ZaaBiz Blog

… the song plays in the radio (actually from the Banana Fishbones) and I am thinking whether this is the song representing my job: these days we are torn between the financial difficulties of the credit crisis and new members flooding ZaaBiz in order to find a new job. It is not an easy day for them, that’s for sure.

our Indian employees

Today is the day when we were ‘celebrating’ the last day of Andreas in Sydney. He’s been with us for a few months and for some of us in our team here in Sydney it is hard to believe how our office in Surry Hills will look without him, as he is the constant, the guy who’s been there when everybody was gone - fishing! (no that is more of an Aussie saying) or has been with corporate clients or in general in talking to our members. We love talking to our members in getting ZaaBiz to become a better place.

3 longtime fans of ZaaBiz

Andreas is making his trip to the Himalayas and after that to Europe, where he resides in winter (that is the European winter = the true Aussie summer). He loves snowboarding - so this is understandable.

Tonight, we had many friends from 35 Buckingham street in Surry Hills come and say farewell. With Becks and Pure Blonde, with Aussie sparkling or simply water they came to say good-bye to a friend. It’s not an easy day, but we all know: he’ll be back as he loves the beaches, the sunshine, the Aussie lifestyle and overall Sydney, the best city in the world.

Andreas and colleague

So - three cheers to Andreas - your ZaaBiz team in Sydney.
Anabel and Co.

The ZaaBiz team is growing: our latest two team members are Dushyant and Jay, both from India and both very savvy in answering requests from our Indian members worldwide.

For our Indian members from around the world

Our members from Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai or Delhi, London or San Francisco, they all bring their individual business experience into our network and our ZaaBiz team helps them do more business through the platform. We are empowering business networks: in Australia, India and globally. Sarah

Last week I have learnt, that in Australia about 650,000 women run their own business or are in charge of a company. Women make about one third of all business leaders in Australia, and this figure is growing.

Knowing this fact it is no wonder that the Women in Business Group on ZaaBiz is one of the strongest and most active micro communities. So do join and have your say: women in business on ZaaBiz!

Woman leading a group

Enjoy, Sarah

One of India’s leading online IT publishers Express Computer Online interviewed a series of IT professionals in India about the use and importance of the right storage strategy in their businesses.

The requirements for the ‘right’ storage is certainly a major point of interest because of the enormous growth in digital media and user-generated content. Web service providers may face increasing challenges and costs when tackling today’s necessary global performance and its pressures with an increasing product depths of the platforms

ZaaBiz CEO Michael brought this subject to the point: “Companies based on a Web 2.0 model depend mainly on UGC (user generated content). Storage therefore is crucial in today’s world of mainly free Web services. Users aim to use additional functions such as uploading images, groups, videos or comments. Therefore, any service provider of Web 2.0 services needs to prepare for a constant increase of disk space. A lack of storage space would be interpreted as user-unfriendly.”

Michael added that future investments of ZaaBiz are conditioned by the requirements that the business will face in terms of the strong growth of ZaaBiz members, new functionalities offered or possible diversifications implemented.

Social networking today is all about empowering the user to become active. This seems obvious on a business networking platform, where the member’s profile needs to be filled out and where the display of information about his/her previous business experiences is a critical value for others to explore.

Our team at ZaaBiz also offers members and members to be the chance to speak out on our two company blogs. We run two blogs that give you the background to what goes on behind the scenes at ZaaBiz.

Our Australian blog provides you with information about our operation downunder; we have used it earlier to help new members understand the ins- and outs of business networking. Have a look yourself; there is plenty of background information on our Australian blog.

Recently we launched our Indian blog focussing on what happens with ZaaBiz in India. Our membership growth in India has been quite phenomenal in the past months and we have decided to inform our Indian members (and obviously all other interested members from all over the world) on what our plans are in this amazing country. And even more so we see an ever increasing link between India and Australia, two of the powerhouses in Asia Pacific.

In the true sense of Web 2.0 we would like you to have a look at our blogs and start participating. Give us your opinion, share with us the secrets of your Web 2.0 experiences and tell us how you network with other business professionals.

Our members on ZaaBiz have started to participate in what the world today knows as Web 2.0. But what is Web 2.0 and how you and your business can make the best out of it? A generic definition of Web 2.0 states that it is the active participation of users on the web. This simply means that online users can become active on those websites providing the functionalities for it.

The web has plenty of offerings for the private and business users: there are social networking platforms, video and photo sharing sites, blogs, widgets, some of them are directly aimed at people with plenty of IT skills, some of them are focused on a specific age group and some of them for your everyday usage.

Here on ZaaBiz we like to keep things simple. We provide a platform for business professionals who like to network to find a new employee or a new employer, a new customer or a new client. Business networking is free advertising. There’s no better way to promote your business for free than on a business networking site!

Are you already a member? Join us on ZaaBiz and be part of Web 2.0 in Australia, New Zealand and beyond.

ZaaBiz has finally found its new home right in the heart of Surry Hills. Its new offices are located in Buckingham Street in Surry Hills, five minutes from Central Station. Here the ZaaBiz team will continue to look after the needs of its thousands of members.

The building provides a think tank of creative firms ranging from digital media agencies, web designers, event managers, fashion designers, photographers, music agents to lawyers and accountants. Within this creative mix ZaaBiz employees and consultants find a great talent pool of professionals using the online networking platform for their own use.

“We are extremely happy with this location here in Sydney. It offers our staff a fantastic environment for their daily tasks in managing our fast growing membership base,” states Michael Brecht, CEO of ZaaBiz. “In our office in Bowral we will continue to run the administrative side of the business such as accounting, legal and finance. Sydney will be our hub for the community management services.” We are also currently looking for other office space in various locations in Asia to support our growth in this region.

This week’s featured group is Make Time 4 Success which has great articles on self development and business tips to ensure your business success.

Join this group and gain practical skills and insights on your needs, issues and goals through their articles and feedback.

Learn how to identify areas of stress, potential and strengths, and bring your personal effectiveness to the next level.

If you are motivated to change, grow and succeed, join Make Time 4 Success today!

We are making news again! 

Find out what Seth Yates of TechNation Australia has to say about ZaaBiz

after his interview with our CEO, Michael Brecht.

Read it here!

Over the last few weeks we have been talking about becoming an integrated networker by combining your online networking with your offline networking.

Now that you have probably been to a few networking events, practiced your “15 second info-mercial” and swapped business cards with new contacts, NOW is the time to update your online ZaaBiz business profile.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Do you have a photo uploaded?

Statistics show that if you have a business photo uploaded, you are more likely to form lasting business connections with new contacts.

Make sure your photo is of YOU, and you are looking suitable for the profession you are in.  Do you normally wear a tie, or an open collar shirt? Do you wear a suit to work or a casual top and pants?

Make sure you take your photo on a “happy” day and remember to smile!

Struggling to find a photo of yourself you like? Why not upload your business logo while you work on getting a new photo of yourself?

• Update your business experience

Make sure you include all your professional history. This gives new contacts a chance to see what other skills you may have.

• Revamp your ‘haves’ and ‘wants’

After networking you may have a clearer picture of your ‘haves’ (skills, services) and ‘wants’ (professional needs, type of clients, type of job). Make sure you list them in point form separated by a comma.

• Get involved

Join a new ZaaBiz business group and contribute an article or make a comment. These business groups are a great way to meet new contacts and learn more about your existing ones. These forums are there for you to have your say and to get connected.

Remember, your business profile is your chance to put your best foot forward!

Happy Networking!