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  • Why was Twitter Banned in Nigeria?

    Nigeria has recently announced that the social media platform Twitter is to be blocked in the country. The social media giant has been banned by the Nigerian government led by Muhammadu Buhari, who has also ordered to prosecute and arrest the people who will continue to use Twitter in the country in any form.

    If you are wondering why the government blocked the popular social media platform, then here we will bring you all the information related to the banning of Twitter!

    Nigeria Twitter Ban – Latest News
    Tweet by the President of Nigeria
    Nigerians Sidestepping the Twitter ban
    Twitter’s Response on Ban by Nigeria
    FAQ

    Nigeria Twitter Ban – Latest News

    Nigeria had blocked access to Twitter across the country after it had removed a tweet dated June 1, 2021, from its President, Muhammadu Buhari’s account. The Federal Ministry of Information and Culture of Nigeria had conveyed through a series of tweets on 4 June 2021 that the government has suspended the social media app Twitter indefinitely.

    The reason given by the Federal Ministry behind the ban was the continuous use of the social media platform for the activities that aim to threaten the corporate existence of Nigeria.

    Tweet by the President of Nigeria

    On 2 June 2021, the social media platform Twitter had removed a tweet from Muhammadu Buhari, the President of Nigeria’s account, saying that the tweet had violated its policy related to abusive behavior.

    In his tweet, Buhari announced that “those misbehaving today” will be treated in “the language they understand.” The President’s post was directed at the secessionist movement in the country and was read as a threat to the secessionists that further went on to portray “the destruction and loss of lives” during the Nigerian civil war.

    The tweet was interpreted by Twitter as a threat note, comprising of the bloody connotations of the past violence perpetrated around the country during the civil war of the 1960s, which is attributed to a million deaths and countless other injuries, where Buhari served as the military ruler of Nigeria.

    Here goes the full original tweet that the President posted:

    “Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigerian Civil War. Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand.”

    Why Facebook, Twitter, Instagram might get banned in India? – A Deep Analysis
    In the past few days, the headlines and the major posts on various social mediahandles were about the ban of the social media applications in India. Let’s lookat why the social media giants such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram might getbanned in India. Why The Government of India might ban Faceb…
    StartupTalkyAlan Joseph

    Total number of Active social media users in Nigeria
    Total number of Active social media users in Nigeria

    Nigerians Sidestepping the Twitter ban

    Many Nigerians have not been cooperating with the ban by using a virtual private network to access Twitter. The social media platform, Twitter is considered to be one of the main platforms that are available for the Nigerians to criticize their government. The government has released the order, which conveyed that the people using the social media app would be arrested and prosecuted.

    Twitter’s Response on Ban by Nigeria

    Twitter had responded to the ban saying that they were deeply concerned about the Nigerian government blocking the social media platform. They further added that the open internet and access to it is considered to be an essential human right in modern society.

    Twitter, through its public policy account, has conveyed that it would work towards restoring the social media platform for the users in Nigeria in order to communicate and connect with the entire world.

    Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms are trying to figure out an effective way to deal with the controversial tweets used by the politicians. Earlier Twitter had removed the former US President Donald Trump’s tweets and have banned him permanently from Twitter.

    Why Twitter will start a Subscription service for Exclusive Features
    Twitter is moving beyond the traditional social networking business model and isexperimenting with new business model to sustain their platform. The latest testis a subscription service for exclusive features. Twitter is considering a subscription model to counteract its falling adrevenues. CEO…
    StartupTalkyAnanya Shetty

    Conclusion

    With the rising popularity of Twitter that has already become a sensational social media platform, which deals with the tweets from celebrities from all walks of life, who prefer Twitter and expresses themselves as freely as possible, negative, abusive tweets and threat notes are pouring in and becoming increasingly difficult to handle. Therefore, Twitter and similar platforms are looking to find an effective way out.

    In the meanwhile, Florida has issued a new law that will fine the social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Google, and other tech companies if they permanently ban or kick off politicians from their platforms.

    FAQ

    Is Twitter banned in Nigeria?

    Yes, Twitter was banned in Nigeria on 5th June after the tweet of its president was removed by the social media giant.

    Why did Nigeria suspend twitter?

    Nigerian Government suspended twitter after the microblogging site removed tweet by the President of Nigeria.

    Does Twitter have an office in Nigeria?

    Twitter does not has an office in Nigeria but has announced of opening their first office in Ghana.

  • LabelBlind: Mumbai- Based First Food Rating System In India

    Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by LabelBlind.

    A growing number of Indian consumers now prefer to go for healthy options when it comes to buying food items. A survey by IPSOS, a Global Leader in Market Research, found that 91% of Indians opt for healthier alternatives when it comes to snacking. Again, Indian Health Food Market which is currently 10% of the total Food Market is also growing at a rate of 35%. However, despite all this growing concern for eating healthy, choosing a healthy food items that has high nutrition is not easy. While the nutritional labels on the food packets are meant to reveal the nutritional value of the food and thus the health benefits of that particular food product, comprehending the nutritional labels is not a simple task either.

    Technical information declared on food labels stating complex ingredients, nutrition facts, and daily recommended values, serving sizes, allergens and more leave consumers overwhelmed. This leads them to make uninformed and unsafe choices that often serve contrary to their desire for choosing food that promotes good health and well-being. As a Nutrition Science and Food Label Expert Rashida Vapiwala was well aware of this problem that Indian consumers has been facing, and she came up with a solution for the same with her startup LabelBlind- India’s 1st Food Rating System. LabelBlind lists over 8000 food products across 120 categories and rates them on a scale of of 1-5 based on key nutritional parameters to help you make informed decisions when it comes to buying packaged food items. We interviewed LabelBlind founder Rashida Vapiwala to know about the services and operations of the startup.

    LabelBlind Highlights

    Startup Name LabelBlind
    Headquarters Mumbai
    Founder Rashida Vapiwala
    Industry HealthTech
    Founded 2018
    Parent Organization The Nutrition Alchemy
    Website labelblind.com/

    About LabelBlind
    LabelBlind – Founder & Team
    The Idea Behind Starting LabelBlind
    LabelBlind – Name & Logo
    LabelBlind – Business Model
    LabelBlind – Marketing Strategies
    LabelBlind – Challenges
    LabelBlind – Growth & Future Plans
    FAQs

    About LabelBlind

    LabelBlind is a nutri-tech platform and is driven by the purpose of creating Nutrition Literacy by democratizing the principles of Nutrition Science. The platform reviews and rates food products to guide consumers to make smart food choices that support good health and well being. The rating is based on a proprietary nutrition assessment tool that takes into consideration 43 vital nutrition parameters and is guided by the principles laid down by FSSAI, USFDA and WHO. LabelBlind has 8000 products listed, across 120 categories. Further, LabelBlind customizes product recommendations based on user health profiles. The digital platform is free-to-use for consumers and collaborates with the Food Regulator and Food Businesses to design nutrition solutions to impact food consumption habits. Speaking about LabelBlind’s vision, Rasheda Vapiwala says,

    “We believe that chronic diseases are not to be blamed on genetics alone; but are a result of poor food choices that must be corrected through nutrition literacy. At our company, The Nutrition Alchemy (Parent Company  of LabelBlind), we work towards a day where such diseases are wiped off the face of the planet. We are inspired by the vision of a healthier India, where citizens are empowered to make informed and mindful choices of what they eat, to keep themselves emotionally and physically healthy, with less dependence on curative interventions.”

    LabelBlind – Founder & Team

    LabelBlind founder Rashida Vapiwala is an expert nutritionist. She has a vast experience of working in areas like Health Awareness, Food & Nutrition, Health Promotion Activities (Engagements), Food Labeling Solutions and Nutrition Profiling Of Food Products.

    LabelBlind Founder, Rashida Vapiwala
    LabelBlind Founder, Rashida Vapiwala

    Rashida is a PhD scholar with a Master’s Degree in Food and Nutrition from The University of Mumbai. She is currently researching on “the relationship consumers have with food products and brands”. She has networks with Food Practitioners from across the world to practice learning from scientific discoveries. Rashida was Awarded the Junior Research Fellowship by the University Grants Commission, India and the Dr K.U.Naram award for a distinguished performance in academics at post-graduate level.

