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Buying A Business Overseas
Buying and starting a business is always a considerable challenge, but it is one that is often associated with substantial personal and financial rewards. You may feel that idea of taking over an enterprise overseas is likely to be more difficult than concentrating on your local area, but it's actually an approach that can open up a wealth of new opportunities.
Indeed, you may have visited such people overseas and seen for yourself that
life away from the UK can be exciting, offering you new opportunities. The
thought of moving abroad, being close to loved ones and also having your own
business can be incredibly appealing.
It's also true that financial motives will often have a role to play. The UK
economy appears to be relatively stagnant at the present time, which offers a
real contrast, when compared to a variety of other nations. Some analysts
suggest, for example, that the US economy is performing more strongly.
What this means is that buying a business overseas may allow
you to get access to a thriving market, which will make the process that bit
easier. You may also discover that it's easier to get access to finance in
another country, given the fact that UK banks and financial institutions are
still reticent to lend money to many small business owners.
Making the move to countries where English is the first language may seem like
an obvious option. You will probably find that it's easier to get started in
business and that you'll be able to handle many of the technicalities that
might be difficult, if you weren't able to speak the language. It is worth
noting, however, that local regulations will often differ considerably from
those that you find in place in the UK.
If you do dream of moving to Spain or France, then there's no reason why you
can't get up to speed with the language. Indeed, you may already have the
language skills that you need. You'll be able to benefit from an improved
climate and you may also be able to take advantage of the fact that there will
be more opportunities here.
By spending some time in such countries, you should be able to take note of
differences in the way that different sectors of the economy operate. Some
business ideas that have taken hold in the UK may not yet have reached the same
levels of saturation elsewhere. This will naturally mean that you have
opportunities to enter the market at an early stage and to be successful.
It can become easy to get carried away with the dream of moving abroad,
however, meaning that it's vital that you concentrate on the fundamentals
associated with starting a new business. In particular, you'll need to be sure
that you have something great to offer. Whether that means fantastic products,
or outstanding services, you will need to stand out from the crowd.
You will also need to ensure that there is an appropriate market available to
you. Living in rural France, for example, may seem like a good idea. It's
likely that you will be able to establish a business there too, but you'll need
to think carefully about the type of business. Buying a clothing shop, for
instance, where you might expect to rely heavily on passing trade, might not be
the best idea.
When considering the type of business that you will be buying, you need to
apply the same approach as you would do in the case of starting a new business
in the UK. Write a complete business plan and see whether it really makes sound
business sense. If it does, then exciting challenges overseas will await you.
By Adam Bannister, Managing Editor of BusinessesForSale.com. Adam also manages content for other titles in the Dynamis stable as well as being an occasional contributor to the Huffington Post, Talk Business magazine and Start Your Business Magazine.