following the US sector down – but can also learn from the US response
Amanda Gome | Former head of digital and social media, ANZ
BlueNotes recently revealed thats there has been a 30 per cent decrease in the number of start-ups in Australia in the last three years, from 342,753 in the 2010 financial year to 239,229 in 2013. That’s pretty big news. Add to that a decline in operating firms, and a big red flag should be waving.