NOT Easy to Do Business
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| # | Submitted | User(desc) | IP address | It was | Sector / Industry | State / UT | City | Response-time of officials | Number of documents to be submitted | Availability of information about the process | Overall Rating | It was an attempt to | Other | The problem was | Other cause | Details of experience | Advice for others | Share my story with | Name | Contact no | Privacy Policy | Contact me | Display it | |
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| 49 | 30 Nov 2016 - 16:40 | Prashant | 203.122.16.122 | Not Easy to Do Business | Fishing | Andhra Pradesh | Vishakhapatnam | 2/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | Register the business | Confusing laws that say different things |
There is a lot of competition in Vizag in the Fishing sector, since the coast is quite favourable for catching fish. Most of the locals just catch the fish for their own subsistence, while a share of them sell it. I decided to register my own company and sell the fish to Tyson, who would package it responsibly, and sell it across the country. I actually started my business before registering the company, and by the time I had enough of a hold in the local market, I applied to Tyson to be a supplier. However, they required me to be registered as an established supplier from Vizag, and to facilitate the same, I had to register my business. When I reached the office, I did not realise I lacked the necessary documents required for registration, so I had to come back two days later. At the office, they thankfully had a token system, and my number was called after three hours. At the counter, the person seemed quite surprised to see that I had applied for a fishing licence. To my surprise, he suggested me to skip this process and continue with my business! I had to tell him that I needed the licence to supply to an MNC, to which he understood. He aided me in the whole process, but it did take a lot of time - various departments required their own set of documents and clearances. In about two weeks, my business was registered, and Tyson bought my product a month later. |
There will be a lot of running around - even if the process is less rocky. I know of people who had to spend weeks running around the offices. Carry extra copies, the department office doesn't have a copier. And lastly, treat the officials well - they are more likely to get your work done if you treat them like humans! | Keep it Anonymous | Anonymous | - | abcd@gmail.com | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Yes | |||
| 65 | 14 Dec 2016 - 17:12 | Prashant | 203.122.16.122 | Not Easy to Do Business | IT | Delhi | Gurgaon | 4/5 | 3/5 | 1/5 | 3/5 | Register the business | Can’t find information |
I set up an IT firm earlier this year. My company was a small one, and we worked out of our house in Gurgaon, so we just had to register the company. The whole process for the category I was applying under was a digitised process, so I was pleasantly surprised. However, I did have to go to the office to submit my documents - I didn't understand why couldn't that procedure be digitised as well! One could easily scan and submit the required PDF files. However, my main issue was the lack of availability of information. If someone has to start a business, a simple Google search should be helpful and enough. I couldn't find any information myself, so I had to call up another friend who had set up a similar business couple of years ago. However, from what he told me, the process has become much simpler, so kudos to the government on cutting the red tape - I just wish they would have advertised it better! |
Ask someone who has already registered business in the field, they should be able to help you out, or hire a lawyer who will make the process easier for you. | Senior Department Officials | Shyam Mohan | - | abcd@gmail.com | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Yes | |||
| 81 | 16 Dec 2016 - 16:10 | Prashant | 203.122.16.122 | Not Easy to Do Business | E-Commerce | Haryana | Panchkula | 2/5 | 3/5 | 1/5 | 2/5 |
Register the business Trade outside state/ country |
Other | Sustaining the business |
The one we're starting now is an e-commerce business for a niche consumer good. We want to share things about everything about the business; starting from how we decided on the product and the business model, about marketing and gaining initial traction. We're trying to figure out social media, even though we both are kind of shy on the social networks. We might have a lot of resources on startups from the US and other countries. But a fact of the matter is that starting something in India (as we've learned) is a different beast. We need to start discussing things in the open so that we can learn from each other. |
Plan well. Starting a business isn't the tough bit, sustaining it is. | Keep it Anonymous | Anonymous | - | abcd@gmail.com | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Yes | ||
| 46 | 24 Nov 2016 - 17:02 | Prashant | 203.122.16.122 | Not Easy to Do Business | Labour | Karnataka | Mysore | 2/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | Get registration and licenses under labour laws | Other | Labour issues |
