Are you an ostrich or a meerkat? In other words is your head down in your biz and your backside in the air or do you have an eye out for the unexpected and plans in place to cope?

This is important because without wanting to sound crude, you don't have eyes in your rear end!

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Hi ${first_name}

Are you an ostrich or a meerkat? In other words is your head down in your biz and your backside in the air or do you have an eye out for the unexpected and plans in place to cope?

I gave a paper at an international conference recently on just this topic.  We had spent the morning listening to eminent international scientists telling us about the climate variability that is increasing and will continue to do so.

But this question is not only about climate and aquaculture, as that was – but it is about your entire business strategy.  

Have you stopped and thought what would happen if:
- You had an extreme weather event like a cyclone, floods, huge hail stones, bushfires?
- Serious accident or illness?
- A fire or break-in?
- Complete computer system failure?
- Changed Government policy took away half your business with no warning?
- Or even a double dip downturn caused by Europe?

Would you be aware it is coming with only your backside on risk alert?

Could you cope?

This is what having a sustainable business is all about and this is just part of what a simple and effective management systems helps your business prepare for.

I have had several of these happen to me and my business survived and is growing.
 
Around two years ago I was in a serious bus accident and ended up with a broken back but I kept my business going by working online because I had prepared that alternative.  One is an evil number especially when it applies to your income stream.

When the Labour government came in they canned FarmBis which provided a 65% subsidy for primary producers and that halved my business overnight as farmers and fishers stopped buying but I broadened my market niche and changed my marketing to reach additional clients

Last December/January first my laptop, then my server and finally, believe it or not, my desktop computer all died, essentially of old age but I had planned in case this happened to one or other of them and I had very good daily backup of my server and I back Outlook up to my server also so that my IT guy was able to slot my backup into a loan computer the same day until my new server arrived and now I have all new equipment including an all new light weight netbook as well as a new motherboard ion my laptop so that I have a less critical machine I use in the garden on a nice day or let my grandson use.

I recognise that my backside does not have eyes and I need to sit up and look around and these experiences plus all the experience of working with many businesses over the past 12 years gives me the depth to really help you plan to have a truly sustainable business.   I implemented ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 to help me run my business effectively plus I work with Pete Godfrey to systematise my marketing.

It is all about having systems and as Hagen Stehr the tuna king said “Jean Cannon’s approach to ISO systems was straightforward and no bullshit.  She understands how industry works and this is the best effort I’ve seen at simplifying what some people have made an art of complicating.”

When you work with me you do not need to take on anyone extra to run your system, you only have one hour of fixed time commitment each week for a teleconference because we work online (no computer skills needed) and in four to six months you will be ready for audit.

Here is the link to register now because there is a special price at present holding until Wed 7th so HURRY!

My kindest regards,

Jean

If you want to discover more about how I could help your business and get started on reducing your risks and hassle, why not book in for Quickstart Blueprint Consultation.

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Should we drill for oil off Kangaroo Island?

An oceanographer says oil exploration in waters near Kangaroo Island must end.

Associate Professor Jochen Kaempf an oceanographer at Flinders University in Adelaide has studied the area off the South Australian coast for the past decade and points out that the ecosystem is delicate and its health is vital to the fishing industry.

These waters have the greatest diversity of marine life anywhere in the world.  Far more diversity than on the Great Barrier Reef!......

Waiting for the red tape

Are you an action person who likes to think a thing through, do your careful risk based planning, then make it happen?

That describes me to a  “T” and I HATE red tape.  I do recognise the need for the planning but there comes a time when it needs to be go.

My entire business is based on helping people get simple and effective systems in place so that things happen smoothly and also so that when an opportunity comes, you are in a position to act fast.

But I hate the red tape, and slow delivery from less organised people.

I currently have several things I am waiting for and it is “irritating”

New Working Hours Code of Practice In SA

South Australian Industrial Relations Minister, Paul Holloway has announced specific guidance on appropriate occupational health, safety and welfare arrangements for working hours in South Australia................

Meat and Water into Electricity in Colac

A consortium of the Camperdown Compost Company and Diamond Energy are setting up a new power plant which converts organic waste from the dairy, meat and other agricultural industries to energy in Colac in Victoria.

Coal to be Taxed In India to Fund Clean Energy

A $600 million levy on coal producers came into force yesterday in India as the first step to charge companies for fossil fuel pollution.  This is the first step to introduce a carbon tax’.

The European Union, South Korea and Japan are considering taxing carbon-dioxide emissions from burning fuels such as coal and oil to slow climate change...................................

Are you up to date with the Modern Australian Awards?

I am not a lawyer but I recognise that legal compliance is a major issue for employers and the employment pendulum has swung from Work Choices, to the other extreme and from July 1 – last week, you need to be following the new employment structure.  In fact for some parts of this, you needed to make changes six months AGO!.............

p.s. Most  of my readers tell me this newsletter is a great way of getting up to date information easily but if you are really snowed under by lots of emails from other sources you can chose to keep in touch by emailling jean@enviroaction.com.au and go onto the monthly list.