Indian Entrepreneurs in US

Out of the public listed companies in USA 1/4th of the ventures are started in the past 15 years founded by immigrant entrepreneurs, according to American Made Magazine.

The current market capitalization of these firms exceeds $500 billion, and they employ more than 220,000 people in the U.S. and 400,000 internationally. Immigrants have had the greatest impact in the fields of IT, life sciences, and particularly in the high-tech manufacturing sector, where 40% of publicly traded, venture-backed firms operating in the U.S. today were founded by immigrants.

Indian immigrants typically come from middle-class families, and they tend to be college graduates, many with particular expertise in science, engineering, or technology. They come to the United States to get graduate degrees and they are under a lot of pressure to see if they can take care of their parents and families back home.

The wealth in India is still controlled by a small percentage of the people in the country, so even if their parents are educated people, they may work in low-paying, civil service jobs. There is no way it is possible to break the entrenched social system and the cultural barriers over there. When an immigrant reaches US and sees that so many opportunities exist, he becomes quite ambitious.

The Indus Entrepreneurs is a networking association originally started by Indian entrepreneurs and engineers in Silicon Valley in 1992. The focus is on business development, support, providing education for future entrepreneurs, and giving back to the community.

It really has helped create energy, synergy, and a social system for Asian Indian immigrants and other entrepreneurs. They have 10,000 members in nine countries now, including England, South Africa, and Israel, and they're going beyond technology into other industries.

Start Juice Shop

If you are looking for an idea on what business you can start easily, a juice bar is one idea you can seriously consider. With more and more people becoming health conscious, a juice business is timely. Today, the popular obsession with dropping pounds and losing inches certainly feeds into the health food trends that fuel juice bar popularity. But the health food industry has also benefited from another recent concept, that of organics.

Every herb has its faithfuls who claim for it almost magical qualities. Mint has its after-dinner fame as a breath freshener and a digestive aid; ginseng is one of the latest in a long line of alleged energy boosters and anti-aging supplements; garlic is supposed to aid the immune system; ginger has been said to possess aphrodisiac properties.

Each fruit and vegetable, too, has accrued its own collection of anecdotes and testimonials. What child hasn’t been told that carrots will help him see in the dark, or that an apple a day will keep the doctor away? Who hasn’t heard that Popeye is strong to the finish because he eats his spinach?

In modern times, speed and efficiency are joint rulers of an ever more fast-paced world. For a person on the go, a tall cup of mixed juices spiked with nutritive powders is the ideal meal. Like coffee and soda, it can be consumed in the car without taking one’s other hand off the steering wheel and endangering one's self and others.

But unlike those beverages, juice is part of a balanced breakfast. It could be said, tongue in cheek, to balance even better than breakfast, since unlike a plate of toast and scrambled eggs it can be sealed up with a lid and straw and enjoyed safe from spills. And with all the supplements available at your local juice bar, that tall cup of fruit and vegetable squeezings can be a balanced breakfast.

For entrepreneurs who put health above anything else, starting a juice bar is probably one of the fastest and the most lucrative businesses out there. It can be added to an existing business or simply started independently.

Juice Business Structure

You can start a juice business entirely on your own. It would help if you have an experience about juice preparation from working in a juice bar, but this is not necessary. You can also buy an existing business, or get a franchise. Franchising will cost a little bit more, though. If you have an existing food business, you can incorporate a juice business into it.

Juice Bar Menu

You don’t have to be a nutritionist or obtain a degree related to health to know that fruits and vegetables are good for the body. You can sell a variety of juices from apples, carrots, oranges, bananas, celery, melons and other fruits and vegetables. You can purchase juice wholesale from fruits and vegetable juice manufacturers or distributor or you can do the juicing onsite. You can even do both at the same time. Get juices wholesale. You can add vitamins and health supplements, for example, those that are known for their immunity boosting or antioxidizing effects. You can sell juices in several cup sizes starting at a price of Rs.10.

