Making the most of tendering opportunities

Invoice finance

Should my business bid for Government contracts?The short answer is yes. In fact, it shouldn’t be a case of ‘why’ but ‘why not’? Why tender?Providing goods and services to Government and the Public sector can be highly lucrative for small business. Winning a Government contract can be a great way to establish a name, generate […]

‘Excessive’ ATO debt recovery measures a threat to business solvency

The controversial debt recovery tactics employed by the Australian Tax Office (ATO) have been called in to question by the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell. A recent review by the Auditor General found that Australia’s 3.8 million small businesses currently owe nearly two thirds of collectable tax debt.  While the ATO’s […]

Why more brokers recommend invoice finance

Invoice Finance

Cash flow is a critical success factor for any business.  We recently conducted survey within our Broker network (Australia and New Zealand) with the aim of learning more about the causes of cash flow stress, how people react, and what measures can be taken to manage it. Our survey found that 75% of Brokers would […]

The UK market – levelling the playing field for invoice payments

Regulators in the UK have recently proposed a ban on unfair contract agreements for SME’s.  Currently UK corporates can include terms with their suppliers that prevent those businesses from borrowing against unpaid invoices – that is, using invoice finance.  This initiative is one of a series of measures by the UK Government to combat late […]

Darwin October Business Month

Part of the Northern Territory Government’s October Business Month Join us for drinks and discussion: BEYOND THE BANKS – THE FUTURE OF FINANCEBOOK NOW REGISTRATION IS FREE What is the future of finance post Royal Commission into the banking sector?How banks are changing?What impact this will have on business lending. Why businesses should look to […]

Good news for the Manufacturing Industry but the drought pushes input costs higher

According to news reports this week, activity levels across Australia’s manufacturing industry has rebounded positively in August. The Australian Industry Group’s Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) reported a rise to 56.7 points last month after seasonal adjustments, up 4.7 points on the level reported in July.  This is a particularly strong performance amid the political chaos of […]

With tax cuts for big business abandoned, what is the fallout for SME’s?

The news has been dominated in recent days by the Liberal Party Leadership saga, a new Prime Minister and a new Cabinet.  However, the last days of the Turnbull Government saw proposed corporate tax cuts for big business being consigned to the scrapheap. The contentious plan to cut the corporate tax rate for big business […]

How fast finance can become a long-term problem for SME’s

We are pleased to see the findings of the landmark report released by the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO)  published in June this year.  Since her 2016 appointment, Kate Carnell has been targeting the lack of funding options for Australia’s 2.2 million Small Business owners, many of whom rely on credit to support and […]

Can Credit Cards help Small Business?

According to report in the Sydney Morning Herald today, Australians owe $45 billion on credit cards and are paying more than five billion dollars a year in interest.  Where does this kind of ‘debt trap’ leave small business? Accessing affordable funding is an ongoing issue for small business.  The RBA has previously reported that due to a lack of […]

The big lesson for small business arising from the Banking Royal Commission

The Royal Commission into Australia’s banking and financial services industry has highlighted the issues many business owners have faced in recent years — and it isn’t over yet. But it’s already taught us one thing: if you’re a small business, you might want to think twice about relying solely on the banks that earn billions […]