Well, 2012 has been a big year and it looks like next year will be even bigger. So what are the highlights?

SXSW: South by South West in Austin, Texas is always a mind trip and this year was no different. It’s five days of ideas, ideas and then some more ideas. If you want to go somewhere with great speakers, lots of food trucks, HEAPS of parties, and the opportunity to make connections with some amazing people, this is the place to be.

Let’s Talk Business seminar series: I love working with the City of Sydney on the Let’s Talk Business seminar series for entrepreneurs. The City of Sydney and the team from The Events Agency are a pleasure to deal with and I get the chance to help so many innovative entrepreneurs tell their stories to the crowd. I’m thrilled to say that I’m coming back next year for another round. See you there!

Inspired by: Our students at the Australian Writers’ Centre. They continue to kick goals, get book deals, and make huge strides in their writing goals. One of the biggest wins this year was Jessica Shirvington’s news that Steven Spielberg’s production company is turning her books into a TV series next year. When I get news like this, it’s makes all the hard work we put into the Centre and our students worthwhile.

But Jessica is just one of our success stories. Thank you to all our students in the community – you truly inspire me every day!

Launched: My own book Power Stories: The 8 stories you MUST tell to build an epic business. Released in October 2012, it’s been wonderful to see this come to life. Back in January, it was just an idea. Thanks to everyone at Wiley for believing in it, to the wonderful Seth Godin for writing the testimonial on the cover – and everyone who has supported the book so far.

The Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network: What a powerful network. It was great to attend the DWEN conference in New Delhi in India. So much learning, so many amazing women!

With the lovely CEO of Futurepeople Recruitment Linda Simonsen

If you’re not familiar with DWEN, here’s a short video (with a cameo from yours truly and the lovely Suzi Dafnis from the Australian Busineswomen’s Network when we were in Rio de Janeiro):

My team: I have to say that I love each and every one of my team at the Australian Writers’ Centre. They are smart, motivated and wonderfully committed to helping us provide the best service we can and to build a Centre we can all be proud of. And yes, we all love to eat!

Starting: Co-founding SocialCallout.com has been a busy but energising experience. I’ve gone back to my scrappy startup days and it’s been fun working with my co-founders, two wonderful women – Katrina Allen and Michelle Palmer. SocialCallout.com is a fast and efficient way for brands and bloggers to connect.

Looking forward to: Next year. We have huge plans for next year. And I can’t wait to get started on them after a short break. Our Melbourne courses have kicked off (so I’ll be seeing more of you Melbourne peeps), we have great plans for the Best Australian Blogs Competition, cool ideas for Latte magazine (which I edit) and we will continue to serve our growing online community of writing students.

Happy holidays!
And here’s to a big 2013. As this year draws to a close, I’m looking forward to a spending time with my five furry babies. They each have their own Santa sacks and I only have a few more surprises to buy so they will be very spoilt on Christmas morning.

I hope you have a restful and peaceful Christmas break. What are your big plans for 2013?

Rex

Rambo

Rocky

Dougal

Groucho

Exactly one year ago, Rambo's final tooth fell out. And I decided that I wanted to write "Power Stories".

I’ve decided on my theme for 2013. And it can be summarised in one word: kaizen.

No I haven’t decided to learn a new language. I’m not about to move to a new country. In fact, I’m actually not going to do a lot that’s “new”.

This might sound a tad boring, considering that the new year is usually filled in new resolutions, new visions – and bold statements about achieving them.

I should know. That was what happened to be exactly one year ago. In the first week of 2012, I made big plans for the year ahead. I decided that it was time to:

* writing and publish a book
* expand my business nationally
* rebrand the entire company
* invest in a technology startup

The consequences of dreaming big
On the plus side, these goals were achieved. However, getting there took an effort of epic proportions. I’m talking the kind of effort that means:

* you’re always “on” and winding down can only be achieved by watching something as mindless as trashy as The Real Housewives of NYC (to which I am now addicted)
* your “to do” list is so long you feel faint if you read to the end of it, and
* from time to time, your heart is racing so fast you think it’s going to bust through your chest.

I don’t regret having a few big goals. I feel great that I’ve achieved them. But you know what? After a year of running on adrenaline and chasing these Big Hairy Audacious Goals, I actually don’t want to pursue too many new ones.

I want to appreciate the Big Hairy Audacious Goals that I’ve recently worked so hard to achieve. And, before I get distracted by any new ones, I want to make these current projects … even better.

That’s where kaizen comes in.

If you’re not familiar with the word, kaizen is derived from Japanese and is a commonly used term in business/management circles referring to the practice of continual and incremental improvement.

Grand vision versus small improvements
I used to spend a full day, approximately every quarter, in front of a big whiteboard – along with flipchart paper and a rainbow of Sharpies – plotting out big plans for big projects. It’s exciting and energising.

Instead, this year, I’m committing to asking myself every day: “What one small thing can I do today to improve X?”

I’ve identified the key areas where I want to see improvement in my business and life – and I know the direction I want to head in. I’ll still have my quarterly sessions with the whiteboard. But instead of plotting out grand visions, I’ll be using them to monitor where I’m going and to ensure that I’m on the right track.

While improvements may be incremental, it’s vital that they are consistent. Making a small improvement every month isn’t going to affect much change over a year. But do it every day and you’ll be surprised at the impact it can have.

Don’t get me wrong. I love big goals and dreaming of the impossible. And if that’s what you have planned for this year, I’m excited for you! But I’m going to take a break from the Big Hairy Audacious Goal brigade this year.

Words to focus your efforts
At that start of each year, author Chris Brogan blogs about choosing three words to help him focus his goals and efforts. For example, his first set of three words were: “Ask. Do. Share.”

This year, mine are: same but better.

In fact, just one word sums it up: kaizen.

