Best Business in the DR

ohmmmm

Bronze
Jun 11, 2010
619
36
48
From my experience, it is a hotel on a nice beach in a tourist area. I have seen some restaurants succeed, but it is a difficult job with long hours it seems. I have seen some apartment rentals do well, but again it would have to be in a nice complex where tourists would stay and not local Dominican people because they cannot afford the rent a tourist pays. I am not sure what else is out there for someone coming here. Anyways, I am always open to ideas and sharing. I know most people here will be very negative about investing or starting a business at all. Anyways, let the fireworks begin. What business do you think may be successful here?
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
A business consulting service.

For $200 an hour, I will explain with graphs and pie charts why someone who has never been in business before should not even consider it in the DR, unless that have a morbid wish to rocketsled into brokeness.
 

alexw

Gold
Sep 6, 2008
1,091
118
63
NYC-SDQ BABY!
A business consulting service.

For $200 an hour, I will explain with graphs and pie charts why someone who has never been in business before should not even consider it in the DR, unless that have a morbid wish to rocketsled into brokeness.


jajajajaaja! Listen to this man. I have a friend who got destroyed down here.
 
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Seamonkey

Bronze
Oct 6, 2009
1,896
755
113
With the aging expat population on the North Coast we are in dire need of an American standards Senior's retirement home. This would need a lot of money and investors, but that's the only business that I can see being successful.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
113
A real well trained professional electrician can make a good living . A friend of mine has done very well there for about 20 years. There always has and always will be problems to be solved and new houses to set up.
 
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melphis

Living my Dream
Apr 18, 2013
3,489
1,676
113
Money laundering. If you can do the paper work on a good shell company you will do well. Granted you have to have bags of unreported money to start with.
There is a go-cart track by the PUJ airport that is not finished and has never seen a go-cart. Last I heard he was doing close to $200,000 USD a month.
 
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GringoRubio

Bronze
Oct 15, 2015
1,162
116
63
jajajajaaja! Listen to this man. I have a friend who got destroyed down here.

You'd have to live here several years first. The culture is such that they would pick you clean before you could even get started. I know a number of gringos that had to learn hard bitter lessons.

Getting ripped off and starting over should be a step in any sound business plan.
 

melphis

Living my Dream
Apr 18, 2013
3,489
1,676
113
prostitution never goes out of fashion.

A well organized operation and work as a madam. That could work here. Places like Bavaro and Sosua could probably benefit from a really well organized whore house.
A suttle one. Not a dance club, or a raunchy bar but a quiet, clean operation.
If I get bored this year look for it in Bavaro or Uvero Alto.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
A well organized operation and work as a madam. That could work here. Places like Bavaro and Sosua could probably benefit from a really well organized whore house.
A suttle one. Not a dance club, or a raunchy bar but a quiet, clean operation.
If I get bored this year look for it in Bavaro or Uvero Alto.

there is no iteration of prostitution that has not been tried here. if you figure out some space age, rocket science version that makes big bank, it will be a short matter of time before the DR authorities kick you to the kerb and take it over.
 

rfp

Gold
Jul 5, 2010
1,402
137
63
I am not recommending anybody to do business in DR if they dont have to. Here are a few niches where I have seen people do very well and make North American level wages with relative ease

1) High end finishing carpentry
2) Immigration consultancy
3) Offering secured 2nd/3rd mortgages at ridiculous interest rates
4) Importing and marketing vinyl plank wall coverings and floors
 

Eyes

Member
Apr 30, 2012
44
0
16
There are many non Dominicans doing good business here a few times l have spoke to many people who are doing fine Chinese with many different businesses fast food joints,selling imported goods, Europeans with many businesses guest houses renting apartments, pawn shops etc, l mean there are many Venezuelans and Haitians starting up business Puerto Rican’s etc. Just depends what your selling if you have skills a profession a Spanish speaker if you have done business before it’s an advantage it’s tough as it is in a home country to be successful so to come here with no experience would be pushing ones luck! Also rfp was correct loan sharks in some businesses are making a killing.
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
11,698
8,129
113
A well organized operation and work as a madam. That could work here. Places like Bavaro and Sosua could probably benefit from a really well organized whore house.
A suttle one. Not a dance club, or a raunchy bar but a quiet, clean operation.
If I get bored this year look for it in Bavaro or Uvero Alto.

The internet is full of these already. Even before the Venezuelans arrived there were quite a few, now they are everywhere. Just need to know where to look.