For me the problem was dealing with the labour. The problem is that they deserve better, but I cannot pay them more than the market for the fear of being noncompetitive and losing business. But then they don't care much for the money they are paid. Timelines, work ethics, etc. mean nothing to them. But I don't blame them. Right now it's Modi ji's kripa. My business is dead for next few months. No new projects are going to come in, as people are going to hold onto their money now especially if their net worth is less now maybe due to black money, or maybe due to crashed property. The future is uncertain. This policy is really anti-small trade business. People like Ambani selling the daily essentials to common men will not be affected, since demand will never drop. Then, there is also the fear of being prosecuted for something you haven't done wrong. For example, not deducting the right TDS, or putting the wrong tax. Kejriwal had come out with a system of code for each item. Nobody implemented it! We do our work, but need to keep up with stupid compliances, which are subject to whims and fancies of illiterate politicians- most of whom haven't seen a business meeting in their lives, I am sure! It just takes up so much of your time. Harassment by officials is a valid and certain threat. |
Have contingency plans. Be prepared to run around offices, and be harassed by the ones who run them. | Keep it Anonymous | Anonymous | - | abcd@gmail.com | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Yes | ||
| 62 | 14 Dec 2016 - 14:46 | Prashant | 203.122.16.122 | Not Easy to Do Business | Media | Delhi | Gurgaon | 3/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 2/5 |
Register the business Trade outside state/ country |
Delay by the department even though I completed the procedure |
I set up my media firm in Gurgaon earlier this year. In short, it wasn't easy to start a business. I never intended to do everything myself- my dad had suggested that I hire a CA not only to handle my finances, but also finish up this procedure. But I wanted to see the situation for myself, so I decided to accompany him the first day. To my surprise, even my CA had employed someone to do the work for him. I followed this one guy around, who seemed to have undergone this process a thousand times - he was so unfazed by the sea of people around him. I lost him on a couple of occasions, but in one line or the other, we would be reunited. I asked him if he wanted me to stand in any line for him, but he refused, and told me he had a "setting" with the office people. After the first couple of lines, he used to just keep the documents on the clerk's desks, and way away, with no regard for the line of people behind him. Some shouted, some gave dirty looks. However, he was always unfazed. I was surprised at his lack of care for others, and we got done by lunchtime. A week and a half later, I had my permits and registration licences, and my business was ready to go. |
Hire a CA! Makes the job, much, much easier. | Senior Department Officials | Prashant Rastogi | 8821899840 | prashantrastogi67@gmail.com | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Yes | |||
| 43 | 23 Nov 2016 - 18:51 | Prashant | 203.122.16.122 | Easy to Do Business | Entertainment | Delhi | Hauz Khas | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | Register the business |
It was quite easy for me to set up my business (LIMN Entertainment) which I would categorize under the entertainment sector. It was easy for me because I registered under my company as a sole proprietorship and also consulted my accountant who handled everything for me. I had to submit just three documents and the process went pretty quick. Infact the process to register my company took only a week or probably 10 days. The difficult part was finding a office space in South Delhi. I looked for 25 to 30 places and my current office where we are sitting was the last place I saw. Different people have different needs. I wanted a place with natural light and parking space and this was the only place I liked which had both of them. Registration of this office (property) was a bit difficult and was an elongated process. It needed a lot of unnecessary paper work. I had got the keys of this office before the paperwork and other formalities were completed. Also had it been a Pvt. Ltd or a Public Limited company, the process of registering the company would be very tedious and no procedure is very clear and straightforward. The process online is also not very easy to understand. One other thing I would like to mention is that the procedure of registering any business or company and the documentation should be online and paperless. It would be much easier that way. But I have heard we are getting better with time unlike how it was in the past. Like taxation is steadily becoming online, I would like the procedure of registering the business or documentation process of registering your start up should be paperless and online. |
