Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Bowman Offshore Bank Transfers on Emerging markets



Asia
So in my last post I made two bold predictions on the economy in the coming century, that emerging markets in Asia and Africa will be the driving force of many of the changes we see in the world.

East Timor

Is a war torn nation that no one knows much about, or has even heard of. The currency of choice here is single American dollars. The country is extremely poor and lacks almost any infrastructure of any kind. Will any entrepreneurs step up and make a difference in this country? Where there are problems, there is opportunity.

Sri Lanka

I have a friend who recently raised 30 million from the largest telecom in the country after being in the country for just 3 months. They now have the ENTIRE e-commerce marketplace to themselves. They are quite literally; they are the only company doing e-commerce at scale in the entire country. After a few weeks of operation, they eclipsed 101 employees today. Their headliner is a daily deals site / group-on clone: anything.lk

Burma

I’ll report back from Myanmar next week, as I’ll be jumping on a plane to head there shortly. For those who are interested in visiting, the visa situation is a pain! I decided to go last minute to attend a conference, and although I qualify for a “visa on arrival” the process is anything but clear. You need a letter from a Burmese business with address IN Myanmar (as well as permission from a ministry). Full details are available at this site. It is much, much easier to arrange a visa in advance at a local embassy.

Indonesia

From what I’ve seen so far from Indonesia, I enjoy this country. However, corruption at the lowest levels, as dealing with police (or the local banjar) can be burdensome for entrepreneurs. As for most places around the world, it’s best to enjoy your time here, follow the rules and don’t make too much noise. Although it is one of the largest emerging markets, if you are going to start a business here, you better have a great understanding of the culture, a well-connected local partner and deep pockets. I’ve written about starting a business in Bali in this post. If you are able to start a business, you’ll find incredible local talent for an inexpensive rate. The workforce is (by and large) more technically skilled than many other countries in the region, and there are great developers and designers.

South Korea

Korea is a place I don’t know much about. From an outsiders perspective, it’s not an emerging market, it seems expensive and difficult to penetrate as a foreigner without extensive time and effort. Although I have Korean friends who I know and love, it doesn’t attract me from an a macro-economic perspective and I can’t see this economy having the growth potential of others in the region. It is very well developed, and in many ways the polar opposite of its neighbor to the north…

North Korea

North Korea is the last frontier of Asia – hidden behind a communist veil, much of the society is kept in secrecy. I do know some people who have been able to visit and do business in the country. Believe it or not, they run a consultancy that teaches social skills. I guess that proves that maybe there is a market in NK? Recently it came out that Google is trying to penetrate into the economy here, and bring peace to the people. This is an admirable goal in my mind, and displays how the free market and private business can accomplish something that bureaucracy and governments could never accomplish in the country – freedom, peace and profitability.

China

China is intimidating. A huge market full of opportunities. Learn more on how to incorporate a company and do business in China.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is amazing, I love spending time in this country and it is just so damn entertaining to go out for a night on the town in this city. Hong Kong has a great culture – its not overbearing with centuries of tradition, but its deep enough to have caught its voice and be able to proudly proclaim: this is what it’s like to be Hongkongnese.

Hong Kong simultaneously both IS and IS NOT China. Technically, it is a “special administrative republic” and Hong Kong S.A.R. is an exemplar for an efficient free market economy, yet for all intents and purposes, is subservient to the centrally controlled Mainland. Although the quality of life, language, way of doing business, food, travel documents, and a lot of other things are completely different – Hong Kong IS china.

The food and the people are great, the city is so much fun, and Hong Kong is the best place to open a bank account. Scratch that, it is the 2nd best place in the world for banking and starting a business, right behind…

Singapore

Singapore is THE best place in the world to start a business. I’ve written about Singapore city here and also here. I have a deep respect for the ability of the government to spur entrepreneurship and innovation, and raise the quality of life for a society. Living here is a joy, and I love being here for that reason, now if I could only find some interests outside of my work…

Thailand

I write too much about this country already. I’m redacting my previous statements on the LOS. There is “nothing” to see in Thailand, please move along… My advice to backpacking tourists looking to “find themselves” and “see elephants” and “ladyboys” is to stay for a day, visit Phuket and then get out. We never wanted you here anyway.

For those of you who want to see the real Thailand… I recommend at least a year on the ground. Learning the language, starting a business, getting a multiple entry visa in Thailand through a Thai Company, and living in Bangkok city.

