On 14 October 2025, Microsoft will officially end support for Windows 10 in every market, including Australia, meaning that PCs running Windows 10 will no longer receive security updates, technical support, or vulnerability patches.

That leaves a vast portion of Australian homes, schools, local councils and small businesses exposed to unpatched security holes. Experts estimate Windows 10 still powers a significant share of global desktops, and many Aussie users lag behind in migrating due to stricter hardware demands of Windows 11.

What does this mean in practice for Australians?

• No more patches: After 14 October, any new vulnerabilities discovered in Windows 10 will remain unpatched — giving cybercriminals easy entry points.
• Higher risk of scams and ransomware: Unsupported devices are prime targets for phishing, ransomware, and business email compromise (BEC) attacks.
• Fake update scams: Attackers may pose as Microsoft or IT support, sending fake “security updates” that actually install malware — a trend already flagged by Scamwatch, which reports Australians lost over $174 million to scams in the first half of 2025.
• Loss of compatibility: New peripherals and apps may no longer work properly on hold-out machines.
• Data exposure: Once compromised, attackers can steal files, credentials and personal information — or use your device to attack others.

Windows 10 is the second most used Windows operating system powering roughly 46 % Windows desktops worldwide, so many homes and businesses will be exposed to unpatched vulnerabilities if they do nothing.

Avast cyber security expert Luis Corrons explains what this means for consumers and businesses, and what steps they should take to make sure their devices remain secure.

“End of support is not the end of the world, but it is the end of free safety nets. Attackers know that, which is why unpatched Windows and driver bugs become long-lived entry points,” says Corrons. “It is also an opportunity for scammers. People may see fake pop-ups, upgrade offers or even get phone calls pretending to be from Microsoft.”

In Australia, the scale of scam and fraud already shows how dangerous it can get:

• In the first half of 2025, Australians reported 108,305 scams, with $174 million in losses.
• In 2023–24, more than 2 million Australians were victims of card fraud, and 675,000 responded to a scam.

Imagine a scenario: a small Australian accounting firm still running Windows 10 gets targeted via a phishing email that installs ransomware, because their system had unpatched vulnerabilities. The results: business downtime, data loss, reputational damage, remediation costs.

What can people do to stay safe?

1. If eligible, upgrade to Windows 11.
2. If you must keep Windows 10, enroll in ESU. This is a paid option for consumers and businesses.
3. Harden holdouts: keep browsers and third-party apps fully updated, remove SMB1 protocol, use a reputable security suite that still supports Windows 10, run a non-admin account, enable multi-factor authentication, and maintain offline backups.
4. For businesses: run an inventory of Windows 10 endpoints, segment networks, restrict macros and unsigned drivers, turn on application allow-listing, plan hardware refresh for non-upgradable devices, and budget multi-year ESU if needed. Pricing starts around 61 USD per device for year one and increases annually.
5. Beware of scams: if you receive a call claiming to be from Microsoft urging you to upgrade, or suspiciously looking pop-up messages, stay cautious and do not engage. If your device is eligible for an upgrade, you will receive an official notification from Microsoft.

D-Link A/NZ has introduced three new DMS-1250 Series network switches, expanding the current DMS-1250 Series offering in the market, which are designed to meet the growing demand for high-performance connectivity in modern business environments.

The DMS-1250 range now includes the:

• DMS-1250-28P 28-Port Multi-Gigabit Smart Managed PoE++ Switch with 24 2.5G 90W PoE++ ports and 4 10G SFP+ ports
• DMS-1250-28 28-Port Multi-Gigabit Smart Managed Switch with 24 2.5G ports and 4 10G SFP+ ports
• DMS-1250-18P 18-Port Multi-Gigabit Smart Managed PoE++ Switch with 16 2.5G 90W PoE++ ports and 2 10G SFP+ ports

New DMS-1250 Series switches key features

DMS-1250-28P

28-Port Multi-Gigabit Smart Managed PoE++ Switch with 24 2.5G 90W PoE++ ports and 4 10G SFP+ ports

