If you were to move to another Continent, will you survive?

[Tobore]

Actually most people here are smart and way out of their comfort zones.

BUT,

I would like to know if anyone here could survive in another Continent (eg. Africa) and create a fastlane business that meets a need with just an internet connection and a few bucks in your account?

Would you target a worldwide market?
Would you solve a country wide/continent wide problem?

What will you do if you wake up in the morning and find yourself in another continent?

HINT: The people in this continent hardly buy things from the Internet so the Market spectrum isn't as large as it is in a Developed Continent

how would you survive?

 

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[theag]

Why make it harder than it already is?

 

[The-J]

Why make it harder than it already is?

Because in a lot of cases, it might not necessarily be harder. The country has weak infrastructure? Opportunity. The country has a weak online/e-commerce/social media presence? Opportunity. The people's consumer needs and wants are different from people in your own country? Opportunity. The country has a corrupt government? Morally shaky, but possibly the biggest opportunity of them all.

The richest man in the world owns a telecom monopoly in a highly populated third world country that probably keeps its monopoly due to government contracts. There are bigger telecoms in the world and yet they can't touch Telcel in Mexico.

I've looked a little bit into countries like Ghana, Philippines, Nigeria, India, and Indonesia. A list of things these countries share:

• Very highly populated, cities jam packed with people.
• Very low cost of living... but the average person lives on maybe 1/10th of what we do in the 'first world'.
• Growing middle class
  
• Weak but improving infrastructure (roads, health care, Internet, sanitation, water, electric)
• Fast growing economies, some due to oil and others due to tech
  
• English language use in these countries is growing even though the average person is not fluent by any means
• Mobile phones are the #1 way for the everyday person to get on the Internet.

If you can't look at this list and see opportunity then there is no hope for you as an entrepreneur.

People doing mobile marketing WELL in these countries are making a killing. People who are coming up with ways to get around or improve weak infrastructure are making a killing. People who are running companies teaching English to the upper middle class are making a killing. People selling 'affordable luxury' goods to the middle class are making a killing.

What's actionable in these countries, though? If you're sitting in your chair in Germany right now, you can buy mobile clicks from ad networks in these countries for pennies. The networks aren't perfect but at the end of the day it's about making a profit.

If you're in one of these countries, a business could be a phone call (and a greased palm) away.

But what do I know, I'm still here in my first-world country competing in a crowded space

 

[biophase]

Actually most people here are smart and way out of their comfort zones.

BUT,

I would like to know if anyone here could survive in another Continent (eg. Africa) and create a fastlane business that meets a need with just an internet connection and a few bucks in your account?

Would you target a worldwide market?
Would you solve a country wide/continent wide problem?

What will you do if you wake up in the morning and find yourself in another continent?

HINT: The people in this continent hardly buy things from the Internet so the Market spectrum isn't as large as it is in a Developed Continent

how would you survive?

I think if you have good general business skills, you could easy thrive in most other countries. However, other countries may have alot of other business aspects that you've never experienced, like gov bribes, "local taxes", etc...

 

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[Deleted17784]

I would look into offering digital products to a global market. That way you don't have any issues paying "tea money" to the local mafia police... If you are successful people will come knocking. All kinds of other headaches doing business outside of your country. Many people are successful but I had some issues with my venture in Thailand that soured me on doing local business here.

I value my privacy and freedom of movement.

 

[Tobore]

Because in a lot of cases, it might not necessarily be harder. The country has weak infrastructure? Opportunity. The country has a weak online/e-commerce/social media presence? Opportunity. The people's consumer needs and wants are different from people in your own country? Opportunity. The country has a corrupt government? Morally shaky, but possibly the biggest opportunity of them all.

The richest man in the world owns a telecom monopoly in a highly populated third world country that probably keeps its monopoly due to government contracts. There are bigger telecoms in the world and yet they can't touch Telcel in Mexico.

