Starting a business? Start it properly.

The basics

The path most new businesses follow

1. 01

   Choose how the business is set up

   A proprietorship is the simplest and cheapest to begin. A partnership suits two or more people sharing a business. A Private Limited company or an LLP protects the owners’ personal assets and suits a business that plans to grow or raise money. The choice affects tax, paperwork and risk, so it is worth settling early. Take our short guide if you are not sure.

2. 02

   Register the business

   Depending on the structure, this means a PAN for the business, a registration such as Udyam (the government’s registration for small businesses), and any licence your trade needs, such as a trade licence, or FSSAI for food. We prepare and file these for you.

3. 03

   Open a business bank account

   Keeping business money apart from personal money makes your accounts, your tax and any later loan far easier. Banks usually ask for the registration papers, so this normally follows step 2.

4. 04

   Find out whether GST applies

   GST is a tax on sales that businesses collect and pass on to the government. Registration is compulsory once turnover crosses a limit, generally ₹40 lakh for goods and ₹20 lakh for services in Kerala, and sooner in some cases, such as selling goods to other states or through certain marketplaces. We check what applies to you, and tell you honestly if you do not need it yet.

5. 05

   Set up invoices and a simple record of sales and spending

   Proper invoices and saved receipts are the raw material for everything else: GST, accounts, tax and loans. We help you set up a routine that takes minutes a week, not hours.

6. 06

   Keep accounts and file your returns

   Every business has regular filings: accounts, income tax and, if registered, GST and TDS (tax deducted at source). We keep a calendar of the dates so you never have to remember them.