Small Biz Matters: People, Policy, Purpose ~ Episode #263 Broadcast date: 20May25 Host: Alexi Boyd, Small Business Advocate & Policy Advisor Guests: Experts and Special Guests live from Accounting & Business Expo 2025 Part 2

Welcome to Small Biz Matters: People, Policy, Purpose. I’m Alexi Boyd and I’m thrilled to be bringing you this special podcast – part 2 - recorded on the floor of the 2025 Accounting & Business Expo.

There’s so much to learn when you attend a conference and they’re getting better every year. The accounting and business expo is definitely one for your calendar as a Must Do.. This year there was dozens or great discussions and presentations, everything from technical tutorials for advisors and keynotes from economists, to growing your practice with AI, to thought leaders discussing the future of the industry.

As my fellow podcaster Dan from Two Drunk Accountants said, “You always walk away with ideas and fuel in the tank, motivation and great ideas to use in your business.”

Didn’t make it? Luckily Small Biz Matters was there and can bring you the Best of from ABE 2025.

In today’s program you’ll learn from mentors and trailblazers from the accounting and business world, who are so generous with their wisdom. But it’s not just for the accounting nerds out there – small businesses and all advisors will get expert advice on topics like AI for teams, how the accounting world should be tackling gender disparity, growing and selling your business and the importance of e-commerce for growth.

Our expert guests include:

Dale Dixon, MYOB – What’s the mission for software companies to support small business through the ever-changing landscape of digitalisation in accounting? How can they leverage AI to improve their practice and for their clients?

Debbie Hatumale-Uy, (The Sweet Stuff) & Martin Rodgers (Realise Business) - The importance of e-commerce in your business but not just to set and forget; recognising you’re only as good as the connectivity between your engagements. How does Realise Business enhance digitalisation and the Federal Government program to support small businesses to get into digital?

Michele Grisdale (Rainforest Bookkeeping), Rebecca Mihalic (businessDEPOT), Sarah Lawrance (Hot Toast) – why does gender disparity in accounting remain such a problem for the industry?

Rob Marshall, General Manager ICB – new compliance requirements for bookkeepers’ code for dealing with incapacity in your practice

Cissy Ma – Grow and selling businesses. How to get started? What are the pitfalls?

Peter Thorp, Australia Bookkeeping Network – what does an association get out of attending ABE?

Dan Osbourne, Two Drunk Accountants – What’s the top highlight of the Accounting and Business Expo in 2025? Why is it important for busy advisers to attend and learn.

Small Biz Matters: People, Policy, Purpose ~ Episode #262 Broadcast date: 29 Apr 2025 Host: Alexi Boyd, Small Business Advocate & Policy Advisor Guests: Experts and Special Guests live from Accounting & Business Expo 2025 Part 1

Welcome to Small Biz Matters: People, Policy, Purpose. I’m Alexi Boyd and I’m thrilled to be bringing you this special podcast – part 1 - recorded on the floor of the 2025 Accounting & Business Expo.

There’s so much to learn when you attend a conference and they’re getting better every year. The accounting and business expo is definitely one for your calendar as a Must Do.. This year there was dozens or great discussions and presentations, everything from technical tutorials for advisors and keynotes from economists, to growing your practice with AI, to thought leaders discussing the future of the industry.

As my fellow podcaster Dan from Two Drunk Accountants said, “You always walk away with ideas and fuel in the tank, motivation and great ideas to use in your business.”

Didn’t make it? Luckily Small Biz Matters was there and can bring you the Best of from ABE 2025.

In today’s program you’ll learn from mentors and trailblazers from the accounting and business world, who are so generous with their wisdom. But it’s not just for the accounting nerds out there – small businesses and all advisors will get expert advice on topics like Guidance on training your team, best practice when setting up an accounting practice, AI implementation tips, small business restructuring and succession planning, advice from industry associations and the ATO themselves on what’s changing for advisors and their small business clients.

So grab a cuppa and enjoy Hearing from the experts from Accounting and Business Expo 2025.

