In Reply to: No businesses please posted by Stanmar on Saturday, 15. November 2008 at 08:39 Bali Time:
people in Bali buy or aquire businesses in Bali not so much to make big profits, but simply to have something to exercise their minds and not sit around all day drinking Bintang.
This may involve taking up the lease on a smallish warung, and trying to improve the turnover.
The cash outlay for some of these exercises is not huge, and small profits can be made.
Many of the small operations that you see operating around the place actually have non Indonesian owners, and whereas many don't get rich (some go down the tubes of course) a lot do make money.
This scenario is not really any different to anywhere else, where businesses are bought and sold, and there is always a lot of risk no matter where it is.
I think that all regular visitors, and those that have lived there for a time will know people who are involved in businesses with varying degrees of success and luck.
I would certainly not discount it as an option, but obviously a lot of research, thought, hard work and trust of local people would be paramount.
As a starting point, I would want to be speaking to a few established and experienced non Indonesian business people in the same areas of operation before committing to anything.