Tom Valcanis
Melbourne
As seen in:
Independent Australia,
The Spectator Australia,
Startup Daily,
Inside Small Business,
Hysteria Mag
Covers:
men's lifestyle, domain names, pop music, rock music, culture, heavy metal, men's issues, internet, technology, small business, lifestyle
Doesn't Cover:
telecommunications
Journalist and copywriter dude. @straczynski is my co-pilot. ad culpam, ab obscuro
Articles by Tom Valcanis
The case for using animations in your marketing content
It’s been almost two decades since you (me, and everyone you know) were dubbed TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year for 2006. We all won it because we were powering the second iteration of the World Wide Web, Web 2.0, through uploading our own short, ten-minute or fewer films to YouTube. As the cost per gigabyte of storage decreased and media compression algorithms advanced, every social network allowed uploads of video content in some form.
Flexicar founder and Wavemaker Impact investor Monique Conheady joins Hysata Board
Clean tech founder and investor Monique Conheady has added another directorial arrow to her corporate quiver, joining the board of Wollongong hydrogen electrolyser startup Hysata. Conheady was cofounder of the pioneering carshare startup Flexicar, acquired by Hertz Australia, and now chairs companies Energy Safe Victoria and JET Charge, as well as being a Breakthrough Victoria director.
Atlassian and government back tech policy think tank after ANU cans it
Canberra has a new think tank for tech policy founded by three women to offer advice on the way forward in a digital world. The Tech Policy Design Institute (TPDi) bills itself as Australia’s first non-partisan, independent think tank focused on best practice technology policy.
Tennis Australia is using facial recognition at the Australian Open to monitor fans
The Australian Open (AO) has rolled out facial recognition technology for all visitors under a new addition to its conditions of entry. By purchasing a ticket or entering Melbourne Park for this year’s competition, which runs January 6-26, visitors acknowledge security cameras “that may incorporate facial recognition technology” are used to “enhance security and patron safety” in and around tournament grounds.
The digital cold war is sending millions of US TikTok users to another Chinese social media app, RedNote
There is a slim chance this dramatic development might not happen if the US Supreme Court accepts a last minute legal argument from TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, that the ban is unconstitutional – or if ByteDance divests its US operations. But the 170 million users of TikTok in the US aren’t taking any chances. Many self-described “TikTok refugees” have begun to flee to alternative social media sites, mocking the alleged security concerns on TikTok in the process.
Antler Investor Memo Series: Lyngo AI answers the healthcare communication crisis with AI receptionists
Early stage investment company Antler in Australia recently backed a new cohort of startups as part of its ongoing residency that builds great local tech companies. Startup Daily is sharing the details of each venture in the “Antler Investor Memos” series, which is designed to give you a quick, sharp understanding of the startups and people involved, with many seeking follow up capital following Antler’s initial pre-seed investment.
If you're feeling post holiday blues back at work, here are 5 things to help deal with it
Sad, anxious or lacking in motivation? Chances are you have just returned to work after a summer break. January is the month when people are most likely to quit their jobs after having had time off. And even though most people experience the return to work blues, the good news is there are ways to get through them. But first we have to understand why we experience them at all.
7 of 2024's worst business cliches to quit in the new year
Now we’re at the end of another calendar year, it’s often time to look back at our successes, failures, and things that absolutely irritated the hell out of us. Tom Valcanis shares the jargon and corporate speak that’s pushed his buttons over the last 12 months. Business – especially the university-corporate sausage factory pipeline – loves to sound smarter than they actually are, by using esoteric jargon. Repeated over and over, it grates the ears like nails over chalkboard.
Monash Uni lithium extraction spinout raises $27.5 million Series A
A mining tech startup spun out of Monash University has raised $27.5 million in a Series A. The round for ElectraLith was led by CSIRO-backed deep tech VC Main Sequence, with existing investors Rio Tinto, IP Group and Monash Uni also participating along with Chevron Technology Ventures, Hostplus, Fathom Fund Vista Energy, Marathon Petroleum, CIA-backed US VC In-Q-Tel and the Victorian government fund Breakthrough Victoria chipping in $2 million.
Brisbane robotics surgery startup operates on $5 million Series A
A medtech startup developing the world’s first arthroscopic (joints) surgical robot has raised $5 million in a Series A to crack the US market. Convergence Medical was backed by US investor Avicella Capital, at a valuation above $30 million. The funds will support plans to commercialise the robot, expand into the US to grab a slice of the $6.1 billion global arthroscopic sector.
