Corporate Office Success Mantra

As a Team Leader, my success mantra to the team, always:

1. Resolve the problem

2. Report the problem

3. Skip the problem (at time on priorities)

Let me explain:

1. RESOLVE :

First, attempt to resolve the problem yourself. This makes employees think on their own, problems get solved quickly, they develop courage to take decisions, and drain on the company working is reduced. It is important to make employees feel empowered and responsible. It is also important to allow mistakes made in good faith with the intention to learn from them and not repeat the same mistakes.

2. REPORT :

Next, if you cannot resolve a problem, then it is your duty to report it to your senior. If non-cooperation or non-completion by someone else, then email and cc the seniors. A problem may become problematic if you fail to report it. An escalation ensures things move towards the solution

3. SKIP THE PROBLEM :

Resolve and Report are for meaningful problems. Then, there is always going to be a long tail of problems in any organization. Learn to skip those, as the ROTI (Return on Time Invested) is not worth its while. Solving these problems will not move mountains. Hence priority is very critical.

Initially in my career I was very enthusiastic to solve every problem, but this realization dawned upon me; knowing which problem to skip for later is equally important to remain focused on the game. Hope this helps my colleagues and team mates in the industry, across the globe.

Disclaimer : This is purely a knowledge sharing article, not offering or influencing any deal or transaction or investments.

CA Yogesh Birla

Director
Birla WP Management Co.
read my blogs : www.YogeshBirlaCA.Blogspot.com

Women Entrepreneurship Schemes in India

 

We keep on talking on Women Empowerment initiatives to create a hype in our thought process, but logically not making them avail existing easy funding mechanism to fulfil their dream of getting really empowered. In USA 41.8% of all businesses are owned by women, alongwith 46.8% female labour force participation. Irrespective of all these schemes by Indian government, women comprise only 14% of the total entrepreneurs in India, with only 9.32% female labour force participation. We are hereunder summarising few of Government and Banking schemes to provide venture funding for women. Bring this awareness to make Nari Shakti on entrepreneurial platforms:

(1). Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP):

Mentorship, network, funding, skill training, Incubation, and acceleration program offered by NITI Ayog for women to support in their entrepreneurship journey.

Upasana Taku(MobiKwik) received support from WEP, their current valuation is ~₹5700 Cr.

Kavita Shukla(FRESHGLOW Co) received support from WEP, now has customers in over 35 countries.

Shradha Sharma(YourStory) received support from WEP, is one of the leading media platforms for entrepreneurs.

Radhika Aggarwal(ShopClues) received support from WEP, their current valuation is ~₹1,000 Cr.

(2). Mahila Udyam Nidhi Yojana

MUNY Offers loans upto 10 lakh to be repaid in 10 years for supporting women entrepreneurs to set up a new MSME / SME scale venture. It is offered by Punjab National Bank and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and the rate of interest better than prevailing in the market.

(3). Bharathiya Mahila Bank Business Loan

This scheme offer loans up to ₹20 crores to female entrepreneurs looking to start a manufacturing business. Ease of collateral free loan upto certain amount is big attraction of this scheme. The Bharatiya Mahila Bank merged with the State Bank of India, the loan programme is still active.

(4). Dena Shakti Scheme

Offers loans upto ₹20 lakhs at an interest rate 0.25% below the base rate for building a business in sectors like Partnership firm, business, Retail stores, Manufacturing sector, Microcredit organisations, Housing, Education, etc.

(5). Stree Shakti Yojana

Offers loans upto 20 lakh for industrial sectors such as housing, retail, and education. Also allows women to avail of an interest concession of 0.05% on loans more than Rs. 2 lakh.

(6). Stand-Up India Scheme

This initiative offers composite loans between 10 lakh and upto 1 Crore to women in SC/ST categories.

Kanika Tekriwal started JetSetGo with this initiative, their current valuation is ~₹100 Cr.

Rashmi Daga started FreshMenu with this initiative, their current valuation is ~₹210 Cr.

(7). Mudra Yojana Scheme

MYS offers loans of ₹50,000 to ₹10 lakh and ideal for setting up beauty salons, starting a small shop, home-based business, or starting your dream company.

Shanti Mohan started LetsVenture with this initiative, their current valuation is ~₹270 Cr.

Ananya Jain started Chai Break with this initiative, their current valuation is ~₹50 Cr.

