Everyone wishes that they could open their own business wherever in the world they choose…but nobody actually does it… Do they? Well, the short answer is…Yes, they do. And we’ve met them.
We know expats who run their own B&B in Mexico...opened a bagel café in Panama... started a tour business in Chile...operate a yoga retreat in Costa Rica. The fact is, being your own boss will provide you with the flexibility to work the hours you prefer and pick a schedule that best fits your lifestyle and priorities. So take that leap and open that business of your dreams in an overseas location of your choice.
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See below for inspiring articles from expats who have opened many different types of businesses in countries around the world.
Spotting an Island Dream…from 20,000 Feet UpPosted on April 25, 2012 by Caren Abdela
We were flying low over the glittering Caribbean when I saw my dream out the window. Looking down on reefs of coral and lush green islands, I just knew I had to live down there, with my toes buried in those warm, white sands,” says Stephen Crabtree.
L.A. Librarian Trades in Books for Tango ShoesPosted on April 25, 2012 by Cherie Magnus
I’ve always loved to dance. I studied ballet as a child. I’ve directed my own belly-dance troupe. In 1997, I finally discovered tango—and I was hooked. When I dance, I feel most like myself. And these days I get to do it all the time as a dance teacher in Buenos Aires, Argentina, passing on one of the most beautiful dances of all—the tango—in the place where it was born and is still at its best.
The “Salsa King” of Punta del Este, UruguayPosted on March 27, 2012 by David Hammond
We were tired of the rat race and charmed by the idea of a new adventure abroad,” says Moises Contreras. From San Diego, California, he and his wife Laura and their daughter Lexi moved to Punta del Este, Uruguay in 2008. Life was good and although happy to be living in the most popular beach resort in South America, they missed one thing in particular…
Running a Language School in Pedasi, PanamaPosted on February 21, 2012 by Jessica Ramesch
Ingrid Senne spends a great deal of time at the beach, doing yoga, or exploring the villages near her new home in Pedasí, Panama—“especially the tiny ones,” she says. Las Tablas, just 15 minutes away, is one of Panama’s best-known rural colonial towns…a place where local traditions thrive and where Carnival season engrosses the entire town.
The Beach Bar Dream in Panama…Come TruePosted on February 15, 2012 by Jessica Ramesch
Located in the Panamanian beach town of Coronado, the always happening Picasso is owned and run by British transplant Claire Ross. Claire didn’t come to Panama intending to start a restaurant here, but while doing some consulting work in Panama City she found a town an hour’s drive away that has it all.
Live Happily Ever After in the Italian CountrysidePosted on February 6, 2012 by Melissa Ruttanai
Ashley and Jason Bartner were beginning a new phase in their lives. The couple had planned to settle down and buy a home in New York, but during their honeymoon, exploring cozy cafés, cobblestone avenues, and seasonal fruit markets, they fell in love with Italy.
How One Jobless American Turned Things Around in MexicoPosted on January 3, 2012 by Arthur Hoffman
When Cheryl Finnegan lost her job, she considered putting up a fight. She could stay in San Francisco—maybe get back into another firm with another position in corporate marketing. Or she could do something else with her life. At the age of 39, in the middle of a divorce and with a generous severance package from her former employer, Levi Strauss, Cheryl did just that.
Have We Found The World’s Best Job?Posted on December 30, 2011 by Jessica Ramesch
Richard Brady goes by Ricardo these days…he’s been in Panama since 2001 and has no plans to return to Florida. That’s probably because he spends his days surfing at one of the best sites in the region. When he’s not surfing, he’s out on Elizabeth, a gleaming white 25-foot skiff, from which he’s spotted everything from manta rays to howler monkeys.
A Little Surf Town in Panama That Was Once a Well-Guarded SecretPosted on December 29, 2011 by Jessica Ramesch
“It’s my favorite wave on earth,” says Jon Hanna, a championship surfer who’s seen more than a few waves in his travels around the world. He’s talking about Santa Catalina, a little surf town in Panama that was once a well-guarded secret.
A New Life and a New Business in PanamaPosted on December 28, 2011 by Jessica Ramesch
Erica and Kevin Moore didn’t want much…a quiet setting where they’d be able to run a business and be a part of a welcoming community. In Panama, they found dozens of towns with potential…but the tiny village of Santa Fe de Veraguas called to them.
- Embracing the “Sweet” Life in Quito, Ecuador
Posted on December 20, 2011 by Jennifer Adams
In the modern world, you live to work, but in Ecuador, you work to live,” says Jeff Stern of his new home in the country’s colonial capital. Becoming a successful chocolatier who creates artisanal chocolates is just the latest twist in Jeff’s journey. A San Diego native, Jeff first visited Ecuador in 1994 when studying for a Master’s degree in community and regional planning.
