My girlfriend lost her 5,000 pesos a month secretary job in Santiago a few months ago. Like many young adults in this country she cant find reemployment even at those low wages..and she has looked. I want to help her and was wondering if there are any self employment options here. I would be glad to invest say $5,000 (or more if it looks like she can make alittle money) to get her started in some sort of business. She wanted to start a salon but I told her that would be a quick loss of my investment as there a million of them already. She used to be an Avon cosmetics distributor here but somehow managed to LOSE $300 on that one. If she made could make say $300-500 a month working 20 hours a week that be great .. being totally dependent on me is not a good long term solution or good for her self respect. Her English is weak. Any suggestions on self employment or home-based type businesses here?
- Thread starter JayinRD
- Start date
Any Self Employment opportunities in RD for Dominicans?
She just want that money boy. If someone wants to MAKE money they have at least a plan how to and do something, not just sit home waiting for wonder. May be you better pay her education on some courses where she will get new skills that can increase her value as an employee.
There are lots of self employment options, the only problem is you have to work like a dog to make a profit. Avon is a waste of your money every chica is an Avon Rep.
If you are serious and this is your woman not some girl playing you like a fiddle a small botique can do very well. Bring down Victorias Secret drawers by the duffel bag and a few loud and classless Coach Bags and mark them up thirty percent.
One of my cousins goes to Miami once a month and buys a thousand bucks worth of High end underwear and sunglasses. He triples his money and augments his pension.
Of course if your gf is playing you it will be a short investment period. She will have a hundred stories what happened to your money and none of them will involve her giving it back to you.
The education idea is the most sound.
If you are serious and this is your woman not some girl playing you like a fiddle a small botique can do very well. Bring down Victorias Secret drawers by the duffel bag and a few loud and classless Coach Bags and mark them up thirty percent.
One of my cousins goes to Miami once a month and buys a thousand bucks worth of High end underwear and sunglasses. He triples his money and augments his pension.
Of course if your gf is playing you it will be a short investment period. She will have a hundred stories what happened to your money and none of them will involve her giving it back to you.
The education idea is the most sound.
I figured I would get mostly sarcastic ones...we "rich gringos/gringas" don't feel their financial pain. Your idea on bringing down high end items from Miami is actually good one. That would involve me with the passport.. and other than investing the money I maybe too lazy for that. She does go part time to UTESA studying communications/business but she is more of a good looker than a good student... plus based on my knowledge of terrible job prospects for university grads here I am thinking self employment might be a much better option.
well there may be a thousand salons but if opening a salon is what she wants to do then she is not gonna want to sell lingeris door to door, right? How about trying for just the manicure, pedicure set up? That is a really small investment and if she gets clients and goes to their houses, she can make 200 pesos per.
That is really a pretty good part time gig since it is a low investment and if she gets good with acrylic nails and all she can start charging more. And Domnicans always have money for their nails. It is the one thing that they have money for.
Depending on how much she is willing to carry around with her.. there are some great foot baths..Paraffin and Foot Baths - Walmart.com
and if you can get her some REALLY high quality polish like OPI. which I have never even seen for sale in this country.... The best nail polish brands | Nails and Polish *well maybe you do not want to use the best brands if you want return customers but that is the brand that all the best nail places in the States use
Here is the best place for wholesale stuff SallyBeauty.com - Manicure & Pedicure Supplies
You could set her up for a few hundred for just nails and see how she like it.
If she gets good at designs with acrylic nails.. Acrylic nail designs
she can really develop a following..
All she needs is a following.. a flyer.. a few discount coupons to give to her classmates who will only have to pay for her pasajes for the first one..
The idea of the salon is that she can socialize.. and it is the one thing that Domnican women always have money for.
and there is always a shortage.. at every one that I have been to.. of women who do the manicure pedicure..
so that is what I would recommend.
there is probably a school for it but I think it would just be more fun to get those practice hands and a lot of polish remover..
but ask her.
That is really a pretty good part time gig since it is a low investment and if she gets good with acrylic nails and all she can start charging more. And Domnicans always have money for their nails. It is the one thing that they have money for.
Depending on how much she is willing to carry around with her.. there are some great foot baths..Paraffin and Foot Baths - Walmart.com
and if you can get her some REALLY high quality polish like OPI. which I have never even seen for sale in this country.... The best nail polish brands | Nails and Polish *well maybe you do not want to use the best brands if you want return customers but that is the brand that all the best nail places in the States use
Here is the best place for wholesale stuff SallyBeauty.com - Manicure & Pedicure Supplies
You could set her up for a few hundred for just nails and see how she like it.
