Forced to temporarily stay in the slowlane ?

[Deon]

This is horrible.

Decided to take action, went to see suppliers... ready to place an order for a pilot batch... set up a website and make some money.

Then I was reminded I was an international student and that i cannot operate a business while on this status.

It's disgusting.

The thing is, there are no workarounds around this.



F***, so disappointed

 

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[AndrewNC]

What can you change in your life to have this no longer be held back by this?

 

[RBefort]

Workaround is to not be a student, or do the schooling and then business later. Workarounds exist PS, sorry for answering the question to the above

 

[Deon]

Workaround is to not be a student, or do the schooling and then business later. Workarounds exist PS, sorry for answering the question to the above

That is half true...

Not being a student obviously means I have to leave the US, which is not an option

Doing the business after school, in a year, is true if I get the 12 month OPT authorization... and that's the reason I said "temporarily" in the thread title. One year sucks man

What can you change in your life to have this no longer be held back by this?

Other than what is mentioned above, most workarounds border on the illegal or involve giving 100% control of the company to an american person. Who could be officially doing all the work, and I wouldn't have my name anywhere. That's something that is going through my mind but I don't know how doable it is, or if it's good for me, because that person can screw me.

 

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[DeletedUser394]

Can you not incorporate within your home country?

If you don't pay yourself a salary, are you able to 'volunteer'?

I have no idea, just throwing that out there.

 

[Deon]

Can you not incorporate within your home country?

If you don't pay yourself a salary, are you able to 'volunteer'?

I have no idea, just throwing that out there.

No man, I'm not supposed to conduct a business activity while here as a student. I looked that up, and it strictly tells you you can't.

Not taking a profit and running the business was my original thought and why i was going through with this... but when i read about it, I found out i couldn't. I can own the business, but not perform any business or managerial activity.

EDIT: One option could be placing a friend of mine I TRUST as a manager of the business. But do everything myself, but then that's what I'm talking about with bordering on the illegal because my name can't be on anything. --> will look into this.

 

[RogueInnovation]

Why not just get samples, and not launch the business?

I'm doing a physical product in the stationary supplies area, and am creating the product, going through different manufacturers and testing samples and mixing and matching set ups.

None of that requires me to be encorporated. I just do it privately.


I've been setting that biz up for six months and I bet it'll take another six to get final product done up and all marketting and sales set up (small sales center, web, distribution contacts).
Use the time you have to get launch ready.
Don't be making lame a## excuses

IF YOU COULD LAUNCH AND MAKE MONEY GARUNTEED THEN YOUR BIZ IS READY to encorporate until then, why do you give a darn?
Smells like an action fake to me.

Baller up, and set the business up first, so there is no question about launch

 

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[samuraijack]

Partner with a U.S Citizen friend from school or wherever and go .

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Welcome to the first step of your entrepreneurial journey. Entrepreneurship is about problem solving and you've just been challenged with your first.

The default reaction is to quit. To say "oh well, this is the way it is" and to wait for another day.

The entrepreneur on the other hand, finds a way, even if that way is just a side hustle.

 

[Deon]

Why not just get samples, and not launch the business?

I'm doing a physical product in the stationary supplies area, and am creating the product, going through different manufacturers and testing samples and mixing and matching set ups.

None of that requires me to be encorporated. I just do it privately.


I've been setting that biz up for six months and I bet it'll take another six to get final product done up and all marketting and sales set up (small sales center, web, distribution contacts).
Use the time you have to get launch ready.
Don't be making lame a## excuses

IF YOU COULD LAUNCH AND MAKE MONEY GARUNTEED THEN YOUR BIZ IS READY to encorporate until then, why do you give a darn?
Smells like an action fake to me.

Baller up, and set the business up first, so there is no question about launch

I get that what you are saying can be good for somewhere else to hear, but sorry, it doesn't apply to me.

There is no action fake or "making lame a## excuses". I was at the supplement manufacturer's offices yesterday talking about making my product and the formula, and as you know supplements don't take 6 months to make. I am meeting with another supplier on Monday to compare the two and choose which one i'm going with.

The reason I posted here was in case somebody has tips, maybe they've been in this situation before. I have already called a friend's mother who is an immigration lawyer who gave me some tips.

Partner with a U.S Citizen friend from school or wherever and go .

Yep! Like I said in my previous post, I was looking that as it seemed the most logical thing to do. I will put my friend as a manager and have them signed any official document if needed during sales/marketing/etc

 

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[Formless]

Go speak to a lawyer.

EDIT: Posted right after you did. You've seen a lawyer. I don't really have any tips.

Good luck in all this.

 

[Deon]

Welcome to the first step of your entrepreneurial journey. Entrepreneurship is about problem solving and you've just been challenged with your first.