Juice Bar Location

You can open at any place that is frequented by people such as tourist attractions, a kiosk in a mall, office building, airport, hotels, schools, beach areas, public markets, health clubs, and fitness clubs. Vending from a cart is another option you can take.

Juice Bar Startup Cost and Profit

Your startup cost will depend on how much you are spending for equipment (juicers and coolers), rent, advertising and getting the necessary license and permit. Your profit will depend on your total sales minus the cost of your ingredients and overhead. It could be several times your capital after awhile when you’ve mastered the operation. Adding other items such as sandwiches in your menu can help boost profit.

Start Beauty Parlor or Salon

A beauty salon or beauty parlor deals with cosmetic treatments for men and women. Nowdays beauty salon also contains hair salons and spas. Beauty salons provides more generalized services related to skin health, facial aesthetic, foot care, aromatherapy, — even meditation, oxygen therapy, mud baths, and innumerable other services, but hair salon provides only hair treatment.

Facials, Massage, Manicure, Pedicure, Waxing, Threading

Hairdresser washing a woman's hair

A hair salon is a place where one goes to get the hair cut, as well as styled, highlighted or coloured. Salons are in various business forms from sole traders, branches of salons or large franchise owned salon chains. Some larger chains offer their own brand of salon products.

The term spa salon refers to a salon where spa treatments are done. Spa treatments are also offered in some beauty salons. Treatments may include holistic theraphy or Reiki.

Cholayil Sanjeevanam	Rs. 5,00,000 - Rs. 10,00,000	Health and Fitness
CLARA INTERNATIONAL	Rs. 5,00,000 - Rs. 10,00,000	Health and Fitness
Clipso Beauty Aesthetic School	Rs. 10,00,000 - Rs. 25,00,000	Education
Lakme India	Rs. 10,00,000 - Rs. 25,00,000	Beauty and Hair Salons
NET PLANET INFOTECH SOLUTIONS	Rs. 5,00,000 - Rs. 10,00,000	Business Services
Shahnaz Ayurveda	Rs. 5,00,000 - Rs. 10,00,000	Beauty and Hair Salons
Sharkey's Cuts for Kids	Rs. 25,00,000 to Rs. 50,00,000	Retail

Start Coffee Shop

Coffee shop is one of the most popular business ideas, young entrepreneurs adopt. In the recent 10year period, there has been many foriegn vendors have established their presence in India. A coffee shop is not just coffee, but a variety of food and beverages, which is a quick snac for customers.

The average coffee shop sells about 5,00,000 worth of coffee in a year. 52% of Indians drink coffee daily. 15% of Indians buy minimum a cup of coffee every day. 63% of Indians buy a cup of coffee occasionally – this number is increasing at the rate of 3-4% per year. It is better if you are expertise in coffee brewing, its best to start your own coffee shop otherwise you can opt for coffee shop franchise. Now the question "Choose Franchise or not" comes to mind, actually both have their own pros and cons.

A franchise offers many advantages like prebuilt advertising, promoting, procurement, reciepes, pricing, location, ambience etc. The master company promotes the product, inturn your shop benefits publicity, but you have to make a substantial financial investment in the startup, and pay an annual licensing fee for your coffee shop to use the franchise name and logos. The fee you pay varies from 6-11% of your revenues for advertising and royalty fees each year. When you opt for franchise, you are sure working on a proven concept, and benefit from experience of a successful business.