• 24 Ports 2.5GE PoE for downlink

• 4 Ports 10G SFP+ for uplink

• PoE IEEE802.3af/at/bt options, power budget 475W

• 6kV surge protection on all 2.5G ethernet ports

• Supports LACP 802.3ad Link Aggregation

• Supports Static Routing & Loopback Detection

• Supports Spanning Tree Protocol (STP/RSTP/MSTP)

• AAA support for RADIUS/TACACS+

• Supports D-Link Safeguard Engine

• Manage through the Nuclias Network Controller

DMS-1250-28

28-Port Multi-Gigabit Smart Managed Switch with 24 2.5G ports and 4 10G SFP+ ports

• 24 Ports 2.5GE for downlink

• 4 Ports 10G SFP+ for uplink

• 6kV surge protection on all 2.5G ethernet ports

• Supports LACP 802.3ad Link Aggregation

• Supports Static Routing

• Supports Loopback Detection

• Supports Spanning Tree Protocol (STP/RSTP/MSTP)

• AAA support for RADIUS/TACACS+

• Supports D-Link Safeguard Engine

• Manage through the Nuclias Network Controller

DMS-1250-18P

18-Port Multi-Gigabit Smart Managed PoE++ Switch with 16 2.5G 90W PoE++ ports and 2 10G SFP+ ports

• 16 Ports 2.5GE PoE for downlink

• 2 Ports 10G SFP+ for uplink

• PoE IEEE802.3af/at/bt options, power budget 370W

• 6kV surge protection on all 2.5G ethernet ports

• Supports LACP 802.3ad Link Aggregation

• Supports Static Routing & Loopback Detection

• Supports Spanning Tree Protocol (STP/RSTP/MSTP)

• AAA support for RADIUS/TACACS+

• Supports D-Link Safeguard Engine

• Manage through the Nuclias Network Controller

Featuring 2.5G ports across the range, these switches offer a significant boost in network speed, ideal for SMBs and enterprises looking to support bandwidth-hungry applications such as video conferencing, high-resolution file transfers, and cloud-based services.

Cutting-edge PoE features ensure reliable power delivery

With advanced Layer 2 management capabilities, the DMS-1250 Series ensures seamless, scalable networking that keeps pace with the rapid evolution of digital workloads. The DMS Series of Multi-Gigabit Switches also is the perfect companion to the latest Wi-Fi Access points that support 2.5G connectivity, maximising not only LAN, but also Wi-Fi performance across the network.

The DMS-1250 Series employs cutting-edge PoE features that ensure reliable power delivery as
PoE+ ports provide a high-power budget to fulfill business needs.​ The innovative PoE functions can ensure uninterrupted power delivery to all powered devices.

PoE has a number of additional benefits including the fact that PoE switches simplify device installation by reducing cable usage and eliminating the need for separate power supplies or outlets. Perpetual PoE also provides an uninterrupted power supply to network devices, even during reboots or maintenance and Fast PoE technology reduces the time it takes for devices to become operational after connecting to the network.

The DMS-1250 Series’ PD-Alive feature is perfect for IP surveillance networks to monitor the status of connected powered devices and verify their activity.​

DMS-1250-28 28-Port Multi-Gigabit Smart Managed Switch with 24 2.5G ports and 4 10G SFP+ ports

The three new DMS-1250 PoE models also come equipped with built-in internal fans that automatically adjust across five cooling levels to prevent the device from overheating. Alternatively, administrators can manually set the fans to either Off or Quiet Mode based on the environment or operating temperature.

