Month: July 2018

Getting Ready to brave Slow Start – Small Business Topic

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

A new ladies and children only beauty parlor opened in Poonthi Road.

I visited a hair saloon which is bang opposite to this. During the hair cut, the owner talked about the about the investment for starting a decent looking saloon and the difficulty in getting the word-across.

According to him, the recently opened shop must have invested around 2 lakhs for interiors and accessories for the saloon. Also, there are two staff to manage. Unfortunately, two staff left soon after the business took off. Probably, they got a better offer.

For me, these sounded like a typical challenge for a small business concern who has to depend on hires to run the show.

It makes me wonder, if the small business owner is aware of the blunt edges of running a business. Is there such kind of mentor-ship for new entrepreneurs, or is there a guide who can run-through the typical challenges of running a business.

As a small business owner, what are the typical challenges? How do you differentiate?  How do you prepare yourself to face the initial phase of business?

1) Train new staff on how to behave with customers in a courteous manner

2) Understand the risk of loosing new hires ( Have you located the next hire or trained the next employee to take up)

3) Reward new hires, and give them a solid reason why they should or them to stick on to the company

4) Marketing – Yes, be creative, do it differently. ( Typical flyers or posters are rarely effective. Try SMS campaign to prospects in the locality. Give them an offer on Wednesday or so)

5) Start with a specialty ( How different are you from your competitor?)

6) For beauty parlours ( Give a 5 minute FREE leg massage or head massage)

7) Are you know for your cleanliness or punctuality, politeness?

8) Collect mobile number of every customer and send periodic reminders

9) Incentive employees and train them for higher  productive performance.

So, what do you think? Do you think these points improve the chances of success? Do you have other points to share, which was very successful for you?

Feel free to share your ideas on how to improvice small business marketing.

Thanks for stopping by!

Translate Popular Blog to Indian Languages

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Make a List of Top Blogs to Read  

I’m a big fan of Seth Godin. In one of his blog, he mentioned about a cloud based news aggregator application called Feedly. This site makes it easier to read articles, blog from multiple sources into one location. Hence, reading or following updates becomes easier.

Well, Seth’s blog is full of such simple ideas, suggestions which gives readers a direction, and they nudge you to do something remarkable.

Grow with the Times – Trivandrum

Off late, I get this feeling with the people from Trivandrum. I see a proliferation of middle-class ideas, ideals, negative approach or rather a cynical approach to everything. Due to this, it’s affecting the general psyche, and even the general attitude. Well, I don’t have anything wrong with the middle-class way of life, however I feel that progress comes only from those who push the existing boundaries.

So, what does it mean?
 It means that we have to understand how other cities are developing, how bigger, bolder ideas are being implemented, and old is giving may to new begining. In today’s age of digitization and information access, it’s easier than ever before to learn, share and care for people around you.

And, in this regard, I have a thought. This concept sprung up from the fact that I wanted everyone to read Seth Godin blogs. But, how’s that possible when not everyone can understand English language. So, how to make it accessible to everyone.

What if someone or the owner gives permission to translate the blog to Malayalam. Well, we know Google can easily translate English to any language, but I need a perfect job. With more customized content to motivate Malayalee reader to act or challenge the status-quo.

Will it work? How far will such a project be successful. Well, I said Malayalam as an example. Also, Seth Godin as another example. I just mean to say how a popular blog could be translated to other language like Tamil or Kannada or other Indian languages.

One more thing – Translate popular blog and print 100 blog post and print it into a book. How does this idea sound?

Blogs which I love to see more regional readership

1. Seth Godin
2. Marketing sherpa
3. Steve Pavlova
4. 1000 Awesomethings
5. Art of Manliness
6. James Utcher

  

Waste Management for Indian Railways

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
In one of the recent train travel from Trivandrum by Kochu Veli Express, I had the usual experience – the aged coach,  cheap plastic seats with patch-work, the rickety-dickey sounds of the coach and wet toilet ( always wet floor).

As soon as this train passed some 100 km of it’s 700 odd km journey, the waste bin was overflowing with tea cups, plastic covers and what not.

With the sight of an overflowing bill, many passengers including myself found it easy to throw used tea cups and waste outside the train. Who would like to dig the hand between the waste!

