Practical tips: 9 recommendations for beginning online entrepreneurs

Original idea

In what area should I start a business? This is a question that every aspiring entrepreneur should primarily answer. This decision entails determining how to conduct business, choosing an appropriate organizational and legal form, obtaining business permits, etc.

Currently, the market in each area is usually very competitive. For a business plan to be successful, it must be something exceptional and original. A business, for example, can be started very easily via the Internet.

But how to interact with the team?

Advice for a new entrepreneur:

1. Having set a goal, you need to clearly move towards it, without being distracted by trifles and problems.
2. You should be convincing and confident in your communication. There is no need to speak loudly or quickly. Your opinion is just your opinion. No one is obliged to adhere to it. When a dispute arises, it is better to listen to your interlocutor, even if it is criticism addressed to you (listening to a person does not mean that you should do as he says). It is necessary to find points of contact where the manager’s opinion coincides with the opinion of the interlocutor.
3. There is no need to show your employees that you are smarter. Each person has his own point of view on a particular situation. Avoid being rude and unkind. We must learn to give orders politely but firmly, and not order in a rude tone.
4. Know how to evaluate yourself from the outside, correct shortcomings in behavior and character.
5. Leadership means guiding employees in the right direction, allowing them to realize themselves and achieve success. When you begin to help a subordinate, his interest, desire for high results and mobilization of his energy awaken.
6. Employee behavior is a reflection of their leader. If a manager hates employees, considers them stupid and unpromising, then they behave that way. A strong leader moves forward towards the goal, and his employees confidently follow along.
7. Authority is an important point in business. No authority - no order and respect.

In a small business, people play a very important role, so it is necessary to cultivate leadership qualities and lead your team to the goal. If you don't do this, your small business will soon fail.

Why is it better to open an online store?

Today there are several options for creating an online store. There are many professional companies in the market that design, create and manage websites. Managing an online store, however, requires some experience and certain knowledge.

To create a successful online store, you need an original idea, or an advantage over your competitors.

Just recently, online trading has increased by 3! times _ Thanks to which Jeff Bezos became the richest man in the world. Jeff Bezos is the owner of the world famous online store Amazon . There is no point in competing with him, but opening a small specialized online store selling a certain highly specialized group of goods is worth it.

On how to create your own successful online store - read our complete instructions written by experts - how to open an online store from scratch.

Motivation and choice of direction of activity

Start your journey into business with a simple question to ask yourself: “Why do I want to become a businessman?”

Before becoming a sole proprietor, answer this question honestly. This will be your first step into the world of business. If you just want to work less but earn a lot, then, as a starting point, such motivation is killer. We need to be realistic. Below are typical motivations for doing business:

• I don’t have a job and I’m ready to do anything just to feed my family;
• I want to create a small business as a source of additional income;
• I had “extra” savings and decided to invest them in business rather than deposit them in a bank;
• I have been employed for a long time in one industry and, having studied it, I believe that I can start my own business and work for myself;
• I have an original idea, the results of which I don’t want to give to anyone.

In addition to the motivation expressed in the last two paragraphs, a very pressing problem for the future entrepreneur is the choice of direction of activity. Generally speaking, there are only three areas of activity for an entrepreneur:

• production;
• trade;
• services.

You will not be able to become an entrepreneur from scratch in Russia if you plan to engage in trade or material production. Need initial capital. Sometimes it is small, but taking an inexpensive loan to start a business is still an unrealistic task in our country. It is better to rely on your savings or the help of friends and family.

The service industry is very attractive for a number of reasons. Firstly, in our country this is the fastest growing market segment. Secondly, the provision of many types of services does not require significant initial capital. Thirdly, come up with a new service, convince consumers that they need it and your success is guaranteed.

If you just want to “add up” your capital, then you can think about buying a franchise. A well-promoted brand, if used correctly, can provide an effective return on investment. This is a fairly common way of investing savings in a business.

To successfully run a business, in addition to the right direction of activity, certain financial resources, perseverance, efficiency and, finally, luck are required. Sometimes a novice entrepreneur believes that by purchasing a franchise for some type of business, he has already ensured his success. Alas, this is not true. Mountains of gold in advertising brochures only mean that with your persistence and great effort, you can become a successful entrepreneur.

