4 August 2008

Judicial greetings, Reader,

While you read this missive, I shall either be ensconced for jury duty or, if the legal practitioners have any sense, excused as a bad bet for a juror. This means that I am preparing this email on a glorious Sunday afternoon, sacrificing perfectly good flying conditions for the greater good. The price we pay!

Lots of news this week, and reminders for a couple of very important events.Also time to say farewell, for a while, to Barbara and Laurie Smith - who are off to volunteer at the Beijing Olympics and Special Olympics, and to Melinda and Steve Robinson who are already on the ground in Uganda. On the subject of Mel and Steve, a big thank you to our friends from SKILLED recruitment, who have donated a bag full of nifty little squeeze-powered LED torches. I'll package those with the wind-up ones we are obtaining through IT West and ship them off to Light Up A Bit Of Africa.

Also heading off OS are Geraldine and John Lightfoot - Geraldine has been trainer and a key driver for the GPM Customer Care program - who are slipping off to Abu Dhabi, UAE, to take on long-term teaching contracts there. We wish Geraldine and John all the best for their big adventure.

Not moving so far, but making a big role change is Steve Talbot. After about 15 months with The Greater Building Society, Steve is moving to take on the role of Finance & Administration Manager for Laurieton United Servicemen's Club. I thank Steve for bringing The Greater into HBEC - as he did with Bendigo Bank, and I hope his successor will maintain the membership and participation. Steve can relax this time, as LUSC is already a valued member of HBEC.

I think that's it for the comings and goings, for the moment. I do look forward to inviting our new Council General Manager, Mr Andrew Roach, to attend our breakfast once he has his feet on the ground.

Finally, for this week, I wish newly endorsed Nationals Candidate for Lyne, former Mayor Rob Drew, the very best of luck. Why he would want to go to Canberra is beyond me, but - party politics aside - Rob is a real gentleman and a lovely fellow, and I wish him all the very best in his new challenge.

OK, on with the show:

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Port Macquarie Community College

A series of free seminars on Financial Literacy is being offered in celebration of Adult Learners Week
• Home Budgeting – Mon Sept 1st, 1.30 to 2.30 pm
• Debt Management – Tues Sept 2nd, 1.30 to 2.30 pm
• Understanding Superannuation – Wed 3rd Sept, 10 till 11 am
• On-line Banking – Thurs 4th Sept, 10 till 11 am
• Financial Difficulties – What are the Options? – Friday 5th Sept 10 till 11 am
(All seminars are offered by courtesy of COMPASS financial management)
Bookings essential – 6583 7288

Advanced Microsoft Excel Workshop
Excel is a brilliant tool, but most of us only scratch the surface of its capabilities. Find out how to get this powerhouse working for you.Tuesdays Aug 26th and Sept 2nd, 6pm – 9pm only $90

Your Business Presentations With PowerPoint
Learn how to make your presentations attention-grabbing. Create professional presentations that stand out from the crowd.Tuesdays Sept 16th to 30th, 3 sessions 6pm – 9pm only $93

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Hastings BEC Networking Breakfast, Thursday 14th August,
at Panthers Pier One Restaurant.

Sponsored this month by J&H Tours

This will be a breakfast to remember and, already, acceptances are pouring in. I wouldn't be at all surprised if we exceed 100 attendees.

Don't miss out. RSVP now to admin@hastingsbec.com.au to secure your place.

As usual, Members, Guests and Visitors are very welcome. Breakfast starts at 7.00am, but you are advised to arrive a few minutes early to beat the rush.$20 for Members, $25 for Guests and Visitors - payable at the door (cash or cheque only, please)

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Greater Port Macquarie Home Business Forum

This group is going from strength to strength. Under the enthusiastic leadership of Lisa Christie and Renee Bell, the HB Forum offers a wonderful support group for operators of small and home-based businesses.

The HB Forum meets every second month, for 3 hours, and engages a couple of speakers to talk on topics of importance and relevance to small business operators.

