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The article discusses challenges faced by three Australian start-up companies with regards to seeking funding from venture capitalists. David Jones and Scott Thomas' track record helped them raised capital for technology firm ThreatMETRIX. Anwar Khalil convinced capitalists that investing in Martian Logic is safe. Aura Interactive received funding from investors Incubators ADI and Information City.

The article discusses China's efforts to address international intellectual property (IP) rights and the counterfeiting of goods. More than 13,000 cases of IP theft were filed in courts in 2005. Beijing's municipal government has already included IP protection on the city's economic and social development plan. 300 Chinese enterprises will be awarded "model enterprise" status for their IP protection efforts.

The article discusses the challenges faced by Australian franchisors who are planning to expand in other countries. Franchisors should consider several factors before lending themselves to global expansion. The biggest pitfalls are supply chain logistics, the need to customize products, services and brands to the local market and foreign legal systems and regulation. Above all of these challenges, the risk of using the wrong business model is hovering.

The article discusses various new fashion designers that have creative talent and excellent business skills in Australia. One of them is Yeojin Bae, fashion designer that launches her own eponymous label. Another one is Jayson Brunsdon, the founder and sole designer of his self-named label. And also Alex Zabotto-Bentley, founder and sole designer of FashionAssassin clothing brand.

The article features several business enterprises in Australia. MFS, founded by Phil Adams and Michael King, is managing $4 billion in funds, including $500 million in the emerging hedge funds business HFA Funds Management Group. Boom Logistics is a company that supplies cranes, cherry pickers, access equipment and many others. Gloria Jean's Coffees was the second most popular brand described by 40 percent of survey participants.

The article presents a discussion about the confusion and complications that business enterprises have regarding the pressure they experience by regulation and being fed up with costs. It states that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission are the well-known organizations relative to regulation.

The article presents the top 50 philanthropists in Australia based on the total amount donated as of 2005. These philanthropists include Marjory Edwards who donated $37 million of her estate to several nonprofit organizations, Greg Poche who donated $32.5 million, and Margaret Doyle and George Henderson who donated $16 million of their estate.

The article points out that U.S. companies are using intellectual property as a weapon and often resort to litigation to test the ability of their competitors. U.S. companies have a bigger tendency to sue because the U.S. legal system, unlike in Australia, does not require the loser to pay the winner's costs. Also, lawyers can appear on a contingency fee basis.

The article focuses on the potential of investors or business owners to draw venture capitalists into a bidding war in Australia. It points out that most investors have struggled to set up meetings with the small group of companies in the sector. Venture capital firms consider innovative ideas, products, services or technology when negotiating with investors.

The article focuses on the legal liability and health problems arising from the exposure of silica in the workplace in Australia. The deadly dust threatens to set off personal injury claims in the area and multi-million-dollar lawsuits against companies. Silica are said to scar, shrink, and break down the lungs killing thousands of people around the world. Potential defendants are those firms supplying products with silica including Orica Ltd., Pink Batts company, and BHP Billiton company. INSETS: TOXIC SAND;Worse is yet to come, by Kristen le Mesurier.

The article reports on the sales improvements in the small-listed companies. Despite on the sizeable downfalls in the business in 2005, small capital companies that were labeled as market dawdlers had exceeded the earning anticipations including the WorleyParsons Co., an engineering and construction company.

The article reports on the benefits of a website for small businesses in Australia. Online baby accessory retailer Babybuds took almost two years to create a reliable and secure website. Problems arise when small business owners equate the popularity of online shopping with profit and revenue. Analysts advise that online strategies must be tight which means spending almost as much time and money on e-commerce websites and market as big-business counterparts.

The article offers a report on the BRW Top 25 Law Firms survey for 2006 in connection with work-life balance. The survey shows that young lawyers are abandoning the conventional high-pressure path to partnership in favor of a career as in-house counsel. It reports that 23 percent of the total population of lawyers are considering leaving the profession, and shows that work-life balance was cited as the most common factor motivating them to consider quitting.

The article reports that an increasing number of Australians are buying real property overseas. In particular, they prefer Asia for its higher rates of return notwithstanding higher risks. On the average, Shanghai real estate yields an annual return from 16% to 18.5%, attributable in part to the undervalued Yuan.

The article reports on the role of information technology in the success of the business. Stead Denton, managing director of telecommunications distributor and service provider JPL Group, has used acquisitions and new products and services to reinvent his business to stay competitive. He focused on voice-over internet protocol. According to Sam Yip, senior analyst at Telsyte, shifting from a basic hardware distributor to a software and service provider is a good way to inch ahead in the market.

The article reflects on the author's view regarding the move by banks into the small and medium-size enterprise (SMEs) sector in Australia. According to the author, the move has not helped every business get its financial needs. He cited that many SMEs after years of combating the banks for credit, they still find that sucuring funding remains difficult.

