<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Small </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/business" rel="" target="_blank" title="business"><span>business</span></a><span> owners in Australia are already being smashed by taxes and the soaring cost of supplies and labor.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/payday-super-laws-australia/1c52dab2-dee5-428f-96fb-a78be240718a" rel="" target="_blank" title="a new superannuation rule kicking in on July 1"><span>a new superannuation rule kicking in on July 1</span></a><span> could make turning a profit even more difficult.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The federal government's </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/major-superannuation-shakeup-set-to-impact-more-than-14-million-workers/9a0798ed-c450-43eb-838c-a6555a2535a3" rel="" target="_blank" title="PayDay Super"><span>PayDay Super</span></a><span> law will require business owners to pay super at the same time salaries and wages are processed – whether that be weekly, fortnightly or monthly – instead of quarterly.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/us-israel-iran-war-live-updates-march-26-donald-trump-latest-world-news-headlines/b0bfd66d-90f4-4ec6-9124-cdab59a04c62" target="_blank"><strong><span>Iran dismisses US ceasefire plan, issues its own counterproposal</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>EXCLUSIVE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/italian-dual-citizenship-strict-new-rule-that-destroyed-carlas-retirement-plans/bf9f10ff-2911-40fa-b7ee-d8f92600742a" rel="" target="_blank" title="'Lost my identity': Strict rule destroyed Carla's retirement plans"><strong><span>'Lost my identity': Strict rule destroyed Carla's retirement plans</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It has been introduced to tackle the persistent issue of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/payday-super-laws-australia/1c52dab2-dee5-428f-96fb-a78be240718a" rel="" target="_blank" title="unpaid super."><span>unpaid super.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But the payroll shake-up is coming at a fraught time for business owners like Rebecca Foley.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/small-business-owners-cashflow-issues-payday-super-struggling-to-cope/4d66bf51-443a-461e-b659-178caa209571" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Foley, who co-owns Sprout Artisan Bakery in Brisbane, said unpredictable costs and new compliances have been creeping into her profit margin for years.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Almost everything has gone up, ingredients, wages, energy. Our suppliers put up their prices of flour and chocolate by 30 per cent," Foley told </span><a href="https://www.nine.com.au/?rf=true" rel="" target="_blank" title="Nine.com.au."><span>Nine.com.au.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Obviously the fuel increases in the past few weeks have been pretty intense too."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Foley does everything she can to avoid putting up the price of a takeaway coffee or a croissant.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The world just is not the same as it was when Sprout opened in 2014.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Every single price decision carries weight," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We have people coming in saying, 'Oh my gosh, it's so ridiculous. How does a pastry cost $10?</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I really wish I didn't have to charge $10. I wish I could charge $5 like I used to."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The bakery owner is concerned the disruption of PayDay Super will upset her cashflow's fragile balancing act.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Research from global small business platform Xero found that 84 per cent of owners worry that late payments from customers and stakeholders might prevent them from meeting this new obligation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And 31 per cent of Australian small business owners expect to dip into their own savings to manage it.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"What we used to manage quarterly now becomes a weekly obligation, alongside our payroll," Foley added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In a bakery business like ours at Sprout, we pay weekly.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And revenue can fluctuate day to day."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/fuel-shortage-how-much-does-australia-have-left-explained/f266e2d2-6b91-4166-8f7e-bb424620cc09" target="_blank"><strong><span>How many days does Australia have left of fuel?</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/how-to-fly-to-europe-from-australia-without-stopping-over-middle-east-explained/f9f0fe00-fa2d-48e8-853b-95e843c617ff" target="_blank"><strong><span>How can Aussie travellers get to Europe now major Middle East airports are shut?</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The challenges faced by Sprout aren't limited to the hospitality industry.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Melbourne woman Jasmine Gescheit runs her fashion label Jasmine Alexa and said she began implementing PayDay Super early to avoid an abrupt cashflow headache in July.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It just means I'm budgeting a little bit differently, as, especially in fashion, cash flow can be quite lumpy," Gescheit said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We're just trying to do the best that we can to tighten things up."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ripple effect of the economic uncertainty is being felt at every level of the supply chain.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Gescheit said retailers and suppliers have been slower to pay invoices, resulting in a bottleneck.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"All that falls on us at the end of the day," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"But it's just the reality at the moment."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/european-union-trade-deal-names-of-common-australian-products-to-change/10fc60a9-296f-4aba-bd55-3a59bc22abbe" target="_blank"><strong><span>Why we can continue to call our cheese feta, but fontina will be a no-go</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Xero Economist Louise Southall said that, on average, small businesses in Australia are paid 6.6 days late.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Which can have a flow on effect to wider business operations and the ability to invest in long term growth," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Extra pressures like regular superannuation obligations can turn this cashflow pressure into a "crisis".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There could be more unexpected costs on the horizon too </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/us-israel-iran-war-live-updates-march-26-donald-trump-latest-world-news-headlines/b0bfd66d-90f4-4ec6-9124-cdab59a04c62" rel="" target="_blank" title="as the war in the Middle East"><span>as the war in the Middle East</span></a><span> drives up the price of everything from fuel to groceries.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's more important than ever for owners to focus on the things they can control, and cut out the noise of what they can't," Southall added</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The biggest challenge for small business owners is the unexpected.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Owners who are well prepared for whatever the next unexpected shift is will be the most successful in the next 12 months."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Both Foley and Gescheit have called on better government support and education for small businesses in Australia, particularly when new compliance laws arise.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It would just be helpful to have a bit more education around it," Gescheit added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I actually feel like I haven't received anything or seen anything that helps educate the small business or the employer on how to tackle this."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></strong></em><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div 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