Cambodia

Cambodia is the future rice bowl of SE Asia. Along with Thailand and Vietnam, this is where the bulk of food will be produced in the 21st century. it’s also a very young society, and its developing quickly. I’ve seen ventures fail here (premium beer, commerce) and other succeed (citizenship by investment, property investment, fund management, rice, micro lending) the business field is wide open. Read more about Cambodia here. Read more about Cambodia’s Flag Theory and How to Get Cambodian Citizenship | Frontier Investing | Private Equity

Vietnam

Vietnam has an emerging tech community. You would not believe the talent that comes out of this country in terms of technical ability. The currency is a dong, and the government makes it near impossible to start a business unless you know the right people. Even the locals have to go and stand in a room and be read a number in order to start a company here. I spoke to a young girl that did it herself (instead of pay a company rough $200). From the beginning, you should only pick a venture that the government will LIKE – because if they don’t like you – bye bye. Take for instance Facebook – which saw a countrywide ban when groups starting popping up opposing the incumbent party. Check this article on How to set up a Vietnam LLC for further information.

Philippines

Ahhh the Philippines. The friendliest people on earth. Despite having one of the lowest GDP per capita, they have one of the highest happiness ratings. The women here are very intelligent. If you want to set up a business here, make sure you have strong females on your side, and great government connections. They are open to foreigners doing business, but all of the guys I know here that have had success know when to show their palms, and when to show their teeth. REAL power rules.

If you are interested in setting up a company in the Philippines, or learning more, check out this post on why it’s more fun in the Philippines…

There is a lot of opportunity here; partially displayed by the fact that Google is setting up a HQ in the Philippines. As a societal whole, you really want to root for them. They have the potential, they could do better, and they even know it themselves (see this commentary called “get real Philippines” or just look at the town slogans “aim high!”

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Bowman Offshore Bank Transfers on Ten Tips on Offshore Savings


Here’s a guide through the world of offshore savings and a recommended approach to protecting your nest-egg against inflation. 

1. Protect against inflation – The real return savers actually make from interest rates is the actual profit you are left with after taking the effects of the currency’s inflation into account. Inflation is the rise in prices for goods and services over a period of time – usually calculated annually. When weighing up a rate offer, deduct the known inflation percentage to find out how much you’ll actually end up. Advisers also tell savers to include the impact of tax when estimating a potential profit to ensure an accurate projection of likely returns. 

2. Protect against bankruptcy – Following a period of intense merger activity within the offshore savings sector, all savers should check that their accounts are not spread amongst deposit-takers owned by the same parent institution. If so, only a portion of your overall savings nest-egg may qualify for compensation if a deposit-taker goes to the wall. 

3. Protect against lack of compensation rights – We’ve seen the collapse of two Icelandic banks in offshore Britain (Landsbanki Guernsey and Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander Isle of Man) so we know the worst does happen to some savers. It is essential to always interrogate a jurisdiction’s financial compensation scheme before putting a penny of your hard-earned cash with any of its financial institutions. 

4. Protect against ID fraud – It is imperative you comply with identity protection procedures initiated by your deposit-taker. Your part of the bargain in the fight against fraud is never reveal passwords and security codes to anyone. If savings accounts are managed online, never leave a computer screen bearing the details. Do not fall victim to an email scam asking you to re-register your personal details. Real financial institutions would never compromise their customers in this way. 

5. Protect against adverse terms and conditions – Always read the small print of any terms and conditions when opening an account. Look out for penalties in the form of loss of interest against withdrawals made outside the notice terms and ways in which you could miss out on introductory, or loyalty bonuses. 

6. Profit by comparisons – it pays to research the rates paid by deposit-takers. Be sure to compare like with like and don’t be taken in by a new rate offer that is well above the market average. Those tempting percentages could be slashed once savers have been caught in the net. 

7. Profit from a competitive market – Today’s market is more competitive than ever. To put it bluntly, financial companies want savers more than they do borrowers. Select a handful of consistent top league payers and do your research to find out which one really wants to reward your customer loyalty. 

8. Profit by tracking market movements – Rates paid are still pegged to a currency’s base rate set by central banks. If you saving in sterling, euros and US dollars, make sure you stay abreast of these currencies’ base rates to gauge the rate offers on your accounts. 

9. Profit by locking away for longer – Recent economic conditions aside, the best paying accounts are those that lock savers into a fixed term – we’re talking a couple of percentage points’ difference. Calculate how long you can manage without accessing your savings pot and match that period with a provider’s best fixed term offer. 

10. Profit by saving regularly – Get the best from regular savings with products that encourage and reward such good habits.