Dream of Indian government of USD 10 Trillion$ economy in the next 10 years can happen true only if women contribute desired portion of per capital income with men. Wish all these initiatives bring women on a new horizon, with ease of funding and strengthen your entrepreneurial dreams to come true, and wish good luck to all the incredible women, who are making this world a better place to live.

Disclaimer : This is purely a knowledge sharing article, not offering or influencing any deal or transaction or investments.

CA Yogesh Birla

Director
Birla WP Management Co.
read my blogs : www.YogeshBirlaCA.Blogspot.com

Long Term Investors & Stock Market - 8 Lessons

"If you are a long-term investor, you should own high- quality stocks and close your ears to the siren song of those who say a rate rise will cause you problems.*

If you are not a long-term investor, I wonder what you are doing in the stock market at all, and so will you one day."*

- Terry Smith.......The "Buffett of Great Britain"

Terry Smith, often known as the English Warren Buffett, has once again shared his annual letter encompassing ideas on investment strategies positioned to do well, views on specific stocks and thoughts on the current financial world. 

Well-known in the UK among retail investors, Smith’s Fundsmith Equity fund returned about 18.6% in 2021 and holds 28.9 billion pounds ($39.4 billion).

Here are 8 lessons that we must take from his vision :

*1) No investment strategy will outperform in every reporting period and every type of market condition. So, as much as we may not like it, we can expect some periods of underperformance.*

*2) In investment, as in life, you cannot have your cake and eat it, so it is difficult if not impossible to find companies which are resilient in a downturn but which also benefit fully from the subsequent recovery.*

*3) In our view, it would be a mistake to sell some of these good businesses in order to invest temporarily in companies which are much worse but which have greater recovery potential.*

*4) Someone once said that no one ever got poor by taking profits. This may be true but I doubt they got very rich by this approach.*

*5) We invest in companies, not indices or countries and in our view, the country where a company is listed is largely irrelevant.*

*6) We continue to apply a simple three step investment strategy: Buy good companies, don't overpay, do nothing (i.e., minimising portfolio turnover to minimise costs)*

*7) You may have heard a lot talked about the so-called 'rotation' from quality stocks of the sort we seek to own to so-called value stocks, which in many cases is simply taken as equating to lowly rated companies.*

 

*8) Inflation: It is a bit like trying to light a bonfire or a traditional BBQ on a damp day. If you put an accelerant like gasoline on it you can go from no fire to a loud ‘Whoosh!’ and find that you have also set fire to the garden fence.*

The good news is that we do not invest on the basis of our ability to forecast inflation or any other macroeconomic factor. We invest in companies not countries, indices or macroeconomic forecasts.*

Disclaimer : This is purely a knowledge sharing article, not offering or influencing any deal or transaction or investments.

CA Yogesh Birla

Director
Birla WP Management Co.
read my blogs : www.YogeshBirlaCA.Blogspot.com

Saving Economy v/s Spending Economy; which is better……

Indians wastefully save…. Ask them to spend, on imported cars and, seriously, even on cosmetics!  This will put India on a growth curve. This is one of the reason for MNC's coming down to India, seeing the consumer spending. Does it not look true, with our traditional thought, let’s examine the same with global facts…

The Japanese save a lot.  They do not spend much.  Also, Japan exports far more than it imports. It has an annual trade surplus of over US$100 billion. Yet the Japanese economy is considered weak, even collapsing.

Americans spend a lot and save very little. Also United States of America (USA) imports more than it exports.  USA has an annual trade deficit of over $400 billion. Yet, the USA economy is considered strong and expected to get stronger.

But where do Americans get money to spend? 

They borrow from other countries like Japan, China and even India. Virtually others of the world have to save for the Americans to spend.  Global savings are mostly invested in USA, in dollars.

India itself keeps its foreign currency assets of over $50 billion in US securities.  China has sunk over $1.1 trillion in US securities.  Japan's stakes in US securities is in trillions.

RESULT :

The USA has taken over $5 trillion from the world.   

So, as the world saves for the USA - It is the Americans who are spending freely.   

Today, to keep the USA consumption going, that is for the USA economy to work, other countries have to remit $180 billion every quarter to the USA, which is $2 billion a day, to the USA!

A Chinese economist asked a neat question. Who has invested more, USA in China, or China in USA?   

The US has invested in China less than half of what China has invested in the USA.

