Sunny (but cooler) greetings, Reader,
Straight into business today, on two different but not totally unrelated themes:
Disaster preparedness, and
The increasing rate of change.
First, disaster preparedness. How well prepared are you and your business to handle (and survive) a disaster?
You may, like many other people, work on the presumption that “it can never happen to me”. Some people can get away with this approach (or should I say “retreat”) their whole lives. Others are not so lucky. Disasters come in all shapes and sizes, from the little disasters like a burst water pipe or a lost wallet, to the real doozies like major flood, earthquake and fire. What preparations have you made?
Do you have good, tested working copies of your business information stored safely in a separate location to your business? How quickly could you be back in operation if all the information in your office was lost? Note that I am stressing information. That’s because material items like machines, desks, etc can be easily replaced by alternatives, but your business information – your intellectual capital – is literally irreplaceable. You either have a backup copy, or it’s gone.
Of course, every business’ situation is different. There is no “one size fits all” approach to disaster preparation. But it may be a very worthwhile mental exercise for you to take time to think about what are the absolutely key items, without which your business simply could not function. Then take steps to duplicate and safely store copies of those items – and keep the safety copies up to date.
You could extend the exercise to include the information inside the heads of your key people. How much would your business suffer if you lost one of your key people? Who else has the knowledge held by that member? How can you preserve the corporate knowledge held by your key staff? Do you have in place a process where key staff record important information for access by others?
How could you do this?
Without labouring the point any further, Disaster Preparedness is an important business management role.
My second topic this morning is the increasing rate of change. Do you feel it? Does the world seem to you to be moving faster and faster? Well, don’t feel alone. It is!
Over the weekend I have been reading a fascinating essay by Ray Kurzweil, called The Law of Accelerating Returns. Ray Kurzweil (born February 12, 1948) is an inventor and futurist. He has been a pioneer in many fields of technology He is the author of several books on health, artificial intelligence, transhumanism, the technological singularity, and futurism. If you’d like to wade through 50+ pages of pretty heavy going, the article is available at www.kurzweilai.net/articles/art0134.html , or I can try to summarise it for you.
In a nutshell, Kurzweil’s article shows that technological evolution has accelerated on a logarithmic scale. The first technological steps – sharp edged tools, fire and the wheel – took tens or hundreds of thousands of years, and for people living in this era, there was little noticeable change over a thousand year period. By 1,000 A.D. progress was much faster, with paradigm change taking only a century or so. In the nineteenth century, we saw more change than in the preceding thousand years. Then in the first twenty years of the twentieth century we saw more advancement than in all of the nineteenth century. Now paradigm shifts are occurring in only a few years. And the pace continues to accelerate.
Think of things that have changed since you were a young child. The bulk of those changes have taken place in just the past few years. That’s exponentiation! And we’re living in the middle of it. The world is changing faster than it ever has changed before.
What does this have to do with business? Well, if your business depends on technology (and I can’t think of many that don’t) it will pay to be very alert to the bleeding edge of technology change, because it will be upon us much faster than we expect. Think how dependent our lifestyle is on mobile phones and the Internet. How long have they been around? How successful were the “early adopters”?
What is the next “big thing”? Or, more realistically, what are the current trends that indicate future rapid growth? I’m betting on nano-technology, but I’ll wait until next week to expand on that!
In the meantime, what’s happening this week in our accelerating world?
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Operate & Integrate Computing Packages
The skills and knowledge acquired in operating and integrating computing packages will provide a solid foundation for an individual to be an effective computer user. This course will cover an introduction to computers and a range of skills using three software packages, MS Word, Excel & Access.
Statements of Attainment for ICAU1128A – Operate a personal computer, ICAU2013A – Integrate computing packages and ICAU2006A – Operate computing packages from Certificate II in Information Technology ICA20105.
805C013 Wednesdays May 21st to August 6th - 12 sessions 9am - 12noon $420
MS Publisher Essentials
Let your imagination soar! Desktop publishing is fun and has scope for many different applications including brochures, flyers, greeting and business cards, advertisements, newsletters and letterheads. In this workshop you will learn how to create, edit and manipulate pictures and text using wizards and drawing tools.
805C012 Fri May 23 & May 30 2 sessions - 4:30pm-8:30pm $75
Training For The Workplace
Enquire about customised training for your workplace. Update the skills of your staff and management. We are happy to customise training for your needs at your premises or in our classrooms at a time to suit.
Contact the Program Co-ordinator on 6583 7288 to discuss your needs.
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This Update, together with back-issues since the start of 2008, is now hosted on our Blog at http://hbec.blogspot.com , where you are invited to catch up on activities and leave your comments and suggestions.
Our next HBEC Networking Breakfast will be held Thursday morning 12th June, at Panthers Pier One Restaurant.
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2nd Annual Customer Care Awards Presentation Dinner
To be held on Black Friday evening, 13th June at Panthers Auditorium
Last year was a terrific event, this year will be even bigger and better!
Awards will be going to a great mix of old and new faces, so be there to share the fun.
