This is the build to sell model of business, but why isn't it taught in schools as a career path? Instead, it often feels like everyone is just conditioned to get a job and join the work force. I think the world would be more productive with the build to sell model that can create efficiencies in the corporate world, and more wealth for employees/business people.

At first I chose to be an S-Corp

This gave me a boost of confidence, I was a real company, I was two entities, I could exist legally in different states, I could fly like an eagle, I was a real president...then I realized the tax implications, I had to pay myself, give myself a salary and pay the monthly (and/or quarterly) withholding to the government. All the old tax forms from employment in the U.S. were back, W2s, W4s and so on. This tax structure can be good if you are making major cash because after you pay yourself a reasonable salary the rest of your revenue and profit goes to you as dividend distributions which can save you on employment taxes....around a 10% savings. Even sole proprietors have to pay self employment taxes. But with S-corps and corporations there is also all the licensing. I had to balance out these feelings of the bureaucracy with the feelings of being a real real company. All the documents, having to give myself payroll, give myself retirement benefits, and so on made me feel like I could easily take on employees, offices would be next, and then, oh boy, the big time. The truth is though that you have to really hire an accountant, a lawyer, or some kind of tax accountant lawyer (CFOs I think they are called). In the end, you have to deal with the chains of bureaucracy. Welcome to the corporate life.

Running to an LLC and back to being a Sole (Soul?) Proprietorship

Needless to say, after a week of trying to figure out tax and legal issues I decided to go back to my carefree days as a sole proprietor. There the accounting is much simpler, you get income and it is yours, not another entities. The taxes are straight forward. You are free to explore and go drink coconut water on Koh Chang beach whenever you want. However, so to is gone the feeling of being able to easily get employees and an office and so on.

The Compromise and the Long View

In the end, go with a corporate only when you are planning on getting funding, or employees, or a CFO. When you have the vision (and cash) to really expand, and when you are willing to make the commitment to an office, or offices and have a stable presence in one place or many. Otherwise, stay care free and dream. Give yourself the flexibility to grow a young company, till you are ready.

You can also design your own product at Shapeways.

2. People working for their own greed and gain accomplish much more than working for a collective. The surest way to stifle innovation and hard work is to take the incentive away. Why did capitalist nations thrive while communist nations starved? Only one was allowed to work for their own profit.

3. The ability to use disposable income to invest in new businesses causes mutual prosperity for both the investor and the recipient of capital. Even given the recent financial crises, financial instruments of capitalism are absolutely vital for prosperity. Both for the companies getting the investment, and the investor getting the return.

It's the process of creation that keeps me sort of a bubble and a half above perpetual anxiety in my life, and it's that feeling of being about 80 percent complete on a project -- where you know you still have something to do, but it's not finished, and you're not starting something -- that really fills my entire life.

But it's peripheral activities, like these, that allow people to get together, doing fun things. They actually get to know each other, and it is sort of like low-threshold peripheral activities that I think are the key to bringing up some of our bonding social capital that we're lacking.

Now life is living you! Wish I new what the rest of the sign says...

A traditional Geisha statue, you see people dressed like this around Kyoto, particularly in the neighborhood of Gion which retains a lot of the traditional feel of Kyoto and it's past with Geishas.

This. is. Kyoto.

Fushimi Inari shrine, with so many orange gates!

Most of the gates had dates on them for when they were built or installed.

Writing I cannot yet read.

View from the top of the shrine.

A typical shrine, there were a lot of statues of foxes.

View of Kyoto.

Entrance and exit gate to Fushimi Inari shrine.

Japan is really really good at trains.

Look at the retractable shades to cover the sidewalk. Awesome!

Temple on the same street photographed above!

River along the famous philosophers walk of Kyoto.

Lots and lots of paper cranes.

Walking towards Gion.

Street view of historical Gion where a lot of the upscale bars and nightlife is located in Kyoto.

Another view.

Fans!

The river which denotes the border of Gion.

The Golden Temple. As far as I could read and tell, this temple is really plated with gold!

Going to the Imperial Palace.

And that was the last stop for Kyoto, next is Osaka, a mere 30 minute train ride away on the Shinkansen line.

Restaurant.

Japanese style meal. Bean sprouts, soup, tofu! Notice the order and neatness, that will be something of a trend.

Kamata subway.

Tokyo from the city Municipal Building which was completely free and even gave handy neighborhood by neighborhood guides of Tokyo.

Around Tokyo.

Tokyo University.

Rainbow bridge.

View of Tokyo from Rainbow bridge.

Rainbow bridge.

View from the far side of the bridge after walking across.

Rainbow bridge from the boardwalk.

Mochi ^_^ A Japanese glutenous rice desert.

Shopping street.

Indoor "fresh air" type mall popular in Japan, and an all round good decision in my opinion.

Shopping streets with retractable shades in the roof. There are shades everywhere in Japan. I think one of the main reasons is that being pale is equated to beauty in Japan, so people take pains to avoid the sun.