The average costs of opening a franchise coffee shop include 100,000 to 3000,000 in construction costs. Coffee shops which offer franchise and their rough estimates are

Barnie's Coffee Expansion Franchise	Restaurant and Cafe Shop	Rs. 10,00,000 - Rs. 25,00,000
BOOK CAFÉ Franchise	Restaurant and Cafe Shop	Rs. 25,00,000 to Rs. 50,00,000
Brewberrys hospitality pvt ltd Franchise	Brew Funs, Brew Smiles, Brew Coffee	Rs. 5,00,000 - Rs. 10,00,000
CAFE COFEE DAY FRANCHISE	Restaurant and Cafe Shop	Rs. 50,00,000 to Rs. 10 Million
CHICKING Franchise	Fast Food	Rs. 25,00,000 to Rs. 50,00,000
Chipmunk's Playland & Cafe Franchise	Entertainment and Leisure	Rs. 10,00,000 - Rs. 25,00,000
Chokhi Dhani Franchise	Entertainment and Leisure	Rs. 10,00,000 - Rs. 25,00,000
COFFEE DAY XPRESS Franchise	Restaurant and Cafe Shop	Rs. 50,00,000 to Rs. 10 Million
CONNAUGHT PLAZARESTAURANTS Franchise	Restaurant and Cafe Shop	Rs. 25,00,000 to Rs. 50,00,000
Crazy Noodles Franchise	Food and Beverage	Rs. 10,00,000 - Rs. 25,00,000
Crepeteria Franchise	Restaurant and Cafe Shop	Rs. 1,00,000 - Rs. 5,00,000
DIXY PANBAN CHICKEN Franchise	Fast Food	Rs. 10,00,000 - Rs. 25,00,000
Dosa Plaza Franchise	Fast Food	Rs. 10,00,000 - Rs. 25,00,000
Food Factory Express Franchise	Fast Food	Rs. 10,00,000 - Rs. 25,00,000
Go! Chaatzz Franchise	Food and Beverage	Rs. 5,00,000 - Rs. 10,00,000
Goli Vada Pav Franchise	Fast Food	Rs. 10,00,000 - Rs. 25,00,000
Kaati Zone	Restaurant and Cafe Shop	Rs. 10,00,000 - Rs. 25,00,000
KIC FOOD PRODUCTS Franchise	Fast Food	Rs. 25,00,000 to Rs. 50,00,000
KWALITY WALLS Franchise	Food and Beverage	Rs. 5,00,000 - Rs. 10,00,000
LITTLE ITALY Franchise	Food and Beverage	Rs. 25,00,000 to Rs. 50,00,000
Motimahal Delux Management Services Franchise	Restaurant and Cafe Shop	Rs. 25,00,000 to Rs. 50,00,000
Nescafe Franchise	Restaurant and Cafe Shop	Rs. 25,00,000 to Rs. 50,00,000
Papa John's Franchise	Restaurant and Cafe Shop	Rs. 25,00,000 to Rs. 50,00,000
Ruby Tuesday Franchise	Restaurant and Cafe Shop	Rs. 10 Million +
SAGAR RATNA Franchise	Restaurant and Cafe Shop	Rs. 10,00,000 - Rs. 25,00,000
YO CHINA (MOODS HOSPITALITY) Franchise	Restaurant and Cafe Shop	Rs. 10,00,000 - Rs. 25,00,000
YOKO SIZZLERS Franchise	Restaurant and Cafe Shop	Rs. 10,00,000 - Rs. 25,00,000

Home Based Business - Where to begin from

Everyone want to start their own business, but what is stopping them? it could be financial constraints, business ideas, time constraints, resource constraints... it could be anything. In this current world, where everything has become online and with very cheap internet, you can start doing business from you home with very low investment and good profit. There are many ways listed below to do home based business.

Learn Saxaphone - Music Class

The saxophone (sax) is a conical-bored transposing musical instrument considered a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and are played with a single-reed mouthpiece. The saxophone was invented by Adolphe Sax in 1841. Its costly compared to other instruments. Chennai is proud to have the greatest sax player Kadri Gopalnath. Many of them want to learn sax, but they do not know where it is taught. I have listed some of the sax coaching places in Chennai