Our expert guests include:

Michael Morton, Assistant Commissioner for Small Business, ATO – the current focus areas of the Getting It Right Campaign

Sonia Gibson, Director Accounting Heart - the things you wish you’d known when you started your own practice

Sabby Gill, CEO Dext – what value does an international software company like Dext get from an expo like ABE?

Andrew Quinn, CEO AVA Advisory – how advisors can work together to support small businesses facing insolvency through the small business restructuring process

Clayton Wood Founder Seamless – what are the benefits of attending ABE as the founder of a new and emerging app?

Wayne Wanders, The Real CFO – what have you gained from this event as an attendee at ABE? What will you take away for your business? What about the future of Startups?

Dr Craig West, Succession Plus – what and when should you be thinking about succession planning?

Heather Smith, (Anise Consulting), Lielette Calleja (businessDEPOT), Mary Delaney Karbon - Strong women in leadership. How can we support impact, integrity and influence?

Small Biz Matters: People, Policy, Purpose ~ Episode #260 Broadcast date: 1 Apr 2025 Host: Alexi Boyd, Small Business Advocate & Policy Advisor Guests: Experts and Special Guests live from the Press Gallery, Parliament House

There is not a lot of small businesses that wait with bated breath each budget night for what is in it for them, but there is a handful of experts; peak bodies who meticulously dissect it line by line, looking out for the needs of small businesses.

Each budget night, they are locked with without their devices, crammed into a room which is never big enough, fed with food that is not eaten, handed a stack of budget papers, and then asked to unpack it all in only two hours! It is a remarkable feat and takes the best minds in the country.

At this year’s Budget Night on 25th of Mar 2025, Small Biz Matters was lucky to be in the media lock up, alongside our colleagues from the Community Radio Network.

After the lock up, I spoke to the leading economic, media, advocacy and policy experts in the country (and a handful of special political guests), unpacking the budget from purely a small business perspective.

Gavan Ord, Policy Adviser at CPA Australia kindly joined me in conversation the day after to unpack all the pros and cons and what it means for Australian small businesses and of course the all-important Federal Election on May 5th.

Our expert guests include:

Dai Le MP

Senator David Pocock

Chris Richardson from Rich Insight

Matthew Addison Chair of Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA)

Michele O’Neil President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions

Innes Willox CEO of Australian Industry Group

Ross Greenwood, Business report with Sky News

Helen McCabe Founder and Managing Director at FW

Allegra Spender MP

Senator Jacqui Lambie

Small Biz Matters: People, Policy, Purpose ~ Episode #259 Broadcast date: 25 Mar 2025 Host: Alexi Boyd, Small Business Advocate & Policy Advisor Guests: Hon Julie Collins MP, Minister for Small Business and Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

The national small business strategy was released by the federal minister the Hon Julie Collins MP in Feb 2025. Treasury’s media release described as a Strategy to support Australia's nearly 2.6 million small businesses by streamlining processes, reducing duplication, and ensuring small businesses are front and centre in policy decisions.

It’s signed by all of the state and territory Small business ministers who promised to work more collaboratively together.

It was a rather quiet media release. Those that did take notice namely the professional associations like CPA Australia panned it as being a motherhood statement, lacking in detail and failing to solve any of the problems facing small businesses right now.

If small businesses are so critical to government policy, why do we continue to see a lack of action and practical solutions? What’s the purpose of having a framework that doesn’t offer anything new for Small business nor guarantee a more stable and predictable environment in which they can operate?

It’s the middle of budget week there’s a looming election. In her first long form interview on the national small business strategy, The honourable Julie Collins MP joins us today to unpack, explain and answer the critics’ concerns.

1. Tell us about the national small business strategy and why it’s so unique compared with what the government has done previously supports more business?
2. The positives in the report are that it acknowledges what’s currently not working and the driver behind the strategy which is harmonising regulation across the states. It’s also a set of principles on which future small business strategies can be built. Can you take that a step further and suggest what sort of regulations will be targeted as a priority?
3. Will the tangible policy changes that this strategy will hopefully bring out be led by the federal government or by states?
4. This report was described in the press release as ground breaking but has left a lot of the leaders in small business wanting. It speaks to motherhood statements without Indicating measurable outcomes. And there’s plenty of things that Small business has been asking for over the years. Would you agree there was a missed opportunity here to offer more practical actions in the strategy?
5. Small business moves fast and the environmental factors like the economy which small businesses must react to, even faster. Given the pace of small business evolution in Australia, why are the key decision makers, the small business ministers only meeting every 6 months?
6. Would you consider a working group that includes peak bodies in small business part of this process to really advise on what’s critical to small businesses in a more timely manner?
7. The success of this strategy heavily relies on cohesive approach by all small business ministers in all states. Given that you are a Labor government do you believe that this will continue with changes of government and changes of ministers.