The same is the case with India.  India has invested over $50 billion in the US.   

But the US has invested less than $20 billion in India.

Why is the world after USA?

The secret lies in American spending, that they hardly save for.  In fact they use their credit cards to spend their future income.  That the USA spends is what makes it attractive to export to the USA.  So USA imports more than what it exports year after year.

The result is…..The world is dependent on USA consumption for its growth.  By its deepening culture of consumption, the USA has habituated the world to feed on USA consumption. But as the USA needs money to finance its consumption, the world provides the money.

It is like a shopkeeper providing the money to a customer so that the customer keeps buying from the shop.  If the customer will not buy, the shop won't have business, unless the shopkeeper funds him. The US is like the lucky customer….and the world is like the helpless shopkeeper financier.

Who is America's biggest shopkeeper financier? Japan and China of course.  Yet Japan is regarded as weak economically.  Modern economists complain that Japanese do not spend, so they do not grow.  To force the Japanese to spend, the Japanese government exerted itself, reduced the savings interest rates to almost zero, even charged savers for keeping their money in the bank.  Still the Japanese did not spend (habits don't change, even with taxes, do they?).  Their traditional postal savings alone has over $1.2 trillion.  Thus, savings, far from being the strength of Japan, has become its pain.

CONCLUSION: That a nation cannot grow unless the people spend, not save. Not just spend, but borrow and spend.

This is a very Interesting article written by an Economist about the world economy. Disclaimer : This is purely a knowledge sharing article, not offering or influencing any deal or transaction or investments.

CA Yogesh Birla

Director
Birla WP Management Co.
read my blogs : www.YogeshBirlaCA.Blogspot.com

The Power of Money & Happiness Index

#Down_to_earth_&_very_practical_approach_to_happiness_with_Money

(Life experience, as written by a #youngest_billionaire at 26 yrs.)

Some of you may already know that I travel around the world pretty frequently, having to visit and conduct meets at my offices in Malaysia , Indonesia , Thailand and China. I am in the airport almost every other week so I get to bump into many people who have read my books.

Recently, someone came up to me on a plane to KL and looked rather shocked. He asked, 'How come a millionaire like you is traveling economy?' My reply was, 'That's why I am a millionaire. ' He still looked pretty confused.

This again confirms that greatest lie ever told about wealth (which I wrote about in my latest book 'Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires').

#Many people have been brainwashed to think that millionaires have to wear Gucci, Hugo Boss, Rolex, and sit on first class in air travel. This is why so many people never become rich #because the moment they earn more money, they think that it is only natural that they spend more, putting them back to square one.

#The truth is that most self-made millionaires are frugal and only spend on what is necessary and of value. That is why they are able to accumulate and multiply their wealth so much faster.

Over the last 7 years, I have saved about 80% of my income while today I save only about 60% (because I have my wife, mother in law, 2 maids, 2 kids, etc. to support). Still, it is way above most people who save 10% of their income (if they are lucky).

I refuse to buy a first class ticket or to buy a $300 shirt because I think that it is a complete waste of money. #However, I happily pay $1,300 to send my 2-year old daughter to Julia Gabriel Speech and Drama without thinking twice.

When I joined the YEO, a few years back (YEO is an exclusive club open to those who are under 40 and make over $1m a year in their own business), I discovered that those who were self-made thought like me. Many of them with net worth well over $5 m, #travelled economy class and some even drove Toyotas and Nissans, not Audis, Mercs, BMWs..

I noticed that it was only those who never had to work hard to build their own wealth (there were also a few ministers' and tycoons' sons in the club) who spent like there was no tomorrow. Somehow, #when you did not have to build everything from scratch, you do not really value money. #This is precisely the reason why a family's wealth (no matter how much) rarely lasts past the third generation.

#Thank_God_my_rich_dad foresaw this terrible possibility and refused to give me a cent to start my business.

Then some people ask me, 'What is the point in making so much money if you don't enjoy it?' 

#The thing is that I don't really find happiness in buying branded clothes, jewellery or sitting first class. Even if buying something makes me happy it is only for a while, it does not last.

#Material happiness never lasts, it just gives you a quick fix. After a while you feel lousy again and have to buy the next thing which you think will make you happy. I always think that if you need material things to make you happy, then you live a pretty sad and unfulfilled life..

#Instead, What makes me happy is........when I see my children laughing and playing and learning so fast. 