The default reaction is to quit. To say "oh well, this is the way it is" and to wait for another day.

The entrepreneur on the other hand, finds a way, even if that way is just a side hustle.

Yep MJ.

I don't know why you and RI are talking about me quitting. Even my thread title has a question mark because i didn't want to write an affirmative statement of actually being forced, and was just looking for tips.

You gotta understand that the problem is, not just finding a temporary solution. Because let's say... working in the black market is easy, you just get paid without anybody knowing, who's gonna check? But if, when my studies are done, and I want to apply for a visa to stay here or something, and they find out I have been doing business illegally, they can just refuse the visa and maybe I wouldn't be able to get it anytime in the future, which is F'ed up. Also, if they find out that I'm doing it while i'm here, they can just deport my a$$, which warrants serious thought, no?

In any case, like I said above, I'm putting a friend as a manager, as it seems to be the most feasible thing. Because i can't wait a year to start the business.

 

[Deon]

Double post, sorry!

 

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[FionaS]

Sounds like a great time to start a website and building your branding. Getting people on your list, blog, maybe Pinterest. Get to know the people in your target market and get to be known as an authority figure before you even sell anything. When you are ready to actually start selling something (ie launch the business) you'll be able to have people looking at it right away and may be able to have a variety of testers or people to promote it for you.

Of course, depending on what you're looking at doing, mileage may vary.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

I don't know why you and RI are talking about me quitting.

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply you were quitting ... just that these types of problems are weekly, if not daily occurrences in a process.

 

[Deon]

Sounds like a great time to start a website and building your branding. Getting people on your list, blog, maybe Pinterest. Get to know the people in your target market and get to be known as an authority figure before you even sell anything. When you are ready to actually start selling something (ie launch the business) you'll be able to have people looking at it right away and may be able to have a variety of testers or people to promote it for you.

Of course, depending on what you're looking at doing, mileage may vary.

Well, here's the thing about this awkward and outdated law. It doesn't matter what I do in the business. If I do something, I might as well be selling ANY "running" of the company is considered prohibited. So the starting website, branding, blog, etc... is as bad as going out and selling the product. So I'm going to do something, the solution will be the same. Get a friend as a manager, and do whatever I wanna do. I just have to be careful not to sign any document with my name which can be used against me in the future.

Thanks for the tip

Note to everybody reading the thread: I wrote the post yesterday while being pissed after finding out the news. If I seemed to have wanted to give up, it is not true at all. I got myself too involved in the project to give up now or postpone this for a year. Was just looking for some tips in case some people have been in this situation before. So no worries, i'll report back soon

 

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[Deon]

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply you were quitting ... just that these types of problems are weekly, if not daily occurrences in a process.

Of course MJ, no problem.

There are some days where I would really need hearing what you said in your post. Just wanted to clarify that this time, it's just particularly annoying because you can be kicked out of the country if you're not careful.

Thanks!

 

[TWR]

Yep MJ.

I don't know why you and RI are talking about me quitting.

I believe @MJ DeMarco & @RogueInnovation Referred to quitting because the first post comes across like you are whining about an obstacle you cannot see away around.

I do not have answer for you on this topic besides speaking to the people that made up this law and asking them for an answer, which you may have already tried. I am sure that this will not be the last time you hit a roadblock. Buckle up.

 

[Deon]

Unintentional post again!

There must be something wrong with my browser

 

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[Deon]

I believe @MJ DeMarco & @RogueInnovation Referred to quitting because the first post comes across like you are whining about an obstacle you cannot see away around.

I do not have answer for you on this topic besides speaking to the people that made up this law and asking them for an answer, which you may have already tried. I am sure that this will not be the last time you hit a roadblock. Buckle up.

Yeah, now that I re-read it, it seems a little like It gives that impression.

Anyway, I was pissed when I wrote it obviously but i'm definitely not quitting.

 

[WorldImperator]

Open a company in your parent country, and than, open (as your company) the subsidiary in US. There are even companies which will help you to do this, eg in Delaware, even via internet.

You can open a company in your country. And the company can have the subsidiary in US

Maybe this in an idea for you, to be independent?

 

[Deon]

Open a company in your parent country, and than, open (as your company) the subsidiary in US. There are even companies which will help you to do this, eg in Delaware, even via internet.

You can open a company in your country. And the company can have the subsidiary in US

Maybe this in an idea for you, to be independent?

Thanks, but that wouldn't work.

The point is a student is not supposed to be working while studying.

I am allowed to start a company and own it, in the US, that's not the problem. So it goes back to the solution of having someone else run a company I own.

 

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[RogueInnovation]

Well...

