Clue search engine

Freshness and events are two search engine things that entrepreneurs may know and utilize them may be for quick and successful business presence online.

According to Google, "Freshness- Shows the latest news and information. This include gathering timely results when you are searching for  specific dates".

Entrepreneurs may plan for an event online (that also says about dates) because due to the Freshness factor and also since Google filters by events, the business may become quickly visible,  attract traffic which is the entrepreneurs business brand goal  and may be attract the future customers also. Using Google FREE Keyword Tool entrepreneurs may create the name of the event and have a high quality content for the event/business to be found on the web. 

According to "Google Inside Search Tips and Tricks, (learn more about what you can ask Google):
Filters by:

• Events - Look up the date for upcoming events and holidays.
• Conversions - Convert currency, volume, weight and more.
• Songs 
• My Packages
• Reminders
• Camera - Take a picture.
• Websites - "Go to wikipedia.com."
• Local Movies
• E mails- You can also say an email address like "Email samrhorwith@gmail.com..."
• Entertainment Trivia
• Finance
• Calendar Events - "Create an event dinner with Jamie at 8 PM"
• Local Business - "Where's the nearest ice cream shop?"
• Nutrition
• My Contacts - Find phone numbers, email addresses, birthdays, and addresses from your Google Contacts
• Directions
• Social
• Music
• Navigation
• TV Shows
• Famous People
• Travel Info
• Dictionary
• Menus - "Show me the menu for Los Cubanos."
• Alarms
• APPS
• Places
• Customer Service
• Images - Explore the world through pictures.
• Sports
• Radio
• My Schedule
• Time
• My Photos
• Phone calls
• Weather
• Tip Calculator
• My Trips
• Translations
• Notes
• Local Businesses - "Call Fierror's Pizza?" Call any business, like a restaurant, florist, cafe or comic bookshop
• Books
• Movies
• Texts"

 Entrepreneurs and businesses may utilize these tips and tricks i.e. look into these filters/clues and may take appropriate approach for how they want (or to enhance) their business presence online.

High school entrepreneurship

The high school students of a school can form a "student volunteer club for making young entrepreneurs". They can launch this club on a special day like Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) etc. In this club, there could be different  product/enterprise sections. All these different product/enterprise sections could be headed by the senior school students.

The school can come into collaboration with the government agencies who can provide informal education on youth entrepreneurship. This informal education on entrepreneurship may become a valuable form of imparting skills to students for their future entrepreneurial opportunities. If students of one of the product/enterprise sections for example are interested in shoe polish or detergent powder, government agencies may send their experts/mentors on those products to the school.

The technical information for shoe polish formula as well as on the raw materials and manufacturing process of shoe polish or the technical information on how to make detergent powder, the formula, what are the raw material required and manufacturing process and for other products of the club can be made available to the students by their mentors. Wherever possible, the practical development of the product may take place. There could be a free distribution of the product samples to other students of the club, teachers, school staff, parents etc to take their opinion on the quality, pricing etc.The students can also take the samples to the local shop owners to know the feedback on how the customers of the shop rated it.

For students to understand the viability of the projects, banks can give lessons in the school. Banks can help in the development of project proposals from their point of view. This may become one of the bank's initiatives.

Students can be exposed to entrepreneurs to guide them about the market, risks etc and practically see the production in the factory.

There could be visit of other government and private professionals concerned with the factory laws, registration of unit etc. There could be professionals who could talk on how to cost a product, how to price it, choosing the best packaging material, designing of the material etc.

Students may share their skills with other students in the club.They become exposed to skills of many industries (micro, small, medium enterprises). Now there is less apprehension and more risk taking abilities developed in students.

A paper on each enterprise could be submitted in the school which may be then followed by banks interviewing students on their project proposals and assigning marks on their project.

Lastly there could be high school students entrepreneurs show, where the judges could be from banks, micro small medium enterprises (MSMEs) world, entrepreneurs, students etc. The students may present their work to others in the school so that the other students, teachers, school staff etc can vote for them. The best student based on the judges marks and vote  given, may be awarded by banks with a certificate and cash that the student may in future utilize it for his/her entrepreneurial activity.

If the volunteer organizations and NGOs can take up this activity in different government, municipality and private schools, then there may be development of many future new entrepreneurs.

Handicraft questionnaire

Before you start your handicraft business, know all these to better equip yourselves with the skills in this business.

