Running a start-up retail operation
Running a retail/store operation in Singapore for a start-up company can prove to be difficult.Think rent is all you've got?
Don't forget the
Monthly utilities charges
Your renovation cost
Staff wages
In addition there are GTO charges (The shopping center landlord takes a percentage of your sales. Varies from 1%-5%)
And not forgetting transaction charges by NETS, Credit Card Companies and such (Varies about 3%-4%)
In the third quarter of last year I started working on www.in3labs.com, my other start-up (besides www.facebook.com/partyparlour where I plan kids parties). In3labs is a company that teaches Creative Robotics to kids age 5 and up. My partners and I are currently busy looking for a suitable place to be based at where we can offer these classes and there's so much to think about. While we have started to partner enrichment centers to offer these classes, it's nothing like having your own space and establishing your own brand.
This whole thing about being self employed is refreshing and ever so challenging. To me the best reward is time. Time to do the things you love and for those you love.
Also a song to end off this post
And how true - because having a salaried job is like putting out your life for rent. And at the end of the day - nothing you have is truly yours. You paid with the days off your life but really, you own nothing.
Unless your employers understand that everyone needs to be entitled to their days off, especially those with kids.
While speaking to a friend based in Holland now who once worked as an expat in Singapore. I gathered that days off for parenting are really common in places like Amsterdam. Every week on a designated day, you'll see men take the afternoon off to pick their kids from school,to spend time and basically to be a father. (helps to take the loads of mommies as well).
Also annual leave and mostly granted even when big projects are taken on by the company, they respect employees enough and the culture dictates that people get their days off no matter what. (Something Singapore needs to learn.)
Labels: creative robotics, entrepreneurship, hunarobo, lego NXT, Robokids, singapore retail operations, SMEs, start-up companies
Sometimes I wished I was wendy in peter pan, or alice in wonderland. I'm a huge burton and depp fan, and I reckon the only anti-aging methodology is to have dreams, gun for them, and believe that disneyland is still the happiest place on earth.
