The changing face of small business in Australia: Axe throwing in the digital age

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From bespoke shoe makers to outback adventurers, blacksmiths to conservationists, the changing face of small business in Australia has been captured in atmospheric detail at Xero’s Paper to Pixels exhibition. Small businesses have been experiencing a digital evolution, and the newly legislated Single Touch Payroll is only set to accelerate these changes. With photography by pioneering Instagrammer Lauren Bath on display at Sydney’s Gaffa Gallery, in this series we meet the people behind the pictures and discover how they’ve undergone a digital transformation.

Maniax founder Adam Schilling is here to let you know that axe throwing isn’t just for “unshaven lumberjacks”. “We wanted to bring something left-of-centre to the realm of entertainment in Australia, so we trialled different axes, types of wood and invited friends over to see if they’d love it. They did. We now have venues in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, with one coming soon to Adelaide”, he said.

Turning a lens on the digitisation of Australia’s small business economy, Paper to Pixels: The changing face of Australian small business explores the ways in which people like Adam have made the back-end transition from manual to digital. With Single Touch Payroll ensuring more frequent digital payroll reporting from July 1, countless small businesses will move to using digital technology, some for the first time. Those that have already made the transition to digital systems say it has revolutionised the way they operate.

“We now have lane computers, iPads and desktops for reception which have allowed us to track consumer trends, keep our information secure, and enable standardised procedures across our venues. Using technology has improved efficiency for us, which our customers benefit from”, says Adam.

Embracing digital payroll software not only reduces the compliance burden for small businesses; it decreases errors and increases employee satisfaction. All of which makes for valuable savings in time and money – creating the space to do more of what matters. As Adam explains, “Seeing the opportunity for Maniax to grow, and doing hands-on stuff where I can, makes it all worth it. I’m most proud when I can walk into one of our fully-packed venues with many, many happy faces and shouts of excitement reverberating around the walls – it’s contagious.”

Paper to Pixels: The changing face of Australian small business celebrates the nation’s 2.2 million small businesses and their owners, like Adam. Featuring businesses from around the country, the exhibition will be open to the general public for free at Gaffa Gallery in the Sydney CBD from 14-25th March. Come down and see it for yourself – you just might be inspired.

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