I have noted that most time, there is mid-way emptying of waste bin. The waste too travels some 700 km, before it gets disposed. So, when people throws waste outside, I think it’s added cost to the railway, in terms of getting someone to collect the outside waste.

Two things to improve this system.

1) Increase the size of the waste bin
2) Collect the waste, every 200 km of the train’s journey

I think there is an SMS facility to inform authorities about railway coach cleaning. But, I personally find it cumbersome. Instead, an option inside the IRCTC app would make things easier for the commuter.

———
POINT #2

Well, apart from the waste collection, I have a small request to IRCTC. This is regarding the chai, kapi supplied in the coach. Well, I along with thousands of commuters dread drinking the chai supplied in the train. One, they are not clean. We keep hearing stories of these chai wallas filling water from the train loo.

Another is the QUALITY of the chai. It’s watery tea or coffee or it’s too much sugar. I wonder if they get sugar for free or is it something which tastes like sugar. I have seen the railway mentioning the quantity of tea  ( some ml), but no word about the taste of the tea experience for the commuter. Give me less, but make it delightful!

Question to railway authorities:

I know with Rs 10, it’s hard to make good quality tea. So, why can’t they arrange a premium chai guy who sells tea or coffee for 20. This special tea should come with separate sugar sachet. I bet there are many senior citizens who will be keen to avoid sugar water and look forward to feel-good tea from these carriages.

Looking for such a Chai!

Loosening Family Bonding in Indian Families

~ bjcharles ~ 2 Comments
In the last decade or so, I have seen, experienced and felt how family bonding has slipped to new lows. Well not just my family, but in the lives of many of my friends too. As a person who likes to have a close and helpful family network, I see this as a failure in all fronts.

I know there’re are many who don’t seems to be affected by the isolation in family and the growing independence in family life!

Some how, I can’t grasp at the fast pace change in our behavior. So, who can we blame. Well, do we have to blame  the rise of busy-state of life, eagerness to earn, fast-paced work, or the self-centered life of everyone or the hectic life schedule.

Or is it, related to the constricted life, much away from the life of their father or grand father’s generation..

So, what’s the fall out of this modern life. The so called typical Indians are suddenly acting like westerners. They are getting more into themselves, and their shrinking  circle of friends and relatives.

Recently, I had this experience. I gifted a lady a cake. She said that her husband don’t eat cake make with egg. Then I said that she can gift to her apartment friends or neighbors. She said she doesn’t have any acquaintance or friends in the apartment. It seems she is staying in that apartment for the last 10 years.

Oh, is this the so called Indian values we been hearing about.

So, my quest here is this – look for ways to build bonds, connection and bring that human feeling between family, friends and neighbors.

Here’s are few ways to bring that good-old family feeling and caring.

1) Let Family Members Take up Food Serving Job at Marriages. As soon as we fix the marriage, one of the first things that’s outsourced is catering. In any marriage, the right selection of caterer is important as both the parties look for a good feat on the marriage day. In earlier days, this was mostly done in-house. I still have faint memories of how everyone in the household gather to do a part of the cooking or arranging of the house. Only major work will be outsourced and rest is shared by uncles, aunts, cousins, and neighbors.

So, if we look at today’s family, as a host we don’t want to burden anyone for anything. We have a tendency to do it all by ourself or with the help of paid assistance. We let money do the job, rather than asking someone for assistance.

Ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find
Here’s my plan to bring back a part of the old system. First, you have to find all the tasks in a marriage. From all the tasks, pick small tasks which could be done by a small team of people. For instance, you can pick the task of filling water, or serving payasam or giving second help.

Or, if time permits, assemble a team to make halwa or a sweet dish from the scratch. So, once you decide on the task, find out if there are people willing to volunteer their time. Find the right people, and tell them their job on the D day. Rope in the elders too and also the young turks in the family.

Benefit:  Well, in the end all those who joined hands for the preparation of dish will take back some memory of the activity, instead of just being a spectator for the marriage. As an added motivation or a proof of memory, keep a Polaroid camera read and take picture of their role, and get it signed by the bride and groom.