What LG's 2018 AI phone failure can teach start-ups about innovation
Imagine a smartphone. It’s touted to be the latest and greatest. It has AI features. A virtual assistant you can converse with in real-time. A camera that can recognise objects and optimise settings accordingly. It can even communicate with other similar products to streamline and coordinate your daily tasks. You’d think this phone came out in 2024, right? Nope. The phone I’m describing is the LG G7 ThinQ, which made its debut in 2018. The LG G7 and G8 did not meet manufacturer expectations.
Tom Valcanis
Tom Valcanis is a copywriter at I Sell Words and Head of Digital PR Smith Brothers Media. Formerly a freelance journalist (Fairfax/Nine mastheads, The Big Issue, etc.), he’s worked with small, medium, and ASX 200 listed companies on marketing and communications. He was editor of music magazine Hysteria from 2014-2020. He is also the co-author of the dating book Balding Overweight Sex Machine, with Garth Lategan. He has published scholarly articles on media and communication in the ETC.
Why fun matters in sales
The art of selling often gets lost in the shuffle of metrics and targets. However, selling can be a fun experience for both the seller and the customer. Imagine a world where customers leave with smiles, eager to return and buy over and over. Business growth strategist and sales expert Jonathan Pease shares some tips to help you put the joy back into sales. As business owners, you hold the keys to transforming the sales process within your organisation.
Maximising the value of your business
Are you considering the future of your business? The more resilience you build into your business, the more you are reducing risks for any potential buyer – and this will be valued, explains business strategist Bill Withers. If you are going to seek investor capital or are looking to sell your business in the future, it’s wise to think about what impacts valuations.
3 secrets to build brand trust
Imagine dining at a restaurant where the chef greets you, remembers your favourite dish, and genuinely asks about your dining experience. It feels special, right? That’s the magic of human connection, which brands increasingly strive for in marketing. Social media expert Emily-Rose Hills explains how you translate that feeling to your customers online. Consumers are bombarded with countless choices, and the humanisation of brands has become the secret sauce for building trust and loyalty.
Blocked trade marks: A case of crushing the little guy?
Andrew Bolis, owner and personal trainer at Metamorphic Studio in Clarinda, located in Melbourne’s industrial southeast, had a bright idea. So, protecting it with a trade mark seemed like a no-brainer. But things are never as simple as you expect. Tom Valcanis dives into Andrew’s epic trade mark journey.
CRADLE OF FILTH // In the Dark Black Death Forest of Doom with Dani Filth
John Landis and Thriller got me into horror properly. Before that, I would get my Dad to tape the Hammer House of Horror in the evenings on BBC 2. There were a lot of horror and black and white films on the Friday evenings at that time. Then as a kid I saw An American Werewolf in London, which I thought was just another monster movie at the time. It terrified me absolutely. I got the bug. It had monsters, it was frightening and it was scary.
INFECTED RAIN // Our Perpetual Saviours of Souls
Though they’ve pushed past their 15th anniversary as a band, Aussie fans have yet to experience the mayhem and insanity that is an Infected Rain show. Part ghoulish theatre, part psychodrama, and part visceral rave, Infected Rain’s unique embrace of the extreme is a sight to behold.
Economic challenges hamper business growth: MYOB reports
Small and medium-sized businesses are feeling the strain of the current economic climate, with more than two-thirds (68 per cent) reporting that their productivity is being hamstrung. The finding comes from MYOB’s latest Business Monitor, which surveys Australian small business owners to gauge the impact of external economic factors on their businesses.
5 ways to build an online community
Building an online community or a group of dedicated fans is the dream for any budding marketer or small business owner. Harry Lowes Head of Mid Market at Meta shares 5 ways you can tap into your community for business growth. Recent research shows that when people interact within a brand community, like a social media page, they feel more connected to the brand by seeing it as similar to themselves. This connection often leads to more loyalty, higher satisfaction, and positive word-of-mouth.
It's time to celebrate micro business
June 27 marks World Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSME) Day, a global initiative by the United Nations to recognise and appreciate the vital contributions of small and family-run businesses. Bruce Billson, the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, is calling on Australians to celebrate these businesses and acknowledge their importance in our economy and society. “These are great people in plain sight, and we see them everywhere, every day,” says Billson.
