Post: #1

Unless the forum can convince me of a different destination, I've decided that I'll be taking my first multi-month trip to Brazil in January. There are a number of reasons behind that choice - Hot girls, nice weather at that time of year, my look gives me a solid chance of succeeding there (white, blue eyes, in shape, good looking, young, etc), the country is on the decline culturally according to numerous accounts so now might be one of the last times to truly enjoy it, and lastly, with the 2014 World Cup coming up and all the buzz that it will create, the time may be ripe for entrepreneurs to start some new businesses.

So assuming you had the means to make things happen, what kind of business ventures would you launch down there in anticipation of the 2014 WC?

Perhaps some sort of sports bar that caters to a western clientele? Does anybody have any pearls of wisdom to share about commercial real estate prices/other considerations in Rio/SP right now? Or logistically, what kind of hurdles would one need to overcome to set up this kind of thing? Every bit of knowledge helps.

I recall reading about some members here wanting to get together to set up some photography gig in Brazil a while back. Did that ever happen? Any ideas how to use the World Cup to your advantage?

There's money to be made here fellas. Lets get the ball rolling.

edit: This might also be a good opportunity to develop some solid backstories for your travels. I've read many datasheets over the last few weeks, and it seems like every time someone fails when they visit a new country, it at least partly has something to do with the fact that the guy has nothing going on there. No friends, no family, no business/money related reasons, nothing. They're just there, walking around and enjoying the view I guess. So they rightfully get labeled as sex tourists (or love tourists if you want to split hairs) and they crash and burn. If nothing else, hopefully this thread will at least help us all develop more inspired backstories for when we land in a new country.

Post: #2

(09-09-2012 05:23 PM)captaingeneric Wrote:  Unless the forum can convince me of a different destination, I've decided that I'll be taking my first multi-month trip to Brazil in January. There are a number of reasons behind that choice - Hot girls, nice weather at that time of year, my look gives me a solid chance of succeeding there (white, blue eyes, in shape, good looking, young, etc), the country is on the decline culturally according to numerous accounts so now might be one of the last times to truly enjoy it, and lastly, with the 2014 World Cup coming up and all the buzz that it will create, the time may be ripe for entrepreneurs to start some new businesses.

So assuming you had the means to make things happen, what kind of business ventures would you launch down there in anticipation of the 2014 WC?

Perhaps some sort of sports bar that caters to a western clientele? Does anybody have any pearls of wisdom to share about commercial real estate prices/other considerations in Rio/SP right now? Or logistically, what kind of hurdles would one need to overcome to set up this kind of thing? Every bit of knowledge helps.

I recall reading about some members here wanting to get together to set up some photography gig in Brazil a while back. Did that ever happen? Any ideas how to use the World Cup to your advantage?

There's money to be made here fellas. Lets get the ball rolling.

I would start a youth hostel in Belo Horizonte Brazil. The only one they have there is a piece of shit and you see very few foreigners. A lot of games will be played there in 2014, so it will have more foreign visitors than it ever has. A lot of guys will go back home with memories of how the girls there are hotter and thinner than their Rio or Paulista counterparts. With the great weather and friendly people, it has tremendous potential for Medellin, Colombia style tourism. Furthermore, it is only 4 or 5 hours from Rio by bus.

Post: #3

You got to have money to make money. You are talking like you sittin on 100K USD. Im interested in this thread. If I wanted to start a sports bar in GDL, Mexico, I'm looking at around 30K starting. Mexico is cheap. I couldn't imagine Rio prices with how strong the Real is to the Dollar and up coming WC. Money is to be made out there no doubt. I would look to supply a damn tourist will need out there but wouldn't know how to get.

Or something simple like shirts. Design a shirt for some of the WC countries or a Brazilean shirt that tourist would want to take home. I would flip them off a stand and wouldnt worry about having a brick and motar. Or get your social circle up and start promoting at some of the smaller bars and clubs. Get a DJ, bump some hiphop, top 40, dance, or house music and make bread like that. Promote on the radio, Facebook, beat the streets.

