Posts Tagged ‘company startup’
Getting your business structure right from the start is important, In this post we look at the basic structures of a limited liability company.. continue reading
New Business Startup Idea. Where do I start ??
All Businesses start with an idea!, How do you find the right one??
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Why people dont start their own business…..Some real reasons
(Extract from article BR Dowling)
1. Some people just don’t want to…great no issue, being an entrepreneur is not the be all and end all. The majority of people who work for themselves work extremely long hours just to get by. Many many others try and fail. Unless you are an extremely unbalanced individual most of us know that the ultimate goal is to lead a happy and fulfilled life during our short allotted time on planet earth. What is a happy and fulfilled life is for each and every one of us to define for ourselves. It is ones of life’s great gifts that we get to set our own standards and goals the fact that many people choose badly and end up miserable is outside the remit of this article. The fact remains that your family, peers, colleagues and every dog on the street may be telling you that fulfilment lies in money/ fast cars/ high profile promotions etc. You are free to decide that for you its flip flops a surf board and enough cash to get by. Screw them it is your life…if you can achieve true happiness for the majority of your life you my friend are the real winner in this silly little game.
2. The Fear Factor…. Given that you are reading an article like this you probably are not surfing at the moment, so you think that you want a crack of the entrepreneurial whip. Ok then. The Fear Factor holds more people back from starting their own business than probably anything else. The old ‘what if’ deamons have caused millions of would be entrepreneurs to turn back and walk away from the scary dark edge with its lurking dangers and uncertain hidden treasures. For its sheer ability to slay ideas and dreams the fear factor remains the number one reason that people do not give it a go.
3. People are lazy…..Sad but true may people would kind of like to be successful but will never make the effort to actually make it happen. It is so much easier to talk about doing stuff and to wait ‘till the time is right’ than to actually go for it. If you are in this category please take the following advice. Admit it to yourself!!. By giving up the game you will take the pressure off yourself, focus on something else that you enjoy and get on with your life. This may seem harsh but it is a case of being cruel to be kind. There is a window of opportunity in everyone’s life to start their own business, this is not age specific but for every Colonel Saunders who founded KFC in his sixties there are hundreds of people who put themselves financially and physically at risk at a time in their life when they should be looking to retirement. There are exceptions to every rule but being successful involves being smart and realistic.
Important note: beware the disgruntled would be entrepreneur, this is a dangerous breed that will be full of stories about how they nearly invested in this or that that would have made them a fortune. They nearly patented some form of widget that would have been a runner etc. Avoid at all costs, they will have nothing positive to say about your plans but will be able to tell you how they tried ‘something like that’ and it didn’t work out. They will hate to see you succeed, you don’t want to be around this kind of energy.
4. People lack personal confidence and therefore (they think) the ability to run a business. A lack of personal confidence will kill the entrepreneurial spirit in those afflicted by it. It undoubtedly has other negative implications on their life but again these falls outside the purpose of this book. Entering the battleground of business with little or no personal confidence or self belief is as stupid as it gets. Sort it out…life is too short.
Two of the most frequently asked questions for people looking at a startup scenario are:
1) How do I setup a company, and
2) What type of company should I set up
How do I set up a company?
The Companies Registration Office (CRO www.cro.ie) is the government body responsible for registering all Irish businesses. The offices are on Parnell square in Dublin opposite the entrance to the garden of rememberance. The staff are generally quite helpful and will be able to point you to any forms that you will require. The CRO have a very good website and most things can be now done through their online filing system.
An easier alternative is to use the services of one of the many formation companies that will register the company on your behalf. They will provide you with a company seal (required for many legal docuements such as leases etc.), articles and memorandum of association etc.
Note: Do not be tempted to rush through this stage in your enthusiasm to get started!! The name of the company, list of Directors and Shareholding structure of the comapny, naming of Chairperson, secretary etc are extremely big decisions and should not be taken lightly. For example if down the road you fall out with your partners these details will be deciding factors in who has the upper hand legally!
A formation company will charge about €300 to register the company on your behalf. I have used www.formations.ie and found them to be very professional.
What type of company should I set up?
For most people the choice is either Sole Trader Or Limited liability company. Your accountant should advise you on the best structure for you. Generally speaking sole trader suits an individual running a business primarily on their own i.e A window Cleaning service, Painter etc. It can be a good idea to start the company as a sole trader and then move on to Limited liability if the business grows and more people become involved. The paperwork requirements for a sole trader are significantly less than for limited liability companies.
The idea behind a limited liability company is that an entity (the company) is seperate from the directors and shareholders. For example if a company does not pay its bills the company is sued not the directors. In reality, particularily in the current climate, most suppliers will look for personal guarantees from directors of the company before they will supply. This negates the protection of the limited liability. If a number of people are involved and if the company turnover is likely to be significant than forming a Limited company is recommended. It is important to be aware however that the filing and returns required by the CRO for limited companies are taken very seriously. If you are late with annual returns, significant fines will build up, also companies are entitled to an audit exemption for the first few years. If you do not file your returns on time you will lose this exemption. Furthermore shutting down a limited company is quite difficult and costly (you need to put an advertisement in the paper etc!!). Many people ignore the boring responsibilities of setting up a company in their initial enthusiasm, unless you are aware of your obligations you will find yourself and fellow directors spending lots of money on accounting audits and fines. If you put your head in the sand and ignore your CRO obligations , the company may be handed over to the Office of Corporate affairs who have the power to prosecute companies who breach the regulations. Don’t say I didn’t warn you !!!