Where to get money for business

The issue of finding money to start a business plagues most aspiring entrepreneurs. There are surprisingly quite a lot of options for how to get money for a business, and these are not only traditional methods, such as, for example, a bank loan, although a loan for aspiring entrepreneurs can be a good solution.

To start a business, you can also use a service called crowdfunding , with which an entrepreneur can try to attract any investor to his side.

Choosing an option requires careful weighing of all the pros and cons, and, of course, it depends on how much money is needed to start a business.

What does a new entrepreneur need?

Next, you need to register as an individual entrepreneur or open a company. A special organization that provides such services can help you register an individual entrepreneur. You can also independently prepare the necessary list of documents, register them with a notary, pay the state fee and take the entire package to the tax office. In a few days you will receive the status of an individual entrepreneur or director of a company. Before registering, it is better to consult with experts regarding the taxation system, so as not to “anger” the tax authorities later.

Your next step will be to find an accountant or accounting system. For beginners in this matter, it would be better to do accounting for individual entrepreneurs online. For entrepreneurs with experience, it is better to immediately hire an experienced accountant and get rid of this headache right away.

And now you are starting to recruit your team for the first time to work in your business.

Why is it important to register?

Illegal business activities in Russia are prosecuted by law. According to Art. 171 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, a fine, correctional labor or imprisonment are prescribed as a preventive measure. The punishment depends on the presence of aggravating circumstances. To avoid criminal liability, you need to register in advance and submit a financial report to the appropriate authority within the deadlines established by law.

List of documents required for filing an application

To register, you must provide:

• Original passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation, another state, or copies of pages certified by a notary, if there is an authorized representative;

• Scans of ID pages;

• A receipt indicating payment of the state duty (if necessary);

• Notarized power of attorney addressed to the applicant's official representative;

• Application form, filled out manually or in a text editor;

• Additional documents required when registering an individual entrepreneur by a person who has not reached the age of majority.

Step-by-step instructions on how to register

Step 1. Selecting OKVED codes

Lines of business are assigned a unique combination of numbers, included in the classifier of types of economic activity (OKVED) valid throughout Russia. When creating an application, it is important to indicate the codes of those areas in which its owner plans to develop.

Spheres of entrepreneurship have classes, groups and their subgroups, separate varieties. This complicates the selection of OKVED codes, but this procedure is important when registering as an individual entrepreneur. When filling out the form, the applicant has the right to choose any number of them. But one will have to be recorded as the main one, bringing a larger percentage of income. In the future, it is allowed to add new industries to the list, replacing those that are no longer relevant. If you take up a new direction without notifying the tax office, you may be subject to a fine.

The main code determines the amount of employee insurance contributions. The riskier the enterprise, the larger they are. If its owner registers one type of activity as a core activity, and receives the main income from another, he risks arousing interest in the business from the relevant authorities. As a result of the review, the profile will choose a higher insurance rate. There is no point in registering unnecessary codes if you do not plan to engage in the specified type of business activity.

Please note: for state registration of an individual entrepreneur operating in the social sphere, a certificate confirming the absence of a criminal record will be required. Preparation often takes a month. If you are interested in this direction, it is better to request it in advance. There is also a list of areas of activity that a private entrepreneur does not have the right to engage in. This includes the production and distribution of alcoholic beverages, weapons and military equipment, and medicines. It is prohibited to organize air transportation and employment of citizens of other states without temporary registration in the Russian Federation.

Step 2. Selecting the type of taxation

Entrepreneurs can use the general taxation system (abbreviated as OSNO). But a businessman has the right to choose between four special regimes. This is often more profitable: when choosing OSNO, a person who wants to open his own business pays 3-5 taxes, and for one of them 1-2.

The simplified payment system (USN, “simplified”) operates in two versions. The first involves paying 6% of all income for the month, and the second - 15% of the difference between income and production costs. If you plan to choose this mode, it is better to attach a notice of this to the package of documents, or inform the tax office of your desire no later than 30 calendar days after registration.

The Unified Tax on Agricultural Activity (UTA) was created for individual entrepreneurs and LLCs, 70% of whose income comes from the sale of agricultural products. The payment amount is 6% of the difference between profit and costs, including VAT.

