The Korea Publication Culture Industry Promotion Agency (Director Kim Junhee) Book Sharing Committee announced 7 titles, including Golmok-ui Yaktalja-deul (Smart Books), as 'Recommended Books.'
The Book Sharing Committee is composed of experts from various fields and introduces books in seven categories?literature, humanities and arts, social sciences, natural sciences, practical/general, picture books and fairy tales, and youth?each month along with a recommendation.
The 'Recommended Books for February' include seven titles: Golmok-ui Yaktalja-deul (Smart Books), Yei Eomneun Chingudeul-eul Daehaneun Seulgiroun Malhagi Sajeon (Sakyejul), Cheongsonyeon-eul Wihan Jonggyo Gongbu (Gino), Banggeum Tteonaon Segye (Hankyoreh Publishing), Mideun Ingan-e Daehayeo (Heureum Publishing), Gamokiran Mueosinga (Jisik-ui Nalgae), and Quantum-ui Segye (Haenamu).
Golmok-ui Yaktalja-deul | Written by Jang Narae & Kim Wan | Smart Books | 324 pages | 15,000 KRW
The full title is Your Money-Targeting Alley Predators. It sounds terrifying. There are predators in the alleys targeting your money. The stage of this predation is South Korea’s vast self-employment market, which sees about one million new entrants annually. This book uncovers the reality of predation that preys on self-employed business owners in this market. The two authors are active journalists who infiltrated the self-employment predation scenes themselves and published their findings in this book. As such, the book is vivid and immersive.
The so-called 'pop-up franchise' operators create seemingly attractive franchise brands without proper industry research or development and without successfully running direct stores. They recruit franchisees and soon after launch new franchise brands again. They are obsessed only with increasing the number of franchise stores. Support and management for franchisees are inadequate, and the headquarters close down and move on to new items. Even if franchise stores close down in large numbers, the headquarters do not suffer losses. The losses fall entirely on the franchisees.
Startup consulting firms manipulate the transfer fees between sellers who want to get more and buyers who want to pay less, or maximize profits by collecting commissions from both franchise companies and prospective entrepreneurs. Retirees in their 50s and 60s trying to start businesses with their severance pay find these consulting firms through internet searches. Many firms operating under different names are actually run by the same entity. They emphasize monthly profits or attract attention with listings of famous brand properties to lure prospective entrepreneurs to their offices. The authors say this is the beginning of hell.
Additionally, there are unethical startup consulting firms that make prospective entrepreneurs open empty Pilates studios instead of cafes, devilish contracts that trap entrepreneurs, and the inflated pricing mechanisms of new town commercial properties?these realities surrounding self-employment startups are laid bare. It becomes clear that it is not only robbers who target your money; you can be victimized even with your eyes wide open. This book will serve as a kind of vaccine for those preparing to start a business.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
