Cyprus-Forum.com

[purdey]

Good stuff Milo. What do you put success down to ? product, business savvy, location or plain hard work.
My concern for any new business (ex pat) would be playing catch up, competition and start up costs. Gone are the days when starting a business in Cyprus was cheap, Government offers very little help to European investors on a small scale !

[mike Bitts]

Hi all
there is no help for the small busines it comes down to hard work and not letting the word NO stop you, thats the only way you may get 20 no's and one yes and that one yes you have got to build on, 75% of poeple who start up fail but thats a fact were ever you live .

mike

[BOF]

Good stuff Milo. What do you put success down to ? product, business savvy, location or plain hard work.
My concern for any new business (ex pat) would be playing catch up, competition and start up costs. Gone are the days when starting a business in Cyprus was cheap, Government offers very little help to European investors on a small scale !

Yes good post Milo. im in the eastern end as well. I would say that success is finding a niche that a Cypriot businessman hasnt discovered..Big red bus tours is just that..not all tourists want to hire a car or know where their going so what better way than a familiar vehicle taking you to all the interesting places - The New frozen food place is a hit too - amongst other things it sells oven ready meals - simple and easy but not readily available.
Thats where savvy scores.. but not always. Im thinking of the guy who started up a rickshaw bike thing in Pafos and was threatened by taxi drivers amongst others, and hounded out of business.
And as has been said you may not be welcomed - success can bring unwelcomed presents to your business...as already mentioned.

[journo]

Several very valid points have been made:

*A business will only be successful if the 'homework' has been done first.

* A family will only 'make a go of it' here if they've organised employment, accommodation and the kids education before they arrive. And they know exactly what their income and outgoings will be.

* Holidaying anywhere and living/working there are two completely different things.

* The Brits who have succeeded, like the Cypriots or other nationalities on the island - all did thorough research first; and they are not con artists..

They are the ones willing to put in long hours to establish the business; charge realistic fees; are honest; provide what they promise, on time..... and are perfectly straightforward if they are asked for something they can't provide or can't do in the time frame. In other words, they establish a good reputation.

Too many Brits thought they could come to the island and set up 'companies' or 'one-man-bands' offering painting/decorating/building/carpentry/electrical/plumbing or whatever services because they'd 'done a bit of it at home'. (And they thought they could get away with it here)

Sad facts are that even many of the skilled tradesmen are only capable of working under supervision. They have no ability to cost/time a job, source raw materials, or plan their schedule. They have absolutely no concept of 'customer service' The idea of telling a client they won't be turning up as previously agreed doesn't even occur to them.

They are the ones who have repeatedly failed to provide what they promised; have left jobs half-way through. I'm sure many forum readers could name them if they so chose!

.... and that doesn't even begin to approach the 'rip-off artists'.

But [u]there are those who have done well and been very successful[/u].

Because they are talented; resourceful; honest; hardworking - and are providing much needed services - things everyone needs, or they have correctly identified a commercially valuable 'niche market'!

They also recognise that Cyprus is not 'Britain in the Sun' and they don't keep whingeing because things here 'aren't like they are at home'.

[nigeyboy]

99% of people that start a business aren't businessmen. It's a case of "I worked in a bakers and can do this myself." Err, no you can't, you may be a good baker but you're not a businessman.

It never ceases to amaze me why people "go into business" when all they're actually doing is creating themselves a job, working the same as they were doing before. In my book, a business doesn't exist until it has a substantial net income, a decent management structure & good recurring revenues. How many of these are there over here from the Cypriots, let alone the Brits.

As you rightly say, go back to sunbathing, you weren't in business in the UK, why try it over here here when you can't even speak the language !!

And then moan about being a failure!

[Z4]

Go-go Nigeyboy