Unemployed in the U.S., International Designer in MexicoPosted on November 24, 2011 by Arthur Hoffman
When Cheryl Finnegan lost her job, she considered putting up a fight. She could stay in San Francisco – maybe get back into another firm with another position in corporate marketing. Or she could do something else with her life. At the age of 39, in the middle of a divorce and with a generous severance package from her former employer, Levi Strauss, Cheryl did just that.
An American Success Story in FrancePosted on November 10, 2011 by Vanessa Couchman
Sally Stone was searching for superb scenery and a relaxed pace of life when she bought a small stone cottage in Brittany, on the Atlantic coast of France. At the time, Sally was working as a director in a marketing company; the Breton cottage just a part-time retreat. But a year later, in 2002, she lost her job to cost cutting and needed to find something else.
Business in Medellin, Colombia: The “City of Opportunity”Posted on November 9, 2011 by Cole LaValley
I always thought that I’d want to live on the beach in some out-of-the-way area. When the time came though, a bigger city was the place for me. Medellín in Colombia is physically beautiful. It’s the greenest city I’ve ever been to. The weather is better than any other place I’ve lived.
A New Life and Business in Roatan, HondurasPosted on November 8, 2011 by Steve Carr
Quentin and Wyona McKay wanted to move to paradise. They wanted to exchange their hectic life for a simpler, more fulfilling one…to own their own business in an exotic tropical location and work for themselves doing something they enjoy.
Living the Dream: Doing Business in ParadisePosted on October 27, 2011 by International Living
Quentin and Wyona McKay wanted to move to paradise. They wanted to exchange their hectic life for a simpler, more fulfilling one…to own their own business in an exotic tropical location and work for themselves doing something they enjoy…
Fish Tacos and Cocktails Surf-Side: Creating a Caribbean “Restaurant Dream”Posted on October 27, 2011 by Steve Carr
While still in Canada, Daphne visualized her new life. She knew what it would look like when she found it. Taking vacations throughout Latin America, she evaluated each country as a possible location. Some were already too developed, others too remote with limited business opportunities, still others lacked the pristine beauty and relaxed quality of life she sought. Nothing seemed quite right. Then she found the island of Roatán, Honduras.
Fund Your Travels With an Import-Export BusinessPosted on October 19, 2011 by Roger L Gee
In Mexico, we buy pottery, baskets, and silver. In Jamaica, we went to the source and had baskets made for us. In Guatemala we bought scarves directly from the weavers. In Honduras we purchased sea glass jewelry, dolls, bark art, and baskets. With our Import-Export business, our working year ends in December and doesn’t kick into gear again until March.
An Expat Business in PanamaPosted on October 18, 2011 by Pha Lo
When not behind the counter of his Panama City bagel shop, Jon Hurst makes the most of his adopted home. The Maine native has lived in Panama City for six years, and with easy access to both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, as well as the country’s magnificent highlands, he’s spoiled for choice.
Bringing “Big Apple” Bagels to Panama CityPosted on September 16, 2011 by Pha Lo
Bagels were the key to Jon’s new life. Jon served his first customer in the fall of 2006 and has since become a fixture in El Congrejo. His team now makes 360 bagels daily, with double production on Sundays.
How “Blogging” Funds Your TravelsPosted on August 22, 2011 by Jasmine Stephenson
I’m sitting in a hotel room on the stunning island of Tobago. I pull back the curtains, and sunlight floods my room—it’s a perfect day. From my window, the ocean’s blue competes with the immaculately manicured gardens for my attention.
“How I Escape the Canadian Winter”Posted on August 22, 2011 by Gerry Blackwell
Living in Valencia, Spain, for three months last winter was not just a welcome retreat from the cold Canadian winter… but great fun, too. Fallas, a city-wide, week-long party in March, served as the fitting and noisy climax.
From British Rocker to Argentine FarmerPosted on August 22, 2011 by David Cummings
It’s been seven years since I hung up my trusty Telecaster guitar and left my life in Europe for the blue skies of the Argentine Pampas.
Deep in the Yucatán Jungle: A Business That Transformed a CommunityPosted on February 22, 2011 by Suzan Haskins
Sandra Dayton pours me a shot of Xtabentun, a sticky liqueur made of honey and anis. It tastes just like Good ‘n Plenty candies, I think. Sandra says it is “good for gas” and “you’ll need it because we’re going to be working on your stomach.” What have I gotten myself into now, I wonder? Sandra settles in to tell me her story.
