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BIS MAGAZINE/BIS Business: Networking: The key to success/On your Marks...More advice for people thinking of running a barContent:Get Set... ...Go!!
An athlete approaching the starting line will have taken several precautions....He will have engaged in an intense amount of training, will have weighed up the risks of the activity and will have thoroughly researched the pursuit he is about to undertake. Deciding to go into business alone is much the same; it’s all about the warm up! Before you get anywhere near the starting line you need to make sure you’ve picked the right race. After all you don’t want to get knocked out before you’ve even begun!
We’ve never run our own business before. How do we know we’ve got what it takes? Well you can never be 100% sure that starting your own business is the right move for you, but there are certain things you can do and certain questions you can ask to help you make the right decision. First of all look at your personal situation. Thousands of Brits The majority of businesses fail when people rush into them. Research is essential. At Bars in Spain we always advise our clients to speak to those who already run similar businesses and to research their chosen location. It’s important to look at the worse case scenarios and ask yourself what you would do if they were to happen. Imagine yourself running your business in five, ten, twenty years. Would you still be happy? Would there still be a market for your product? Have you considered the long term implications? Some people are natural employers while others are happier as employees. Some enjoy stress and commitment 24/7 and some prefer to switch off on a Friday night!! Running your own business is a full time commitment and you have to be sure your personality suits ‘being the boss’. In 1991 Steve Hall sold his UK business and moved to Benalmadena to ´chase the Spanish dream’. He quickly bought his ideal bar and looked set for a long and prosperous life in the sun. Yet just 7 months later, he’d sold the bar and was on his way back to the UK. “I just didn’t enjoy it” Steve confessed “On the face of it everyone thought I was the perfect person to run a bar. I’m open, outgoing and I’d run my own businesses before, but I found I was bored! The honest truth was I didn’t like being nice to people all day! My bar was a local’s bar and grateful to them as I These days Steve runs a business on the Costa Blanca and he’s much happier! The moral of his story is to ask yourself if running a business is really for you. It might be that the business management side is right but the type of business you have chosen isn’t. While Steve found bar life unchallenging, new bar owner Chris Cox in contrast couldn’t find it more exciting! “Before making the final decision to buy a bar I wanted to see what was really involved, so I worked for a few months in a couple of different bars on the Costa del Sol. What I learnt was invaluable. I found out that I really loved being with the customers, chatting to them and interacting in their daily life. In the UK I was a screen printer and worked alone, and although I hadn’t realised it I missed being with people. Running my own bar has given me a new element to my life and I couldn’t be happier” The trick is to find something YOU are passionate about and more importantly something you think you will still be enjoying in ten years time! We’ve never worked in the bar industry before but would love to buy our own bar. Do we need experience? The simple truth is that while experience is helpful, for some businesses it’s not a necessity. If you are planning on starting up in the building trade, beauty business or financial sector for example, it would be highly advisable to ensure you have training, expertise and in-depth knowledge of your field. The bar industry however is an exception to the rule… Claire moved to Spain over 15 years ago with no previous bar industry experience. She bought herself her dream bar in Spain and despite preparing as much as she could Claire maintains that the first year was far harder than she ever imagined… “It was a real struggle. You juggle budgeting with trying to forge a reputation, with learning about the trade, and all that whilst opening from 10am and sometimes closing at 4 or 5 in the morning. These days Claire still runs her bar, but she also uses her time to help others who are thinking of starting out. Like Steve, Claire believes that many Brits jump on the plane without a clue as to what is really involved with running a business in Spain. “They don’t know what questions to ask or who to ask them to. It’s not about previous experience; it’s about being fully prepared. “Often when clients come to me they think their main expense will be their monthly rent. Then I tell them about the utility bills, autonomo, community fees, rubbish taxes, music costs, accountancy fees …. The list is endless!! I tell all my clients that they need enough funds to support them through their first year and to cover the added costs. It’s as much about the paperwork as about pulling pints!” Claire’s “reality check” course works well. Most of her clients have gone on to run successful bars and thanks to her coaching have asked their agents the right questions and made informed purchases. One of Claire’s couples decided the endless ´hanging around´ was not for them, while another couple still want to go ahead but are now spending more time getting their finances properly sorted before making the final commitment. The message is simple. Preparation is everything. Despite her words of warning Claire loves running her bar. “I have a tremendous amount of fun. My bar provides me with a built in social life, I make new friends everyday and just enjoy a wonderful lifestyle. I’ve never regretted my decision to buy a bar in Spain.
If you’re buying a business don’t forget that a good agent should be able to help you gain the experience you need. At Bars in Spain we offer our clients the chance to speak to new and experienced business owners and other experts such as Claire, we guide them through the administrational knowledge they will need and offer a complete after sales service as well.
Now you´ve made the decision, how do you find, choose and pay for your perfect commercial property... Get Set... ...Go!! |
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On Your Marks!
relocate to the Spain every year, yet an estimated 30% decide that la Viva Espana is not for them and return home within two years. The costs involved with setting up your own business are extremely high, and if you have just moved to Spain it might be sensible to postpone starting your business until you have settled in and decided you definitely want to stay! 
was for the custom, dealing with the same people day in and day out didn’t fulfil me. I discovered I have a low boredom threshold, and in the long term it just wasn’t for me” 
owners maintains that there is one very important skill potential publican’s need …. SELF DISCIPLINE. 
friends from their hotels. Everything was easier and that year I just went from strength to strength… I loved it!” 
