Ellara Business Consulting, Coaching & Training

15/07/2021

Feeling for so many small businesses right now…Make sure you keep up to date with what support is available for you and your staff. Stay strong, we will get through this and if I can do anything to help, please let me know.

The NSW Government will be offering financial support to businesses impacted by the recent COVID-19 restrictions and stay-at-home orders.

30/03/2021

Ok, so it’s been a looong time between posts because, as most of you know, I have been off in the Corporate world for quite some time now. That doesn’t mean that I don’t think of you all or that I’m not here if you need me. It does mean that I am not posting on my page very often at all but happy to say I love that so many of you are reaching out to me via other mediums. As they saying goes, “I am here if you need me”.

Have a safe and happy Easter break.

03/04/2020

Yesterday, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced it is also putting out a $10,000 grant for small business who have been affected by covid-19.

Click on the link below to see if your business is eligible. You should be able to apply for this grant after 17 April 2020.

Thousands of small businesses across NSW struggling to cope with the COVID-19 shutdown will receive grants of up to $10,000 under a new assistance scheme announced today by Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Finance and Small Business Damien Tudehope.

02/04/2020

With so many of us using whilst working remotely or even to catch up with friends, this article has some good tips to saying safer online whilst using zoom (and also dispels the rumour about ).

With much of the world shifting to working from home due to public health concerns with COVID-19, video conferencing is booming. Businesses, and even schools, are turning to platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google hangouts and other technologies to stay connected. Zoom has come under fire in...

31/03/2020

With self-isolation here to stay, I am going to launch my complimentary "Lunch, Learn and Laugh" series where we can all jump online together for 30-45 minutes, I can share some tips on with you and we can all escape homeschooling for a while and have a much-needed giggle 🙂

My thoughts were that I would offer this twice a week (perhaps Tuesdays and Thursdays?) from 12.15 - 1pm but this is where I need your feedback, please. Do you have a day or time preference? Are there any particular topics you are interested in?

Some of the ideas I had are:
* Claiming and updating your Google My Business Listings
* Top Does and Don't for
* Canva - what is it and how do I use it?
* Facebook Insights - what do they mean and how do I
* No-cost and low-cost marketing tools

If this goes well I think we also need virtual drinks to celebrate keeping on keeping on!

Interested in your thoughts and feedback please and if you know anyone else that might be keen to join us, feel free to share it with them.

27/03/2020

These sure are different times. This is how school lunch orders are happening at our place at the moment...😂

25/03/2020

So yesterday, I should have been running a face-to-face for your workshop that was booked ages ago for 8 lovely self-employed ladies who run their own Postie Fashions businesses. One day before, the club where we were going to hold the course (practising social distancing of course!) was closed so we moved to plan B, online training!

Congratulations to these lovely ladies, most of whom had never done online training like this before. We spent a great 3 hours "together", learning, laughing, trying to keep each other sane and doing our best "Brady Bunch impersonation".

While my actual door might be closed while I work from home and you do too, I am always here for you ladies and look forward to seeing your new and improved Facebook skills.

As a side note, for any of my female friends and acquaintances, check out the pages below if you need some retail therapy without leaving home 🙂 I can vouch first hand on the quality and range.

Postie Pop Up Boutique -Jacqui Independent Stylist
Postie Pop-Ups with Kate
Styled by Janice at Postie Pop Up
Postie Fashions Sydney
Karen's Postie Pop Up Page
Cathy's Postie Pop-up Boutique
Postie Styling with Kimberly
Deb B Postie.

23/03/2020

It's a crazy time and the time we need to help each other more than ever, so for those that may be new to the Work From Home scenario, here are some tips that I hope may help.

DO - Set up a work station for yourself that is as ergonomically sound as you can make it. You don't need a bad back or sore neck to add to your stress levels. I use my dining table as my seated desk and my kitchen island (or ironing table) as my standing desk.

DO - Set a schedule and alarms. Having worked from home on and off for years it is pretty much my norm but I still find days where I look up and realise it's 4pm and I haven't given myself a break or eaten. Give yourself regular breaks and use alarms to remind you when it's time for a break and a time to get back to work.

DO - Utilise the extra hours each day you have each day now that you don't have to commute. Use the time to exercise, read (for pleasure) or something else that makes you smile. I have started cooking more slow-cooked, bulk type meals that I can give to family members so I start cooking in the morning when I would normally be on the train and can keep an eye on it during the day.

DO - Try and keep your sense of humour - why else would I post this ridiculously unflattering photo of myself other than to possibly give you a giggle.

DO - "Catch up" with others in the same boat (online) for coffee or lunch etc. It's great to chat to someone other than yourself and you can perk each other's spirits up. Use Facetime, Google Hangouts, Zoom, WebEx or whatever works best for you and your lunch buddy.

DO - Get dressed for work. Staying in your PJ’s is not conducive to getting into work mode. Having said that, I do admit to some “bra optional” days when I am at home 😊 One of my clients gets dressed for work and then leaves his house and comes back in after his 5 minute walk around the block commute as this is what he needs to get his head into “work-mode”.

DON'T- Be afraid to ask for help. You didn't learn to drive on the first day you tried it so why should working at home be any different. My door is always (virtually) open so hit me up If I can help you.

I was thinking of running some no-cost "Lunch, Learn and Laugh" webinars in the upcoming weeks where I can share some social media tips for business with you but just as importantly, stay connected and learn some new skills in what could be quieter times for those who have had to close their bricks and mortar stores. Let me know if you are keen 🙂

Stay safe, be well and be kind to others.

22/03/2020

New cash flow assistance measures announced for . Make sure you get your facts straight from Government sources and let’s all get through this together 👍

19/03/2020

After a long absence (been off in the corporate world for an extended period), I finally have some time to dedicate to my business again.

Whilst the current environment is very stressful for most of us, it’s important to band together, especially small business owners helping others in the same boat.

If you haven’t seen it already, this link has all the information you need in regards to Government relief and assistance currently available to small businesses courtesy of business.gov.au

Stay strong everyone and yell if there is anything I can do to help you.

If you're a sole trader or you employ people, learn what your business can get and where to go for help.

04/07/2019

Who has access to your Facebook profile after you pass? With a 5-week hospitalisation and then the way too early passing of a much-loved family member earlier this week, posting here has been the last of my priorities... For my daughter and for myself, we are now trying to get back to some sort of "normality".

What it did remind me is how many people do not know that Legacy/Memorialisation settings on your Facebook profile even exist, let alone how to access them. Think of how many photos and memories you have on your profile and what they could mean to those closest to you after you have gone.

If you would like someone to have access to your account after you pass, click on the settings tab (on PC) or the three stacked dashes in the bottom right corner and click "settings and privacy" and "account settings" if you are on your phone/iPad.

Scroll down to "Your Facebook Information" and choose "Account ownership and control" and then "Memorialisation settings" to give access to your the person/s of your choice.

If you would like your account closed after your passing, there is also that choice. Either way, it will take you less than 2 minutes to make your choice, so do it now before it becomes something else you will "get to".

Hold your loved ones close and give them an extra hug xx

07/06/2019

Why do anything in business if you can't measure its success (or where you can improve).

Thank you to all my course attendees who take the time to leave feedback, it is greatly appreciated :)