27 Oct 2008

Monday greetings, Reader,

What an interesting time in which we are living. I am particularly intrigued by the current difference of opinion between the two huge economic blocs – on one side the combined might of Europe and Asia, and on the other the USA – about the panacea for our global economic ills. The E/A bloc appear to be supporting a slightly socialist line, while GB’s USA is pushing for more of the same, unrestrained free market. Isn’t that where the trouble started???

I’m feeling a little better, at a personal level. For a while there, I thought I was all alone in not understanding the behaviour of the markets. But I’m becoming convinced that no one understands it, and perhaps the behaviour defies rational understanding. The most difficult thing to find is solid unemotional analysis of the day to day situation, without the headline-grabbing (or headline-creating) hysteria. I was grateful for Rob de Lepervanche’s contribution last Monday, and I look forward to including another contribution from the team at COMPASS financial management in due course.

On Friday morning, 31st October, Peak Partners will provide a free breakfast seminar entitled “Enjoy it – Succession Planning” at Rydges Port Macquarie. This seminar will address the very important issue of business continuation and the transition for business owners into retirement while caring for the ongoing viability of their business. See the item below for a last opportunity to join in.

Response so far to this seminar has been a bit disappointing. This is a topic of critical interest to all business owners – particularly those approaching retirement age. Don’t miss out. See the item below for registration details.

Rydges is a popular venue at the moment. Last Friday night the second annual Six Degrees of Degustation Dinner was held in the stunningly situated Bayside Room. About 100 local business people enjoyed the sensational creations of six of our most accomplished local chefs. Dishes were designed to highlight the best of our local produce, and were accompanied by a selection of wonderful local wines. (Yes the repeated use of the word local is intentional) May I offer a paean to Kate Wood-Foye and “other half” Steve Foye for hosting a splendid event to open Tastings Of The Hastings Week. Congrats also to the staff at Rydges who did a great job servicing a large special event. I hope all the Tastings events to follow will be equally successful.

See the item below for upcoming events including the main event, Tastings of the Hastings at Port Macquarie Racecourse on Sunday 2nd November.

At a time when economics is looming in our day to day lives, we should be taking a second look at the wonderful variety of fresh produce and manufactured products available within our home region. The environmental and economic savings from “eating local” are tangible.

Finally, last Tuesday evening’s Customer Care Mix & Mingle Night was a huge success. The biggest CCM&M attendance to date celebrated the announcement of Douglas Vale Vineyard as the 200th Member of the Customer Care program. Long-time member (and HBEC Member) Karen Woodham, with her business Migrate Now won the main prize on the night, a full-page interview in Focus magazine, to be included in the November issue.

It’s pleasing to see a real energy and momentum building in the Customer Care program, and similarly with the new Journey of Flavour campaign. Great initiatives!

Now for this week’s activities:

+ = +

Port Macquarie Community College – skills development for business

GST & BAS
This course will look at the GST - how it is calculated, different GST invoicing formats and completing the BAS. Learn how to complete your BAS manually and through MYOB V17, send the BAS electronically and setup BASlink.
811C001 Tue Nov 4 & Nov 11 2 sessions 6pm-9pm $95

Intermediate Excel Workshop – a spreadsheet is the single most useful business tool.
This workshop is designed for participants who want to extend their basic spreadsheet skills. You will learn about absolute references, charts, more functions, linking and protecting worksheets.
811C002 Mon Nov 10, Wed 12 & Thu Nov 13 3 sessions 6pm-8pm $90

Fashion Colour, Style & Image
"What to wear?" Discover which styles and colours work best for you. Establish your business persona.
Identify your figure type and decide 'what not to wear'. Explore the world of fashion and fashion accessories for work, or just in time for the party season ahead.
810LR004 Sat Nov 8 & Nov 15 2 sessions 9:30am-1:30pm $85

Knife Sharpening – if you have to cut business costs, use a sharp knife.
Learn how to sharpen your knives the way professionals do. You can also sharpen scissors or secateurs. You will save dollars, time and energy, ensuring a much safer kitchen. It may be the most useful time you will ever spend.
811LR005 Sun Nov 9 1 session 10am-1pm $40
812LR002 Sun Dec 7 1 session 10am-1pm $40

French for Travellers – Consider opening a branch office in Paris?
This course is for those who want some basic French skills for travelling. Suitable for anyone wanting to start learning French from scratch or needing to revise their previous knowledge. Topics include learning how to ask for information, how to respond to people, learn to talk about yourself, your family, your work and leisure activities and also learn about French culture and history.
811L001 Tue Nov 11 to Dec 2 & Thu Nov 13 to Dec 4 8 sessions 6:30pm-8:30pm $120

And, for post-office recreation, Boat Licence Instruction
Recently NSW Maritime have introduced more stringent Boat Licence testing. Afford yourself the best opportunity in attaining a pass by enrolling in the General Boating/PWC Licence Weekend Workshop. Learn nautical knowledge, rules of navigation, buoyage, bar crossing and tides. Handbook available from the office for reading before the course.
811LR006 Sat Nov 8 9am-4pm & Sun Nov 9 9am-1pm 2 sessions $130

For more information, and to book for these and other courses, phone PM Community College on 6583 7288.

