MoneyCentral Magazine

Forget Get-Rich-Quick. Here’s How to Get Rich Slowly But Surely.

Posted on by

By Michelle Baltazar

Are you stingy or generous?

I figured for any financial advice to be effective, it has to involve absolutely no sacrifice on my part. Zilch. Nada. I put my hand up for reading finance articles that tell me if I don’t buy that $3.50 cup of takeaway coffee in the morning, I’ll be able to save $875 in a year.

Excellent! But then I’ll be miserable for the entire year, too, so that advice ended in the bin, right next to a discarded coffee cup.

This article will tell you how to save money you don’t see. There are many ways to do that, but I’m keeping it to three based on your age bracket.

If you’re 20 and under

Tip no. 1: Honestly? Don’t even worry about it. Chances are you’re working at a fast-food chain earning about $15 or so an hour. By the time the weekend rolls in, your paycheque will be just enough to buy that t-shirt you’ve been eyeing for ages. What’s the point? Squander $40 on a t-shirt that’ll make you feel good while you’re wearing it? Or put it in the bank and feel miserable? Hey, that make-up kit is on sale… bargain!

So the tip is if you decide to live your teens with no financial compass whatsoever, you’re not alone. Besides, you’ll have your 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s to be financially responsible. So make the most of your youth while you still have it!

Tip no. 2: Alright, so you’re one of those who do want to save up. Brilliant! Use the power of compound interest. Put simply, the sooner you start saving, the better off you’re going to be.

For example, if you save about $10,000 by the time you’re 18, then you will have 100 times as much, or around $1 million, by the time you retire (as long as you make 10% per year). The calculations get complicated because you need to factor in many things, but the bottom line is that the sooner you start saving, whether it’s $1,000 or $10,000, all you have to do is let time work for you.

That’s the lazy girl’s guide to saving. Don’t scrimp. Just put money in the bank and promise yourself that you won’t cash it in until you’re in your 50s. Let the power of compound interest make you a millionaire.

Tip no. 3: Study hard. It’s going to be tough to ask you to develop a finance strategy when you’re trying to sort out your relationship strategy or ‘how to move out of home’ strategy. Studying hard means, you’ll be setting yourself up to get a high-paying job straight out of university. Or at least have more options ahead of you.

Studying hard also means you’ll be cooped up at night rifling through reams of notes instead of being out with your friends – and spending money.

If you’re in your 20s and 30s

Tip no. 1: Stop thinking of your tax return day as a shop-till-you-drop day. Put the money aside and consider it your savings for the year. Easy. When your savings hit $5,000, put it in a high-interest savings account and forget about it.

If you happen to be earning so much that you have to give the Australian Tax Office (ATO) more money, don’t worry. It just means you’ll have more money to make through tax-deductible investments or some form of salary package. But that’s the subject of another article.

Tip no. 2:

Buy a property as soon as you can.
Talk to your parents if they can help you.
Shop around for a good home loan deal.
Go on a ‘chicken noodle soup’ diet for six months for the deposit if you have to.

One of the best decisions I made was buying my first property at age 24. I wasn’t ready, but circumstances forced me to sign the dotted line. You don’t have to be 100% sure that you can afford one. Even if you’re only 70% there, the rest will work itself out. The key thing is that property prices, on average, double every seven years, so even when house prices are high, they can only get higher.

Of course, given the housing prices are down right now, you could wait a while until they hit rock bottom. You could save tens of thousands if you got the timing right, but all that waiting might make you change your mind. Mortgage boots today or tomorrow is no less painful. Just bite the bullet and see the fruits of your labour in seven years.

Tip no. 3: Have at least one business failure under your belt. If you look at BRW Rich200, a list of the country’s wealthiest families and individuals, you will notice one trend: most are not rich through inheritance but hard work. One thing most of them have in common? Bankruptcy at some point in their career or at least one business venture that failed before they struck gold.

Your 20s or 30s are the best time to dream big because even if you fail, you still have time to recover and pursue something else. If you leave it any later, you might not be foolish enough to brave the odds. Nine out of 10 businesses fail, but the one business that does might just put you on the Rich200.

If you’re in your 40s and 50s

Tip no. 1: Check your super. In the early 90s, the government introduced a new law that requires all businesses to set aside the equivalent of nine percent of their worker’s salary in a so-called superannuation fund. The rationale at the time was that millions of Australians weren’t saving enough for their retirement, and their future pension might not be enough for their needs. Not enough for a country that rates itself as first-world.

