If you were going to start a small business in DR

Teacher

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If you were going to start a new business to make an average living in the rural areas outside of larger cities like Santiago what would be some of your ideas? I know this is a wide open question but some of you who have been living in the DR for a while probably see the possibilities. Or perhaps the chances of beginning small, needed businesses and succeeding or relatively small.
Wondering...
 

planner

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Sep 23, 2002
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Why would we??

Now why would be suggest business ideas for someone else to take advantage of? We would do that ourselves wouldn't we or failing that, at least supply them to someone who is going to share with us!
 

Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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Always had more ideas and suggestions than what I had time to carry out what I thought would work Planner... Check the forums, I think there must be many business thoughts or ideas from me floating around. My lifetimes are too short to carry all of them out. ;) I'll share what I know is not in my immediate future to work with. What's an idea anyway -- it's cheap -- it takes guts, foresight, ability, tenacity, and an unwavering vision to carry it through.
 

planner

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You are absolutely right Chris. Most people do not have what it takes. I just hate to give away ideas to people I don't even know!

So,now I will do a search of your other threads Chris to see what you have suggested before......LOL
 

liam1

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"when i was a young man, i had billion ideas but no dollars, today i have billions of dollars, but no ideas" - Warren Buffett
 
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Naufrago

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Teacher said:
If you were going to start a new business to make an average living in the rural areas outside of larger cities like Santiago what would be some of your ideas? I know this is a wide open question but some of you who have been living in the DR for a while probably see the possibilities. Or perhaps the chances of beginning small, needed businesses and succeeding or relatively small.
Wondering...

What can you do well? What products do you really know about? What is it you love to do? And how much time can you buy with your money, seeing as a new business can take a few years to turn a profit? Who are your customers? (you've gotta know your customers first). The right business for you is more about you. Your skills, your ability to find products at a lower price than your competition.
 

Chris

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Let's see if we can come up with a few ideas for a small business - what is that saying, if life hands you lemons, make lemonade... so, what is around in the area? any fruit? what about drying and packing fruit to be marketed and sold in tourist areas? Start another line of mamajuana perhaps?

The DR is traditionally short of crafts. The craft type stuff sold in Sosua/ Cabarete/Puerto Plata is very boring - any type of craft would be welcome. Are there baskets in your area? We've been looking for reasonably priced nice baskets of all sizes forever. In fact, if you can find some, we'll buy them. For that matter, some better quality printed t-shirts may be just the thing. What about doing some footwork and marketing research. Walk through as many stores and talk to as many retailers as you can and ask them what they need most and at what price? Then set about to find that thing at the right price. Try and find a need, try and do business to business type marketing. Have you seen the sandals sold in tourists stores on the North Coast? boring! everybody sells the same flipflops. What about soft rope sandals? It has always surprised me that there is hardly any commercial type agua de coco on the North Coast... find a way to bottle the stuff safely and sell it.

Well, this is all I can think of now in terms of ideas. What are your strenghts? What is it that you are good at? Can you build something around that?
 

Timex

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May 9, 2002
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A Boogaloo?

A Drive-in Hotel/Motel?

Never seen one go out of buissness.
They are always building new ones.

Tim H.
 

suarezn

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Feb 3, 2002
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Agree with you Timex. They are a money making machine...
Even the ones they don't maintain are full all the time...They do require quite a large sum of money to invest, so I wouldn't consider them a "small" business...
 

Teacher

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Chris said:
Let's see if we can come up with a few ideas for a small business - what is that saying, if life hands you lemons, make lemonade... so, what is around in the area? any fruit? what about drying and packing fruit to be marketed and sold in tourist areas? Start another line of mamajuana perhaps?

The DR is traditionally short of crafts. The craft type stuff sold in Sosua/ Cabarete/Puerto Plata is very boring - any type of craft would be welcome. Are there baskets in your area? We've been looking for reasonably priced nice baskets of all sizes forever. In fact, if you can find some, we'll buy them. For that matter, some better quality printed t-shirts may be just the thing. What about doing some footwork and marketing research. Walk through as many stores and talk to as many retailers as you can and ask them what they need most and at what price? Then set about to find that thing at the right price. Try and find a need, try and do business to business type marketing. Have you seen the sandals sold in tourists stores on the North Coast? boring! everybody sells the same flipflops. What about soft rope sandals? It has always surprised me that there is hardly any commercial type agua de coco on the North Coast... find a way to bottle the stuff safely and sell it.

Well, this is all I can think of now in terms of ideas. What are your strenghts? What is it that you are good at? Can you build something around that?

You have some meaningful and thought provoking ideas. Thank you. I will pass these on to my folks there. So, for example if you were to find soft rope sandals for the North coast you could be the middle man in supplying retailers. Am I right? Business to business marketing has promise I am certain
Thanks
Sincerely
 

p1atan0

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May 25, 2004
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Business???

Lets see...
Dominicans love ALCOHOL AND WOMEN so, I would say invest in a CARWASH / MOTEL / CENTRO CERVECERO. GOOD LUCK!
 

Chirimoya

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Two businesses that will never fail - a hair salon or selling plantas/inversores.
 

Escott

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planner said:
Now why would be suggest business ideas for someone else to take advantage of? We would do that ourselves wouldn't we or failing that, at least supply them to someone who is going to share with us!
Wow thats cold:). If I had to make a living in the DR I wouldnt move there would be my answer!
 

easygoin

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Jan 2, 2005
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Basic ideas

I would say stick to something that everyone needs or wants,no matter where you live in the world if you work hard enough and are focused you will achieve your goal bottom line .have many friends that are millionaires and majority have no education other than hard work. and that can happen for you. ;)

i know alot of doctors and lawyers from Florida and New York that make $500,000 a year but ,for the all their schooling and time spent away from home and the bills, they're struggling due to their lifestyle that they acquired. So I would think opening up something in the DR you have to work harder, have something better to offer and have enough money to hold
your own in a slow time and your family must be understanding and not give up. Good luck ;)
 

Teacher

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easygoin said:
I would say stick to something that everyone needs or wants,no matter where you live in the world if you work hard enough and are focused you will achieve your goal bottom line .have many friends that are millionaires and majority have no education other than hard work. and that can happen for you. ;)

i know alot of doctors and lawyers from Florida and New York that make $500,000 a year but ,for the all their schooling and time spent away from home and the bills, they're struggling due to their lifestyle that they acquired. So I would think opening up something in the DR you have to work harder, have something better to offer and have enough money to hold
your own in a slow time and your family must be understanding and not give up. Good luck ;)

I believe you are right..Something everyone needs....working hard....saving...listening....works for most of life's ventures whether business or relationships.
thank you
teacher