I'm not really in it for the money but more the can I do it?I hope you do really well with your business. I am always very much in favor of western foreigners stepping away from the standard expected gaijin jobs and trying to get along here on the same basis as our hosts, whether it be entrepreneur or wage slave.
Do you want this to be a serious thread about the topic you started, or not?
First lived here because I wanted to, left because I had to to my sanity.(2002) came back 2009 because I had to. (Baby)I believe we think alike. I wanted to see if I could manage to live in Japan even though I'm a foreigner instead of just because I'm a foreigner. It's a whole different country.
I wouldn't say I'm here reluctantly just the teaching gig here isn't healthy in the long term so it isn't ideal doing something you don't enjoy day in day out.That's where we part a bit, I'm afraid. I'm here willingly and the only time I go out of my way to mingle with my fellow gaijins is at the annual JREF Meet during Golden Week. There aren't really any around me that I have anything in common with anyway. I'm a 47 year old married man with two kids in high school and I really have nothing in common with a bunch of single 22 year old F.O.B. eikaiwa teachers.
"Regimented"? I comment that you're posting in the wrong section for a reason: if some people look in the correct section, they will not find your questions and not be able to give you the answers you seek.That's what I had in mind but your attitude is very regimented and no allowance for errors.
So you treat me like that, I'll take the p¥&s.
I'm a little older than Mike, married with a kid younger than his, and I have little exposure to fellow foreigners, too, but that's mostly not choice. I live in the boonies. As for having anything/nothing in common with the 22-year-olds, about all I have in common is the profession (teaching English), and it isn't that strong a connection because I haven't done eikaiwa in over a decade, and I was actually serious about the teaching, unlike most eikaiwa instructors I've known. Regardless, I can't imagine having all that much in common with anyone that much younger than me anyway. Huge generation gap.="Mike Cash" I'm here willingly and the only time I go out of my way to mingle with my fellow gaijins is at the annual JREF Meet during Golden Week. There aren't really any around me that I have anything in common with anyway. I'm a 47 year old married man with two kids in high school and I really have nothing in common with a bunch of single 22 year old F.O.B. eikaiwa teachers.
"Regimented"? I comment that you're posting in the wrong section for a reason: if some people look in the correct section, they will not find your questions and not be able to give you the answers you seek.
I asked about a silly diversion just to know if you are serious about keeping your own thread on track. I could have joined in and shown you even more humor than you could imagine, but I chose to respect your initial query, especially since darned few have chimed in to help you out. I didn't want to contribute to taking the thread off-topic. Is that all that bad?
Forgive me, but I don't know what "I'll take the p\&s" means.
I'm a little older than Mike, married with a kid younger than his, and I have little exposure to fellow foreigners, too, but that's mostly not choice. I live in the boonies. As for having anything/nothing in common with the 22-year-olds, about all I have in common is the profession (teaching English), and it isn't that strong a connection because I haven't done eikaiwa in over a decade, and I was actually serious about the teaching, unlike most eikaiwa instructors I've known. Regardless, I can't imagine having all that much in common with anyone that much younger than me anyway. Huge generation gap.
(F.O.B.???)
There are probably quite a few success stories of foreigners here. Mike is one of them, obviously, and a very good one. I've been here 14 years and am quite happy and secure, so I suppose I'm another, although I don't own my own business. I know some people who have pottery shops or river rafting ventures here in Hokkaido. One guy also has a service to make announcements about job openings and personal ads. Some people do part-time wedding officiating. Some own their own schools to teach English (usually to kiddies). One guy I know sells used cars. The stories are out there. Without looking back on your OP, could I ask you to take a moment to post here (in this fragmented, somewhat tangented thread) just what it is you are seeking from foreigners here?
I advertise in a local monthly advertising 3-4 page delivered to 80 thousand households type. I included a phot of me and my wife in it,thinking I want to be upfront with customers about who I am. I think that was a mistake and I won't put a photo of me in the next one.What are you doing for advertising now?
What AREN'T you doing?
That would seem to be a given no-brainer step one to attracting a customer base.
Try this. Starting a Business ﾂｫ GaijinPot In Japan Blogs
We have a dam on our property with a director tap for outside use.I'm curious how you avoid using the municipal water supply and whether you squeegee afterwards. Do none of the (potential) customers ever want the inside of their windows cleaned?
Thanks for these, quite close to me too, I'm not into consultancy and feel uncomfortable in a suited environment so I haveI have 2 Dutch friends that started their own businesses here in Japan and both of them are doing pretty good.
One started a Dutch waffle shop here in Kobe and he is selling waffles to Isetan, Hankyu dep. and various cafe's and hotels and of course his own shop. ﾃ｣ﾆ陳ｯﾃ｣ﾆ陳ｼﾃ｣ﾆ停?｢ﾃ｣ﾆ陳ｫﾃ｣ﾆ陳湘｣窶堋ｦﾃ｣窶堋ｹ ﾃ｣窶堋ｹﾃ｣ﾆ塚?｣ﾆ陳ｭﾃ｣ﾆ陳ｼﾃ｣ﾆ停?氾｣ﾆ陳ｯﾃ｣ﾆ陳・ﾆ停?｢ﾃ｣ﾆ陳ｫ
Another friend is helping Dutch companies to get their products into the Japanese market by making contacts and doing marketing research for them. (Uw partner voor export naar Japan Dutch).
I am sure there are many other that started their own companies. There is a small company in Osaka that offers sharing space for those that want to start their own company but don7t have enough money to get their own office, might be nice to look into this as well: GLOCS
Just joined this site because it seems to be better than others that I have tried to participate in.
Anyway I'm trying to start my own business here in Hyogo and am interested in hearing anyone's experiences, both failures or successes.
I'm in Japan do the long term and see myself losing my sanity if I have to continue on the edutainment industry here.
What have others done to save themselves from the soul destroying that eikaiwa is?