Niche and community focused businesses
Australian companies tackle niche markets 14%
more often than those in Silicon Valley. A great
case study is handmade and creative community
focused tickle your imagination magazine (of
which I am an investor), that at a time where print
is dying out, has successfully crowdfunded its print
editions – receiving higher than expected amounts
in just over 10 days. The magazine recognised a
niche segment, started small by building a product
for the community and grew locally and recently
went global.
Scaling will make or break companies
2014 was a good year for Australian startups
– particularly tech startups. Most followed the
momentum from 2013 to pitch for and receive
funding to grow their business. 2015 will be the
year for these small businesses to scale up and
grow significantly, or face some harsh realities
about their ventures.
With increased funding support from angel
investors, banks and other institutions, the
While mass consumerism will not go away anytime
soon, business ideas and growth will spring from
people working together to integrate technical
capabilities true to the needs of communities.
Collaborative consumption will also fuel
businesses such as TuShare that enables people to
give and receive unused household items for free
to anyone in Australia. 2015 will see more people
start businesses that help overcome a challenge
they faced, a passion they share with others or
help address a problem close to their heart.
pitching platform has never been as active. The
mood is similar to that of the dotcom era. This
year could be the reality check which will either
reiterate the strength of Australian startups and
small businesses that, in turn, will help bring
more VC money to our shores, or go the same
way as dotcom companies 10 years ago. A lot
of this will also depend on how much more
entrenched technology will get into our lives
and subsequently, the infrastructure around us.
Are we reaching a saturation point or is this just
the tip of the iceberg? Only time will tell.
The changing nature of
competitiveness
The ubiquitous nature of technology has made
everyone an expert on everything - particularly
in service industries. Reduced manufacturing
costs have also resulted in minimal product
differences across any range. Where previously
competition was based on product, design and
price, wars are now being fought on whole new
battlegrounds.
Value, conversations, content and customer
experience is setting brands apart from their
competitors. Every brand, from the biggest in
the world to small startups, is trying to engage
in positive dialogue with its communities in the
hope of dra ݥ