All posts filed under: Articles

bicycles-column-Modewest

Miners on Bicycles

Published by Gina Jaaskelainen

I had driven along Great Western Highway past Blackheath and Mount Victoria when the scenery suddenly changed. Instead of endless, monotonous woods, there was a vast valley with open fields, farm houses, horses on paddocks and quaint little shops along the highway. I breathed a sigh of relief. The long and winding descent down the hill eased into a leisurely drive on a country road. The bright Australian sun was up and doing its best to put a smile on these pastoral surroundings. We both had a job to do and we were feeling fine. I was on my way to the “little house on the prairie”, as its owner called it. She had hired me to photograph her partner’s bicycle collection as a birthday surprise for him. The idea was to select one or two of the photos and make a canvas print to present to the hero of the day. It was a great idea and I wanted to help make it succeed. As I arrived at the little house, my client had …

sole-trader-business-man-thinking-Modewest-Growth

Soul Searching Sole Trader

Published by Gina Jaaskelainen

Those of us who have launched into the life of a sole trader know why we did it—the lifestyle, the personal reward, the independence, the lack of office politics and fickle employers. But how do you make sure you have a truly viable business that will consistently deliver the income you want? Rob Drage, business mentor at Thexton Armstrong Drage in Faulconbridge, says that every sole trader needs to do some soul searching—and he recommends two regular review processes. Taking a good, hard look at your business might not be every sole trader’s idea of fun—it might even be terrifying—but it is essential. “The life of a sole trader can be rewarding, frustrating, exhilarating and stressful all at once,” says Rob. “Part of balancing these emotions is having a thorough understanding of the business, the customers and the competition.” Rob’s two review processes, the SWOT analysis and Business Definition, take time, thought and discussion to get the most benefit, and to most people they are far less exciting than just running the business. However without …