Tue 27 Sep 2011

Casey Business Awards 2011 Finalist

Casey Business Awards

Casey Business Awards 2011

Successful Endeavours are the current holders of Casey Business of the Year and we have been selected as Finalists in the Casey Business Awards 2011. We continue to find the City of Casey to be a very business friendly environment and these awards are just one example of many things they do to encourage and support local businesses.

The finalists were announced by City of Casey Mayor Shar Balmes.

Shar Balmes Mayor of Casey

The guest speaker was Futurist Paul Higgins, a consultant with Emergent Futures. He spoke about the changing role of the Internet and Social Media in how people make buying decisions and perceive value, and challenged us to think about how our businesses would address this challenge, both in defending against competitors and developing new business opportunities because of it. I was very impressed and have signed up for a trial of the scanning service offered by Emergent Futures where they bring together information on a particular area of interest and produce a consise and easily followed view of what this means. We are an ideas company and I can’t see how we won’t come up with at least 10 times the asking price of $49.94 a year in new ideas from this material.

Paul Higgins aka Futurist Paul

Manufacturer Of The Year

We were also finalists in this category last year and some of you might be wondering how a business that focusses on Electronics Design and Embedded Software Development for Australian Electronics Manufacturers can also be a candidate for Manufacturer Of The Year?

The answer is straight forward. Having completed the design of a new electronics product, some of our clients get us to also manage the production logstics for them and either deliver programmed, tested and calibrated PCB sets to them; partially assembled product or fully assembled product. I though an example would help here.

We will call this one Client X. For Client X we do the following:

source all the components including electronics components, case, labels, batteries and machined and LASER cut items
get the PCBs loaded (we can handle small quantities in house but once you get over 30 PCB sets it becomes cheaper to use a dedicated SMT line)
program, test and calibrate the loaded PCBs
fit labels to the front chassis and then fit all the connectors, indicators and switches
fit the battery to the case
assembly the unit including the seals (this is an IP65 rated product)
apply serial numbers
final assembly and test then pack in shipping cartons with labels and matching serial numbers
ship to client who then sells them direct to their customers

In the case of Client X it wasn’t worth setting up an internal production line to handle a Niche Electronics product made in quantities of less than 500 per annum. Whereas we can handle this very cost effectively. We have a few strategies we use to radically reduce the cost of product test and calibration but I’ll save that for another post.

We will find out on 27 October 2011 at the Casey Business Awards Gala Dinner how we go in 2011. But for me, we are already winners.

Thanks again to both our suppliers and clients for providing us with great components and for giving us the amazing challenges and opportunites to create new electronics products. For one example of this, check out the 2011 Electronics News Future Award for Industrial Electronics we received for developing a Capacitor Bank Controller for ABB.

ABB CQ900R Smart Controller

We are also pleased to have support from AMTIL and ManufactureLink who have supported us with their news post Another Success Looming for Successful Endeavours.

Ray Keefe has been developing high quality and market leading electronics products in Australia for nearly 30 years. For more information go to his LinkedIn profile at Ray Keefe. This post is Copyright © 2011 Successful Endeavours Pty Ltd

Tue 23 Aug 2011

Industrial Electronics: Future Awards Winners

Posted by Ray Keefe under Electronics Awards , Electronics Design , Electronics Manufacture , Embedded Software , High Voltage , Made in Australia
[2] Comments

Industrial Electronics

We are back from the Electronics News Future Awards where we were presented with our trophy for the category of Industrial Electronics. Out thanks go to ABB High Voltage Division in Lilydale for allowing our Electronics Design and Embedded Software Development of the CQ900R Smart Controller to be nominated for the Electronics News Future Awards for 2011.

Industrial Electronics Future Award 2011

We are thrilled to have been recognised for our Electronics Design and Embedded Software Development in Industrial Electronics and it shows.

Electronics News Future Awards Industrial Electronics

The Electronics News Future Awards are the premier Electronics Design awards in Australia, a point that was made at the awards ceremony by one of the sponsors, Kontron. Kevin Gomez, Editor of Electronics News, speaking about the winners in each category said “These 6 projects represent some of the most outstanding work being done in Australia today”.

Future Awards Industrial Electronics Trophy

As well as handing out trophies, there were 3 keynote speakers and a roundtable discussion on the future of Australian Electronics Manufacturing. Electronics News are covering the outcome of the discussion in detail in their October magazine. We look forward to their coverage of this very important topic.

Electronics News have recently released profiles of each of the winning entries at Future Awards 2011: The Winners and Senator the Hon Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research; declared that the companies profiled by Electronics News showed that Australia can Win The Innovation Race.