Or finance a street carts that sells authentic food. Thats probably the route I would take. Make money hand over fist with the right location.

Money to be made 2014 WC. Hopefully I'll be out that way. Making money and smashin tourists.

Post: #4

Real estate requires great deal of expertise and a remarkable pair of balls. The country is at the peak of a presumable house bubble. Credit is small [people don't use mortgage here, the colateral is basically your paycheck] but prices grow very fast and - my take - can't be real. I wouldn't say it's gonna pop up, but you can lose money depending on the timing.

Being a foreigner, I'd look for some chain service [could be anything really - food, coffee, laundry...]. Services run by brazillian entrepeneurs suck big time and when some foreign stuff comes it gets a lot of attention. All you have to research is our economic indexes, because the culture receives well novelties.

Post: #5

My concern is all the hot money that has flown into the Real. Even though it is down considerably off the peak, I still think it has plenty to fall. Without going into a huge diatribe about their economy, debt and corruption, I would reconsider strongly about starting a business their unless it has a low investment cost. Also if you could keep the money in USD that would be advantageous.

The Real is on the losing end of a USD, JPY carry trade and shit can get ugly in weeks or even days.

Side note: Argentina peso is on the brink of collapse again. Almost time to buy a vineyard. I will be naming my first line of Malbec's after Roosh.

Post: #6

(09-09-2012 10:02 PM)BIGINJAPAN Wrote:  Side note: Argentina peso is on the brink of collapse again. Almost time to buy a vineyard. I will be naming my first line of Malbec's after Roosh.

Yeah I think there are going to be huge opportunities in Argentina soon for guys with a nice bank roll.

Post: #7

Someone was talking about a translation business there, Portuguese --> English and Portuguese --> Spanish. Something along the lines of networking with people in corporations e.g. the mining industry, marketing it a premium service and subcontracting the work online to freelancers and making a good profit on the difference.

Seems there's alot of this kind of middle-man potential abroad, doing work for big corporations and subcontracting to cheap freelancers, doing the quality control yourself (in this case just proofreading, which is easy as a native speaker, or even outsourcing that out too). What makes it work is you can make the contacts directly while you're abroad I guess.

Actually here's the thread:
/thread-8430.html

Post: #8

(09-09-2012 05:37 PM)chochemonger1 Wrote:  I would start a youth hostel in Belo Horizonte Brazil. The only one they have there is a piece of shit and you see very few foreigners. A lot of games will be played there in 2014, so it will have more foreign visitors than it ever has. A lot of guys will go back home with memories of how the girls there are hotter and thinner than their Rio or Paulista counterparts. With the great weather and friendly people, it has tremendous potential for Medellin, Colombia style tourism. Furthermore, it is only 4 or 5 hours from Rio by bus.

Instead of a youth hostel, what about a cool boutique hotel, with maybe 10 to 15 rooms, bar attached as a hangout for tourists, local hipsters, and beautiful people.

I am looking to do something like that in any up and coming location, in Brazil or anywhere else. If anybody else is interested in partnering up, let me know.

Post: #9

I've always been interested in the hotel industry, but even for a small place with 10 rooms the amount of capital needed to start is insane. And, without having a significant amount of industry experience, getting ones hands on that capital would be extremely difficult. Not to mention all the permits, paperwork, red tape, and bribery that would most likely be needed to establish a hotel in a foreign country. It's an attractive idea, but comes with a boatload of challenges.

Post: #10

(09-10-2012 10:03 PM)lilseezie Wrote:  I've always been interested in the hotel industry, but even for a small place with 10 rooms the amount of capital needed to start is insane. And, without having a significant amount of industry experience, getting ones hands on that capital would be extremely difficult. Not to mention all the permits, paperwork, red tape, and bribery that would most likely be needed to establish a hotel in a foreign country. It's an attractive idea, but comes with a boatload of challenges.

What kind of capital? In the US, from what I read, construction costs for a new hotel range from $70,000 to $100,000 a room. In Brazil for example, it shouldn't be anywhere near that.