While you may regard super as ‘invisible’ money because you can’t get your hands on it until you retire, it is ‘real’ money. More importantly, the government has introduced new rules last year which give people better tax rates and more money (under a so-called government co-contribution scheme) if they divert their savings out of their savings bank account and into super.

The tip? Find out if you have one or more super funds and merge them into one account. Check the website of your current super fund to find out more. You’ll cut down your fees and have more savings come retirement.

Tip no. 2: Check your super. This is not an error. It’s worth saying twice because statistics have shown 90 percent of people don’t bother. Do two things: find out your superannuation account balance and find out if you have one or more super funds.

Your decision to ignore this advice can make the difference between watching polar bears aboard an Alaskan cruise or watching polar bears at Taronga Zoo.

Tip no. 3: Stay away from ‘get rich quick’ schemes. Statistics show that those in their 40s and 50s are the main targets of con artists simply because many baby boomers have ‘lazy’ assets lying around. This could mean the main home, investment properties, or shares inherited from working in a company. Many would also have tens of thousands in the bank just waiting for an ‘investment’ home by this time.

In the last two years, many Australian investors have been caught out by the collapse of property companies such as Westpoint, which promised much higher interest than its rivals. It turned out the company was using the money from ‘new’ investors to pay off the ‘old’ investors. It didn’t help that some financial planners were getting a lot of commission for recommending the company to their clients.

The lesson? Don’t squander your life savings on investments that sound too good to be true.

Money tips for all ages

Managing money is complicated. Studies show that the Australian tax system could be simplified. Superannuation is too complex to understand. Saving money is difficult when there are many products to choose from, and fraudsters are only too eager to con you.

Against that environment, there are three things you can do to get rich slowly but safely:

Let ‘time’ do all the hard work.
Buy an asset as early you can and, as unexciting as it sounds.
Find out more about your super.

Oh yeah, don’t max out your credit card. But who am I kidding?

Source: The Australian Filipina

The 4 Most Vital Elements To Know About Online Marketing In 2022

Posted on by

Let’s face it, online marketing is always evolving. There will always be changes in the manner that people make transactions through the Internet, which means that online marketing can also change along with it.

In order to go along well with the possible changes in the virtual marketing procedures, you must know the essential elements that are guaranteed to lead you to a successful business endeavor online. The following are the most vital elements to know about online marketing for an efficient business venture online.

Market knowledge

Prior to endeavor online, you should first know your target audience. The moment you have effectively learned who your target market is, it will be easier to start for you at that point. Once you already identified the market that you will deal with, it will improve your chance of learning about the marketing strategy that you will use in your business. Market knowledge is the foundation of any marketing technique whether doing an online or physical transaction.

Responsive website

A responsive website is composed of images, videos, and other important elements of an operational website. Your site should have a series of capturing leads that can help you gain potential customers that you might not be expecting at first. A website can be compared to a virtual brochure wherein you will have a catalog of your products and services. Having your own website will surely help in establishing a good business identity for your business.

Content

Your content means a lot in online marketing. In most cases, a business can easily be identified through its content which is why it is necessary for you to come up with high-quality content. Internet marketing is a broad area in the virtual world wherein you are most likely to encounter a series of competitors in the same niche as yours. A business has a higher possibility of getting known in the market because the content is easier to contribute online.

Quality design

Aside from the fact that you need to have quality content for your site, it is as well essential for it to have a creative design to attract potential customers. A good design for your website is a great investment that will give you higher chances of increasing the number of your audience. You should make it to a point that you invested in quality design to make it more comfortable for your customers to deal effectively with you. Paying attention to great design is a way for you to arrive at the best results for your business.

Learning about these elements of online marketing is the first step towards a successful marketing plan over the Internet. Making money online goes on a careful procedure in order to increase your sales at the end of the day. When you work on each of these elements, you will be able to produce more sales and revenue by the end of the year. In this case, you can call your business truly a success.

Photo by Canva Studio from Pexels

3 Real Ways To Make More Money In 2022 (In 10 Days)

Posted on by

By Michelle Baltazar

If one of your new year’s resolutions for 2022 is to sort out your finances, you’re not alone. The Coronavirus pandemic brought on drastic changes in our ability to maintain a secure job, earn extra income and start (or keep) a new business.

But there are ways you can make 2022 a better year by following these two simple steps – in 10 days. The best thing to do is to spread the tasks over several weekends.

Tip #1 Start a weekly savings budget. Time required: Two-three days

Technically, you can prepare this budget in a couple of hours or less, but to avoid the anxiety, allocate a weekend or two. There is also a difference between an expense budget (how much you spend) versus a savings budget (how much you save).

Most people know they have to set aside a certain amount off their wages for bills and other expenses but not many put together a weekly savings budget – and that’s a big difference.