• Why people buy traditional handicrafts?
• What are the sources of handicraft items?
• What are the handicraft business opportunities?
• Which handicraft products to take up to start the business?
• Can artisans make the handicraft product as per the buyer's specifications?
• Who are the people who buy handicrafts?
• What are the different handicraft products of a particular place?
• What is the sales volume of the handicraft item in your target market?
• Which handicraft products are more in demand from others and why?
• Where would you be selling the handicraft products? 1. setting up your own shop 2. taking orders and supplying to the buyers
• What packaging is required for the handicraft product? 
• What are the uses of the handicraft products of your choice?
• Are equipment required to lift the handicraft product for transportation like for heavy stone items etc?
• How to sell the handicraft product online, offline etc?
• How is the export market for the traditional handicraft product?
• What are the purposes of handicraft product? For example: gift, decoration, souvenirs, teaching and learning (material) with the handicraft items etc
• Is the handicraft product affordable in your specific market?
• Can artisans make bulk production of the handicraft so as to meet the orders because it is handmade?
• What is the time involved in making a single product piece?
• How many artisans are required to make a single product piece?
• Can you make timely delivery to your buyers?
• what are the government and private orders the artisans have to meet? What orders of yours they can meet after supplying to them?
• Are there enough skilled manpower for production of traditional handicraft?
• How much the artisans can produce? Numbers and quantity to specify?
• Are they hiring other craftsmen? 
• Will the artisans give quality handicraft products? 
• Do artisans have sufficient raw materials?
• What price they quote to the government and what price they quote to you?
• How will you market traditional handicraft? Will you supply to government buyers, private buyers, hotels, relatives, emporiums etc?
• Will you exhibit handicrafts in trade fair or participate in international fairs? 
• Do you have sufficient money or will you need to raise money from banks?
•  Should you learn the craft before taking it up for business?
• Who are the master craftsmen?
• Who are the awardees?
• Which product and design has been selected for national award?
• What are the designing assistance being provided by the government to the artisans? Whether you can avail these benefits? 

Youth and others can leave their comments on #handicraftandHandicraftquestionnaire

Youth entrepreneurship opportunities

Youth entrepreneurship opportunities may be found in the District Industries Centres (DIC), entrepreneurship training programmes, government organizations concerned with small industries, government micro small medium enterprises (MSMEs) organizations, Khadi Village Industries Commission (KVIC), National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), NSIC Marketing Intelligence Services, Office of the Development Commissioner Small Scale Industries. There are various schemes of banks that may allow for youth entrepreneurship opportunities. Youth entrepreneurship opportunities may be found by participating in bank msme meets, bank women entrepreneurs meet etc. Youth entrepreneurship opportunities may also be found in the marketing of raw material itself like for example marketing rough granite blocks (which can be marketed internally or for export purposes), raw handicraft tussar silk etc. Banks hold town hall meetings for entrepreneurship development. Reserve Bank of India has a mandate that all banks should give 40 per cent of the total lending to priority sector like for micro small enterprises loan etc. For bank loan if the project project proposal has not been approved by banks then one can go to Reserve Bank of India concerned department.

From the Entrepreneur Development Programme  (EDP) training  youth may get to know about District Industries Centre (DIC) which may be the first place for the youth to visit. From there youth may start for their industry. You may get to know about the various industries suitable and existing locally and in the state so that you can choose an industry, you get the help to know the various locations for your industry, you get to know about the places to visit to find the locations of  raw material availability, market, help in preparing the project proposal for your industry, get Small Scale Industry (SSI) certification, help for subsidy application, help from DIC and Director of Industries to know the various government schemes for buying small scale industry products. So the office of the District Industries Centre is an an adviser throughout. 

In the msme meet, women entrepreneurs meet etc which is organized by banks from time to time, youth can participate with their queries in these meets and get solutions for their queries and may understand more about the viability of their chosen business.

Youth entrepreneurship questionnaire

Fill this questionnaire to see if you have the skills of an entrepreneur.

Q1. Are entrepreneurs intelligent?

A. YES
B. NO

Q2. Are entrepreneurs honest?

A. YES
B. NO

Q3. Are entrepreneurs hard working?

A. YES
B. NO

Q4. Are entrepreneurs dynamic, have big dreams and highly motivated? They think they can do it.

A. YES
B. NO

Q5. Although they are new, can an entrepreneur calculate and decide on the spot what to do or what not to do ?

A. YES
B. NO

Q6. Do entrepreneurs have the courage to take risks?

A. YES
B. NO

Q7. Do you think an entrepreneur knows what is best for his/her business?

A. He should implement only his decisions
B. He should allow family members to decide and implement their views

Q8. Is time important in the success of an entrepreneur?

A. YES
B. NO

Q9. Is the project proposal a direct reflection of the entrepreneur's business and the entrepreneur?

A. YES
B. NO

Q10. Bank loan- Is it the entrepreneur himself or herself  who takes away the loan?

A. YES
B. NO

Q11. When an entrepreneur chooses a business he chooses depending upon

A. The money he/she can invest
B. His/her first time as an entrepreneur
C. His/her experience
D, Profit
E. His/her technical know-how
F. Risks
G. A,B,C,D,E,F

 Q12. When an entrepreneur chooses a location, the entrepreneur looks for it's suitability depending on being a men or women entrepreneur?

A. YES
B. NO

Q13. The location suitability is dependent upon

A. The electricity supply
B. Raw material supply
C. Market

A. a (YES)/ b(NO)
B. a(YES)/b(NO)
C. a(YES)/b(NO)
D. A(a), B(a)&C(a)

 Q14. Is repayment of loan an integral part of an entrepreneur?

