Being in business - a presentation to TAFE students, Hobart 2016

1. Being in Business –
a story and some lessons ;)
1
1996 2008 2014

2. Purpose of this session?
2
1. Share some insights from my
experiences
2. Offer some starting points for
those wishing to succeed in
business in Australia
3. Leave you with access to the
tools you’ll need to get started.

3. Process?
3
Questions welcome 
1. Presentation
2. Examples
3. Share stories
If anyone wishes to blog or tweet this session please use
the hashtags #business #tassie

4. Payoff?
4
• Practical steps to start a business
• Links to ‘how to do this’
• After session support
Image – source unknown

5. What do I do?
5
Train AssessDevelop
Business
health check
Implement
changes
Solve
problemsReview
Advise
Provide
tools
Pelion -
RTO
CoacheStuff
FFC -
Consulting

6. What do I do?
6

7. A short video
https://youtu.be/pQHX-SjgQvQ

8. Thoughts?
What did you learn from the video?

9. 1. Born here?
2. Studied here?
3. Family here?
4. Arrived with money in hand?
Journeys

10. My story…
Lived and studied in 3
locations in Scotland, BA
Edinburgh Univ
6 yrs old when TV installed. All Uni
assignments done by hand.
1978-1981 Worked in Government,
catering and hospitality jobs.
MS-DOS and IBM PC first invented.
1981-1982 Travelled from Scotland to
Australia
Kept in touch with family/friends by
letters, cassette tapes and phone.
1983- 1989 Worked in OHS, Information,
Community Development
Internet created, Word 1.1, Apple
1990-1992 Worked in remote South
Australia (TAFE)
Began playing with distance learning
tools (video / phone conferencing)
1996 Started own business
Pelion Consulting Pty Ltd -
private RTO
Established business, training adults
to use action learning. Created own
Website using a static web page
1999 OTAN - Online Trainer and
Assessor Network
WebCT - an early LMS
2000 Collaborative Online
Moderated Assessment. First
online course as learner
Attempted to set up three online
communities

11. My story cont.…
2001 Began work as online facilitator Own projects plus forums and text
chat at the 2002 IT World Congress
2002-
current
Facilitator, designer, mentor of
e-learning activities.
90% of work is done online
Keep in touch with family/friends
through VOIP, video, e-cards 
2008 Started consulting arm -
Frankie Forsyth Consulting
Creating and producing online tools,
videos, SCORM based objects, social
media well established.
2013/4 -
current
Combined with two friends to
start CoacheStuff
Working virtually with shared,
collaborative tools.
Future ???

12. Formal credentials
+
practical experience
=
…
Insight No. 1

13. Product/service/person
in demand!
Photo © Frankie
Forsyth, all
rights reserved.

14. Questions?

15. Starting a Business!
Image: 'Google Doodle'

16. Starting a business
1. Choose your business structure and type
2. Apply for an Australian Business Number (ABN)
3. Register your business name and trade mark
4. Register a website name
5. Check what taxes to register for
https://www.business.gov.au/info/plan-and-start/start-your-business

17. Starting a business
6. Registration and licences to Start a business
7. Register for an Australian Business Account
to manage your licences and permits
8. Buy or lease a business premises
9. Arrange insurance for your business
10.Find out about selling products and services.
https://www.business.gov.au/info/plan-and-start/start-your-business

18. Photo by Mark Roy (Creative Commons)

19. Ask yourself…
1. Why do I want to be in business?
2. Is this a good time?
3. How much money will I need?
4. Where will I get the money?
5. What other people do I need?
6. How do I cope with ups and downs of business?
7. What’s my exit strategy?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/thesba/2013/12/09/7-questions-to-ask-before-starting-your-own-business/#20944e6a3512

20. Are you…
http://www.wix.com/blog/2014/04/10-qualities-of-fantastic-small-business-owners/
Decisive
Creative
Bold
Excited
Resourceful?

21. Do you have these characteristics?
http://www.wix.com/blog/2014/04/10-qualities-of-fantastic-small-business-owners/
Honest
Sociable
Dedicated
Forward thinker
Flexible?

