BUREAUCRACY VERSUS ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Could it be that my business venture is going down the drain before it is even started? I thought it shouldn't be any problem with the registration of my sole trader company, so I ordered my business cards. [Editor's note: By the way: Here is an interesting article on how to get a logotype.] It has been around two weeks since I sent the application forms to the Swedish Companies Registration Office and to the Swedish IRS. I called them up and got the information that they had not processed my applications. The SCRO had not accepted my choice of company name (EGO International Business Coordinator) because they thought it was too similar to another company with the word ego in the name. I have faxed them a list of new alternatives:

1. Egoist International Business Coordinator
2. International Business Coordinator
3. Lindeskog International Business Coordinator
4. Martin Lindeskog Sole Trader
5. EGOIBC

The bureaucrats at the tax agency didn't have any answer why they haven't done anything with my application for F-tax certificate and VAT registration. I have done a job for a customer, but I can't issue an invoice before I have a F-tax certificate...

Maybe I am not the right type of entrepreneur? I have a nagging feeling that I am lost in Douglas Adams's game, Bureaucracy, and I am being attacked by civil servants shouting: "Yes, Minister!" I hope this nightmare will end soon... I will take the opportunity to vent a bit and start a new feature called "Bureaucrat Busters." Andy Clarkson of the Charlotte Capitalist gave me inspiration with his post, It's The Spending Stupid.

The first edition of the Bureaucrat Busters is covering the bureaucrat at the Migration Board who used half of his time at the office surfing around on the internet, looking at porn sites. How much do you think the tax payers are paying for this kind of service? $350 million per year! My solution is to open up the borders and let people immigrate and migrate in a free way, as long as they are not a threat to other individuals.

I want to end the post in a positive way by linking to a list of business plan competitions around the world. The list is compiled by MIT $50K Entrepreneurship Competition. I will tell you more about my participation in the Venture Cup later on.