Whether your goals are big, small or in between, here’s to a wonderful year ahead! What are your plans for 2013?

This week, I received the news that I’m a finalist in the Smarter Business Ideas Top Blogger competition. Needless to say, I’m thrilled at being included as one of the top 25 small business bloggers in Australia.

I’ve been reading the blogs of some of the finalists for years – is it’s wonderful to be in such great company.

There are 2 categories:
1. People’s Choice (determined by votes) and
2. Overall Winner (as nominated by the magazine and online editors).

If you have a moment to vote, I’d be grateful – thanks!
You can vote here.

I just love blogging about small business and startup life. It’s an area I’ve been passionate about forever. I know this may be hard to believe – but it’s the truth. And I know that this may reveal unparalleled levels of geekdom but … I guess that’s just me! When I was little, my mother used to bring The Daily Mirror (a Sydney newspaper that was around at the time) home on the train.

When she got home, I used to turn to page 13 (which was the kids’ page) and … believe it or not … the small business pages. And I was only about 10 years old! There was just something about people being able to create their own destiny, and bring their own ideas to life, that captured my imagination from an early age.

That fascination has not worn off. And I still love reading about entrepreneurs and gaining an insight into the minds of other business owners. Through this blog, I try to share ideas and, importantly, anything I’ve learnt that might be able to help other business owners. I hope you enjoy it!

So you’ve come back from holidays and you’re wondering what to do with 2013. You may have even succumbed to an entrepreneurial seizure and think that you want to start your own business.

Before you chuck in your job and sell your first born to fund the new idea that’s going to make you richer than Mark Zuckerberg, here’s my guide to the underbelly of entrepreneurship.

1. You’ll work harder than you ever did in your “regular” job
If you think that being your own boss means you can swan around having long lunches and leading the good life, think again. You’ll probably work longer hours than ever before. But the long hours aren’t even the tough part. The most challenging thing you need to deal with is the stress. Your livelihood is on the line. So is your reputation. And that kind of pressure can cause more than a few sleepless nights.

When you work for someone else, you can be assured that you’re getting that paycheque every single week. You don’t have to worry that a team of employees, suppliers and customers are all relying on you. But when you run your own business, the buck stops with you. If business isn’t going well, it’s YOUR mortgage that’s at stake.

On the plus side, while you may work darn hard, this also means that you’re creating your own destiny. The stress might be palpable at times but the sky is also the limit. Focus on moving forward and growing your business.

2. You’ll meet people who will try to take advantage of you
It sometimes amazes me when people want my products – but simply don’t want to pay for them. Some have actually said: “Well, I don’t expect to pay for it.” I kid you not.

And I’m not referring to some tiny little promotional product that costs next to nothing to produce. I mean real products where each unit can only be created with considerable time, effort and significant costs involved.

I have no explanation for the logic behind this kind of thinking and I find it utterly confounding. But it happens. More often than you think.

Fortunately, you also come across wonderful people in business who are a pleasure to deal with. When I started my business seven years ago I didn’t expect to become such good friends with so many of my customers and suppliers. I feel truly blessed that my business brought them into my life.

3. You will be overwhelmed by administration
I’m referring to red tape, bureaucracy, ridiculous amounts of accounting and a tax system that simply defies logic.

While you might want to focus on the activity you’re passionate about (which is why you went into business in the first place), you will also spend an inordinate amount of time on administration. Furthermore, if you are successful and manage to grow your business to a stage where you are employing several staff members, you also have the pleasure of paying payroll tax (in addition to all the other tax you already pay). I still shake my head at how this ludicrous tax came into existence.

If you can push through this administration – and get your business to the point where you can pay someone to look after the red tape – you may emerge with a chance to really grow.

Despite all the challenges, running your own business means that you have the opportunity to create something very special. Even as a child, I was mesmerised by the stories of small business owners. I loved the idea they were busy turning their ideas into reality.

If you’re thinking of starting your own business, it’s not for the faint-hearted. But if you can deal with the challenges, and if you are doing something you are passionate about, it can be one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences life can offer. I hope you enjoy creating your business as much as I have.

IronRodArt - Royce Bair ("Star Shooter") via photopin cc

When I was little, I used to play a game called “Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?” (Did anyone else used to play this?). You had to follow Carmen around the world as she pulled off clever heists and other crimes in exotic locations. It was a great way to learn geography!

These days, I feel a little bit like Carmen (minus the crime). I’ve been away from Sydney so much that it’s a case of “Where in the world is Valerie Khoo?”

Regular readers will know that I’ve been doing a lot of work in Melbourne as the Australian Writers’ Centre has launched there. I’ve been loving every minute of it and I can’t wait to meet everyone who has enrolled in our upcoming February courses.

So here’s a peek into what’s coming up. If you’re going to the same events, come say HI and connect.

MELBOURNE WellbeingWeb event – Sunday 3 February
WelbeingWeb is the brainchild of the talented Rhiannon Colarossi. When I first met Rhiannon, her business hadn’t even started yet. So I’m thrilled that her passion for empowering women has become a reality. One of her first events is detailed below and features bespoke stationery creator Christina Re. (And you know that I’m a sucker for stationery!)

Rhiannon Colarossi

Even better, it’s being held at Christina Re Tea Tooms – a place I’ve been meaning to go to ever since I saw the gorgeous pictures of it online. If you’re interested in going, here are details of the event …

WHO:Rhiannon Colarossi from The Wellbeing Web
WHAT: Celebrating Women’s Wellbeing over High Tea (with a glass of champagne)
WHERE: Cristina Re Tea Rooms, Corner of Oxford St and Langridge St Collingwood
WHEN: Sunday, 3rd February, 2013
TIME: 2:30pm-4:30pm
COST: $70
SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKERS: Cristina Re & Julie Parker

Come along and enjoy the festivities. There will be awesome giveaways and a parting thank you gift for everyone.