I’m not saying this is going to be easy but it’s absolutely worth the effort. There are many budgeting spreadsheets available on the internet but I recommend this one from the government as it means you’re not giving away your financial info to a third-party service provider (unless you don’t mind this!).

Step one: Go to Budget Planner and work out your expense budget as indicated in their spreadsheet. It’s alright if you can’t fill the spreadsheet completely. If you can at least cover your major expenses, then you’re already a step ahead of most people.

Step two: Once you’ve filled in the spreadsheet, you’ll know how much money you have remaining. From this amount, you can work out your weekly savings budget.

Step three: Hey, if this is all too hard, to begin with, nominate a savings amount and stick with it for the year. Even a small amount, say $50 a week, works out to be at least $2,000 for the year.

Tip #2. Check your superannuation. Time required: One-two days

Again, you don’t need two days to do this, especially if you’ve already downloaded your superannuation app. But if you’re scratching your head and wondering what ‘superannuation’ even means, your future self will thank you if you swap an hour of a Netflix episode with an hour of googling the term.

Here’s a link to a government website to know more: How Super Works

The actual tip here is that by the end of this exercise, you should be able to answer two important questions:

What is the name of your superannuation fund?

What is your superannuation account balance?

If you can answer both of those questions easily, well done! You’d be surprised how many people don’t know these very basic details about their super.

Tip #3 Subscribe to Money Magazine for their twice-a-week free newsletters. Time required: Less than five minutes

Full disclosure: I am the editor-in-chief of this magazine so, of course, I’ll recommend that you subscribe to it but I can’t tell you how many hundreds, even thousands, of dollars I have saved simply from reading tips from the finance experts we feature over the course of the year.

You can also choose to subscribe to any other finance newsletters or websites. It doesn’t matter as long as you do subscribe to at least one finance-related resource in 2022. Financial literacy can do wonders for your wallet.

The main thing though is that you don’t invest nor give your money to finance schemes that sound too good to be true. If they are offering you unrealistic returns, it’s most likely a scam.

There you have it – three tips to kick off your financial journey in 2022. There’s so much more than you can do but I believe in the power of three when it comes to completing tasks, big or small. By ticking these three goals first, you’re more likely to gain confidence in your financial acuity.

Source: The Australian Filipina

Meet The Entrepreneur Behind The Cover Of The January 2022 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Scott Hughes

Posted on by

A veteran entrepreneur, Scott Hughes is the founder of OnlineBookClub.org. He is also a highly sought-after author of four books; Justice: A Novella, 10 Step Plan to Promote Your Book, Achieve Your Dreams, and The Banned Book about Love. He recently announced that he finally finished the first draft of his next book “#InItTogether: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All.”

Born and raised in Manchester, Connecticut, from 2006-2014, he worked at various modest jobs on the side, including being a server and bartender at various local restaurants. In late 2014, Scott eventually decided to give up his side jobs and focus working full-time on just one thing – OnlineBookClub.org. OnlineBookClub.org is a bibliophile’s heaven and one of the best websites around for booklovers. It has it all; free books, daily contests, book discussions, and so much more. OnlineBookClub.org will even pay people to read and review books plus; it’s free to use, hence why it grew at such a rapid pace.

Since 2014, OnlineBookClub grew from strength to strength, and, as of November 2021, OnlineBookClub has garnered over 2.7 million registered members. Its development team recently released an OnlineBookClub e-reading app which is supposedly meant to compete with Amazon Kindle, called OBC Reader – it’s now available on both the Google Play Store and the Apple Store.

MoneyCentral magazine recently caught up with Scott to discuss his journey as an entrepreneur, and here’s what went down:

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?

Fundamentally, I grow the business exponentially with a simple formula: I delegate whatever and as much as I can, hiring new people as needed. Then I take the time of mine that’s been free to do extra work or new projects that I wouldn’t have had time for otherwise. I also push that pattern down the chain as much as possible so that the other people I have working for me delegate what they can to others, especially new hires, freeing up themselves to take on more work.

Essentially, when I hired my first full-time assistant, it doubled the output. Then I eventually hired two more people, one for me to delegate to and one for my assistant.

For me, it comes down to crucial ingredients: Delegation and leveraging the power of exponents and exponential growth.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

My Social Media Director, Beth Jackson, leads our social media team. To be properly active on multiple social media platforms requires an entire team of people. Off the top of my head, we currently primarily use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Reddit, LinkedIn, Minds.com, and MeWe.

What is your experience with paid advertising, like PPC or sponsored content campaigns? Does it work?

