Category: Uncategorized

Business of Landscaping in Kerala

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
What does it take to become a garden landscaper?

Business of nursery, gardening, is ever green in Kerala. Recently, I contacted a gardener to clear my garden and remove the weeds from pot. He agreed to come home and tidy my messy terrace garden. For this he charged Rs 700 for a 5 hours of work.

How to promote your landscaping business?

  • Ask for referral from happy customers and call prospects
  • Print visiting cards, share it with prospects
  • Go online – Start a Facebook page promoting your business
    ( Get help from others, if you’re not great with social media promotion)
  • Take pictures, and maintain an album 
  • Post ads in online ad sites( Quikr, Entecity, Sulekha, etc) 
  • Talk to nurseries ( they might refer your name) 

Other suggestions:

  1. Do not overcharge, and set the right expectation
  2. Introduce new gardening concepts and keep learning
  3. Learn to create balcony gardens ( for apartment owners)
  4. Specialize in plant re-potting ( supply cow dung and other natural fertilizers)

Other plans:

Sell dried cow dung in packets of 5kg onwards to a sack.
(Can you do home delivery of dried manure)

Service at Customer’s Door

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Hotel Biverach in Trivandrum – Payasam Home Delivery ( Onam 2013)

I just want to share a line about this lady in Coimbatore. She specializes in stitching ladies dress. And she take her service to the next LEVEL.

She goes to customer’s place, take measurement, and then delivers the stitched dress.

You, can try take your business to the customer’s place, there by creating a unique market and name for your business.

Here’re few biz taking service to the customer – Can you better it?

  • Collect blood or urine samples from patient’s residence and deliver reports
  • Deliver provisions or ice cream or tender coconut, even booze to customer’s place 
  • Home delivery of fresh fish ( Are you running a fish stall?)
     ( Install a live cam inside your fish stall- Show the fresh fish stock to your customers)
  • Ironing or laundry ( Pick & Delivery)
  • Fresh Chicken , Pork or Beef delivered  
  • Tire Puncher ( Dial M for Puncher)
  • Payasam – home delivery  ( Hotel Biverah at Kumarapuram ) 

Union Mentality – Frank Zappa’s Thoughts

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How are unions in west or rest of India, different from Kerala? Do they have unions for everything like we do in mallu land.

In Kerala, we have union for every thing – For Government employees, to Business owners to Toddy workers and thousand others. While, they are formed with good intentions, sometimes, they become more aggressive, and non-productive.

Well in this context, I came across Frank Zappa’s animated video on Youtube. Watch this video to find his views on life, work, union, and more.

Five interesting quotes from Frank Zappa

  1. So many books, so little time.”- Frank Zappa quote on life
  2. A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it is not open.” – Frank Zappa on life
  3. Communism doesn’t work because people like to own stuff. – Frank Zappa quote on politics
  4. If you want to get laid, go to college. If you want an education, go to the library. Frank Zappa thoughts on education
  5. Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa on life

Why Malayali’s are Critics for Everything?

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
Why are we like this?

I wonder if we’re born critics, right from the stay at the womb. Or it’s a acquired skill. Like it or not, Malayalees, are know outside the state as one of the biggest critics to anything and everything.

So, who started it and who’s spawning it? Is it the media, politicians, and common man?

We go ballistic with facts, stats, to down a project. Before we understand all the sides, we come with a conspiracy theory, or even bribe theory, or an American hand.

Well, any fool can easily say NO. As Seth Godin, puts it, it’s difficult to make a project work – you have to fight the odds, and overcome the NO sayers.

Escort Services in Kerala for Aged People

~ bjcharles ~ 31 Comments
Imagine an agency providing escort services to old people?

Don’t get alarmed with the word escort, just take it in the literary sense. What I mean, is an agency or individual who can escort (accompany) old or physically challenged people to board trains, buses, or flights?

As far I know, there is no service like this in Kerala. Now, if an elderly person has to board a long distance bus, or a train, they depend on a relative, friend or a neighbor.

But, these days help is very hard to come by. And, many people resent the idea of asking for other’s help.

What do you think it will work in Kerala. Even an individual can start providing such service for a price. A granny from Kottayam, who has to board a flight at Cochin airport can call up to get this service. Or, imagine your friend has a bone fracture, and needs help. You can dial this number, and get this people to lift, assist in their life.

Investment: Almost Nil
Job Requirement: Integrity, coordination skills

Indian Railway Terminology for Dummies

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
We Indians are used to the official gobbledygook.. i.e, official words, jargons used spoken and used in Govt communications. For a first timer, it sounds all Greek and Latin. But fret not, you’ll be a seasoned user with hands-on experience. And you’ll be suprised to speak in their tongues. But, till then you’re in a state of confusion, or in limbo!

Indian Railway – Terminologies
Of the different Govt agencies, Indian Railways uses far too many generic words. And to find the real meaning, you need a separate glossary.

Recently I had a bad experience when I checked my  journey status on the day of the trip. I found GNWL next to my booking status. After few desperate moment, I realized the real meaning. No Fuc*** Place. Why can’t they use a simple explanation. Maybe, in brackets.