I've looked a little bit into countries like Ghana, Philippines, Nigeria, India, and Indonesia. A list of things these countries share:

• Very highly populated, cities jam packed with people.
• Very low cost of living... but the average person lives on maybe 1/10th of what we do in the 'first world'.
• Growing middle class
  
• Weak but improving infrastructure (roads, health care, Internet, sanitation, water, electric)
• Fast growing economies, some due to oil and others due to tech
  
• English language use in these countries is growing even though the average person is not fluent by any means
• Mobile phones are the #1 way for the everyday person to get on the Internet.

If you can't look at this list and see opportunity then there is no hope for you as an entrepreneur.

People doing mobile marketing WELL in these countries are making a killing. People who are coming up with ways to get around or improve weak infrastructure are making a killing. People who are running companies teaching English to the upper middle class are making a killing. People selling 'affordable luxury' goods to the middle class are making a killing.

What's actionable in these countries, though? If you're sitting in your chair in Germany right now, you can buy mobile clicks from ad networks in these countries for pennies. The networks aren't perfect but at the end of the day it's about making a profit.

If you're in one of these countries, a business could be a phone call (and a greased palm) away.

But what do I know, I'm still here in my first-world country competing in a crowded space

You are right but most entrepreneurs in these countries don't have the startup funds to make a killing in the above listed points. With a Fastlane mindset how would you create a business eg. Teaching English language considering scale and time?...The Internet could solve that but there's still a problem: The people who mainly use the Internet are educated to an extent and the ones with no basic education who NEED to learn English Language aren't proficient with the Internet.

E-commerce is booming but drop shipping from China or North America isn't cheap considering Human resources, inventory, delivery of purchased goods and returned goods.

There are lot of opportunities like Real Estate. Mobile marketing is booming and guess what "everyone is doing it" and the only way to make a major killing is to become the carrier network which doesn't come cheap.

Back to the question "how would you survive in another Continent (eg. Africa) and create a fastlane business that meets a need with just an internet connection and a FEW BUCKS in your account?

Make a killing in these countries is possible but it doesn't come cheap.

 

[DeletedUser394]

OP is in Africa (Nigeria I believe). So instead of the hypothetical way this question was phrased, he's essentially talking about himself.

So what he's basically looking for someone to tell him what to do.

Threads like that never end well.

 

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[Tobore]

I would look into offering digital products to a global market. That way you don't have any issues paying "tea money" to the local mafia police... If you are successful people will come knocking. All kinds of other headaches doing business outside of your country. Many people are successful but I had some issues with my venture in Thailand that soured me on doing local business here.

I value my privacy and freedom of movement.

You're right @Skins
Offering digital products to a global market gives you large benefits so you can create more businesses in your country.

 

[Tobore]

I think if you have good general business skills, you could easy thrive in most other countries. However, other countries may have alot of other business aspects that you've never experienced, like gov bribes, "local taxes", etc...

Thanks, that's true!

 

[Tobore]

OP is in Africa (Nigeria I believe). So instead of the hypothetical way this question was phrased, he's essentially talking about himself.

So what he's basically looking for someone to tell him what to do.

Threads like that never end well.

Yeah, you're right and wrong @RichKid I'd like to admit that this thread isn't a way to get spoon-fed or in anyway hypothetical to get any sort of information out of anyone. I just want a general view on the topic.

Thanks anyway!

 

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[The-J]

Make a killing in these countries is possible but it doesn't come cheap.

i've already told you what to do. Is everyone REALLY doing mobile marketing in Nigeria? And if they are, is everyone REALLY doing it effectively?

I'm pretty sure the answers to both are no, but I'm 100% sure the answer to the second one is 'no'. And that's the opportunity: if a million people are doing it but 999,990 of them suck at it, then all you gotta do is do it well. I'm not just talking about affiliate marketing: there's marketing for local businesses, mobile lead gen, and more.

 

[Tobore]

Great one @The-J. I think most people here are in this same situation (including myself)

Thanks Rep+++

 

[Deleted17784]

OP are you a Nigerian living in Nigeria? I was under the impression you were an Expat. If you are a local you will face the same challenges as all Entrepreneurs but it would be easier for you then me. If you know what I mean...