The next HB Forum is Friday 8th August, from 9.15am till 12.30pm at Panthers Pier One Restaurant. Admission is only $15 which also covers morning tea.

Download a flyer from www.hastingsbec.com.au/downloads/hbfflyer.jpg andDownload a full brochure about HB Forum from www.hastingsbec.com.au/downloads/hbfdocument.doc

You could also visit the Blog at http://aushomebizforum.blogspot.com/

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Be Inspired! Become Involved! Demonstrate your support for the locals!

The 2008 Port Macquarie locals triathlon uniform is currently being prepared for the Ironman series which starts very soon. Local competitors wear this uniform to many races, most specifically the Port Macquarie Half Ironman and Port Macquarie Ironman!

In 2007 over 45 of the uniforms were provided to local competitors, and were worn during both training and racing. Already we have a list of nearly 40 triathletes wishing to wear the new 2008 uniform as they appreciate the support they receive on the course when identified as a local!

The uniform design is put together by the Ironman renound Cannibal clothing. The product is fantastic and lasts a long time and great to race in. It is also great for advertising your business!

The 2007 uniform is shown on the linked diagram. A new design will be produced as soon as the sponsorship for the clothing is finalised, this design will be printed and the clothing will be distributed to local triathletes at a cost to cover the production and design costs only. This is a not for profit production to ensure the cheapest possible price for our triathletes and to show off the businesses that support triathlon.

Detailed on the diagram ( download from www.hastingsbec.com.au/downloads/costume.jpg ) are 6 options for sponsorship.These will be given on a first come first serve basis so get in quick as last year they sold within a week!

Don't miss out on this great opportunity to help out local triathletes, support the sport, and show off your business! Call Michael on 6584 4218 or 0421 755 299 with the sponsorship package you are interested in.

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Grow your business – Export to the world

For many small business owners, taking your goods and services to overseas markets can be a highly effective way to expand your business. If you find that you are increasingly reliant on shrinking local markets, exporting can be a profitable and rewarding exercise.

But what do you do once you’ve taken the decision to enter international markets? How do you go about marketing your product in a country where it is unknown, and competing with other products with different pricing structures and varying levels of quality?

It’s difficult to know where to start, but research is the key. Successful exporting doesn't happen by accident – it needs careful planning and commitment. Understanding and preparing for risks associated with exporting before you get started can be crucial.

To begin your export planning for success, you need to look closely at the legal and political risks that might be associated with particular countries. Then there are quarantine and customs issues, and not insignificant matter of financing your new venture. You should also be aware of other exporting issues including international intellectual property protection, foreign exchange and shipping. Also research how Australia's Free Trade Agreements can affect your export business.

The good news is that there are plenty of resources around to help potential exporters. Both federal and state governments have export assistance services that can help you to develop an export plan, advise you on how to realise your export potential, and in some circumstances, partially fund your project.

A good place to begin your research is at www.business.gov.au, which can lead you to much of the information you’ll need to get started. To get you started, here are a few resources:

You can promote your business overseas by registering on Austrade's Australian Suppliers Directory. This directory contains a list of Australian companies, products and services targeted at overseas buyers. Visit www.austrade.gov.au/asd . A range of assistance programs for exporters is available from state and federal government agencies. Visit business.gov.au for more information on grants that may apply to your exporting business.

Exporting online can be a cost-effective way of entering the overseas market. Online tools commonly used to market internationally include websites, e-mail, e-marketplaces and collaboration tools. For more information on these, visit www.exportingonline.gov.au.

For more information on all these exporting issues, visit business.gov.au. You can also download the Growing your business checklist which covers Exporting and a range of other growing topics by visiting www.business.gov.au/checklist. Start your exporting business success today!

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And that's about it for today. As usual, those guru nerds at ABS are light-years ahead of the rest of us, and they had the following all prepared for me this week:

1234.0 Australian Standard Offence Classification (ASOC), 2008 (Second edition)http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/1234.0?OpenDocument

See you next week.