Nespresso is today calling for entries to the Australian StartCup Challenge; a new competition which supports and rewards innovative, circular business ideas.

The challenge is open to pioneering start-ups and SMEs from any sector or industry to pitch their circular solutions for review by an expert jury and then via public vote for the chance to win AUD$50,000, a Nespresso Momento Small Office Starter Pack and access for up to four team members to attend B Lab’s Become a B Corp workshop.

Entrants can apply between Tuesday 16th August to Sunday 11th September, 2022 by uploading a one-minute video pitch and completing a short application form, with details on how to enter available on the Nespresso website.

An important next step in Nespresso’s B Corp ™ journey following certification in April, StartCup seeks to build on the company’s 30-year commitment to sustainability and innovation by providing a platform for innovative ideas, services or products that contribute to strengthening the circular economy in Australia.

“Sustainability and innovation are anchored in Nespresso’s DNA, and both are critical to addressing today’s environmental and social challenges,’ said Jean-Marc Dragoli, General Manager of Nespresso Oceania, and member of the StartCup Challenge jury. “By launching the Australian StartCup Challenge, we want to contribute, as a certified B Corp company, to the movement of the circular economy, and put entrepreneurs in the spotlight. Many great ideas can grow over a cup of coffee, and we are excited to support Australian innovations with potential for real, positive change.”

Rewarding the most innovative sustainability initiative

Entries will be reviewed by a jury of leaders from different sectors who are committed to innovation and sustainable development. These include:

• • Jean-Marc Dragoli, General Manager Oceania, Nespresso
• • Mariah Monaghan, Head of Marketing and Sustainability, Nespresso Australia
• • Professor Veena Sahajwalla, Founding Director of the UNSW Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT) Centre
• • Nik Robinson, Co-Founder, Good Citizens
• • Zoe Mellick, Sustainability Lead, Glam Corner
• • Charlotte Connell, Climate Reality Leader, Co-Director and Sustainability lead at Founder Institute and EIR in Sustainability at Fishburners
• • Yasmin Grigaliunas, CEO and co-founder, World’s Biggest Garage Sale
• • Lisa McLean, CEO, Circular Australia

The jury will select three finalists which will go on to a public vote, opening on 28 September on the StartCup competition page and closing on 14 October.

The winner will be announced at an award ceremony attended by finalists in Sydney on 3 November.

“I am delighted to be one of the StartCup Challenge judges,” said Professor Veena Sahajwalla, Director of the UNSW Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT) Centre. “This is an important competition that gives a new generation of companies the opportunity to develop and implement innovative projects that have a positive impact and tackle some of the biggest challenges our world faces. I have worked extensively to commercialise ground-breaking recycling and ‘waste to product’ technologies to help deliver more circular solutions and I am excited to see the innovative ideas participants provide.”

Committed to the circular economy

For more information visit

D-Link has launched its DSL-X1852E, an AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 VDSL2 /ADSL2+ Modem Router with VoIP, providing universal DSL and NBN / UFB connectivity. The DSL-X1852E is an all-in-one Modem Router with VLAN tagging and enjoys AX1800 Speeds with up to 1200Mbps on its 5GHz band and 574Mbps on its 2.4GHz band. It also uses the latest WPA3™ 128-bit encryption, which replaces previous industry-standard encryptions on Wi-Fi devices, and it also enables you to seamlessly test your Internet Speed and connection with its built-in Internet Speed test powered by Ookla®.

Providing super-fast speeds for all your wired devices, the DSL-X1852E sports a dedicated Gigabit Ethernet WAN port and four Gigabit LAN ports, as well as a USB port where you can connect an optional 3G/4G LTE USB Modem, such as D-Link’s 4G LTE USB Adapter (DWM-222), for mobile broadband access or failover from your fixed Broadband service if required.

The DSL-X1852E also provides two FXS ports, allowing customers to connect up to two telephone handsets and utilise the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to make calls using your Internet connection (where supported by your ISP)*. It also fully supports all NBN (Australia) and UFB (NZ) connections.

The DSL-X1852E uses Wi-Fi 6’s cutting-edge Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) technology, where small data packets destined for multiple devices are transmitted together and never have to queue up again. This makes it ideal for smart homes filled with bandwidth-hungry IoT devices, each battling for airtime.