The patent payment system (PPS) involves the purchase of official permission for a certain type of activity. After purchasing it, a person pays a fixed amount and is engaged in the chosen type of business for a specified period.

Single tax on the imputed amount of income (UTII) is the quarterly payment of a certain amount, depending on the indicators prescribed in the Tax Code. Legally, this type of taxation is also suitable for LLCs. There is no point in choosing it: UTII is going to be abolished in 2021.

Step 3. Submitting a completed application

To register, a new businessman in Russia must submit an application for state registration. A large amount of documentation and the formation of authorized capital are not required. The form P21001 is freely available on the official website of the Federal Tax Service.

If you are filling out the form by hand, use a black ballpoint pen. In a word processor, use an easy-to-read, medium-sized font. But submitting a digital version is only possible if the future businessman has UKEP. This is an enhanced qualified electronic signature; it is issued only by federally accredited certification centers. If you submit the application in person, an authorized representative of the local tax office, or a notary if a proxy is involved, is present when signing.

Citizens of Russia enter personal data into 4 sheets of the form out of 5: all except the 3rd. It is needed for people who do not have Russian citizenship. Codes assigned to types of business are allowed to be indicated in abbreviated form, but not less than 4 digits from each. Since 2020, the applicant is required to provide a valid e-mail address.

Step 4. Payment of state duty

The amount to be paid is fixed: 800 rubles. There is no need to deposit money to register an entrepreneur if the application is submitted through the State Services website, the portal of the Multifunctional Center or the Federal Tax Service. It is convenient to pay the state fee at the bank, using an ATM, or through the form on the website. The receipt is filled out manually, or it is automatically generated by the site service.

Step 5. Submission of documents

For state registration, it is convenient to contact the Federal Tax Service in any region of the country. By law, the procedure is available to all citizens, regardless of their place of residence. You can submit documentation via the Internet and in printed and hand-filled form.

Who is a businessman?

In Russian legislation there is no concept of “businessman”, but there is an “individual entrepreneur”. He is considered a person who conducts business activities (that is, any activity aimed at making a profit) and is registered as an entrepreneur without forming a legal entity.

These words are often considered synonyms, but there is a difference between them. An entrepreneur implements new ideas and creates fundamentally new products or services. A businessman is someone who either bought a ready-made business (including a franchise) or uses a well-known business model.

A businessman is a specialist who is confident in himself and his potential. A businessman is not afraid to make mistakes, strives to develop an idea that interests him into a profitable project, constantly develops and understands that he will have to delegate some powers.

Many experts consider the mistakes that novice entrepreneurs make at first to be especially important for the development of the personality of a real businessman and the development of his project. They help to analyze a situation in which an entrepreneur made a wrong decision and draw conclusions for the future. A businessman is not afraid to make mistakes: he knows he cannot do without them.

How to become a successful businessman. Competition – good or bad?

Competition in business keeps entrepreneurs on their toes. Your enthusiasm should not wane if the market you find is highly competitive. It is quite possible that you will be able to find a relatively free niche and develop a successful project.

To be successful in your endeavor, you need to be prepared to compete. Fierce competition can ruin a project in the initial stages, but after opening a business, it is what will keep you afloat. Find a unique idea that can be implemented, evaluate your competitors and your target audience, write a business plan and start acting.

Competition forces a businessman to develop his project and develop himself. After a few months of living in conditions of constant monitoring of projects similar to yours, you will learn to quickly make important decisions and take responsibility for large projects that at first glance may seem impossible.

Everything is clear with taxes, can you prepare documents now?

Can. In order to register as an individual entrepreneur, you will need:

• application for registration of individual entrepreneurs in form P21001 - available from the tax website.
• receipt of payment of state duty - the duty is 800 rubles, you can find out the details from your tax office; When paying the fee online, you must remember to print out the receipt to attach to your application
• copy of the passport - there is an opinion that it is better to copy all pages of the passport, even blank ones
• notification of the transition to the simplified tax system - only if the entrepreneur has chosen a simplified taxation regime; The notification must be submitted in two copies, although there is an opinion that it is better to prepare all three
• power of attorney - if instead of the future entrepreneur, documents are submitted by a person authorized by him

A foreign citizen or stateless person must also attach to the application a notarized translation of a foreign passport and a copy of a temporary residence permit or residence permit.