Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remain the backbone of Australia’s economy, but they’re facing a more challenging and unpredictable business landscape in 2025. Rising operational costs, fluctuating interest rates, and tightened bank lending policies are making it harder than ever for business owners to maintain
PayPal has passed $30 billion USD in global loan originations and has extended more than 1.4 million loans to more than 420,000 business accounts globally. This includes more than 55,000 loans to over $1.4 billion AUD in Australia since PayPal Working Capital was launched in 2013, filling
It’s no surprise that Australian small businesses face a challenging financial landscape. And while we’ve seen an encouraging uplift in settlement rates to 18% for all opportunities generated in 2024 (compared to 16.1% in 2023), we’ve also observed a slight decline in qualified applications, suggesting
As Australia grapples with ongoing inflation and a forecasted deficit of $42.1 billion, the 2025 Federal Budget has introduced several key measures aimed at alleviating pressure on small businesses. The government’s energy bill relief package and proposed productivity reforms are among the most significant steps
In a major step towards empowering women entrepreneurs, the World Trade Organization (WTO) Secretariat and the International Trade Centre (ITC) launched the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund in February 2024. On 7 March, just ahead of International Women’s Day, the fund announced
Running a small business comes with its fair share of expected expenses, from rent and salaries to marketing and supplies. However, many hidden costs can accumulate over time, catching business owners off guard and impacting profitability. Understanding these overlooked expenses is crucial for financial planning
Coco Hou CPA and CEO of Platinum Accounting Australia, is calling on small businesses across the nation to act now and take advantage of the Australian Government’s $20,000 instant asset write-off. Despite the opportunity to improve cash flow and reduce compliance costs, many businesses are
The Allan Labor Government’s recent funding boost to multicultural businesses is making waves, particularly among female entrepreneurs. The latest initiative, which provides $20,000 to Afro Aussie Women in Business, aims to help multicultural business owners grow their ventures with tailored training and networking opportunities. Minister
Lisa Jones, a leading authority in e-commerce and female entrepreneurship, has released groundbreaking insights from the State of the SHE-nation survey conducted through her SHEcom community. This nationwide survey of over 200 women entrepreneurs sheds light on the pressing issues, motivations, and aspirations of women
The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, has released a guide to help small business navigate the challenge of paying or collecting a debt. “Outstanding debts can be overwhelming for a small business – whether you are owed money by a customer
Small Business Connections (SBC) is a media platform that delivers targeted content, news, industry reports, trends and tips to business owners, entrepreneurs, startups and stakeholders in the SME sector.
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