No business ime is as easy as "go to manufacturer -> encorporate -> make money", that is what I'm really saying. There a whole other bunch of steps you are omitting, and it is the fact you are omitting those steps that you are stressed and blaming school etc.

If you really believe you can make money by just having gone down to the production facility, then quitting school or relocating is just a logistical thing you have to do to get up and running.

Since you are not treating it as a logistical issue it speaks to your doubts about making cash.


Secure the likelihood of a cash reward SECURELY and quitting school will mean nothing to you.
If you need more time to be more certain that you can make money, then use it effectively
- get all the traffic sources lined up
- test all the marketting
- iron out kinks


Not saying it isn't frustrating, just that there are always things to be done, so "woe is me" stuff usually comes across like you don't know how to use all the time and advantages you are given to get fully locked and loaded, and ready to BURST out making cash.

I have the feeling you want to kind of set up a small trickle of sales and boost it over time organically. Nothing wrong with that, but it seems you'd need to quit school, and get a job in another place to support that strategy right now.


I don't know of any financial loopholes, but you can always get a really close friend to set it up, sign it over to yourself later.
You'd just have to really trust them.
(shrugs)

Can you suspend your studies for a year? Try the business out, and then decide later which way you want to go?

I mean, supplement businesses are fairly automatic, so you wouldn't be so bad off just getting a job as a bar tender or whatever, while you get it up and running.

I dunno, its up to you. Just don't let your ego tell you that you are sitting on a sure thing before you've done the work to KNOW clearly and have undeniable proof that you are.
Thats a good way to make bad decisions and exaggerate problems in your own head that might not exist in reality.

 

[Deon]

Well...

No business ime is as easy as "go to manufacturer -> encorporate -> make money", that is what I'm really saying. There a whole other bunch of steps you are omitting, and it is the fact you are omitting those steps that you are stressed and blaming school etc.

If you really believe you can make money by just having gone down to the production facility, then quitting school or relocating is just a logistical thing you have to do to get up and running.

Since you are not treating it as a logistical issue it speaks to your doubts about making cash.


Secure the likelihood of a cash reward SECURELY and quitting school will mean nothing to you.
If you need more time to be more certain that you can make money, then use it effectively
- get all the traffic sources lined up
- test all the marketting
- iron out kinks


Not saying it isn't frustrating, just that there are always things to be done, so "woe is me" stuff usually comes across like you don't know how to use all the time and advantages you are given to get fully locked and loaded, and ready to BURST out making cash.

I have the feeling you want to kind of set up a small trickle of sales and boost it over time organically. Nothing wrong with that, but it seems you'd need to quit school, and get a job in another place to support that strategy right now.


I don't know of any financial loopholes, but you can always get a really close friend to set it up, sign it over to yourself later.
You'd just have to really trust them.
(shrugs)

Can you suspend your studies for a year? Try the business out, and then decide later which way you want to go?

I mean, supplement businesses are fairly automatic, so you wouldn't be so bad off just getting a job as a bar tender or whatever, while you get it up and running.

I dunno, its up to you. Just don't let your ego tell you that you are sitting on a sure thing before you've done the work to KNOW clearly and have undeniable proof that you are.
Thats a good way to make bad decisions and exaggerate problems in your own head that might not exist in reality.

Hey RI,

I think you're misunderstanding my intentions and/or the situation.

- Talking about quitting school or suspending studies as being a possibility just means you don't know about how the visa works. If I quit school, i'm supposed to go back home, and that's not an option obviously.

- Getting any job is not permissible. Be it a bartender, waiter, whatever. If I'm going to be working, might as well be doing it on my thing.

- Doing the marketing/getting traffic, etc... is work. And that's what I'm not legally allowed to do. So again, If I'm going to be doing something, which I will, it might as well be everything. Just have to set things up so that I can stay legal... meaning I would have a friend do that all of that officially.

- I never said I had a money problem. So I don't need to get a job to support me while launching this. That has never been the problem.

- And obviously, i don't think it's as easy as going to the manufacturer, setting up a website and making money, specially in the supplement space But I worded it that way saying that i'm taking action and getting myself out there. Never assumed I would make money easy or fast, even if that could be a possibility.

Thanks for the tips, just wanted to clarify the situation and how this whole visa thing works, as you have assumed some things that are actually not true

 

[Mattie]

I can remember the last few years I was disappointed because things didn't happen when I wanted them too. I wanted to be in a hurry, stressed myself, while others were applying the pressure to produce results. At the same time I ended up in the Netherlands with a 5 Year pass and the opportunity to focus on entrepreneur and making my dream to become an author reality.

