Post: #1

Long story short I own a marketing agency in NYC, every time I go away for more than a couple weeks I take a hit because I just can't focus on working while away. My idea was that if instead of crunching my trips into 2 weeks I went away for 2-3 months, settled into an office space, etc I could actually work and enjoy the place.

So i'm debating about the best places to do this in, ideally switching it up each year. Things that are important for this (in no particular order):

1) Internet has to be very reliable and quick, this is a must
2) I would prefer a fairly cheap environment, because I won't be able to give up my office space or apartment in NYC while doing this. Doesn't have to be Cambodia cheap, but can't be London either.
3) Safety wise I would like to be able to stumble around drunk around 3am and not get mugged
4) Easy girls / good food / nice weather
5) Business growth opportunities. Ideally I would like to expand while there and get local clients. I think in Bangkok this would be possible, in Nigeria not so much

Any advice or anything else you feel I should consider if you've done something similar?

Post: #2

What sort of marketing agency? Was it easy to start? Easy to stack cash?

Post: #3

Going somewhere cheap you don't want local clients, you want local employees. I'm not sure what the difference would be for getting more work done though. What does your office in NYC have that you don't have on the road? There are lots of cities that have coworking space if that's your thing.

As far as costs go look into airbnb with your place if possible, you might make enough extra $ to get a free trip out of it.

Post: #4

(07-20-2017 04:22 PM)samsamsam Wrote:  What sort of marketing agency? Was it easy to start? Easy to stack cash?

Digital and analytics, not really I mean i've had it for nearly 17 years now

Post: #5

(07-20-2017 04:22 PM)samsamsam Wrote:  What sort of marketing agency? Was it easy to start? Easy to stack cash?

I can't imagine there being a business that is both easy to start and easy to stack cash. If you want to build a good business, then you have to put in the work.

As for the OP, most international cities have co-working spaces that you can you can rent out on a monthly basis. These co-working spaces have fast internet and air-conditioning (if needed).

Post: #6

Bangkok.

Post: #7

Many EE countries this can easily and enjoyably be done. Find inexpensive employees prices are low, women's are sexy.

Post: #8

Don't go to a place where you have access to many hot and easy to meet girls. You will not be able to focus on work for more than three hours or so a day. I tried to do productive work in Kiev (or Ukraine in general) or in Medellin. In Ukraine I am always distracted by the many girls who message me and want to meet. And in Medellin I was distracted by the craziness of the girls I was dating.

Business wise for me the best city in the world is Sofia, Bulgaria. The girls are not super hot like in Ukraine but still hotter and easier to meet than in the West while the city is small so nightlife is dead till Thursday night. You can rent a nice central apartment for less than €400 even on a short term basis. There is also a small but very active entrepreneurial scene and quite a few co working spaces if you require that.

I have written a datasheet on Sofia here: /thread-47165.html

I spent about six months in Sofia just focusing on building my business. Now it generates a semi automated income and I can spend time to travel to the cities where I can't focus so much on work. Any questions just let me know.

Post: #9

I have not been to Estonia but apparently the internet coverage in Estonia is very comprehensive (supposedly around 98 or 99% of the land mass of Estonia has internet coverage) and arguably even world class. At least this is what Estonians I have met in other countries (and internet articles) have told me.

So if what I have been told is correct you can be based in Tallinn and take a hike in the forests on the weekend and still have internet connection in the middle of the forest. Plus you can easily get an e-residency visa which helps you more easily do business there.

I remember talking to an Estonian girl in Australia around 2 or 3 years ago. She said back home in Estonia she was making 3 euros an hour working in a small shop. So I am assuming based on that you can get reasonably cheap labor.

Plus being in Estonia you are close to the Finland and the Scandinavian countries in case you need to meet clients from those countries.

The Estonian girls I met in Australia were pretty hot. As for other aspects of Estonia I will leave it to others who have actually been there to comment.