It depends on what you are advertising. PPC on search engines like Google can provide highly targeted leads at almost unlimited volume, fairly easily. But it only works if you have a way to monetize those targeted leads in a way that exceeds the cost of obtaining them at volume. For instance, I don’t feel that it’s a good strategy for advertising a single $3 book because the profit per book sale will not be enough to cover the cost of obtaining an initial lead and a $3 sale from the ads.

If the cost of your product or service is high enough and converts well enough with targeted leads, it can work. But another factor is whether you are using those leads to create long-term relationships. So, for instance, it could work great for a subscription service, such as one of those weekly subscription boxes for prepared food in the mail.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand and engaging your customers? How did your business stand out?

My main tactic is making the best product I can or in other words, ensuring customer satisfaction. I follow this motto: Great advertising only makes a bad product fail faster. And, in a competitive commercial setting, anything less than great or amazing is a bad product. In a competitive commercial setting, merely good is not good enough.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

Viral marketing is the only thing that has ever really worked for me. You make a great product or service, and then as needed, find a way to encourage your customers or users to spread the word. The more important part is the former, and depending on the business and product the latter may do itself.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

Personally speaking, my wife and I chose to get divorced in early August. That’s not really business-related, but it definitely comes to mind when you mention tough decisions.

But it speaks to this point: business decisions aren’t really ever tough for me. It’s the common cliché from movies and such that someone says usually before doing something seemingly mean “It’s not personal; it’s business.” Business is often just math. Which one makes more money? Which one costs less? Which one takes less time? What’s the bottom line?

What mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

When I first went full-time working on my business without any side jobs to pay my rent and put food on the table, I was working 70-80 hours a week. My profit—meaning what I paid myself—the first year doing that was $20,000. I worked 70-80 hours because I had to keep the business from going under and pay my rent and bills. I was scraping by the pennies some weeks—literally; I remember taking my jar of coins to the Coinstar machine on the 10th of the month because rent was due and I literally would have been short unable to pay it without cashing in the $5-$10 in coins I had.

I prefer the term learning experience to mistake, but what I would have done differently if I knew what I knew now is this: Once I got in that habit of working 70-80 hours a week, I kept going for years beyond what I had to. The company and business became very successful, I became very successful financially and professionally. About a year or two ago, I started cutting back and working a lot less per week. I could have afforded to do that much sooner.

And giving myself more free time personally made me more creative and thoughtful, so I think it’s actually been helping the company and business grow even more, ironically.

Sometimes the best ideas for the company come to me while I’m sitting in my hot tub looking up at the moon and stars.

What new business would you love to start?

I would love to start some kind of business that helps people achieve their goals and dreams, particularly in a way that focuses on self-discipline. For me, I use the term self-disciple interchangeably with the term spiritual freedom.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

I got started young. I created OnlineBookClub.org when I was still a teenager.

In one way, I made a ton of mistakes both professionally and personally. My values and priorities now as a 35-year-old man are so different. This 35-year-old Scott speaking to you now would do things much differently than teenager-Scott, but he did what was right for him. If he had done anything differently, the man speaking to you now wouldn’t exist. So I wouldn’t change anything. It’s the Butterfly Effect. I believe in the principle of Amor Fati, meaning love your fate, which in this context means seeing the past as being perfect just as it is. I wouldn’t change a thing about it. Another way of saying the same is to say accept what you cannot change. I believe strongly in that, and the past is something I cannot change, so I believe in wholly accepting it and embracing it with inner peace, seeing it as perfect.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

I wasn’t given it personally, but my best advice comes from Ram Dass, as paraphrased by Mike Posner, and it’s only three words: “Just Love Everything.”

I have that tattooed on my right forearm, where I can see it every day.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

You have to be driven by something other than money. In my anecdotal experience and just from watching the world around me, I’ve found that those who desperately chase money are the least likely to find it. In contrast, when you work hard on yourself and your real dreams, the money chases you. Money and even health and physical fitness are only really ever a means, not an end in themselves. Without some kind of vision or passion to be the real end, the real goal, the real dream, it’s like driving a car with no gas.

When someone overvalues money itself, that person often tends to end up getting paid to work on someone else’s dream in exchange for money.

“This is an Advertisement Feature”

Meet The Shepreneur Behind The Cover Of The December 2021 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Dr. Roya J. Hassad

Posted on by

Award-winning anti-aging physician Dr. Roya J. Hassad has taken the world of cosmetic medicine by storm with her first-class, innovative and ingenious approach to beauty and wellness.