• MADRAS SYMPHONY #12,first street,thiruvalluvar nagar,kilkattalai, Chennai-117 9941902699
• Rhema Music Cultural Centre No.1, Spartan Avenue, Mogappair , Chennai 26560289
• Rock & Rock Light Music Orchestra 83, Near Grand Residence Hotel, Arcot Road, Porur, Chennai - 600116 -66424892
• Jeevalaya 28 A, Near R C M Schoolm 9th Street Lazer Nagar, Avadi +(91)-(44)-66245948
• Lakshman Sruthi Musicals Pvt Ltd Ashok Nagar,Chennai-600083
• Musee Musicals Pvt Ltd Mount Road, Chennai-600002
• Elyon School Of Music Kilpauk, Chennai-600010
• Carnatica Interactive Music Solutions Pvt Ltd Nungambakkam, Chennai-600034
• Issai Aalayam Chrompet, Chennai-600044
• Maithri Vidhya Kandhram Music School Saligramam, Chennai-600093
• Shridi Sairam Musical Instruments Store Besant Nagar, Chennai-600090
• Laya's Centre of Fine Arts 9940628808, 9940268808
• Srishti’s Carnatica 13, Krishnabai Street, I Floor Gokulam Colony, T. Nagar, Chennai 17 42124130, 9444018270
• Natyacharays School of Music & Dance New-16, Old-12A, 2nd Street Sakthi Nagar, Choolaimedu, Chennai Ph: 23741154,9884455286

Hotel business - Where to begin from

Hotels are the hot business in this computerized world. Although there are many hotels in the city, we still do not get seat when we enter into. So anyone who wants to start small eat-out can consider starting a hotel at small level and then develop big. I have listed some of the things which you need to consider when you start a hotel. QUALITY and SATISFACTION are the two mantras which you should keep hearing when you are in this hotel business.

There are 3 ways you can start a business,

Buy existing business - In this option you have to more careful. Analyze why its being sold, check for its reputation in the surroundings and bargain for best price.

Franchise - In this option, there are both ups and downs. You have to pay a big amount to get the setup ready as mentioned by the parent company. Every year you have to renew the franchise license. Advantage is the brand will be known to customers and you can gain their confidence easily.

Start from SCRATCH - This option is real real hard, which needs proper planning. The requirements will be

a) Location and Opportunity Choose the correct location for your hotel. Choose a place where there is hotel, who are not fulfilling all customer needs. If there are great hotels in the neighborhood, it will be hard for you to attract customers even if you charge less price. Research the location for about a month, learn customer requirement, look for items which are not available in near by places.

b) Strategy Ask the question "why my hotel?" within yourself, which will give you an strategy. There are different customers you have to attract, families with kids, couples, businesspeople, tourists? A good combination of amenities, atmosphere, location, and services will attract your customers. You might have to forgo certain customer target markets in order to make your service offering perfect for your most desired customers.

c) Planning Sit down and write down answer the questions listed below

1. What is your product or service?
2. State your company's goals and objectives.
3. Marketing Plan
4. How will your company differ from your competitors?
5. Who your customers are?
6. Who is your market?
7. How long will this market need your product?
8. What are the characteristics of your average customer?
9. Who is your competition?
10. What competitive advantage do you have over your competitors?
11. What is the best way you plan to sell your product or service?
12. How will you sell your product or service?
13. How will you promote and market your product or service?
14. Who are the employees of your business?
15. What are their credentials?
16. How does the business make money?
17. How do you price your product or service?
18. what inventory, raw materials and supplies the business uses.
19. List your supplies and supplier.
20. How easy or difficult is it to obtain supplies?
21. Are their prices steady and dependable?
22. State all of your business licenses.
23. How will you finance your business?
24. How will you manage your finances and what needs to be financed.
25. Where will your finances come from?

4) Fundraising Assuming you do not have this money, you will need to seek bank loans. As you will be working with considerable assets, dependable and experienced legal and accounting help is a must as you create deals with investors.

5) Hospitality Mindset Finally, you must have a sense of how you want your guests to be treated.

Post your requirements in comments and I will give my suggestion from my experience.