+ = +

Hastings BEC Networking Breakfast – Thursday 13th November 2008

Our next breakfast will be back at “home base”, Panthers Pier One Restaurant.
Remember that guests and potential members are welcome, so invite your business contacts to come and “try before they buy”.
We always have room for more participants, but please RSVP.

As usual, please RSVP by Tuesday 11th November to admin@hastingsbec.com.au

+ = +

Home Business Forum

Under the stewardship of Lisa Christie and Renee Bell, the Home Business Forum is doing well, and has room for growth.
If you operate a home-based business or micro-business, give Lisa or Renee a call and find out how taking part in this Forum can help take the isolation out of your life. Networking with other home business operators can revitalise your business ideas.

Renee Bell Photographer Tel: 02 6584 8866 / email: info@reneebell.com.au
OR Lisa Christie Tel: 0438 847 825 / email: lisa@visualedge.com.au

+ = +

SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESSION SEMINAR in PORT MACQUARIE ON 31ST OCTOBER AT 7.30AM

As part of the Federal Governments Building Entrepreneurship in Small Business program, Peak Partners will be delivering a series of free Succession Planning seminars throughout Australia commencing in April 2008. Succession Planning is a major issue for small business in Australia with some surprising statistics underpinning the initiative to address this area:

• 51% of small business owners plan to use their business as a PRIMARY source of funding retirement.

• 43% aim for a lump sum and a third expect an ongoing income stream.

• The average age of a family business owner in NSW is 56 years.

• 68% of Principals plan to exit the business in less than 10 years.

• Fewer than 25% have sought any advice on succession.

• The retirement of family business owners will accompany the transfer of approximately $1.6 Trillion in wealth.

Further details are available online at http://www.enjoyit.net.au/workshop.html

The breakfast seminar in this area is to be held on Friday 31st October at Rydges – Port Macquarie at 7.30am

If you hurry, you will be able to secure a place. Please contact Peak Partners on 1300 665 473

+ = +

TASTINGS OF THE HASTINGS - A JOURNEY OF FLAVOUR

Take a journey of flavour to Greater Port Macquarie for “Tasting of the Hastings”, a week long celebration of food and wine from Friday 24 October to Sunday 2 November 2008. New events this year include a Farmers Market dinner, SLURP night of wine, an evening with the winemakers at Bago in Bloom, plus favourites from last year, coffee and brewery tours – all culminating in the main event on Sunday 2 November 2008.

On the Sunday some 5,000 gourmands will converge on Port Macquarie Race Course to taste their way through stalls from 50 local food producers and growers, and 20 restaurants. Buy local trademarks such as freshly shucked Laurieton oysters, Lorne Valley macadamia nuts, Ricardoes Tomatoes and strawberries, and wicked Russian style chocolates.

Local and guest chefs will conduct ‘Cooking Demonstrations’ in a kitchen and the inaugural ‘Waiters Race’ at 1pm will be a light hearted test of serving skills. The Tastings of the Hastings Main Event will be held from 8am to 2pm and offers free entry.

For the first time this year patrons can buy a souvenir cook book for $10 which features 30 local restaurants and producers, and is developed from the freshest and the best of the region.

“Tastings Diary”
? Six Degrees of Degustation Dinner (24 Oct) - six local chefs, six wines and a 6pm start at Rydges (Too late. It was great!)
? Mountain Market, Cuisine and Countryside (26 Oct) - the hinterland village of Comboyne will offer a special food market and garden walks from 10am to 1pm
? Peak Coffee Appreciation Nights (28, 29, 30 Oct) - learn from the baristas at the Mid North Coast’s first roasting business
? SLURP a Night of Wine (29 Oct) - perfect for wine connoisseurs, a fun night in the private dining room at The Corner restaurant with local sommelier Renee Baird
? Stunned Mullet ‘Farmers Market’ Dinner (30 Oct) - an evening of food and indulgence with insights from leading local producers
? The Little Brewing Company Tours (1 Nov) - discover the passion and processes behind Port’s pioneering and award-winning boutique brewery
? ‘Bago in Bloom’ at Bago Vineyards (1 Nov) - an evening with the winemakers under the pergola at this picturesque vineyard in the hinterland, ‘the home’ of monthly jazz concerts
? Tastings of the Hastings (2 Nov) – the main event with growers, producers, cooking demonstrations, entertainment and more

A full schedule of events with locations and prices is available at www.portmacquarieinfo.com.au along with travel packages. Or call 1300 303 155.

