Clinton is joined by Barry Urquhart, a business strategist and consumer analyst at Marketing Focus, about whether there is a future for small, family-based businesses in Australia?

Mr Urquhart reveals that the majority of Australia's 2.5 million small businesses are family-owned and operated, many of which are micro-sized with five or fewer employees.

The COVID lockdowns, coupled with current cost-of-living and business challenges, have severely impacted this sector. Aging business owners face daunting realities:
Small business values have declined or disappeared.
Retirement plans are postponed.
Succession within families is uncertain.
Cash-flow problems and squeezed margins have dampened enthusiasm.
Technological advances have made many products and services obsolete. Decisions ahead are tough and critical.

Clinton is joined by Barry Urquhart, a business strategist and consumer analyst at Marketing Focus, about whether there is a future for small, family-based businesses in Australia?
Mr Urquhart reveals that the majority of Australia's 2.5 million small businesses are family-owned and operated, many of which are micro-sized with five or fewer employees.
The COVID lockdowns, coupled with current cost-of-living and business challenges, have severely impacted this sector. Aging business owners face daunting realities:
<ul>
<li>Small business values have declined or disappeared.</li>
<li>Retirement plans are postponed.</li>
<li>Succession within families is uncertain.</li>
<li>Cash-flow problems and squeezed margins have dampened enthusiasm.</li>
<li>Technological advances have made many products and services obsolete. Decisions ahead are tough and critical.</li>
</ul>

Australia Overnight with Mike Jeffreys, 12am – 4am weekdays.

Wake Up Australia, 4am - 9:30am weekdays.

Australia Overnight with Mike Jeffreys, 12am – 4am weekdays.
Wake Up Australia, 4am - 9:30am weekdays.

Australia Overnight with Clinton Maynard

Australia Overnight with Clinton Maynard - Highlights

Is there a future for small, family-based businesses in Australia?

 Listen to the full show podcast for Friday 21st of June

Listen to the full show podcast for Friday 21st of June

Wake Up Australia with Clinton Maynard - Friday 21st of June

Clinton is joined by Maureen Clark, Executive Director Customer Experience at Sydney Trains, who are working to give unclaimed lost property new life by passing on near-
new items to charities in need.

Sydney Trains collects approximately 50,000 lost property items left on trains and at
stations each year.  Dedicated staff try extremely hard to reunite passengers with their personal property,
but sometimes items go unclaimed for months or even years.

Sydney Trains has established a new partnership with Muru Mittigar, a proud Dharug
Aboriginal Social Enterprise in Western Sydney, to donate unclaimed lost property
items. Muru Mittigar is passing these items on to its community partner organisations
across the state.

So far this year, Sydney Trains has donated: more than 100 bikes, more than 20
scooters, body boards and a selection of clothing, handbags, wallets and sports gear
like fishing rods, tennis rackets and balls. A variety of general goods were also
donated like, toys, sunglasses, umbrellas as well as household appliances like a rice
cooker, electric frying pan, a pedestal fan, a sandwich press and a Soda Stream.

Brand new personal items like make-up, perfume, and creams were also included.

Ms Clark says, “It is wonderful that these unclaimed items can find new life and new use with families and children across the state.”

Clinton is joined by Maureen Clark, Executive Director Customer Experience at Sydney Trains, who are working to give unclaimed lost property new life by passing on near- new items to charities in need.
Sydney Trains collects approximately 50,000 lost property items left on trains and at stations each year.  Dedicated staff try extremely hard to reunite passengers with their personal property, but sometimes items go unclaimed for months or even years.
Sydney Trains has established a new partnership with Muru Mittigar, a proud Dharug Aboriginal Social Enterprise in Western Sydney, to donate unclaimed lost property items. Muru Mittigar is passing these items on to its community partner organisations across the state.
So far this year, Sydney Trains has donated: more than 100 bikes, more than 20 scooters, body boards and a selection of clothing, handbags, wallets and sports gear like fishing rods, tennis rackets and balls. A variety of general goods were also donated like, toys, sunglasses, umbrellas as well as household appliances like a rice cooker, electric frying pan, a pedestal fan, a sandwich press and a Soda Stream.
Brand new personal items like make-up, perfume, and creams were also included.
Ms Clark says, “It is wonderful that these unclaimed items can find new life and new use with families and children across the state.”

Sydney Trains put unclaimed lost property to good use

Clinton is joined by Kathy Kopellis McLeod, Dog Behaviour Expert, about taking charge of your dog when posties enter your property is essential.

It’s not ok to allow your dog to push through the front door or wander freely outside the front of your house, and your dog isn’t allowed to roam the neighbourhood and be a menace in the community.

The difference between ensuring a postie stays safe from a dog attack lies with the dog’s human. To allow your dog access to chase, bite or knock a postie off his bike is not okay. Your dog is acting out due to its genes, experiences, and because its being territorial.

Such incidents can easily be prevented by behaving like a switched-on dog owner. Posties are understandably fed up and Australia Post has now warned it will stop delivering to homes with aggressive, uncontrolled dogs, it also reports all dog-related incidents to local councils.

Clinton is joined by Kathy Kopellis McLeod, Dog Behaviour Expert, about taking charge of your dog when posties enter your property is essential.
It’s not ok to allow your dog to push through the front door or wander freely outside the front of your house, and your dog isn’t allowed to roam the neighbourhood and be a menace in the community.
The difference between ensuring a postie stays safe from a dog attack lies with the dog’s human. To allow your dog access to chase, bite or knock a postie off his bike is not okay. Your dog is acting out due to its genes, experiences, and because its being territorial.
Such incidents can easily be prevented by behaving like a switched-on dog owner. Posties are understandably fed up and Australia Post has now warned it will stop delivering to homes with aggressive, uncontrolled dogs, it also reports all dog-related incidents to local councils.

Is there a future for small, family-based businesses in Australia?

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