Post: #10

(07-21-2017 09:02 AM)superschalk Wrote:  Don't go to a place where you have access to many hot and easy to meet girls. You will not be able to focus on work for more than three hours or so a day.

I live in NYC, there're tons of distractions here and I focus fine. The whole point of this is to experience a vacation type environment that I like

Post: #11

Try and think where the company will grow the most rather than the cheapest locale. The upside up growth could exceed the savings from a cheap place without growth.

Post: #12

(07-20-2017 08:00 PM)Suits Wrote:  Bangkok.

There is some recently available bandwidth there...

Post: #13

Consider setting up a permanent second location. This might have several advantages. First, you can spend more time there. Second, pick a place where there are employees available cheaply that benefit your business - e.g. coders in EE. Third, your efforts compound if they are permanent since you don't have to waste time restarting every year. Fourth, you might be able to deduct some of your expenses for taxes. If you structure this well, through the labor savings and tax savings it might pay for itself.

Post: #14

If girls are not a factor I would go somewhere that has the most convenience. I find I get more work done when I have access to anything I want in a short distance. If I only have to walk a block or two in order to go to the gym/restaurant/shopping, etc then the time saved can be spent working. I really liked Saigon, Bangkok, and Jakarta (they will deliver anything) for that reason. I'm in Poland now and could not even find a barber shop or laundry place and I'm in a city center apartment. I'm sure there's a learning curve but you should go somewhere that doesn't take much effort for a new person.

Post: #15

Realistically I don't expect my company to grow due to this, I will be happy with it not taking a hit while i'm away, which it does when I take my usual 2 week vacations now. I grow consistently in NYC and it's the place for my business (i'm established here and my employees are local), i'm just trying to find the best way to see the world for as long as possible without losing clients each time.

Post: #16

Hungary, Bulgaria and Estonia might be good options.

Post: #17

OP's other thread is "Inviting girls from online straight to the hotel."

He more or less makes it clear that is something important to him. High reward with little effort.

With that said I think that means hes probably best in Phils, or DR.

Post: #18

(07-24-2017 01:12 PM)lavidaloca Wrote:  OP's other thread is "Inviting girls from online straight to the hotel."

He more or less makes it clear that is something important to him. High reward with little effort.

With that said I think that means hes probably best in Phils, or DR.

Unfortunately those 2 would be too much of an extreme. For something like this it needs to be a country where I can work efficiently with reliable wifi, have access to good medical care if needed, enough culture to keep me interested, and not get robbed just because I pull out a nice phone.

I'm trying to find a middle ground here. DR and Phil are more of a 1 week sex tour destination imo

Post: #19

This thread would be more productive if OP did the necessary research first and compiled a shortlist of potential location before asking use for input.

Post: #20

I did this very thing and went to Budapest, fun city, cheap, hot women everywhere. That pleads has a spot in my heart.

Post: #21

(07-26-2017 07:40 PM)ElJefe1 Wrote:  I did this very thing and went to Budapest, fun city, cheap, hot women everywhere. That pleads has a spot in my heart.

Matt Forney is there too. I think the OP should go to Hungry. Many girls DTF and probably into S&M too. Unfortunately not too many Asians there.

Post: #22

Im in a similar industry.

My partners and several clients are also there. I'm currently working remotely from CA. As we're seeking to grow in BR, we are opening an office in Campinas, Brasil. I do not recommend Brasil for an office location, especially if you will have employees there. Socialism means having employees makes you susceptible to lots of lawsuits. South America in general is not that great, if you had to, Colombia would be the best as it is most cost effective.

If you're looking for local talent to support your fulfillment needs, Romania is great.

If you're looking to just set up shop for yourself... Any Tier1/2 city around the world has good internet. Find a 2 bd Airbnb and go there. Thats it. It's about what kind of weather, girls, food, and lifestyle you lik. No one here can decide that except yourself.

Read the city guides here. Inform yourself on those.