MELBOURNE Writers’ Club – Monday 4 February
Now that we’ve launched in Melbourne, I’m keen to get involved in the wonderful writing community here. Melbourne Writers’ Club is a free networking group organised by Sandi Seiger, editor-in-chief of Onya Magazine.

It’s held every month at The Honey Bar in South Melbourne, which is a fabulous place (with yummy food).

Melbourne by night Linh_rOm via photopin cc

Melbourne Writers’ Club are hosting a meet-up in February and they have kindly asked me to speak at it!

It’s a great, informal network where writers can get together, share resources and stay connected.

Time: From 6pm
Date: Monday 4 February 2013
Where: The Honey Bar, 345 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne
Cost: Free (but you buy your own drinks/food)
RSVP here:www.facebook.com/events/271623872965313

MELBOURNE: How to write a business book – Friday 8 February

One of the iconic trams of Melbourne Phil Ostroff via photopin cc

Yes, the rumours are true. This is my last ever seminar on “How to write a business book”. I LOVE teaching this seminar but I’m increasingly finding that business owners want one-on-one guidance with their business books. I had to make a decision on whether to continue with the seminars – or focus on mentoring entrepreneurs about their specific book.

So this is the last time I’m going to reveal stats, tricks, and all the strategies I implemented to ensure my book Power Stories debuted as a the number 2 business book in Australia. Well, it’s the last time it’s going to be revealed in a public forum anyway.

Time: 9.30m to 1pm
Date: Friday 8 February
Where: The Blackman Hotel, 452 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Cost: $295
Book here

SYDNEY Healthivate conference – Saturday 2 March

The Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House Linh_rOm via photopin cc

I’m excited to be speaking at this blogger’s conference for health and wellbeing. Here some information about the conference:

Healthivate is a health activist blogger conference with a focus on Health & Wellbeing to be held in Sydney on Saturday March 2, 2013. Hear Twitter’s Claire Diaz Ortiz speak (she’s literally the one who got the Pope on Twitter), # 1 US Mum Blogger Jessica Gottlieb, Lyndey Milan, Jason Berek Lewis and more. Lots of fun experiences throughout the day. The themes Healthivate encompasses include: Eating Well. Living Well. Giving To Others and the power of the blogger – Movement Building. With an influence reach of over 15 million blog views per month Healthivate is a hallmark event. Tickets are just $150.00 so don’t miss out. Each blogger attending will also take home a weeks supply of Macro Product – only available at Woolworths, as a special gift plus delicious recipes to try. Enjoy the atrium display before the event. Details and tickets www.healthivate.com

SYDNEY Content Marketing World – Monday 4 March to Wednesday 6 March

Sydney by night acagamic (Lennart Nacke) via photopin cc

I’m a big fan of content marketing. It’s how I built my business. If you’re want a peek into how this was done, check out The PR Warrior’s interview with me here.

I think that it’s an powerful tool that can be used by business owners who may not have the budget to produce fancy television commercials or secure major billboards around town.

So I can’t wait to soak up all the insights and ideas at Content Marketing World, which is being held in Sydney this year!

Dates: Monday 4 March – Wednesday 6 march 2013
Where: Sheraton on the Park, 161 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW
Information: http://sydney.contentmarketingworld.com/

If your’e going to be at one of these events, come say HI!

I have been following my entrepreneurial dreams for quite some time now, first with the Australian Writers’ Centre, and lately with socialcallout.com, but I haven’t forgotten what the hunger to further your career aspirations feels like.

But I also remember how tough it can be starting out, and how you are grateful for any assistance, material or otherwise, that helps get you on your way.

Which is why I am excited by Instyle and Audi’s launch of the 2013 Style Scholarship, which is focused, in their words, on “celebrating innovative ideas and helping to foster the talent of future Women of Style”.

They’re offering a $10,000 bursary to help one woman take another step towards her career goals – it doesn’t matter whether you’re starting out or already on your way – and all you have to do is tell them in 150 words or less you should be awarded the business scholarship.

It’s an exciting opportunity and I’d encourage any woman who’s eligible to put in an application.

But be quick. You must have your application to them by Friday 15 February.

You can apply here.

Good luck!

Melbourne Writers’ Club: It was great to connect with fabulous people in the writing community at Melbourne Writers’ Club last week, which is a monthly networking event organised by Sandi Sieger, editor-in-chief on Onya Magazine. I was honoured to speak at the event at the The Honey Bar in South Melbourne.

Oscar’s Table: While we’re on all things writing, I do love restaurants with a literary theme. I had dinner at Oscar’s Table at Docklands in Melbourne. It is full of Oscar Wilde quotes, lampshades are made from pages from books and there’s a giant original painting of the man himself adorning the walls.

Getting ready for his closeup
My little doggie Rambo had a photo session with celebrity photographer Gina Milicia last week. He also stars in Gina’s latest book “Making the Shot” which is full of her pro tips on taking portraits.

A very pretty high tea
It was great to check out high tea at Christine Re Tea Rooms in Collingwood in Melbourne. This was the venue of Rhiannon Colarossi’s WellbeingWeb event. Check out how gorgeous it is!

Driving in silence
Earlier this week, I drove from Melbourne to Sydney with my little doggie Rambo. Regular readers will know that it’s a trip I’ve done many times. The Hume Highway and I know each other on an intimate basis.

Each time, I try something new when it comes to trying to make the 11 hours pass quicker. This time, I did 10 out of the 11 hours in silence. That’s right: no radio, no podcasts, not even a single song from Jon Bon Jovi.

