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A huge thank you to all the members and guests who joined us for SBNG Ettalong this morning at our impromptu venue! Your flexibility and support are what make this network so special.

An even bigger thank you to Dr. Leanne Faulkner for her inspiring and interactive presentation on small business owners’ mental health.

Leanne delivered a very interactive session and had everyone thinking about how owning a business can often be a bit of a roller coaster ride. In fact, she brought along a rollercoaster and asked everyone there to identify the points on the ride they would find to be the most stressful. The results were varied and produced a great discussion about a good time to address feelings of stress at work. Typically, it's more effective to address those nagging worries when you first notice them (that might be at the start of the ride or while climbing the coaster hills!) instead of when you hit the dips and lows. 

Tackling stress at work is a lot like taking the fear out of riding a rollercoaster. You can:

1. Notice if and when you are feeling worried. This may be when something different signals worry (starting to wake in the middle of the night for example) or you feel less in control of your work day.

2. Take the time to research and learn about the work you need to do. Worried about cash in the bank? Learn how to do a cash-flow forecast so you can see what money is coming in. Worried about sales? Learn and develop a new sales strategy, for example.

3. Ride with a friend. At work, this means attend networking or social events with other business owners so you can see you're not alone. Seek out the support of others during the challenging times.

If you want to learn more about taking control of your work, contact Leanne for more information.

Dr Leanne Faulkner

rereadable.com.au

fortitudeatwork.com.au

We had a packed meeting today keen to hear Anna Golubeva's presentation on Cash Flow.  She began with a quick Trivia quiz and then opened our eyes to why it is that 60% of small businesses fail .... essentially a lack of understanding of what cash flow is and does for your business.

Key points to take home:

1. Understanding business income and expenses is the foundation of effective cash flow management. Having a clear picture of where your money is going helps to decide on the best ways to optimise your expenses or, alternatively, work on increasing your business revenue.
2. For small business owners business income and expenses are often closely interrelated with personal income and expenses. Drawing down funds from your business sporadically to cover emergencies and irregular personal expenses leads to decline in business Net Profits or even brings Net Losses and undermines cash flow forecasts. It is crucial to have a clear separation of your business and personal finances and know how much your current lifestyle “costs”.
3. To tackle the above challenges the Profit First approach can be adopted by your business. It will enable you to pay yourself first, get closer to hitting your business profit targets, ensure you have enough funds for taxes and make your business leaner. With separate bank accounts you will have clear boundaries for personal and business finances which in turn will optimise your business planning and cash flow management.

For help with understanding your cash flow, contact Anna in one of these ways:

Email:  anna@financefirstcoaching.com.au

Website: www.financefirstcoaching.com.au

Phone: +61 413 468 024

Facebook/Instagram: @finance.first.coaching

It's always good to see some enthusiastic networking!  Today's meeting was well subscribed, and we had a good range of "experienced" to "new" business owners in attendance.

We had our regular introduction section, and then posed the question to our more experienced members "what's something you wish you'd known before starting your business, and what impact would it have had for you?" and it wasn't long before the room was humming with discussion!

So nice to see some new faces around the table too - we look forward to seeing you again at an upcoming event.

Our thanks as always to the staff of Zenith Cafe for looking after our breakfast orders.

Wow! We were absolutely blown away by the incredible turnout at this morning’s SBNG Ettalong meeting! A huge thank you to all our members and guests who joined us—it was fantastic to see so many new and familiar faces.

A special shoutout to Andrew Forsyth for his insightful presentation on how AI-powered video production can take your business marketing to the next level! Your expertise and knowledge were truly appreciated.

Andrew had some fabulous offers for those in attendance - but if you missed the event perhaps you might like these links:

Podcast      https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/04-flipping-the-script-with-andrew-forsyth-how-video/id1778904882?i=1000680747565

Website      https://pembertonproductions.com.au/

As always, our thanks to Bobby's Cafe for looking after our Breakfast needs

A huge thank you to all our members and guests who joined us this morning at Erina!  It was a fantastic session filled with great connections, insightful conversations, and plenty of inspiration.

A special shoutout to Jacqueline Ernstzen for her engaging presentation on Achieving Your Life Goals Through Lifestyle Financial Planning. Her insights reminded us that financial planning isn’t just about numbers—it’s about creating the life we truly want. It was a powerful reminder that small, intentional steps today can lead to big achievements tomorrow!

Working with Collaborate Financial ensures that you have expert guidance to help navigate complex financial decisions.

