Setting up Shop....

Hi all,

I thought I had done a background work on residing in the DR, until I had discovered this message board a couple of weeks ago and have been glued to it since.

I am pleased to see that the legal counsel is with the firm that we are meeting in a couple of weeks time. Can't be a bad start...I have found good legal presentation already.

Our plan was to sell out in the UK and look to setting up the old romantic dream of a "business by the sea". The only funding needed to be to pay the day to day expenses. We would purchase our business in tact, therefore no rent expenses. The businesses we had in mind were a B&B marketing towards UK customers (away from the all-inclusives) and a beach bar (daytime only).

Initially, I was prepared for the nepotism and "gifts" needed to get along with a totally different culture set. But reading through the various threads, I have a number of questions...

Do I really need to know a Colonel or a General to help me out of situations? How do I go about meeting one?
How do I know that I am sweetening up the right person?
Are Car jackings common place? (I worry about my Misses)?
Is being fully adherent to legislation, obtaining the necessary permits, enough to avoid trouble with the authorities? Or I am being really naive....

All comments, will be extremely appreciated.

Dear Dolores,
Really appreciate the feedback. I studied Spanish about 15yrs ago and can not remember a single bit anymore....however a local crash course is on the books as being the first thing to do even before we start any form of trading.
I like the comparison to London, I lived here nearly all my life and consider myself streatwise to have only being attacked once in a racist on-slaught in a local park a long time ago. Never ventured on the worng side of town after that!
On another note, I had a memo today from the City of London police advising precaution after 6 "terrorists" were arrested at the weekend and were in pocession of Ricin.
I guess it's the same anywhere on the planet.....beware of the local issues / customs.
Would you happen to any advise on the B&B situation in the DR. Conducting a number of web searches from the UK, the only one that really comes up is "Sofy's B&B". We hate all-inclusives and always prefer the local options and I'm sure I'm not alone in that assumption.
My dog's name is Bungle (also a GSD), but I'm not sure how that would market...

Thanks for the encouragement Dolores, I?ve read through the article on Setting up a small business a number of times and I particularly like the illustrations on the mylife article.

Our objective is not so much to make a lot of money, but rather look for a change in lifestyle and get out of the cold wet UK. We seem to spend the year working to save cash to get to somewhere warm. In the last 6 months, this has changed to...why not make a permanent move.

Thanks for the advice Johnny,
a visit to Noela's is definitely on the cards. I have every intention to sticking to the rules, both culturally and legally, it's just reading through some of the "shakedown" stories can be a bit disconcerting.

Thanks all for the tip on Noelle, Can't go wrong wih recommendatons like that. I'll definately try to establish contact with her.
Same old story, play the old "food in the tummy" temptation. I'll go just about anywhere for that alone!

Hi Hillbilly,
I guess I was getting paranoid reading through some of the threads, partiularly the one about a guy who was buying a car but lucked as the car got trashed during a hijack.
I guess I didn't really understand the circumstances of when "shakedowns" occur or the type of business that would be exposed to. Small "fully legal" B&B's are probably not on the list.
But hopefully, I learn a lot more when I stay at Noelle's in 11 days time (not that I'm counting).
"Bungle's Bungaloos!", I like it...you haven't trade-marked it yet, have you?

Thanks WebDev,
Don't I know it. As soon as I throw some to my mutts they pretty much ignore me for the next couple of hours as they're too busy chewing. They soon come back begging to be friends again...or probably playing for some more pigs ears!

Really appreciate everyone's input and encouragement with the questions I have. All the referrals you have given me have come back with offers of even more advice and tips.