I have to say that I think I’ve hit the winning formula. Eight hundred kilometre seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Really. When there is no unit of measurement (like the number of songs or podcasts) against which you can quantify time spent on the trip, it doesn’t seem as long. Well, it worked for me!

Admittedly, this gave me plenty of time to mull over ideas and come up with new plans!

Best 20 business bloggers in Australia
I was thrilled to be named as one of SmartCompany’s “20 Best Australian business blogs”. It was great to be in the company of friends as well! These include:
Catriona Pollard
Paul Wallbank
Tristan White
Trevor Young
Darren Rowse
Suzi Dafnis
Adam Franklin

Gratuitous pic of Rex

That is all.

Excited: That we have got the keys to our new premises in Melbourne. I’m so thrilled that we’re now one of the arts and culture organisations at The Abbotsford Convent. This precinct is a thriving creative and artistic community and our new neighbours include Drama Victoria, Illustrators Australia, Complete Works Theatre, The Creativity Institute and more.

One of the main buildings at The Abbotsford Convent.

The Abbotsford Convent is located right in the heart of inner city Melbourne (the nearest station is Collingwood). The grounds are beautiful, there are two bars, gallery spaces, a bakery, restaurants, 3MBSFM, stunning gardens and lots of training rooms where we’ll be holding our courses.

There are a couple of casual bars in case you want to chill out.

Loving: Best. Invitation. Ever.
I love this clever invitation from Dell. It’s the size of a computer, my photo is included on the top right, and the whole thing is MADE OUT OF CHOCOLATE. Did I mention that it’s the size of a computer … that’s a lot of eating …

Welcoming: Phoebe is the newest member to join our team. It’s her first week at the Australian Writers’ Centre and it’s as if she’s already been here for ages. Welcome Phoebe!

"Hello Phoebe!"

Honoured: To be included in Shopify’s list of “30 books that will help you increase sales”.
I’m so honoured that my book Power Stories: The 8 stories you MUST tell to build an epic business is in the same company as books that I’ve admired for ages. These include Robert Cialdini’s Influence; Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink; and Anthony Robbins’ Unlimited Power.

Catching up with: I love catching up with my writerly buddies Kerri Sackville and Allison Tait. There’s nothing quite like a lunchtime discussion on agents, readers, and the writing process that’s guaranteed to be full of everything from angst to inspiration. These talented women are a wonderful support and are full of sage advice.

We caught up at Ampersand Cafe and Bookstore in Surry Hills, Sydney.

Impressed by: @Styletread
I have to say, I love a proactive company. Last week, I was wearing some killer heels. What can I say? They were perfect with the outfit I had on at the time. And I’ll admit that I am sometimes guilty of suffering for the sake of a longer leg line.

Needless to say, I wasn’t that comfortable by the end of the day. In fact, my feet were killing me (ladies, I’m sure many of you can relate!). I’m still not entirely sure how the word got out – or if I tweeted my pain in state of near delirium – but the fab peeps at StyleTread.com.au sent me a surprise package to ease my blistered soles!

Love these!

(And no, this is not a sponsored post. I am sent stuff ALL the time, but I’m only bother to talk about the things that I’m impressed with.)

Listen to me: Content Grasshopper podcast
I was recently interviewed by Daniel Oyston on his Content Grasshopper podcast. Thanks Daniel!

You can listen to the interview here.

Watch me: Adam Franklin from Blue Wire Media interviewed me on why it’s important to tell stories online.

You can watch the video here.

Read: The fabulous people at Startup Nation interviewed me about “Using Power Stories to Power Your Business Growth”.

Chuffed at: My kitty Rexy
Okay, okay, it’s a gratuitous pic.

Doggie Groucho thinks that he's head of the pack. But kitty Rexy knows exactly how to get one up on him. Clever cat.

Timothy* is an abdicator. He has an amazing business that has a lot of potential to grow, and a service that’s in high demand. And yet, even though he’s been in business for seven years, he just can’t seem to get to the next level.

The reason? He’s an abdicator. Timothy is afraid to make decisions about his business that will move it forward. So he either delays making these decisions, or makes them the responsibility of someone else – so that he has someone to blame if it all doesn’t go to plan.

Do you recognise any of this behaviour in the people you deal with – or maybe even in yourself?

1. Abdicators find suppliers they can blame
I’m all for delegating and outsourcing. However, there is a huge difference between delegating and abdicating.

Timothy wants to hand over important functions of his business to suppliers and then expects them to work miracles, with little support or input from himself. The reality is that while he can delegate the role to them,  he still needs to take responsibility for this decision. He might need to:
* ensure they are fully briefed on the overall business and how their roles fits within that
* be clear on his expectations of them, and query their expectations from him
* consider a regular monitoring or “catch up” meeting to see that everything is on track
* most importantly, gain a minimum level of understanding of their skill or at least their KPIs to be clear on whether they are doing a good job.

Timothy has high expectations from his suppliers. But the reality is that he only wants to pay bottom dollar. So invariably he’s disappointed. However, he doesn’t take responsibility for his choice of supplier either.

2. Abdicators don’t take responsibility for engaging their own suppliers 
When Timothy wants to find a new supplier (which happens fairly often!) he always asks his friends and associates for recommendations. He’ll make a point to tell his friend/associate that he’s engaged a new supplier based on their recommendation … “So they better be good or I’ll have you to blame!” he says half-jokingly.

This is classic abdicator behaviour because when his suppliers disappoint him (which they invariably do), he really does blames the person who referred the supplier in the first place.

Double abdication! It’s not only the supplier’s fault that Timothy’s business hasn’t grown, it’s the referrer’s fault too.

I’ve never heard Timothy blame himself for not choosing wisely or not managing the relationship well. Shifting blame in this way simply makes him feel better. He doesn’t have to face the idea that he might actually be the one holding his business back.