I think it would be a good idea to start somewhere that is not yet mature, but is on the verge of developing as a tourist destination. Buy a property that has some potential, and then renovate. Yes, the cost of going into an established market is not feasible for a startup.

A few years ago I was looking at establishing a boutique hotel in the South of Spain, Andalucia. This is when the Spanish property prices had just started falling. There were some hotels for sale that could have been converted to boutique hotels, the prices were all in the 1 million Euro range. It just wasn't viable.

Post: #11

I think it's important to keep in mind that these hostel/hotel ideas, like any other brick and mortar business, can require years of due diligence (location, people, permits, insurance, renovation, etc etc) as well as hundreds of thousands of capital (at risk).

Post: #12

(09-10-2012 10:31 AM)ManAbout Wrote:  

(09-09-2012 05:37 PM)chochemonger1 Wrote:  I would start a youth hostel in Belo Horizonte Brazil. The only one they have there is a piece of shit and you see very few foreigners. A lot of games will be played there in 2014, so it will have more foreign visitors than it ever has. A lot of guys will go back home with memories of how the girls there are hotter and thinner than their Rio or Paulista counterparts. With the great weather and friendly people, it has tremendous potential for Medellin, Colombia style tourism. Furthermore, it is only 4 or 5 hours from Rio by bus.

Instead of a youth hostel, what about a cool boutique hotel, with maybe 10 to 15 rooms, bar attached as a hangout for tourists, local hipsters, and beautiful people.

I am looking to do something like that in any up and coming location, in Brazil or anywhere else. If anybody else is interested in partnering up, let me know.

Manabout, that is a good idea also, but would require more capital, time and effort. A hostel only requires a renovated house with many rooms, some with 4 or 6 beds (where you can make the real money) and a few singles and doubles. You can set up a small bar or a pool lounge, within the hostel where outsiders are allowed in. Most of these type of hostels in Medellin, for example, sell beer cheaper than most local bars so they can also make a killing on that, especially during the weekend. In one Medellin hostel there were always 4 or 5 good looking girls lounging about, who were supossedly working for the hostel. You would alos see many gringo groupies as well. If you could do the same in Belo Horizonte I hear the cash registers ringing already.

Post: #13

Also, with the weather in Belo Horizonte you could set up a pool in the back. I would do this myself, the only problem is that Belo Horizonte Real Estate is expensive, though not at Rio, SP or Brasilia levels.

Post: #14

I think a starting point would be researching the location (Belo Horizonte has been mentioned a few times) and ensuring there are no immediate roadblocks (bureaucratic or otherwise).

I'd envision a few guys who have ample capital and who are also willing to work at the hostel (puts skin in the game to make it successful on a daily basis). I wouldn't want outside passive investors if possible.

Would also need a local contact - lawyer perhaps, and a translator. Would need to interview/visit guys who have started and run their own hostels.

I could do some valuation analysis once I gather some data on all the start-up costs involved and figure out a profit potential.

Post: #15

(09-11-2012 11:26 AM)presidentcarter Wrote:  I'd envision a few guys who have ample capital and who are also willing to work at the hostel (puts skin in the game to make it successful on a daily basis). I wouldn't want outside passive investors if possible.

I don't have a problem with passive investors. Some guys might just want to invest and take advantage of it for a few months a year. Not everybody has a mobile lifestyle.

Quote:I could do some valuation analysis once I gather some data on all the start-up costs involved and figure out a profit potential.

Sounds like a good idea.

Post: #16

Does anyone have any personal experience with an American owned hostel in S. America (or anywhere for that matter)?

Post: #17

Hostel in Salvador, Brazil for sale. $200K.

http://www.hostelmanagement.com/marketpl...06073.html

Other listings on the site for hostels for sale as well. But, why are they selling, is always the question.

Post: #18

Are there any microbreweries in Brazil yet?

It's a good concept if the market is dominated by national brands. Sell a local, boutique beer with a cool bottle and label. Use flavors that are different and innovative, but not too different.

This kind of project is capital intensive and would take years to do right. I admit it's been years since I've lived in Brazil, but at the time there was nothing at all in this market space.

