The Indians Abroad

Overseas Living: NRIs & India abroad

Posts Tagged Business

Run your business like a Kids’ Lemonade stand

Jan 24

Posted by admin in Business, personal development | 2 Comments

Kifds' Lemonade Stand

They say – if life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I say, start a lemonade stand; or start a business that runs like a lemonade stand.

Why? What is there to learn from a bunch of kids sitting on a street corner or in front of their house, selling lemonade to the passers-by on a hot sunny day?

Well, quite a lot. The lemonade stand has some of the most commonsense at display, when it comes to operating a business.
See it for yourself, some of the common characteristics of a kids’ lemonade stand:

1.Simple and straight-forward: Nothing complicated or flashy – one table or desk, disposable glasses, a piggy-bank or a container for cash and lemonade making supplies- that’s all. That is all the kids need to run their business. Simple but yet so complete, as if nothing is missing.

2. No tricks, no guises: Everything is on the table; there are no tricks and no hidden agenda. Everyone passing by knows what to expect from a kids’ lemonade stand. Read the rest of this entry »

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Commonsense tips for a successful business start-up

Sep 10

Posted by admin in Business, career planning | 2 Comments

Business is a combination of war and sport. ~Andre Maurois

A large number of businesses fail soon after the start. Many of us don’t know what we are getting into; or the market conditions are very different than what we imagined. A sound business case involves thorough planning, in-depth understanding and good knowledge of market conditions for the related products or services. Anyone can open a business anywhere. People start it from their kitchen-tables or garages. A simplest business is the kids’ lemonade stand on the street corner. Staring a business is easy, sustaining a profitable operation is a different story.

Here are some of the key factors to consider for a successful business start-up:

Know what you are doing: A good business case requires understand of your niche, services or product. With today’s competitive world, one needs specific expertise, knowledge and ability to provide a seamless and reliable product or service.

Business Plan: Planning is the most important aspect of a new start-up. A thorough and robust business plan includes the overall business strategy, market analysis, financial aspects, risk analysis etc. If you have a good business plan, most of the following elements in this article could be part of it. A business plan could be dynamic and flexible that could evolve and change based on changing business needs or market conditions.

Find a Niche: Finding a niche with unique and focused appeal is very important. If possible, find something -product or service- that specializes in a key area to attract certain clients, and with very little existing competition. Look for a way to set yourself apart from others by focusing on specific customer needs and interests.

Location, location, location: Every street vendor in New York City knows the importance of prime location. For a brick and mortar business, the location is everything. The location alone can make or break a business. The business site should be easy to access, in a good neighborhood, and should make a good first impression on customers and walk-ins alike. Read the rest of this entry »

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10 most uncommon business ideas for overseas!

Jul 8

Posted by admin in Business, Non-Resident Indian, career planning, india abroad, personal development | 11 Comments

NRI Tips: Most uncommon or non-traditional business ideas to consider abroad

“If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.” ~ George Bernard Shaw

There are some popular business ideas for overseas, including the one discussed in 10 most common businesses to start abroad. Now, here are some not-so-common ones. This should get you thinking, to make your own choice – from these suggestions or perhaps even better ones of your own based on your knowledge, skill and circumstances!  sxc1088992_glass_bangles

1. Indian fashion accessories: Consider an online or local store to sell Indian fashion accessories including glass bangles, simple Indian jewelries and other beauty items. This can start at a small scale and expand as the business grows

2. Pet care and grooming: A place to take care of pets including grooming, styling and domesticating. If you love pets, may want to look into this one. Read the rest of this entry »

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Hitler and India – A history divided!

Jul 6

Posted by admin in Culture & Society, History, India, politics | 1 Comment

 “The world needs heroes and it’s better they be harmless men like me than villains like Hitler.” ~ Albert Einstein

Adolf Hitler’s autobiography Mein Kampf (in English: My Struggle), is selling like hot cakes in India as reported by London Telegraph. The book commonly branded as ‘Nazi Bible’ is banned in many countries. However, students in India are using it as a self-guide for business studies.