All the best for your business.

Government complaints

In the recent years, Tamilnadu government has gone online in almost all its departments. The most useful one is the online bill payment facility for all the taxes government collect. The website where you can pay tax are in my other blog Pay Bill Online - Where to begin from

Now coming back to our topic, does Tamilnadu government give us any website where we can post our complaints? Yes they do give us the facility. I do not know if they really read all the complaints posted and resolve them, but atleast they have taken measure to get the complaints, good start.

The list of goverment departments and the website for complaints are

1. Metro Water - http://www.chennaimetrowater.tn.nic.in/onlinetxt.htm

2. Civil Supplies and consumer protection -

http://wserver1.tn.nic.in:9022/ccs_consumers/jsp/complaint_detail_menu.jsp

http://wserver1.tn.nic.in:9022/ccs_consumers/jsp/public_grievance.jsp

3. Police - http://www.tnpolice.gov.in/mailcomplaint.php

4. State Transport - http://stahelpline.tn.nic.in/

5. Aavin Milk - http://www.aavinmilk.com/complaint.html

6. Electricity Board - http://www.tnebnet.org/ccms/

7. File Petition - http://www.tn.gov.in/services/GDP/index.asp

8. Corporation of Chennai - http://210.212.62.123/pgr/citizen/BeforeReg.do

Pay Bill Online - Where to begin from

World is reaching a point where you sit in front of your computer to do 90% of your work. This has changed life drastically which has both advantages and disadvantages. One major relief for us is online bill payment and ECS. This online bill payment relieved us from standing in big queues to pay our bills.

As we know, private organization adopt to modernization very soon, so this online bill payment comes as one feature for private organization. You cannot see a private organization which does not have online payment option. Real surprise is TamilNadu government transformed most of its division to have online payment feature.

What is online payment: This is an option where you can login to your banking website, check for bill payment and pay your bills directly from bank account. This is real fast and one big advantage is your payment is recorded and noone can question you for arrears.

Governemnt Department and website for various services are listed below. There are about 150 services which TamilNadu goverment offers through online to avoid queue and easy maintainability, so make use of them to the fullest extent

http://www.tn.gov.in/services.html
http://www.tn.gov.in/services2.html
http://india.gov.in/howdo/service_list.php?state=TN

Avoid Queues, Save Time :)

Start Internet Cafe - Where to beginfrom

When you say Internet Cafe, its not only providing service for browsing, but it means a lot. There are many failures and many successes in this business, most important thing is to learn business pattern from successful cybercafes and also learn why some of them failed.

Self Planning
If you are well planned to start your business, then great. You only have to organize your thoughts, project expense to be bared, financial capital, project adequate running cost, sketch down month by month progress of how the business would run. If you think all these requires a great amount of time, then you have to shift to Internet Cafe Franchise

Franchises
Franchises already have a business model to run your internet cafe. Its more important from whom you take franchise, they should be well recognized and already reached to public. They have set of rules and plans which you should follow. The only disadvantage is you end up paying a little more amount for setting up your business but at the same time, you gain recognition and you pull customers from day 1.

Some checklist to consider before you start your internet cafe business.

• Choose correct location, interior like furniture, wall decorations, and design for your Cafe should be appealing.
• Choose correct location, interior like furniture, wall decorations, and design for your Cafe should be appealing.
• You can offer branded Food & beverage services, coffee counter
• Determine what to charge for computer time Type of computer equipment to purchase.
• Check if you can provide WiFi network otherwise even wired network is also fine, but remember WiFi or wired, it should work most efficiently for an Internet Cafe.
• Check best deals for peripheral equipment: printers, photocopying, faxing, scanners, telephone services & more
• Offer fee internet classes which will attract elder people
• Issue pamphlets on browsing, basic computer classes
• Issue free teaching for making calls to foreign countries
• Make money with computer LAN and Internet gaming Video conferencing, digital camera services, Resume services

All the best for starting your business.