Sunday, May 30, 2004
One small step to incorporation
Peter's been doing a lot of work on incorporation. And having a leg operated on.
The country where we're setting up the venture requires a specific sum of money in the bank at the time of incorporation. So I wired over my bit and a week later it was in the account.
The country where we're setting up the venture requires a specific sum of money in the bank at the time of incorporation. So I wired over my bit and a week later it was in the account.
A few diversions
Some of you may have had enough reading about cash flows and MySQL problems.
Since the last posting a few things have happened outside of this business venture:
Munich
A friend I know had contacted me about a business opportunity based in Munich. So I flew over and had a chat with him about it. That was for about a couple of hours. We then went around the city, to bars etc and generally had a good time. It did rain a lot though.
Having lived in the city a few years ago I knew it is a great place. I was very pleased to revisit.
Returning to England I gave the opportunity an awful lot of thought. Also talked to people about it. But decided it wasn't right for me. Pity.
Prague
A couple of weeks later I phoned the recruitment company who had been handling my application for a job with a multi-national company who were setting up in Prague. I'd been phoning them every three weeks for the last seven months. I actually had a first interview by telephone with the company back in January/February and knew they wanted to interview me again.
I'm well known for my patience but I said to the consultant that it looks like the second
interview would never happen. He agreed with me.
A week or so later his colleague phoned - he was away - and said the company now wanted to interview me. In Prague. At their expense.
I asked the consultant if it wouldn't be too cheeky to ask not to fly back the same day as planned. I'd be happy to stay in a hotel - at my expense - so I could check out the city.
[Many years ago I spent a weekend in Prague as it was a couple of friends' joint stag party. So I hadn't really seen the city in the daylight with its clothes on.]
The consultant thought it was a very good idea and not cheeky at all. And the company booked the hotel for me - the Intercontinental - at their discounted rate. Thank goodness.
The company had booked me in for a 9am flight from Heathrow. This was the latest they could do as flights to Prague are infrequent. However it meant I had to stay at an airport hotel the night before. No worries. They'd booked a business class ticket for me which was grand.
After we had taken off the stewardess came up to me and asked the magical question "Champagne, sir?". Okay it's the second most magical question. Actually it was more cruel than magical as I had to decline - had to keep my traveling and interview head on.
The flight was late and the taxi meet and greet at the airport didn't materialized. I didn't linger too long and got a taxi to the office. But on the way we (i.e. the taxi driver and I) entered the worst traffic jam in Czech history.
To make matters more interesting the telephone number I had been given to contact, if I was late, wasn't being answered. I had to try a few combinations of the last digits until I got through to the company's switchboard. "Oh, she's not in today" I was told. Still, I was able to leave a message that I had been delayed.
Eventually reached their office and was interviewed by a chap who had flown in for the occasion. From London. Okay, not too good for him, or his client's finances, but good for me.
We had a good chat. At least an hour or more. Don't think being late was a problem.
After the interview I had the city to myself. Well obviously not but you know what I mean. I had a nice Czech meal which was surprising.
Yes, it was surprising. How many Czech restaurants can you name outside of the Czech Republic? My experience of Czech cuisine is that it's like Bavarian cooking but without the finesse.
[Non-Bavarians: that means it's super stodgy]
Anyway this meal - a late lunch for me, as my tummy was on UK time - was rather nice. As was the waitress.
Later on I met up with some Prague Hash House Harriers. If you don't know what it is check out their web site. Basically they're a drinking club with a running problem. There's at least one in most cities in the world, it's very expat but not exclusively so. I use to meet up with the Munich Hash House Harriers.
[Law enforcement officers - "hash" means hash in this case and not hashish. So you can go back to chasing speeding cars.]
So I got in touch with the Prague HHH and met up with three of them in the evening.
They put my mind at rest about some issues I had read on a Prague expat web site. And we had a good evening.
The next day I walked around the city. With my digicam. And the best thing was it wasn't too sunny. Why? Because anywhere can look good in the blazing sunshine.
So I had a good look around, took loads of photos then flew back.