Become an activator if you want your business to succeed
Timothy’s behaviour is the polar opposite to Paul*, who is an activator. An activator is someone who takes action and moves forward. They take full responsibility for their actions – and stand behind their decisions, regardless of the outcome. If their plans don’t go as well as expected, they don’t blame anyone – they simply figure out a new strategy.

Paul is not the kind of person who tells everyone that he needs to change his website – and is STILL talking about it a year later. Once Paul’s made the decision, he picks up the phone and makes it happen.

It’s true that you may not always have the time and energy to act quite this quickly. But just don’t be an abdicator. If you behave like Timothy, you’re reinforcing the fact that you don’t have confidence in your own decisions. In turn, you’re also reinforcing that you don’t have confidence in your own business.

* not their real names

My darling Rex

Loving: This awesome poster from PosterCandy.com.au.
This is a great new service where you can turn your Instagram photos into a poster. It’s all done online and, using the PosterCandy application, you can drag and drop the photos you want into posters of various sizes.

I chose a poster that’s 100cm x 70cms, it arrived last week and I love it! Apparently, it fits standard IKEA frames so I’m going get that next time I visit that monolith.

(And no, this is not a sponsored post. I just think this is really cool!)

Featured on:
* Social Media Knowledge did this interview with me here.

* 612 ABC Brisbane radio. I did a 10 minute segment on “The 7 Deadly Sins of Social Media” this week.

Reading: The latest issue of Latte
Well, since I’m editor of Latte magazine (published by Business Chicks), I’ve obviously already know it intimately. But there’s nothing like the feeling when the printed copy finally lands in your hands. In this issue, I interview best-selling author and creator of Sex and the City, Candace Bushnell.

Hosting: Let’s Talk Business
Earlier this week, I hosted the first in the Let’s Talk Business seminar series at the Town Hall in Sydney. I LOVE this seminar series – the networking is awesome and I always meet great people who sometimes end up as suppliers, customers or friends!

Buying: I love this idea so much I bought a bracelet. Jewellery For A Cause has jewellery inspired by certain causes (it also has regular jewellery) and 20 per cent of the price gets donated to the charity of your choice. I bought this bracelet and the donation went to Monika’s Doggie Rescue.

Looking forward to:
Digital Parents Conference 20 and 21 March 2013.
I’m MC-ing this two-day conference so if you’re attending, make sure you come and say Hi.

Fabulous presenters from the Australian Writers’ Centre – Kerri Sackville, Allison Tait and Sue White – are also attending and we’ll be taking the afternoon sessions on:
* How to get paid to write for (print and online) magazines
* Your Writing Clinic – How to make your writing sparkle
* How to go from blogging to a book deal

Driving: From Sydney to Melbourne
Yes, I’m at it again. This week, little doggie Rambo and I drove from Sydney to Melbourne. I’ve done this so many times now that I reckon the Hume Highway and I are besties!

My beautiful travelling companion Rambo

Off with her head! That’s been the theme for this week. I’ve been watching The Tudors on DVD – and Henry VIII sure loved a good beheading when it came to getting rid of the traitors (or wives) that got in his way. I channelled Henry when I did the gardening earlier this week and got immense satisfaction from dead-heading 93 roses in the backyard (yes, I counted). Then I heard that publishing house Bauer Media axed another two magazines (Madison and UFC) after already putting Grazia on the chopping block. This inspires this week’s Enterprise post.

Earlier this week, publishing house Bauer Media announced the axing of two magazines: monthly fashion magazine Madison and martial arts magazine UFC. This comes hot on the heels of its decision to shut down weekly fashion rag Grazia.

These kinds of decisions are never easy – for management, owners, staff or readers – but sometimes, the best strategy is to clean house as swiftly as you can so you are not bogged down by under-performing products.

The same can be said for the products and services offered by small business owners. No matter how hard you may have worked on a particular product/service, it’s important to consider whether it might be time to get rid of it.

So how do you know if a product or service deserves the chop?

You can read the rest of the article here.… Read more ...

Flying: In your seat pocket
This month, if you’re flying Virgin, reach into your seat pocket and you’ll find a huge report written by yours truly in the Virgin inflight magazine. It’s a comprehensive guide to setting up a small business. The guide starts on page 105. You can view the online version of the April issue here.

I'll pop into your life in the most unexpected places, even your airline seat pocket. (Photo: via @jbarouch)

Cuddling: Gus the Boxer at the Haul wrap party. Years ago, a dog called @GusTheBoxer started following me on Twitter. At first, I didn’t follow him back. I thought: “A dog. On Twitter. I mean really.” Plus, I was in Sydney. Gus was in Melbourne. It would never have worked.

But Gus was so funny and engaging that I ended up not only meeting Gus in real life, but also his human @scottkilmartin. Turns out that Scott was the brains behind sustainable streetwear brand Haul.

I’ve loved Haul products for years now so it was sad to see it close its doors recently. I was honoured to go to the wrap party, cuddle @GusTheBoxer, bid the Fitzroy store good-bye and wave owner Scott Kilmartin off on his next big adventure!

Speaking at: A $1 billion launch
Alas, that $1 billion isn’t mine. But it was great to be on a panel at ANZ’s big announcement that it is pledging $1 billion to startups in Australia. Held at the forecourt of Customs House in Sydney, the event was hosted by Anne Fulwood, and launched by Nick Reade, ANZ General Manager Small Business Banking.

I spoke on the panel with my friend, small business coach (and all round Renaissance man) Robin Dickinson.

(L-R) Anne Fulwood, Valerie Khoo, Robin Dickinson, Nick Reade

Dominating: Trevor Young’s book launch
Ok, I wasn’t doing the dominating but Trevor’s book will. I was thrilled to be part of the panel of “micro-mavens” (that’s what Trevor called us in his book) at the launch of his fab book microDOMINATION: How to leverage social media and content marketing to build a mini-business empire around your personal brand.