If she gets good at designs with acrylic nails.. Acrylic nail designs
she can really develop a following..
All she needs is a following.. a flyer.. a few discount coupons to give to her classmates who will only have to pay for her pasajes for the first one..
The idea of the salon is that she can socialize.. and it is the one thing that Domnican women always have money for.
and there is always a shortage.. at every one that I have been to.. of women who do the manicure pedicure..
so that is what I would recommend.
there is probably a school for it but I think it would just be more fun to get those practice hands and a lot of polish remover..
but ask her.
let me go on a bit.. because in the States the Vietnamese have cornered the market on these nail spas which are just mani pedi stop overs and they have these massage chairs Pedicure Spa Chair-Pedicure Spa Chair Manufacturers, Suppliers and Exporters on Alibaba.comPedicure Chair
So there is a way to build this into a much bigger business down the road. Also there are always openings at any salon for a woman who can do this.
which are amazing.. and one can take a 20 minute massage and soak.. and then have this expert Vietnamese.. both men and women give these.. and now both men and women are using them.. I have only seen ONE place here in SD which has these chairs and it over in San Vincente.. not an uptown section.
Then you get a manicure.. and then go to the drying section under lights. whole thng costs about $35 bucks.
Here the manicure pedicure costs about 600 pesos but there is always a wait. Guess lots of women do them at home and lots of women to the cheap chinese places which are really horrible torture places and you can pass out from the fumes.
Some places will have a foot bath that has a massage thing but no where to plug it in. They will not have hot water.
A good pedicurist will know a bit of accupressure.
It is hard to walk home after a pedicure.. if is an art to put your sandals back on. So developing a home clientele.. if she is good a public transport.. would be great. mothers with kids. grandmothers.. it is great for their health.
And be sure to get lots of colors.
Green nails are currently the in color in SD.
So there is a way to build this into a much bigger business down the road. Also there are always openings at any salon for a woman who can do this.
which are amazing.. and one can take a 20 minute massage and soak.. and then have this expert Vietnamese.. both men and women give these.. and now both men and women are using them.. I have only seen ONE place here in SD which has these chairs and it over in San Vincente.. not an uptown section.
Then you get a manicure.. and then go to the drying section under lights. whole thng costs about $35 bucks.
Here the manicure pedicure costs about 600 pesos but there is always a wait. Guess lots of women do them at home and lots of women to the cheap chinese places which are really horrible torture places and you can pass out from the fumes.
Some places will have a foot bath that has a massage thing but no where to plug it in. They will not have hot water.
A good pedicurist will know a bit of accupressure.
It is hard to walk home after a pedicure.. if is an art to put your sandals back on. So developing a home clientele.. if she is good a public transport.. would be great. mothers with kids. grandmothers.. it is great for their health.
And be sure to get lots of colors.
Green nails are currently the in color in SD.
and, if you should order this one
New Design Massage Pedicure Spa Chair - Buy Pedicure Spa Chair,Spa Foot Chair,Pedicure Chair Product on Alibaba.com
let me know because I really think that two of those and a hammock would make a really lovely living room set!
New Design Massage Pedicure Spa Chair - Buy Pedicure Spa Chair,Spa Foot Chair,Pedicure Chair Product on Alibaba.com
let me know because I really think that two of those and a hammock would make a really lovely living room set!
I know where she can make a quick 50 bucks.
only if she gets the OPI and uses base coat which they don't use here...
i really get paranoid about putting on my flip flops .. which I carry with me.. to walk home.. for fear that I will spoil the polish..
but she is in Santiago and i am not going to pay the pasaje!
Bringing things here to sell can be hit or miss. What I see now is a huge amount of fake Michael Kors. The mani/pedi thing might work. Where I go they do this hot rock rub on the bottom of your feet, not a big deal but a little something extra. That is the key to provide a little something extra (no not happy endings ok). Paraffin treatment for the hands and feet, good quality polish, gel nail polish is one of the newer things. Get a good client base and your set. Later if you want you can sell a few items, such as polish, nail bling as they call it, etc...I know someone doing this (where I go) and she does pretty good.
Laundry service. I used a lady down the street from my apartment. She had one washer and one dryer and she always had bags of laundry to do and steady business. I paid her $500RD a week for drop-off/pick-up service (one large bag, 15-20 items). I'd be willing to bet she was pulling in 3-4 times your girl's old monthly salary
Thanks for the suggestions. For now I pretty much threw in white surrender towel on helping her w self employment. Too much aggravation with too little potential for decent financial return. Some University and english class for her now. I will keep her on the "payroll" though... she does look good in a bikini.