To find out more about the National Small Business Strategy go to the Australia’s Treasury’s website - HERE

Small Biz Matters: People, Policy, Purpose ~ Episode #258 Broadcast date: 18 Mar 2025 Host: Alexi Boyd, Small Business Advocate & Policy Advisor Guests: Dr Sherman Chan, Chief Economist at Business NSW

Dr Sherman Chan is one of those few economists who, when they explain a complex problem, it makes sense. That’s why whenever you attend a BusinessNSW event where she is presenting her findings or read their quarterly Business Insights data report, the science of economics becomes a little clearer. The report provides policy makers and business owners insights from small business in the form of robust, clearly presented data which is consistent in its presentation of its data. That’s why we’re pleased to present this information to you on a regular basis on Small Biz Matters.

In March 2025, for the first time in three years, the report offering a positive lift in the confidence index. Insurance remains a top concern and we are very much in a 2 speed economy but the green shoots have started appearing alongside the RBA’s interest rate cut and as Sherman says, “Confidence comes hand in hand with resilience.”

Regularly briefing small business intel from the quarterly business insights report to the likes of NSW Treasury, the RBA and federal politicians, Dr Chan has an intelligent approach to data gathering, presenting it in a clear and relatable way, Dr Sherman Chan is exactly the right person to deliver the information you need to understand the state of small business right now. She joins us to unpack the findings of the March 2025 report for small business owners, their advisors and policy makers here on Small Biz Matters.

• Tell us about the findings in this quarter’s Business NSW data report. What insights have you been able to extract from the data in particular for small businesses?
• Is the data showing different situation for regional or Metro base businesses?
• What will Business NSW adjust in its priority issues when representing small businesses in NSW? How will they change their policy priorities?
• What do you see as the main issues that Business NSW will be advocating for change for small businesses in the coming 12 months?
• Were you surprised by any of the findings?

Sherman is an economist with experience in government, banking and consulting. In her role as Chief Economist at Business NSW, Sherman drives strategic research and builds the evidence base for policy advocacy. She manages the quarterly Business Conditions Survey – Business NSW’s flagship research product that generates insights into business opportunities and challenges across key industries in NSW.

Prior to joining Business NSW, Sherman was a Senior Manager in the Risk and Regulatory Consulting practice at MinterEllison. This followed a six-year stint in NSW Government with agencies including NSW Treasury and the Audit Office of NSW where she led large-scale program evaluations and performance audits.

Sherman’s journey as an economist also includes working at Moody’s Analytics and HSBC (Hong Kong) during the Global Financial Crisis, covering economies and financial markets across the Asia-Pacific region. Sherman also has experience working at the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority.

Sherman holds a PhD and a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours in Economics) both from UNSW. Proficient in both macroeconomics and microeconomics, Sherman has been a Lecturer at UNSW since 2014. She specialises in government policy evaluation, impact measurement and cost-benefit analysis.

Business NSW is the peak business organisation for New South Wales representing the needs of 48,000 businesses across the state. Its purpose is to create a better Australia by maximising the outcomes and potential of Australian businesses. The organisation achieves this by working with businesses spanning all industry sectors including small, medium and large enterprises.

To find out more about BusinessNSW Business Conditions Survey, check it out HERE

Small Biz Matters: Real Biz Stories ~ Episode #257 Broadcast date: 11 March 2025 Host: Alexi Boyd, Small Business Advocate & Policy Advisor Guests: Simon Potts Owner of Boxes for Business

Here on Small Biz Matters Real Biz Stories we’re bringing you small business success stories designed to inspire, guide and give you the motivation to achieve your smallbiz dreams. From super heroes who can see the future of an industry or those real life heroes have overcome massive barriers to achieve their small business dreams. Today is one of those journeys.