The article offers information on the failed software investment of Ecareer, an employment agency in New South Wales. Founders of the recruitment agency, Brian Walker and Sue Selby, invested to a local information technology firm for a software development project, only to find out that the firm has only one computer programmer. The project was never completed because the programmer left the firm. Walker and Selby realized that investment should not be based on trusts alone.

The article discusses the growing popularity of online export. An Exporting Online poll reveals that small businesses are nearly twice as likely to export online as their corporate counterparts. The web eliminates trade barriers, bypasses middlemen and cuts through language barriers. To overcome online export challenges, many small businesses should stop acting globally and begin thinking locally.

The article reports on the Narelle Anderson's determination to survive and prosper in the male-dominated garbage collection business in Australia. Anderson is the chief executive of waste management company CBD Enviro Services, which transports most of the garbage from office buildings, government departments and businesses in Sydney and Canberra to recycling plants. Its revenue has increased by 35 percent to $3 million in 2005-2006.

The article focuses on the proposal made by Lex Forsyth, the founder and chief executive officer of Sea Cargo Logistics in Australia, on speeding up the freight movements to and from the Port of Brisbane. Forsyth suggested to build a $40-million transport hub with warehousing and a rail link. He hopes to secure part of the funding from the federal government.

The article focuses on the difficulties faced by small businesses in Australia, which is caused by several factors such as rising petrol prices, higher interest rates, and increasing labor costs. Alan Milwidsky, a trade consultant and director of Business Strategies International Inc., stated that small businesses need waterlight import strategies to succeed.

The article features financial adviser Colin Resnick and is now the director of Babtec Holding. Resnick known to be a turnaround doctor who helped recover a veterinary and holding company which was formerly named as Petsfirst. He has been rescuing businesses from the edge of bankruptcy. He grew up in South Africa and had the first job to assess whether a company should be closed or not.

The article focuses on the introduction of workplace laws in Australia. The franchise of Pulp Juice put down liquidation and the staff was provided with new workplace agreements under the Federal Government's Workchoices legislation. Experts encourage businesses not to cast out the new system due to the fear of getting it wrong. Peter Hendy said that the new Australian Workplace Agreement provide small business a lead in competing with big business since it permits a more elastic workforce that moves with demand.

The article discusses the impact of the Israel-Lebanon conflict on the foreign trade between Australia and the Middle East. Several Australian companies have signed deals with Israel-based companies. Economists have warned that any escalation of the conflict would be disastrous for Australian industries. Recent bombings in Lebanon has stalled Australia's exports to the country. Despite disruption in exports to the Middle East, economists are positive due to growing income in the region.

The article reports that businesses in Australia need to increase their investment in research and development, and get better at turning research into products. Australia spends just 1.62 percent of gross domestic product on research and development, well below the 2.2 percent average for countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The article discusses the barriers and opportunities offered by India's economic growth for Australian businesses. The country's annual economic growth has averaged 6 percent. One of the barriers to Australian businesses is corruption, however, the opportunities offered by the country's economic growth and demographics outlive these barriers. India is also expected to overtake China as the world's fastest-growing economy over the next 30-50 years.

The article discusses on the shortage of skilled workers and its implications to small business enterprises in Australia. The country's unemployment rate is just 5.1 percent, which indicates that the country is already close to full employment. More than 20 percent of the country's business owners, including small businesses, are actively looking for staff overseas. According to LIVEINAustralia company CEO Assyl Haidar, recruiting overseas workers is a tough and expensive process.

The article discusses the business success of Ecowash Mobile, a waterless car-washing business in Australia. Co-founder Jim Cornish says that price and quality drive the sale. Ecowash revenue increased from $655,000 in 2004-2005 to $3.9 million in 2005-2006. Thirty franchises now operate under the Ecowash brand that sells for $55,000.

The article focuses on the advantages of planning a patent strategy when trying to compete with major companies. Inventors must arm themselves with a mine field of intellectual property to defend their competitive advantage. In order to stop competitors from profiting from the same idea, inventors may collaborate with a company that can afford a litigation. In addition, a portfolio of patents can be used as a negotiating tool if sued for infringement.

The article discusses the extension of loan services to small business owners by several banks in Australia. Banking industry experts agree that the funding gap is contracting. The Institute for Factors and Discounters, the industry body that monitors the sector, revealed that cashflow finance has been growing exponentially. Small businesses encourage that banks should work together with small business owners to address financial issues.

The article reports that proprietor of Rismark International Christopher Joye has set a new mortgage that links institutional investors to home buyers in Australia. The mortgage is called an equity finance mortgage. The mortgage introduced by Joye hopes to cash from superannuation funds to home buyers.

The article discusses the service export barriers experienced by Australian exporters in China. The author refers it to Robyn Logan and his business, the International Coach Academy which took a hard time to enter China before he found three partners from different region who commit to the partnership agreement. Australian trade negotiators are working hard to improve China's rules allowing international businesses despite the government's plan of opening China's service sectors.

