Archive for the ‘VIVO Cafe’ Category
Family Business Crisis- Push or Pull was first published on Women in Focus.
Women in Focus is a website and initiative by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. It is a place for women to be inspired, informed and connected with other women in business in Australia and around the world. Angela Vithoulkas, CEO of VIVO Cafe Group, will be the Guru on the Business Beat section and will be providing weekly articles on all things small business.
I have been in business long enough to know that things can get tough - it’s just the law of time, almost three decades in business can’t sail past without drama. As an employer I face staff dilemmas, cash flow challenges, growth decisions, competitors, personal limitations and buckets of stress. I also face serving my own self satisfaction in the constant push pull of life balance versus work. Still working on that one.
This week I face the greatest challenge of all - my business partner is sick and looks like a long extended leave of absence. I am resentful and annoyed and worried. We have been in business together all of our lives, officially 27 years. Right now as I write this post he is waiting for major surgery and I have to cope with more than I ever should - and so is the business. He is also my brother.
Is green the new black? was first published on Women in Focus.
Women in Focus is a recently launched website and initiative by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. It is a place for women to be inspired, informed and connected with other women in business in Australia and around the world. Angela Vithoulkas, CEO of VIVO Cafe Group, will be the Guru on the Business Beat section and will be providing weekly articles on all things small business.
November has been the month of green here at Women in Focus. The whole green topic has made me reflective, a bit out of the blue actually - no colour pun intended! I have paid closer attention to any mention of green or sustainability, and paid a lot more attention to what’s going on in the corporate world. For instance the 2030 Sustainability Plan for the City Of Sydney.
When I say reflective, I do mean reflective in my business - I haven’t quite got to the point of making this blog a “Dear Abbey” retro thing! It must also be this time of the year as well. As the year comes to a close plans for 2012 must be considered. I have begun to contemplate the position my business could find itself in, in terms of sustainability and being green. What if I can’t do more? Or am I concentrating too much on being green and forgetting the fundamentals of running and growing my business.
Is green the new business? was first published on Women in Focus.
Women in Focus is a recently launched website and initiative by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. It is a place for women to be inspired, informed and connected with other women in business in Australia and around the world. Angela Vithoulkas, CEO of VIVO Cafe Group, will be the Guru on the Business Beat section and will be providing weekly articles on all things small business.
There is no doubt that being green in business has spawned a whole other industry or niche market. There are many new companies that have sprung up to advise, develop, resolve, promote and substitute our bad habits for good. The government and Carbon Tax fit in there somewhere as well.
I’m somewhat old school about business - I need to see a product or understand a service for me to be convinced that it exists. Climate change has become a commodity on top of a social enterprise on top of a divided scientific community. It’s a bit like PR when you think about it. Difficult to actually see a return on your investment but can you afford to not do it?
Your Actions in Business Matter was first published on Women in Focus.
Women in Focus is a recently launched website and initiative by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. It is a place for women to be inspired, informed and connected with other women in business in Australia and around the world. Angela Vithoulkas, CEO of VIVO Cafe Group, will be the Guru on the Business Beat section and will be providing weekly articles on all things small business.
We hear the words “sustainable, green, environmentally friendly, climate change” just to name a few, and some of us may either be overwhelmed or confused. Personally I was dismissive as to how any of that mattered to my business. I understood on the personal front, but didn’t really have any idea as to how it would fit in with my business, affect my business or even be effective for my business. After all, my business and the environment didn’t really influence each other did they? WRONG.
During one of my moments of what the corporate world calls “strategic planning” but I call just plain thinking, I was of course drinking coffee. That’s what I do so nothing too mind blowing there. But it was out of a paper cup, and that got the thought process started. This in itself is a dangerous path as my team would attest. It usually results in change, and that is not what my team likes, it is what my business likes and therefore me. And all of us know that Business Actions mean growth, improvements and of course change.
Jobs for the Young in Business was first published on Women in Focus.
Women in Focus is a recently launched website and initiative by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. It is a place for women to be inspired, informed and connected with other women in business in Australia and around the world. Angela Vithoulkas, CEO of VIVO Cafe Group, will be the Guru on the Business Beat section and will be providing weekly articles on all things small business.
As an employer for almost three decades, it is safe to say that I have personally hired and fired hundreds of people – very young, young, middle aged, older than me age and a lot older than me age. They all had positives and negatives going for them in terms of interview, trial and hire. Is it different working with young people than same age or older than me people? Yes, and I think my world of hospitality is a great example of talking about youth in business since we work with apprentices a lot.
It’s true that many employers take on youth just because they are a cheaper option. I disagree with this strategy, but that’s just me. I have never employed anyone because they would be a less expensive choice. I hire based on attitude, and if you think that bad attitude and disinterest are realms reserved for the youth, YOU ARE WRONG.