Thursday, February 25, 2010

Coffee Time Minutes - 24th February 2010

Coffee Time – 24th February 2010

Welcome

Welcome to our new visitors.

Apologises

Dean, John, Tony, Sue, Karen

Who we are?

Small and Home Business owners meeting to build relationships from other SBO’s.

What is CT?

Relatively casual meeting group, where you can network, talk about business ideas and strategies, and learn from one another.

Where?

Tuggerah’s Zenith Centre.

When?

At 10.30 am on the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays of the month. Arrival 10.25 am for 10.30 am start. (Runs for about 1 hour)

Raffle?

The raffle is going around. This will go together with today’s collection to the Iris Foundation. So far this year we have raised $105.00

Tickets will be $2 each, or three for $5. If you would like to donate a prize to the group for the raffle, please let me know. Other wise I will purchase from the collection of funds and will be worth up to the value of $10 each fortnight. All monies will be donated each month to the charity of choice.

Update:

B2B with a twist was at Villa Sorgenti last week. 250 business people went along, with lots of new people. BEC and NSW Chamber of Commerce Managers crushed grapes. Lots of fun, some great food, launch of the B2B Business Festival.

Central Coast Women’s Network Luncheon was on at Mingara last week. 35 ladies attended and probably 30 who hadn’t been. It was a nice luncheon with Laura from Nutrizone speaking to us all about hormones.

Last night was the Wyong Chamber of Commerce – 114 people went along. Good night, speaker included Glen Kirkwood – re Networking and Central Coast Bears” CEO – Mr Greg Florimo & Mr David Fairleigh
Expos/Events:

· B2B Festival – Buy Local – Wyong Race Club, 13th May
· May 2010 – Home and Small Business Month
· CCWN Business Expo Extravaganza – Mingara 23rd June

Up Coming Networking:

· Coffee Times 24th Feb and 10th & 24th March
· International Women’s Day – CCWN is supporting the Day on the Central Coast at Iguana Joes on 5th Mar.
· 10th of March B2B in Newcastle – Maritime Centre

Education:

BEC courses evening courses (6 – 9pm)
· 24th Feb – Operating a business from home
· 2nd Mar – Sales and Marketing – Part A
· 10th Mar – Sales and Marketing – Part b
· 16TH Mar – Business Planning Part A
· 23rd Mar – Business Planning Part B

Wins:

Tarnia (Gurney Financial Services) – picked up 5 new clients

Tarnia (Planningwerx4u) – picked up a 10hr/week contract with a local manufacturing company to sort out their business, do their marketing and planning, office management.

Ted – www.photo5o5.com – found this great site for you

Ted – Presented Send out Cards to an Australian Charity

Jenny - Meet at Georges – 3 weeks in and business picking up. Repeat business. Local Butcher

Lyn – Buy Local Festival picked up 76 exhibitioners and 22 sponsors in the first 4 days of the launch.

Mandy – negotiated exhibition space for an artist

Mandy – has been appointed an administrator for NSW Central Coast Face Book Group

Chris – Got a testimonial from a new client “expediential”

Needs:

Ted has a person looking for some part time or casual work. If you know of anyone, please contact Ted. Thanks


Who are you & what do you do: 30 Sec story about you

Tarnia Gurney: Gurney Financial Services
www.gurneyfinancialservices.com.au

Planningwerx4U
www.planningwerx4u.com.au

Natalie Pye: C & N Freight.
www.cnfreight.com

Megan Roberts: Bell Bird Web Solutions
www.bellbirdwebsolutions.com.au

Ted O’Shannessy: Financial Freeway
www.financialfreeway.com.au

Sandra Boyd: Kani Consultants
Website still being built -sandi.kani@gmail.com

Toni Fountain: Insight Health – Chiropractor
Website still being built - toni_fountain@rslcom.net.au

Brian Maggs: Management Assistance Australia
Website still to be built – bmaggs@maagroup.com.au

Brian Plush: Management Assistance Australia
Website still to be built – brian.plush@bigpond.com

