Tee wrote on 19^th Apr, 2011 at 9:27pm:


So when are you going to get started?

I mean with baby steps - not the business plan.  You need more experience and research before you're ready to develop a comprehensive business plan.

And if you are not planning on recruiting investors or borrowing from a bank, you don't even need a detailed business plan until you are ready to apply for business licenses from the Lao government.

Even then, the Lao officials will expect that you are already operating at some level before they agree to give you all licenses you will ultimately need.  For example, to get permission to build our bungalows, we had to invite the officials out to see the bungalows. Only then, would they give us the 'permission to build document'.  

I know it seems odd, but that's the way things work here.

Old Man

Tee wrote on 19^th Apr, 2011 at 10:35pm:


You would certainly need licenses to set up a mobile food van.

I set up our resort business as a 'Joint Venture' between Lao and foreign investors.  It took more than a year to get all the necessary licenses and permissions.

Your idea of selling Lao handicrafts through Ebay however, could be run without a license, at least while it is growing and not yet a company sized operation.

You can talk to lawyers and accountants, but be warned - foreign accounting firms charge up to US$200 per hour for their advice.

Now I think of it, maybe you should be paying me.....


Old Man

Tee wrote on 20^th Apr, 2011 at 6:51am:



Get him some nice rocks for his garden, maybe?

I thought $500,000 is the minimum that a 'foregin investor' has to bring to Laos to start any business (small or large).  If so one 'mobile van' is not allowed unless if there are at least 17 mobile vans (assuming $30K USD/per) making up as one company. 

I still prefer to write a 'business plan' still as part of a homework/research before I dive into right away:

-What my cost/fees be to give to Lao PDR to set up?
-How much is my upfront cost (mobile van and supplies inside the mobile van and others)
-What products am I trying to sell and who will be my customers and where?
-What are the ingredients needed to create the product?
-What would be markup after ingredient costs (positive cashflow to survive)?
-Who should I hire (skills/experiences) and how many and what should I pay them?
-Is this seasonal business?
-If I needed to when should I pull out, just in case it does not work so I do prefer to loose as little as possible?

Something like these that are needed to be address up front so I would know the cash upfront and forecasting  (graphs your cashflow while the business is running).

Quote:

OK thanks for clearing that up.