What makes me happy is when I see my companies and teams reaching more and more people every year in so many more countries.

What makes me really happy is when I read all the emails from people touched and inspired someone's life.

What makes me really happy is reading all your wonderful posts about how this blog is inspiring you. #This_happiness_makes me feel really good for a long time, much much more than what a Rolex would do for me.

I think the point I want to put across is that #happiness_must_come_from doing your life's work (be it teaching, building homes, designing, trading, winning tournaments etc.) and the money that comes is only a by-product.

#keep_sharing_this_with the children, and make them read this article, every year to follow....

Disclaimer : This is purely a knowledge sharing article, not offering or influencing any deal or transaction or investments.

CA Yogesh Birla

Director
Birla WP Management Co.
read my blogs : www.YogeshBirlaCA.Blogspot.com

HOME LOAN: Fixed EMI & Rising Interest Rate... BE CAREFUL

In today's anemic loan offtake environment, bankers are screaming from giant hoardings offering lowest interest rates that are good enough to make you want to buy a house even if you don’t need it…….  6.5% Home Loans come with a silent warning.

Banks seeking low risk and return of capital enabled by a 0.35% risk weight from the regulator, they are betting their house on our houses.

In this lies a Caveat Emptor. These rates are floating rates only. They will rise faster than what you may have budgeted for monthly EMI. And with it will increase your tenure and you may realise that after paying for 5 years, your twenty year home loan still has a residual tenure of  twenty years.

While the jury is still out on when the rates will start moving up, that they are unlikely to go down further is near certain. I see inflation coming faster than what the pundits are telling us and with this will begin the rate ride up.

If you are taking a home loan this is a great time but in your calculation, mentally budget and be ready for 8% - 8.5% interest rate, for when it does go near there you have room to increase EMI payments. So enjoy it while it lasts, but don’t bet on it to stay this way for too long. If you cannot increase the EMI with rising rates, your tenure will keep extending making you into a modern day Sisyphus.

आज यदि आपने सड़को पर बड़े बड़े होर्डिंग्स देख कर सिर्फ 6.50% या 7.50% ब्याज पर, Fixed EMI होमलोन ले लिया, तो इसके अंदर छुपी हुई रिस्क से सावधान जरूर रहिए । क्योंकि जैसे ही ब्याज की दर वार्षिक 1% बढ़ती है, और आप EMI नही बढ़वाते है तो बैंक, आपके होमलोन की अवधि 20 वर्ष से 24 वर्ष हो जाती है, और यदि ब्याज 2% बढ़ गया, तो फिक्स EMI में आपकी लोन अवधि 20 वर्ष से 30 वर्ष तक बढ़ जाती है । अतः ब्याज दर बढ़ने के साथ, मासिक EMI भी बढ़ाते रहे, नही तो लोन का Tenure बढ़ता रहेगा ।

For the statistically inclined, if interest rates move up by 1% yearly, after you avail the 20 year loan the tenure goes over 24 years (from 20 years) and if interest rate move up by 2% yearly, your tenure goes over 35 years (from 20 years), assuming constant EMI. So by all means take a home loan, but when interest rates move up, be mentally ready to increase your EMI payments. This is a teaser rate. If you are fully stretched now, when rates move up you won't find yourself in a happy place. In your calculations budget a minimum 2% rate increase and enjoy the discount right now while it lasts. Teaser rates on Adjustable Rate Mortgages were at the heart of the 2007 meltdown in the US, memories can sometimes be short.

Remember, banks are betting on multiple houses, you are betting on only one so your room for error is ZERO. Keep that in mind......before signing a home loan mandate.

Disclaimer : This is purely a knowledge sharing article, not offering or influencing any deal or transaction or investments.

CA Yogesh Birla

Director
Birla WP Management Co.
read my blogs : www.YogeshBirlaCA.Blogspot.com

RBI Loan Restructuring Plan 2.0 - लोन एवं EMI कोरोना राहत 2021

CA Yogesh Birla

पिछले वर्ष 2020 की तरह इस वर्ष भी कोरोना की दूसरी लहर से Loan की EMI भरने वालो को राहत देने हेतु Reserve Bank of India ने 6 मई 2021 को Restructuring Plan 2.0 के तहत, नई स्कीम की घोषणा की है ।

