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Going into Business for Yourself

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Content
Home / Preface
5 - Costa Rica in Brief
6 - Map of Costa Rica
8 - Symbols of Costa Rica
9 - Introduction
12 - Getting a Bird's Eye View
14 - Why Choose Costa Rica?
18 - Costa Rica Has Many Firsts to its Name
22 - A Place That Accepts All Races
30 - The Friendliness of the Costa Ricans
33 - Ticos are Individualistic
35 - Ticos Are Different and Procrastinators
38 - Why Others Have Gone Abroad
42 - Specific Reasons for Leaving Home
45 - Culture Shock
48 - Enjoy Your Retirement by Adjusting
49 - Ways to Adjust to Your New Life
56 - Making Your Stay More Satifying
58 - Cost of Living
67 - Addresses and Directions
69 - Your Car and Driving
71 - How Not to Be Obnoxious to Locals
74 - Adjusting to the Weather and Climate
76 - Choosing the Right Climate for You
77 - City Living versus Country Living
79 - Where to Live in Costa Rica
82 - Living in Your American Style
84 - Top Quality Health Services
87 - Medical Centers in San José
89 - Dying in Costa Rica
91 - Security and Safety in Costa Rica
94 - Personal Experiences of Petty Thievery
98 - Sex and Romance
101 - Going into Business Yourself
105 - Expatriates Production Enterprises
110 - Expatriates Service Businesses
114 - The Business Environment
120 - Helpful Tips for the Newcomer
125 - National Holidays and Festivities
128 - Religion, Churches & Support Groups
131 - The Optimism and Health Link
133 - The 8 Point Formula for Anti-Aging
134 - Obtaining Insurance
136 - Early Colonial History in Brief
139 - English Language & Tico Expressions
144 - Misdemeanors That Are Now Felonies
146 - Closing Words
148 - Bibliography
149 - For More Information and Contacts
151 - Appendix
155 - Index

Some foreign retirees, with whom I talked, have the impression that running a business in Costa Rica is considerably more difficult than in the United States. The general reasons include a perception of labour relations complexities, corruption in the import / export areas and schedule / quality unreliability. This is probably true. An important cost of doing business in Costa Rica is the monthly payment to be made to the Social Security System for healthcare insurance for the employee and his family. To obviate this, some businessmen who have few employees, especially high-earning commission salesmen, don't include them in their social security reports. Instead, they consider them to be independent contractors who must make their own monthly payment to the System.

Before establishing your own business you should know that about 60% of small businesses fail within five years, many times because of poor planning or lack of funds. Before you embark on what could be a financially and emotionally sad experience, ask yourself the following questions:

Do I have a product or service that's really needed?

If you have an idea for a new product or service, try to find out whether there will be demand for it. You won't be successful by offering a product or service that you believe others will like just because you like it. People have different tastes. They may not be the same as yours. Find out what those needs are and see how you can fill them for everyone's benefit.

Do I have financial backing or money of my own that I can afford to lose?

How much money can I afford to risk without disrupting my existing regular income? That's the question. Don't risk what you can't afford to. Make sure you can satisfy your current financial needs and don't get into debt unless you're sure you can make payments on the money lent to you.

Am I happy working alone?

Many persons are loners-they prefer to work by themselves and not have too many people around them. They seem to be able to concentrate better. Others are more gregarious and feel lonely if not surrounded by other persons. Go into the type of business that fills your need to work alone or the type that requires the presence of others.


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All texts of How to Retire Happily in Peacefull Costa Rica are copyrighted © by Frank J. Thomas Gallardo and Editorial Texto Costa Rica. We recommend to buy a hard copy of How to Retire Happily in Peacefull Costa Rica.