Jenny Abourizk: Job Centre Australia
www.jobcentreaustralia.com.au

Lyn Thompson: LBH Promotions
www.lbhpromotions.com.au

B2B
www.b2b.com.au

Toni Oliver: Toni Oliver Conveyancing
www.tonioliverconveyancing.com.au

Kathy Bree: Coffee News Central Coast
www.coffeenewscc.com.au

Heather Nilsen: Perfect Blooms
www.perfectblooms.com.au

Hugh Bowman: Bowman Coastwide Bookkeeping
Email – hugh.bowman@iinet.net.au

Moria Bayliss: Herbalist

Natalie Rodriquez: Unique Photography
www.uniquephotography.com.au

Mandy Apsey–Jones: Art like no other
Contact – mandy_loveslife@hotmail.com

Christopher Eather: Bunnys Computer Repairs & Builds
Contact – chris.eather@gmail.com


Presentations:

Today’s presentation is from Hugh Bowman from Bowman Bookkeeping on Cash Flow in your business.

Money Bucket
· Money comes in
· We have little go out in expenses
· Then we have unexpected bills come out

· Looking at your cashflow you need to plan.

· Invoicing problems – many business owners don’t follow up on their outstanding accounts. Ask for money.
· Change your payment terms to 7 days.
· On day 8 - call and see if they have received the invoice if so can they pay
· On day 14 – if not paid, send a reminder
· On day 28 – if not paid, send a reminder

· Discuss your terms up front for payments with clients.
· If charging a late fee or interest you need to charge up front.
· Always go through to the person who has control of the accounts and payments, speak to them

· Pull all your invoicing in.

· Control your clients and supplier payments

· Reduce outgoings

· Idea – if not comfortable ringing people for outstanding accounts, then have someone ring for you and follow up the debts

· Important to have a cashflow budget – look to 3 months of budgeting

· Know what your income due is what your outgoing expenditure

· Know when your payments are due, if cannot pay on time, organise a payment plan with the business

· Watch your spending. Especially if you have a monthly account. Don’t order in the final few days if cash flow is tight.

· If you owe the ATO, call them and discus your options for payments. If you need help ask them. But make regular payments and stick to the plan

· Registering for GST – watch out for the compliance

· Leasing vehicles –
o Chattel mortgage – tax advantage up front on GST
o Leasing with a residual – claim each month

Look at what you can afford.

For more information or any questions – please contact Hugh


Raffle Drawn:

Prize donated from: Tarnia Gurney
Amount collected this fortnight: $36
Today’s Winner – Mandy
That is a total of $141 to be donated to the Iris Foundation this quarter.

Thank you for coming along today. Feel free to network with your peers.

Our Next Meeting is on the 10th March. We will start at 10.30am sharp.

Our Next Presentation will be by Angela Anthony on Estate Planning.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Coffee Time Minutes - 10th February 2010

Welcome

Welcome to our new visitors.

Apologises

Dean Brown, John Mann, Rae Phillips, Karen Teunissen, Hugh Bowman

Who we are?

Small and Home Business owners meeting to build relationships from other SBO’s.

What is CT?

Relatively casual meeting group, where you can network, talk about business ideas and strategies, and learn from one another.

Where?

Tuggerah’s Zenith Centre.

When?

At 10.30 am on the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays of the month. Arrival 10.25 am for 10.30 am start. (Runs for about 1 hour)

Update on:

The raffle is going around. Last meeting we raised $34. This will go together with today’s collection to the Iris Foundation. So far this year we have raised $78.00

Tickets will be $2 each, or three for $5. If you would like to donate a prize to the group for the raffle, please let me know. Other wise I will purchase from the collection of funds and will be worth up to the value of $10 each fortnight. All monies will be donated each month to the charity of choice.

Expos/Events:

· B2B Festival – Buy Local – Wyong Race Club, 13th May
· May 2010 – Home and Small Business Month
· CCWN Business Expo Extravaganza – Mingara 23rd June

Networking:

· Coffee Times 24th Feb and 10th & 24th March
· B2B with a twist – 17th Feb – Central Coast B2B Networking Night
· Central Coast Women’s Network Luncheon at Mingara – 18th Feb
· Wyong Chamber of Commerce – networking and dinner. 23rd Feb
· International Women’s Day – CCWN is supporting the Day on the Central Coast at Iguana Joes on 5th Mar.