I love talking to business owners who are passionate about their business but more than that, I love chatting to business owners who are passionate about all small businesses. Those that really want to make a difference. I consider them the real business leaders – not the ones with hundreds of thousands of followers and like the sound of their own voice but because they want to take their lived experience, their love of being their own boss and improve the business lives of others. They’re the advocates, the backers of business and they’re the ones politicians should be listening to.

So with the calling of the 2025 Federal election imminent, its time to start talking Real Biz Stories; small business is what makes this nation tick, so let’s start listening.

Today, we are joined live in the studio this week by an industry leader, Simon Potts. He’s master of his niche and an entrepreneur proudly making a difference. So stay with us and be ready to learn from some of the best minds in the business right here on Small Biz Matters: Real Biz Stories.

YOUR REAL BIZ STORY – Tell us about your business and why you started Boxes for Business?

Running a successful business, particularly in logistics in Australia is challenging. But you’ve managed to do this for over a decade...What keeps you going?

LESSONS LEARNED – Hindsight’s a wonderful thing. What would you tell your entrepreneurial self if you could go back in time? What’s the biggest headache as a business owner and keeps you from doing what you love? What was the lesson you learned from COVID?

WHO DO YOU REACH OUT TO? - Who do you call on when you need help and support?

WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER? - What do you think businesses can do to improve the sector as a whole. Do you feel that representative groups are helping to represent your needs as a business owner? What is the one policy the Government can change to make life easier and help you succeed?

Simon Potts – Small Business Owner Trying to Make a Difference

Simon Potts is an everyday small business owner whose firsthand experience with the challenges of running a business sparked his passion for supporting fellow entrepreneurs and speaking up for small businesses. As the managing director of Boxes for Business, he supplies businesses with quality cardboard boxes and practical packaging solutions, with a focus on sustainability.

Navigating business ownership has deepened his understanding of small business pressures and motivated him to engage in national policy discussions. He has appeared briefly on ABC’s Q&A and contributed to policy conversations by advocating to politicians for practical, business-friendly solutions and raising concerns with key business organisations, including Business NSW and the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman.

Boxes for Business has been featured in a national CommBank campaign highlighting Australian small businesses and has, on occasion, supplied cardboard boxes for productions such as Celebrity Apprentice and My Kitchen Rules.

For more information, visit www.boxesforbusiness.com.au or connect with him on social media.

Small Biz Matters: RealBizStories ~ Episode #256 Broadcast date: 25 Feb 2025 Host: Alexi Boyd, Small Business Advocate & Policy Advisor Guests: Craig Rochat, Executive Director Land of Plenty Food Group

There has been a myriad of government incentives and schemes to bring back manufacturing in Australia, but for some successful businesses, it never really stopped. Those with the experience, tenacity, and the industry know how survived through the ups and the downs like Covid and have been forging the way for the new wave of Australian manufacturers to come after them. One of those industry leaders is Craig Rochat, the founder of Land of Plenty Food Group. He has been working in the industry for decades both internationally and here in Australia and puts all of his passion and experience into his successful business whilst also giving back to Australia’s food manufacturing industry; leading the way with innovations and change to make it better.

After watching so many of Australia’s small businesses flourish, and many of them disappear through the Covid period, what can be learned through the success stories like Land of Plenty? How do you survive a lockdown that affects not only your customer base, but your operations, and ability to even function your business and then emerge, thriving, taking those lessons from that crazy period to see continued growth?

To explain how he did just that we are joined live in the studio this week by an industry leader, Craig Rochat. Stay with us and be ready to learn from some of the best minds in the business right here on Small Biz Matters: Real Biz Stories.

Questions

Tell us about your business and why you started Land of Plenty? Running a successful business, particularly in food manufacturing in Australia is challenging. What keeps you going? What is the one policy the Government can change to make your business life easier and help you succeed? What’s the biggest headache as a business owner and keeps you from doing what you love? Who do you call on when you need help and support? What was the lesson you learned from COVID? What do you think businesses can do to improve the sector as a whole. Do you feel that representative groups are helping to represent your needs as a business owner?