Post: #19

(09-09-2012 05:37 PM)chochemonger1 Wrote:  I would start a youth hostel in Belo Horizonte Brazil. The only one they have there is a piece of shit and you see very few foreigners. A lot of games will be played there in 2014, so it will have more foreign visitors than it ever has. A lot of guys will go back home with memories of how the girls there are hotter and thinner than their Rio or Paulista counterparts. With the great weather and friendly people, it has tremendous potential for Medellin, Colombia style tourism. Furthermore, it is only 4 or 5 hours from Rio by bus.

Nice idea, and would indeed probably be more feasible as a starting project than a boutique hotel. Just did a quick search and saw that hostels in that city charge about $20-30 per night per visitor. My guess is that it would be possible to charge multiple times that amount during the WC. Combined with alcohol sales... Might be one to keep in mind.

Quote:I think a starting point would be researching the location (Belo Horizonte has been mentioned a few times) and ensuring there are no immediate roadblocks (bureaucratic or otherwise).

Did a quick research on the requirement of a license to sell alcohol in Brazil and according to the (secondhand) sources I could find, there appears to be no such thing down there. Starting just about any business in fact appears to be a relatively straightforward process from a licensing/bureaucratic point of view (just need a general business license of some sort). With that said, some cats who live down there are quite bearish about the idea of opening a bar or similar venue in Brazil.

http://www.gringoes.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10161

Quote:My concern is all the hot money that has flown into the Real. Even though it is down considerably off the peak, I still think it has plenty to fall. Without going into a huge diatribe about their economy, debt and corruption, I would reconsider strongly about starting a business their unless it has a low investment cost. Also if you could keep the money in USD that would be advantageous.

The Real is on the losing end of a USD, JPY carry trade and shit can get ugly in weeks or even days.

Side note: Argentina peso is on the brink of collapse again. Almost time to buy a vineyard. I will be naming my first line of Malbec's after Roosh.

Great insight. Mind sharing which financial sources are on your daily reading list? ZH perhaps? Others?

For those interested in the coming collapse of the Argentina peso:

http://seekingalpha.com/article/616431-h...c-meltdown

Post: #20

(09-11-2012 11:59 AM)ManAbout Wrote:  Hostel in Salvador, Brazil for sale. $200K.

http://www.hostelmanagement.com/marketpl...06073.html

Other listings on the site for hostels for sale as well. But, why are they selling, is always the question.

According to our very own Roosh, Salvador's just one big POS favela. That's probably why.

http://www.rooshv.com/northern-brazil-travel-for-guys

Post: #21

(09-11-2012 05:06 PM)captaingeneric Wrote:  

(09-11-2012 11:59 AM)ManAbout Wrote:  Hostel in Salvador, Brazil for sale. $200K.

http://www.hostelmanagement.com/marketpl...06073.html

Other listings on the site for hostels for sale as well. But, why are they selling, is always the question.

According to our very own Roosh, Salvador's just one big POS favela. That's probably why.

http://www.rooshv.com/northern-brazil-travel-for-guys

Belo Horizonte has everything Medellin, Colombia has and more, especially with the world cup and olympics coming up. The women are better looking, less plastic surgery and more sincere. When I go to Brazil in October, I will talk to a lawyer and see what opportunities and difficulties there are. But if you can create something like Casa Kiwi in Medellin...you will make a ton of money and have as many hot women as you want in your 30s and 40s...enough to retire and have a happy life, like nowhere else in Brazil. It is a risk, since so few foreigners go there....but isnt anything worthwhile a risk. In a month or 2 if someones wants to PM me about this business opportunity I will have more info.

Post: #22

By the way Bahia is already too touristy and not a beautiful city......so no new oppotunities there.

Post: #23

Good topic guys. Even tough I'm currently in China and it's breeming with opportunities, my heart really is in Brasil and once I get some good cash flowing in, I'd be looking at options in Brasil. Keep me posted CM on your findings in BH as I also highly believe that BH is a hidden gem and a goldmine if done properly.
Argentina is too unstable to get any serious biz going there. I liked what I saw when I was there a few years ago, but investing money? I don't know, my heart is not into Argentina. Brasil on the other hand...

