November 2016

Annelise Mauritz ventured back into fSpace to update us on her bookkeeping business, Bilanz. Annelise started her business working from fSpace earlier this year and has already added an employee with plans to hire 1-2 more staff in early 2017.

Blianz offers several bookkeeping services including BAS & IAS filings, bank reconciliation, full accounts management and cash flow forecasting.

Annelise reminded us that bookkeepers are not accountants and that most businesses require both. In addition to taking care of many often frustrating and time consuming tasks, bookkeepers can offer advice to ensure that businesses are running as smoothly and efficiently as possible. They can also ensure a business bookkeeping system and all the processes that go into it are set up correctly. This prevents any headaches and time wasted to dig into records to fix mistakes that could have been prevented.

Annelise works with most accounting packages but has a particular preference for Xero. She can also advise on the more than 100 add-ons available to bookkeeping/accounting software – add-ons that can help save time and money.

While she is not a payroll or tax specialist, she knows enough to spot opportunities and offer advice on areas such as tax codes that a business owner might miss. With more complicated accounting structures or situations, she recommends getting expert advice to avoid potential penalties and fines. She also recommends all businesses have a quarterly review with their bookkeeper.

Thanks Annelise and best wishes for your continued success!

Petr Cervenka & Saulo Onze were the latest to present their business, Nano Solutions, to fSpace. Both Petr & Saulo have a passion for technology and innovation and they combine these passions as they solve business problems with web and mobile technology.

With a master’s degree in project management, Saulo also specializes in quality control. Petr, a former chef, now calls himself the ‘geek’ as he brings a background in systems administration and software engineering.

Nano Solutions focuses on developing customer relationships, communication and quality assurances as they create systems that solve problems for their clients. Services include cloud computing (moving systems to cloud platforms) and applications through software development. They also offer maintenance services on applications and systems.

As one would expect from a couple of tech gurus, they use a lot of cool software, including some of their own creation. All is used to improve efficiency and communication with the customer, such as their paperless system to approve and monitor projects. They also use detailed development and process software to help clarify and confirm expectations with customers. All these systems support their focus of ensuring the projects they work on result in a business value and return for their customers.

Nano Solutions is also strictly committed to quality control. In addition to software and peer review on new code development, they apply extensive testing throughout the development process. They even have bug-detection software that alerts of any problems.

A major project over the past 18 months is Beachsafe, a website (and soon to be app) that combines weather reports, tide & hazard information, and beach patrol schedules that enables people to make the best choice on which beach to visit. www.beachsafe.org.au

Always looking for new technology challenges, side projects include building a small satellite that will be launched into space and exploring virtual reality products.

Check out www.nanosolutions.io for more information. Thanks Petr & Saulo!

Thanks to eternally groovy Ward Scarff for dusting off his presentation skills and sharing a little about the journey that has taken him into his current role of owner of Outcrop Consulting, a company that specialises in Learning Management Systems (LMS).

Ward spent much of his career as a Human Resources Generalist until 1994 when he changed paths to focus purely on learning and development. This coincided with his then employer’s adoption of a wide area network in Australia. As the modern Internet was in its infancy in the mid-1990s, ‘on-line’ learning largely took place in learning centres – rooms with PCs & laptops lined up with courses on CDs (kids, ask your parents what those were).

When his employer needed to provide uniform training to about 17,000 learners in 2004, Ward became the senior administrator on this LMS.

Nearly everyone has encountered an LMS of some sort, be it to learn the policies or procedures of an employer, complete compliance training, or simply industry specific training. These programs often save time and money through reduced travel and are of particular interest to larger organisations that have reportable compliance training requirements, remote employees or high staff turnover.

Outcrop Consulting originated in 2014 after some relaxing and adventurous times up north in the Kimberley region of WA. Named after a rock formation at the end of his street in Kununurra, Outcrop Consulting helps clients select and implement an LMS from the more than 700 available worldwide. However, the true value comes from Ward’s expertise in support and developing the learning content that maximises the efficiency, effectiveness and inherent value of the LMS.

In addition to state government and large insurance companies, Outcrop Consulting has also collaborated with fSpace’s very own AdHippo. Ward is currently focusing on the franchise industry as a target market.

Visit www.outcropconsulting.com for more info. Thanks again Ward!