22. Do the quiz 
Try the quiz at:
ANZ Business Hub - Tools
https://thesbhub.com.au/tool
s-and-templates/should-you-
go-into-business-.html
https://thesbhub.com.au/tools-and-templates/should-you-go-into-business-.html#.VzcXNvl941I
Successful Australian small business owners: 1 2 3 4 5
1. Already have strong skills and experience in the
relevant sector
2. Identify an opportunity in the market that no one
else is exploiting
3. Carry out thorough market research before
making crucial decisions
4. Have support from family and friends to get
through the tough times
5. Have sufficient money to keep the business
running and outlast a cash crisis
6. Have a network of experienced business people
to talk to
7. Understand how to market their business,
especially online
8. Keep up with industry trends through fairs, trade
publications and websites
9. Have the entrepreneurial spirit – passion,
determination and persistence
10. Work to goals but are prepared to adapt their
strategy if necessary
11. Can easily convince others that their business
idea is good
12. Have a revenue stream or a customer ready to
order before they start

23. Tips to get started…
• Do your research
• Get help
• Build a good team around you
• Know your customers, who, where, how will
they find you
• Plan, plan, plan! (product/services,
competitors, stock, $/breakeven, finance,
fun).

24. Questions?

25. Photo by Mark Roy (Creative Commons)

26. Do the research 
https://thesbhub.com.au/tools-and-templates/should-you-go-into-business-.html#.VzcXNvl941I

27. https://www.commsec.com.au/content/dam/EN/ResearchNews/CommSec_State_of_the_States_April2016.pdf

28. About Tasmania
In 2013 Tasmania Australia
Population 513,159 23,135,281
Median Age 41.2 yrs 37.3 yrs
Total No. of Businesses 37,484 2,079,659
Business employing 5+
people
5,596 251,944

29. Business in Tasmania

30. Business in Tasmania
http://business.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/121781/Small_Business_Stats_Update_June_2015.pdf

34. Investment priorities
• high-value food and agricultural initiatives
• tourism growth and infrastructure development
• developing further our natural resources with a focus on
minerals and forestry
• Antarctic and Southern Ocean
• science research
• building upon our precision manufacturing capabilities.
http://cg.tas.gov.au/home/investment_attraction/why_invest_in_tasmania/innovative_progressive_industries

35. Proper, prior planning
Prevents
Poor performance!
Insight No. 2

36. Photo by Mark Roy (Creative Commons)

37. Ask for help 

38. Help is at hand…
https://www.business.gov.au/info/plan-and-start/new-to-business-essentials

39. Help is at hand…

40. • Bank
• Accountant
• Solicitor
• Insurance Broker
• Business Advisor/Coach/Mentor
• Inspiring Stories from existing business people
More Help needed?

41. More examples in Tasmania
http://www.enterprisecentres.tas.gov.au/home/success_stories

42. "Do. Or do not. There is no try."
- Yoda, Jedi Master.
Insight No. 3
"Twenty years from now, you will be more
disappointed by the things that you didn't do than
by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines,
sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in
your sails.
Explore, Dream, Discover."
Mark Twain, author.

43. What next?

44. Enterprise Centres Tasmania (ECT)
provide free and confidential business
assistance and workshops to people
thinking about starting a business, those
who have just started a business, and
established small businesses.
The ECT program is delivered by
experienced small business consultants
who provide practical one-on- one
guidance to business owners and
intenders.
http://coachestuff.com/
Enterprise Centres Tasmania

45. Thank you 
Original image: 'Rainbow Cafe's door knob' http://www.flickr.com/photos/93382027@N00/80959145
by: CarolineReleased under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License
Contact me:
frankie@coachestuff.com and on skype: frankieforsyth
A copy of this presentation is available at http://www.slideshare.net/frankie/being-in-business

46. Copyright
Please feel free to use any of the material in this PowerPoint
with the exception of any photos with an @all rights reserved on
them.
Most of the graphics and photos were sourced from Flickr under
a CC licence. Thank you to all who make this possible. If I have
inadvertently used someone’s copyrighted photo please contact
me and I will remove it.
Enjoy!
Frankie