    Rashida has been felicitated with respectable certifications, like

    1. Micronutrient and Food Fortification Training Program – Project Healthy Children (PHC) & Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), USA.
    2. Food Safety Supervisor –  Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
    3. Nutrition & Chronic Disease Research Methods – Centre for Chronic Disease Control & PHFI.
    4. Nutrigenomic Counsellor – DNALife, South Africa and Genombio Technologies pvt ltd., Pune.
    5. Nutrition for Exercise and Fitness – University of Mumbai.
    6. Nutrition Research Methods – St. John’s Research Institute, Bangalore, India in collaboration with Harvard University, USA and Tufts University, USA.

    LabelBlind team comprises professionals from the fields of Nutrition, Consumer Marketing and Developers.

    The Idea Behind Starting LabelBlind

    An experienced nutritionist Rashida, could see that there are many loopholes that requires attention when it comes to nutrition in India. Rashida and her team did much research on the nutritional awareness and requirements of the Indian population to get the required inputs to develop LabelBlind.

    Initially, 100 consumers were contacted in the city to ask them about comprehension of food labels and the importance of the information in making smart food choices. Results were eye-opening:

    • 58% find nutrition labels complex
    • 84% agree that nutrition labels influence choice of food products
    • 95% believe simplifying nutrition labels will be valuable to making good choices

    Other compelling considerations that the team came across includes-

    • India’s World Health Ranking – 120 (out of 169 countries) – Bloomberg Ranking
    • 43% have a skewed BMI
    • 30% have a Diabetes risk
    • 30% have a Hypertensive risk
    • Almost half of daily calories (47%) are derived from carbohydrates with the numbers going as high as 70% in rural areas. Just 7% of daily calories coming from Protein as compared to the recommended 29%
    • The average consumption of calories from fruits is less than 40% of what EAT-Lancet recommends.
    • In general, Indians consume more of the unhealthier saturated fats like palm oil. The consumption of vanaspati (partially hydrogenated vegetable oil*) is known to have risen by 51% between 1993 and 94 and 2011–12.
    • 30% of the diet of rich urban people consists of processed foods. An average Indian household consumes more calories from processed foods than fruits.
    • Overall, dietary risks were responsible for 22% of all deaths and disabilities amongst adults.

    The above data clearly shows that the majority of the Indians have one or the other health hazard or many are at risk to develop ailments owing to wrong eating habits. Rashida knew that a huge difference can be made by helping and guiding the Indians to buy the right kind of packaged food items, that are healthy and have high nutritional value, which made her start ‘LabelBlind’ as a platform to simplify the comprehension of nutritional values of food for consumers.

    The product has had an extended test-run of over a year and has been validated for feedback from 30 leading food companies, nutritionists and the regulator itself. The response has been encouraging, translating into strong word of mouth for the company, and keen interest of stakeholders in the data intelligence and its application to industry practices and regulation policies.

    The company takes pride in its association with FSSAI on strategic areas of food regulation and strengthening the ecosystem of food regulation. It is a validation of the solution and its robust processes of nutrition assessment.

    Most of the consumers are almost like blind when it comes to reading the nutritional labels on food packets, as they cannot comprehend the nutritional labels properly. The name ‘LabelBlind’ is derived from this very problem faced by the consumers. As Rashida Says about the idea behind the name,  

    “Food Labels on product packs are blind spots for consumers. We equate it to buying products being blindfolded, little knowing about product ingredients and their role in our bodies. The branding highlights this consumer pain point. It is time for the consumer to address the blind spot and decipher nutrition labels, thus taking the blindfold off their eyes in a manner of metaphorical reference.”

    LabelBlind Logo
    LabelBlind Logo

    LabelBlind – Business Model

    The data intelligence powering the website has enabled LabelBlind to pivot into multiple business models. While LabelBlind helps the consumers in assessing the nutritional values in food packets, Businesses like Retail Banking Firms, consumer health brands and  health insurance companies can tie up with LabelBlind to ensure well-being of their customers by offering them to an option to stay healthy by making good food choices.  

    Food Business Operators (FBOs) can use data and insights by LabelBlind  to develop new products based on nutritional value and customer preferences. FBOs can also promote their products through the LabelBlind platform.

    LabelBlind® collaborates with businesses in the space of CPGs (Consumer Packaged Goods), food retail, health and life insurance, retail banking and wellness companies to offer –

    1. Nutrition assessment of products to build compelling product strategies
    2. Business consultancy in NPD (New Product Development) and Customized Nutrition Report
    3. Consumer engagement and lead generation
    4. Corporate food rating and employee nutrition profiling

    Besides, the startup seeks to partner with Government agencies an associations in the food and nutrition space in their consumer outreach programs through online and offline channels. Presently LabelBlind is a project partner with FSSAI on projects of critical importance to the food industry.

    The Nutrition Alchemy, LabelBlind’s parent organization also offers collaboration opportunities for nutritionists, bloggers, food marketing freelancers, radio jockeys and journalists to help them spread awareness about nutrition among their customers and audience.

    Besides, The Nutrition Alchemy (TNA) offers a flagship TNA Nutrition23 Masterclass. Companies can register for this course to educate their employees on nutrition.

    LabelBlind – Marketing Strategies

    LabelBlind is at its early stage of introduction, building word of mouth and networks of collaboration. Tata AIA and FSSAI are amongst its first set of premium clients.

    The company relies on the personal branding of its founder, credibility of its networks, clients and media to drive the image and awareness for the brand.

    LabelBlind – Challenges

    There were 2 big challenges on the way for the LabelBlind team while building LabelBlind – India’s 1st Food Rating System –

    Building a Food Database was a challenging task for the team. They initiated the website development with packaged foods, moving into staples, edible oil and protein supplements. LabelBlind team is also building a database of Fresh Foods recipes representing cultural aspects of food and nutrition habits. LabelBlind has built its database from scratch, with the help of its team of nutritionists and dietitians. Each label is personally scrutinized and included in the database. Today, LabelBlind has 8000 products listed, across 120 food categories.

    Again, Building a scientific, credible Food Rating System is also a tough task. LabelBlind today has a great review system, its major USPs being-

    • Reviewing and rating of food products based on a proprietary nutrition assessment model that evaluates food products on 14 vital nutrition parameters.
    • The assessment model is guided by nutrition principles laid down by FSSAI, WHO, ICMR and USFDA.
    • LabelBlind team includes leading Nutrition Experts in the field to bring Nutrition Solutions that are at the cutting edge of Research.
    • LabelBlind has covered the essential skills required for the business – understanding of nutrition science, food regulatory affairs, consumer understanding and digital technology.

    LabelBlind – Growth & Future Plans

    LabelBlind is working with premium clients like Tata AIA and FSSAI. Currently bootstrapped, the company is in active discussions with investors to scale the business model. With new new product ratings getting constantly updated to the platform, LabelBlind can be a real help for the consumers.

    More and more Indians are moving towards a healthy lifestyle. Also there high possibility that Covid19 will bring permanent changes in consumption habits. Thus in the current situation Startups like LabelBlind can be a total game changer in the health and nutrition scenario of India.

    FAQs

    What is label Blind?

    LabelBlind is a nutri-tech platform launched by The Nutrition Alchemy for creating Nutrition Literacy. It simplifies complex information declared on food labels for consumers to know the nutrition value of food products.

    Who is founder of LabelBlind?

    Rashida Vapiwala is the founder of LabelBlind.

  • Elon Musk VS Anonymous – Full Case Study

    The Anonymous group which is a decentralized international activist has uploaded a video on their YouTube channel aiming at Elon Musk. The new video which was released on 6 June 2021, is considered to be a critical takedown on the billionaire entrepreneur.

    Who is Anonymous?
    Anonymous about Elon Musk
    Anonymous on Electric Vehicles and Space Explorations
    Anonymous on Twitter, Tesla and Bitcoin
    What is the Reason behind the video by Anonymous?
    FAQ

    Who is Anonymous?

    Anonymous is a decentralized international activist group and hacker group that is known for its cyber-attacks against governments and organizations have released a video on their YouTube channel which sent a mysterious message to the billionaire Elon Musk.

    The Anonymous group is known for its attack against the Church of Scientology. The group has conveyed that the CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk had enjoyed a reputation that was favorable because the world had a desire to live in a world of space exploration and Electric Vehicles.

    Anonymous about Elon Musk

    Anonymous group has conveyed through the video that the reputation enjoyed by Elon Musk is not deserved by him and added their viewpoints through the video. They have conveyed that the public image that he had been carefully creating has been removed and people have begun to see him as a narcissistic rich dude who is an attention seeker.

