How to beat the big boys in Ecuador accepting barter

Like with any small business you put in Ecuador, you’re going to have competitors with DEEP multi-million dollar pockets.In my case for my 19 room hotel near the Quito airport, I compete with the Wyndham an international chain.

So how can a little guy like me or you when against these corporate dicks.

Of course, there’s always charge less than them.

But there’s other creative ways to beat these guys too.

Like what I started to do this week: Offering alternative payment methods, bringing me to the bitcoin revolution review at cryptoevent that I read a couple days ago and have concluded that Bitcoin payments are seamlessly fast.

You could also try accepting Bitcoin. I’ve used this kind of Crypto currency in the past to make anonymous transactions and shipping. It’s as easy as creating a digital wallet through bitshares exchange or an app like Blockchain.  Search for it on Google Play Store.  Download and you get a digital address people can send Bitcoin too. It has a learning curve but you get the hang of it quickly.  I now accept Bitcoin. Cryptocurrency is just a part of the process of a virtual database running in the virtual world. The identity of the real person here cannot be determined. Also, there is no centralized authority which governs the trading of cryptocurrency. This currency is equivalent to hard gold preserved by people and the value of which is supposed to be getting increased by leaps and bounds. The electronic system set by Satoshi is a decentralized one where only the miners have the right to make changes by confirming the transactions initiated. They are the only human touch providers in the system. Here is the best tron crypto news source.

For instance a month ago on a trip to the States I noticed many younger people in the States like my brother pay for everything with Cash App, a free phone application that connects to your bank account and allows you to make payments to other users quickly and super easy.  I now accept Cash App.

I also started playing Sloto Cash Casino At Army Of Bitcoin, you can bet with bitcoin and cash out. You could also accept barter.  Why should we be forced to always accept fiat money, aka cash?  Why not except goods in exchange for a service.  For instance, I have someone coming from the States bring me something they buy (so they can verify the contents), and on arrival I reimburse what they spent as per their receipt for the item and for the act of bringing it I offer the room free. If they item can net a $100 gain here, I now sold my normally $40 room for $100.  I now accept barter, too.  Email me if you need a room. Recently, Bitcoin retraced to almost $5000; Bitcoin Cash came close to $500 while Ethereum found peace at $300. Virtually every coin got hit-apart from newcomers that were still in excitement stage. As of this writing, Bitcoin is back on track and its selling at $8900. Many other cryptos have doubled since the upward trend started and the market cap is resting at $400 billion from the recent crest of $250 billion. With hundreds of different online casinos choosing the most trusted online casino will remain very important. Especially with the online casino laws.

The big guys move a lot slower and it may be years before they adopt these alternative payment options that gives you the advantage in the eyes of some customers.

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Flying standby to Ecuador without getting bumped

Working near the airport I have a chance to converse daily with travelers who get bumped trying to fly standby to or from Ecuador.

Thing is, most international airlines like Delta, United or Copa only have one flight to and from Ecuador daily.

So especially in peak season chances of getting on your first try are slim.

Here’s what I’d do to greatly improve your chances…

1. Don’t fly during peak season in Ecuador which is July-August and late December to early April.

2. Bogota!  If you have trouble getting out of Quito try buying a cheap one way flight on the budget carrier Wingo for around $150 to nearby Bogota.  Your chances of then getting out of Bogota (a city of 10 million people with hoards of flights to match) are much greater.

3. Fly on Sundays.  From the flow of my airport hotel in Quito, I can tell you the lowest travelled days are often Sundays.

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How not to start a business in Ecuador

Recently, a friend started a pizza shop in Ecuador.

3 months later he was done and out of business.

Another friend just started an Italian restaurant.

He looks to be done within the month.

For me, what´s the key to starting a business that lasts no matter where you are in Ecuador?

Accommodations.

For instance, what if your passion and what you REALLY want to do is start a surf school, or a restaurant, or a yoga retreat center?

Then offer accommodations in the form of a vacation rentals-hotel-B&B and on the side offer the retreat center/restaurant/school.

People got to sleep somewhere, then they gotta eat. Then, they got to be entertained. Might as well all be with you. If you can give them a reason to stick around longer all the better.

This will keep you in business.

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3 surprising ways to make more money out of your farm in Ecuador

Even Warren Buffett says farm land is one of the best longer-term investments you can make.

And in Ecuador, desirable farm land can still be found dirt cheap.  For instance, $1000 per hectare or less.

Yesterday in fact, I was chatting to one guy who exports plantain weekly from his farm in Santo Domingo to New York.

But a lot of people don´t realize there are actually various innovative income streams you can generate from the same farm.

1. Sell plants.  All you need is a small greenhouse on your property and preferably a major road frontage and you can actually do quite well selling plants.  I have made money selling red raspberry plants around $5 a pop and they don´t really cost me anything to produce as they are just the off-shoots from my existing bushes.  It helps if the plants you sell are not widely found in Ecuador.

2. Offer bird-watching tours.  Birders come to Ecuador in hoards and they often have BIG money.  Offer guided tours on your farm or better yet host them at a lodge on your farm.  All you need is that one rare bird that interests them and they´ll come.  And spend, often $100-200+ a night!

3. Distribute.  Don´t just grow, buy up the neighboring product and export, this can be done before your crops even start producing (and is a good idea to do so as you gain market for your coming crops).

There you have it, three ways to generate more from your farm in Ecuador.

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How ghosts help me find the biggest property deals in Ecuador

I got a text earlier this week…

“I got what you’re looking for. (In Spanish.)  500 meters oceanview lot in the area you looking for for $25k.  Or how about $65k for a 2000m2 beachfront lot?”

“Is it negotable?  Got anything else cheaper?” I replied.  

I had no idea who I was talking to.

Turns out he works for the local Municipal and knows personally the owners of several lots in the area. 

He contacted me. 

All I did was a week or two prior give out my card in a local restaurant and mention I was looking for property in the area.  Often, that’s enough in a capital-deprived place like Ecuador.  So have cards made when property shopping in Ecuador.

It’s certainly not like my college town of Bozeman, MT USA where I’m also property shopping right now where most places are selling for at or above asking price. 

I’m thinking I might just stick to Ecuador for now. 

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