I wanted this to happen in 2012. I was furious because of other people's ideas and restrictions. I was upset when my professor's wouldn't allow me to do my internship at DHS in 2011. What I've learned is that just because something looks like a delay or an obstacle it may just be directing you and keeping you in alignment with your goals.

I wasn't ready in 2012 leadership wise or where I am today to start a business. There were lots of things I needed to learn first. DHS wouldn't have put me in alignment with now. The internship that I had did. Every job I had before I got to the Netherlands lined me up with the right people to get here. An English professor, and entrepreneur, people that had connections to where I want to be in life.

I want to fly the mountain sometimes. I don't always get what I want, I get what I need to become my full potential. I might not like the people sometimes, I may love them. And like today when you're ready for another lesson the next people arrive to take you down a different road to learn what you need to do, because others didn't do the job.

The right things happen in your life at the right time when you're ready. Those lessons can be just about anything? In choosing your mentors, in handling your emotions, learning communication, learning whether you need certain people in your life to become a success, believing in yourself, learning patience, learning to stay positive even things look dim, learning to hang on even when you're tired. There are different lessons every step of the way.

The most important is knowing everything will work out in the end, maybe not how you may imagine it happening or when you want to happen. Delays happen sometimes for good reasons. For example, if I was any earlier in the Netherlands we would have paid $2000 for my permit and for one year. Instead it was $200 for five years. lol So I never question delays anymore.

 

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[Deon]

Hey @Mattie thanks for sharing your story and for you encouragement.

I agree with your story, and how sometimes events that appear bad can reveal themselves to be good long term.

In my case, I think I will still go with the "put a friend as manager" option, just because I prefer to at least do something instead of nothing. The delay i'm facing doesn't seem to be that inevitably forced on me, I still prefer to start something small and tweak it with time, and when the time comes where I can operate the business 100%, give it more time and work.

Maybe like you said, starting small might end up being the right thing for me

We'll see!

Thanks to everybody for the advice

 

[Ninjakid]

Would it be a violation of your visa if you received dividends on a business you previously held shares in?

Let's say you're here as a student, and have no intention of working in Florida. But, you happened to start a business while you were in Florida and while other people do all the work, and you still receive dividends from it. Not working, but getting paid.

So you have your people in your home country, you create a business with them. The would preferably be close family and/or friends.You give them shares, or salary. They take care of the grunt work from you, and you tell them what to do, and collect the money.

If you don't register the business, you could always say the dividends are very generous donations from family for living expenses.

Just a very vague plan of action, feel free to make it your own.

AND REMEMBER!! It's only illegal if you get caught. Don't get caught.

 

[Deon]

Would it be a violation of your visa if you received dividends on a business you previously held shares in?

Let's say you're here as a student, and have no intention of working in Florida. But, you happened to start a business while you were in Florida and while other people do all the work, and you still receive dividends from it. Not working, but getting paid.

So you have your people in your home country, you create a business with them. The would preferably be close family and/or friends.You give them shares, or salary. They take care of the grunt work from you, and you tell them what to do, and collect the money.

If you don't register the business, you could always say the dividends are very generous donations from family for living expenses.

Just a very vague plan of action, feel free to make it your own.

AND REMEMBER!! It's only illegal if you get caught. Don't get caught.

Haha thanks for the tips

I am able to receive dividends even if I'm in the US! So that plan is not really necessary... so in the end it's better to have a friend work here in Florida, and people in Morocco can't go meet suppliers, etc anyway

But the most important thing you said, and with which I agree... is don't get caught. Immigration is not gonna bother if I don't do anything bad, or get in some trouble myself. I just don't wanna leave traces of illegal work, and have them come up in their investigation next time I ask for a visa or something.

Thanks again

 

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[nausbot]

Can't run this style of business from Morocco? (assuming from last post that's where you're from) Any other western country of interest? (Come to Canada we have stricter manufacturing regulations!).

It sounds like a custom formulation, how does it differ from ready-made private label options? Anything similar you can use instead and make it really hands off?

 

[Deon]

Can't run this style of business from Morocco? (assuming from last post that's where you're from) Any other western country of interest? (Come to Canada we have stricter manufacturing regulations!).

It sounds like a custom formulation, how does it differ from ready-made private label options? Anything similar you can use instead and make it really hands off?

Hey man,

Like I said in the previous posts... the situation is pretty much resolved if I put a friend as manager. It also makes everything easier if the person running it and me live in the same place. Running from somewhere else would only make it more complicated, and has no advantages. (I'm from Morocco, but live in Miami right now)

And the product is a custom formulation, can't be found ready-made like I want. I want to build a brand around this one, even if it's more difficult and more expensive in the beginning.

Thanks for the suggestions though

PS: I've been to Canada 4-5 times, only Montreal though. Love it