Dr. Hassad, an Educator, Speaker, and the Founder of Hope, Life, and Dream Centers—the most prominent Anti-Aging medical centers in New York, has adopted a streamlined, highly-effective approach to her craft known as The Five C’s: Comprehensive, Cutting-edge, Compassionate, Connected, and Concierge, which we will break down one by one in the following five paragraphs.

Dr. Hassad’s rise in her profession can be adduced to her insistence on delivering a comprehensive service for her clients, which entails conducting a complete and thorough evaluation of each patient individually.

Dr. Hassad’s medical procedures are replete with advanced, state-of-the-art cosmetics and aesthetics. These are inclusive of anti-aging solutions, integrative medicine, preventative care solutions. Dr. Hassad and her team’s focus has always been on ensuring that each patient has an option that works for them.

Compassion is at the forefront of Dr. Hassad’s medical practices. The good doctor has a heartwarming reputation as one of the most compassionate, friendly, and amiable doctors in the field today, a quality she has infused in her medical team.

The world has since gone digital, with virtual connections helping to shape a new reality. Dr. Hassad and her team have harnessed this connection to build an ever-connected world powered by digital technology. She and her team have created an extensive medical network—extending deep into the international medical community—with some industry pioneers in medical health centers. These connections help Dr. Hassad and her team to share ideas with other brilliant minds in the medical field.

Dr. Hassad and her team offer concierge services for clients from beginning to end. The group helps to facilitate some of the more challenging aspects of preventative and aesthetic care, from acquiring previous medical records to scheduling appointments with sub-specialists for unique treatments.

“We approach every client’s health 360-degrees while testing and going over a complete evaluation that ensures our services are effective and safe,” said Dr. Hassad. “We then leverage the most innovative, cutting-edge advanced technology in anti-aging and integrative medicine, including aesthetic and preventative care that is award-winning in nature. While all of this is happening, I oversee a compassionate relationship with the client that acknowledges their personal well-being. It’s this exact arrangement that makes what I do so rewarding to me – I wouldn’t change my job for anything else in the world.”

Dr. Hassad has treated numerous patients with hormone deficiency disorders related to aging, such as menopause or diabetes mellitus in her New York City-based clinic. She has also developed incredible treatments like Bioidentical Hormones, which mimic hormones found in the human body.

5 Good Reasons Wealthy People Love Patek Philippe

Posted on by

Editorial credit: andersphoto / Shutterstock.com

Patek Philippe, a traditional Swiss watchmaking brand, enjoys an aura of covetable glamour that originates from its lavish traditions of watchmaking and its exquisite polished, handcrafted timepieces.

In this article, we will walk you through 5 compelling reasons that make Patek Philippe an incredibly popular choice amongst rich collectors. Here, take a look:

A Symbol of Exclusivity

Research reveals that since 1839, Patek Philippe has made and sold less than 1 million watches, which allows this luxury Swiss watchmaker to enjoy an immensely covetable brand appeal. Patek watches take around nine months to be manufactured, while the more exquisite pieces are produced in a period of over two years. The growing demand and the sought-after models have given the brand an affluent status that allows rich people to set themselves apart in the crowd.

Hand-Finished Beauty

Philip Patek watches are known for their finesse and beauty. These intensely charming timepieces are admired because of their stunning hand-finished components. The Swiss watchmaker infuses each design with an iconic detailing that captivates the admirers with its distinctive and high-end glamour. From the dynamic batons to the hand-finished hands, and the overall design, it is the little details that allow a Patek watch to leave the onlookers struck by its sleek appeal.

It’s an Investment

Many savvy collectors invest in Patek watches as an investment, and both vintage and modern watches promise a spectacular resale value. History stands witness to the fact that Patek watches bought back in the 1950s or 1970s, for instance, the Calatrava, and the 5131 Cloisonné Enamel, sold twice more than their original retail price.

Be part of a Legacy

Patek Philippe maintains an archive for every single watch made since 1839, and it allows watch enthusiasts revel in the confidence of being a proud member of the Patek community. The archives have meticulously documented the history of each and every watch that has ever been produced by the celebrated Swiss watchmaker, allowing the purchaser to be a part of a legacy shared with royal family members, heads of states, and celebrities.

Traditional Watchmaking Traditions

Rich people adore Patek Philippe for its rich legacy and its traditional watch and case-making techniques that date all the way back to the 1800s. This iconic brand continues to dominate the market of luxury watches with its meticulous preservation of centuries’ old watchmaking techniques, handcraftsmanship, and alluring designs.

Finalists Officially Announced For The Australian Women’s Weekly Women of the Future Awards

Posted on by

The Australian Women’s Weekly, in partnership with La Trobe Financial, is proud to present our six outstanding young finalists, selected from a competitive field of entrants in the ninth annual Women of the Future Awards.

