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Forward

Cheering for you in 2017

FEBRUARY IS - Feel Good Feb (FGF) is having the intention and taking the time to make others feel good during February and beyond. Do a kind deed for a stranger.

Find posters and tips for spreading kindness here

Hope you enjoy this issue of basically business

Sharon

BUSINESS INSIGHTS February already! Did you make resolutions this year? Or maybe you chose a word for the year!

Resolutions are great but without planning and taking definite action all they become are dreams. Don't get me wrong dreams are great, but setting goals are the next step to the process of making sure you have the life you want.

When you engage in SMART goal setting you are identifying resources, time, funds and effort to attain these dreams. Create daily, weekly and monthly action plans and take steps to ensure you stay on track. It's important that you take time each month reviewing what you have achieved, pat yourself on the back and reset for the next month.

Like most things in life there are different strategies to use in goal setting, do your research and find out what works best for you. Finally, keep your goals in a prominent place on paper, on your computer and create a vision board to ensure they stay front of mind.

ENTREPRENEUR REVIEW - This month Robyn Babbage shares some things about herself and her business.

Business name - Diamond Dog Wash

Website Diamond Dog Wash

How did the business originate? After many years as a stay at home mum I was looking for work that I would enjoy with flexibility to look after my children.

How long have you been in this business? 10+ years

What do you love about your business? Of course, the dogs! On top of that the lovely customers that I have and get to chat with.

I have had a passion for dogs and have had dogs all my life. I was the painful daughter who always picked up the stray dogs and brought them home begging my parents to let me keep them if we couldn't find the owners. I never was successful by the way! So now we have 3 dogs and probably have had 3 for the past 25 years or so.

Is there anything you dislike? Naturally the odd aggressive dog is not what I look forward to. I also dislike and feel guilty during my busy periods for making people wait for their appointments!

Favourite food: Chocolate, isn't that every bodies?

Favourite colour: Purple

Favourite drink: Water

Favourite movie: Don't have one.

Favourite time of the day: First thing in the morning if I get a chance to take my dogs to the beach, great way to start the day

Favourite item in your office: My great cordless clippers

Favourite app on your phone/tablet/computer: Don't have one.

What book are you reading right now? Who has time to read.... I wish!

Which 3 people (dead or alive) would you invite to a dinner party? Why? Only 3? Some great friends who make me laugh and are good company to be with

Name 3 things on your bucket list: travel more in Australia, drive a motor home to NT, world cruise

What do you like to do for yourself? Take a bush walk with family or friends and the dogs

Who do you seek advice from? My hubby, even my kids sometimes. Shouldn't say kids, my 3 young men

What advice would you give to someone thinking of starting their own business? Be passionate about what you want to do and your half way to success. give good customer service, be on time, do what you say, good communication

What is your tip for a work/life balance? This is the hard part, took me a some years to get this right. Try set yourself work hours and as a general rule stick to it or you'll be switched on 24/7. You have to learn to switch off, not so easy.

Apple / Android: Apple

Beach / Bush: Both very lucky to live in such a great place that gives us both!

APP REVIEW - I have mentioned Google Keep before as one of my favourite apps. It is one I use constantly and consistently. It lets you quickly take and save notes, photos, screenshots, voice memos and checklists and then access them again on any web connected device you use. Keep also connects to Google Drive.

Its ideal for - quick note-taking on the go
- anyone who appreciates simple, fast note-taking tools or apps, or
- saving notes on the desktop that you know you will need on your Android phone like shopping lists addresses, phone numbers, checklists and to-do lists.

It is colourful and easy to use and the colours are actually organisation tools that make it easy to tell your personal notes apart from your work-related ones, or your family-related ones, and so on. The searchable function allows you to easily find your notes using just a keyword.

Google Keep is easy to learn and easy to use whether you prefer taking notes on the desktop or on your Android phone or tablet. It's almost like having sticky notes.

Google Keep is available on Google Play.

SMALL BIZ TIP - It always surprises me when I talk to business owners about their invoicing habits. Your business, and ultimately your family, relies on money coming in for the work that you have done.

It does no one any good if you are invoicing clients irregularly. If you are paying your suppliers as the bills fall due you will have next to no cash flow.

To encourage your customers to pay your invoices on time your business should Read more

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EVENTS WORTH NOTING THIS MONTH INCLUDE:

The Fishbowl will be having a morning catch up at LimeLeaf Cafe at Sunrise Nursery on Thursday 23 February at 10am. It will be a great opportunity to network and socialise with other business owners. Keep updated through the Facebook group