Taxes, Labor Risks and Business Psychology: Insights from Eurasian Bank Business Breakfasts
17 December 2024, Almaty
Business breakfasts organized by Eurasian Bank were held in 10 Kazakhstan cities on the eve of its 30th anniversary, which the company will celebrate on 26 December.
At the meetings, each of the entrepreneurs could get answers to exciting questions about business, taxation, labor legislation and team management, and most importantly — could feel the support and friendly atmosphere.
Asel Mashanova: Risks, Team and Entrepreneurial Thinking
One of the bright figures of these meetings was Asel Mashanova, a successful entrepreneur and founder of companies such as Lulu Group, Method and Metafarm. During meetings with entrepreneurs from Karaganda, Kostanay, Taraz, Pavlodar, Aktobe and Aktau, Assel shared her experience and presented several important business tips, which, in her opinion, are the basis for success.
Insights from Asel Mashanova:
“We are not creating companies, but teams.” It is important not just to run a business, but to build a cohesive team that will support and develop the company.
“The one who knows how to keep the focus scales.” For business growth, the ability to focus on the main thing, avoid “spraying” and keep the focus on long-term goals is important.
“Faith needs to be served, and knowledge lives in the body. The body never lies.” It is important to listen to your body and intuition, it helps you make the right decisions in business.
“To test hypotheses and turn faith into knowledge.” It is required to test your ideas and beliefs through experience in order to turn intuitive feelings into concrete, proven knowledge.
“Going into honesty is a very cool game.” Honesty and openness in business are the key to long–term success.
The tips emphasize that a successful entrepreneur must be willing to take risks, adapt quickly to change and, most importantly, not be afraid of failure.
Dmitriy Kazantsev: Tax Risks and Optimization
In Atyrau and Ust-Kamenogorsk, business breakfast participants discussed taxes and tax security. Dmitriy Kazantsev, a tax expert, told entrepreneurs about the importance of complying with tax legislation, as well as about the risks that may arise due to business fragmentation and incorrect paperwork.
Insights from Dmitriy Kazantsev:
“Stop splitting up the business.” Splitting up a business to minimize taxes can lead to serious consequences, including fines and additional checks.
“Never hide your income. It always comes up.” Hiding income entails not only legal consequences, but also a loss of trust on the part of partners and customers.
“Take income declaration seriously.” Failure to comply with tax return obligations can result in significant fines, and in the case of hidden income, a fine of 10%.
Kazantsev stressed that it is important to be prepared for changes in tax legislation, especially given that 2025 will bring new tax regimes and requirements for companies.
Tatiana Issyk: Labor Legislation and Risks
In Kyzylorda, special attention was also paid to labor legislation. Tatiana Issyk, Professor at the International Academy of Business, discussed with the participants the main tax risks that may arise due to insufficient knowledge of the Labor Code.
Insights from Tatiana Issyk:
“It is important to understand that labor relations are not just formalities, but the basis for business stability.” Non-compliance with labor laws can lead to fines and even court proceedings, which disrupts the normal operation of the business.
“The documents must always be in order.” It is very important that all employment contracts are drawn up correctly from the very beginning, because this is the key to avoiding legal risks.
“Don’t be afraid to hire labor law specialists.” Experienced lawyers and HR specialists can significantly reduce risks and provide protection from errors in labor relations.
Maxim Tarasov, Dmitriy Agapov and Yuriy Kosovich: Business Psychology and Team Motivation
A meeting with three experts was organized for entrepreneurs in Petropavlovsk.
Maxim Tarasov, an owner of an IT consulting company, spoke about business life cycles and efficient management at different stages. Dmitriy Agapov, a business psychologist, shared stress management techniques, and Yuriy Kosovich, an expert in sales management, revealed the principles of employee motivation and improving team performance.
Insights from the Petropavlovsk speakers:
Maxim Tarasov: “Business goes through stages of growth, maturity and decline, and it is important to be able to adapt at each stage.” Understanding what stage of development the company is at helps to build the right strategy and respond to changes in time.
Dmitriy Agapov: “Stress is a natural reaction, it is important to learn how to manage it, not fight it.” The use of relaxation techniques and proper load distribution help the entrepreneur to remain efficient in conditions of uncertainty.
Yuriy Kosovich: “Team motivation begins with the right approach to each employee.” Creating a culture of recognition and reward helps to increase productivity and retain talented professionals.
The Eurasian Bank business breakfasts have become an important tool for the development of the business community in Kazakhstan. In each city, the participants not only received valuable information from leading experts, but also established new business ties, discussed current issues and looked for ways to solve them.
The participants expressed gratitude to the Bank for such a format of the meeting, which not only informs, but also inspires new achievements. Eurasian Bank has many interesting initiatives ahead for entrepreneurs, and business breakfasts have become one of the examples of how to support entrepreneurs in difficult conditions of the modern market.