The Czech Republic boasts some of the best Communist concrete of any of the former Warsaw Pact countries. That makes it a bit dull and grey and, er, like a former communist country. Especially when it's not sunny. But in all, it's quite nice.
Thinking hard about it, yes, I would quite definitely take the job if offered. We'll see.
Since the last posting a few things have happened outside of this business venture:
Munich
A friend I know had contacted me about a business opportunity based in Munich. So I flew over and had a chat with him about it. That was for about a couple of hours. We then went around the city, to bars etc and generally had a good time. It did rain a lot though.
Having lived in the city a few years ago I knew it is a great place. I was very pleased to revisit.
Returning to England I gave the opportunity an awful lot of thought. Also talked to people about it. But decided it wasn't right for me. Pity.
Prague
A couple of weeks later I phoned the recruitment company who had been handling my application for a job with a multi-national company who were setting up in Prague. I'd been phoning them every three weeks for the last seven months. I actually had a first interview by telephone with the company back in January/February and knew they wanted to interview me again.
I'm well known for my patience but I said to the consultant that it looks like the second
interview would never happen. He agreed with me.
A week or so later his colleague phoned - he was away - and said the company now wanted to interview me. In Prague. At their expense.
I asked the consultant if it wouldn't be too cheeky to ask not to fly back the same day as planned. I'd be happy to stay in a hotel - at my expense - so I could check out the city.
[Many years ago I spent a weekend in Prague as it was a couple of friends' joint stag party. So I hadn't really seen the city in the daylight with its clothes on.]
The consultant thought it was a very good idea and not cheeky at all. And the company booked the hotel for me - the Intercontinental - at their discounted rate. Thank goodness.
The company had booked me in for a 9am flight from Heathrow. This was the latest they could do as flights to Prague are infrequent. However it meant I had to stay at an airport hotel the night before. No worries. They'd booked a business class ticket for me which was grand.
After we had taken off the stewardess came up to me and asked the magical question "Champagne, sir?". Okay it's the second most magical question. Actually it was more cruel than magical as I had to decline - had to keep my traveling and interview head on.
The flight was late and the taxi meet and greet at the airport didn't materialized. I didn't linger too long and got a taxi to the office. But on the way we (i.e. the taxi driver and I) entered the worst traffic jam in Czech history.
To make matters more interesting the telephone number I had been given to contact, if I was late, wasn't being answered. I had to try a few combinations of the last digits until I got through to the company's switchboard. "Oh, she's not in today" I was told. Still, I was able to leave a message that I had been delayed.
Eventually reached their office and was interviewed by a chap who had flown in for the occasion. From London. Okay, not too good for him, or his client's finances, but good for me.
We had a good chat. At least an hour or more. Don't think being late was a problem.
After the interview I had the city to myself. Well obviously not but you know what I mean. I had a nice Czech meal which was surprising.
Yes, it was surprising. How many Czech restaurants can you name outside of the Czech Republic? My experience of Czech cuisine is that it's like Bavarian cooking but without the finesse.
[Non-Bavarians: that means it's super stodgy]
Anyway this meal - a late lunch for me, as my tummy was on UK time - was rather nice. As was the waitress.
Later on I met up with some Prague Hash House Harriers. If you don't know what it is check out their web site. Basically they're a drinking club with a running problem. There's at least one in most cities in the world, it's very expat but not exclusively so. I use to meet up with the Munich Hash House Harriers.
[Law enforcement officers - "hash" means hash in this case and not hashish. So you can go back to chasing speeding cars.]
So I got in touch with the Prague HHH and met up with three of them in the evening.
They put my mind at rest about some issues I had read on a Prague expat web site. And we had a good evening.
The next day I walked around the city. With my digicam. And the best thing was it wasn't too sunny. Why? Because anywhere can look good in the blazing sunshine.
So I had a good look around, took loads of photos then flew back.
The Czech Republic boasts some of the best Communist concrete of any of the former Warsaw Pact countries. That makes it a bit dull and grey and, er, like a former communist country. Especially when it's not sunny. But in all, it's quite nice.
Thinking hard about it, yes, I would quite definitely take the job if offered. We'll see.
