Business Tips

2016 has been a big year on the Swish Design blog with 33 new posts for the year including 20 in May – the month I challenged myself to write …

Your favourite posts from 2016 Read More »

It’s hard to believe but ten years ago yesterday, I left the marketing agency I’d been working for as a graphic designer, and went out on my own. My new …

The 10 books that most influenced my 10 years of business life Read More »

It’s a very rare business situation where you work hard for x number of years, get things to a certain point, and then you’re able to go sit on a …

Simple shortcuts to business success #20: Get comfortable being uncomfortable Read More »

For many people a typical work day looks like this: Get to office Fire up laptop Check emails Go grab a coffee Check Facebook while drinking coffee Check the emails …

Simple shortcuts to business success #19: Batch tasks for maximum efficiency Read More »

Your friend shows you her kick-arse Instagram strategy. A webinar about sales funnels demonstrates exactly how powerful those things can be when done right. You read a case study about …

Simple shortcuts to business success #17: Learn how to narrow your focus Read More »

You need to book a time to see your accountant. Should you do it now, or later? You notice the light bulb in the toilet is blown. Should you change …

Simple shortcuts to business success #16: Activate the one-minute rule Read More »

Someone asked me the other day for advice about ‘getting themselves out there’ a bit more. They asked me what I’d done to be ‘seen’ as much as I am. …

Simple shortcuts to business success #15: Don't be afraid to ask Read More »

Routines are boring, right? Monotonous, restrictive, inflexible, creatively stifling. I’ve heard all these words from routine-averse folk. They assure me they love the freedom of taking each day as it …

Simple shortcuts to business success #14: Embrace routine Read More »

There are two types of people in this world – those who love meetings and those who loathe them. I’m firmly in the ‘loathe’ category because I value productivity and …

Simple shortcuts to business success #13: Re-think meetings Read More »

When was the last time you had lunch away from your desk?  If you’re like most people I know, you’re struggling to remember. Most of us are mindlessly eating our …

Simple shortcuts to business success #12: Take a proper lunch break Read More »

You’ve got a list, right? One that contains all the big ideas you have for getting your business out there; spreading the word. Once you get on top of your …

Simple shortcuts to business success #11: Market your business in just 10 minutes a day Read More »

Out of the corner of your eye you see the notification telling you an email’s dropped into your inbox. You click over to it, quickly scan it, note it needs …

Simple shortcuts to business success #10: Touch it once Read More »

It’s time to start work. You sit down at your computer and sip your coffee while you check your email, answer the items you can, make note of the things …

Simple shortcuts to business success #9: Stop starting again and eat the frog first Read More »

Going back many years ago, (to a time when my friends and I didn’t have the same disposable income we have now), a friend told me how she’d just bought …

Simple shortcuts to business success #8 – Leverage the power of storytelling Read More »

There’s a saying “Never jump over dollars to get to dimes.” What does this look like in business? Essentially it’s the desire to be frugal and save money wherever you …

Simple shortcuts to business success #7: Stop saving, start investing – in yourself Read More »

It sounds almost too good to be true right? I’m telling all you procrastinators that your pathological bad habit can be a secret to success. Well, yes it can. But …

Simple shortcuts to business success #6: Practice strategic procrastination Read More »

The alarm goes off and you lie there for a few minutes. Should you go to the gym today? Or tomorrow?  You decide tomorrow is fine. You lie there a …

Simple shortcuts to business success #5: Make better decisions Read More »

I’m sure you’ve read those articles sharing the morning habits of successful people and it seems they all get up at 5am each day and do heaps of useful stuff …

Simple shortcuts to business success #4: Get up earlier (as opposed to early) Read More »

I think we’ve all heard that famous Jim Rohn quote “You’re the average of the five people you spend most of your time with.” And while I don’t really agree …

Simple shortcuts to business success #3: Choose your friends wisely Read More »

In the early years of Swish Design (when I was still doing our accounts) I did all our invoicing at the end of each month. At that time, our payment …

Simple shortcuts to business success #2: Invoice smarter for better cash flow Read More »

Do you like numbers? I don’t. Never have. And I’ve always prided myself on that; congratulated myself for not knowing off the top of my head how many Facebook fans, Twitter …

Simple shortcuts to business success #1: You attract what you track Read More »

How to describe the Tropical Think Tank conference that Anthony and I have just returned from? The best I’ve come up with is that it’s like being in the Big …

Tropical Think Tank 2016 – New friends, amazing clarity and a bloody good time Read More »

January is always a great opportunity to set some things in place that will have ongoing benefits

The great thing about podcasts? the fact you can listen to them while doing something else.