About our Guest

Craig Rochat joined Lotus & Ming in January 2011, partnering with his wife and company founder, Karen Lavecky. Following a successful expansion and growth program the company re- branded in 2016 to become Land of Plenty Food Co.

Craig began his career in the Hospitality and Retail industry in South Africa, Craig trained and worked as a chef before moving into management. In 2003 Craig joined The Food Fund Management Group, heading operations in Australia, The UAE and South Africa. This was followed by a 4-year stint with AHL Group as head of Gold Class Cinemas and then 4 years with David Jones as the National Buyer for the David Jones Food-halls, before partnering in his own business.

Over the past 11 years Craig has driven the Land of Plenty business from strategic, operational and financial direction which is where his strength lies. The impact of covid was significant for the group with approximately 90% of customers forced to close in the 7 days post the first lockdown of March 2023. In conjunction with an Advisory Board, the group set about navigating the next 2 ½ years and developed an investment and acquisition strategy. It is from this strategy that the group delivered record sales revenue and profit.

About Land of Plenty Food Co

Is a gourmet food company, manufacturing premium handmade and high-volume life- style brands for both food service and retail. In addition to our branded ranges, we also provide a bespoke manufacturing service for franchise, big box and multi-location customers. Land of Plenty has recently embarked on a business expansion program through their “brands under management’ strategy to develop a distribution and investment business that runs concurrently with the main owned brand business. Find out more here

Small Biz Matters: RealBizStories ~ Episode #255 Broadcast date: 11 Feb 2025 Host: Alexi Boyd, Small Business Advocate & Policy Advisor Guests: Petko Petkov, FoodTech Founder of CHEFIN

Welcome to 2025! Here on Small Biz Matters we’re bringing you small business success stories designed to inspire, guide and give you the motivation to achieve your smallbiz dreams. There’s loads of stories of success out there from all corners of the small business community from those who can see into the future of the industry or those who have overcome massive barriers to achieve their small business dreams right here in Australia. Today is one of those stories.

Imagine being ahead of the curve. You can see the future for an industry but know that change and innovation takes time and you’re planning on bringing an entire trade along for the ride. You know your ideas are solid and the future... but others doubt your journey.

If you think small business is tough, imagine starting a hospitality business. And if you think hospitality is tough, try doing breaking into an entirely new and innovative way of working in an industry!

That’s the story of Petko Petkov. He took a background managing global projects for industry global giants, partnered it with a passion for food and small business and turned it into an innovative tech baby. And that was long before apps and tech was a thing.

In the first episode for 2025 sit back and listen to a remarkable story of resilience, innovation and pure grit.

YOUR REAL BIZ STORY – Tell us about your business and why you started Chefin?

Running a successful business, particularly in hospitality in Australia is challenging. What keeps you going?

LESSONS LEARNED – Hindsight’s a wonderful thing. What would you tell your entrepreneurial self if you could go back in time? What’s the biggest headache as a business owner and keeps you from doing what you love? What was the lesson you learned from COVID?

WHO DO YOU REACH OUT TO? - Who do you call on when you need help and support?

WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER? - What do you think businesses can do to improve the sector as a whole. Do you feel that representative groups are helping to represent your needs as a business owner? What is the one policy the Government can change to make life easier and help you succeed?

About CHEFIN: Picture this: a world where every meal is an extraordinary experience crafted by talented chefs. Welcome to CHEFIN, a network of independent Chefs. By accessing top-tier culinary talent through the CHEFIN platform, individuals and businesses can create unforgettable dining experiences & deliver remarkable hospitality for their guests.

About our guest: Founder & CEO of CHEFIN, Petko boasts 15 years of Consumer Insights & Data experience. He has led sales & operations teams in 12 countries and managed global projects for companies like BP (Carrebean oil spill PR disaster response), Uber's strategic roll out in Asia Pacific, Google's acquisition of YouTube, Nokia's launch in Africa, various NPD projects for Mars, Unilever, Pfizer & Coca-Cola. Petko was part of the Australian launch of global opinion company YouGov Plc.