    They have added that the hunt for saving humanity which is proclaimed by Elon Musk is Naïve and not an actual concern he holds for the humanity. The group has shown the videos of his workers claiming that they have faced certain conditions under him for years which are intolerable and also added that he has children working on his lithium mines. They added that the lithium mines are also harmful to the environment and it damages the environment.

    Why is Tesla Planning to Enter Restaurant Business?
    Tesla which is an Electric Vehicle manufacturing company and that is involved inother businesses such as charging stations, solar roofs, power grids, etc. hasnow said to enter into the restaurant business. Let’s look at the reason whyTesla would be venturing into the restaurant business. Tesla R…
    StartupTalkyAlan Joseph

    Anonymous on Electric Vehicles and Space Explorations

    The Anonymous have also conveyed that Elon Musk has been creating a play in order to gain the power from Governments and installing dictators in the countries where the mining of his products is conducted. They also spoke about a newspaper headline that mentioned crowning Elon Musk to be emperor of Mars.

    The Anonymous had also claimed that Elon Musk was not the only person on earth who is working behind space explorations or Electric Vehicles and the competition in the industry has been growing as days pass.

    How Tesla is planning to make every home a Power Plant
    Tesla which is known for the sales of electric vehicles also deals with the saleof clean energy products. Recently Elon Musk who is the CEO of Tesla has saidthat he wants to make a distributed power plant in every home. Let’s look at howTesla is planning to make it possible. New Company Policy …
    StartupTalkyAlan Joseph

    Anonymous on Twitter, Tesla and Bitcoin

    The group had also spoken about the Twitter messages of Elon Musk and conveyed that he was able to grow a fan follower and created a craze by trolling others on social media. They added that all his messages on his Twitter account were nothing other than trolls.

    The group had even added that Tesla was not founded by Elon Musk and it was created by people who were much more intelligent than him. They added that Elon Musk had purchased or acquired the company from them and claimed them to be more intelligent than Musk. They mentioned the names of the founders of Tesla which were Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning.

    The group added that tesla’s earnings don’t come from selling cars but through the subsidies provided by the government. They also added that the company had earned money by holding bitcoins and criticized Elon Musk for playing games with the cryptocurrency which destroyed the lives of people.

    They added that one of the reasons for the growth in the earnings of Tesla was due to the hype created by Elon Musk over the bitcoins.

    What is the Reason behind the video by Anonymous?

    One of the major reasons for the video is estimated to be the Tweets shared by Elon Musk over the bitcoins. It is considered that Elon Musk had hyped the price of bitcoins by making a lot of his followers believe that the cryptocurrency is valuable and investing in it.

    Later the CEO of Tesla had announced that the company would start accepting bitcoins as a payment method for purchasing their cars and after a few weeks, the company and Musk took to Twitter tweeting that the company is no longer going to accept bitcoins as a payment method.

    The reason given by Elon Musk for this move was that the mining of bitcoins consumes a lot of energy and it is harmful to the environment. Another point to be noted was that before the announcement Tesla had sold a part of their bitcoins. However, they still hold bitcoins and Elon Musk had conveyed that the company will accept bitcoins as a payment when the mining is done through a sustainable source of energy.

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    StartupTalkyMichelle D’souza

    Conclusion

    However, Anonymous has claimed against this in the video saying that Musk was already aware of the environmental damage caused by bitcoins and he took this move when he realized that the subsidy that was provided by the government was held as Tesla was harming the environment.

    FAQ

    Did Elon Musk manipulate Cryptocurrency?

    It has always seen that Elon Musk’s tweets has affected bitcoin also bitcoin had a massive crash when he tweeted that Tesla will not accept Bitcoin as a payment.

    Who is Anonymous?

    Anonymous is a decentralized international activist group and hacker group that is known for its cyber-attacks against governments and organizations

    What did Anonymous said about Elon Musk?

    Anonymous in a video criticized Elon Musk for manipulating cryptocurrencies and also conveyed that Tesla was not founded by Elon Musk and it was created by people who were much more intelligent than him.

  • How To Register For GST online | A Complete Guide For GST Registration Process Online

    If a seller wants to sell across India they need to register for GST. The GST is meant to replace a slew of indirect taxes with a federated tax. In the GST Regime, businesses whose turnover exceeds Rs. 40 lakhs* (Rs 10 lakhs for NE and hill states) is required to register as a normal taxable person. The registration process is entirely paperless which means that it will take place online or digitally. Registering for a GST might seem confusing but just follow our Step by Step guide on how to register for GST online easily.

    How to Register For GST Online
    To Register For GST Online
    Documents Required To register For GST Online
    Steps To Register For GST Online
    Frequently Asked Questions About Online GST Registration

    How to Register For GST Online

    To Register For GST Online

    There are two parts in registering for GST online,

    Part A – Generate your GST Application form

    Part B – Filling in your GST Application form

    Documents Required To register For GST Online

    • PAN of the Applicant
    • Aadhaar card  
    • Proof of business registration or Incorporation certificate
    • Identity and Address proof of Promoters/Director with Photographs
    • Address proof of the place of business
    • Bank Account statement/Cancelled cheque
    • Digital Signature
    • Letter of Authorization/Board Resolution for Authorized Signatory

    Impact of GST on Startups and Small Businesses in India
    GST was implemented in India in July 2017. The GST was meant to replace a slewof indirect taxes with a federated tax. It has impacted almost all Industries,including start-ups. Startups are liable to pay taxes as they cross thethreshold limit are liable to pay GST from the moment they cross the t…
    StartupTalkyArbaz Sayed

    Steps To Register For GST Online

    Part 1: Generate Your GST Application Form

    First you need to visit official GST portal – https://www.gst.gov.in/ and under the services tab, choose Services > Registration > New Registration.

    On the registration page, enter all the requested details (including your PAN number), email address and mobile number. You need to select the option I am a Taxpayer.

    How To Register For GST Online - Step 1
    How To Register For GST Online – Step 1

    After entering the details click proceed. After that you’ll receive two different OTP on your phone and Email id for verifying the mobile number and the email id. OTP is valid only for 10 minutes. Enter the Received  OTP and click proceed.

    Once you click proceed your Temporary Reference number will be generated. Save and copy your TRN number it will be used for further filling of the form.

    This was the complete Part A of Registering for GST online. If you want some Help with tax preparation and planning, do read it.

    Now to use this TRN number, either click Proceed or Services > Registration > New Registration option and select the Temporary Reference Number (TRN).

    Enter your TRN number and the captcha text as shown on your screen. Click proceed and you will be asked to verify OTP again. (This is different from the previous OTP generated), Same OTP will be received on your phone and email id.

    Part 2: Filling Your Online GST Application Form

    Now click on action button on top right to start filling your GST application form.

    How To Register For GST Online - Step 2
    Filling in your GST application form

    The form contains 9 sections,

    Your Business Details

    Enter the details of your business. Enter the name of your shop under the Trade name and enter the constitution of business, private limited or partnership etc.

    How To Register For GST Online - Step 1
    Providing Business Details

    After you complete your registration click on save and continue to proceed further.

    Personal Information

    Enter the Required personal information and identity information. In identity information under designation, Add the designation of yourself. Suppose if you are proprietor add proprietor under that.

    How To Register For GST Online
    Providing Personal Information

    After you add all the details you have to upload your photograph, which should be in jpeg format of size maximum up to 100kb.

    Authorized Signatory

    If you are the proprietor of the company just click on primary authorized signatory and proceed further. If you are not the proprietor of the company then fill in the details of the proprietor of your company.

    Authorized Representative

    If you have an Authorized representative you have to fill in the details of your representative or else Click on save and continue to proceed further.

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    StartupTalkyAshwini

    Principal Place of Business

    Here, You have to add the details where your business is located, if your business is in Delhi then add the location details of your business.

    How To Register For GST Online - Step 1
    Principal place of Business

    You also have to add nature of your business. Under the nature of possession of premises add the type of your business and provide the document proof of place of business. Suppose you have a Rented business so click on rented and provide the proof of rented agreement such as electricity bill.

    Also add the nature of business activity and click on save and continue to proceed further.

    How To Register For GST Online
    Nature of possession 

    Additional Places of Business

    If you have Additional places of business you can Add it or click on continue to proceed further.

    Goods And Services

    Here you have to add if you are selling goods or services. If you are selling physical goods add the HSN code. (HSN is a six-digit code that classifies more than 5000 products, arranged in a legal and logical structure)

    State Specific Information

    Providing this information is up to you because it is not mandatory. Click on save and continue to proceed further.