Since 2013, the awards have been helping exceptional young women aged between 18 and 34 develop projects that transform lives. This year there was a spectacular array of impressive entries, with strong themes around disability, conservation, and consent.

The Women of the Future Finalists are:

· Hannah Diviney of Missing Perspectives (NSW), a global publishing platform that seeks to address the marginalisation of women and girls across news, media, and democracy decision-making on a global scale.

· Camille Goldstone-Henry of Xylo Systems (NSW), a cloud-based platform to connect, track and manage conservation projects.

· Angelique Wan of Consent Labs (NSW), a youth-led not-for-profit organisation that revolutionises the discussion around sexual consent, harassment, and assault.

· Mannie Kaur Verma of Veer Foundation (VIC), an organisation that works to prevent domestic violence and support victims in marginalised communities.

· Molly Rogers and Emma Clegg of JAM the label (VIC), a clothing brand born out of the need for inclusive clothing for young people with disabilities.

· Martina Ucnikova and Jessica Smith of She Runs (WA), a not-for-profit that supports women’s political and civic participation through the power of education and connection.

Their incredible stories are showcased in the December issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly, on sale Thursday, 4^th November. In addition, each finalist will appear in a new a six-part series on podcast Short Black with Sandra Sully. Each Tuesday from October 26, the 10 News First acclaimed journalist, presenter and women’s advocate sits down with these emerging young entrepreneurs and campaigners to talk about their passion and determination to help make a difference.

The Editor-in-Chief of The Australian Women’s Weekly, Nicole Byers, said: “This year, we had a record number of entries and I am proud to announce our six finalists. They are inspirational, they all do incredible work, they are committed, smart, and full of excellent ideas and they’re shaping the way to help create positive change for a better future.”

The finalists will be flown to Sydney to attend the prestigious Women of the Future event on December 1, a much-anticipated date in the diary of some of Australia’s most influential and change-making women. The overall winner will be announced and receive more than $100,000 in cash and prizes to assist in reaching her business goals.

The panel of judges tasked with choosing one winner for the awards this year are: Ita Buttrose (AC OBE, Chair of the ABC); Yasmin Poole (Youth Advocate and Plan International Australia Ambassador); Julie Bishop (Australian National University Chancellor and Former Foreign Minister); Narelda Jacobs (Network 10 presenter and journalist); Tanya Plibersek (Federal Shadow Minister for Education and Women); Nicole Byers (Editor-in-Chief of The Australian Women’s Weekly and group Publisher Women’s Lifestyle & Food at Are Media); and Caterina Nesci (Director of ESG and International Partnerships at La Trobe Financial).

Australian Companies Win Big At 18th Annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business

Posted on by

The Stevie® Awards for Women in Business, which shine a spotlight on female executives, entrepreneurs, employees, and organizations run by women, announced the 2021 winners.

The 18th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business is an international competition produced by the creators of the prestigious International Business Awards® and American Business Awards®. The Stevie is widely regarded as the world’s premier business award.

More than 40 Australian organizations and individuals have won the Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

The Audacious Agency from the Gold Coast submitted nominations on behalf of Stevie-winning clients. Their clients won 27 Stevie Awards overall including seven Gold Stevies, 10 Silvers, and 10 Bronzes. The Audacious Agency won the program’s highest honor, the Grand Stevie Award, for the success of their client’s nominations.

Kids on the Spectrum (Melbourne, Victoria) won two Gold and one Silver Stevie Award. Kids on the Spectrum-Australian autism directory was launched in 2019 to provide parents a free national online directory to assist them in locating inclusive services, products, and events for their autistic family members. The directory’s founder, Anita Aherne felt the urgency to provide valuable free information with an aim of improving autistic outcomes in Australia.

Aherne said “Being acknowledged for developing Australia’s first national autism directory is exciting and overwhelming. To have Kids on the Spectrum awarded three Stevie awards is definitely a highlight of our business journey so far.”

Natalie Brennan, General Manager of Muffin Break in Sydney won two Gold Stevies Awards for Woman of the Year and Most Innovative Woman of the Year – Franchising. Muffin Break first opened its doors in Queensland in 1989. In 2021, with over 200 stores in Australia, all stores are locally owned & operated by our franchise partners who are proud of the communities they serve and the products they offer.

More than 1,800 nominations from organizations and individuals around the world were submitted to the awards this year for consideration in categories including COVID-19 Response, Entrepreneur of the Year, Executive of the Year, Most Innovative Company of the Year, and Startup of the Year, among others. More than 160 business professionals working in eight specialized judging committees determined the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners.