It also has two-way MU-MIMO technology which helps distribute the flow of data to multiple devices simultaneously.

The DSL-X1852E leverages these new multi-user versions of OFDMA and MU-MIMO for better upstream and downstream transmissions efficiency, unlike previous Wi-Fi 5 technology where MU-MIMO could only operate simultaneously in downstream transmissions. This combination greatly increases capacity, coverage and performance in ultra-high-density environments.

With high-gain antennas, power amplifiers and beamforming technology all built-in, the DSL-X1852E provides a powerful way to extend your Wi-Fi signal reach and focus stronger Wi-Fi in the direction of your devices to ensure a faster and more reliable Wi-Fi experience.

The DSL-X1852E also conserves power by utilising Target Wake Time (TWT) which helps reduce battery consumption for connected devices by communicating with them and deciding when and how often the device requires data transfers. TWT increases the device’s sleep time, therefore cleverly conserving energy and helping save battery life.

When nearby Wi-Fi could be interfering with your wireless signals and slowing things down, the DSL-X1852E and Wi-Fi 6 put an end to this with BSS Colouring Technology which makes transmissions more unique by ‘colouring’ them with their own unique code. This, in turn, means devices can decide whether to transmit signals or ignore them, based on their ‘colour’. It also results in less interference, less Wi-Fi bottlenecks and enhanced range.

D-Link embracing Wi-Fi 6 into its Modem Router networking devices brings next-generation Wi-Fi technology into your home, giving the quantum leap in capacity, speed and range you need to handle all your Wi-Fi demands. This is what makes all-in-one Modem Routers like the DSL-X1852E the ideal device for high-performance, device-dense Smart Homes.

Virtual Private Networks (VPN’s) have become a necessary and useful tool in today’s malware-riddled world. To make using a VPN as easy as possible, the DSL-X1852E’s VPN Wizard lets you configure LAN-to-LAN and remote access VPN connections, while its built-in passthrough feature also allows any internal devices connected to the router to establish outbound VPN connections. Simple, effective and all part of this clever, new Modem Router.

Finally, the DSL-X1852E has been thoroughly tested by multiple Internet Service Providers across both Australia & New Zealand prior to release to the wider market. With TR-069 Management and VLAN Tagging support built-in, the DSL-X1852E has been designed to support Service Provider networks from the ground up.

Key features of the DSL-X1852E

• Integrated VDSL/ ADSL2+ Modem for universal DSL / NBN / UFB connectivity across Australia and New Zealand

• The latest Wi-Fi 6 technology provides faster Wireless speeds, greater capacity and less network congestion

• Speeds up to AX1800 (1200Mbps on the 5GHz band and 574Mbps on the 2.4GHz band)

• One dedicated Gigabit Ethernet WAN port and four Gigabit LAN ports provide fast wired connectivity

• Connect up to two phones to makes VoIP calls over the Internet (where supported by your ISP)*

• OFDMA and MU-MIMO technology communicate more data to more devices while simultaneously reducing lag

• BSS Colouring technology reduces interference, making more efficient use of Wi-Fi spectrum

• Increased battery life of connected devices with Target Wake Time technology

• Supports the latest WPA3™ encryption

• Supports VLAN tagging for wholesale Service Providers (RSP’s)

• Supports TR-069 Management functionality for Service Providers

The DSL-X1852E AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 VDSL2 /ADSL2+ Modem Router with VoIP is available now from www.dlink.com.au (RRP AUD$349.95) and from all authorised D-Link partners and retailers.

Enter: the quiet quitting trend. Trending on social media platforms such as TikTok, the slow-it-down movement of quiet quitting can be seen as a rejection of the hustle culture mentality that has ruled the roost for the past decade. Particularly for millennials and the emerging young people/Gen Z set. 

The trending rejection of hustle culture that’s been going wild on TikTok actually has its roots in shrinkflation and long-term workplace trends, says UNSW Business School’s Associate Professor Mark Humphery-Jenner.

Millions of Australians are experiencing a decline in real wages. Employers have resisted increasing salaries, referring to rising impacts on profits.  