The DMS-1250 Series switches also offer enhanced 6kV surge protection on all 2.5G access ports, ensuring that your network remains resilient and that your devices stay safe from electrical surges.​

In addition, the DMS-1250 Series switches offer a comprehensive set of Layer 2+ capabilities, including:

• Static Routes

• IPv4/IPv6

• DHCP relay (available in future R2 firmware release)

• DiffServ QoS

• Port Mirroring

• Spanning Tree Protocol (STP/MSTP/RSTP)

• Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP)

• IGMP and MLD Snooping

DMS-1250-18P 18-Port Multi-Gigabit Smart Managed PoE++ Switch with 16 2.5G 90W PoE++ ports and 2 10G SFP+ ports

There are also a variety of management tools on hand with D-Link’s Nuclias Connect and D-View 8 to meet users’ management requirements. D-Link Nuclias Controller (DNC) and D-Link Nuclias Hub (DNH) facilitate the discovery and management of multiple D-Link devices, allowing efficient configuration of settings. Additionally, the DMS-1250 Series seamlessly integrates with D-View 8, a comprehensive central network management system. Then SNMP functionality enables centralised network asset management, remote configuration and logging.

The DMS-1250 Series switches​ are versatile and particularly suitable for SMB environments. They provide high-speed data transmission with 2.5GE to desktops and infrastructure devices, whilst providing crucial 10G uplinks for external connectivity. This high-speed uplink ensures that the entire business can access external services without encountering data bottlenecks. Furthermore, they offer IEEE 802.3af/at (PoE/PoE+) to power remote devices.

DMS-1250 Availability and pricing

The DMS-1250-28P, DMS-1250-28 and DMS-1250-28P are available now from www.dlink.com.au, www.dlink.co.nz and from all authorised D-Link partners and resellers in both countries for the following RRPs:

DMS-1250-28P – RRP AU$2699.95

DMS-1250-28 – RRP AU$1499.95

DMS-1250-18P – RRP AUD$1899.95

Employment platform SEEK has released its latest pulse check on job ads in Australia that mention working from home arrangements. This provides valuable insights into how flexible working is continuing to evolve across the country, particularly in the midst of discussions on the gradual return to office. 

Overall, 9% of total job ads on SEEK mention work from home – a figure that has declined incrementally since 2023 (10%). The attached data breaks down this proportion change in ads mentioning working from home even further, at an industry level. The below is a snapshot of the industries that have the highest proportion of job ads that mention work-from-home: 

• Insurance & Superannuation – 51.5%
• Consulting & Strategy – 32.1%
• Information & Communication Technology – 29.5%
• Legal – 26.3%
• Human Resources & Recruitment – 25.2%

This pulse check is released following the recent Money Matters Report from SEEK which revealed the significant value being placed on work-life balance, including the ability to work from home.

For a full industry breakdown and comparisons of thereturn to office trend over time since 2020, please refer to the attached table and graph include in this article.

SEEK’s Senior Economist, Blair Chapman, explains: “The proportion of job ads mentioning WFH has been slowly trending down since its peak in April 2023. At just under 10%, it’s not a dramatic decline, but it does show there are still many roles where remote work isn’t possible. Insurance & Superannuation leads the way, with around 50% of roles offering remote work, while Banking & Financial Services lags at just 25%. Only five industries have increased their WFH propensity since April 2023, suggesting that employers aren’t leaning on flexibility to attract talent as much as before.”

I have spent the last few days with Oracle NetSuite learning about their future version of ERP software, referred to as Next.  This has given me insight to share with you my takeaways on what the future of AI’s use in business is.

My first takeaway from the event was that although this is ERP or whole of company operational software there is no doubt the focus is on accounting. However, there is so much more, and if everything is done in one software package, then insight can be gained from all facets of the business.

Let me use a real-life example of non AI case on how a business can benefit from ERP software.

Kieser is an Australian company that has grown from 13 to 31 physio health clinics with 800 staff. Every year they continue to grow and were using accounting software and spreadsheets to run their business. At month end on average they took 25 days to determine the results from the previous month. The highly manual process not only resulted in errors and insights long after the previous month it also meant they would need to hire an additional accounts clerk every year for the next 5 years with the organisation’s projected growth.

Fast forward to their integration of NetSuite, and they can now do a business close in 3 days. They have insight and engage in discussions about the business, enabling them to react quickly. They have transitioned from being a choke point in the finance team to trusted advisors who help grow the business.