(L-R) Darren Rowse, Valerie Khoo, Nicole Avery, Trevor Young, Yvonne Adele

Loving: SMaC Talk
I’ve been having a ball with Kerri Sackville and Allison Tait recording our podcast SMaC Talk. Episode 4 is online and on iTunes.

See you soon at:

SYDNEY: I’m MC-ing Let’s Talk Business
What: Online collaboration tools are accessible, affordable and simple to use for SMEs.
When: Tuesday 16 April 2013
Time: 6pm to 8.30pm
Where: Lower Town Hall, 483 George Street, Sydney (enter via Druitt Street)
Cost: $55
Buy tickets here.

SYDNEY: I’m on a panel at Networx “The Power of Blogs”
What: Media panel with yours truly, blogger Christina Butcher (@hairromance) and Nuffnang’s David Krupp
When: 22 April 2013
Time: 6pm – 8:30pm
Where: Hotel CBD, 52 King Street, Sydney
Cost: $65
Buy tickets here.
For a $10 discount, use the PROMO CODE “socialcallout”.

BRISBANE: I’m on a panel at Networx “The changing face of PR: the rise and rise of blogger relations”
What: Panel with yours truly, blogger Natalie Birt *@mummysmiles) and Michelle Palmer from PR agency 360 Immerse
When: Tuesday, 23 April 2013
Time: 6pm – 8pm
Where: XXXX Ale House, Cnr Paten & Black Streets, Milton QLD 4064
Cost: $65
Buy tickets here.
For a $10 discount, use the PROMO CODE “socialcallout”.

BRISBANE: Australian Writers’ Centre meetup
Are you a graduate of the Australian Writers’ Centre? Or would you like to find out more about our online course and your publishing options?
What: A get together where I’ll host an informal Q&A on your writing/publishing questions.
When: Wednesday 24 April 2013
Time: 6.30-8.30pm
Cost: Free but you must RSVP here.

Eddie Machaalani is the co-founder and co-CEO of Bigcommerce, the leading e-commerce platform for small businesses looking to grow their revenues faster. Starting with $20,000 in credit card debt from a rented office above a friend’s shop in Sydney, Australia, the company has grown over 100% year-over-year, has raised $35M in capital and processed over $1 billion in transactions.

Eddie holds a BS in Computer Science from the University of Technology, Sydney and is an active angel investor and speaker.

A prodigious reader, he has found business books to be an invaluable resource as he’s built his business along with partner Mitch Harper, and we’re delighted to have him share his choices in this latest instalment of the continuing series, “3 business books that changed my life” …

Extreme Revenue Growth: Startup Secrets to Growing Your Sales from $1 Million to $25 Million in Any Industry by Victor Cheng
An incredible, “best kept secret” book for startups that touches on every part of the business and really drives home the strategies of all great businesses and how to fuel revenue growth. Every founder needs to read this book at least once a year.

It provides advice to CEOs who run fast growing companies, explaining how what they do differently is really important for their business.

Written by Victor Cheng, he explores the management techniques used by successful technology companies and shows how these practices can be applied across different industries.

Extreme Revenue Growth explores a practical approach to apply in business, explaining that growth is not a result of your strategic planning, sales, marketing, R&D, operations, or human resources being ‘right’. The trick is to make sure that all of these areas are right at the same time, as it will create a domino effect that will trigger growth across all areas of the business.

Mastering the VC Game: A Venture Capital Insider Reveals How to Get from Start-up to IPO on Your Terms by Jeffrey Bussgang
With no previous capital raising experience or even a CFO on our team, we were able to raise over $35mm in capital in very large part to what we learned through this book.

This book is for entrepreneurs who are looking to raise venture capital and choose an investor.

Mastering the VC Game is written by Jeffrey Bussgang, who has sat on both sides of the fence before. He’s able to share his own experiences offering insights, stories and advice gathered.

Further, Bussgang draws on interviews that he has had with successful players like Twitter’s Jack Dorsey and LinkedIn’s Reid Hoffman.

He discusses getting noticed, perfecting your pitch, and negotiating partnerships that work for everyone.

Hire With Your Head: Using Performance-Based Hiring to Build Great Teams by Lou Adler
There’s nothing as important as building the right team. This book helps distill the right systems and processes throughout your company to help make sure you only bring on the best of the best.

Hire With Your Head: Using Performance-Based Hiring to Build Great Teams, outlines how to use performance-based hiring techniques and the help of the Internet to hire top candidates.

It teaches to hire applicants based on what the role requires of them to be successful in the job, rather than their qualifications. By changing the approach, you’re more likely to make better hires and reduce turnover in the long term.

The whole hiring process must be tailored to attract the best-suited candidates for the role, from advertising the role to the interview stage. Articulating how to be successful in the role is crucial.

Adler articulates the entire hiring process, including the best way to recruit the candidate and ways to interest them in the long term.

Bonus!
Getting Everything You Can Out of All You’ve Got: 21 Ways You Can Out-Think, Out-Perform, and Out-Earn the Competition by Jay Abraham

The most phenomenal book on marketing for small and large business alike. This book was pivotal early on in my career on learning how to build great marketing strategies and partnerships.

Author Jay Abraham is a marketing expert, who are looking for wealth creating opportunities in everyday business. He shares examples of his own that can be applied to any existing business.

The book provides examples of creatively thinking outside the box to help business. By spotting hidden assets, overlooked opportunities, and using untapped resources, it’s about looking at business in a new light.

Last week, I was interviewed by the wonderful Robert Gerrish on The Coaching Couch radio show. Robert is the brains behind the dynamic Flying Solo community of small business owners.

