CentreO Blog

So, you have your company registered, and you are planning to setup a bank account.

Ho do you do that?

Step One. CALL and make an appointment at the bank of your choice, since most banks in Hong Kong do not handle walk-in clients for company bank account setup. They also do not handle bank account opening matters on Saturdays.

Step Two. Make sure ALL DIRECTORS of the company are available for the bank appointment. The bank requires to see all the directors on site and witness their signatures.

Step Three. Make sure you have the following documents ready for the appointment:

1. Set of certified true copy of 

Business Registration Certificate

Certificate of Incorporation

NC1

Memorandum of Articles

2. Your company round chop and signature chop

3.  Passport original

4. Residential address proof (can be an overseas address, but the bank will ask for proof by the utility bills sent to the address with you name )

5.  An agreement showing your commercial address, e.g. a service agreement or a rental agreement.

* Please be prepared that the bank will have a one off charge of HK$650, as a ‘company search’ fee. And this fee may vary depending on which bank you are opening an account with.

In normal circumstances, the bank will be issuing a company account number to you on the same day and your banking facilities should be ready within 1 week.

We all need inspiration from time to time, and not just a motivational quote, but perhaps advice or a story from someone who has experienced the real thing.

For me, this inspiration comes from TED Talks. I’ve gotten into the habit of watching one video a day (sometimes for business or education, sometimes for fun and most times  – for motivation).

I would like to share one that has inspired me recently. A talk that makes you see life for what it really is. A talk that truly proves that you can be ANYTHING you set out to be. And all the challenges are only there to test how much you really want it)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c62Aqdlzvqk

When put under the spot light many of us struggle to describe what differentiates us from others.

“What is so different about you?” “What makes your business so special?”

Sometimes we just get caught off guard like a deer stunned in front of the headlights. Dumbfounded, with ummms and ahhhs, only to realise after you walk away, everything comes easily to mind.

Luckily Kevin Rogers, one of the must sought out American advertising copywriters online has created a very simple fill-in-the-blanks technique for writing up an UPS (unique selling proposition), calling it The Rebel Yell.

Relief! An easy template to memorise who you are, what you sell and why. No more last minute freak outs when that crack down moment comes.

And here it is:

My name is __________________, I love _______________ but was fed up with _______________.

So I created ______________ that ___________________________.

 

Some helpful tips to remember are: keep it simple, don’t over think it, write it as you are speaking one on one. keep your best clients in mind and what words they use to describe you .

it is also good opening to an interesting conversation !

Who could think two simple sentences could sum up your business’s worth and all that you wanted to say!

Here’s an example using our centre o’s very own entrepreneur,

My name is Josephine, I love to see how people build up brands but was fed up with working for others as a brand manager. So I created a business centre that I could help others not only build their brands but their business too.

Give it a try and share it in the comment box, I am very interest to see what you all come up with

 

 

Having a water filter in your home or office seems like a safe choice and a good way to have drinking water at your disposal at any time.

However, there may be hidden dangers that some filters can not cope with.

This is why home-safety expert Cheryl Luptowski suggests: “Check your city’s annual water report and chose the filters that are certified for removing chemicals that are common for your area’s water.

The most common culprits are:

Arsenic

High amounts in water can cause lung damage comparable to decades of smoking tobacco; exposure to even low to moderate amounts can impair lung function.

Copper
This material, used in water pipes, can cause a buildup of amyloid beta, a protein that appears to spark brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Chlorine
It kills bacteria, but water treated with this chemical can combine with organic matter, like decaying vegetation, to form trihalomethane—a carcinogen in high levels.

Lead
The metal can be picked up by water traveling through service lines (especially in homes built before 1950), potentially risking increased blood pressure and kidney problems.