small business ideas in Isaan

[bodlivy]

5 hours ago, recom273 said:

What do you do in Texas? It seems, although not doesnt always follow - use your existing skills - Butchers and bakers do well here. You dont need to make big money every day, just enough.

 

Whatever you do, like others, little startup cost, no rent, is the best.

 

Again, clothes, my wife sells something that local people can't get hold of, she sells at local markets, maybe two or three times a week, the goods are imported second hand, her rent for the pitch is about 40-100B per market, and the profit is 250%.

 

For fun, I also grow hydroponic vegetables, it's ok in the cold season - trouble is that everyone copies each other here, but luckily they dont continue past one season.

 

You say Issan. its a very varied place, you have big cities, small provincial capital towns, even in a rural district you might have a rich  village that is inhabited by the families of local government office workers, the next village might be filled with older people with little disposable income - there are some areas that are really poor, no infrastructure and and another area, maybe has a big river, for example, these can be very rich areas due to natural resources. 

 

I wish you all the best. Dont think about investing in a coffee shop.

 

Thank you so much for your perspective. Yes, my first thoughts were a pizza place or a coffee shop lol. Doesn't everyone love pizza? I'm in IT, so don't think it will transfer to LOS well. I Iooked up IT salaries there. It's a pittance even in BKK.

[bodlivy]

5 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Maybe start with meeting her in person for a while to see how she really is.

 

We are meeting in person. I am taking my time to get to know her better and not rush into anything. Cannot handle long distance at all, it's a situation I did not expect to find myself in, especially at my age. One of main concerns of mine is her staying in Isaan by herself while I figure out my stuff.  A year or two?  She has grandparents to support and some business ideas to keep her busy, but from my past experience with women back home  I learned they find someone local pretty quick if they are bored. My ex found someone practically overnight when I moved 200 miles away for work lol. And I was driving back and forth to meet every weekend. This is way worse and I guess I'll just try my luck

[youreavinalaff]

6 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

You move to isaan never or when you somehow lost it and are retired. You not move their in working age as a westerner to do a business lol, then you simply lost your mind yourself.

A wild generalisation. Incorrect also. I'm speaking from experience.

[Dan O]

18 minutes ago, bodlivy said:

 

We are meeting in person. I am taking my time to get to know her better and not rush into anything. Cannot handle long distance at all, it's a situation I did not expect to find myself in, especially at my age. One of main concerns of mine is her staying in Isaan by herself while I figure out my stuff.  A year or two?  She has grandparents to support and some business ideas to keep her busy, but from my past experience with women back home  I learned they find someone local pretty quick if they are bored. My ex found someone practically overnight when I moved 200 miles away for work lol. And I was driving back and forth to meet every weekend. This is way worse and I guess I'll just try my luck

Its good your taking your time to know her and her family as they are and will always be the  #1 priority in all her decisions, with there influence added in. Dispite what she says TIT. 

 

Surprised no one mentioned it and maybe you know you cant work in a business without a permit. The business has to have a minimum of Thai employees and meet other requirement to hire a foreigner. 

 

Most small business last 3 to 4 months and then die. You should be making any decisions on what to start until you go there and spend time learning g the area as it can be quite different over tge long run vs a week or 2 visit on a regular basis.  Coffee shops (booth style) and noodle shops spring up everywhere and close just as fast. There's no profit in rural areas. Food ingredient cost have risen about 25 % in tge last 15 month.  

 

Then the added bonus is why do you want to open a business? Income or just to stay busy?  

[FritsSikkink]

44 minutes ago, bodlivy said:

 

Thank you so much for your perspective. Yes, my first thoughts were a pizza place or a coffee shop lol. Doesn't everyone love pizza? I'm in IT, so don't think it will transfer to LOS well. I Iooked up IT salaries there. It's a pittance even in BKK.

If you have proper specialist certifications on high end IT work with good experience, you can make good money in BKK. Your housing cost will be considerably lower than in a big city in the Western world. When you make good money in the USA, you can do remote work and get a Digital nomad visa and live here. 

[Centigrade32]

46 minutes ago, bodlivy said:

 

We are meeting in person. I am taking my time to get to know her better and not rush into anything. Cannot handle long distance at all, it's a situation I did not expect to find myself in, especially at my age. One of main concerns of mine is her staying in Isaan by herself while I figure out my stuff.  A year or two?  She has grandparents to support and some business ideas to keep her busy, but from my past experience with women back home  I learned they find someone local pretty quick if they are bored. My ex found someone practically overnight when I moved 200 miles away for work lol. And I was driving back and forth to meet every weekend. This is way worse and I guess I'll just try my luck

 

I don't want to say don't. But, don't.

You are putting the horse before the cart.

Forget about any kind of business and focus on your actual relationship. If it's based on money, you only have yourself to blame. 

Move to an area that you love, rather than where she lives. If that doesn't work for her, get rid.

Once settled, you can see the lie of the land and what might work. Don't listen to her. Meaning take note of what she says, but don't follow. Lead. If you don't you'll regret it.

 

 

[1FinickyOne]

8 hours ago, bodlivy said:

 

What about selling one orange the first day, then 2 oranges next day, etc. This seems a sure success, no,?

except it probably costs 20 oranges a day to be in business.