Business and pleasure trip

truffledog · Post by **truffledog** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 1:47 am

Kammekor wrote: ↑Tue Apr 14, 2020 10:38 am Most on this forum came with 10k but they own millions now.

And you think they want to share their secrets with you?

The secret is changing the 10K (probably US$) into riels I guess...even after spending 95% of that 10K you are still a millionaire. Kingdom of Wonders..seriously. If you went to Indonesia instead you would have been millionaire even for longer !

pczz · Post by **pczz** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 3:50 am

Most people who come to Cambodia tomake there forunes wind up going home with nothing, or in a a box. the cost of doing business here can be huge. bereuacracy, bribes, sky hgh rent, sky high electric prices, visa, work permits etc etc. Do not even consider it unless you have a lot of money to waste. Befoe you invest a penny come here, look, and stay a year

Milkman · Post by **Milkman** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 1:15 pm

Anchor Moy wrote: ↑Wed Apr 15, 2020 11:22 pm @OP If I said to you that I've never been to Europe or France, and I don't speak French or understand the customs there or know anyone there, but I think I'll come to France and set up some kind of business, not sure what but something cool, what do you think of my plan ?
What would you reply ?

That would probably be my answer to you.
As others said, don't even think about it until you come and see for yourself.

Well, mainly I would say to you thatif you want to get a business here, you have to get some money to put on table (like everywhere), but you can also get a smart way to finance a big part of your loan by the owner, i could inform you on the taxes, transportation fees, prices to get an office of some kind, the price of work, I could get you in firection of the sectors that (in my opinion) are in growth, the ones that could potentially give you another lifestyle, work less, work at nights, how the contracts works. i could tell you basically everything if you asked, just because I dont get on high horses an I have good will for helping others that ask. If that's not the point rename that thread "Ask to expats : They'll answering you like if you are a dumb dumb"

hunter8 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 16, 2020 12:48 am 8 out of 10 businesses fail after 1 year of operation or sooner, 9th fails after 2 years, it’s a common knowledge. Why should Cambodia be different unless you are skilled to do something so unique that you have no competition.

Yes, and the average dude in middle age died at 25 right ? Truth is that not at all. The numbers of birth mortality was so huge that it counterbalanced the average. in the reality people could leave easily until 50 (not in very very good shape tho). Do you realy think that every business everywhere on the planet as a same chance of 90% of failing regardless of the staff, situation, history, special circumstances and ohters ? I'm not sure the circle of panamean banking records so high failing rates that the circle of DVD stores. But both are considered businesses

Numbers, you can make them say whatever you want..

pczz wrote: ↑Thu Apr 16, 2020 3:50 am Most people who come to Cambodia tomake there forunes wind up going home with nothing, or in a a box. the cost of doing business here can be huge. bereuacracy, bribes, sky hgh rent, sky high electric prices, visa, work permits etc etc. Do not even consider it unless you have a lot of money to waste. Befoe you invest a penny come here, look, and stay a year

Well, that's a problem indeed. Usually when there's bribery involved, it can make things much more easy, or much more complicated. From what I hear that would be option B

No! Well yes, I did the unthinkable and opened a bar for 3 years "good times".

Did it went well ? Was it in Cambodia ?

Only you know if you can make a go of it, and that goes for anywhere in the world, think about it.

Kind of true, like everything : "you don't know until you try" But based on 100 individuals experiences, I wouldn't try to catch fire with hands. was actually expecting more axed responses. "Dont invest your money here". "Go for it and try it's not so bad that anywhere else". "It's great come right now". Not "see for yourself".

If I wanted to see for myself without talking to anyone I'd be on a plane with the money in my account. That's the all point of getting you into the equation. People, experience, life. Not registrations, pictures, story, documentations and other stuff that you can find on internet.

Anyway, thanks for answering

hunter8 · Post by **hunter8** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 1:28 pm

Milkman wrote: ↑Thu Apr 16, 2020 1:15 pm
hunter8 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 16, 2020 12:48 am 8 out of 10 businesses fail after 1 year of operation or sooner, 9th fails after 2 years, it’s a common knowledge. Why should Cambodia be different unless you are skilled to do something so unique that you have no competition.
Yes, and the average dude in middle age died at 25 right ? Truth is that not at all. The numbers of birth mortality was so huge that it counterbalanced the average. in the reality people could leave easily until 50 (not in very very good shape tho). Do you realy think that every business everywhere on the planet as a same chance of 90% of failing regardless of the staff, situation, history, special circumstances and ohters ? I'm not sure the circle of panamean banking records so high failing rates that the circle of DVD stores. But both are considered businesses Numbers, you can make them say whatever you want..

I was not trying to discourage you if i made this impression. Just trying to say that offering a unique product or service will help business survive. Opening one more bar, for example, will most likely not be profitable.
The best way is to come live and do a field research of what Cambodia does not have that you could provide.

theKid · Post by **theKid** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 1:50 pm

pczz wrote: ↑Thu Apr 16, 2020 3:50 am Most people who come to Cambodia tomake there forunes wind up going home with nothing, or in a a box. the cost of doing business here can be huge. bereuacracy, bribes, sky hgh rent, sky high electric prices, visa, work permits etc etc. Do not even consider it unless you have a lot of money to waste. Befoe you invest a penny come here, look, and stay a year

That’s utter BS unless, perhaps, your are only counting “daydreamers” that wanted to open a bar or restaurant on a shoestring budget and with little or no knowledge and experience.