Our HBEC Patron Member Holiday Coast Credit Union is the official sponsor of Tastings of the Hastings 2008.

+ = +

- Advertisement -

Advance opportunity for HBEC Update readers – a promotion from our Patron Member Digital Design & Poster Studio

Technology now moves sometimes quicker than we can keep up with. As soon as a new idea or product hits the shelves, we have version 2 and 3 in a shipping
container already updated or upgraded, produced and ready to go. At Digital Design we’re keen on keeping up to date with the latest products in our field – signs, printing and graphic design. Our available product lines are too many to list but if it’s ANYTHING SIGNS, PRINTING AND GRAPHIC DESIGN, just give us a call.

For any printed PVC banner ordered and printed in the month of November 2008, we’re printing you a second banner exactly the same as the first for no extra charge. That’s the second banner for FREE. Nada. No catches, no gimmicks. Your second banner is no charge. You only pay for the first one.
This offer is only available for the month of November 2008. Just give us a call today on 6583 9577.

Download the brochure for this promotion from www.hastingsbec.com.au/downloads/DDPSnov08.pdf

- /Advertisement -

+ = +

- Advertisement -

For a fun night out, Menopause the Musical - The hilarious musical celebrating women and The Change.

Do you think that 500,000 Australian women could be wrong? ( No, I’m not going there…)
After all, that is the number who have seen this hilarious show over the last two and a half years – and they love it!
Come and see for yourself. We guarantee that you will leave feeling uplifted and joyous.

The Glasshouse presents Menopause the Musical at Panthers Port Macquarie on Friday 28 November at 8pm,
and again for two performances on Saturday 29 November 2008 at 2pm and 8pm

To purchase tickets simply call the Glasshouse Box Office on 6581 8888 or to log onto www.glasshouse.org.au to order online

Why not consider Menopause the Musical for your Social Club or Workplace Xmas Party?
Group bookings of 10+ people qualify for the concession rate of just $40 per ticket.

- /Advertisement –

+ = +

I’m still seeking helpers for the Home Street Aid Station, for the Scody Half Ironman on Sunday 9th November.
We provide food, drink and support to competitors during the run leg of the event – and enjoy ourselves a lot along the way.
You are provided with a free T-shirt, cap, and all the sunscreen you can wear!
People who’ve helped in previous events have had a great day (and yes, most do come back again) but we need more helpers.
It’s a lot of fun, and much appreciated by the athletes.

If you can spare a few hours to assist, please call Gregg on 0419 438 194 or by email to admin@hastingsbec.com.au

+ = +

From: Riffenbary, J. (2007). No excuse! incorporating core values, accountability, and balance into our life and career. Possibility Press.

If there were ever a time to dare to make a difference, to do something really worth doing, that time is now. Not for any grand cause, necessarily, but for something that tugs at your heart, something that’s your aspiration, something that’s your dream. You owe it to yourself to make your days here count. Have fun. Dig deep. Stretch. Dream big.

Know that things worth doing seldom come easily. There will be good days. And there probably will be bad days. There will be times when you want to turn around, pack it up, and call it quits. Those times come only to tell you that you are pushing yourself, and that you are not afraid to learn and grow. Persist.

Because with an idea, determination, and the right tools, you can do great things. Let your instincts, your intellect, and your heart guide you. Trust.

Believe in the incredible power of the human mind, in the power of doing things that really make a difference, of working hard, of laughing and hoping, of reaching out, of saying ‘I love you,’ of lasting friends, of all things that will cross your path this year. The start of something new rings hope of something great. Anything is possible. There is only one you. And you will pass this particular way only once. Live your dream! Make a difference
(Riffenbary, 2007, p.212).

+ = +

And that’s about it for a week in this elysium, Port Macquarie, where we will be occupied by Tastings of the Hastings and that upcoming horse race.

To finish, here are a few more reliable statistics…

7125.0 Agricultural Commodities: Small Area Data, Australia (Additional Material), 2006-07
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/7125.0?OpenDocument

4172.0 Arts and Culture in Australia: A Statistical Overview, 2008 (Second Edition)
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4172.0?OpenDocument

6401.0 Consumer Price Index, Australia, Sep 2008
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6401.0?OpenDocument