But continuing down this path – particularly when it comes to a skilled workforce – could end up harming the companies’ bottom lines in any case. 

What can workers do instead of quitting? Quiet quit 

Are you a quiet quitter?  

‘Quiet quitting’ is when a person no longer goes the extra mile or works hard at work. Perhaps you have been doing unpaid overtime, working nights or weekends, or have become super-normally efficient alongside your co-workers.  

You have gone through the pandemic and lockdowns with increasing workloads, stress and damage to mental health, but with stagnant or falling wages. As you keep working – with no pay rise in sight – your work-life balance falls. 

This is the situation many highly skilled workers find themselves in. But how do they respond? 

They know their market value and can see a tight labour market and how much value they have to give at a company with the better work culture. Why should they give anything more than the bare minimum to a company that has failed to reward them?  

So they merely do their duties per their job description but do not go above and beyond. 

How is quiet quitting related to shrinkflation? Consider Tim Tams 

Declining real wages – and stagnant nominal wages – have led to this alleged trend. It could also be seen as labour force shrinkflation. 

Let me explain using the metaphor of the humble Tim Tam packet. 

Shrinkflation involves keeping the price the same but reducing the quantity supplied. So, the price of a packet of Tim Tams might not change, but the buyer will get fewer biscuits per dollar.

When businesses create an environment that is pushing people to ‘quiet quit’, we risk labour force shrinkflation. Wages stagnate, but workers provide fewer units of effort per dollar.

Why is workforce shrinkflation coming?

Wage growth has not kept up with inflation, meaning workers have less purchasing power as we enter a cost of living crisis.

This has become a significant issue in 2022, where inflation has soared, and wages have only increased marginally. Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation recently hit 6.1 per cent. The Australian Treasurer – Jim Chalmers – indicated it could soon rise to 7.5 per cent. Conversely, wage growth has stalled, increasing only 2.4 per cent.

This pressure exacerbates an even greater problem when we consider 2020 and 2021. During these years, companies often kept pay unchanged, reduced or increased employee workloads and extended them to long hours. 

Employees are unsurprisingly pushing back against businesses that seem to be taking advantage of them. This is especially true regarding highly skilled labour with outside opportunities.

It isn’t rocket science but can be linked to the economic theory of ‘Utility theory. Utility theory aims to model factors that increase individual ‘utility’ (i.e., welfare or sense of well-being). In this case, it boils down to the idea that welfare increases with money and decreases with effort and risk. 

So, if wages decrease, is the only way for workers to maintain their sense of well-being? Work less. 

Does the new trend mean workers perceived as ‘slackers’ may lose their job?

When unemployment is high, workers must often stomach this damage to their well-being, knowing they have limited outside options. But unemployment is currently at decade lows at 3.6 per cent in the US and 3.5 per cent in Australia.

This makes it the company’s problem. 

Falling effort levels can reduce output quality and/or quantity. If a talented employee could have produced an item, closed a sale, or otherwise improved revenue but now stops working those extra hours, income will clearly fall. 

Is quiet quitting a new trend?

The trend of ‘quiet quitting’ has been clear for decades, particularly among CEOs. It is well established that an ‘entrenched’ CEO might decide to ‘live the quiet life’ when they are poorly incentivised to do otherwise. 

A badly motivated CEO might also undertake ill-disciplined investments, like overpaying when doing takeovers, safe in the knowledge that such transactions will not harm their future careers. Or they might just focus attention on pet projects, such as philanthropy designed to cater to their own interests or ego.

To counteract this, firms incentivise CEOs with stock and equity to align their goals and objectives with those of shareholders. There is no reason to believe that other skilled employees would act differently if offered a pay rise or similar.

What can companies do about quiet quitting?

Companies’ margins are under pressure, and it is not always realistic to expect a company to increase wages. This is especially for small and medium enterprises. Tying wages to inflation can also trigger a wage-price spiral. 

How then motivates employees? Companies have a clear solution: incentives linked to performance and value creation. This is especially obvious when employees produce discrete workpieces or have clear, measurable outcomes. 

For example, if that employee creates, sells, or runs a product that might create value, provide commissions, a slice of revenue, or gross profits. Or, if doing a better job – which takes more effort – helps the bottom line, incentivise that effort that increases job satisfaction.

Companies should not bury their head in the sand when faced with quiet quitting. If skilled employees are balking at falling wages, increased workload demands, and are less willing to work additional hours, ignoring the problem will worsen. Top talent will leave. And this ultimately will harm the bottom line. 

Instead, they can be part of the solution and grow the pie for themselves and talented workers. But ignoring workers’ concerns will undermine profitability long term.

Shopify Inc., a provider of essential internet infrastructure for commerce, has today launched the rollout of Shopify Capital in Australia to provide quick and easy funding for up to $2.5 million AUD to help merchants accelerate growth, expand to new markets, and prepare for the peak sales season.

This is the time of year when Aussie merchants prepare their business for the upcoming peak sales season — ordering inventory, planning campaigns, sorting shipping and hiring talent. Though, timely access to funding to make these investments is one of the biggest challenges for entrepreneurs. 

While 62% of Australian merchants are comfortable seeking funds to invest in their business, two-thirds (67%) are deterred by high-interest rates and more than half (53%) are turned off by lengthy application processes and timeframes. 

Traditional lenders often require business owners to apply through lengthy and complex processes. Shopify Capital isn’t traditional financing. There’s no lengthy application process, and Shopify does not do personal credit checks, take equity in the business or ask merchants for cash flow projections. 

“We couldn’t be more proud to support Australian businesses with everything they need to build strong brands for customers here and around the world,” said Shaun Broughton, APAC Managing Director, Shopify. 

“At the same time, Australian businesses are concerned about the increasing cost of capital, inflationary pressures impacting margins, and declining consumer confidence impacting sales. Shopify Capital is remitted only when a sale is made, so Australian merchants can be confident that they can afford to invest in their businesses.”

Shopify merchants receive offers up to $2.5 million AUD through the same Shopify platform they already use to run their store. Shopify Capital has experts that review the data-informed and machine learning models to ensure merchants receive the funding they need to help grow their business. Once approved, funds are deposited in as little as two business days for merchants to use how they choose for their business, with most investing in talent, inventory and marketing to maximise growth or bridge cash flow during seasonal dips. 

Funding through Shopify Capital is repaid through future sales, where remittance is success-based rather than time-based. As merchants make sales, they repay based on an agreed fixed percentage of daily sales, so payments flex with their business — lowering cash flow risks by removing the uncertainty of compounding interest rates and hidden fees.  

Tracey Jewel, Manager at Batherapy, is a clear example of growth achieved through Shopify Capital. Boosted by two rounds of funding through Shopify Capital, Tracey expanded her business from selling online-only DIY bath kits to creating in-studio bath and body product workshops across Perth.

“Access to funding has traditionally required business owners to jump through hoops for something that should be quite easy. Now we can quickly access funding through the same platform I already use to run my business and don’t have to think about repayments as they’re automatically made as a portion of each sale,” said Tracey.

“The first round of funding helped to quickly boost supplies to support the opening of our first studio space in inner-city Perth, and we’ve since repaid the first round and accessed an additional round to fast-track the opening of three new studios across the city.”

Since launching in 2016, Shopify Capital has provided more than $3.8 billion USD in funding to tens of thousands of US, UK and Canadian entrepreneurs — a 90% increase in total funding in the past 15 months. This funding has been vital as businesses look to accelerate growth, with merchants that received funding through Shopify Capital averaging 36% higher sales in the following six months compared to their peers.

A new survey has found that most retailers in Australia are optimistic about the economic conditions and potential for business success in their own States, despite the current economic climate. At least two thirds of businesses believed their State had good pro-business laws, good consumer spending appetite and good economic conditions.

Leading parcel delivery company CouriersPlease (CP) commissioned a survey of an independent panel of 202 Australian retailers[1] to uncover whether the conditions in their State are conducive to business success. The full survey results, including breakdowns across State and business size, can be found here: couriersplease.com.au/portals/0/Top-States-For-Business-White-Paper.pdf

Specifically, 82 per cent of respondents revealed laws in their State make it easy for them to do business and don’t inhibit their success, while 69 per cent were confident the consumer or business markets in their State have an appetite for spending. Nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) of respondents believe the economic conditions in their State are healthy.

CP analysed the results within each State. When asked whether the laws in their State make it easy for business in general, Western Australia and Victoria came out on top. Eighty-eight (88) per cent of WA businesses and 86 per cent of Victorian businesses said yes, followed by 72 per cent in Queensland and 57 per cent in South Australia.

When asked whether customers in their State have an appetite for spending, retailers in each State were similarly optimistic, with Victoria, NSW and Western Australia coming out on top. Three quarters (75 per cent) of NSW retailers said yes, followed by 71 per cent of West Australian retailers, and 63 per cent in Victoria.

Surprisingly, sentiment on each State’s economic conditions was also positive, albeit generally lower than other survey responses. More West Australian and NSW retailers view the economic conditions in their State as healthy, at 76 and 71 per cent respectively, compared with Queenslanders (at 64 per cent), Victorians (at 46 per cent), and South Australians (at 36 per cent).

Richard Thame, CEO at CP, says: “Our survey results suggest businesses understand their State Governments have put in place legislation that supports their success, and consumers have the appetite to ensure their success. Therefore, it may be the ideal time to establish a new business.”

The survey also reveals that Western Australia is the most promising State for business success. While all States offer varying forms of business support on offer, Western Australia is continuing its Tenant Rent Relief Scheme for small businesses[2] and Victoria has also continued to offer wage subsidies of up to $20,000 for businesses hiring employees from groups most affected by the pandemic.[3]

Respondents were also asked whether they would recommend new businesses, regardless of whether they were retailers, establish themselves in their State. The majority of retailers (80 per cent) said they would.

Despite their outlook on the economic conditions in their State, 73 per cent of retailers in Victoria said they would recommend new businesses establish themselves in the State. Eighty-eight (88) per cent of NSW retailers, 79 per cent of those in Queensland and 76 per cent in Western Australia also echoed this sentiment.

Richard says the research is good news for individuals looking to start a business. “The results show that we should be encouraged to establish new businesses, and that most well-established organisations feel confident to continue operating and growing.”

Richard adds that those looking for maximum support and quicker success in a new business should look to join a franchise. “Franchise businesses enable new franchisees to secure sales straightaway by leveraging the benefits of national marketing programs, established business systems and technology solutions. In challenging conditions, franchise businesses provide ongoing support for their network of small business owners.”

“At CP, for instance, we provide our Franchise Partners with technologies to help them find the fastest delivery routes, helping them save on costs and time. We provide them with an already-established customer base from day one, along with comprehensive training and marketing support so they can earn an income as soon as they start.”

“We have expanded our network with hundreds of new Franchise Partners during the pandemic, and are continuing to expand. Whilst we’ve launched a national recruitment program, we are focussing our attention on Western Australia and Victoria, areas that our survey highlights as promising for business success.”

The full survey results, including breakdowns across State and business size, can be found here: couriersplease.com.au/portals/0/Top-States-For-Business-White-Paper.pdf

[1] CouriersPlease surveyed business owners and senior decision makers across different organisation sizes, from 1-10,000+ employees.

[2] WA Government, smallbusiness.wa.gov.au/coronavirus/grants/tenant-rent-relief

[3] Jobs Victoria, jobs.vic.gov.au/help-for-employers/jobs-victoria-fund

Small businesses in dispute with financial service providers lodged 3,490 complaints with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) in 2021-22, down 3 per cent on the previous year.

Those that succeeded in their complaints secured more than $18 million from financial firms in compensation and refunds.

Small business complaints accounted for about 5 per cent of the more than 72,000 complaints the ombudsman service registered overall last financial year. The remainder came from individual consumers.

About 13 per cent of small business complaints involved financial difficulty, down from 19 per cent the previous financial year, AFCA’s Lead Ombudsman for Small Business, Suanne Russell, revealed today.

“Lower levels of hardship complaints in 2021-22 in part reflect the work the banking sector has been doing in recent years to support customers in difficulty. A further fall in financial difficulty complaints involving small business would be welcomed by everyone, but we are concerned we may see an increase given the end of COVID government support and the current economic environment.

