As 2014 draws to a close, it is time to think about your business, your personal financial plans and how trends in the economy might impact you in 2015.

Without understanding the intricacies of the economy, including what sectors will be strong, where interest rates might be going, what will happen to the Australian dollar or housing or consumer spending, there is a risk that an opportunity will be missed.

The words we say to ourselves are so much powerful than the words we will ever hear from other people, so why is it so hard for us women to be kind to ourselves?

How does an events company make sure that, with the development of new technologies and new consumer trends, they continue to stay ahead of the relevance curve?

Ever had a lightbulb blow and then not replaced it for weeks because getting to Bunnings was such a trek? Or have you run out of bread only to find your corner shop closed? These little annoyances are just part of life...until now.

The Australian economy is creating jobs again.

The big questions are where? How many? And will it last?

Before we get to those sorts of specifics, it should go without saying, but the best thing to generate jobs and lower the unemployment rate is a growing economy.

The last handful of years have seen something of an epidemic of extinction in the business community. Looking at businesses failures ranging from Borders to Billabong, Kodak and music giant HMV, brands and industries are quickly realizing that business-as-usual is no longer be enough. Peter Drucker’s insight in the mid 1980s is truer today than ever before: we must now run faster and faster just to stand still.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Vince Gilligan, the creator, producer, writer, sometime director and overall mastermind behind ‘Breaking Bad’ one of the greatest television series ever made. In fact, in my opinion it’s the greatest. This is what I learnt from speaking with him:

For anyone working in the technology sphere, you will know that your consumers are no longer confining technology to their work lives. People are demanding technological intelligence in every facet of their lives - from data around their workouts to a home that echoes the Jetson lifestyle we all grew up in awe of.

As consumer demands continue to disrupt the status quo, even the IT & technology industries aren't safe from becoming irrelevant. Gen Y's & Gen Z's are their own computer experts and will soon no longer require an 'expert' as they continue to become one themselves. So how does this dynamic industry protect itself & ensure it offers something that no consumer can replicate? Embrace the home!  As commuting becomes a thing of the past - the companies identifying & adapting to this need will truly thrive.

Budget, Budget, Budget. That is the word occupying the minds of economist, CEOs, parents, working mums and students alike. But as the results from the commission audit are released, Stephen Koukoulas gives us an insight into just how the government will come up with these figures and his take on what this means for the average Australian.

In light of the humbug of the 'budget never returning to surplus unless we cut the tripe out of spending', I though it interesting to revisit the sensitivity of budget forecasting to small changes to the economic parameters.

One of the most abused words for the past few years is innovation. Ever since the likes of Apple or Netflix revolutionized their respective industries, you hear entrepreneurs telling themselves and others they also want to “innovate” and hopefully grow as large as these global brands. A good friend of mine recently borrowed Dan Ariely’s quote from Big Data to describe innovation:

Many of the things we take for granted today would have sounded ridiculous when they were first thought of;

• ‘What about a machine that can fly and carry people?’

In a world of constant change, how can we predict whether the role we play at work will continue to exist for years to come? In this thought provoking & no holds barred interview with ABC Radio, disruption analyst Michael McQueen gives us an insight into what industries will shortly become obsolete.

House prices are moving into very dangerous territory.

They are rising so fast and are moving to a point where there is a very real risk of a situation that spills over to poor borrowing decisions, relaxed lending standards and financial market malaise that would threaten to end Australia’s multi-decade economic expansion.

In business these days, it’s not often that we find ourselves staring at a blank piece of paper feeling stupid and frustrated.  And that’s a problem. We need to do it more.

Recent years have seen scores of iconic businesses and brands fall by the wayside. The demise of Kodak, Borders and Nortel leaves us with little doubt – shift is happening and no organization or brand is immune to extinction.

Yossi Ghinsberg is one of the worlds most loved and respected speakers, he teaches audiences how to tap into their survival instincts in order to over come challenges in the corporate world, using his incredible story of loss and adventure in the Amazon

Here he gives us a sneak peak into his incredible true story. 

Don’t let go of the raft! I told myself as the undertow dragged the raft along rapidly below the surface. The pressure on my lung became unbearable.

Are mergers becoming irrelevant? Do two relevant businesses now equal one miserable marriage?

For every Fuji Xerox there’s a Sony Ericsson so below are my thoughts on the pros and pitfalls of merging your business.

Wedding bells are ringing. Business marriages seem to be in season. First there were the Microsoft-Nokia nuptials last year and now the blessed union of WhatsApp and Facebook. Even one-time retail rivals Myer and David Jones are flirting with the idea of engaging in consummation rather than competition.

First the good news. Routines and habits are a useful and essential part of running a successful business, and indeed a successful life. Routines bring order to chaos. When you are so busy that you don’t know what day it is, so tired that you’re chugging down double short blacks like they’re ice-cold lemonade on a hot day, and so stressed that you’re having five minute conversations with people and then walking away with no idea what it was that they said, it is of some comfort to at least be able to sit at the same desk, drink from the same coffee mug and go to the same place to buy lunch. When you impose structure upon your work day you feel more organised and in control.

The status quo is being disrupted, business as usual is no longer acceptable and nowhere is this more apparent than in the telecommunications sector.

Silos – they are a part of any large corporation – and they are the enemy of innovation & creativity.

Too often, in the big telecommunications companies, you will find marketing on one floor, distribution in a different building, sales on an entirely different floor, possibly even split across different states.

And what falls down the gaps? Genius ideas, a wealth of knowledge and team morale.