spicyayam
I have read quite a few posts in this section of the forum and most of them are not very inspiring, often ending in "that idea will never work"...
I know it is not easy starting a business here, but I was hoping that anyone here who overcame the hurdles and problems of starting a business in Bali/Indonesia would post their story here.
Anton
What about all that red tape one has to deal with and those annoying visa's and having to have a national on your books and all those other fee's by the time you've got that side all sewn up you just may find the business isnt working :shock:
i think the fun can be taken away with all the requirement just imagine if all those requirement were only necessary if once your business was up and running and viable ! i think you would see many sitting on the fence have a go ? :mrgreen:
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Markit
Interesting thought for a thread but after reading it I had some negatives come bombing in:
If you have a successful new idea for a business are you going to create your own competition by broadcasting it? I think not. :cry:
If you are successful in an existing business such as tours, hotels, restaurants, real estate or such like you only have achieved it by working really, really hard - luck doesn't happen in the real world, sorry. Hard work will make almost anything successful but it doesn't make for an interesting story. :roll:
One of the most inspiring success stories I've heard here on the island in the last 6 months is that of Hardy's Jewelry. The came her individually and started to produce their own jewellery utilizing the Balinese inborn sense of style, innovation and craftsmanship. Got married, expanded their business across the world and were at one time the largest employer here on the island. They sold their business a couple of years ago, before the crash, for many millions, Yahooooo :lol: Now they are deeply involved in trying to give some of that success back and have grounded the Green School near Ubud. Which is an environmentally adventurous attempt over 23 hectares at creating a sustainable future for a generation of mixed Balinese and western children from pre-school up to the IB and High School level here on the island.
Anybody that cares to visit the school can do so and see what "success" is all about. Forget your luxury villas or helicopter skiing none of those can hope to compare to the smiling brown face of a small, happy child.
I promise to recover my cynicism and sarcasm before the next post.
gtrken
Hmm I do tend to agree with Markit ( strangely enough :D ) in that most people would not like to broadcast there successful venture for fear of copy cats .
However I will say that my now GF and very soon to become my Fiance runs a successful hotel supply business in Bali ( and yes, she is Indonesian).
She supplies anything and everything to a lot of the 4 and 5 star hotels in Sanur, Seminyak and Nusa Dua with items ranging from English cutlery to Sebel ( Australian ) pool lounges.
I don't consider it a problem to tell that to anyone as unless you are a very smart local who can understand how it all works, be able to get to the right people and know them personally as almost part of their family then chances are limited.
Best part is she wants me to join her in the business venture and live with her and her son in Bali :D And for that I thank God !
So another slant on establishing a business in Bali is rather than build one from scratch, fall in love with someone who already has one. :mrgreen:
Hmm, I had better add that her business was not the reason I love her. I actually knew nothing about it till later.
Cheers
Ken
ronb
Yes this one is tricky.
I guess we all know expats that are doing OK or really well in some business ventures, but they are not so likely to want someone like me writing them up on balipod.
So as an example to help this discussion take a look at the interview with Jack Daniels
http://www.balidiscovery.com/messages/message.asp?Id=5174
who started a business in Bali about 25 years ago and is apparently doing well. He describes one setback where an official was after too much money. I think any successful business would attract such interest. So the unwritten part of any success story will be the interactions with various officials. This means various onlookers will then have different impressions of how much "corruption" is around a successful business.
So yes, its tricky.
Markit
[b]All[/b] countries make it as difficult as possible to be an entrepreneur. Lived all over and it aint easy anywhere - see they all want to have their pound of flesh and do feck all for it. Every government in the world wants to take a big part in your success but there aint many that are willing to cut you some slack when you are on a loser :o
Indonesia, at least, isn't quite so rabid about taxing you to death - hell, most people here don't pay any! But I guess there's always a cloud inside the silver lining if you look long enough.
Don't let the "problems" stop you from trying, I always say. (If you were to ask my lady wife she would say I'm so stupid I usually don't see the problems anyway and just have to fight my way clear - but so far, so good :? )
gilbert de jong
[quote=Markit]Don't let the "problems" stop you from trying, I always say. (If you were to ask my lady wife she would say I'm so stupid I usually don't see the problems anyway and just have to fight my way clear - but so far, so good )[/quote]
So did you do alot of fighting?hahaha, just joking my friend :)
It can be very daunting to start something new in country, encountering all sorts of problems...red tape, bribes, unforseen delay's etcetc. Things like that can put a huge damper on ones enthusiasm, and therefor decide it's not worth it to push through.
Others just seem to be thinking...sun, palmtree's, cocktails, hell I want to begin a business here, live here and work here, without doing any kind of research on the field of operation/market and getting very quickly way too far ahead of themself, with all the problems that come from that.
If you're idea is good, your planning/preparation is good, timetable good, moneyflow secured, try it I say and see what the future will bring you... If you don't at least try....you will later on life think "What if??"
Friendly greetings......Gilbert.
spicyayam
I thought this was interesting. Maybe it will give someone an idea for a business.