2) Create a wish-list
   Well we all have a long list of things to buy, to experience. Now, imagine we have  public wishlist of things each family member would like to buy or posses. And, how every year, at a particular time, people can voluntarily contribute to buy the goods in the list. It could be from a bag to a cycle or something even big

3) Sponsor a learning session
   Apart from our degree, we like to keep sharpening our skills. So, imagine the family takes imitative to sponsor a class. Well, it could range from helping a person to buy a website domain to learn cooking or baking. There should be a catch to it. A benefactor to such a learning class should pass it on to others in the family. Meaning, a person who receives the money to enroll for the class should do the same at a later stage for another person. The intention is to carry it forward.

What do you think of these ways to build bond, renew the connection and make people closer? Will it work or is it hard work for people to take this idea forward?

Bangalore Days Sights Around

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
Crowded, Derelict Apartment Life 

Church at M.G Road

Taj Vivanta 

Bangalore – the rush, chaos, ideas, unicorn start-ups, apartments, honking, pubs, high note, exuberance, mechanical, life, parks, corruption, power, money, garden, greenery, climate, change…are few words that comes to my mind when I think of this city.

For many like me, this city has been the refuge, where I have started my career, found a new way of life. While we have taken so much from this city, what have we given back?

Is it the trail of smoke from the vehicle, or the extra garbage from your house, paid tax to the society, invested in this city? 

Secondopinion.com

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
Second Opinion 

I’m a sucker when it comes to scrutinizing, verifying, or negotiating! I keep failing in these departments and that too in succession. So, what could be the reason. Well as far as I could conjure – it’s the lack of preparedness, planning or organizing.

In one of the recent instance, I got fooled easily by a crooked or city smart salesperson in a Honda Showroom. After I signed the deal for the vehicle, I realized that I’m paying a hefty interest for the vehicle. What an idiot did I turn out to be. Also I remember the maxim – Caveat emptor, meaning, let the buyer beware.

Taken for a Ride and the art of Negotiation 
It’s after signing the deal that I realized that I should have cross-verified with another dealer and checked with the online resource. 

————
3 steps to being a better negotiator are:

Know what you want
Create options for yourself
Be willing to walk away
( More details on how to negotiate in this link)
——————————-

So, have you come across a situation where you felt that you need to get a second opinion about a purchase ( land or vehicle or something which is expensive)

This is when I thought that a service ( secondopinion) would be helpful.

So, imagine that you are about to visit a car showroom. what kind of research will you do beforehand? Well, it would be easily if you have a quote from another neutral source about the price, EMI offered by other dealers, and the estimate.

Having a prior knowledge will make things easier for you to check if the deal is in line with the market rate.

So, if you get an unbiased opinion from a third-party agency, makes decision making easier and better.

This could apply for car or a home loan or for buying a property or even in medical diagnosis.

The second opinion (car) or ( Medical) will have a panel of people who with the right knowledge will assist you to the right solution.

So, what do you say about this? Will it work? Is this solution being offered? 

Phrases Keywords Popular with Apartment Builders in Bangalore

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
During while having lunch, I heard the radio adv from a builder. The choice of words used in the advertisement was interesting – sort of a regular catchy words.

This made me think of the kind of words, phrases and keywords used by builders on their websites, direct mailers, radio ads.

Also, it got me thinking – What if there was a collection of keywords and phrases available for each kind of business. Won’t it makes things easier for the copywriter or the adv creator or for the business owner?

So, here I’m listing few words that are common in the apartment advertisement space!

Nested in the sanctuary of nature

500 meters from Metro station

Resort like Living

Connectivity to all IT parks

Fresh air and peaceful abode

500 meters from the upcoming metro station

Wake to the chirping sound of birds

Located at heart of IT corridor

Distinct place in a peaceful locality

Easy access to International airport

Fitted with modern fittings and home automation tools

24/7 security for safe private living

Serene living with the pleasing view of fresh water lake

Villa for just 1.2 Cr

Splendid 1, 2 & 0 mins from Hoodi Jn |3 Bed Condominiums

Escape the traffic by staying close to IT corridor

Worthy investment in Bangalore real estate

10 minutes from Tech Park

Reputation and trust of our brand earned from thousands of customers

Value for money deal with this limited period offer

Book now to get a discounted price

Pay only after you take possession of the apartment

Easy EMI option available for the first 20

Get all amenities in this prestigious property

Hassle free living in Bangalore

—————————————–

Here are few phrases, selling points for apartments – Is it new?