If we take this example of how a business can benefit, and then introduce what AI is promising, it will bring some exciting insights and productivity.

The barrier to entry has droppe,d with an individual being able to interact in conversation rather than process. So if you ask a questio,n you can get an answer. You can also teach AI. For example, provide your credit policy or marketing brand guide to AI, and it will learn the content to use for process setting or queries. You will need controls and subject matter experts to feed the AI, as you do not want it to be taught by the wrong people.

Speed is one of the great promises with the concept being if I can think it, next week I can do it.

In the Kieser example, we discussed closing the monthly accounts within 3 days to gain a clearer understanding of the company’s true financial position. NetSuite plans an AI feature called Automated close, which will not only reduce this to no wait but allow you to have this data at any time instantly. 

Finance has certainly been the main driver for organisations today, but ERP software is designed for the entire company.

Finance no longer needs marketing to help make their presentation look good; simply ask Oracle AI to do it. 

AI product forecasting will become a reality, just as with humans, as many variables can be taken into account. Action now becomes not forecasting but rather being told about anomalies and being prompted what needs to change, and do you agree? Manage now by exceptions.

Project managers can analyse whether a project is on track and identify issues. This could be delivery or cost overruns, and what is causing the issue. e.g., seniors doing juniors’ work, resulting in a cost overrun.

Service technicians can describe a problem with a broken machine, and AI will provide suggestions to troubleshoot the issue, helping to get the machine operational faster.

.

Say you need custom actions within NetSuite. Historically, you would need someone to write code. Not any more, now with AI, anyone can ask in their own words what they want, and AI will write the code for you.

Note that NetSuite say this functionality will roll out over the next 12 to 18 months.

Looking beyond this period, Oracle has teased a function called Business 360, where a dashboard provides a comprehensive view of your entire business and identifies anomalies for insight. This encompasses sales, operations, and HR.

Oracle also hinted AI will also change the equation, allowing their business technology solutions to be accessed by smaller businesses where previously was only affordable for larger businesses. 

I certainly walk away from my few days as a guest of Oracle with excitement of what is possible for business and how these tools will supercharge maximising internal business processes.

 Intuit Mailchimp today released new research showing that while Australians are increasingly curating their inboxes, email remains the nation’s preferred channel for brand offers. The national study of over 1,000 Australians found that a third of consumers (33%) aim for inbox zero and over a quarter (26%) keep fewer than 10 emails at any time, yet 76% still prefer email for time-sensitive offers and more than half (59%) actively want to receive more promotional and discount-related content.

The research shows that email continues to play a big role in how people connect with brands, even as Australians adopt a more curated approach. For marketers, the message is clear: relevance, personalisation, and value are essential to earning and keeping a place in the inbox.

“Consumers are telling us loud and clear that they’re not switching off—they’re tuning in with purpose,” said Anthony Capano, Regional Director, APAC at Intuit Mailchimp. “Australians are making thoughtful choices about where they focus their attention, which means the bar for brand communications is higher than ever. To earn a spot in that space, marketers need to go beyond the basics and show up with relevance. That means delivering personalised messages that add value, respect people’s time, and strengthen the relationship with every send.”

The findings offer a reminder that while inboxes are getting cleaner, interest in brand communications hasn’t waned. Australians are simply getting smarter about what they consume.

Key highlights from the research include:

• Email remains the preferred channel by a wide margin: 76% prefer it for time-sensitive offers. SMS follows at 40%, while social media (8.5%) and phone or post (6.7%) trail far behind.
• Relevance is non-negotiable: The data shows strong appetite for communication that is relevant and actionable, with promotions and sales the most sought-after content (59%). This is followed by product news and inventory updates (36%), transactional and account management emails (35%), educational content (32%), and storytelling (23%).
  • While promotions and sales content lead overall, younger consumers show stronger interest in a variety of email content. Among shoppers aged 18-34 years old, 38% want more educational content and 31% want more storytelling content, above the overall average. The same age group is also more receptive to promotional and sales-driven emails (66%) as well as transactional and account management emails (46%). 
• Discernment, not disengagement: People are curating, not ignoring. The brands that win will be the ones that respect the inbox by sending content that’s useful.