This article was sourced from a media release sent by Maggie Miller of Stevie Awards.

How To Get Your Loved One A Gift That’s Personally Picked This Christmas

Posted on by

With an 80% increase in gifting during the pandemic lockdown period, this female-founded Aussie gifting startup, PersonallyPicked has seen exponential growth over the past year. Demand continues to grow for unique and fabulous gift options for loved ones being sent, “just because”.

As the name suggests, PersonallyPicked allows customers to curate the perfect gift for their friend, colleague, or loved one, selecting from over 150 incredible gift options. For those more indecisive or in need of a little gifting inspo – there are ready-made gift boxes for a quick solution.

That said, PersonallyPicked says that over 95% of their customers choose to build their own personalised gift box – offering a gift that, as the name states, is personally picked for them.

Some of the most popular gift items during the current lockdowns have included drinks such as Melbourne Martini cocktails in a jar, Just a Glass Wines, and T2 teas, as Aussies enjoy a tipple or two from home – be it toasty and warm, or fresh and fruity.

Additionally, people are spreading the fun, with activity-related gifts rising in popularity during the lockdown. Many Australians are sending Journey of Something puzzles, quiz games, and cocktail recipe books to keep people entertained at home. It seems we’re also quite keen to pamper friends and family with beauty and wellness products such as the Aunty Honey Heat Packs, Lapcos Face Masks, and Huxter Bath Salts in rather high demand.

PersonallyPicked Co-Founder Samantha Lynn said, “Customers are sending gifts not for any particular occasion, but just because loved ones were going through difficult times and as a way to re-connect and bring joy. We have also had a huge uplift in corporate clients and businesses organising gifts for their staff who were working hard in lockdown at home, which is really great to see.”

Over the last 12 months, PersonallyPicked has seen a 250% increase in sales, with the online gifting trend seeing no sign of slowing down.

PersonallyPicked offers a range of bright, colourful, and unique packaging options that stand out from the crowd. The best part, each gift box is personalised with the recipient’s name for the ultimate personalised experience.

For more information or to order your own PersonallyPicked gift box, head to: www.personallypicked.com.au

Sponsored content brought to you by PersonallyPicked

Meet The Shepreneur Behind The Cover Of The October 2021 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Em Hardwicke

Posted on by

It took Em Hardwicke 40 years and the birth of her beautiful son to be truly comfortable in her own self, to love the person she is, and to be proud of her achievements and successes in life. Em’s son is her world. He is what inspires and motivates Em every day and she wants her son to know that anything is possible with passion, determination, and hard work.

It is this passion, determination, and hard work that has got her through some tough times and has given her the strength and courage to take on some big dreams and physical challenges over the years. She has trekked Kokoda, Everest Base Camp, Mont Blanc, Mt Meru and Mt Kilimanjaro. She has also competed in several ultra-marathons including the Ultra-Trail Australia 50km and 100km. She does these things, not to stand on a podium or to break any records – but to remind herself of what she is capable of and of the beauty this world has to offer. Doing these things reminds Em to always be the best version of herself.

For Em, like for so many others, 2020 was a year never to be forgotten… Australia battled the Snowy Mountains bushfires in January then COVID in March which saw her get stood down from her job and ultimately made redundant – leaving her without work and her family not knowing what was next.

Not one to let a setback deter her from achieving her goals, She refocussed and at the age of 46, after 25 years in Event Management, she’s now embarking on a career in Real Estate and Property Management, which is exciting for her giving her a new focus. However, she also couldn’t let all of her knowledge and experience in event management go to waste, so she took the opportunity to rebrand and relaunch. Hence, her Event Management Consulting business, Meraki Events and Public Relations as well as The Meraki Academy of Personal Development and Coaching were born.

MoneyCentral magazine recently caught up with Em to discuss her journey as an entrepreneur and here’s what went down:

When did your entrepreneurial flair first reveal itself?

I have always had determination and have always been a bit of a self-starter, but I guess my entrepreneurial flair first revealed itself after a stint living and working overseas and when I returned home to Australia there wasn’t much full-time work available within my industry. So I decided to set up my own business and freelance – this gave me a lot of flexibility and the opportunity to take on a number of projects at the same time and really diversify my skills and experience in different areas, making me more employable and more valuable within the Event Management industry.

In addition to working full time, I have four small businesses of my own… Meraki Events & Public Relations, The Meraki Academy of Personal Development & Coaching, Soul Purpose Body Products, and Jindy Treats.

Photographed by: STUDIO 49 / TONY PALLISER 2021

How did your life look like before being an entrepreneur?

