Here at SmartCompany we’re just about to head off for our Christmas holiday. We’ve survived the office Christmas party, picked up our turkey and finished our last minute present shopping.
We’re ready for a break (and we are sure you are too) after what’s been a tumultuous year in Australia’s business community with lots of highs and lows.
There was disappointment at budget time with the Federal Government failing to deliver on its promised company tax cut, but then the SME community came out in support last week for the government’s concession last week that it would no longer aim for a budget surplus.
It’s been a tough environment in many industries, with the collapse of construction company Hastie Group, retailers Retravision and Game and iconic food manufacturer Darrell Lea.
But 2012 has also been a year when Australian SMEs have achieved great things: Smart50 veterans Atlassian topping this year’s Rich List; the Aussie tech entrepreneurs who sold his latest venture, app discovery service and search engine Chomp, to Apple for a reported $50 million; and Carman’s entrepreneur Carolyn Creswell taking out Telstra Business Woman of the Year.
2013 looks set to be a corker, with a federal election set to occur and our readership of SmartCompany entrepreneurs continuing to showcase their passion and sheer guts in continuing to survive and indeed thrive.
To get ready for 2013 we’re all going to need a good rest over the Christmas period (or at least try a tech detox and turn off your phone for a few days).
At SmartCompany we’ll be putting up our feet for the Christmas week and we’ll be back on Monday, January 7 raring to go for the new year.
Until then, best wishes for a great Christmas and holiday. Thanks for reading for another year.
Cara Waters is a former SmartCompany editor. Previously, Cara was a senior reporter for the Financial Times’ website and worked for The Sunday Times in London.
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