RAC – Reservation Against Cancellation
(RAC means, you’ll don’t have a berth, only a seat. RAC passengers are given side seats. And if it’s your lucky day, TTR might allot a berth as per the vacancies.)

GNWL – General Waiting list ( You are out of the list) Better luck next time.

Berth – Sleeping pad. After 9 PM or so, it’s all your’s

Talkal : Origin Hindi (Few seats are allotted for last minute booking. Talkal opens one day prior to your date of journey. For instance, if you’re traveling on 8th, then talkal opens on 7th) You need all the luck on your side to book a online ticket through talkal. Reasons, heavy traffic to IRTC site. )

Additional Links:

Indian Railways RAC and Waitlists concepts explained ( http://www.indiamike.com)

StartUp Mantra Trivandrum

~ bjcharles ~ 4 Comments
STARTUP MANTRA – Poster
  • Do you have an idea to share, or a business idea nested in your mind? 
  • What are the formalities (licences) required to start a business in Kerala?
  • How do you raise capital for a new business? 

Having a business idea is one, but starting is an entirely new ball game. Also, there’re are many other impediments to starting a business in Kerala.

If you’re looking for a forum to get answers or network with like-minded people, then Startup Mantra is for you. This Startup meeting scheduled in Trivandrum is open for all, from wannabe biz entrepreneurs, to angel investors to startups.

Note to attendees:
After attending the class, pls share your learning, insights to people like me. You can share through a PPT and put it on SlideShare , or write a blog post, or upload the video on Youtube.

Thanks in advance to all the attendees and well wishers of Startup Mantra in Trivandrum

Licences for Starting Small Business in Kerala

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
One of the most dreadful thought that comes across any small business owners is the hassles of getting Govt sanction. We in India, our bureaucrats are known for their creative skills at making confusing laws that opens doors for thousand interpretations. In effect, these come as the nemesis for most small biz owner.

There’s no escape  from these mandatory certificates, and only way available now is to overcome with solid will power and sheer determination. Despite all the efforts, our God’s Own Country has witness many premature closure of business, but for these laws.

So, in this post, I’m sharing frequently asked questions by small business owners and also the related answers.

  1. Whom do I approach to get small business license in Kerala? 
  2. Where are the regional offices located? 
  3. How to set up a catering unit in Trivandrum or a spa in Kottayam? 
  4. What kind of licences should I have to start a hotel in Kerala? 
  5. How can I apply for a licence to start a resort or home stay in Kerala? 
  6. Is there a agency to help me in procuring all the licences? ( Biz opportunity here)
  7. Do I need a license for running a tuition center? 
  8. I’m selling food from home – Which license should I have?
  9. How can I set up a pub in Kerala or a discotheque?
  10. Where can I get SSI registeration?
  11. What about food license?
  12. How to set up a machinery or packing business in Kollam?

Links to different sources:

How to register a company in Kerala? Source: http://www.signsandmarks.com/

Registration Department  ( Govt of Kerala)

Registration of Small Scale Industries(SSIs) 

Your inputs is valuable and it will help many others hunting for different licenses. I suggest you to share links or put the rules on a blog. 

Training Institute – Accounting Outsourcing Jobs

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
Accounting outsourcing projects to India are on the rise. This is a good news for B.com graduates, and for finance professionals in India. The spurt in accounting outsourcing projects are creating plenty of openings in various BPO’s and KPO’s situated in Noida, Bangalore, Chennai, Technopark Trivandrum, and even in smaller towns in India.

Despite the demand for accounting profs, only a small fraction people living in big cities has knowledge, access about these openings. So, why is this break in information? Why are most students in tier two cites unaware of the big career potential?

These are related questions that popped up on my mind:

  • Why are MBA or other degree colleges ignorant of these opportunities? Why are teachers, college administrators or career councilors failing to inform students?
  • Is there a place for finance or B.com graduates to evaluate the skills for a accounting job at a KPO?
  • Does anyone train people on accounting jobs? ( sample test paper, brushing accounting skills, accent training, etc ) 
  • How many finance graduates from small towns like Kollam or Kottayam know about this opportunity?
  • Do you know a mentor, trainer or a recruitment agency who does accounting skill training?

Besides this, there are only few institutes offering training to freshers or accounting profs.

Big Opportunity – Start a Accounting Recruitment Center cum Training Centre

Start a HR firm which trains, educates, mentors and places students. If you’re from a smaller city, then you can help lot of clueless students a new career path.

How to Start such an opportunity? There’s hard work here, but results will be obvious.

Collect the various openings, the job description in each profile, and provide this information to students.

  1. Meet the HR staff in various companies to find the job openings in accounting 
  2. Join different finance groups, individuals through LinkedIn
  3. Segment the job based on skills sets
  4. Collect the job description for each of the opening
  5. Also collect the sample questions and practical aspects of the job
  6. Train prospective candidates

Usual set of openings in accounting process: General Ledger Specialists, Pay roll, Bills Receivable, Accounting Specialists, Reconciliation, etc.