    How To Register For GST Online
    State Specific Information

    Final Verification

    This is the final step of GST form. Once you fill the details you can choose to submit with EVC or DVC. If you select EVC you’ll receive same OTP on your mobile no. and email id. If you have a digital signature you can submit with DVC.

    How To Register For GST Online
    Verification

    On completion, an Application Reference Number (ARN) will be generated and sent to your mobile number and email id. You can use this to track your application status (Services > Registration > Track Application).

    This was the complete how to register for GST online step by step.

    Frequently Asked Questions About Online GST Registration

    How do I get a new GST number?

    • Go to the official GST portal – https://www.gst.gov.in/ and under the services tab, choose services > Registration > New Registration.
    • On the Registration page, enter all the requested details (including your PAN number), email address and mobile number.
    • After entering the details, click proceed. You will receive two different OTPs on your mobile and on your email for verifying the mobile number and the email id. OTP is valid only for 10 minutes. If required, you can regenerate the OTP.
      Your Temporary Reference number will be generated at the end of this process.
    • To use this number, either click Proceed or Services > Registration > New Registration option and select the Temporary Reference Number (TRN) radio button to login using the TRN.
    • In the Temporary Reference Number (TRN) field, enter the TRN generated and enter the captcha text as shown on the screen.
    • After this, you will be asked to verify OTP again. This is different from the previous OTP generated, please enter the new OTP received. The same OTP will be received on the verified mobile number and email id.
    • This will take you to your “My Saved Application” page. You will have to fill in all the form details and submit them within 15 days. After this, your number and saved form will be deleted.

    Is GST registration free?

    The GST registration is absolutely free of cost. The registration process is entirely paperless which means that it will take place online or digitally. Registering for a GST might seem confusing but just follow our Step by Step guide on how to register for GST online easily.

    Is GST applicable for online business?

    It is a mandatory GST Registration for all Online Sellers. Under GST, all online sellers must register and pay GST. This means that even if you only bring in Rs 1 lakh, you must go online and get a GSTIN. In addition, you’re required to file monthly returns and pay taxes on all qualified sales.

    How do I file GST online?

    Registering for a GST might seem confusing but just follow our Step by Step guide on how to register for GST online easily.

    1. Go to the official GST portal – https://www.gst.gov.in/ and under the services tab, choose services > Registration > New Registration. You can also apply for GST online using our exclusive offer for Amazon by clicking here.
    2. On the Registration page, enter all the requested details (including your PAN number), email address and mobile number.
    3. After entering the details, click proceed. You will receive two different OTPs on your mobile and on your email for verifying the mobile number and the email id. OTP is valid only for 10 minutes. If required, you can regenerate the OTP.
      Your Temporary Reference number will be generated at the end of this process.
    4. To use this number, either click Proceed or Services > Registration > New Registration option and select the Temporary Reference Number (TRN) radio button to login using the TRN.
    5. In the Temporary Reference Number (TRN) field, enter the TRN generated and enter the captcha text as shown on the screen.
    6. After this you will be asked to verify OTP again. This is different from the previous OTP generated, please enter the new OTP received. The same OTP will be received on the verified mobile number and email id.
    7. This will take you to your “My Saved Application” page. You will have to fill in all the form details and submit them within 15 days. After this, your number and saved form will be deleted.

    Can I sell on Amazon without GST?

    Yes. if you are selling only GST exempted categories, then this may not be required. However, If you are listing taxable goods, GST details are required to sell online. You need to provide a GST number to Amazon at the time of registration.

    Do I need a GST number for my small business in India?

    If a seller wants to sell across India they need to register for GST. The GST is meant to replace a slew of indirect taxes with a federated tax. In the GST Regime, businesses whose turnover exceeds Rs. 40 lakhs* (Rs 10 lakhs for NE and hill states) is required to register as a normal taxable person.

    What is EVC in GST?

    In the GST portal, a person can authenticate the user using an OTP (One Time Password). The OTP is called the Electronic Verification Code (EVC) and a person who wants to do the user authentication using an OTP can select this method.

    What are the documents required for GST registration?

    To complete GST registration, you will be needing the documents like PAN, Aadhaar, business address proof, cancelled cheque, bank account statement, business registration proof or the incorporation certificate, digital signature, photograph, address proof and ID proof of the director or promoter, board resolution or letter of authorisation from the authorised signatory.

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  • How Zomato is planning to make 100% Food deliveries on Electric Vehicles by 2030

    Zomato is the one of the largest food delivery startups in India. It is a multinational company which was founded in the year 2008 having its headquarters in Gurgaon, Haryana. The startup’s service is available in almost 24 countries and more than 10,000 cities. Zomato has announced that they would adopt to Electric Vehicles by 2030. Let’s look at how the startup is planning to do 100% food delivery on Electric Vehicles.

    Zomato – Latest News
    What Deepinder Goyal said
    Barriers Zomato will face in adopting 100% Electric Vehicles
    Zomato’s strategy in adapting 100 electric vehicles delivery
    Companies other than Zomato looking for transition to electric vehicles
    FAQ

    Zomato – Latest News

    Zomato which is a Bangalore based food tech company has announced that they were planning to adopt to shift their food delivery service to Electric vehicles by the end of 2030. In the month of May, the company had announced its plans to provide funding towards environmental projects in order to reduce the emission of carbon into the atmosphere.

    The company had also conveyed through a blog post that they would join the EV-100 which is a global initiative by the companies in order to shift towards Electric Vehicles.

    What Deepinder Goyal said

    The co-founder and the CEO of Zomato, Deepinder Goyal had conveyed through a blog post that the company was already making a number of deliveries using Electric Vehicles in the major cities which include Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, etc. and added that the company will try and fully adapt towards Electric Vehicles by 2030.

    He further added that the current food delivery through Electric Vehicle is hardly a few compared to the active delivery partners and added that the company understands that it is hard to adapt to 100% EVs but it is considered to be a necessity in the long run.

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    Barriers Zomato will Face in adapting 100% Electric Vehicles

    In order to adapt to 100% Electric Vehicles there are a lot of barriers faced by the company. Currently, the adoption rate is very low for the company as well as the two-wheeler industry. There are a certain set of barriers that currently impact the two-wheeler industry in general which include lack of infrastructure which is the charging stations, limited battery range, higher cost, and lack of brand loyalty in the new technology.

    Zomato’s strategy in adapting 100% electric vehicles delivery

    Zomato has been working towards adapting to the Electric Vehicle and has been actively engaging with certain Electric Vehicle players. They have been trying to come up with certain personalized designs for the company and also have been working towards creating business models that would help in making the transitions towards the Electric Vehicle sector much more easier and faster.

    In February 2021, the company had raised an amount of USD 250 million from its existing set of investors which include Tiger Global, Kora and Fidelity.

    Zomato Revenue
    Zomato Revenue

    Companies other than Zomato looking for transition to electric vehicles

    Zomato is not the only company that is working towards adaption of the Electric Vehicles in their business operation. Flipkart which is owned by Walmart had also announced that the company is looking forward to deploying around 25,000 Electric Vehicles by 2030.

    Flipkart has also joined the climate group’s initiative of EV100 and the transition is a part of its commitment towards to climate group to change the logistic fleet to Electric Vehicles. The e-commerce giant has already started using the 2-wheeler and 3 wheeler Electric Vehicles in the major cities that include Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, etc.

    Even Amazon has pledged towards the EV100 initiative and announced that they would introduce 10,000 Electric Vehicles for delivery and also introduce around 1 Lakh Electric Vehicles by 2030 as part of its commitment.

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    Conclusion

    Zomato is looking to make the company public and has been preparing for IPO which is considered to be one of the largest IPO. The company has also reported that they are doing well and said that their performance has crossed their expectations. Amidst the lockdown and restrictions laid down due to Covid 19 people are turning towards the online food delivery.

    FAQ

    What is the net worth of Zomato?

    Zomato had a net income of US$350 million in 2020.

    Who is owner of Zomato?

    Deepinder Goyal is founder and CEO of Zomato.

    What is the valuation of Zomato?

    The valuation of Zomato is $5.4 billion dollars after the recent investment of $250 million by Tiger Global, Kora and others.

  • The Ultimate Guide For Beginners – How To Make a Great Business Building Strategy

    A reliable and solid business strategy is one of the key points of running a successful business, that can easily outstrip the nearest competitors, and get the highest ROI of it. By building the most effective strategy, the business owners hope to enhance their business model, develop various tactics, create a specific roadmap for business growth, and define the main targets for it.

