So I'm opening my own coffee shop

If you can get the staff here off their phones, you may get some service.

Hi guys, so we're having an English Club meeting to plan for the upcoming event. So who's up for it this Thursday night?

Just A Guy wrote:

Hi guys, so we're having an English Club meeting to plan for the upcoming event. So who's up for it this Thursday night?

Do you have special prices for member -- - opening discounted event!

[Moderated: No free ad, register your business in the Ho Chi Minh City business directory section.]

Just A Guy wrote:

It depends on where you've been to, really. But from what I can see, the real Australian hospitality workers are more properly trained than their counterparts in Vietnam. That's just my opinion.

Anyway, here's the special discounts I've promised:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m59 … banner.jpg

Great and useful idea. Does the shop provide free Wifi connection as well?

Yes there is free wifi connection.

Very near my place...

Might drop in for some Aussie English, although you do have plenty of competition nearby and my friends have their Quan PN preferences already.

I know there's plenty of competition and it's hard but worth giving it a try.

Yes, good luck.

So I hear that there are lots of challenges and roadblocks to operating a business in VN.  What are they like?
I am a vietnamese raised in Canada.  I stayed in Vietnam for 3 months last year, and I like the atmosphere.  I am considering opening up on own business of some sort (at a future time) but for sure I am definitely afraid of the unknown (red tape), considering how straight and honest Canadians are.

I'm Vietnamese-Australian and having lived here for the last 3 months and doing what you're planning to do in the future (i.e doing business - coffee shop specifically), I'd advise against doing business in Vietnam. There are lots of red tape and little things that can muck you up big time. I'm not saying that all the people here are like this, but there tend to be a very high likelihood of you coming across dodgy workers or people who promises you the world but rarely delivers, if anything at all.

It has been a costly and exhausting exercise for me and I'm entertaining the thought of moving back home to Australia. My state of mind has not been at such a low depth for a long time. If you want some stress, anxiety, anger and the feeling of hopelessness then help yourself in Vietnam.

God bless us all.

Now you see why we say not to start a business here, the system here sucks and the police suck

I regret but at the same time not regretting. I regret because I went against my family and friends in Australia and went ahead with the move. However, at least I did what I wanted to do so that there's not gonna be anymore what ifs and buts. I'm bruised but a little bit more mature.

Doing business is hard everywhere, but in Vietnam people do get out of their way to make your life a whole lot harder.

There is a fundamental lack of responsibility and moral/social/work ethics in Vietnam. I'm a Vietnamese and I'm ashamed when I have to say this.

I owned a business here for 2 years and never been so angry in my life. I owned and operated a business in Australia for 15 years and had minimal problems.I have never dealt with such money hungry people,difficult government employees and thiefs as I had to here.I would not own another business here due to the fact everything has to be done the hard way.

Its sad that you are feeling this way, but its a very common among people who have started buisnesses here. Just try and keep going, if you see no light at the end of the tunnel, give up before you lose too much money.

You just opened. What happened to make you contemplate quitting? That was a nicely designed garden cafe you had.

@khanh44 I think he has just completed a 3 month course on the lessons to be learned when you try and set up a business in VN with your VN relatives. Sad but true all Viet-Kieu coming back to VN go though it.

can't wait to start my 3 month course

khanh44 wrote:

can't wait to start my 3 month course

Bring lots of bucks, it's a very expensive class. Ask any Viet-Kieu.....

I have a business idea that doesn't require any bucks.

It's not so much my relatives as the people who looked after the renovation, and my staff as well. It's an exercise of frustration and anger. I don't know how this country will step out of its third world status when the people are having such low moral standard and work ethics.

Just A Guy wrote:

It's not so much my relatives as the people who looked after the renovation, and my staff as well. It's an exercise of frustration and anger. I don't know how this country will step out of its third world status when the people are having such low moral standard and work ethics.

You know, setting up business in Vietnam (or any developing country) is like being in a relationship and contemplating getting married. Do you rush ahead and get married without really knowing the person? If you do so, quick divorce might follow. You need to spend some time over there and understand the culture and how things work. The first thing you should have done is build a strong relationship with local police. You know, strong relationship means some lucky money there and there, a few packs of 24 cans of Heineken and maybe even a few evenings with one of them at your favourite bia om. That's the first thing I'd do. Once you get one of these guys on your side, everything would run relatively smoothly.

Vietnam has been used as the US and China's battle playground until 1975, and countries like yours and mine love exploiting cheap labor from developing countries, so we are partly responsible for the "third world" behaviour of many Vietnamese people.

If you know how to cheat, then you will succeed in your business! Together you also need to spend some money for marketing. Otherwise better keep your money in bank and hide your moralities!