5 ways to embrace mistakes
When it comes to pitching or presenting in front of an audience, even the most meticulously planned presentations can veer off course. This unpredictability often triggers nerves and shakes our confidence. However, what if I told you that mistakes could be incredibly powerful? asks Jonathan Pease, small business coach and strategist. Making a mistake during a pitch—a slip of the tongue, a technical glitch, or losing your train of thought—can be seen as a pivotal moment rather than a disaster.
Could you pass your HSC exam again? How to learn from your past to forge your future
If there’s one recurring nightmare we might have, it’s being back at school and under pressure to perform for exams again. We may or may not be wearing our clothes, and our teeth might be falling out as we fall off a cliff. But I digress. For me, 2024 marks twenty years since I did my VCE (HSC) exams and graduated from high school. Looking back, perhaps apart from some fundamentals, so much has changed.
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER // Announce Tenth Album 'Servitude'
The album will drop on the 27th of September via Metal Blade Records. It’s their followup to 2020’s Verminous, which was met with much praise for its old meets new school approach. To whet fan appetites for the upcoming record, they’ve released the new belter Aftermath. Watch the trailer now and the video from Friday 2pm AEST below.
MUNICIPAL WASTE // Home Among The Bong Trees
MORE: THE OFFSPRING: Smash … Shaping A Generation REVIEWS: NOFX: Half Album // DRAGONFORCE: Warp Drive Warriors // THE GHOST INSIDE: Searching for Solace // HOT WATER MUSIC: VOWS As one of the founding members of these world-beating thrash crossover slumlords (as well as Iron Reagan), he’s had beers with crust punks and rusted-on metalheads, something that few bands could dare to pull off.
KERRY KING // From Hell I Rise
The American Big 4 of Thrash’s meatiest pillar Slayer’s ballyhooed and neck-snapping farewell tour in 2019 didn’t leave a dry eye in Australian crowds … except they’re coming back in 2024 for a handful of festival shows. European metal is OTT and dramatic; American metalheads are just drama queens. What has this got to do with Slayer’s founding beefmaster (and brief Megadeth member, let’s not forget that) debut record, the first recorded Slayer-adjacent material since 2015’s Repentless?
PREMIERE: ARABELLA AND THE HEIST // Release Current Single 'Electric'
MORE: THE OFFSPRING: Smash … Shaping A Generation REVIEWS: NOFX: Half Album // DRAGONFORCE: Warp Drive Warriors // THE GHOST INSIDE: Searching for Solace // HOT WATER MUSIC: VOWS Apart from Million Dollar Baby-ing about (minus the ending, no spoilers though), Electric follows up their well-received 1769 single and 2023’s EP The Back Woods.
RAISING RAVENS // Motives
Raising Ravens is the latest rock n’ blues project from Jess Jean Ravens, aka Jess Finlayson of the thrice-j’d radio darlings Nitocris and Fyreflyes, formed during the salad pandemic days after another band Mis-Made went on hiatus. Riding on the back of a barrel wave, their latest EP doesn’t match the “grot grrrl” style of yesteryear, still packing a mighty wallop nonetheless. Bright Side’s almighty bass-driven stomp recalling some of the more skull-clutching moments of Misfits, at least in tone.
How to sell anything to anyone!
“They could sell ice to an Eskimo” is a phrase most of us have heard at some point or another. In the world of sales targets, however, it takes on a whole new meaning. The idea that you could sell anything to anyone is the pinnacle of success, and today I’m going to teach you how to do exactly that! says sales expert Jonathan Pease founder of Winning the Room.
The fashionable power of partnerships and collaborations in 2024
The number one opportunity for small business owners to rocket their success, visibility and reputation right now? Partnerships and collaborations, according to the findings of The Big Small Business Survey, shares Katrina McCarter. Over half the respondents (50.15 per cent) had teaming up with other businesses at the top of their list, ahead of systemising and scaling their business (49.85 per cent) and increased sales overall (47.80 per cent). I won’t lie.
FROM DYING SUNS // Calamity
8 What's not to love Though we aren’t inundated with review CDs any more (a what?), our inboxes are crammed to bursting with promo material that otherwise goes begging. When one reads “a project featuring members of Augury, Aeternam, and Killitorous” and “inspired by classic 80s platformer games such as Castlevania and Ghosts and Goblins” you don’t think, you know to press play. My God, we’re glad we did – and so will you.
