Running your own business is complicated enough... Starting one should be easy...

Your first steps seem simple. Open a bank account and register a business. Once you have that you can begin everything else. This is the first step and should be easy enough, but you would be amazed at how frustrating this simple process can become.

Most new entrepreneurs turn to banks, for obvious reasons. Firstly, the banks are always talking to and provoking the entrepreneur in you. They want to help you make your business a success. The second reason is that without a bank, you don’t really have a business.

Unfortunately, this is not the first step. Before the bank can eagerly assist you in opening an account, you need to have your businessvregistered. Easy enough?

Actually, it is a frustrating process and requires a plethora of legal attachments and requirements, including an understanding of the process, and submitting an original accounting officer's letter. This becomes very frustrating and puts a damper on your new business enthusiasm. Due to this complexity, many turn to shelf company registrations. This is currently one of the most popular ways to register a business, but is not without its own pitfalls. It costs between R250 - R750 for the shelf CC, plus an additional R200 - R450 to officially change the name and members. Some of the problems is timing, as the name reservation and name change process takes more time, upto four weeks. An additional hiccup is the added expense and hassle of changing the details at the tax office as well as registering for taxes which will set you back a further R650 - R1 750. In summary, a shelf company/close corporation at first seems fairly simple, but the change process make this more time consuming and expensive than first perceived.

What are the advantages?

By using Incorporex!, a new “Trading As” CC can be registered within 24 hours*. This is a huge plus for business brokers, property agents, property developers, accountants and attorneys. The registration fee covers CIPRO’s costs (stamp duty) and a service fee which includes the appointment of an accounting officer.