We chatted about the pros and cons of entering business awards. My businesses have been fortunate enough to win multiple awards. There are many benefits (some of them very unexpected) but, for some awards, you do have to invest a great deal of time in the submissions process. Is it worth it? We find out. I hope you enjoy the interview.

Robert Gerrish

Robert Gerrish Casting Couch show

Last week, I was on Sky Business to talk about personal branding alongside Trevor Young, author of microDOMINATION: How to leverage social media and content marketing to build a mini-business empire around your personal brand.

We were interviewed by Nigel Freitas on the “Technology Behind Business” show. I’ve already written a lot about personal branding so I won’t repeat that here.

In case you get the opportunity to be interviewed on the telly, here are my DOs and DON’Ts.

DON’T assume they will do your hair and makeup. Some shows, like Sunrise, will give you the whole works so that you look like a Glamazon. Not all shows have the budget to do this so make sure you’ve done your makeup before you get there.

My tips for television: Mascara is your best friend. It gives your eyes definition and helps them to stand out. Concealer is your second best friend, don’t leave home without it. And powder is also vital because you can get pretty shiny under those studio lights.

On air with host Nigel Freitas and Trevor Young

DO turn up early. You don’t want to be rushing through the door as you’re about to go live on air. This will give you a chance to check whether you have lipstick on your teeth. You also get to watch the guest who is on before you so that you get a sense of the kind of questions the interviewer might ask.

If you’re driving, find out your parking options well beforehand so that you’re not frantically looking up your iPad for parking stations when you should be sipping tea in the studio, getting ready for your close up.

DON’T wear black particularly if your hair is dark. You’ll end up looking like a dark blob with a little face somewhere in the middle.

DO remember to go to the loo beforehand. It’s hard to concentrate on the tough questions if you’re busting.

DON’T wear super high heels. Studios can be located in large precincts and you may have to walk a fair bit (over lots of cables) before you get to the filming area. You don’t want to break an ankle just before you go on air and no one gets to see your fancy shoes anyway. Plus, if you do topple over, you could end up providing the audience with a money shot that no one wanted to see.

L–R: Networx Brisbane MC Cat Matson; and my fellow panellists Natalie Birt, yours truly and my co-founder in SocialCallout.com Michelle Palmer (© James Sybille, Square-I.co Photography http://square-i.co/

Last week, I was on a panel at a Networx Brisbane on “The Changing Face of PR: The Rise and Rise of Blogger Relations”. I’ve been heavily immersed in the blogosphere for years now and it’s been fascinating seeing this industry evolve, particularly over the past couple of years.

The reality is that it’s evolving very quickly and some bloggers are becoming powerful media channels in their own right. Some are only at the start of this journey, while others have created businesses for themselves out of their blog. So it wasn’t surprising that the organiser of the event, Iceberg Events, had to turn people away as the function booked out!

I could talk about blogging all day!

We also filmed this video on the tips you should consider when working with bloggers:

The video was prepared by Ride Free Media

One of the funky bars at The Abbotsford Convent where I might see the Very Famous Hollywood Actor

This week, a Very Famous Hollywood Actor is filming for 10 days around the Australian Writers’ Centre in Melbourne. I’m pretty excited because I used to have a huge crush on this man. I’ve seen the production schedule – complete with details of all the buildings, steps and facades where he’ll be acting – and I’ll admit that I’ve been tempted to bring a foldable chair and set up camp next to the film crew just to watch.

I’ll call it research. Who knows? I might even blend in. Perhaps I can offer some suggestions on how they can improve the script!

Fortunately, I’ve managed to quell this kind of stalker fan-girl behaviour when I’ve interviewed celebrities as a journalist. Many people ask me who has been my most enjoyable person to interview.

To be honest, I actually find many entrepreneurs far more interesting to chat to than celebs. This is largely because when you interview a celebrity, they are usually on a gruelling schedule, have just finished a major project and have done nothing else but live and breathe that film, album or world tour for the past six months.

Nevertheless, here are some of the highlights:

Hugh Jackman. On the set of Wolverine. Yes, yum.

Cindy Crawford. Really tall.

Kylie Minogue. Really tiny.

Joel Edgerton. I used to have a big crush on him too.

Christian Slater. Charming. He let me squeeze his stress ball.

Will Smith. I felt his biceps. They were MASSIVE.

Britney Spears. She gave me a Britney doll. NO JOKE.

Matt Damon. Very well brought up. His mum should be proud.

Jon Bon Jovi. Be still my beating heart.

Of course, the latter (JBJ) is my favourite. And now that he’s touring Australia later in the year, there is a chance that my stalker fan-girl behaviour may emerge again.

Maybe I should get some practice in. So, over the next week, you might find me taking a lot of coffee breaks, nonchalantly wandering out of our Melbourne office and accidentally ending up on the nearby movie set. If you happen to see a familiar face in the background of the next Ethan Hawke movie … you’ll know who it is.

Wineglass Bay, Freycinet Peninsula, Tasmania

Loving: This week I was in Tasmania. I’ve had a soft spot for Tassie ever since I went there for my version of Schoolies at the end of Year 12 … decades ago! This trip, I visited Freycinet and it was stunning. Apart from sampling some amazing Tasmanian produce, here’s what else happened:

I did my best Stig impression when I went quad-biking.

David the activities coordinator showed us how to shuck oysters straight from the marine farm, then brought out some bubbles to go with them.

My favourite bridge in the world, Spiky Bridge, on the way to Freycinet. I go there every time I'm in Tassie because it's just so weird looking.

I'm wearing fly-fishing gear but I can't focus because I'm annoyed at the missing apostrophe (there should be one after the n).

Meeting: Wonderful writers in the Australian Writers’ Centre community in Brisbane and Perth. My travels have enabled me to connect with our students and they never cease to inspire me with what they achieve!