Cambodia’s GDP has almost tripled in the past 10 years and there have been massive amounts of FDI flowing into the country (officially almost 10 billion USD in the past 3 years but unofficially much more). You wanna tell me that no one profited from that? The amount of money foreigners can make here is insane!
I initially didn’t want to move my operations here but was persuaded by my clients and, looking back, it has been immensely lucrative.
Rent is expensive????? My HK office costs over 20K USD per month in rent!

Anchor Moy · Post by **Anchor Moy** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 1:54 pm

Hi milkman,
I'm sorry you took my post as an agression. Anyway, all I can add is that at the moment starting up a hospitality business in Cambodia is way off the scale. It's impossible to know how the situation will be in a few months, but right now, there is no business. People are going broke. There are bars and restaurants open, but customers are staying home.

Frankly, I think that the business situation in Cambodia is impossible to foresee, and everyone is having a hard time now, so if you have never been to Cambodia, this may not be the time to explore.
Best wishes.

BR549 · Post by **BR549** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 2:12 pm

If you can come up with a business plan that a chinese guy with deeper pockets cannot steal and run you out of business...c'mon in ....shoot your wad.
If you have an idea that can turn a profit in an environment void of disposable income...c'mon in.
If you have a skillset that does not need customers to thrive...get to work..

Otherwise, you might save your dough.

truffledog · Post by **truffledog** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 2:16 pm

here some shared real experiences:

Friend of mine openend a book store around the corner of Pub Street (epicenter) in SR 12 years ago. Fell in love with a employee, married her. Business was good, opened one in PP and one in Kampot. Opened up a clothes store with "cambodian" design made woman's clothes in PP. Rent in SR went up, was kicked out of the valid lease because another one paid more. Kampot closed not enough customers. Cllothes store at loss, closed it. Opened up a coffee shop within the PP bookstore. Business slowing down. Not enouhg money coming in, disputes with wife because of money. Now divorced, my friend has become a depressed boozer, drug addict and hangs around riverside bars working for a call center with questionable mission.

2 UK brothers have met several times around SEA visisted Sihanoukville 7 years ago, liked it and took over a seaside operation (few bamboo huts with restaurant and bar) on Otres beach for 59K. Had a lot of fun, where making good money as costs were low and clients drinking, smoking and eating a lot rarely leaving the premises. Got an eviction note 3 years ago and the bulldozers came 2years after. No deposit back, investment gone.

Another guy I met a few times while travelling Cambodia set up a campings style operation on an island 10 years ago. Very good start with loads of people liking the idea of Cast Away style living. Cheated on his khmer wife, she found out and hired somebody with a gun. He fled the country leaving everything behind.

3 italian guys (one I knew quite well) opened up a high end italian restaurant with a wunderful outdoor area garden in PP 8 years ago. Business was great, found a way to please the khmer rich and high end tourists. Heavy construction started (new sewage drains, ripping the road, high rise beeing built right and left) the lovely garden area was dead and the losses started. The money they made during the good times was immediately spent in cars and chicks thinking they had found a gold mine, when losses started they got into arguments and all lost at the end.

The only successful operation I personally witnessed was Babel Guesthouse in SR . Two spanish guys and a danish/swedish girl rented a near finished 4 storey building at the end of a deserted dirtroad and did the final touch nearly all theselves about 10 years ago. After running it for 5 years in a very succesful way (also educating/training staff for for future development) it was sold with profit and still runs successfully judging the very nice reviews available.

Another thing that always caught my eye when coming back was the speed of change of many areas. Coming back I used to stay in the same area as before (as I liked it on my last visit). More than 50% of the business (sometimes even more) around that area were new or had completely changed business mission. Dont know what happened in those many cases but guessing that the half life of many businesses is very short in Cambodia. The reasons for that short life would fill a book.

Doc67 · Post by **Doc67** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 4:48 pm

With an avatar like that, you'll fit right in...

pczz · Post by **pczz** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 5:48 pm

theKid wrote: ↑Thu Apr 16, 2020 1:50 pm
pczz wrote: ↑Thu Apr 16, 2020 3:50 am Most people who come to Cambodia tomake there forunes wind up going home with nothing, or in a a box. the cost of doing business here can be huge. bereuacracy, bribes, sky hgh rent, sky high electric prices, visa, work permits etc etc. Do not even consider it unless you have a lot of money to waste. Befoe you invest a penny come here, look, and stay a year
That’s utter BS unless, perhaps, your are only counting “daydreamers” that wanted to open a bar or restaurant on a shoestring budget and with little or no knowledge and experience.

Cambodia’s GDP has almost tripled in the past 10 years and there have been massive amounts of FDI flowing into the country (officially almost 10 billion USD in the past 3 years but unofficially much more). You wanna tell me that no one profited from that? The amount of money foreigners can make here is insane!
I initially didn’t want to move my operations here but was persuaded by my clients and, looking back, it has been immensely lucrative.
Rent is expensive????? My HK office costs over 20K USD per month in rent!

First, i did not say noone made money, just the majority. Big companies are entirely different to the OP's comments. you are not comparing like with like. Yourent i Hong kong is totally irrelevant. you cannot comnpare. that is like comparing rent in Wall st with rent in some small midwest town

Business and pleasure trip

Re: Business and pleasure trip

Re: Business and pleasure trip

Re: Business and pleasure trip

Re: Business and pleasure trip

Re: Business and pleasure trip

Re: Business and pleasure trip

Re: Business and pleasure trip

Re: Business and pleasure trip

Re: Business and pleasure trip

Re: Business and pleasure trip

Who is online

Register/Login to CEO with your Social Media Account: