That's a wrap on 2023!

Our monthly newsletter of tips, tools and tech you should know about, curated for our clients and community of business owners.

It’s hard to believe this is the final Two Pennies’ Worth of the year! In this newsletter, we look at when to pay attention to your brand, the resurgence of startup funding, rebates for Sydney startups looking for office space and some potential relief on the cost of living. The Project Alfred team want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a brilliant New Year! Reset, refresh, and we’ll see you in 2024.

Things that should be on your radar this month???

??If you're a founder, you might want to check out this article on why and when you should care about your brand. It provides insights on how to build a strong brand that resonates with your target audience and helps you stand out from the competition.?

??Eight Australian startups have raised a whopping $55.2 million in the first half of Dec, pioneering medical devices, helping businesses create their own low-code AI agents, and making it easier to share recipes with fellow foodies.

????If you're tired of lugging around heavy suitcases and want to travel light, check out this article on carry-on-only travel. It's a fun read that might inspire you to hit the road with just a backpack and a sense of adventure.

????Are you a Sydney tech business? You can benefit from the Tech Central Scale Up Accommodation Rebate program, which provides a 40% rebate on eligible rental costs and 30% rebate on eligible fit-out costs to help businesses in the scaleup phase of growth.

??“Cozzie Living” The Australian government is working on measures to ease the squeeze of cost-of-living inflation in the next budget, which could bring relief to many Australians.

The highs ????and lows ?? of small business life

?? Our shared mailbox tech, Hiver is altering its feature set across the pricing tiers. This means we’d need to pay triple the cost for the same feature set we're currently using without any additional value. We were already thinking of shifting away from them, but this latest change with just 7 days' notice has sped up our decision. It’s frustrating that we had to scramble to find a replacement and implement it far quicker than we’d like.

???This month has been brimming with memorable moments for the Project Alfred team. We jetted off to Sydney for a year-end celebration with our clients, complete with indulgent espresso martinis, laughs and escape rooms. We also enjoyed a lively Mexican lunch with our accounting community friends, where our discussions shifted from accounting tech to deliberating over the choice of flavoured margaritas. December highs will be tough to beat!

Our fave tech of the year

?Tally is a free online form builder that allows you to create professional forms and surveys without needing to code. It offers a wide range of input blocks, including contact info, files, signatures, payments, and more, and provides unlimited forms and submissions for free.

??This year we discovered Planable, a social media collaboration and management tool that lets you collaborate, approve, and schedule social media posts. It’s the command centre for social media!

??Struggling to create beautiful presentations? Check out Pitch, a free tool that turns your scruffy presentations into sophisticated decks, bound to impress investors!??

Productivity hack ????

It’s important to take a break over the holidays and recharge your batteries. Studies have shown that taking time away from work can have physical and mental health benefits, such as reducing stress levels, improving sleep quality, and boosting creativity. Remember, you can’t be productive all the time, and taking a break can help you come back to work with a fresh perspective and renewed energy. So, take some time off, relax, and enjoy the well-deserved time off with your loved ones! ????

That's just our two pennies' worth.

– Liam and Amy, co-founders of Project Alfred

(changing the way people think about accounting)

Many of the comments in this newsletter are general in nature and are for information purposes. The material, including any data from third party providers, has not been prepared by taking into account your business needs, your current situation or personal needs. Accordingly, before acting on it, you should consider its appropriateness to your circumstances.