Education:

BEC courses evening courses (6 – 9pm)
· 16th Feb – Research Business Opportunities – getting into business
· 24th Feb – Operating a business from home
· 2nd Mar – Sales and Marketing – Part A
· 10th Mar – Sales and Marketing – Part b
· 16TH Mar – Business Planning Part A
· 23rd Mar – Business Planning Part B

Australian Retail Association is offering a free 3 hr training session at the Zenith Centre on the 19th Feb. if interested please contact me and I will send out link.

Wins:

Tony Bourke – Distribution of his book Australia Wide.

Ted O’Shannessy – Send out Cards Events organised in Sydney

Christina & Darren – Wiggles n Giggles have a new class at Mardi – free trial

Megan – Bellbird Business has picked up


Who are you & what do you do: 30 Sec story about you

Tarnia Gurney:
Gurney Financial Services
www.gurneyfinancialservices.com.au

Planningwerx4U
www.planningwerx4u.com.au

Natalie Pye:
C & N Freight.
cnfreight@bigpond.com

Megan Roberts:
Bell Bird Web Solutions
www.bellbirdwebsolutions.com.au

Ted O’Shannessy:
Financial Freeway
www.financialfreeway.com.au

Rob Buckworth:
C4telecom Communications
www.c4telecom.com.au

Christina & Darren Jones:
Wiggle n Giggle
www.wiggleandgigglemusic.com.au

Sandra Boyd:
Kani Consultants
Website still being built -sandi.kani@gmail.com

Anthony Green:
Psoriasis & Skin Clinic
www.psoriasis.com.au

Simon Cook:
Toshiba and World Pacific Telecommunications
www.toshiba-web.com

Tony Bourke:
AIIB Insurance – Director of AIIB
http://www.aiib.com.au

Craig Giles
Centrum Printing.
www.centrumprinting.com.au

Toni Fountain:
Insight Health – Chiropractor
Website still being built - toni_fountain@rslcom.net.au

Brian Maggs:
Management Assistance Australia
Website still to be built – bmaggs@maagroup.com.au

Brian Plush:
Management Assistance Australia
Website still to be built – brian.plush@bigpond.com

Wayne Gates:
BEC – Business Enterprise Centre
www.centralcoastsmallbiz.com.au

Discussion on Challenges in Business:

Today we discussed opportunities and marketing ideas. Suggestions were:
Networking events
News papers
Medical journals
Buses
Radio
Website – own website – not others
Flyers
Mail outs in local area
Reoccurring -letter box drop in specific areas: 4 - 6 times over the year
Letters to other practitioners that can refer people to the business
BNI
Have a blog
Referral system with doctors
Referral system with clients
Send personal cards to clients – Christmas, birthdays, hi how are you?
Work out who is your target market? Where is your target market?
Advertise in community centres,
True local, yellow pages, www.gumtree.com.au www.flyingsolo.com.au
Twitter, face book, linked in and my space

Presentations:

Today’s presentation is from Wayne from the BEC:
BEC provides a mentoring service for home and small businesses
Mentors – all volunteer – have previously owned or run businesses.
Assist in business plan
Provides workshops on sales, marketing, cashflow, business planning, etc for small business owners
Small business start up business – support from NAB
Bringing business online – workshops in 2010
Looking at virtual offices.

For more information or any questions – please contact Wayne at BEC – Business Enterprise Centre on www.centralcoastsmallbiz.com.au or 4355 4885

Raffle Drawn:

Prize donated from: Tarnia Gurney
Amount collected this fortnight: $27
Today’s Winner – Christina Jones
That is a total of $105 to be donated to the Iris Foundation this quarter.

Thank you for coming along today. Feel free to network with your peers.

Our Next Meeting is on the 24th February. We will start at 10.30am sharp.

Our Next Presentation will be by Hugh Bowman from Bowman Bookkeeping on Cashflow in your business.