 

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[Tobore]

Yes I am a local, I guess you're an expat. It's not really easy for expats down here, the govt tends to suck them dry with huge taxation and all but I think that's how it is most countries esp developing ones. I know what you mean...maybe if you solve a major problem there they'd give you some slacks I think.

 

[marklov]

I think if you have good general business skills, you could easy thrive in most other countries. However, other countries may have alot of other business aspects that you've never experienced, like gov bribes, "local taxes", etc...

True to the bold parts..

To the OP Third world citizen here just to relate....

I changed my outlook on my "continent" or in my case an island and started looking at it from a "foreign investor's" angle , it turned from a "woe is me" to "holy F*ck" this place is rife with opportunities/problems that need solving.

I started to see that if I can kick these obstacle's a$$ , the palm greasing , lack of proper business infrastructure , the taxes and all the other "wonderful" stuff that I am sure you are well aware off.

It would turn to my favor because I would then have a significant barrier of entry protecting my venture and working in my favor just like it works for the "rich".

Easier said than done (do I even have to answer?) , impossible? NO and others have done it in my country and that's all the proof I need that it is possible.


Here is one of my top 10 favorite quote's from this community and....

if you define the world by what you cant do, it will look like that for the rest of your life.

if you start to define the world by what do you have to do to get X, it will start to shape its self, accordingly


Z

it changes my life daily....DAILY!

 

[Ubermensch]

A better question is: If you stay in the United States and DON'T move to another continent, will you survive?

 

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[Tobore]

True to the bold parts..

To the OP Third world citizen here just to relate....

I changed my outlook on my "continent" or in my case an island and started looking at it from a "foreign investor's" angle , it turned from a "woe is me" to "holy F*ck" this place is rife with opportunities/problems that need solving.

I started to see that if I can kick these obstacle's a$$ , the palm greasing , lack of proper business infrastructure , the taxes and all the other "wonderful" stuff that I am sure you are well aware off.

It would turn to my favor because I would then have a significant barrier of entry protecting my venture and working in my favor just like it works for the "rich".

Easier said than done (do I even have to answer?) , impossible? NO and others have done it in my country and that's all the proof I need that it is possible.


Here is one of my top 10 favorite quote's from this community and....



it changes my life daily....DAILY!

Thanks!!!!

 

[biophase]

I've been to Africa many times and I've seen a few opportunities there. I've told a few of the locals how I would make a few bucks over there. They don't understand the knowledge that they have on their heads is valuable. I would be selling ebooks on Amazon at a few bucks a piece if I were them.

 

[Iammelissamoore]

I reside in the Caribbean, and as far as Opportunities go, there's so much red tape here, all you see and understand is the colour red. However, I didn't allow it to deter me, firstly, I've come to understand that opportunities aren't something someone provides us, opportunities can be created directly from our hands.

When I began my last, didn't do too well business, I recognised I was fighting myself up with the national market, but two lessons I learnt was:

1. There's a bigger world 'out there' and I need not limit myself to a national market with BS rules thicker than concrete.

2. My business wasn't focused on filling needs, it did so partially, not fully as it should.

As I set my focus differently, it became clear that as individuals we hold the power to make or break anything we set feet on. Living in a different country/continent, I will admit, challenges certainly exist; however, this isn't a super deterrent to getting ahead. All my cousins migrated to US and Canada, it's a normal thing Caribbeaneers do, none of them have 'made it' yet, but hey, if we can't see the grass greener where we already stand, we sure as heck would miss the greenery on the other side.

Most times, we feel going to a better country will provide better results, it may be true, to an extent, due to the culture etc. but, I've seen people dwell in thriving cultures who are anything but thriving. Honestly, it boils down again to what solutions we bring to the table, the exceptional user experiences we're offering and impacting people in ways other people/businesses failed. With the turn of the technological age, we are afforded opportunities our parents couldn't dream about.