Get FREE Parking along with the apartment

Fully furnished apartment – Kitchen and bedroom shelf ready

Get T.V, Fridge, A/C and even a custom made aquarium with the apartment

Unique High-power Telescope for Astronomically Inclined  residents

100 mtr pool with a heating facility – life guard and regular pool aerobics trainer

Home automation – Control TV A/c, fans, with the mobile

Separate room for maids with entrance

Earthquake resistance design

Concealed balcony with cane mesh or choice of screen

In-house mountain climbing arena, squash court,

Buy fresh fish, vegetables, meat etc from the supermarket

Organic stores inside the premises of the apartment

First apartment with the in-house Uni-sex Spa and Massage

Beer Lounge for evening party

24/7 Cafeteria which serves coffee, tea and snacks

In-house baby-sitter and play area. Kid care facility ( 24/7)

Doctor on call – resident duty doctor for all day care!

First cable swing in an apartment

Get a certified dietitian/physiotherapist  on call – Permium facilites

First apartment with Ayurveda treatment facility – 10 beds for in-house

Healthy food counter – grills, tandoor and salad bar a the basement ( home-delivery in 5 min)

24/7 Plumber, Electrician and Carpenter

Medical store, fully stocked department store – Good for Kerala ( Don’t fear HARTAL)

One-touch button in all houses for any urgent need ( For Elderly People)

All maids, helpers are verified by the facility

First Oxygen cylinder cabin with sleep pod for relaxing

Get leg massage by our trained therapist – Free for residents

Food court on the top floor where you can have a 24/7 restaurants

19 Conventional Business Opportunities for Gulf Returned NRIS in Kerala

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Imagine this senario!

After years of work, living a frugal life in Middle East, you are at your wit’s end – tired, longing to return to your native land! Yes, you have saved some money, but not much. And with this saving, you are planing to return a start a new life, a new beginning. So, what are the options you have?

In such a scenario, the first choice would be to return home and do some business. But, we all know Kerala is not a great place to do a business. Nevertheless, Kerala is a consumer market and there is opportunity to sell products or start a service oriented business.

So, what business will you do in Kerala? What are the most popular and low risk business ventures in Kerala?

If you are looking for business avenues to set up a shop or do some kind of trading or service, then here are the business alternatives available for you.

Stationery and DTP/Photostat Store

This is a\ typical business which is likely to give your steady business, provided it’s located at a vantage location. Places near school, colleges, etc are suitable for this kind of business.

For example, TRIDA building near Medical College, Trivandrum is packed with photostat shops. Most of the customers are students ( medical students) who come to take the copy of a medical book and also there are many who give thesis work for printing.

Digital Studio and Photo Editing Stores

Another conventional business is photo studio – top it with an editing and photo restoration store. A twist in business could be by adding a fancy makeup booth. I’ve seen similar ones in carnivals and fairs.

Photo restoration and photo framing has a steady business.

Spectacle Store and eye-testing Shop

It’s a slightly crowded market. Still, there is always demand for a shop which can provide wide choices of frames. Going by the margin of this business, there are opportunity for more stores to open and take up niche areas.

Fancy Stores with Imported Items

Open a novelty store for women – where you have a section of items which are imported. Highlight, this part – aim to get high-end spenders to your store with unique items found only in your store.

Lingerie Dresses 

This is a niche area you can cast your eyes. One is the limited number of stores in this space. If you have

Ceramic and Plumbing Store
This business requires more investment – skill and knowledge of this industry. It’s more likely to flourish in bigger towns where there are new construction and building project. Along with this shop, you can provide plumbing services. I feel there is an acute shortage of trained, skilled and honest plumbers in Trivandrum. Check the possibility of this business.

Plant Nurseries and Plant gifting 
All across Kerala, people are fascinated by plants. Most of the nurseries are not able to cater to the needs. Either it’s not having the variety of plants, or it’s not good with service part. In Trivandrum, there is a demand for succulents, and indoor plants like fittonia, crypthanthus, but most nurseries are still stocking roses, hycinth, jasmine, etc. It’s time to change with the changing trends.

Organic Vegetable Store
In Trivandrum, I have come across a store called Welgate. It’s a big shop which deals with all kinds of vegetables, fruits and organic produce. With a trend towards organic items, I think more of such stores can grow with the rising demand for organic produce.

However, make sure that you are only dealing with organic items. People always have a question about the authenticity of claims – more so with Keralites.