We also appreciate the support from VECCI and ManufactureLink with their coverage of this success as well as the Star News Group. The articles are at:

Industrial Electronics Award VECCI
National Industrial Electronics Award Manufacture Link
Industrial Electronics Award Berwick Gazette
They’re Bright Sparks Pakenham Gazette

Tue 12 Apr 2011

Casey Business Awards Videos

Posted by Ray Keefe under Electronics Awards
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Casey Business Awards

In 2010 the City Of Casey had their inaugural Casey Business Awards. They awarded us Casey Business of the Year and also gave us the award for Business and Professional Services which we shared with A Better Dental Care. As part of the awards ceremony they had 10 second videos prepared for each finalist and a 15 second video prepared for each category winner. So we have 3 videos to show covering our awards as finalist for Casey Manufacturer Of The Year, as finalist and winners of the Casey Business and Professional Services Award and our award as Casey Business Of The Year for 2010.

Although we went to some length to describe what we do, which is Electronics Design and Embedded Software Development for Australian Electronics Manufacturers who still make their products in Australia, some of the voiceover comments didn’t quite come out right. It makes it all the more obvious how clear and consistent you have to be in explaining what you do.

So if you need an Electronics Product then we can do way more than is articulated in these videos but you do get a chance to see us in action.

This first video covers our finalist selection for Casey Manufacturer Of The Year 2010.

This second video includes both the finalist and winner videos for the Casey Business and Professional Services Award 2010.

This third video was prepared to cover our win as Casey Business Of The Year for 2010.

We have found the City Of Casey to be a very supportive environment for local businesses and are pleased to be working with them now as a member of the Casey Economic Development Partnership.

Fri 22 Oct 2010

Casey Radio Business Hour Interview With Ray Keefe

Posted by Ray Keefe under Electronics Awards , Electronics Entrepreneur , Product Development
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Today I was at Casey Radio, a community radio station catering to the south eastern suburban area of Melbourne, being interviewed for the Casey Business Hour which runs live to air on Fridays from 2pm to 3pm on 3SER 97.7FM. It was the first time I had been to the station so it was an interesting experience. With me were David Wilkinson and Tom Zsolt from the City of Casey Economic Development Department and Michelle Anderson from VECCI with radio announcer, Jamie.

Here are some pictures from the show:

The guest panel: Ray Keefe, Michelle Anderson and Tom Zsolt

David Wilkinson, head of City of Casey Economic Development Department

Radio announcer extraordinaire, Jamie

Ray Keefe at the microphone

The podcast is an interview which covered the history of Successful Endeavours, our move from a home based business to commercial premises, what we have done to grow our Electronics Design and Embedded Software Development business, how winning Casey Business of the Year has changed us and opportunities for Australian Electronics Manufacturers in the current economic climate.

Click on the image on the left to download or listen to the Casey Radio Interview with Ray Keefe

Michelle Anderson from VECCI (Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry) was also interviewed and explained VECCI’s history as well as the benefits and services they offer to members and some of the programs they have initiated. Their tag line is “Invigorating Business” and I like what I heard. If you are a business in Victoria then you should check them out.

Ray Keefe has been developing high quality and market leading electronics products in Australia for nearly 30 years. For more information go to his LinkedIn profile. This post is Copyright © Successful Endeavours Pty Ltd.

Tue 5 Oct 2010

AMTIL Magazine Article On Successful Endeavours

Posted by Ray Keefe under Electronics Awards , Electronics Manufacture , Made in Australia
1 Comment

AMTIL, Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited, have included an article on Successful Endeavours win as Casey Business Of The Year in the October edition of their Australian Manufacturing Technology Magazine distributed to manufacturing businesses throughout Australia.

AMTIL Australian Manufacturing Technology Magazine October 2010 page 16

Successful Endeavours is proud to be a member of AMTIL and encourages other manufacturing sector businesses in Australia to consider membership as well. We support Australian Electronics Manufacturers through our technology service offerings of Electronics Design and Embedded Software Development coupled with Contract Electronics Manufacturing Services for those clients who want to outsource some of that process but still Made In Australia.

Ray Keefe has been developing high quality and market leading electronics and embedded software products in Australia for nearly 30 years. For more information go to his LinkedIn profile. This post is Copyright © Successful Endeavours Pty Ltd.

Thu 30 Sep 2010

Casey Business Of The Year Recognised By Manufacture Link

Posted by Ray Keefe under Electronics Awards , Electronics Design , Electronics Manufacture , Embedded Software , Made in Australia
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Casey Business Of The Year 2010

Manufacture Link has recognised Successful Endeavours win as Casey Business Of The Year 2010 in their website news article Successful Endeavours wins 2010 Casey Business of the Year .

Manufacture Link is an initiative aimed at increasing the opportunity for local manufacture by allowing members to create company profiles that reflect their capabilities and to also post requests for quotation so that other members can bid on work they might not have found out about any other way.

We are very committed to manufacture in Australia and in particular we provide Electronics Design and Embedded Software Development for Australian Electronics Manufacturers.

