The Expat Files - Valentine’s Flowers - 02/24/13

-Since roses, and exotic flowers like orchids and bird of paradise are in the top 5 of Latin exports to the first world, their sheer abundance makes them beyond dirt cheap down here. And with long-stem roses at $4 a dozen, Valentine’s Day (“Dia del Carino” in Spanish) is one huge event… and roses are only two bucks a dozen the other 364 days a year!

-A huge percentage of my emails are from expats wannabees who want to do business in Latin America… once they finally arrive of course. Though many of these folks put together some very good ideas while up there in Cleveland, after doing their long distance internet research, they come down here only to find some gaping holes and fundamental errors in what seemed like a great business plan on paper.

-You really need “boots on the ground” to determine what will and won’t work in the local Latin markets....and in today's show I have some good examples of why.  What might seem to be a business "no brainer" to a first worlder’s who sees a slam-dunk Latin American business opportunity from a distance (like from Boston or Cleveland) could easily be stillborn if you don't quite understand the quirks and idiosyncrasies of the Latin culture (that you don't read about on the internet) .

-You can have a great idea in Cleveland and crunch all the positive numbers you want, but do realize that expats who really expect to do gangbuster business here need to have at least a passing knowledge of the Latin psyche to make their ideas work. The “gringo advantage” is a godsend of course, but it won’t help a bit if Latins don’t think they need what you’re selling.

-Here’s an example of how sometimes, when Latin locals decide to take the the law into their own hands, it can be a beautiful thing(depending entirely on your point of view).

-Follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a consultation with me. If you want to discuss the details of living, working, playing, doing business and/or retiring in Latin America, now you and I can talk about your situation one on one