    In fact, a successful business strategy can define the further success of the company and whether it can stay competitive enough in the industry. That is why today we will look deeper into the importance of creating a strong business strategy, its types, and benefits, and also the things to consider while launching a strategy for business.

    Let’s get it started!

    The Importance of Creating a Business Strategy

    Before getting into the details about the types of business strategy you can choose from, it’s critical to understand why you need it and the main benefits of following a business strategy.

    According to Forbes, a strategy is a long-term plan that you build for your company to reach the desired, future state you envision. Usually, it covers the company’s goals to reach during the estimated period of time, the ideas of products or services you are going to realize, the target audience you are focusing on to make the business work, etc. Basically, that’s a solid ground of the prospects you are focusing on to develop your business.

    A well-planned strategy or great business intelligence solution can bring rapid and brilliant growth to the business and make it competitive enough in the industry.

    Here are the main benefits of the business strategy implementation you can easily get for yourself:

    • estimate concrete targets and goals to focus on;
    • establish the ways for the business constant growth;
    • find out the target audience;
    • create some other new products/services to include in your business;
    • plan the budget and make profitable investments;
    • set the priorities on different projects within one strategy;
    • allocate and optimize the resources;
    • track the progress;
    • increase the business’ overall ROI.

    As you can see, a smart strategy can greatly increase the chances of a business successful establishment and further development.

    Types of Business Strategies

    But which type of strategy accurately fits your business? Stephen L. Nelson suggests 3 basic types of business strategies: a cost strategy, a differentiated product or service strategy, and a focus on a niche strategy. Let’s look deeper at each of them.

    Cost Strategy

    This type of strategy implies offering extremely profitable deals for customers in any industry. For instance, one of the leading positions of the businesses which nailed this is Walmart or Costco. By providing a lot of economic benefits via the products’ low prices, these businesses managed to significantly enlarge their target audience, which consequently leads to the revenue increase.

    Nevertheless, it is still critical to keep in mind your business needs to retain some costs to get a higher profit than its competitors. That is why just setting the low-cost prices is not enough. Your business needs also to price the products/services enough to be able to get more revenue.

    Strategy for Differentiated Products and Services

    While selling unusual products or services, it is critical to make various strategies that can perfectly fit the products’ peculiarities and show their specific benefits in comparison to the ones of competitors. For example, Nordstrom department store has unsurpassed services offering a lot of high-quality products for sale.

    The key point in this strategy is to charge the customers for the specific features more than they cost you. Such a differentiation produces increased revenues in excess of increased costs.

    Focus Strategy

    This type is a combination of cost and differentiation strategies. It implies a deep understanding of the costs management and audience targeting, so they can focus on selling the particular categories of products for the particular audiences. As a rule, this type can provide the best serving in a particular niche for the market and get a high revenue by creating focused approaches.

    How to Create a Successful Business Strategy

    In fact, a successful business strategy implies using a simple explanation of what is your business and what are its main targets. Basically, there are only 5 components needed for creating a business strategy.

    Step 1. Identify Your Business

    In the first stage, it is important to create a business identity, which implies forming one short sentence about the value proposition your business can provide to your customers.

    For instance, the Amazon review website defines its identity as follows: “We offer an expert opinion on the products you consider before a purchase”.

    A great business identity identifies what is your business about and the value it can provide to potential clients. So, to get a close idea of it, try to answer a simple question “What do I do?” to set up the right value proposition.

    Step 2. Consider the Customers’ Pains & Problems

    The next step of making your perfect business strategy is to define the problem you can solve with your products/services. These should be the short and strong points for making your potential customer get interested with the probable solution offered by your company. Also, to make it more clear for the customers, try to avoid the “wall of text” by making the bullets of the main pains clients often face.

    For example, here is how the pet accessories shop nailed it: “We know how challenging a dog harness can be. It should be easy to put on, safe and comfortable, and functional for your comfortable utilizing it with your four-paw friend.”

    Step 3. Find out the Solutions

    At this stage, you should provide the exact solution for your clients. According to the article on Medium, customers do not buy the product itself – they just purchase the solution to their problems. A good example of this is taken from Haje Jan Kamps’ words: “You won’t actually sell an iPhone by saying it has a 12-megapixel camera. Instead, you can sell it by presenting the awe-inspiring photos you can take with the gadget you always have by hand.”

    Or else, assuming you would like to sell the cat & dog products, you don’t have to provide your potential customers with the product features. Instead, just provide them with the answer to what they actually get with this purchase.

    Such an essential and effective method works like a simple marketing trick, which in fact can significantly boost the revenue, and help your potential customer make the purchase decision.

    Step 4. Analyze the Market Situation

    Next, think over your perfect customer and define the target audience you are going to focus on. Account the approximate number of potential customers to make sure you will have enough clients to build your business. In this case, you can also think over some additional features that will help to enlarge the audience.

    For instance, for the pet shop that could be the dog and cat owners, or those who’re only planning about getting one.

    The market analysis can provide you with an answer whether you can run a business with this idea or concept, or should you change something in your strategy to get more profit from it.

    Step 5. Know Your Competitors

    However, if you really want to set up a competitive business, then it is also critical to track the competition in this area. According to Statista, the main goal of competitor analysis is to get the overall idea about the various businesses’ performance in a predefined market. That’s one of the critical processes to define the future development of the business and its success.

    In order to conduct a profound competitor analysis you first of all need to define businesses that provide that same type of products or services to a similar target audience.

    After you have the list of your competitors, it is important to analyze their strong and weak sides, understand what consumers like and implement these features to your product along with adding some unique functions to it as well. If you are doubting which method is best, feel free to use split testing to get the most of your business development.

    And, needless to say, these tricks can be used while developing your new business strategy or creating a new one from a scratch.

    Conclusion

    To sum up, is the business strategy important for your project’s success? The answer is YES. By developing a strong and detailed strategy for your business, it becomes much easier to set up the goals and make the plan about their achievement.

    Of course, the business strategy can be implemented while preparing your new project or developing the existing business. But after giving it a try, you will notice the awesome results of your business progress. So, what are you waiting for? Start checking it yourself right now!

  • The Kaftan Company – Exclusively sells kaftans

    Kaftans are slowly becoming popular and coming into trend. You will find them in the wardrobe of every woman out there. The Kaftan Company is a clothing brand which specializes in designing and manufacturing amazing kaftans. The products of the company are available on many leading online fashion stores.

    The Kaftan Company Highlights

    Startup Name The Kaftan Company
    Headquarter Hyderabad, India
    Sector Textile
    Founder Prakruti Gupta Rao
    Founded 2011
    Revenue $4 Million
    Total Funding Self Funded ~ Rs.20 Lakhs
    Website thekaftancompany.com

    The Kaftan Company – Idea and starting up
    The Kaftan Company – Founder
    The Kaftan Company – Logo, Vision & Mission
    The Kaftan Company – Major challenges faced
    The Kaftan Company – Team
    The Kaftan Company – Industry details
    The Kaftan Company- The Product / Service
    The Kaftan Company- Business and Revenue Model
    The Kaftan Company Funding
    The Kaftan Company Competitors
    The Kaftan Company – FAQs

    The Kaftan Company – Idea and starting up

    The Kaftan Company was launched as an entrepreneurial initiative in February 2016. It was a spin-off to their other brand called Shibori Designs which was western wear apparel brand. The idea spawned during a great sell-through. It was identified when 80% of the total sales of Shibori Designs were coming from kaftans. Additional research and due diligence showed us that there wasn’t a particular company dedicating their product line to the graceful and comfortable kaftan silhouette. This was when they wished to capitalise and be the first to introduce kaftans for all occasions and very simply “The Kaftan Company” was created.

    As is the case with any start-up, the initial days required a lot more thought into conceptualising the brand and gaining clarity in the vision of the brand as it continues to grow. Since kaftans are not a widely accepted form of garment, it was a challenge and a scare to go into the market all in. Thus, the team took it slow and entered the market with caution. They provide a vast variety of colours they use in the chosen fabrics and the general free fall of a kaftan identified best with a butterfly, which they later integrated and made it look clearly symbolic with their logo.

    The Kaftan Company – Founder

    Prakruti Gupta Rao (founder of The Kaftan Company)

    The company was founded by Prakruti Gupta Rao. Prakruti did her MBA from Schulich School of Business, Toronto. Later, she worked at Mercedes Benz Financial Services in Canada in the role of Global Project lead.