Mon 21 Jun 2010

From Engineer to Entrepreneur

Posted by Ray Keefe under Electronics Awards , Electronics Design , Electronics Entrepreneur , Electronics Manufacture , Embedded Software , Engineers , Made in Australia , Product Development
[17] Comments

This week I was the recipient of an Exponential Entrepreneur of the Year award. Last year we were received 2 awards for technical excellence when we won 2 of the 15 EDN Innovation awards handed out in Australia in 2009.

So I was very pleased to be receiving an award recognising the business side of Successful Endeavours. The award was presented by Dr Marc Dussault of Exponential Programs and recognises entrepreneurs and business people who have demonstrated excellence deploying exponential strategies in their business by profitably creating exceptional value for their clients in a manner that is both measurable and sustainable. The award received was in the category of Engineering Consultant and was one of only 6 handed out in 2010 and the only one in that category.

Exponential Entrepreneur of the Year 2010 Ray Keefe receives his award from Dr Marc Dussault.

You can read more about the awards at Exponential Programs Entrepreneur of the Year Awards page.

The main reason for this post is to touch on the most significant aspect of this award for me. I once said that as a Business Owner I made a pretty good Engineer. The past 18 months has a seen a transition away from that to the point now where I can say that I am an Entrepreneur who is also an Engineer. Engineering is a Profession and so it isn’t something that suddenly stops being relevant. Our education and mindset is all based on practical problem solving through the use of technology while balancing performance, risk and cost. And we apply this skillset and mindset to most aspects of our lives, even when it isn’t the only way to go about it. So I am very pleased to be making this transition. Not only is our business better for it but our clients are as well.

And I also thank our clients for the trust they have placed in us to deliver Electronics Design and Embedded Software Development for their next generation of market leading products, the vast majority of which are still made in Australia at a profit.

Here is a picture of the Exponential Entrepreneur of the Year award certificate.

Exponential Entrepreneur of the Year Certificate

The initial nomination was published on PRWeb at 2010 Exponential Entrepreneur Award Winners Announced.

Thu 15 Oct 2009

Electronics Design and Embedded Software Capability

Posted by Ray Keefe under Analogue Electronics , Electronics Design , Electronics Manufacture , Electronics Products , Embedded Software , Low Power Electronics , Made in Australia , Product Development , Technology
[5] Comments

Electronics Manufacturers are the people we serve

A common question we are asked is what sort of Electronics Manufacturers do we Develop Products for?

So I thought I would compile 3 lists:

The first is a list of the Electronics and Embedded Software product types we have worked on
The second list is a list of the industries we have Developed Products for
And the third list is the Technologies we have worked with so far

I might have to regularly update this third list since knowledge and technology are constantly expanding. Before I do the lists I’d like to present a video that specifically addresses this last point. This is very much worth thinking about. Enjoy.

Electronics and Embedded Software Products

Did you notice the section from 1:45 to 2:15? We are being prepared for jobs that don’t yet exist, technologies that haven’t been invented, and problems we don’t even know we will have!

Here is the list of some of the Electronics and Embedded Software Products that do already exist and which we have helped to create:

(more…)

Wed 9 Sep 2009

Successful Electronics Needs a Successful Name

Posted by Ray Keefe under Analogue Electronics , Electronics Manufacture , Embedded Software , Made in Australia , Technology
[2] Comments

Electronics Development and Success

Hello again,

A couple of posts ago in Electronics Manufacture Shines in Melbourne I said I would explain the origins of our company name. Many have suggested that Successful Endeavours sounds more like a personal coaching enterprise or a business that handles products by people like:

And the list could go on for a long time.

While I do hope we motivate and encourage our clients to improve their results, we assist them by undertaking activities such as:

Electronics Development Activities

Electronic Circuit Design
Electronic Circuit Simulation
Analogue Electronics
Analogue Design
Printed Circuit Board Design
Printed Circuit Board Layout
Electronic Prototyping
Electronic Testing
Embedded Software Design
Embedded Software Development
Embedded Software Coding
Embedded C
Embedded Software Debug

Development Statistics

The name came from some industry statistics on the success rate for Product Development. You can read more details in Reducing Electronics and Embedded Software Product Development Costs and I will summarise here:

80% of embedded development projects fail in someway or another
Embedded software is 80% of the cost of an embedded development project
Embedded software is responsible for 80% of the delays and shortcomings

Successful Product Development

So it seemed to me that many Product Development Projects are unsuccessful endeavours. I wanted to change that. We have a success rate significantly better than all the industry norms. Our short USP ( Unique Selling Proposition ) is:

We Make Stuff Work

That’s it. The details are complex but the philosophy is simple. So for me, Electronics and Embedded Software Development should be a routinely Successful Endeavour. And so the name Successful Endeavours was chosen.

I am passionate and committed to assisting Australian Electronics Manufacturers who want to keep making their products in Australia. Made In Australia is what we are pursuing and we are focusing on this segment.