 Oracle NetSuite, the #1 AI Cloud ERP, has announced Oracle NetSuite Next. Designed to be collaborative, insightful, adaptive, and trustworthy, NetSuite Next is the future of NetSuite. By building in powerful and practical AI capabilities, including embedded conversational intelligence, agentic workflows, and natural language search capabilities, NetSuite Next handles repetitive and complex tasks so that businesses can achieve outcomes faster, more intuitively, and with greater confidence.   

“NetSuite Next puts AI to work for businesses by making it a natural extension of the way they already work,” said Evan Goldberg, founder and EVP of Oracle NetSuite. “With the latest AI innovations built in, NetSuite Next can deliver powerful insights as well as autonomously complete repetitive and complex tasks, all with enterprise-level reliability. Every insight and action is rooted in data and governed by the existing roles, permissions, and policies our customers depend on. It enables users to discover patterns in their business and engage with NetSuite in their own words, all while understanding an individual user’s context, so it can deliver answers and actions that provide immediate value.”  

Core to the Oracle NetSuite Next user experience is Ask Oracle, a natural language assistant that enables users to search, navigate, analyze, and act across the entire NetSuite dataset using their own words. It delivers context-aware answers, visualizations, interactive content, and reasoning that explains the “how” and “why” behind every response and enables users to more easily collaborate with NetSuite. In addition, Ask Oracle acts across customizations and extensions built on the SuiteCloud Platform, including partner applications available in the SuiteCloud Developer Network, to provide a seamless experience and contextual insight across the suite.  

Customers can switch to NetSuite Next with the press of a button, without having to migrate or disrupt existing customizations. Powered by Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) and grounded in a customer’s data and existing controls, NetSuite Next combines a unified data model with explainable, auditable AI, and the modern Redwood Design System. This foundation will allow NetSuite Next to become a natural extension of existing operations and ensure that every insight and action is trustworthy. It also enables NetSuite Next to help identify opportunities and risks before they become issues, understand individual users’ roles and context, and handle both repetitive and complex tasks while allowing users to retain control.   

NetSuite Next includes: 

• AI Canvas: A collaborative workspace embedded in NetSuite. AI Canvas enables users and teams to turn data into action helping them to analyze problems, brainstorm solutions, and trigger agentic workflows all from a visual workspace.  
• Narrative summaries and insights: Automated explanations, available in record forms, reports, and other pages across the suite. The narrative summaries and insights feature proactively surfaces correlations and trends from NetSuite’s unified data model so users can spot opportunities and risks before they become issues. 
• Agentic workflows: Proactive, AI-driven workflows that can help automate complex tasks such as payment proposals, vendor selection, reconciliations, and supply chain operations. The new agentic workflows give users the choice to approve key decisions or allow agents to act autonomously. 
• Document and knowledge integration: Large language models extract and validate information from a wide range of sources, including invoices, contracts, receipts, PDFs, policy manuals, training guides, customer testimonials, and purchase orders. This reduces manual work and improves the accuracy of insights by enabling NetSuiteto read, interpret, and act on that knowledge, turning isolated documents into actionable workflows.  
  
  
  NetSuite Next Availability 
  
  NetSuite Next will be available initially for customers in North America within the next 12 months.  

When a small business is first started in Australia, it is likely to begin managing its operations with a spreadsheet. This is very quickly replaced with an accounting software package. As the business grows, third-party modules or separate standalone software packages are purchased to help run the business, and these could be in disciplines such as marketing or HR. Assuming a small business grows substantially and becomes booming, more data and processes evolve, and they are being managed by a disparate set of software solutions designed for a small business that may no longer be so small, or might be handling transactions in large numbers, even if their staff remains small.

This journey for a business leads to the consideration of ERP software to remove the piecemeal approach previously taken. ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning. This approach means you have one package to manage all business functions and one source of all data. It means a company has one throat to choke from a supplier’s perspective, and data can freely flow between roles within a company to ensure better decision-making.