Post: #24

(09-11-2012 04:58 PM)captaingeneric Wrote:  

(09-09-2012 05:37 PM)chochemonger1 Wrote:  I would start a youth hostel in Belo Horizonte Brazil. The only one they have there is a piece of shit and you see very few foreigners. A lot of games will be played there in 2014, so it will have more foreign visitors than it ever has. A lot of guys will go back home with memories of how the girls there are hotter and thinner than their Rio or Paulista counterparts. With the great weather and friendly people, it has tremendous potential for Medellin, Colombia style tourism. Furthermore, it is only 4 or 5 hours from Rio by bus.

Nice idea, and would indeed probably be more feasible as a starting project than a boutique hotel. Just did a quick search and saw that hostels in that city charge about $20-30 per night per visitor. My guess is that it would be possible to charge multiple times that amount during the WC. Combined with alcohol sales... Might be one to keep in mind.

Quote:I think a starting point would be researching the location (Belo Horizonte has been mentioned a few times) and ensuring there are no immediate roadblocks (bureaucratic or otherwise).

Did a quick research on the requirement of a license to sell alcohol in Brazil and according to the (secondhand) sources I could find, there appears to be no such thing down there. Starting just about any business in fact appears to be a relatively straightforward process from a licensing/bureaucratic point of view (just need a general business license of some sort). With that said, some cats who live down there are quite bearish about the idea of opening a bar or similar venue in Brazil.

http://www.gringoes.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10161

Quote:My concern is all the hot money that has flown into the Real. Even though it is down considerably off the peak, I still think it has plenty to fall. Without going into a huge diatribe about their economy, debt and corruption, I would reconsider strongly about starting a business their unless it has a low investment cost. Also if you could keep the money in USD that would be advantageous.

The Real is on the losing end of a USD, JPY carry trade and shit can get ugly in weeks or even days.

Side note: Argentina peso is on the brink of collapse again. Almost time to buy a vineyard. I will be naming my first line of Malbec's after Roosh.

Great insight. Mind sharing which financial sources are on your daily reading list? ZH perhaps? Others?

For those interested in the coming collapse of the Argentina peso:

http://seekingalpha.com/article/616431-h...c-meltdown

I am a daily reader of Zerohedge for sure. But most of my info I gather from news articles around the world and of course trading myself.

Post: #25

(09-11-2012 09:57 AM)ManAbout Wrote:  

(09-10-2012 10:03 PM)lilseezie Wrote:  I've always been interested in the hotel industry, but even for a small place with 10 rooms the amount of capital needed to start is insane. And, without having a significant amount of industry experience, getting ones hands on that capital would be extremely difficult. Not to mention all the permits, paperwork, red tape, and bribery that would most likely be needed to establish a hotel in a foreign country. It's an attractive idea, but comes with a boatload of challenges.

What kind of capital? In the US, from what I read, construction costs for a new hotel range from $70,000 to $100,000 a room. In Brazil for example, it shouldn't be anywhere near that.

I think it would be a good idea to start somewhere that is not yet mature, but is on the verge of developing as a tourist destination. Buy a property that has some potential, and then renovate. Yes, the cost of going into an established market is not feasible for a startup.

A few years ago I was looking at establishing a boutique hotel in the South of Spain, Andalucia. This is when the Spanish property prices had just started falling. There were some hotels for sale that could have been converted to boutique hotels, the prices were all in the 1 million Euro range. It just wasn't viable.

Why wouldn't it be anywhere near that in Brazil? Brazil is an expensive country, even more so than the US for some things. But besides building/renovating the place, you have to consider money needed to hire and train staff, create/offer various guest services and amenities, food and beverage for the guests, all the sheets and towels and processes in place to get them laundered every day, bathroom and cleaning supplies, computer systems to keep track of your bookings and supply inventory, etc. That's not even all of it, but you can already see how the costs become enormous.

As others have said, I think a quality hostel would be a simpler and more realistic option.