IT’S the stuff of an island paradise: a handmade thatched hut perched serenely next to a radiantly blue pool.
Native to Indonesia, these tropical-inspired gazebos are popping up in back yards across South-East Queensland thanks to an Alberton business.
Oz Thatch director Stuart McColl imports the wild Indonesian grass alang alang direct from Bali to create the beautiful structures, which can last up to 15 years.
http://albert-and-logan.whereilive.com. ... surburbia/
tintin
Talking about a business success story, see Charlie Rose's interview of Bill Gate and his father, couple of days ago, at
http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/10257
rather inspiring. :)
spicyayam
Here is another article of people running businesses in Ubud:
http://www.verveonline.com/72/life/bali.shtml
aquaman
Interesting and inspiring articles Spicyayam but for me depressing :( My gf has the artistic talent and flair just no money but that where I come in. Unfortunately for her though I don't have any of that either :cry:
I couldn't even think of a decent avatar I had to choose a washed up long forgotten poor cousin of a superhero in a silly orange outfit ....he was much underated though :lol:
Why the avatar change for you? To be honest I wasn't sure what your previous avatar was :oops:
spicyayam
I can't think of the website right now, but I think there is a place that people like your girlfriend can get micro-finance loans to start a small business. It might be something to look into.
I was trying to make an Avatar for my twitter account and then twitter was having problems so I decided to put it on here. The previous one was a picture I took at the market of chillies.
Just did a Google search and now I remember, the micro finance site is Kiva:
http://www.kiva.org
Dasha
Have to agree Daniel. One of the best Iv'e ever seen and would agree with this report on the blog. For a Mac user and anti Steve Ballmer man this has changed my opinion Bill Jnr.
"There is something especially commendable about a son who has succeeded well beyond his parent continuing to listen to and learn from his parent."
Thanks for bringing it :D
Dasha
Oh and Charlie Rose was superb :mrgreen:
Anton
Spicy in the end strong businesses are built by the type of people who tend to be more contrarian than the rest in my opinion,i believe where there is a large community there is a successful business plan waiting to be activated but i also believe good solid research is an integral part of your business plan infacts it is paramount and like many start up's you have risk now nobody like's to loose money so this is why only certain type's build businesses and the rest are satisfied with a low risk regular job with guaranteed income,now spicy you obviously have a entrepreneurial mind set and as you are based in a location that you wish to prosper i would have no doubt that eventualy you will build something that works for you you see some people have a knack of seeing opportunity sticking out like a soar thumb and others go about in life like there wearing horse blinkers this is one of the things that set us apart from one another,i bet there are many business proporsitions in bali as business is as evolutional as life itself just look for the next big thing and be there at the ground floor and surely as night follows day you will have a viable business so think outside the box and you just may hit the jackpot............... Good Luck :idea:
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tintin
Steve Ballmer :!: :?: A blowhard, a clown with an MBA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvsboPUjrGc
Dasha
Sorry Kim and FSB ended up on that link twice
here is Billgirl
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ballmerrockz/3436060458/
spicyayam
Here's another one I find that looks interesting that was in BW:
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/04 ... preneurs/6.
the 26-employee company has exported goods from 1,355 artisans in 124 villages in three countries, and Benz hopes to continue to expand CraftNetwork's reach. The 26-employee firm brought in $419,000 in revenue in 2008, and Benz projects it will hit $672,000 this year.
aquaman
I can't think of the website right now, but I think there is a place that people like your girlfriend can get micro-finance loans to start a small business. It might be something to look into.
I was trying to make an Avatar for my twitter account and then twitter was having problems so I decided to put it on here. The previous one was a picture I took at the market of chillies.
Just did a Google search and now I remember, the micro finance site is Kiva:
http://www.kiva.org
Thanks for that but I was just actually joking around a bit....sorry :oops: She is artistic though and we might pursue some opportunities down the track. As for the micro loan that won't be necessary but I think (without knowing much about them) they sound like a good iniative. I know a Canadian guy from another forum who has provided these types of loans to people in 3rd world countries and he found it rewarding in a non monetary sense.
Chilles hey I need glasses :lol:
Dasha
The guy's insane Dan. :shock: How microsoft can have such a huge stake in the PC game with a man like that as chief is unbelievable.
Have a look at this satire from a friend of mine (fellow Flickr user) from the US who goes by the handle ...FSB. (Fake Steve Ballmer)
Several months ago, Yahoo removed his entire collection of about 100 images of FSB send ups. About 10000 or so of us FlickR users lobbied Yahoo for a reason for this and and answer as to why they removed the image. None were offensive just incredibly funny and articulate.
Just shows the power of being connected in this world i suppose.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ballmerrockz/page2/
One of my faves
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ballmerrockz/3456860347/
This is Billgirl - one of his characters - she's good
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ballmerrockz/3456860347/
Oldie but goodie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ballmerrockz/3373624369/
Satire rules Dan many people don't get it sometimes though. :D