Wake up, tradies: stop blaming others and start building your business empire
Feeling stuck in the daily grind of leak fixes and electrical faults without seeing your business grow? It’s a common trap for tradies, but here’s the hard truth: running a successful business is more than just being a wizard with tools, writes former plumber Dan Pollard, founder of job management software startup Fergus. It’s about stepping up, taking charge, and connecting with your customers in a way that makes you the only call they’ll ever consider making.
Chilling out as a business activity
When was the last time you took time out? Tom Valcanis shares why sometimes we all need to stop the clock – even soloists… In one of my favourite boyhood adventure graphic novels, The Adventures of Tintin, the bumbling pair of detectives Thomson and Thompson are driving in circles around a fictional African desert. At one point, a faster car zooms past and Thomson steps out of the vehicle.
FLAMING WREKAGE // Ministers of Infernal Affairs
MORE: THE OFFSPRING: Smash … Shaping A Generation REVIEWS: NOFX: Half Album // DRAGONFORCE: Warp Drive Warriors // THE GHOST INSIDE: Searching for Solace // FLAMING WREKAGE: Terra Inferna After this album, we’ll eat our delicious hats if they don’t become “overnight successes” that’s been ten years in the making. Making their mark in the Sydney scene at first, they inched instead of zoomed up and down the east coast and eventually the entire continent.
FLAMING WREKAGE // Terra Inferna
As Flaming Wrekage’s brutal fourth album tickles your earholes, you know this is something special. MORE: THE OFFSPRING: Smash … Shaping A Generation REVIEWS: NOFX: Half Album // DRAGONFORCE: Warp Drive Warriors // THE GHOST INSIDE: Searching for Solace You know this because first track Witch Hunt storms into command, its bone-sawing proto-melodeath centrepiece riffage latching onto your brain stem scarcely a minute into the track.
The ultimate guide to selling your business
Nick Brogden, the founder of Earned Media, explores why many Australian small businesses do not consider selling their business and why every business owner should have an exit strategy. The small and medium business market is massive, yet many business owners have not considered selling their business. According to the Recipe for Success Survey, which surveyed 2,000 Australian small businesses, 59% of SMBs do not have an exit strategy.
PREMIERE: TWO TIMES SHY // Fly Higher Than Ever With 'Losing My Mind'
MORE: THE OFFSPRING: Smash … Shaping A Generation REVIEWS: NOFX: Half Album // DRAGONFORCE: Warp Drive Warriors // THE GHOST INSIDE: Searching for Solace Instantly recognisable and relatable, Losing My Mind continues in the tradition of American-style emo-tinged pop-punk (think State Champs, Mayday Parade or Between You & Me) from its late 90s heyday. With themes exploring the path of self-destruction and heartache while struggling with the rollercoaster of emotions that come with relationships.
DOLLY DAGGER // Tower
8 Thrownback for great justice Aussie-born and LA-based singer/songwriter Dolly Dagger (named after the Hendrix song, natch) is reanimating a once forgotten genre; the 90s alternative all-girl asskicker.
Why your business should have a customised AI chatbot
Businesses are constantly seeking innovative ways to enhance customer engagement, streamline processes, and remain competitive. Using a customised AI chatbot is one of the best tools for achieving these goals, offering an intelligent, responsive interface that can significantly improve the user experience, writes Adam Stewart founder of Digital Bond Media.
THE GHOST INSIDE // Strangers to Solace
MORE: THE OFFSPRING: Smash … Shaping A Generation REVIEWS: NOFX: Half Album // DRAGONFORCE: Warp Drive Warriors // THE GHOST INSIDE: Searching for Solace “That’s not real life,” says drummer Andrew Tkaczyk live from Black Box Studios in Las Vegas, NV. He’s steadying his phone with his hand, his flash of blonde hair going from italics to bold amid the wobble. He’s sitting in front of some gorgeous classic guitars and sporting a wry smile. It’s not happiness, as the School of Life defines it, though.