Oracle NetSuite is one such ERP software company that, over the past 27 years, has refined its package to suit customers better. Globally, they have 43,000 different businesses relying on NetSuite to run their businesses with more than 2,000,000 individual users. For an Australian start-up, this software is unlikely to be the first port of call; however, it is essential to understand the possibilities.

This week in Las Vegas, Oracle held its annual SuiteWorld conference for 8000 in-person customers. NetSuite’s founder held court for 90 minutes, talking about what he believes is the biggest announcement in NetSuite’s history. That is the inclusion of AI built into the core software.  Oracle is certainly not alone in the integration of AI, but in its demonstrated integration, it occurred to me that they really have hit the nail on the head. Be it that this software will not be fully available until some time in the next 12 months.

Over many years of working in the IT industry, I have seen numerous software packages introduced, promising all sorts of improvements, which companies have happily handed over their money, only for them to underperform because users were not engaged and struggled with the technology. There was no money left to hire the right people to maximise the potential of the software.

What NetSuite demonstrated in their NetSuite “Next” release is a new AI tool referred to as “Ask Oracle”. The key benefit is that if you understand what you need to know and can ask the question in your own way, you can get the answer you need. Furthermore, if you are unfamiliar with the software, you can ask it to assist you with a task. For example, a new salesperson can request that Oracle assist in creating a sales order. A marketing person can enquire which products make the least profit or perhaps a credit controller can ask which customers are the worst payers and why.

This illustrates the direction in which business software is heading and how it will not only facilitate its use but also provide valuable insights.

The intelligence does not stop there, as the software learns what your role is so that an answer will be tailored to a particular individual’s role. For example, a finance person would receive answers, insights, and direction based on accounting principles, versus a supply chain person receiving answers based on inventory control.

NetSuite Next can also learn from company policies, such as employee expenses or credit terms, which can be imported and automatically integrated into the way the software provides information back to the user and influences business operations.

It is exciting to see what is now possible and within reach of every employee who has the instinct to ask the question ‘Why,’ consider the response, and make more informed decisions.

Angus is a guest of Oracle NetSuite SuiteWorld

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are the backbone of Australia’s economy, employing millions of people and driving innovation across industries. Yet the environment they operate in has never been more complex. Rising costs, talent shortages, and shifting customer expectations are putting unprecedented pressure on SMEs to do more with less – to stay competitive, connected, and agile in a market that is constantly changing.

In this environment, technology is no longer a nice-to-have support function; it has become a strategic enabler. The challenge is no longer just about adopting the latest tools, but rethinking how they are applied to drive growth, efficiency, and resilience. For many SMEs, display technology is emerging as a critical part of this equation — helping teams collaborate effectively, streamline operations, and adapt to the future.

Rethinking collaboration                                                                     

Collaboration sits at the core of many successful SMEs. Whether it’s a startup refining its business model or an established company expanding into new markets, these businesses often operate with leaner teams where employees wear multiple hats. In this context, collaboration isn’t just a process, it’s part of the culture. The ability for teams to share ideas, work together in real time, and engage customers effectively is essential to keeping momentum and driving growth.

Modern display technology is enabling this in ways that go beyond the traditional office setup. For example, interactive displays in meeting rooms can replace paper notes and disconnected laptops, allowing everyone, whether in the room or dialling in remotely, to collaborate on the same digital canvas in real time. In customer-facing settings, digital signage can double as both a marketing tool and a live information board, helping staff update promotions instantly or highlight stock availability without manual effort. For SMEs with lean teams, this kind of flexibility reduces repetitive tasks and gives employees more time to focus on core business needs.

Ensuring seamless integration

For SMEs, the true value of any technology lies in how well it fits into existing workflows. Budgets are tight, resources are limited, and there is little room for inefficiencies.