1947: 100's of miles long caravans of uprooted Indians leaving behind everything and moving to the new country based on their religion; Photo: wanabehuman.blogspot

1947:100s of miles long caravans of Indians leaving behind everything & moving to the new country based on their religion; Photo:wanabehuman.blogspot

There are all kinds of global opinion for and against this subject – should we be using this book as a guide for business studies?
The simple answer is: it depends. It depends where you live in the world; how much you know about Hitler; and how you feel about it. Hitler is not a commonly discussed figure in India or Indian society. Growing up, we did not know much about him. Hitler and Stalin were often mentioned in the same sentence. In the the schools’ history books, Hitler is mentioned mainly as a apart of the World War II studies. It is quite possible that many Indians, who don’t know as much about Hitler, are just in awe of his atrocities; they might be reading the book just out of curiosity. And lately, many more may be reading because of the media coverage and the story being reported all over the globe. Many may read Hitler’s biography because they  just want to know more about him and what made him the monster and evil that he is known to be. Read the rest of this entry »

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10 most common business ideas to consider abroad!

Jun 30

Posted by admin in Business, Jobs and Occupations, Non-Resident Indian, career planning, india abroad | 9 Comments

NRI Tips: Common Businesses to start overseas!

There are many ways to make a good living abroad, business is one of them.  A business operation and ownership is not for everybody, you have to have an aptitude for ventures, willingness to take risks and understanding of different aspects of operating a business. Depending on your ambitions and circumstances, it may become an around-the-clock run that comes with huge rewards and big downsides. Along with the day-dreams of prosperity to follow, you and your stakeholders – family, partners, and investors – should also understand the possibility of losing your shirt.
For those, who have done their homework and understand the pros and cons of opening a business, here are some of the most common ones to consider:
1. Indian Grocery store: In the USA, Canada, England and other courtiers with Indian diaspora, there is quite a bit demand for Indian stores that carry common grocery items used in Indian cooking. This kind of business is ideal for the area with high concentration of Indian population. Read the rest of this entry »

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How to make a really good living abroad! – $$!!

Jun 18

Posted by admin in Business, India, Non-Resident Indian, career planning, india abroad, personal development | No Comments

NRIs Tips: How to select work and financial options overseas to make real money

As I discussed before, there are many good reason to go abroad and then there are some bad ones too. Most of the main reasons to leave India and go overseas are directly or indirectly linked to the search for long term or short term financial gains and prosperity. By end of the day, it comes down to MONEY. :) sxc_money_series_51
However, the often overlooked factor is the poor planning behind all this. If we are sacrificing so much, and put up with so many new hurdles and challenges, we should at least have a solid plan to find the right occupation or business. 
The plan may vary from one person to another depending on personal strengths and weakness, but it is important to have a plan towards reaching our financial goals; how we are going to succeed in our mission toward prosperity.
There is all kind of job planning info available, but most of them are more generic career plans for local individuals planning their goals, not for immigrants, Indians or NRIs. As a part of the basic plan, it is very critical to outline and understand:
- What kind of jobs best suit your skills and needs?
- Would you consider and take a position that is less rewarding as a back-up plan?
- Would you consider a career change or downgrade if things are not working out?
- What are the other options or choices to consider as a back-up?
- Is going back to India one of the options?

Depending on how you answer the questions above and any other personal circumstances, you can then decide on the best jobs or best options to support your financial plan abroad. Here are some of the main options to consider for a suitable and rewarding job or business, to make real money:

  1. Find your dream job – Plan A: The best possible scenario is to look for a job that meets your skill sets and then finding one. If you are a computer engineer by trade for example, then first preference should be to search for a job in that field.  There are lots of online and local resources to help in this area. Make sure to take a look at the  job-search tips detailed in a separate post linked here. Also check out the common online resources such as  Career Builder, Yahoo! Hot Jobs and Monster.com. If you find one, especially in this economy, consider it a major achievement.

    2. Read the rest of this entry »

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