I havnt met anyone here in business that hasnt been shafted by the locals. Some expats will always post that its the western countries fault how the locals are,that shows how very little they actually know about doing business here.

Hi hope your shop will going well if you dont mind it I just like to know your idea how much did you expend for your coffee shop for that much big Area

Well, I do plan to drop by next week when I'm back from the Philippines. Hope to see you there mate.

If there is anyone's facing difficulties by doing business in Vietnam, let me know. Please dont judge the book by its cover.
I understood what others talked about specific barriers you need to overcome to establish and operate your enterprise profitability, but the same things occur everywhere else on earth. In facts, most of new enterprises closed after 1-2 years of operating. So, it's pretty easy to set up your business, but more difficult to be successful.

Looking at the bright side, you can see there are a lot of successful businesses in Vietnam.

From my point of view, you have neither had a good business plan, nor a proper analysis of your potential customer as well as competitors. You havent had good marketing communication program, and strategies to create and retain your sustainable competitive advantages. Have you do significant research to identify your prospect expectations?

If you havent done that source of things properly, please dont accuse. You need to understand the market, customer, and your venture well enough to survive and stay profitable.

I had finished my Business Enterprise degree with honors, and worked for several Foreign companies for a few years.

If you need advices to improve your business, feel free to hit me up.

So can you explain why one of the worlds leading casino operators MGM left Viet Nam, if things are not so difficult here, why are companies closing doors and moving.

Tony_Nguyen wrote:

If there is anyone's facing difficulties by doing business in Vietnam, let me know. Please dont judge the book by its cover.
I understood what others talked about specific barriers you need to overcome to establish and operate your enterprise profitability, but the same things occur everywhere else on earth. In facts, most of new enterprises closed after 1-2 years of operating. So, it's pretty easy to set up your business, but more difficult to be successful.
Looking at the bright side, you can see there are a lot of successful businesses in Vietnam.
From my point of view, you have neither had a good business plan, nor a proper analysis of your potential customer as well as competitors. You havent had good marketing communication program, and strategies to create and retain your sustainable competitive advantages. Have you do significant research to identify your prospect expectations?
If you havent done that source of things properly, please dont accuse. You need to understand the market, customer, and your venture well enough to survive and stay profitable.
I had finished my Business Enterprise degree with honors, and worked for several Foreign companies for a few years.
If you need advices to improve your business, feel free to hit me up.

Perhaps you think those multinational companies send their trainees to start up their operations, and just pour millions of dollars to help third world countries.
Sadly, the Vietnamese Authorities have not learnt to coexist and cooperate in todays economy.
What you mentioned above sounds like a year 1 economics student.
ISO9001 have you heard of that?

hELLnoi wrote:

Tony_Nguyen wrote:

If there is anyone's facing difficulties by doing business in Vietnam, let me know. Please dont judge the book by its cover.
I understood what others talked about specific barriers you need to overcome to establish and operate your enterprise profitability, but the same things occur everywhere else on earth. In facts, most of new enterprises closed after 1-2 years of operating. So, it's pretty easy to set up your business, but more difficult to be successful.
Looking at the bright side, you can see there are a lot of successful businesses in Vietnam.
From my point of view, you have neither had a good business plan, nor a proper analysis of your potential customer as well as competitors. You havent had good marketing communication program, and strategies to create and retain your sustainable competitive advantages. Have you do significant research to identify your prospect expectations?
If you havent done that source of things properly, please dont accuse. You need to understand the market, customer, and your venture well enough to survive and stay profitable.
I had finished my Business Enterprise degree with honors, and worked for several Foreign companies for a few years.
If you need advices to improve your business, feel free to hit me up.

Perhaps you think those multinational companies send their trainees to start up their operations, and just pour millions of dollars to help third world countries.
Sadly, the Vietnamese Authorities have not learnt to coexist and cooperate in todays economy.
What you mentioned above sounds like a year 1 economics student.
ISO9001 have you heard of that?

Have you read carefully what I said? I've talked about this newly opened coffee shop and those are contemplating to start small businesses in Vietnam not the multinational or huge companies that u mentioned. Knowing your customer and the market are keys to be successful. Additionally, if they need some supports, I will be willing to help.

I guess you are a Vietnamese, why are u keep talking badly about Vietnamese stuffs to expats? That is so wrong. Dont you understand that problems exist at every corner on earth, not just Vietnam? I've been doing business in some different countries and from my point of view, there are strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities in every nation.

Again, If anyone need some help, feel free to hit me up. I am out of this useless argument.

All the best.

Just read your original post, cant see where you mentioned the coffee shop or just small business. You said businesses and enterprises, no mention of a small business. The point is this, Viet Nam is a difficult place to operate due to its high corruption, poor interlectual property rights,theft and so on. I know this, as I owned and operated a business here and it was just problem after problem.