Come along and help celebrate with the leading businesses in our region, and also enjoy a “spooky floor show” – “The haunting tale of the red hot poker”.
Tickets available from PM-H Council offices, or from Panthers Reception.
$65.00 per ticket (includes a scrumptious dinner, initial drinks and the floor show)
Special thanks to Gillespie Media for the fantastic support they provide to Customer Care. Well done guys!
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Port Macquarie Home-Based Business Forum
Next meeting will be Friday 13 June, 9.15am to 12.30pm
At Panthers Pier One Restaurant
Snacks and refreshments will be provided
Donation: $15 at the door, please.
Guest speaker TBN
(if you’ve never heard TBN speak, you’re in for a treat! TBN is probably one of the nost frequently nominated guest speakers in the country.)
If you operate a home-based business, or you would like to, this is the group for you! Come along and see that you are not alone after all!
What is it about Black Friday???
A Wallaby is coming to town! Nick Farr-Jones will be guest speaker at a Corporate Benefit Luncheon
being hosted by Wesley Mission on Friday 13th June 2008 at The Westport Club.
You will have the opportunity to bid for some wonderful charity auction items, and to win a great door prize.
All money raised from this event will go directly to Wesley Mission to help establish an integrated local counselling service. Wesley Mission will be working in conjunction with existing services to assist the most marginalised and vulnerable in our community to address the tragedy of suicide.
Tickets are on sale now from The Westport Club, on 6583 1499
A Corporate Table for 8 can be booked for $720, or individual tickets are available for $95 for an afternoon of fine food and beverage, entertainment and motivation, and all for a really worthwhile cause.
Ticket sales close Friday 6th June.
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Rydges now offer a $20 Friday Business Lunch for all you undernourished and busy people. Served in the beautiful surroundings of the riverside restaurant, the lunch comprises your choice of a main plus a glass of wine or draught beer (to help you concentrate for the afternoon).
Quick service will have you in and out within the hour (ready for Friday afternoon - sigh!).
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Office space for lease
Kellon Beard, from NSW Business Chamber, informs me that he has two offices available for lease in his complex at
Please call Kellon on 6584 0910.
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Port
Tuesday 20th May 2008 – 6.00pm for 6.30pm
Venue: Quality Resort Sails, Port
Justin Herald – Guest Speaker
Justin Herald has fast become one of the rising stars in the fields of business and personal development. His success has been noted world wide due to him starting a business (Attitude Inc) with only $50 and turning it into a multi million dollar empire. He has been named one of the most influential leaders of the next generation in
Cost: $10.00 for members, $20.00 for non-members
Drinks and savouries will be provided on the night
Non-members and guests are most welcome
For catering purposes please RSVP by 3:00pm Monday 19th May 2008 on (02) 6583 4412 or Email: info@portchamber.com.au
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On Saturday night 24th May 2008 the Rotary Club of Port Macquarie Sunrise is presenting our annual Baby Boomers Revival Ball.
Our inaugural event last year was a wonderful success and a total of $22,000 was raised. The major beneficiary was the Hastings Suicide Prevention Network and will be again this year as well as 2 other local beneficiaries for students of primary and secondary school age, with disabilities.
Local businesses were very generous last year with their donations which contributed significantly to our fundraising efforts.
We would be very grateful if your company could offer us a prize donation for our fundraising activities on the night. ATO Tax Deductible Gift Recipient endorsement is available if required.
We would also like to offer your company a Table Sponsorship of $1000 that consists of 10 entry tickets, table naming rights andpromotional recognition up to, during and after the event. This includes the display of your company banner and you are invited to provide a table centre decoration promoting your business. ATO Tax Deductible Gift Recipient endorsement is available if required.
We thank you in anticipation of your ongoing generous support of local community projects.
Please contact David Currey, Community Services Committee Member, W…65813104 Mob…0411273925
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On Sunday afternoon, May 25th, from 3pm onwards, Ann-Maree Crowe and her staff at the Mercure Centro Hotel are holding an Open Day.
You are invited to come along and explore the Mercure Centro, and see the lovely accommodation, restaurant and function areas available.
Through the cooler months, the Mercure Centro is hosting a “Business Buskers” event on Sunday afternoons, to help us warm up with a bit of frivolity, and chill out with a drop of nectar. Business Buskers will commence on our Open Day, on Sunday 25 May.
We all know there are lots of very talented business people in Port and surrounding areas who also enjoy expressing themselves musically. We thought it would be fun to encourage them to all come out of the closet and share their talents. Anyone is welcome to come and listen, vote for their favourite and have some fun. Ann-Maree already has a list of notable personalities who have been dobbed in!
So, the question is, which of our likely and unlikely business associates would like to share their talents. I encourage colleagues to “dob” in their mates or just give Ann-Maree a quick call or email and let her know you are interested, and she will sort out the rest.
A fun event to while away the cooler Sunday afternoons.
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And that’s about it for another week in the fun capital of the known universe.
If the world seems to be moving faster and faster for you, take solace…
It IS! And that bloke running in the dust is me, trying to keep up.
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