The Small Business Survival Series | Plus business and communications tips designed to help simplify your small business.

Why Multitasking Will Get You Nowhere: How You Can Better Manage Your Workload by Trent Brinsley from Alltel Australia

Tips and Tricks for Running a Successful Online Business by Trent Brinsley from Alltel Australia

6 Tips for Home-Based Start-Up Businesses by Trent Brinsley from Alltel Australia

Residential Vs Business Phone Systems: Which is Best for Startups? by Trent Brinsley from Alltel Australia

Looking Big On a Small Business Budget by Trent Brinsley from Alltel Australia

Escaping the Spam Folder: 5 Email Marketing Secrets for Small Business by Trent Brinsley from Alltel Australia

7 Effective Ways to Keep Your Customers from Leaving by Trent Brinsley from Alltel Australia

5 Questions You Should Ask Before Switching to Hosted PBX by Trent Brinsley from Alltel Australia

5 Communication Mistakes Hurting Your Business by Trent Brinsley from Alltel Australia

4 Ways to Set Business Goals Like a Pro by Trent Brinsley from Alltel Australia

Listen to the Alltel Australia Small Business Podcast series and learn from a successful entrepreneur who has grown his corporation from a family–run lounge room operation to a national telco. Alltel’s General Manager, Trent Brinsley wants to help you: - get your business off the ground - lay the foundations for growth and expansion - gain an understanding of the tools you can utilise to build and retain a customer base Trent shares the lessons he’s learnt from personal experiences over the past decade, and mistakes that have caused other start-ups to fail. Episode 1 covers the basic tasks you need to carry out before setting up a small business. Trent says it’s vital to know what steps you need to take from the outset, “poorly executed businesses are the ones that tend to fail,” he says. Startling statistics paint a bleak picture for start-ups. According to ASIC, 44% of businesses suffered poor strategic management in their early stages. And in the first three years, a disturbing number of businesses fail. Looking back, Trent says “the first 12 months are the hardest”. A common mistake people make is not doing their sums. Too many people fail to compare the income they earned in a full time position, against the turn over they need to generate in their business. Trent believes success comes down to understanding profit margins, cash flow and knowing what your time is worth. He says “it’s all about working smarter, not harder.” In episode 2, Trent discusses the importance of planning and preparation. You can contribute to the conversation, we’d love to hear from you! Send us your comments, questions and feedback by posting on the Alltel Australia Facebook page, or by going to the Alltel website.

To succeed in business you need to lay solid foundations to allow for growth and expansion. Trent Brinsley, General Manager from Alltel explains how to do just that in this podcast series designed specifically for start-ups and small business. The communications specialist has spent a decade transforming his business into a successful independent telco that now employs over 30 staff and services clients around the country. Understanding entrepreneurship and what’s required to get there, Trent has developed the Alltel Australia Small Business Podcast series to help you help yourself. He’s experienced growth, witnessed failure and has learnt countless valuable lessons along the journey. He’ll share his tips, advice and insights to help you thrive and survive. Start-ups are often run from a shed, home office, or, in the case of Alltel, a lounge room. In the beginning “you don’t need the burden of paying rent,” says Trent. However, it is important to give your customers the impression you are more established and bigger than you are. Having a 1300 or 1800 number is a good way to do this. The Alltel GM advises “doing things from your mobile phone is not good, you need to protect your privacy while also planning for the future.” Setting up communications systems is an easy and economical way to prepare for expansion. Growth is reliant upon goal setting. Trent suggests short to medium term goals are more realistic and achievable than long-term goals. And, once again, it all comes back to the customer. Focus on service levels rather than dollars. A lesson Trent learnt from his father. To conclude series one, the GM acknowledges it’s not always easy to surround yourself with the right people. In the past decade, he’s had many people come and go. He shares some of those lessons in this final podcast but will continue that conversation in series 2.

Passionate about helping start-ups get off the ground, Alltel General Manager Trent Brinsley shares his knowledge, experience, and tips so you can build a successful business. As GM of a national, independent telco, he knows what it takes to go from a family-run, lounge room operation to a successful national corporation. During this 4 part podcast series, created especially for start-ups and small businesses, you’ll learn: - all you need to know about laying the foundations - establishing structures for growth, and; - setting achievable goals. During his time in business Trent has always been customer focused. He believes success relies on knowing: - who your customers are - where they come from - and what they are looking for Like many companies, Alltel was established after a gap in the market was identified. “We felt telco’s weren’t providing a good service to businesses, and that’s how we came about,” says Trent. After they figured out how to fill a hole in the market, they then considered how they wanted the business to look. In the early stages it’s helpful to think about how you want your business to appear. Trent suggests asking yourself the following questions: - What will happen when your first employee comes on board? - What will the first employee do? - How will you share your knowledge with your staff? Once the staffing structures are in place, then it’s time to focus on the customer. How are you going to remain in their mind? Will you be available to them 24/7? What support do they require from you? If you look after your customers, growth will follow. Trent outlines a number of free tools you can utilise to gauge your customer experience. For example, you can measure and test how long they spend on your website without spending a cent. There’s more to come in series 1….. During the final podcast we look at goal setting.

Business success relies heavily on planning, preparation, product development, customer experience and service. Learn how to transform your idea into a successful business. Trent Brinsley, Alltel General Manager, has played an integral role in taking the independent telco from a family run operation to a competitive national player. During his decade long journey running his corporation he’s learnt many valuable lessons along the way. He’s also suffered the loss of clients when their start-ups fail. Hear his tips, advice and learning’s in this 4 part Alltel Australia Small Business podcast series. “Planning is the most important thing”, says Trent. When you start a business you need to consider the following: - Website - Phone systems - How your customers communicate with you - Running costs - Turnover - Forecast growth Once planning has been put in place around your digital presence, communications systems, and finances, it’s then time to start thinking about how you’re going to get your product “out there”. “Don’t procrastinate!” is Trent’s advice. He says, “there is never a perfect product… you can fine tune things along the way.” According to Trent, most people get into business in an area they are familiar with. Those who thrive, are experts in their field. If you’ve had experience in IT, for example, you wouldn’t open a juice bar. Staying ahead of the game, and keeping an eye on your competitors will also give you an advantage. Stay tuned for episode 3….. In the next podcast Trent shares his advice about considering the customer experience.