We add value to the lifestyle planning process through:

1. Clarifying Goals and Aspirations – We work with our clients to articulate their short-term and long-term aspirations, whether it’s early retirement, funding children’s education, traveling the world, or purchasing a dream home. By understanding these objectives, we can develop strategies that align financial resources with life goals.
2. Creating a Personalised Financial Plan - No two clients are the same, and a one-size-fits-all approach does not work for financial success. We tailors investment and savings plans to each client’s unique circumstances, risk tolerance, and future ambitions.
3. Strategic Wealth Management - By leveraging expertise in investment, tax planning, and risk management, we help clients make informed decisions that give the opportunity to optimise financial growth while maintaining stability.
4. Ensuring Financial Security for Life Transitions - Whether it is changing careers, starting a business, or preparing for retirement, we provide strategies that allow for smooth transitions without jeopardising long-term financial health.
5. Accountability and Regular Reviews - A key benefit of working with a us at Collaborate Financial is ongoing support and accountability. Regular check-ins help clients stay on track, make necessary adjustments, and ensure their financial plans remain aligned with evolving goals.

Check out the website      https://collaboratefinancial.com.au/

And as always our thanks to the team at Cheeky Charlies who run back and forth with our breakfast requirements!

What’s better than starting your Friday morning with great company and valuable insights? A huge thank you to Tim Helman from Professional Mortgage Advisors for delivering a fantastic presentation on the first home buyer process at SBNG Tuggerah on 14th February.  Your expertise and guidance made a complex topic so much easier to understand.

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Tim has been in the mortgage industry for almost 40 years initially working for various lenders in roles from mortgage officer processing new applications, NSW settlements manager for a large bank and collections manager for another lender during the recession we “had to have” in the late 80’s .

25 years back Tim left the comfort of an employed role and started a mortgage broking business in conjunction with an accountant friend and they operated this for almost 11 years before Tim went out on his own as the two parties had different ideas on the direction the business should take.

Tim now operates from a home office and has access to the loan products of almost 40 different residential lenders, 12 commercial lenders and 6 asset finance lenders with the majority of his business being residential lending.

 

Tim's presentation took us through the process he has with first time home purchasers:

• The initial discussion providing them on the benefits available , the purchasing process and who they should talk to about this, how much deposit they require and tips on what lenders are looking for.
• Lodging the application with the documents required and the timelines.  
• The approval and subsequent settlement process.
• The post settlement check ins to ensure everything is ok and remind them of some of the matters discussed in the original discussions.   

 

Key Points to take away: 

Buying your first home can be stressful, having an experienced mortgage broker on your side can make the process simpler.

With so many lenders competing for client’s business, making the choice on who is the best fit for the borrower is not an easy task.

With over 40 years in the mortgage industry Tim is a good person to have on your side.  He is passionate about helping young people achieve their goal of home ownership.

As always, our thanks to the staff at Zenith Cafe for looking after our breakfasts.

Our first SBNG Ettalong meeting for 2025 was very well attended.   A big thank you to all our members and guests who joined us for networking earlier today!  

It was great to see everyone connecting, sharing ideas, and supporting each other in business. 

As always, our thanks to the staff at Bobby's Cafe for looking after our breakfasts.

Keep an eye on the calendar for more information of upcoming meetings!

It seems that even a long weekend around Australia Day was not going to keep people away from our first SBNG meeting of the year! It was fantastic to see so many familiar faces back in the room and to welcome some wonderful new guests.

Networking is all about connections, and we’re excited for another year of learning, collaboration, and growth together. Here’s to a great 2025 with SBNG!

We're back at Sol, Fountain Plaza, which has been redecorated over the Christmas break and is much brighter and welcoming!   As always, our thanks to the staff at Cheeky Charlies Cafe for looking after our breakfasts.

A huge THANK YOU to all the SBNG members and guests who joined us on Thursday night for an unforgettable evening of celebration, connection, and festive cheer. It was a fantastic way to wrap up the year with such a wonderful community of like-minded professionals.

We’re grateful for each and every one of you who took the time to attend, and we look forward to an even more successful and connected 2025 together!

Wishing you all a joyful holiday season and a prosperous New Year!

A huge thank you to all the members and guests who attended our final SBNG meeting for 2024!  Your support, insights, and connections have made this year truly unforgettable.   

We always have 20:20 vision when we look backwards, so this was an opportunity to reflect on the year that's coming to a close. Mark Hanslow led the discussions on some highlights of the 2024 year in business for members and guests.

Even if you didn't attend, this could be a useful exercise to put yourself through because perhaps 2024 has been your best year ever ... or maybe it's not all been a golden glow for you? Either way, there are always valuable lessons to learn along the way.

As we wrap up, we want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a successful 2025 filled with growth, prosperity, and joy!