Asakusa temple, was bombed in WWII but is now mostly rebuilt and beautiful.

Another view.

and another view...

I don't know why, but they dress statues here...

Gates. Simplicity is beauty.

Zhao Ying in the temple. The matted floors are clean, novel, and comfortable.

More of the temple.

Mat floors! Paper windows! Beauty!

Food mall inside the subway.

Endless consumerism via automation describes Japan well, and it is great!

Authentic sushi in Kamata which is a good residential neighborhood to get the real deal. This sushi was awesome!

Festival!

Gates!

Barrels of Saki, older than WWII!

Temple square.

Japanese wedding procession at the temple. The temples in Japan are still in use!

Hello!....Kitty!

Crepes have taken off in Japan!

The Disney Store near Shibuya Crossing.

Shibuya crossing, a kind of shopping district and mass transit convergence stop.

Around Shibuya Crossing.

Inside an expo center.

Shinjuku electric market. (I think)

Temple in the city!

Gates!

I think this is near Ueno.

There are some immigrant businesses in Japan, and their Japanese is pretty good too!

Religious festival!

This is the standard model toilet for Japan. There was one in Osaka that even lifted the seat for your automatically!

Monorail!

Japanese trains = art.

Paper craines.

Coy!

Prayers and wishes as offerings.

Scene.

The religious festival continues with food sales and a fair type atmosphere not unlike the States.

And so we left Tokyo to go to Kyoto. There was no rush to do this since there is a train from Tokyo to Kyoto every 10 minutes! The trip took about 2.5 hours and some photos will be posted in the next post.

The skyline from a taxi. (Cost of taxi ride 5 USD for 30 minutes)

Every Chinese tourist attraction has some monument with big characters and every, EVERY, Chinese gets their photo taken with it.

Point in case.

Buddha.

In a cave!

More caves!

This one is famous.

This was on a wall inside a temple and was simply amazing. Tons and tons of carvings of many Buddhas. All of them told a story.

Some ceremony, but due to China being an atheist state, it was difficult not to be cynical.

Later we went to see some tea fields, but got side tracked off the bus by someone promising to show us the real thing. After sampling some teas for sale at his house, he delivered on the promised tour, and then after about 1000 steps of hiking we took in the view.

This is the lake Hangzhou is famous for and man was it pretty.

Hangzhou is a famous  town for its sites, and also for its beautiful girls, but our impromptu guide from the bus told us all the pretty girls married foreigners and left...I was leaving mainland too after 5+ months in China.

Part of me cannot help but feel like China is a dangerous place. Like if you stayed long enough
you would start to believe the government angle. Believe that it is OK to have
censorship since it is for the good of the country, believe that Tibet is a part of
China and it is for their own good, believe that it was stupid for Google to leave
China...etc...because at its heart, China is one big community, and most of the Chinese people love it like a religion, like something they put their blind faith into and gets them through their day, but deep deep down, their mistrust and doubts lay like lava in a volcano.

Anyway, I was going to Japan, a place where motorcycles, cars, and buses actually stop at pedestrian crossings, and dark chocolate could be found at any stores. But I would come to miss the crazy chaotic buzz of China...in fact, I still do...

Top of the street in our neighborhood which is close to many tourist
attractions.

View of the rooftops from the hotel. I would also like to suggest
that you can see the heat.

Inside Lion Grove Garden which is a world heritage site.

These three men symbolize wealth, longevity, and happiness (or prosperity).

A pond in the garden.

This is a stone boat in the garden which is actually a bit
like being in a real boat.

A bridge going across the pond.

The Rock Garden/Maze, that despite being
rather compact, is easy to get lost in.

Signs attached to the tree.

View from the top of the rock garden.

A canal street.

A Water Lily in the Garden of Cultivation.

Ducks kept by the lake.

Another view of the garden.

Woman collecting and selling lily flower bulbs, the seeds of which
can be eaten.

A view of all the lilies.

Another canal view.

A pagoda in a different park.

The park.

A canal runs through it.

Just another great sign translation.

A very pretty wood engraved board which had to be hidden
during the cultural revolution or it would have been destroyed.

Grapes hanging from the vine.

View inside the garden.

The tower.

Steps to climb up.

Looking down from the top.

A dragon made out of hedges.

An authentic Gondola from Venice, Italy, given to Suzhou
in recognition of the cities canals, and also because Suzhou is a sister
city to Venice.

Garden view inside the tower.

View from a castle in the garden. The first gate could
be broken leading the enemy into a deep area. Another gate could then
be lowered behind trapping them.

A view from the lake across the garden.

That is all for Suzhou, an interesting and historical city in mainland China.
All cities in mainland China seem to have a distinct charm in a way
that cities can in developing countries where hegemony is not so
universal or easy. Next is Hangzhou, nearby Suzhou and the last
stop in mainland China.