“Higher interest rates may also make that a challenge in the current year but we hope lenders will continue to step up. AFCA will closely monitor the impact of higher rates in complaints from customers in the small business sector.”

Business loans topped the list of most commonly complained about products in 2020-21. Just over 40 per cent of small business complaints – about 1,440 disputes – were to do with loans.

The top 5 most commonly complained about products also included business transaction accounts (800 complaints), commercial property insurance (276) business credit cards (201), and loss-of-profits or business interruption insurance (200).

The top 5 issues were service quality (389), failure to respond to a request for assistance (282), interpretation of product terms and conditions (271), denial of an insurance claim (204) and default listings (198).

AFCA provides an independent and impartial financial complaints resolution service that is free for small businesses and consumers.

Ms Russell said she was pleased to see that more than a third (36%) of the complaints that small businesses escalated to AFCA were resolved at the earliest stage of its process, when AFCA refers a complaint back to the financial firm for further consideration.

“AFCA welcomes early resolution at this stage – as long as the outcome is fair for both parties – because it takes away uncertainty for small businesses,” she said.

If early resolution isn’t possible, AFCA continues to work with the parties to try to help them reach an agreement through processes such as conciliation. Failing that, one of its ombudsmen, or a panel of decision makers, will make a determination. This is a decision that is binding on the financial service provider if it is accepted by the complainant.

Nearly half (47%) of small businesses’ complaints were resolved within 60 days of being lodged with AFCA, though more complex cases took the average time to closure to 112 days (about three and half months).

Just over 10% of small business complaints progressed to a formal decision in 2021-22.

AFCA has now helped to secure nearly $80 million in compensation and refunds for small business complainants since starting operation on 1 November 2018. It has registered more than 14,800 complaints from small businesses in that time.

Whether in the office or remote, work is becoming more dispersed, increasing the demand for networking technologies like wireless document scanning solutions to enhance collaborative productivity in fast-paced business environments. As a result, Epson has launched the DS-790WN wireless network colour document scanner with built-in versatile connectivity.

Designed for reliability and ease of use in a wide range of industries such as government, service bureaus, higher education, finance and healthcare, the DS-790WN delivers high-quality scans at fast speeds so businesses can confidently manage documents.

The demand for efficient document management and seamless integration into workflows continues to grow; thus, the need for network scanners has never been more apparent. The newest addition to Epson’s award-winning document scanner portfolio, the DS-790WN, comes equipped with robust features, including network connectivity and an intuitive touchscreen panel so businesses can easily scan and share high volumes of documents PC-free.

The DS-790WN delivers high-quality scans up to 45ppm/90ipm¹ with a peak daily duty cycle up to 7,000 sheets², one-pass duplex scanning and a high-volume 100-page ADF that accommodates business and ID cards and sheets up to 21 cm by 610 cm.

Built to support collaborative workgroups, the DS-790WN includes a 4.3″ colour LCD touchscreen and built-in LAN and wireless connectivity to easily access multiple scan jobs or scan to a USB drive, e-mail, network³ or cloud storage services^4,5 such as Dropbox®, Evernote®, and Google Drive™^4,5 without the need for a computer.

With seamless compatibility with most existing document management systems, the DS-790WN features integrated TWAIN and ISIS® drivers and include OCR software to easily create searchable PDFs and customisable Office documents.³ 

Users can also scan with mobile devices using the Epson Smart Panel® app⁸ on iOS® or Android™.

DS-790WN Availability and support

The DS-790WN (RRP $1,349) is available now at www.epson.com.au and through all authorised Epson resellers. With industry-leading support, Epson commercial document scanners include a 12-month limited warranty.

For more information, go to: https://www.epson.com.au/products/scanner/WorkForceDS-790WN.asp?groupid=98

Key features of the DS-790WN

• Speed – 45 ppm / 90 ipm scan speed, with ultrasonic double feed detection technology to assure fast and productive scanning

 • Connectivity – USB 3.0, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Gigabit Ethernet

 • ScanWay standalone scanning – scan directly to network, cloud, email or USB stick with no PC required.