The Art of Doing Business in Indonesia (Without Losing Your Mind) Starting a business in Indonesia sounds straightforward on paper. Massive market, genuinely warm people, great climate—until you need to print something important and the electricity decides to take a break. Most foreigners show up brimming with optimism. "We'll get the company registered, bring on some staff, and we'll be making money in no time!" Fast forward three months and they're still bouncing between government offices trying to work out who's actually responsible for what. You learn pretty quickly that "soon" here is elastic. Could be this afternoon. Could be next month. Could be never. The bureaucracy is something else - you need forms stamped, but the stamps need signing, and the signatures need you to be pleasant, share some coffee, maybe grab lunch together. Permits are their own special circle of hell. Operating permit, signage permit, staffing permit—honestly wouldn...
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