The article provides updates on public listings in the Australian stock market. During 2005 there have been 220 companies, trusts and funds listed on the stock market in the country. According to reports 80 percent of new listings raised less than 10 billion dollars each for the first quarter of 2006.

The article provides information on several companies that are set up for the sole purpose of owning patents and suing anyone that breaches them. Blackberry Inc. is being steamrolled by patent troll NTP Inc. in the U.S. Blackberry's e-mail service provider, Research In Motion, was sued for patent infringement in 2002. Similarly, Forgent Networks Inc., a former software developer has collected millions in licensing fees for the use of patented technology from Sanyo, Sony and other companies since 2002.

The article reports on the accomplishments of Robert Dane, a physician-turned-inventor. In 1997, Dane developed a solar and wind-powered boat to replace Sydney's diesel ferries. When he decided to bring out his invention overseas, it was a great opportunity for him. The U.S. Navy contracted Dane to build an unmanned ocean vehicle powered by renewable energy. Since then, Dane has lobbied government agencies and won 1.065 million dollars in research and development grants.

The article reports on a survey of fraud committed by employees among businesses in Australia. A recent global economic crime survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers found that 63 percent of Australian businesses experienced at least one incident of economic crime between 2003 and 2005, up from 47 percent between 2001 and 2003.

The article focuses on the growth strategy of Darrell Lea Chocolate Shops Pty. Ltd., a confectionery manufacturer in Australia. In order to institute the company's growth plans, the board has hired CEO John Tolmie to implement a business continuity plan. Tolmie's plans calls for having a franchising agreement as a simple solution that would give Darrell Lea control over the size of in-store displays, product lines, and which products are sold. INSET: THE NUMBERS..

The article reports on the study which found that Australian government's free trade agreements with the U.S., Singapore, and Thailand have brought negligible gains for Australian exporters. The Australian Trade Commission maintains that free-trade agreements are about marrying economies, boosting overall economic competitiveness and widening the channels for investment flow. INSET: Everyone wants a piece of China, Kristen Mesurier..

The article focuses on the advantages of small enterprises that started the business process with a global expansion plan. According to executives from a publishing house that caters material for the digital arts industry, the said strategy enables them to approach exporting from a different angle, bypassing retailers and selling direct to the customers worldwide. They started online by creating the Computer Graphics Society Web site and started an online forum for artists.

The article focuses on the free-trade agreement between Australia and the U.S. The August 2005 Sensis Business Index reports that 26% of Australian small and medium-size and exporters say that the U.S. is an important export destination, up form 19% in the past few years. Even with the free-trade agreement, experts warn that the U.S. is no place for naive exporters.

The article discusses ways on how to attract investors when the business has just started. Technology's competitive advantage, well-protected intellectual property rights, management team's credentials and global growth potential are the author's paramount consideration when planning to attract investors. Robert Smyth's and Andrew Hall's Blue Reef is featured, with details on how it was able to attract investors right after its business venture has started.

The article reports on fear of the Australian universities that their main revenue source such as the international students who are paying full fees for degrees is not sustainable anymore. The international students payments for their annual fees increases to 1.92 billion dollars in 2004 from 792 million dollars in 1999.

Profiles Steve Morriss, a small business owner in Australia. Career background; Achievements and awards; Civic activities; Job responsibilities; Biographic profile; Institutional and organizational affiliations.

Assesses the business planning of young entrepreneurs in their successful business enterprises in Australia. Thoughts of Kinetic Defence Services executive Angelo Mastroprieto on the advantages and benefits of starting one's business young; Views of Mastroprieto of his strategic business plans; Insights of Enviroair founder Jeremy Stamkos on the comparison between youth and experience with regards to running one's business; Characteristics of the typical business plans of young entrepreneurs.

Profiles business partner Kerry and Rowena McEvoy in Queensland. Source of wealth; Hobbies and interests; Total assets; Educational backgrounds.

Reports developments related to business in Australia. Authorization of the final sale of Telstra Corp. Ltd. by the federal Cabinet; Comment of former Treasury secretary Ted Evans on the public statements made by Treasurer Peter Costello about interest rates in the hours surrounding Reserve Bank of Australia meetings; Number of people suspected of using credit cards to launder money from tax havens.

Reports on the impact of the adverse tax assessment of the Australian Taxation Office on small businesses in the country. Struggle of micro-business owners to meet the demand of the government; Crackdown on business tax compliance; Release of the CPA Australia report on the financial records of small business.

Reports that former Federal Opposition Leader, Simon Crean may lose his seat in Parliament as a result of a preselection deal underway in Victoria between the Electrical Trades Union and the right-wing faction of the party. Possibilities for the entry of Bill Shorten in the Parliament.

Reports on Australian Prime Minister John Howard's opinion that the need for national identification cards should be debated in the light of terrorist attacks in London, England.

Presents tips on the management of fourth-generation family business in Australia. Considering an owner-manager structure; Being conscious of the conflicting interests of family members relying on short-term profits and dividends and business managers concerned with long-term growth.