THE GHOST INSIDE // Searching For Solace
A band’s 20th anniversary should be cause for celebration – especially after the two rollercoaster decades El Segundo, CA’s The Ghost Inside have had. MORE: THE OFFSPRING: Smash … Shaping A Generation REVIEWS: NOFX: Half Album // DRAGONFORCE: Warp Drive Warriors November 19th, 2015 is a day that will live on in heavy music scene infamy, waking up to the horror news of one of our beloved metalcore outfits had been seriously injured in a gruesome bus smash.
How to get your contracts right from the get-go
Are you one of the many entrepreneurs lying awake at night, plagued by the myriad concerns of running a business? You’re not alone, writes small business legal expert, Shalini Nandan-Singh. In the dead of night, when the world is quiet, your mind can become a breeding ground for stress and anxiety over your business’s future.
NOFX // Half Album
6 It's Perfectly Cromulent A farewell to debt release? Already? MORE: NECK DEEP: Rating: 8 Middle Fingers REVIEWS: BLOOM: Maybe In Another Life // BANKS ARCADE: DEATH 2 // MANNEQUIN PUSSY: I Got Heaven // JUDAS PRIEST: Invincible Shield Bandleader Fat Mike admits in his press packet: “Was it worth it? Was it worth spending five years finishing the five songs on my double album project that I thought were the worst of the bunch?
Understanding transaction fees: A gudie for business owners
For many small business owners, choosing a payment provider is like going to the mechanic with no knowledge of cars, writes Chris Dahl, Co-CEO, Pin Payments. The plethora of options, technical jargon, and pricing complexities can be overwhelming and difficult to understand. Likewise, payments can consist of differing fees, rates, and options, which people are often unaware of. Understanding these differences can have a significant impact on your business’s bottom line.
SEO: The work is the reward
Google isn’t just a big server farm funnelling queries from around the world back to users. They employ over 16,000 human Search Quality Raters to determine page quality and whether the needs of users are met, explains Tom Valcanis, copywriting expert from I Sell Words. These raters speak over 80 languages and 4,000 of them are based in the Asia-Pacific region.
Want customers to spend more? Get a little spiritual
Four years ago, I would never have used the word ‘spiritual’ in an article for business owners. Then again, four years ago, Prince Harry was still a prince and Corona was a beer. The world has changed. And we’ve known that fulfilling spiritual needs is important in customer service for centuries writes Jaquie Scammell the award-winning author of The Future of Service is 5D, Service Habits (2nd edn) and Service Mindset.
STEPSON // Discover Lonely
8 Discover this, (step)son Like it or loathe it, the “elder” emo tag on social media has popped off the last couple of years. Why? Because emo is now retro. MORE: NECK DEEP: Rating: 8 Middle Fingers REVIEWS: BLOOM: Maybe In Another Life // BANKS ARCADE: DEATH 2 // MANNEQUIN PUSSY: I Got Heaven // JUDAS PRIEST: Invincible Shield I don’t think you’ll hear My Chemical Romance on Gold 104.3 any time soon, but in two years’ time The Black Parade will turn 20 and our souls into ash.
JUDAS PRIEST // Invincible Shield
Nineteen albums down? You would think Metal Gods Judas Priest would be waltzing their way out of the scene conducting nostalgia tours for the rest of their battle-jacketed lives. MORE: NECK DEEP: Rating: 8 Middle Fingers REVIEWS: BLOOM: Maybe In Another Life // BANKS ARCADE: DEATH 2 // MANNEQUIN PUSSY: I Got Heaven // DEALER: Glass Preacher Judas Priest, one of the oldest and proudest institutions in heavy metal, are one of the rarest.
5 lessons you can learn from Taylor Swift about branding
Chances are, if you’ve been keeping up with social media, the news cycle, or just in conversation with friends, family, or your team, you’ll have witnessed the incredible juggernaut that is Taylor Swift’s globally successful Eras Tour, which recently captivated audiences in Melbourne and Sydney, writes Samantha Dybac, CEO and founder The PR Hub, Host Influence Unlocked podcast TIME Magazine’s 2023 Person of the Year has achieved unprecedented success in her comparatively brief lifetime (she...
How organised is your business?
Running your own business requires some serious organisational skills. You can’t afford to lose track of your inventory and should be on top of your cash flow at all times. So how can you keep your business organised? Indiana Lee explains. Organising your business properly can improve your productivity, too. A well-established workflow will help you stay ahead of deadlines and prioritise your core responsibilities.
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