No, I don't believe country/continent matters as far as getting ahead, sure we'll have challenges, but, who said anything worthwhile would be easy? You know?!

Don't lose courage, I know you were just enquiring, but opportunity lies in our hands, nothing is impossible, unless we make it to be. There's a great, big world filled with problems and with technology, everything's at our fingertips, it may take a while, but the Process makes it worthy, Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

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[Tobore]

I reside in the Caribbean, and as far as Opportunities go, there's so much red tape here, all you see and understand is the colour red. However, I didn't allow it to deter me, firstly, I've come to understand that opportunities aren't something someone provides us, opportunities can be created directly from our hands.

When I began my last, didn't do too well business, I recognised I was fighting myself up with the national market, but two lessons I learnt was:

1. There's a bigger world 'out there' and I need not limit myself to a national market with BS rules thicker than concrete.

2. My business wasn't focused on filling needs, it did so partially, not fully as it should.

As I set my focus differently, it became clear that as individuals we hold the power to make or break anything we set feet on. Living in a different country/continent, I will admit, challenges certainly exist; however, this isn't a super deterrent to getting ahead. All my cousins migrated to US and Canada, it's a normal thing Caribbeaneers do, none of them have 'made it' yet, but hey, if we can't see the grass greener where we already stand, we sure as heck would miss the greenery on the other side.

Most times, we feel going to a better country will provide better results, it may be true, to an extent, due to the culture etc. but, I've seen people dwell in thriving cultures who are anything but thriving. Honestly, it boils down again to what solutions we bring to the table, the exceptional user experiences we're offering and impacting people in ways other people/businesses failed. With the turn of the technological age, we are afforded opportunities our parents couldn't dream about.

No, I don't believe country/continent matters as far as getting ahead, sure we'll have challenges, but, who said anything worthwhile would be easy? You know?!

Don't lose courage, I know you were just enquiring, but opportunity lies in our hands, nothing is impossible, unless we make it to be. There's a great, big world filled with problems and with technology, everything's at our fingertips, it may take a while, but the Process makes it worthy, Rome wasn't built in a day.

Thanks, you've said it all (thumbsup). Actually there are problems everywhere. It takes the trained eye to spot them and like you said "Rome wasn't built in a day"....I know what this means- it's all a process, never an event. Thanks for the great reply.

 

[Iammelissamoore]

Thanks, you've said it all (thumbsup). Actually there are problems everywhere. It takes the trained eye to spot them and like you said "Rome wasn't built in a day"....I know what this means- it's all a process, never an event. Thanks for the great reply.

You are MOST welcome. You're destined for greatness only if you put in the work. You'll be fine, just work on making those excellent contributions and exceptional user experiences in other people's lives. TMF taught us well.

Cheers on excelling in your quest.

Mel.

 

[Blhhi]

I see the irony in my saying this, but I would advise against taking tips from people who aren't in your situation. Successful people will tell you it's easy to make money, you're just not doing the right things. Unsuccessful people will agree with you that it's hard, and encourage you to embrace how much of a victim you are. Neither will help.

My philosophy right now is to ignore advice. Who cares what someone has to say? Just study what they do, because that's all that matters. Find a rich person who came from a similar situation and study (copy) what they did. Maybe you can even get in contact with them. But asking irrelevant people a hypothetical question is going to give you irrelevant, hypothetical answers.

 

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[Tobore]

I see the irony in my saying this, but I would advise against taking tips from people who aren't in your situation. Successful people will tell you it's easy to make money, you're just not doing the right things. Unsuccessful people will agree with you that it's hard, and encourage you to embrace how much of a victim you are. Neither will help.

My philosophy right now is to ignore advice. Who cares what someone has to say? Just study what they do, because that's all that matters. Find a rich person who came from a similar situation and study (copy) what they did. Maybe you can even get in contact with them. But asking irrelevant people a hypothetical question is going to give you irrelevant, hypothetical answers.

Toughlove...
Sometimes you just don't have to eat the meal, you'd need the recipe. I believe doing what they do and doing it better makes one great. Thanks @Prototype