    The founder, Prakruti Gupta Rao says “Perseverance is something that has gotten us through many challenging times and adhering to the concept of “never give up” to achieve what you truly believe in”.

    The Kaftan Company – Logo, Vision & Mission

    The Kaftan Company Logo

    The Kaftan Company aspires to be the world’s most recognised brand for kaftans, with an aim to offer customers the best possible product selection, quality, value and excellent service. When anyone is shopping for a kaftan, the company want them to think of The Kaftan Company as their first choice. The mission of the company is to blend tradition and innovation and be a market leader in creating uniquely appealing kaftans.

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    The Kaftan Company – Major challenges faced

    Initial challenges faced by the company include educating the consumers on the concept of the kaftan. They noticed in their initial days of launch, that as traditional and old as it may be as a garment, the customers still need to see the kaftans in images or try them, particularly in tier II and tier III cities. Customers think they will not look good in a kaftan. But the way the company has designed its kaftans, it looks beautiful and fits well for any shape and size. The challenge was to just convince users to say yes to give it a chance.

    The Kaftan Company – Team

    Along with Prakruti, her husband co-operates her by handling all the major operations as the CEO. The company provides employment to more than 45 people. They promote women empowerment with 80% skilled labour being women and all key positions including accounts, administration, designing, merchandising etc. are all managed by women. The business operations and production unit of The Kaftan Company is based out of Hyderabad, India.

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    The Kaftan Company – Industry details

    Indian domestic textile and apparel market is estimated at US$ 75 billion in 2020-21. The market fell 30% from US$ 106 billion in 2019-20.The market is expected to recover and grow to reach US$ 190 billion by 2025-26. This presently contributes to 5% of the current GDP and 14% of the overall index of industrial production.

    The Kaftan Company- The Product / Service

    The products in Kaftan Company are basically very well crafted kaftans for women. They make a range for sleepwear, daywear, holiday wear and have recently also introduced “cocktail” wear kaftans. It is very different from other brands because of their in-house digital prints, their extreme care and diligence while stitching, and size range from Small to XXXL. It is nearly impossible for anyone to find such a vast range if kaftans under one brand. Typically, fashion brands may present 1 or 2 kaftans in their portfolio of garments. They chose to differentiate themselves by creating each and every product using the comfortable kaftan silhouette.

    People at The Kaftan Company do not use any particular technology. However, they use the necessary software and other tools for their day to day activities. But for designing, they believe their own talent and uses the least technology to keep the art alive.

    The Kaftan Company uses tradition and innovation in creating uniquely handcrafted kaftans that the world has yet to experience. They are a very honest brand that focuses on comfort, good quality fabrics, impeccable quality, and trendy designs.

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    The Kaftan Company- Business and Revenue Model

    The Kaftan Company uses a ‘clicks and bricks’ business model to retail their products. Clicks and bricks basically mean being present on both type of platforms, viz., online and offline. Clicks come in the form of their own e-commerce website as well as e-commerce channel partners, both in India and internationally (Myntra, Flipkart, Amazon, etc.). The bricks include multi-brand boutiques across the country and internationally.

    The Kaftan Company started selling kaftans’ internationally via online-channel partners in the U.S (Amazon.com), U.A.E (Souq.com) and U.K (StrandofSilk.com) and have nearly confirmed distributors in the African Subcontinent and East Asian markets (Malaysia).

    Company uses a Mark-Up/Down revenue model in the retail of its kaftans.

    The Kaftan Company Funding

    The Kaftan Company is entirely a self-funded enterprise. They began their operations with a capital of INR 20 lakhs.

    The Kaftan Company Competitors

    While the fashion space includes many brands as potential competitors, they are primarily indirect for The Kaftan Company. They do not consider any direct competitors at this point given the initiative to be a fashion brand solely revolving around the design and production of kaftans in their entire portfolio. However, there is also a kaftan company in the United States that sells only kaftans under the name Kaftan Communities.

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    The Kaftan Company – FAQs

    Who is the Founder of the Kaftan Company?

    Prakruti Gupta Rao is the founder of the Kaftan Company.

    When was the Kaftan Company founded?

    The Kaftan Company was founded in 2011.

    Is the Kaftan Company an Indian Company?

    Yes. The Kaftan Company is an Indian Company with its headquarters in Hyderabad.

    What is the Kaftan Company’s Business model?

    The Kaftan Company uses a ‘clicks and bricks’ business model to retail their products. Clicks and bricks basically mean being present on both type of platforms, viz., online and offline.

  • Mailit – Delivering Super Service Experiences backed up by Tata Group

    Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by Mailit.

    Logistics tech startups are bound to attract investor interest again this year, due to the spike in Covid-19 across the country. Ecom Express, a logistics startup based in Delhi, raised $20 million, for example. Second, before its IPO, Unicorn Delhivery raised $3 billion in funding.

    The second wave is shifting the focus of the table to technology and digital logistics in order to improve business operations. Similarly, on 21st April 2021, Ratan Tata has recently made an undisclosed amount of investment in Mailit, a Mumbai-based dispatch aggregator.

    Mailit is a pioneering dispatch aggregator company headquartered in Mumbai that provides customized parcel delivery and mailroom management services. The company also has a mailroom management service, which includes bulk document and package dispatching both domestically and globally.

    Mailit – Company Highlights

    Startup Name Mailit
    Headquarters Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
    Industry Mailroom management and Logistics
    Founder Mahesh Shirodkar
    Founded 1987
    Current CEO Mahesh Shirodkar
    Website www.mailit.com

    Mailit – Recent News
    Mailit – About and How it Works?
    Mailit – Operational Flow Process
    Mailit – Name, Logo and Tagline
    Mailit – Founder and History
    Mailit – Vision and Mission
    Mailit – Business Model
    Mailit – Partners
    Mailit – Competitors
    Mailit – Future Plans
    Mailit – FAQs

    Mailit – Recent News

    As of 21st April 2021, Mr. Ratan Tata, a renowned industrialist, made an investment in Mailit, a technology-driven mailroom management and logistics firm.

    Although the details regarding the finances of this recent investment by Ratan Tata hasn’t been disclosed yet, Mailit happens to state that in the next five years it plans to open 500 mailrooms across India as well as fully automated warehouse and distribution centres.

    Leading corporates and many blue chip companies in the Tata Group rely on Mailit for courier, parcel, mail room management digital solutions, and postal services.

    Mahesh Shirodkar, founder of the company, said the investment by Ratan Tata “opens up a wider growth prospect” for the company.

    “With the government reiterating its commitment to strengthening the infrastructure sector, Tata believes the Mailit IL&MS platform will bring in cost optimization, build operational efficiencies in the supply chain and create employment opportunities across India,” the company states.

    This new investment by Ratan Tata came at a time when the company was looking for new ways to expand its primary business and move towards the more digitised and technical services. As a result, it made the decision to invest in Mailit for technological logistics and smooth movement.

    Mailit – About and How it Works?

    Mailit, a Mumbai-based dispatch aggregator, is a subsidiary of Mahesh Shirodkar’s company Shirodkar Cargo Services that provides customized parcel delivery and mailroom management services.

    Mahesh Shirodkar, initiated courier services in 1987, and on March 16, 2006 his company became a private limited known as Shirodkar Cargo Services Pvt Ltd which is a business that engages in customized courier, delivery, and mailing room services. The business provides customized delivery of a variety of packages. It also involves both domestic and foreign bulk dispatch of documents and parcels.

    TATA Motors, TATA Capital, TATA Hitachi, and Glenmark Pharmaceuticals are among the company’s top tier customers.

    Mailit – Founder and History

    Mailit Founder, Mahesh Shirodkar, exemplifies entrepreneurial zeal by taking a forward-thinking approach to any business venture he undertakes. He is a firm decision-maker with a hands-on leadership style, as are all innovative entrepreneurs.

    A thousand-mile journey is said to begin with a single, progressive step. Mr. Shirodkar took the crucial step in 1987 when he established Mailit, a division of Shirodkar Cargo Services Pvt. Ltd. in Mumbai. In his search for excellence, he began modestly in the Mailroom services industry, as did many of his self-made contemporaries.

    It wasn’t an easy ride for him. But, guided by his unwavering desire to succeed, he embarked on a fruitful entrepreneurial journey in the 1980s, beginning with a daily wage of just INR 30 at Tata Motors. His dedication to excellence propelled him up the corporate ladder, and he soon found himself in charge of the Tata Group’s intra-office mail delivery operations.

