Wemu Blog
Running a small business, the local way
Guides, comparisons, and compliance how-tos for small businesses in the Philippines, Australia, and the United States. Written by the team building Wemu.
Fresha alternatives for Australian salons that are past the free stage
Fresha is the default first booking app for Australian salons — free to start, easy to like. But once the chairs are full, the activity fees and the marketplace's shared spotlight push a lot of AU owners to look around. Here's what to look for, and where Wemu fits.
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Tap to Pay on iPhone in Australia: take card payments with no terminal
The card terminal on your counter is now optional. Tap to Pay on iPhone turns the phone already in your pocket into a contactless terminal — no reader, no dock, no extra rental. Here's how it works in Australia and how to switch it on.
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The café POS setup that runs the whole floor: tills, kitchen screens, tables, and margins
A café isn't one workflow, it's four running at once: the till, the kitchen, the floor, and the back office. The setups that feel calm on a Saturday are the ones where all four run on the same system — here's how to build that, screen by screen.
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Gym management software: the timetable-first setup for studios and clubs
Members don't browse gym websites — they check the timetable. If your timetable lives in a Canva graphic you re-export every week, you're running the front door of your business by hand. Here's the timetable-first setup: live schedule, tap-to-book classes, recurring memberships, and coaches who see their day on their phone.
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Retail POS with inventory: the small-shop setup that counts itself
Most small shops know their takings to the dollar and their stock to the nearest guess. The fix isn't discipline — it's a till that treats inventory as the same system as sales, so every scan sells AND counts. Here's the full setup: barcodes, stock takes, reorder points, and supplier POs that draft themselves.
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Cliniko alternatives for Australian clinics that also sell things
Cliniko is beloved in Australian allied health, and for good reason. But it was built for practitioners billing appointments — not for clinics that also retail skincare, sell packages, and market like a business. Here's when to look elsewhere.
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How much does it cost to open a salon in Australia?
Most salon budgets are wrong in the same two places: the fit-out runs over, and there's nothing left for the quiet first three months. Here's the honest list, including the costs owners tell us they wish they'd planned for.
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Salon commission structures in Australia: how to pay stylists fairly (and profitably)
Commission sounds simple until you run it next to the award. Here's how Australian salons actually structure pay, what the common percentages look like, and the mistake that turns a generous scheme into an underpayment claim.
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Rent a chair vs employing stylists: which model actually suits your salon?
Chair rental promises predictable income and no payroll. It also means giving up control of pricing, standards and the client relationship — and it carries a legal risk owners routinely underestimate.
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How to get more salon clients in Australia (without discounting yourself broke)
Most salons chasing new clients have a retention problem, not an acquisition one. Here's where the bookings actually come from, in the order worth doing them.
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Looking for a Mindbody alternative in Australia? What to check before you switch
Mindbody built the category, and for large multi-site operators it still makes sense. For a boutique studio with two instructors and 180 members, the pricing and complexity often outgrow the value long before the business does. Here's how to evaluate the alternatives properly.
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The best Timely alternative for salons that outgrow per-chair pricing
Timely is a genuinely good booking calendar — that's why half the hair and beauty industry in Australia and NZ runs on it. But it prices per bookable staff member, and it stops at booking. Here's what switching looks like when your salon needs more than a calendar.
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STP Phase 2: the complete 2026 guide for Australian small businesses
Single Touch Payroll Phase 2 rolled out across every Australian business with employees — yet most small operators are still getting it wrong. Here's what changed, what the ATO wants, and how to stay compliant without hiring a second bookkeeper.
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The best Square alternative for Australian service businesses
Square is the default for Australian cafés and salons because it's easy to start with. It also plateaus fast — service-business bookings are an afterthought, processing fees add up, and STP integration is paid extra. Here's the better fit.
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How to set up Afterpay for your small business in Australia (2026)
Afterpay drives 20–30% higher average order values and reaches a customer demographic that wouldn't otherwise shop with you. Setting it up as a small business is straightforward — if you know which of the three routes to take.
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