After thirtyeight years in the business of printing press, Lalit Rai, of Tathangchen Gangtok, advises even the new generation business enthusiasts to follow in his footsteps.

Estimated to rupees one lakh of expenditure per month, including salary for four employees in his businesses.

Learn the inside story of this 58 years old businessman, about his earning methods.

“It is not just printing business, it is the subsidiary jobs that comes along, that bring in the money”, says Rai.

The Initial Stages Of The Startup

It was actually on 1987, Lalit Rai, started his journey, as an office assistant to a local printing press. It was when working under JP Gurung of Gangtok, from 1989, he earned the skill of fastest typesetter, in Sikkim.

“For a formal letter, a team of ten used to finish the job, in two to four hours, and me, I used to do them within 45minutes,” Lalit Rai would share.

After learning supply of materials, mostly from Siliguri, computer skills, and printing skills, from JP Gurung’s printing press, Lalit Rai started applying for his own documents, on 2007. In next two years, after 20 years of being an amployee to his senior businessmen, Lalit starts his own printing place in another part of the town.

“Both learning skill from the owner, and submitting the money earned from the job, were my duties”, Lalit Rai.

Why Should One Get Into The Business of Printing Press

According to Lalit Rai, government jobs cannot pay all his bills, however, for newer generation business enthusiasts, they have lifestyle that is fatal for entrepreneurial choices.

He compares the businessmen from other parts of the country, and says that the youths from Sikkim makes higher expenditure per day.

“They take cigarettes instead of biri, and drinks costly alcohol or canned beverages, that alone can reach the expenditure of upto nine thousand in a month,” he breaks down with explanation.

Printing press gives you money, is respectful business, and builds lasting connection to the different people in the society.

In a display of his integrity towards the job, Lalit Rai shows the traits of a perfectionist and a good negotiator.

Where Is The Actual Money Being Earned From

Every weekends, Friday through Sunday, Lalit Rai visits Siliguri with a list of required goods exhausted in the shop. After readying the lists, he wears clothes seperated especially for traveling.

“Just to sit in the shop and waiting for customers will not bring money,” Lalit says.

And further says that a businessman should look for all the other possible areas inside it.

Lalit Rai takes contracts for printing and installing government hoardings, supplies furniture and building materials in Gangtok.

He is currently running a firm that is flexible in printing and supplying. However, he softly emphasises the need for humility as a characteristics of a successful business in printing press. He says that to learn the skills and build connections, an enthusiast must not overlook these traits.

Maybe cleverly or politically, or simply the delegence in his work, Lalit Rai has successfully established a good foundation for his business that gives him infinite money. He informs that he is planning to take retirement after four years from now, and stay home.