A. YES
B. NO

Q15. When an entrepreneur chooses machinery, he/she chooses it depending upon

A. Capital
B. First time as an entrepreneur

A. a(YES)/b(NO)
B. a(YES)/b(NO)
C. A(a) &B(a)

Q16. When an entrepreneur is going for a trial production, the laborers sents him/her a message to increase their wages. What should the entrepreneur do?

A. Bow down to them
B. Should not bow down to them

Q17. Does an entrepreneur need continuous supply of raw material?

A. YES
B. NO

Q18. As an entrepreneur how will you asses your competition?

A. Brand
B. Demand and Supply
C. A & B

Q19. Is the trend of market important?

A. YES
B. NO

Q20. If there is government dealings then

A. Risk is less
B. Risk is same
C. Risk is less or same


Q21. If there is private dealings then

A. Risk is more
B. Risk is same
C. Risk is more or same

Q22. An entrepreneur must depend only on one large market or must have many other alternatives with him /her also?

A. YES
B. NO

The answers to the above questions are given below:

Q1. A
Q2. A
Q3. A
Q4. A
Q5. A
Q6. A
Q7. A
Q8. A
Q9. A
Q10. A
Q11. G
Q12. A
Q13. D
Q14. A
Q15. C
Q16. B
Q17. A
Q18. C
Q19. A
Q20.C
Q21.C
Q22. A

How entrepreneurs control risk

Entrepreneurship is taking risk.

Banks look for capital investment from entrepreneurs. They give loan to sound industries for which the demand is stable. Banks invests in entrepreneurs and protect themselves from risks by taking mortgage or collateral security from entrepreneurs and that could be a fixed deposit, land etc. They also ask for a guarantor for the loan amount.

Sometimes the entrepreneurs also invests their own money in the ventures apart from taking bank loan partly. But there is no mechanism to protect the entrepreneurs from the risks of loosing their entire business because of non-repayment of bank loan.

When the entrepreneur starts a business they think that he/she has ensured everything but if the machinery is delivered and found defective and the entrepreneurs waits for the replacement or rectification, or if the entrepreneurs procures raw material at a higher cost for the production, or if the market condition has changed due to delay in production, and if the time for repayment of loan has begun and the moratorium period or the holiday period given by bank to the entrepreneurs before starting the recovery of bank loans is over, then the entrepreneurs are not able to meet the repayment of loan on time. There is piling of interests on loan amount. There is financial burden on entrepreneurs and a fear of loosing everything.

The government give subsidy as an incentive to entrepreneurs which is more for women entrepreneurs and less for male entrepreurs. The entrepreneurs need time to adjust and gain experience. Where there is no provision of government subsidy then there could be government incentives and if the government subsidy or incentive is disbursed directly to banks during the first year or so to meet the installments dues/non-repayment of bank loan then the entrepreneurs get time and can protect their business from risks and may be able to save their industries from becoming sick. This may be for help to entrepreneurs and especially for those entrepreneurs who due to no fault of theirs own come late into production. This may also become an incentive for many youth to become entrepreneurs.

UNDP and other UN organizations can work with the government to create financial incentives to make many new successful entrepreneurs.

According to a financial  institution, after completion of every work the bank releases a certain amount of the loan amount. Similarly, the government can also simultaneously schedule release the subsidy stage by stage in the same proportion as the bank to reduce the burden on entrepreneurs and burden on banks. Subsidy should be released within a time frame so that the industry does not become sick. It should be a time bound subsidy not only for women entrepreneurs but for all youth entrepreneurs. Reserve Bank of India can work together with the government to formulate the subsidy scheme.

According to another financial institution in this situation, malafide activities may occur. Subsidy should always be given towards the end.  The culture of an entrepreneurship business is always taking a risk and if that kind of subsidy is provided then non-genuine players will emerge. If there is no risk factor then what is the use of becoming an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur enters a business with confidence and risk taking ability.

#entrepreneursrisk Entrepreneurs and businesses can comment through the comment box.

Entrepreneur marketplace for sustainable development

A market for selling and buying small industry products.
Government can provide a marketplace where small scale entrepreneurs can showcase or sell their products. A marketplace where all of the small entrepreneurs may gather at one place to showcase or sell their products on a particular day weekly. Sometimes it is stipulated that the Government also buy from small scale entrepreneurs. They can also be present in this marketplace to give a chance to all entrepreneurs and buy from these small industries present there so as to give a fair chance to all. A ringing of a bell at a particular time may start the market business every week. Every entrepreneur can have a table and chair and wear a badge representing their particular industry so that it is easy for consumers to look for them for their particular products. All industries locally may be present there or participate on a rotation basis every week. Volunteers or company heads or the representatives can represent the companies there. Government can create ads for this marketplace on TV, radio, newspapers and through other channels to create awareness about this marketplace so that many consumers and sellers get to know and participate in this marketplace. When a small entrepreneur sets up a business he generally thinks of a local market to survive. So the Government may organize this marketplace in  district level in a state. This may help create a brand for every industry in the district. For those suppliers who cannot supply the required quantity or have excess demand in the marketplace may also buy from the nearest suppliers locally or from another district and so entrepreneurs may develop business with each other also. There may be networking, market and growth of business.

Government and small industry associations may work together to create such market place for small entrepreneurs.