Earlier this year, you may remember that I wrote a post highlighting the potential pitfalls of collaborations, entitled ‘Don’t mention the ‘c’ word’. In it, I covered six essential steps that businesses should take before committing to a partnership. But … Read More
Business 101: Grant Thornton’s Christian Van Niekerk Talks Leadership, Innovation & Balance
Christian Van Niekerk is passionate about business innovation. The Grant Thornton director – who commenced with the company in 2003 and quickly worked his way up the ranks – has recently been recognised as a Performance Inspiring Awards finalist by … Read More
Nine Ways to Improve Staff Buy-In
Having your team behind you is essential to any brand or business’ success. Big or small, not-for-profit or corporate, if your staff believe in your brand and love where they work, this will shine through. At Kiikstart, I work with … Read More
How the Humble Pie Spawned a Major Tourism Campaign
From the Southern Highlands, to the ‘Southern Pie-lands’, the humble pie has spawned a marketing campaign that has seen an estimated $2 million injection for the local New South Wales economy. As Manager Tourism & Events for Destination Southern Highlands … Read More
Saving Brick & Mortar: Future-Proofing Your Retail Space
As major retailers like Sears fall like very large dominos, you’d be forgiven for thinking the death knells have sounded for brick and mortar retail. Closer to home, Myer is grappling with its own downward trend, with the retailer last … Read More
How To: Get the Most out of Mentoring
“A mentor empowers a person to see a possible future, and believe it can be obtained” – Shawn Hitchcock. Mentoring is powerful. Some of the most successful people in the world, from Mark Zuckerberg to Sir Richard Branson and Oprah … Read More
Walking the Talk: Non-Verbal Ways to Tell Your Brand Story
Words are powerful. Just ask any leader or media personality who has stumbled over their words, or used the wrong word in a situation. (Who could forget Tony Abbott’s ‘suppository of all wisdom’ gaffe!). When it comes to brands, telling … Read More
Don’t Mention the ‘C’ Word
‘Collaboration’ has long been a buzzword in the business world. Companies recognise that remaining relevant requires not only internal collaboration and team work, but also collaboration in the form of partnerships with other organisations. Defined as “the situation of two … Read More
Lessons I Learnt from Anita Roddick
In a pre-online shopping world, and before the Internet was mainstream, the retail sector seemed a much surer bet. But even then, there were brands that didn’t rest on their laurels. Perhaps one of the best examples of this is … Read More
Calling BS on Your Company Culture
As leaders, there are times when our courage and resolve will be tested. Staying true to your personal values where there is a values mismatch with the company or organisation where you work is one of the most testing scenarios … Read More