    Mailit – Operational Flow Process

    First Mail Operation:

    • Pickup service is available at all Pin Codes that are serviceable.
    • First-mile operations at major metros need a dedicated team and fleet.

    Processing and Connection:

    • Shipments are processed and linked at metros by processing units.
    • Streamlined processing to ensure that communications are made quickly and without any delays.
    • A large network of several co-loaders ensures timely connections by air, rail, and road.

    Delivery:

    • Same day delivery attempt at every location
    • Constant follow-up to all locations is performed centrally.
    • Maintain an average delivery strike rate of >85% at all locations.
    • Average delivery efficiency is >94%, with overall returns of 6%.

    Mailit – Name, Logo and Tagline

    Mailit’ s logo consists of two ‘location-icons’ which clearly depicts its services.

    Mailit Logo
    Mailit Logo

    Mailit – Vision and Mission

    Mailit’ s vision statement says, “Unmatched Convenience at Best Price to deliver the full-service innovative dispatch management system to help you save on cost and time in addition to providing unmatched convenience.”

    Mailit’ s mission statement says, “To deliver Superior Service Experience through our bespoke Mailroom Management services at an affordable price in a quick turnaround time.”

    Xpressbees – Logistics And Supply Chain Startup
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    Mailit – Business Model

    The Mailit business strategy is to create India’s first digitally integrated logistics and mailroom solutions (IL&MS) platform, which will provide much-needed convergence, performance, and exposure to a fragmented market.

    Mailit’ s IL&MS is a digital interface that integrates Mailroom Management, Logistics, and Distribution. Mailit aims to transform the logistics landscape by consolidating the entire supply chain, enabling seamless end-to-end delivery with real-time visibility, and thereby lowering overall logistics and transportation costs.

    The business provides customized delivery of a variety of packages. It also involves both domestic and foreign bulk dispatch of documents and parcels. In Print and Post facilities, the company collects variable data from customers, which is then processed using cutting-edge technology to print, stamp, and mail documents on their behalf.

    Mailit – Partners

    Mailit’ s partners include Bluedart, Gati, First Flight, DTDC, FedEx, htc, Track On, and The Professional Couriers.

    Mailit – Competitors

    Mailit’ s competitive set include these competitors:

    • Fareye
    • Shadowfax
    • Loginext
    • Locus
    • ElasticRun
    • 4tigo
    • Leap India

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    Mailit – Future Plans

    In the next five years, Mailit expects to open 500 mailrooms across India, as well as fully automated warehouses and distribution centres. With the government reiterating its commitment to strengthening the infrastructure sector, Mr. Ratan Tata believes the Mailit IL&MS platform will bring in cost optimization, build operational efficiencies in the supply chain and create employment opportunities across India.

    Mahesh Shirodkar, Founder & CMD of Mailit, commented on Mr. Tata’s investment, saying, ““We are truly thankful to Shri Ratan Tata for showing faith in us and investing in Mailit. It opens up a wider growth prospect for us and we intend to scale up the operations across geographies. With our state-of-the-art operations and trained professionals backed by the use of the most innovative technologies available today, Mailit expects an upward trajectory from here on.”

    Mailit – FAQs

    What does Mailit do?

    Mailit is a pioneering dispatch aggregator company headquartered in Mumbai that provides customized parcel delivery and mailroom management services.

    Who founded Mailit?

    Mahesh Shirodkar founded Mailit.

    Which company owns Mailit?

    Mailit is subsidiary of Shirodkar Cargo Services Pvt Ltd.

    What companies do Mailit compete with?

    Mailit’ s competitive set include these competitors: Fareye, Shadowfax, Loginext, Locus, ElasticRun, 4tigo, and Leap India.

  • Fizzy Fern – The Best of Nature and Ayurveda Skincare

    Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by Fizzy Fern.

    Everyone wants to look good. Looking good not only helps us feel good, but studies have shown that looking good and presentable has many benefits like high confidence level, higher chances of getting a job and even more earnings. One of the major factors of our looks is our skin. A soft and flawless skin makes us look better and healthier. This is the reason, why the skin care products industry is growing rapidly around the world.

    There was a time when the skin care market was flooded with products which contained harmful chemicals which in the long run caused damage to the skin. But with more and more research being done on skin care products, people have now become aware of the adverse effects of using chemical containing skin care products. As such, natural, ayurvedic and chemical free skin care products are what the consumers are looking for today.

    Considering this increasing demand for chemical free skin care products, Fizzy Fern, aims to manufacturing premium quality products which are soft on the skin. These products do not contain harsh chemicals like sulfates and parabens and are cruelty-free too.  

    Fizzy Fern – Company Highlights

    Startup Name Fizzy Fern
    HeadQuarter Faridabad, Haryana
    Founder Robin Chopra, Nitasha Chopra and Sugam Mehtani
    Industry Cosmetics
    Founded 2017
    Funding Bootstrapped
    Parent organisation Pristle Products Pvt Ltd

    Fizzy Fern – About
    Fizzy Fern – Industry Details
    Fizzy Fern – Founders and Team
    Fizzy Fern – The Idea and Starting Up
    Fizzy Fern – Name and Logo
    Fizzy Fern – Product
    Fizzy Fern – Business Model
    Fizzy Fern – Customer Acquisition
    Fizzy Fern – Funding
    Fizzy Fern – Challenges
    Fizzy Fern – Competitors
    Fizzy Fern – Future Plans
    Fizzy Fern – FAQs

    Fizzy Fern – About

    Fizzy Fern, aims to manufacture premium quality products which are soft on the skin. These products do not contain harsh chemicals like sulfates and parabens and are cruelty-free too.  

    Fizzy Fern – Industry Details

    The revenue earned in the skincare segment in India is $1,510 Million in 2019. The market is expected to see a growth of 2.5% CAGR in 2019-2023.

    Fizzy Fern – Founders and Team

    Robin Chopra, Nitasha Chopra and Sugam Mehtani are the Co-Founders of Fizzy Fern.

    Robin Chopra : Robin Chopra is the founder of the FizzyFern. He has experience working with leading FMCG and Media Companies like SABMiller India and Times of India Group.  

    Nitasha Chopra : Nitasha is Robin’s partner in business and life. She was a banker prior to the inception of Fizzy Fern.  

    Sugam Mehtan : Sugam is the co-founder of Fizzy Fern and also Director of Carbone Products (India).

    Fizzy Fern – The Idea and Starting Up

    Skin care was always a passion for Robin. He understood that in today’s world, to combat the ill effects of pollution and stress, good skin care products are essential as they help one look and feel healthy and beautiful. Besides Nitasha being a girl was naturally interested in skin care. So they kept exploring the idea over a couple of years. Since they also had manufacturing facilities within the extended family, they finally decided to take the plunge.  

    We wanted to have a more international name that sounded fresh as well as soft.

    Fizzy Fern Logo

    After almost 2 months of brainstorming, the founders came up with the name Fizzy Fern. Fizzy means lively and Fern is a plant. So the name means a lively plant.

    Fizzy Fern – Product

    Fizzy Fern has a wide range of products for face care, lip care, body wash, body lotions, scrubs and body massage oils. Besides, the company also has a special range of skin care products for men. Fizzy Fern aims to establish itself as a name associated with premium gifting. So the company has designed great looking boxes containing different skin care products, which are ideal for gifting.  

    We are a skincare brand that also lays great emphasis on the whole unboxing experience.  

    Fizzy Fern has first of its kind packaging for their products. The products are packed in beautiful cardboard tubes, which give a premium look to it.

    Fizzy Fern Products

    Fizzy Fern – Business Model

    The Fizzy Fern business model has taken the hybrid distribution channel right from the beginning. Fizzy Fern products are available in all leading e-marketplaces like Amazon, Nykaa, Flipkart, Smytten and PayTM and also in the offline retail channel in select markets viz, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Dehradun.  

    Fizzy Fern – Customer Acquisition

    While a little push here and there gets you the initial trials, if the product is good and keeps the promise, you’re sure to win in the longer run.

    As said above initial user came from online marketplaces like Amazon, Nykaa etc from the initial stage. Fizzy Fern’s Face Pack, Hair Oil, Sunscreen and Rose Lip Balm were the products that became popular among its early set of customers. Good and positive word of mouth publicity helped the company to broaden its customer base gradually.  