I have always loved being busy and have always loved having variety in my days and in my work, so I think the biggest change I noticed when working for myself was the ability to be able to choose the projects I wanted to work on and the variety that my workdays took on.

As an entrepreneur, what is it that motivates and drives you?

Definitely the rewarding feeling when you pitch and land a new client… or when a new retailer chooses to take on your product. But I think the biggest motivator for me is customer satisfaction. I have always said that customer satisfaction is paramount to my success. If my customers and clients aren’t happy or aren’t satisfied with my work or my products, then I am not doing my job!

In one word, describe your life as an entrepreneur and explain why.

Passionate and Determined! Okay, so I know that is two words, but I truly believe I have passion and determination in equal measure.

It has not always been an easy ride and there have been disappointments along the way, but I have always got up, dusted myself off, and landed on my feet and I know it is my passion and determination that has allowed me to do that.

Photographed by: STUDIO 49 / TONY PALLISER 2021

What were your top three motivations for starting your business?

Circumstance, necessity, and opportunity… that combined with absolutely loving what I do and doing what I love.

What do you put your success down to?

Passion, determination, hard work, and a strong work ethic. It is also important to know your clients and be clear on the services and/or products you have to offer. Don’t spread yourself too thin – you are better off being really good at some things than mediocre at many things.

What would you say are the key elements for starting and running a successful business?

For me, it was all about having a clear plan about the products/services each of my businesses was to focus on and a clear target market. Without clarity, there is no direction. Without direction, you have no destination. I once read a quote that has stuck with me and always reminds me what is missing when I find myself stuck, or in a rut.

“Clarity has purpose and strength and brings with it the undeniable ability to move forthwith into our chosen direction.”

This is when I stop, reflect, refocus and gain the clarity I need to move forward.

Photographed by: STUDIO 49 / TONY PALLISER 2021

What are the three biggest challenges you have faced growing the business and how did you overcome them?

I think there are always different challenges at different times. When I first started my business, my biggest challenge was getting my foot in the door and getting people to take a chance on me, particularly if I was completely unknown to them.

Another challenge for me was not selling myself short or undercutting myself just to get a job – you have to know your worth and be able to sell that to a prospective client.

Overcoming these challenges was a challenge in itself as it largely came down to believing in myself and not taking the knockbacks and lost contracts personally.

I found as I won pitches and landed contracts, the door opened a little wider each time. I also did a lot of research about salaries, wages, and contract rates, and how to quote a job fairly so the client felt they were getting great service at a rate that was affordable, but I was also still charging at a rate that I knew I was worth for the work I was doing.

Knowledge and confidence was a big factor in overcoming these challenges.

Knowing the market, knowing your worth, and being confident in your ability.

Does the loneliness of the entrepreneur really exist? Is there such a thing?

I have never found entrepreneurship a lonely venture. Perhaps this is because I have always surrounded myself with a lot of people and have also, more often than not, had another job to give me some stability and human interaction while I have been starting and building my businesses.

Photographed by: STUDIO 49 / TONY PALLISER 2021

As you grew the business, what have been some of the most important leadership lessons you have learned?

Be clear on what your definition of success is for your business and do what is necessary to achieve those successes. Your definition of success will always change as the business grows, but so too does the plan and actions needed to achieve the new goals set for yourself and for your business.

My businesses are still small and all still growing at a pace I am happy and comfortable with. One of the biggest lessons I have learned along the way is to never let my business become bigger than I can, or want to, handle. I always remind myself that a business doesn’t have to be BIG conglomerates to be successful.

The other important leadership lesson I learned at a very young age, and one I apply to all aspects of my life. Always treat people the way you would like to be and would expect to be treated, and NEVER ask someone to do something you wouldn’t be willing to do yourself.

What do you hope to see happen in the near future for small businesses all over the world?

I truly believe small business needs to be nurtured and supported. There is absolutely a place in society and the world for big business and multi-national firms and operations, but I also believe that big businesses and multi-national firms are not the place for everyone, and nor should they be.

The pandemic has, in the blink of an eye, totally destroyed so many small businesses around the world and destroyed the lives of the people whose blood, sweat, and tears have gone into building these businesses.

I would love to see some of the big businesses and multi-national firms around the world, whose businesses have remained largely unaffected by the global pandemic, establish a series of small business grants to support many of these small businesses re-establish and re-build. There are a lot of amazing business minds in this world whose businesses have failed, by no fault of their own. Small business is an important part of society and all contribute to a country’s economy, but do not have the support and backing of deep pockets to keep them afloat when times get tough.

Photographed by: STUDIO 49 / TONY PALLISER 2021