Where to Start Up? And what corporate structure?

[Nicolai Kramer Jakobsen]

Hello,
I recently discovered this forum and I am happy to be part of it :)

I am about to set up a company to do some freelance work (consulting/professional services), and I am trying to answer two key questions: 1 where to set up the company? and 2 what company structure is appropriate?

I am considering Singapore (lived here for the past year while studying and have a student pass), Denmark (citizen), or the US (lived here most of my adult life and I expect to earn revenue in the US, but no active work permit), but I also heard that Hong Kong is an excellent option for small companies operating internationally. I would appreciate any advice by the group as well as private messages if you work for an agency that helps setting up companies.

Main characteristics of the business I am considering:

• Service business without a fixed physical place of business
• Small projects with geographically dispersed clients (US, Europe, Middle East and Asia)
• Revenue earned in one country and expenses/payments to self in another country
• No employees
• Partnerships with boutique consulting companies or other freelancers

Thanks,

Nico

[drllau]

a quick summary of my impressions of jurisdictions for limited liability companies

a) Singapore ... encourages startups with Entrepass and decent govt incentives but a sole propritorship might be hard to hit their employment growth targets

b) US - Delaware corps are standard but without local address it'd be near impossible to get bank a/c and therefore billing. 

c) HK has single director company and international finance but because technically it is part of China, you have to factor in long-term political risks

d) never had a Danish client but everyone seems to moan about EU regulatory compliance ... personally my impression of Denmark as a country was favorable during my one visit but the IMHO taxes tend to kill entrepreneurship.

Frankly, once you have paypal or credit card processing, you can work anywhere ... I've heard of people holidaying in Thailand or living in Johor Bahru (cheap accomodation but close to Singapore) so the location is becoming nearly irrelevant. So long as you pay your taxes, file the necessary govt paperwork and don't do anything blatently illegal/immoral/impossible (working on wrong visa) any of your choices is feasible, just some easier than others in terms of ease of establishment.