It is not advice to others but rather it is a necessity to have all your paperwork in place. A lot of learning takes place only while you are ‘in the process’. I wasn’t aware of running a company or for that manner even manage a team before I started this company. But the journey has been very interesting and I have learnt a lot in the process. One advice would be – you need to be patient. Immense patience is needed if you want to be an entrepreneur. It takes time to set up your company and also for your company to grow unless your business is inherited. My mantara has been – “choose happiness over money!” I was in a very decent and good paying job. But my happiness lied in setting up LIMN and I am very happy about how it is steadily gaining momentum and growing. |
Both | Divij Kaul | 011 4660 2773 | bhavya@limnentertainment.com | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Keep me updated about responses to my report and experience. | Yes | |||
| 75 | 16 Dec 2016 - 12:06 | Prashant | 49.204.110.82 | Not Easy to Do Business | Steel | Delhi | Gurgaon | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | Register the business | Submitting the same document to different departments |
Government offices are a massive, massive pain to deal with. Even a bigger pain is dealing with the officials. Huge lines, obscure offices, forms that sometimes exist and sometimes don't, always angry and lethargic staff. My co-founder and I spent an entire day collecting random forms, but in the end gave up and paid 5k to a clerk who got the job done within an hour. |
Avoid spending your time and grey matter on running around, and hire somebody to do it for you. | Keep it Anonymous | Anonymous | - | abcd@gmail.com | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Yes | |||
| 40 | 23 Nov 2016 - 18:18 | Prashant | 203.122.16.122 | Easy to Do Business | Manufacturing | Delhi | Delhi | 3/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | Register the business | It was not a very complicated process to register the business. However the rules of Excise Duty and Sales Tax is one hassle I face. I have to redesign the process according to the various needs of our clients. At times this becomes a problem. Sanitation and cleanliness is to be maintained because inspection is something unexpected. | One has to be very persistent if you want to start a business. Stick with your project and fight the system. | Keep it Anonymous | Anonymous | 9310533008 | saurabh@dynapen.in | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Yes | ||||
| 72 | 16 Dec 2016 - 08:41 | Prashant | 49.204.110.82 | Easy to Do Business | Food | Delhi | Gurgaon | 2/5 | 3/5 | 1/5 | 2/5 | Register the business |
Getting the permits was not an issue, apart from finding information about it. I did everything myself, and got all the permits within a month, and my food supply company was up and running within six weeks. The real problem arises after you start the business. The attitude of customers/vendors/clients. People feel no remorse about wasting someone's time, or indulging in petty cheating. Of course things like these are present in the west too, but the magnitude is different. Oh, and this is more present in North India than in South! This reflected even while I was getting my permits- people just wasted everyone else's time, if it meant getting their work done five or ten minutes earlier. |
Be mindful of people. Don't give anyone any way in your lines. | Senior Department Officials | Sumit Pathak | 9873056915 | pathaksumit@gmail.com | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Yes | ||||
| 37 | 21 Nov 2016 - 17:53 | Prashant | 203.122.16.122 | Not Easy to Do Business | IT | Karnataka | Bengaluru | 2/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | Register the business | Can’t find information |
Everything is difficult if you are starting from scratch to set up a business. • Finding office space: Not everyone has big enough a house or circumstances to incubate the organisation at home. • Something as simple as commuting: It is hazardous to drive, and arduous to take public transport. • Government policies/banking system: Something as simple a company formation - if you got for private limited model, the Registration Of the Company expenses require a fair amount. Cheaper option is to register company under partnership act (only if you have a friend who is a CA/CS/Lawyer and will help you out). Again, if your company is under partnership firm, banks won't give out unsecured loans/ credit cards to you/ your employees. This is the reason many good and hard working employees can leave the job with your company and go anywhere else where they get better facilities. • No regard for Intellectual Property Rights or its implementation: Almost illiterate cops or Economic Offences Wing Officials dare not bothered about whether stealing/copying code/project plans/content is a big deal! • There are multiple overlapping compliance checklists that will take you ages to get a grip on. • Rampant corruption: To set up a meeting, to get anything registered, to not stand in the line for hours- every little thing requires a bribe to get your work done. This can go on forever. There is no way that we can ever reach the competence levels of foreign countries. I’ve lost hope in our system! |
It's a difficult process. If you have the time, money, and energy, you might just be able to start your own business. Hence you need immense patience till things fall in place. | Keep it Anonymous | Anonymous | 88189456876 | shrawanbanerjee@gmail.com | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Yes |