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Creating any solid community is about creating a culture and environment that people want to be involved in. Getting people inspired to support and be involved and most importantly be active.People want to be heard, be in a place they trust those around, be safe and gain value from the community. Maybe have a look at a community that you are involved in and see why you stay in this community and what you get out of it.

One of the biggest benefits of cloud accounting software is the ability to automate time-consuming tasks. Look for the ability to automate the following:

• Invoicing - automatically generate and deliver invoices. When invoicing integrates with online payment services, this is even better. 
• Accounting - you want customisable reports allowing you to view profit and loss accounts, accounts receivable and bank statements.  
• Payroll - automatically calculate superannuation and employee benefits, as part of automating your payroll.
• Accessibility - access your data from any device. 
• Third-party app integration - streamline data collection from point of sale systems and eCommerce platforms, making the whole system more seamless.
• Reporting - it goes without saying that you want to generate and review reports relating to your accounts. You should be able to export in a variety of formats, for the various uses you’ll have for those reports (eg tax time, investment campaigns etc).

• Real-time view - view your results in real-time, as they happen. 
• Data security - large-scale platforms are often better equipped than small businesses can be as individual entities. Ensure your cloud accounting software places a priority on protecting your data and security. 

Cloud accounting can be a cost-effective way to manage finances, for small businesses. There are lots of options available - before you start looking, consider your key criteria.

The average hourly rate to hire a bookkeeper ranges between $40 to $75 but this can increase quite a bit depending on where you are located in Australia, the type of work required, the complexity of a job and a bookkeeper's, qualifications, skills and experience level. The average cost to hire a bookkeeper can exceed $200 in some cases. 

For tasks that mostly involve data entry you'll be quoted much less, whereas for more complex tasks such as BAS preparation, bank reconciliation and setting up your accounting software you can expect to pay a bit more. 

I've used UpWork and Fiverr several times to find web developers and designers. I found these sites to be excellent in terms of finding people for the job. Like Ingrid, I also took my time when reviewing proposals and made sure that my instructions were as clear and objective as possible. I do find that these sites offer great value for money as long as you choose someone well-matched for the job description.

Glen, so is branding a sub-section of marketing or vice versa? And is active promotion simply a form of advertising?

Mick, I agree with Jef and Adrienne, may I also suggest some entrepreneurial pitch meet ups in your area.  This can be a great place to get your pitch right and to uncover any objections, issues or scenrios you may not yet have discovered.  Good Luck!

As the next generation comes through to the management levels in business, we seem to be seeing a trend towards more businesses with attributes that appeal to the millennial generation. One of those is working on your own terms in small business rather than grinding out work for years for a large employer. I think the next big thing in the next five to ten years will be just that, a major shift away from big business and supporting small businesses which provide a personal service.

Matthew,

Great question. I don't have all the information, but I can tell you that there are different levels of protection. The main thing is that "HTTP" is the protocol, "HTTPS" directs the URL toward the Secure Socket Layer (SSL).

There are several types of SSL, a self-signed certificate (which can be created essentially for free) and certificate an individual or business purchases (more reliable and secure - as well as usually verifiable).

There are different levels of security as well 128-bit encryption, 256-bit encryption (these two are perhaps the most common). However, they do go higher (512-bit, 1024-bit and possibly beyond). The higher the number the better the encryption (and hopefully security)

There is also PCI compliance (or Bank Level Security). There are several visual variations to the lock (there is a "black lock", a "green lock" and entire "green URL bar". These aren't necessarily indicators of more or less security but they levels of perceived security (usually you pay a lot for the entire green URL bar).

The important thing is do you trust the website and does it have the lock? You can usually click on the lock or an "info" icon next to it to get detailed information. You can also set your browser level security to help filter.

As always, if something seems off, leave the site immediately.

I think that Candice hit the nail on the head. However, I want to add that you should only start a business that you are personally passionate about. If you are not passionate, the business is not likely to succeed in the long-term because you need that passion to get through the ups and downs of business life. However, I think identifying gaps in your local market is a good starting point (only move forward with something you find interesting and/or exciting).