Gift Article Store
Most junction, city centre has a gift store. Also, most stores are stacked with cheap plastic gifts. I’m yet to come across a gifting centre which has something that catches my eye. What I would mean is that the articles which have some novelty in it.

Probably, you can start a gift store which is exclusively dealing with plant gifting. It could be something novel. From gifting succulents in attractive container to gifting a bonsai or a jade plant. Other options would be to gift clocks ( instant customization) with picture or images.

T Shirt Design Store 

I usually come across such stores in flea markets. For instance, in Sunday Soul Sante and Olam, there were stalls that were dealing with designed T Shirts.  Probably, you can think of starting one in your locality – one with customized design.

Spa and Grooming store
In Kerala, especially in Trivandrum, I have seen many saloons has a new service – Spa. What about a spa with cross massage? Well, not the shady ones where they do other extra services for an extra price. I mean cross massage for ladies and gents. Will it work in the right way? I wish I could start one!

In Bangalore I’ve seen spas mushrooming in Indira Nagar locality. While some are shady joints, there are many which are having reliable service to people.

Hair stylist 
Start an clean, neat hair saloon with trained men. IF you are planning to start one, don’t always depend on an external hire. Get trained in hair cutting and be the main hand.

Fish Aquarium Shop and Aqua Scaping
On a recent visit to Calicut, I saw the popularity of ornamental fishes. The aquarium stalls near the stadium were filled with customers and the quantity of fish that we traded was equally big.

Keeping this in mind, I feel this business has a lot of potential in Kerala.

Cactus and Pot Store
The trend for making and keeping terrarium and succulent plants has got on. However, there are limited number of stores which sells cactus, succulents and containers. Recently few stores like ForestVibe, Casaplante in Plamoodu, has opened in Trivandrum. However, the demand is high, so it’s the right time to enter into this market.

Pet Store
If you like dogs and other pets, then a pet store would be a business to think of. Introduce dog spa, and dog shelter service. These are two services that are new to the industry.

Home maid Services
Recently one of my friend has a string of bad experience of hiring maids from home care services. I felt sorry for her, but going by the service levels in these business, I’m sure that there’s growth potential.

So start an agency which provides quality hires to people. For this, you’ll have to invest your time and resources to give methodical service to ladies and tell them about their responsibilities and how they have to behave with clients.

Household Repair Store
Getting a good handyman to fix problem with plumbing or electrical fitting or for filling some cracks in the house is always a challenge in Kerala. At Trivandrum, we end up paying high amount to get a sloppy work done.

For example, I had two instances where the guys who turned out to fix an AC and inverter turned to be unfriendly and unprofessional in their approach.

When it comes to AC fitting the guys who came home was making too much noise talking loudly, cracking jokes. I can understand the noise from drilling the wall, but the cross talk. Also after the work, they left all the mud, brick pieces, debris on the same place. Is that not the part of their work to clean the mess they have created? Or it’s own job to tidy the place. What can’t these suckers keep some newspaper below the work place and clean the mess in an easy way?

IF ARE YOU RUNNING AN AIR CONDITIONING REPAIR UNIT – PLEASE NOTE!

Well, it’s easy to be this. What if someone who comes take extra care to clean things before they leave the premises. I wouldn’t mind paying extra tip if they do a neat job. Who wouldn’t!

Computer Repair and Maintenance 

If you have an eye on finding the bug in the PC or laptop or tablet, then you got a steady business in Kerala. With high-penetration of personal computers, there’s a shortage of skilled and honest computer sales people.





Are you making a ripple?

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
Start a cause!

Very true!

What are you standing for? Do you talk or stay mute – thinking that your voice will be unheard? Why have we become a nation of mute people? Why don’t we react or pretend that we have not heard or seen something? Why are we afraid to react?

Soap Making Material in Trivandrum

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Soap Making Ingredients

Buy Cork from Here – Chalai Trivandrum

Just sharing details of two shops which sells chemicals and corks in Chalai Trivandrum.

Surendra Stores in Chalai is popular with people who buy all sorts of stuffs for temples and rituals. They also have corks. So, next time you know where to go for buying corks for small bottles.

Bhagya Stores, which is closer to vegetable market Chalai, sells chemicals and other materials for soap making. They also have parafin wax for making candles. Check it out, if you are into handmade soaps and candles.