Restructuring Plan 2.0 में 25 करोड़ रुपए तक के व्यक्तिगत कर्जदार, छोटे कारोबार और MSME को राहत दी गई है। एक ही शर्त है कि 31 मार्च 2021 को Loan Account - Standard होना चाहिए……. यानी उसमें किसी तरह का Default नहीं होना चाहिए। इस प्लान के तहत कर्जदार को अपने बैंक से संपर्क करना होगा और वे दो साल तक का Moratorium ले सकेंगे। इसके लिए आवेदन करने की Last date 30 September, 2021 तय की गई है।

•  यदि आप अपने लोन की EMI नहीं चुका पा रहे हैं तो 31 सितंबर 2021 तक अपने बैंक से संपर्क कर सकते हैं… Loan Restructuring option पर बात कर सकते हैं।   
• बैंक आपकी बची हुई लोन राशि, आपके रीपेमेंट ट्रैक रिकॉर्ड, आपकी आय आदि को ध्यान में रखते हुए, आपका लोन रीस्ट्रक्चर कर सकता है।    
• इसमें अधिकतम दो साल तक का EMI Holiday या Loan Repayment Period बढ़ाना शामिल है।     
• जिन लोगों ने पिछले साल रीस्ट्रक्चरिंग का लाभ उठाया, वे भी नए मोरेटोरियम के तहत अपने लोन रीपेमेंट पीरियड को दो साल बढ़ा सकते हैं।

लेकिन, लोन रीस्ट्रक्चरिंग के लिए आवेदन देने से पहले इतना ध्यान रखें कि :

• अगर आप बिना रीस्ट्रक्चरिंग के भी अपनी EMI को चुका सकते हैं तो रीपेमेंट पीरियड बढ़ाने या मोरेटोरियम की कतई न सोचें।        
• EMI हॉलीडे से लेकर रीपेमेंड पीरियड बढ़ाने तक का फैसला बैंक का होगा।·        
• रीस्ट्रक्चरिंग प्लान की शर्तें बैंक तय करेगा। जब वह आपको योग्य समझेगा, तभी रीस्ट्रक्चरिंग प्लान को मंजूरी देगा।·        
• रीस्ट्रक्चरिंग प्लान को अंतिम हथियार के तौर पर चुनें। यह स्थायी राहत नहीं है।·        
• किसी भी मोरेटोरियम या रीपेमेंट पीरियड बढ़ाने का आवेदन करना आपके लिए महंगा साबित होगा क्योंकि इससे आपको अधिक ब्याज चुकाना होगा।·        
• आप रीस्ट्रक्चरिंग प्लान ले रहे हैं तो पता कर लें कि आपको कितना ब्याज अतिरिक्त चुकाना होगा। उसे ध्यान में रखकर आप जल्द से जल्द उसका भुगतान करने की योजना बनाएं। इससे आपको अधिक ब्याज का भुगतान बैंकों को नहीं करना होगा।

अगर आपने Home Loan Restructuring कराया तो कितना ज्यादा ब्याज चुकाना होगा ???

• अगर आप रीस्ट्रक्चरिंग का विकल्प चुनते हैं तो आपका रीपेमेंट पीरियड दो साल बढ़ जाएगा। यानी अगर 20 साल का लोन है तो 22 साल तक उसका रीपेमेंट करना होगा।·        
• अगर ब्याज दर 8% ही रहती है तो 25 लाख रुपए के बकाया पर आपको approx 3 लाख और 50 लाख रुपए के बकाया पर 6 लाख रुपए additional interest चुकाना होगा।        
• Interest Rate and Outstanding Amount के आधार पर आपके अकाउंट में लगने वाला Additional Interest कम या ज्यादा हो सकता है।·        
• आपको यह भी देखना होगा कि बैंक आपको रीस्ट्रक्चरिंग के वक्त क्या ऑफर दे रहा है। यह ऑफर रीपेमेंट हिस्ट्री, क्रेडिट स्कोर और बकाया राशि के आधार पर हर कर्जदार के लिए अलग-अलग हो सकता है ।

निश्चित जानकारी हेतु अपने Bank या Loan देनेवाली संस्था से संपर्क करें।  यहाँ लिखित तथ्य, सिर्फ आपकी जानकारी हेतु है, यह किसी ऑफर या बाध्यता हेतु नही है ।

contributed by :

CA Yogesh Birla

Director
Birla WP Management
read my blogs : www.YogeshBirlaCA.Blogspot.com