With Cassy Small in Brisbane

Marvelling at: 3D printing
I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these. Startup blogger Steve Sammartino invited a bunch of us over to see his new 3D printer in action. This one prints plastic but you can also print glass, titanium, a range of metals and even wood (using wood chips).

Here it is in action. A program on your laptop provides the specs and then you simply watch your product take shape.

Here is the final product.

Recording: SMaC Talk
I’m having a ball recording our weekly episodes of SMaC Talk, my new podcast with fellow authors and bloggers Kerri Sackville and Allison Tait about what’s been going on around the social web. You can download it on iTunes or listen to it here.

L-R Kerri Sackville, Allison Tait, Valerie Khoo

Thrilled: To spot my book Power Stories: The 8 stories you MUST tell to build an epic business at Brisbane Airport just minutes before I received an email with the news that it’s being translated into Spanish. Hola!

"Power Stories" is going multi-lingual!

Talking about: All things blogging. I could talk about blogging for hours. And I almost got my wish. Well, for an hour anyway on ABC Radio last weekend. Thanks to all the callers who rang in with questions!

See you at: The third seminar in the Let’s Talk Business seminar series. This one is about “People and performance in the new workplace”. I’m be MC-ing. If you stop by, come say hi!

When: Tuesday 21 May 2013

Where: Lower Town Hall, 483 George Street, Sydney (enter via Druitt Street)

Time: 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Cost: Single Tickets $55.
You can get tickets here.

What’s worse than having a drunk, a smelly football team, or a flu-ridden passenger next to you on a flight? … A hen’s party!

Yes, it happened to me on my recent flight from Dubai to Istanbul.

Now I have to say … I didn’t mind them so much because it was actually like watching the cast of Footballers’ Wives act out an episode.

The entire hen’s party were from Manchester in England and they were heading to Istanbul to party hard with the bride-to-be before her big day.

If you’re not familiar with the masterpiece that is Footballers’ Wives, it was an over-the-top dramatisation soap opera about an English soccer team and their WAGs. It was so popular it even spun off the television series Footballers’ Wives: Extra Time, and featured bogan characters like Chardonnay, Mel, Tanya, Lucy and Bruno.

After boarding the plane, the hen and her party then tried to rearrange everyone in the cabin so they could all sit together. I prayed to the Upgrade Gods that the flight attendants would take pity on me, and offer me a seat in first class so that the hen and her hennettes could party on in Rows 9 to 11. (They had two overhead lockers stuffed with booze.)

Alas, the Upgrade Gods were clearly on vacation because guess who got stuck with 8 hens in a block of 9 seats. That’s right. Lucky old me.

Okay, I could deal with this, I thought. After all, I already had my sights set on immersing myself in the selection of movies. First up, A Good Day to Die Hard (Die Hard 5 for the uninitiated). I put on my headphones, turned up the volume and suspended belief with Bruce Willis.

But then … they started singing. Clearly, a few of them thought they were 2013′s answer to Sugababes or Destiny’s Child because they were harmonising and weren’t shy about belting out a chorus here and a verse there. All before the plane left the tarmac.

By the time we got in the air, they announced that they were going to get rowdy (by saying: “We’re going to get rowdy everyone!”), ordered up big when the drinks trolley came around and were asked no less than 7 times by the cabin crew to keep their voices down.

While Bruce Willis was doing a pretty fine job of keeping me entertained, clearly other passengers had not yet discovered the meditative affect of a Die Hard movie. I could feel various passengers getting antsy. There were dirty looks, not so subtle messages and a far bit of eye-rolling among passengers while the hen’s party remained standing in their seats and poured drinks into their own coloured plastic champagne flutes.

They were out of control and various members of the cabin crew tried to reason with them. To no avail.

Until something happened to change everything. One of the hennettes waved her hand in a flourish and knocked her green plastic champagne flute all over … you guessed it … yours truly.

While I do like bubbles, I typically enjoy them more when I drink them, not when my clothes are soaked in them. What didn’t land on my clothes landed in my dinner.

The hennettes were suitable mortified. Because apparently annoying an entire plane with your drunken discussions is ok. But spilling a drink over a passenger is not.

I realised that I had unwittingly become the sacrificial lamb on this trip. But it was worth it. Because the girls then actually sat in their seats and behaved for the rest of the trip. Well, until they decided that the descent and landing had to be accompanied with “Wonderwall” by Oasis (yes, they really did.)

Ultimately, I actually don’t begrudge them at all. They’re on a hen’s party. They’re meant to be having fun. And I certainly couldn’t help but burst out laughing when I discovered the name of the bride to be. Yes … you guessed it … and I’m not joking: Chardonnay.

The post The one where I got stuck with a hen’s party on a flight to Istanbul appeared first on Valerie Khoo.

It seems that female entrepreneurs living in Australia are in a pretty good position. Last week, Australia was named the second best country in the world to be a female entrepreneur, according to the new Gender-GEDI Index launched by the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network at its annual conference in Istanbul, Turkey.

This result even surprised the researchers.

Australia has been named the second best country in the world to be a female entrepreneur, according to a new global index.

The Gender-GEDI Index compares key metrics from 17 countries, measuring everything from business environment and ecosystems to the attitudes and social norms likely to impact entrepreneurship. It has a particular focus on “high potential women” who are “innovative, market expanding and export-oriented”.

The study by the US-based Global Entrepreneurship and Development Institute, was launched Tuesday by the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network (DWEN) at its annual conference in Istanbul, Turkey.

Ruta Aidis, the institute’s project director, said she was “surprised that Australia did so well, coming ahead of countries like France and Germany.”

You can read more of this article in smh.com.au.

The post Australia named second best country in the world to be a female entrepreneur appeared first on Valerie Khoo.