Entrepreneurs banned in D.C.? Regulations stifle new businesses

A college student in Washington D.C. wanted to shine shoes on the side for extra cash, but regulations and bureaucracy ended that idea.

It’s a familiar story, and one that stifles burgeoning entrepreneurs across the country.

Tristan Justice, an Ohio native studying at American University, found that to shine shoes part-time, he’d need to spend $1,537 on regulation compliance, permitting, and paperwork, according to International Journal.

But, before he could even operate, it would take up to six months for approval and the proper meetings with the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.

“How is government supposed to encourage young people like me with enormous student loans to become new entrepreneurs when they are being bombarded with regulations and fees that they can’t afford from the start?” Justice asked.