The unofficial start of AusCorp 2023

It's post 26 January so y'all know what that means... AusCorp is officially back. It's feeling a bit patchy around here courtesy of P Lowe's never-ending interest rate hikes, but maybe its a chance to cherish the down-time (if you can)!

N.B. We are launching our new Grad Hub platform imminently with new premium content for aspiring investment bankers, consultants and lawyers!

If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up to Flat White here:

We are currently looking to build our sponsors' list to help keep this party going. If you're interested in investing in us and the AusCorp community, then hit us up at [email protected]

💡 Brain’s Trust - conversations in Auscorp

One, Two, Freeze

Based on a snap Q&A last week, we've taken a snapshot of who is / isn't hiring right now right now in AusCorp (based on your submissions):

Why is this interesting?  

We've received an uptick in DMs about layoffs across a variety of sectors (e.g. consulting, tech), which reflects a general trend in companies being a bit more prudent with their finances. Whilst some layoff whispers turn out to be purely rumour, this does reflect the fact that this is on the minds of companies and employees a lot more this year.

If you find yourself in a situation like this, try to stay positive and look after your own interests (don't drink the "we are all a family" kool-aid). Take a look at the Fair Work page for your entitlements and make sure you are informed of your rights.

The Australian economy is still faiiiirly okay and there are jobs out there if you look hard enough. Or maybe you don't actually want a job anymore. Take a career break or give your start-up idea a chance.

📮 Postbox - our best post

1. Very Casual Fridays (and Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays)

Whilst AusCorp work attire should reflect the Australian work culture, we've been seeing some office outfits that are really pushing the boundary in 2023.

Blame it on the relaxed Aussie culture, COVID-19 or Gen-Z's, but its safe to say that we've come a long way from being decked out in full suits, ties and dress shoes all day.

On footwear, the most common casual office trends this summer appear to include:

• Boston Birkenstocks (i.e. the enclosed kind)

• Birkenstocks and socks (or affectionately, "Work-en-socks")

• Tevas - are these the new Birks?

• The humble Havaianas (a staple)

• Nike TNs - for those from that want to inject a little "street" into their lives

• Crocs - the OG in ugly footwear

2. All's fair in love and plsfix

We concluded our third (wow!) annual AusCorp Matchmaking segment on Instagram for the lonely souls (that weren't still working) on the evening of Valentines Day.

For those all missed it, check out the profiles of the most eligible bachelors/bachelorettes in AusCorp in our story highlights on our IG page.

🙊 Community Bantz - best comments from Auscorp

OK, the sandals might be bad, but what about the carpet??

🩺 Health Check - monthly health tip/reminder

As we get back into work this month and things start to ramp up again, you might feel a bit up and down at times. Your body is probably reacting to increased stress, less exercise or sleep, and some potentially whacky changes in your diet.

Whilst we would all LOVE to be naturally healthy, modern science has meant that we can now supplement our sub-par lifestyle choices with magical pills (not that kind...).

Please consult your medical professional about this as all personal circumstances are different. Generally though, the supplements that are commonly taken amongst us are:

• Vitamin D - given we are indoors all day;

• Vitamin C / Zinc - to boost our immune systems when amongst the filthy masses;

• B Complex - to boost our energy levels; and

• Fish oil - just cause some of us aren't big fans of the googly-eyed thing 🐟

Regardless of what anyone says, the supplements industry is still a bit hit and miss these days. Here's an interactive infographic which illustrates what has / has not been scientifically proven. The graphic was too big to include here but here's a preview for those interested:

👴🏻 Old is Cool - meme throwback (17 February 2022)

Lacklustre choices: Go hungry, eat at work (depressing) or get no work done

👍 The Nook - what AusCorp recommends this month

🏳️‍🌈 Mardis Gras (event) - So Albo is going to be the first PM to march in Sydney's Mardi Gras later this week on 25 Feb. Expect it to be an absolute party!

🎵 Quest for Fire, Skrillex (music) - Skrillex's new album in 9 years just dropped after he showed us a sick preview last week. Good for when you want to GSD.

📺 Slow Horses (TV show - Apple TV) | IMDb 7.9/10 | - "Season 2 of compelling spooks drama featuring old school spycraft and stellar cast of Gary Oldman and Kristen Scott-Thomas has recently hit Apple TV. Some great twists and very bingeable watching."

📺 The Consultant (TV show - Amazon Prime) | IMDb TBD | - "One to put on the watchlist! Premiering on Amazon Prime on 24 Feb, very excited to see the brilliant Christoph Waltz play the role of a consultant. Finally get to see someone do my job on TV."

📕 I'm Glad My Mum Died (Book) | Goodreads 4.6/5 | - "Real, funny and beautifully written account of childhood trauma."

📕 The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel (Book) | Goodreads 4.4/5 | - "A book about building wealth and the traps and different attitudes/mindsets that come with it. Breakdown how today's billionaires were actually incredibly lucky or have just had more time alive - so I don't feel like a complete fuck up with my money."

🥪 Brooklyn Bridge Deli (Deli, Sydney) - "Close to Wynyard. NYC style deli. Best sandwiches and wraps known to Sydney-kind. They are massive with fresh ingredients and good prices."

🍽 Beau (Wine Bar, Sydney) - "A manoush (i.e. Middle Eastern flatbread) and wine bar in Surry Hills newly opening in February (by the same people as Nomad). Exciting for those that love bread"

💻 Made in Australia - showcasing Aussie tech

New segment! We think Aussie tech is hella underrepresented / underrated, so we've decided to dig deeper. Every month, we will be dedicating this section to cover an Aussie start-up that we think is cool / useful / has potential to impact our lives!

This month, we stumbled upon Blinq, a Melbourne-based start-up that raised $5m in their Seed round in January last year.

What is it?

‍Given business cards have been used since the 15th century, it would make sense that those flimsy pieces of cardboard were next on the innovation block.

Backed by Blackbird and Square Peg, Blinq lets users make their own digital business card using a QR code. Not only is it a COVID-safe way to exchange details, it also seems way quicker and easier to keep connected with others using the Blinq app. Some of the world's largest companies are already using this including Google, Uber, AirWallex, Tesla and Citi.

It's safe to say that paper business cards will eventually phase out and something like Blinq will take over in the digital age. It's really only a matter of time... or who knows, it just might catch another huge company's (*cough* Linkedin *cough*) acquisitive eye.

🚗 Under the Hood - what we're working on

Giveaway (another one)

We just launched our RM Williams giveaway with GroupTogether earlier this week and will announce winners soon. In the meantime, we are working on ANOTHER giveaway. How lucky are y'all...!

WFH Policy Survey

The cogs are turning and our interns are doing all nighters to get the results of this survey out back to ya! We received over 2200+ submissions this year (wow!) so it's just taking a bit more time than usual.

Grad Hub - microsite and webpage revamp

We are launching new premium guides / services on our Grad Hub microsite this week for investment banking, consulting and law students. If you know any young aspiring Aussie Corporates still at university, please send them our way!

✍️ Feedback Loop - share your thoughts

We are always open to feedback from our dear community.

Let us know if there's anything you would like to see (or don't want to see). We are also very open to any cool, funny or interesting segments that you want to see permanently in Flat White.

🫶 Share the Love

We're a community at heart so PLEASE share this around if you found it a value add to your time. This helps us tremendously and also gives us the validation that we're doing a good job around here!