what's it like to run a business in bali?

[forza]

Hello,
I have been to Bali a few times and now considering starting a small tourist-oriented business. At this point I am looking for as much of "finger-tip" feedback from expats who live and run their businesses in Bali. Something your legal advisor would not mention. I hope to "feel" the life and business environment in Bali and later look for professional consulting on how to set up a business.

I am in Bali now. If anyone could share thoughts about the subject I could suggest to have a beer(or else) in some local bar to talk. I would appreciate any advice here or at isvvvs at gmail.com

Thank you,

Forza

 

[alan mcneish]

Business in indo

I think I am reasonably astute in business and have a good company in Australia wholesale/retail furniture supplying it with my own company in Jogja for the last 6 years however its my 3rd company in Jogja as my indonesian partners kicked me out of the first 2! Each time I restarted business was much better so I view it as just an ongoing cost of doing business in indonesia. I lost 2 new cars but fortunately mostly under finance as they were in my partners names. If you have a Kitas and buy the car outright you can register it in your own name but otherwise if you finance it you need an indonesian on it. However well intentioned your indonesian partners start out with you it always comes down to how much they can get off the table if they feel someone else might take their "golden goose". My wife now is Indonesian and she protects me from getting "milked" by the locals and I think its very difficult without someone like that to look after you indonesia. It is worth noting my last 2 partners eventually went bankrupt and we did loose around $100,000 over the last 6 years however in that time I have brought around 400 containers out of indonesia so thats really only $250 a container and an agent would have charged me considerably more so its an ovehead for us. I am now building another showroom on land i have rented long term (better than buying land on a dodgey deal and the lawyer keeps all the money or there is no title on the land or you cant build on it) All the bules I know in Jogja have their stories like mine as probably there would be many in bali as well. Unfortunately I now adopt the attitude I dont trust anyone except my long term suppliers here and my current business partner and my wife! I have found bule furniture suppliers to be worse than indonesians for doing business with so be very carefull with bules too! The normal line is that "trust me because I am western like you" however they aim higher and take more off you than an Indonesian would! I think just be very cautious as its not our country and we dont have recourse to get lost money back like we do in our own countries.

 

[forza]

Thank you very much indeed for your response. How would you go about finding a local partner(nominal or not) to start a business with?

 

[julias.andre]

alan is right, just becarefull with everybody you just meet.if you making an partnership with someone in bali, you have to create letter of agreement to keep your asset safe and secure.you have to prepare everything at the front before worst thing happen.
Anyway why we not just meet, i have friend at double six beach and he has lots of beer for us