looking for the light at the end....

Different World

It isn't Kansas, Dorothy.

A bit more constructive you say? How about a bit more information first. What sort of business, what sort of language skills do you have, what sort of financing do you have or are you looking for loans there, and just about any other useful info you can provide.

If no more info is forthcoming, go back to Kansas Toto.

The people of the board play the devil's advocate. They tell you all the worst scenarios you can find. Reality... a lot of foreigners have made it here and done well.
Best advice is for you to come down and talk to others who have preceded you. With a few exceptions most of the water businesses related to resorts are owned by foreigners. Many came as tourists, liked it and returned to offer a different or improved service.

don't be detered

There does seem to be a fair share of negativity, but in my life some of the best opportunities I have found are when the majority is saying no. I have been to the Cabarete/Sosua area many time over the past 5 years and have met many happy expats doing just fine. You just need to spend some time there to identify what might work for you. (working for somebody else probably won't work). Give it a go and good luck.

OutofTowner, if it was so terrible here, then those of us expats who post on this board probably wouldn't be here.

And, yes, there is negativism, but much of it for a good reason. If you read enough posts from first timers who are full of big plans for things they are going to do in the DR, without spending the time to thoroughly research their ideas before deciding the DR is where they want to be, it tends to make you adopt a negative tone in order wake the dreamer up.

If you are seriously considering relocating to the DR, then don't depend on this board to convince you it is the right thing to do. Read the archives, all the negatives, then come down here and spend the time to really research. Talk with people in business. Ask them what their problems are. Don't even think you are looking to relocate to the DR until you do that. You have to spend the time here talking with people; there is no substitute. And I am not talking about a week vacation trip.

Camden Tom said he has been coming here many times over the past 5 years. He is getting involved, now, but slowly and carefully. He has paid his dues, decided how much he wants to risk, and is moving in the direction he decided on. But it has been a long process for him to get there.

So come down, spend the time. You may decide you have a future here; you may decide this isn't the place for you.

There are foreigners in this country doing very well in business. Most of them are too busy to post but occasionally, if ever, on this board. There are more foreigners who left this country in defeat. They don't post, either.

If you jump in without really testing the water, keep in mind that the "pond" you are in is completely different than what you ara accustomed to. Burning your bridges in one location in the US and setting up shop in another location is one thing; going to a foreign country where the people speak a language you are probably not fluent in, where the laws are very different than those you have been working under, where corruption is much more widespread than you have probably ever experienced, where power outages are common and long, where electricity prices climb without reason, where who knows how much the currency will be a year from now.

I am not trying to be negative. You have to make your own decision, and you will. But I cannot in good conscience tell you to come on down, the water is fine. I have lived here 16 years. I have seen people come with hopes and dreams and who managed to make a success of it. I have seen many others who left with a broken heart.

You have been talking with local people on this site. I think you thought you would be talking with people who would encourage you to come and set up a business. I don't think even those who have made a success would do that, because they know how tough it was for them to get where they are. They are too responsible to tell you that you will have no trouble, and that there is a low chance of failure.

The good thing is that you are talking about setting up a business that deals with tourists. This could be much easier to accomplish than going into other fields. But even there it is essential you come down and make contact with those in a position to send business your way to see what the chances of their doing so are. You should also talk with people in related businesses to see what their problems are.

One final thought re negativism. You will not find that in the posts regarding anything related to coming for a visit. This is a great country to vacation in. The "negativism", others would call it "realism" is only in response to people who have little if any experience in the DR who have someone gotten it in their head they want to set up a business in the DR.

Outoftowner

DR always welcomes adventurers. Dominican people are very friendly and likewise our tourists. That makes for a nice business climate. However, those of us who live here and have paid our dues live in the real world and we post about it.

Do you get upset if we tell you to watch for "partners", be it Dominicans or ex-pats? More often than not, investors get taken by Dominican and ex-pat associates. Fraud is our biggest small business in DR. They call it "abuse of confidence" here.

Do you get upset if we tell you to watch for hiring Dominican employees, who are extremely well protected by our Labor Department and most always win labor disputes in court?

Will you get upset if we tell you that the most criminally oriented elements in our society are always lurking in areas where tourists are for a very obvious reason: dollars, prostitution, drugs, pickpocketing, and easy money. You will receive a red carpet welcome from lots of con-men, because they know you come with money to invest and future income.

Will you get upset if we tell you that you are going to have to bribe a lot of people lots of times to get started because nothing is free here. Government fees alone won't get you your permits. You have to pay some kind of "buscon" sometime to get things done.

As stated before many investors who do not do their research well and do not listen to negative information are back in their countries broke. There are also close to 500 foreigners in our jails for committing criminal acts, mostly involving drugs, money fraud, and other white collar crimes. That, in comparison to the total population of 17,000 prisoners in DR is quite high. Remember, we are over 9,000,000 Dominicans and only about 40,000 are registered as non-Haitian aliens in DR.

TW

How to leave the Dominican Republic with 1 million US$

Arrive with 5 million ,invest with partners and leave wiyhin a month you will have 1 million left.Seriously if you cant take time to investigate while living here(not visiting for a week)just send me your cash and tell me how long you want me to keep it before I advise you you are bankrupt.
J.H
Realist:bandit:

While there is a lot of truth in what Golo is saying, your own good business sense should carry you through. If you are going to work with a hotel, you can let them worry about permits and the local bigwigs. I really do not like to think that bribes are the way to go, because they become a habit...

HB

agree with hillbilly

I agree
Golo seems to have the attitude that you have to have a lot of money, be rude to everyone, and distrust everyone in order to live a decent life in the DR.
What kind of life is that?
Golo......tell me again why you live in the DR? I've read alot of posts and haven't seen any good comments from you about it.
Why live somewhere that you hate?
I'm not trying to be rude, just wondering!

Outoftowner said:

Ps. I have been reading through these pages for the last several days and that is why I have gotten a little discouraged.

Click to expand...

I believe you have gotten a good education and you are not a dope if that is how you feel.

The business climate in the DR is not an easy one for a gringo that expects things to run in a businesslike manner. It is full of cons either by your fellow expats, Dominicans, Police, Government and maybe anyone I have left out. I wouldn't do anything there other than to invest money and live off interest based on a few years of going there just about every month and networking with many people there in every part of the country. I had 15 people for thanksgiving and most of them live in country.

Your education here is complete. Be sceptical, don't believe a word you hear and only half of what you see. There is a phrase in Latin that translates to "Let the buyer beware" and this is expecially helpful in the DR.

Now just thank everyone that has given you a part of your education about the DR and adjust your thoughts and figure it out. You have a great headstart now.

Regards,
Scott