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    Fizzy Fern – Funding

    The Company is bootstrapped till now.

    We have not taken any funding and thus we are extremely cautious of every penny that we spend. Hence, it’s only been organic launches and organic growth that we’ve seen till now.  

    Fizzy Fern – Challenges

    The most challenging part is to live up to the promise of soft skincare products.  

    Besides, Robin considers competing with big names in the skin care products industry as one of the major challenges.

    Fizzy Fern – Competitors

    I won’t say, competitors, we’re honestly far away from competing with a lot of brands; but yes, there are definitely brands that we draw a lot of inspiration from  

    Robin is personally a big fan of the Forest Essentials and Kama Ayurveda. He looks up to these two brands and hopes to create a similar experience with the fizzy company.

    Fizzy Fern – Future Plans

    Fizzy fern in the long run, wants to increase its production and market reach. It aims to win consumers with high-quality products.

    Fizzy Fern – FAQs

    What is Fizzy Fern?

    Fizzy Fern manufactures premium quality skincare products which are soft on the skin and does not contain harsh chemicals like sulfates and parabens and are cruelty-free too.  

    Who are the Founders of Fizzy Fern?

    Robin Chopra, Nitasha Chopra and Sugam Mehtani are the Co-Founders of Fizzy Fern.

    What are some Fizzy Fern products?

    Fizzy Fern has a wide range of products for face care, lip care, body wash, body lotions, scrubs and body massage oils. Besides, the company also has a special range of skin care products for men.

  • List of Brands Endorsed By The Great Khali

    The current years many brands are appointing many sportsman and athletes as their brand ambassador. This is because many athletes are not just popular but also have the skills and characteristics that are admired by consumers from all walks of life.

    One such unique wrestler that is self-made, and has achieved success through the sheer determination and hard work is none other than the Great Khali. The Great Khali born as Dalip Singh Rana is an Indian American Professional Wrestler, Wrestling promoter and actor. He became popular during his time in the WWE.

    Khali was earlier an officer in the Punjab Police, but made his debut as a professional wrestler in 2000. Khali has also appeared in some Hollywood and Bollywood movies such as The Longest Yard, Get Smart, Kushti, the tree of life, John Cena experience, etc. He also was a part of the popular reality TV show Big Boss in 2010.

    The wrestler was the first Indian world heavyweight champion and has defeated well known people like Undertaker, Kane, John Cena, Shawn Micheals and Big Shaw throughout his career. Khali is the founder of Continental Wrestling Entertainment (CWE) which is an Indian professional wrestling promotion and training academy.

    From 2006 to 2014, Khali has won several WWE Champions, like World Heavyweight Champion, 2 time CWE Heavyweight Champion, 2 time Slammy Award winner in WWE and winner in the Teisen Hall Six Man Tournament. Recently on 24th March 2021, Khali was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

    As of 2021, the net worth of the great Khali is estimated to be over $6 million, which he earned mostly through wrestling. The wrestlers has so far earned over $2.2 million just from his brand endorsement. This fame has also led him to be the brand ambassador of for some brands such as Ambuja Cements Limited, Nestle Munch, Maithan steel and Immortal Tyres.

    Ambuja Cements Limited
    Nestle Munch
    Maithan Steel
    Immortal Tyres
    Frequently Asked Questions

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    Here is a list of brands endorsed by The Great Khali.

    Ambuja Cements Limited

    Ambuja is a leading cement producing company that is known for its home building solutions and sustainable development operations. Ambuja Cement was founded in 1983 and has its headquarters in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The company markets cement and clinker for both domestic and export markets.

    In 2006, Ambuja became the partner of Holcim which is the second largest cement manufacturer in the world. Ambuja is one of the most trusted brands in India because it is its products offer sustainable options, designed according to the climatic conditions in India. Currently, Ambuja Cement has a cement manufacturing capacity of 29.65 million tonnes as it has five cement manufacturing plants and eight cement grinding units across India.

    The company signed the great Khali as its brand ambassador in 2015. The WWE wrestler has appeared in some ads for Ambuja, one of the best ambuja ads is the mockumentary ad with Khali. In the ad Khali is shown to be in an interview, explaining about how his strength and height were a problem in his earlier days.

    The funny commercial shows him struggling with infrastructure and falling in different places while doing his daily tasks, the ad then showcases that after building a home with ambuja cement, he finally understands the joy of being at home. The advertisement was funny, clever and got lakhs of views within a first weeks of its launch.

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    Nestle Munch

    Nestle Munch is a popular wafers filled chocolate bar sold in India and made by the conglomerate Nestle. Munch comes in various different flavors such as Munch Nuts, Munch Crunch O’Nuts, etc. Its parent company is the FMCG giant Nestle, which is a swiss multinational food and drink company that has its headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland.

    Nestle sells a vast variety of products such as Baby food, medical food, cereals, bottled water, dairy products, ice cream, pet food, snacks, etc. Nestlé was formed in 1905, and is now considered to be the largest food company in the world, in terms of revenue. Currently Nestle is sold in 189 countries with more than 447 factories around the world. Nestle started imported its products to the Indian market in 1912 and has a long history with the country.

    Nestle is one of the most trusted brands in India because it has helped the country grow for over a century and employs over a million Indians in different roles. Nestle manufactures many products that are well known in India such as Nescafe, Maggi, Kit Kat, Milkmaid, Nestea, and a wide range of Nestle dairy products.

    Nestle signed The Great Khali as the endorser for its brand Munch in 2018. Nestle launched the ad campaign featuring Khali and the Bollywood actor Ishaan Khattar shot at the picturesque Dal Lake in Srinagar. The ad showcases the Ishaan being stunned by his date and her chaperone Khali. It further shows Ishaan biting into the Nestle Munch and getting an idea to save his date.

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    Maithan Steel

    Maithan Steel is one of the leading steel plants of the country as it has history of over half a century. The company specializes in iron and steel, ferro alloys, refractory, power and cement sectors and is available in over 56 countries including Europe and Japan.

    Maithan Steel and Power ventured into the iron and steel industry in 2001 and so far has over 1500 direct employees and 10,000 indirect employment. The company aims to deliver the best to its customers by manufacturing products with the best materials by using the latest technology and innovation in Indian and across the world.

    The company made The Great Khali its brand ambassador in 2020, the professional wrestler was a part of the ad campaign that reveled its new identity with the tagline “Nirmaan ka Maandand”. Through this ad the company was aiming to increase awareness, educate and inspire consumers on purchasing strong steel like Maithan steel which is said to be made in state of art technology.

    Kaushal Agarwalla the Director of Maithan Steel said that, they were glad to be associated with Khali for the campaign, as he would help in establishing the value of strength, bring better engagement, re-install the sense of trust and dependability with their customers.

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    StartupTalkySarika Anand

    Immortal Tyres

    Immortal Tyres started in 2011 are one of biggest manufacturers of a wide range of Tractor tyres, E-Bikes and Bike tyres. The company created best quality tyres by using the top grade resources. Immortal Tyres are known for their strong construction, premium quality, long service life and affordable prices.

    The aim of the company is to meet the changing needs of the customers and offer products as per the client need. The great Khali was signed as the endorser for Immortal Tyres in 2020. The wrestler is also featured in an ad campaign where he showcases the strength and durability of the Tractors tyres.

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    Conclusion

    The Great Khali is one of celebrated wrestlers in the history of WWE and is known for his humble and sincere nature. The professional wrestlers has worked hard to reach to that platform and this are the characteristics that are expected from brand endorsers in the advertising industry.

    Khali has over 1.6 million followers on Instagram and 11.8 thousand followers on Twitter and constantly endorsing his training center and other brands on his social media. But was recently the targeted by the impossible requests and memes from trolls, despite that the wrestler seems to take it positively and let it go. Khali is one of the few professional’s wrestlers to be signed as brand ambassador for big brands.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Who is The Great Khali?

    The Great Khali born as Dalip Singh Rana is an Indian American Professional Wrestler, Wrestling promoter and actor that became popular during his WWE profession.

    What is the Net worth of the Great Khali?

    The Net worth of the Great Khali is estimated to be $6 million as of 2021.

    How much does The Great Khali earn from Endorsements?

    The Great Khali is known to earn over $2.2 million from Endorsements

    What are the brands endorsed by The Great Khali?

    The brands endorsed by The Great Khali are Immortal Tyres, Maithan Steel, Nestle Munch, and Ambuja Cements Limited.