On being a woman entrepreneur

Many such thoughts have been crossing my mind of late. There was this enthusiasm to experience the corporate world after being in the teaching job for a long time. Have seen both the good and bad in this world. Now, at this juncture thoughts are turning to going on my own. So, what do I do? The last 5 generations on both paternal and maternal sides have been only into salaried jobs...no one has ventured on a business. On one hand is the temptation of earning a steady income through a job...I have still 14 years of service! On the other hand, when I contemplate, I feel so stagnated. Is this what any normal salaried person in her mid-40s feels? Or is it me who feels that there is so much more that can be done and I am not doing it? In this context, I happened to meet up with a young woman of 25 who had started her own coffee outlet/ a tiny restaurant doling out coffee and sandwiches and here is what I gathered from her:

1. A 400 sft place: rent Rs.14000/- pm.
2. Electricity expenses: 3000 pm
3. Gas: Rs.3000; 2 industrial cylinders pm
4. 3 waiters @ 3-5000 pm each
5. Yearly license at Rs 1500 pm
6. Other taxes
7. To look at hotel management schools for chefs
8. Location also is the key to decide the target client
9. Not to make it too exclusive in terms of target clientele or menu in the beginning till we stabilize
10.Takes around 3 years to break even.

All of the above + the cost of raw material every month...well,  to put in that much every month with no guarantee of profits...hmm..requires lot of thinking.