That’s why integration matters. For SMEs, seamless integration means technology that works with the systems they already rely on, from cloud platforms and video conferencing tools to point-of-sale systems and customer apps. When displays can slot easily into these workflows, teams avoid the downtime and training challengesthat can come with new tech. Centralised management and intuitive interfaces also allow SMEs to oversee multiple locations or hybrid teams without stretching limited resources, ensuring displays deliver value from day one.

Built to flex and scale

One of the greatest strengths of SMEs is their ability to adapt quickly, to pivot, seize opportunities, and grow at pace. But that agility must be matched by technology that can scale with them.

Flexible display solutions can support this by adapting to different spaces, use cases, and business needs. For example, the same interactive display used for team meetings can double as a training tool for onboarding new staff or be repurposed for client presentations without additional setup. In customer-facing settings, a single digital signage platform can scale from one location to many, with updates managed centrally rather than staff having to change content store by store. For SMEs that need to pivot quickly, this kind of flexibility reduces the risk of costly overhauls and ensures technology grows alongside the business.

Looking ahead: the role of displays in SME growth

As Australian SMEs continue to navigate uncertain economic conditions, technology will play a defining role in shaping their success. Displays are no longer passive tools; they are active enablers of collaboration, integration, and scalability.

For business leaders, the focus should be on adopting solutions that are intuitive, interoperable, and designed for growth. In doing so, SMEs can build more connected, resilient, and sustainable operations, setting themselves up not just to survive, but to thrive in a rapidly changing market.

Contributed by Neal Elliott, Head of Channel – Pro Display, Samsung Electronics Australia

New research from global small business platform, Xero, has revealed Australian entrepreneurs may be overlooking the significance of their achievements, with only 51% of small business owners reporting they’ve achieved a business milestone this year, and almost a third (32%) saying they haven’t reached one in more than three years.
The research report, which surveyed 500 Australian small business owners, found that 59% of owners recognise the importance of celebrating wins, but just 21% take the time to celebrate each of these moments, despite many reporting benefits including improved employee wellbeing (80%), performance (79%), morale (78%), and team happiness (67%) as a result.
Angad Soin, Managing Director ANZ and Global Chief Strategy Off icer at Xero said: “We know small business owners are often stretched for time, to the point that they’re not stopping to recognise their achievements. However, capitalising on those ‘made-it moments’ is not only enjoyable, it’s good for business.
“When our culture only acknowledges success via a global ranking, it tells founders their progress at home doesn’t count. A smarter approach is to champion the incremental wins, because that’s what builds the momentum and resilience needed for long-term success,” Soin said.

Supercharging business milestones to made-it moments

Among the most commonly cited business milestones, half – or less than – of Aussie entrepreneurs consider gaining repeat customers (50%), being able to pay themselves a salary (47%), and receiving positive customer reviews (41%) as moments worth acknowledging. Even fewer small businesses mark milestones like reaching profitability targets (35%), launching the business (31%), making the first sale (30%), and expanding into new regions or countries (16%).
There were a number of factors cited by business owners as having an impact on reaching their achievements, including macroeconomic pressures like inflation and rising interest rates (83%), as well as the particular product/service they’re selling (53%) and also their employees (46%). However, once businesses did experience a made-it moment, they reported feeling happier (67%), energised (71%) and said it helped improve business performance (72%) and productivity (70%).

Soin added: “For Australia to compete, we must get serious about fostering ambition. That starts by valuing the moments where a small business proves it’s building something that is not only scalable, but meaningful.”
This was the case for Sunshine Coast-based entrepreneur, The Laundry Lady, who described her ‘made-it moment’ as seeing her mobile laundry service featured in a national campaign. That moment aff irmed she wasn’t just washing clothes, but building a purpose-driven business that made life easier for both families and professionals alike.
While small business owners in Australia spent an average of AU$4,600 celebrating over the past 12 months, Xero also acknowledges the reservations of those who don’t see it as a good use of money or are concerned it may set an unsustainable precedent with employees.
For this reason, Xero has developed a suite of resources, alongside the findings, to help small business owners build a culture of celebration and recognition at little cost. Find out more at: https://www.xero.com/au/campaign/made-it-moments/ .