Employers are desperate for workers and cost of living pressures are making it tough to live on a pension. That’s a perfect mix of conditions to send some retirees back to work. But it’s smart to get good advice before you take the leap. This episode is about returning to work after retirement and what to look out for. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/chris-beks/message ..read more

Many of us use some form of advertising to attract potential customers to the landing pages on our websites where an offer is made to them with a call to action for them to subscribe to our email list or register for an offer. This type of landing page is called an opt-in page and is focused on collecting email addresses in exchange for something valuable, often called a "lead magnet” - a free offer that entices visitors to subscribe (e.g., ebook, checklist, webinar, discount). This episode is about how to maximise the effectiveness of the opt-in pages we use to attract new customers to our bu ..read more

Previously, the Victorian Vacant Residential Land Tax only applied to specific council areas around inner and middle Melbourne. However, in October 2023, that all changed when the State Taxation Acts and Other Acts Amendment Bill 2023 was introduced into the Victorian parliament and will now affect Victorian land where the land is taxable, residential and vacant. SMSF trustees with residential property in Victoria will be impacted by the proposed change to the vacant residential land tax (VRLT) set to apply from 1 January 2025, the changes will specifically impact SMSFs with residential proper ..read more

The calendar turns over to a fresh, brand-new year, full of promise. But many of us stay stuck at the promise to do stage. This episode is about how do we keep these promises we make to ourselves and get to the end of the year with our resolutions intact and goals realised. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/chris-beks/message ..read more

With the busy lead-up to Christmas and now the New Year many small businesses have a challenging road ahead of them, especially in this recovering economy. Small businesses that were already in operation when the downturn began were hit hard and are struggling to stay on their feet, that is, if they don't go under entirely.  Managing stress as a small business owner can be a monumental task, but it is so incredibly important to the business and to the individual in question. Today’s episode is about recognising stress and the ways to deal with and manage it. --- Send in a voice message: h ..read more

Those of us who have kids (particularly young ones old enough to believe in Santa and the magic of Christmas) or will be surrounded by them via family or friends at Christmas time will at some point in time be confronted by the real BIG QUESTION when it comes to answering their questions - about Santa and whether he's real! So, how do you tell your kids without them totally freaking out and yelling at you about being a big, fat liar? And keeping them from spilling the secret to their younger siblings? Today’s episode is about how to deal with the time when the deep dark secret about the realit ..read more

With your small business, if you’re not using social media, you’re missing a trick. Social media is a fantastic way to promote your business and engage customers, especially in high-spending times like the run-up to Christmas! This episode has ideas for how you can get social this Christmas which can even lead to more sales! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/chris-beks/message ..read more

While a Christmas party can be great fun, it can also be the catalyst for people arguing, losing their jobs or even - worst case scenario - ending up in jail. In fact, it's now become so much of a talking point that lawyers now see this time of the year as a very lucrative part of their litigation business. Not to worry today’s episode has some party safety tips for employers and employees to follow.  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/chris-beks/message ..read more

It’s that time of the year when the spirit of Christmas is truly alive - the decorations are up everywhere, Mariah Carey is stuck on auto replay in shopping malls and businesses are looking to celebrate with their Teams at the annual Christmas Party and provide them with Christmas Gifts. This episode is about the costly mistake that employers often make when playing Santa for their Team and then trying to claim the Christmas Party and Christmas Gifts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/chris-beks/message ..read more

The use of remote offshore workers or virtual assistants is revolutionising the way business owners deal with a large number of menial tasks in a labour-shortage market.  Virtual Assistants or VAs can work on a part-time or full-time basis, and they can be hired for specific projects or on an ongoing basis. They are typically paid by the hour, project, or month. In this episode, I am joined by a business colleague of mine, Carmen Williams, who runs the very successful international employee management service - Global Teams, to discuss how they can transform your business and the way you ..read more