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Post by crojoe on Oct 1, 2013 14:27:56 GMT 1
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Post by Carol on Oct 1, 2013 18:08:51 GMT 1
There was a juice bar in Split (with an expat entrepreneur owner) that opened in 2006. I guess it closed down then if they think they are the first with the idea...? I can't remember the name of the area now but it was at the far end of the riva in the nice area. Maybe these Americans could have bought the equipment second hand and saved a little money. Or rented the same premises and saved the fitting out fee. Good luck to them anyway (I hope things have changed in 7 years). Edit.. the area is called Varos and its called Tonik Juice bar (thought that's not the name I thought I remembered) www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g295370-d3137157-Reviews-Tonik_Juice_Bar-Split_Split_Dalmatia_County_Dalmatia.html
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Post by usplitu on Oct 6, 2013 10:26:08 GMT 1
Tonik juice bar closed down earlier this week. For the last couple of years they have closed down for the winter months. There are now a handful of fresh fruit juice bars that operate in a couple of the open squares in town and on the riva using portable stands.
The crowd funding is a new concept for Split ... I'm not sure how much Split customers would be willing to invest like this in a new business, especially to the tune of $64000.
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Post by crojoe on Oct 6, 2013 10:50:16 GMT 1
Tonik juice bar closed down earlier this week. For the last couple of years they have closed down for the winter months. There are now a handful of fresh fruit juice bars that operate in a couple of the open squares in town and on the riva using portable stands. The crowd funding is a new concept for Split ... I'm not sure how much Split customers would be willing to invest like this in a new business, especially to the tune of $64000. We'll have to see if they can make lemonade out of a lemon in Split.
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Post by usplitu on Oct 6, 2013 12:48:54 GMT 1
Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great idea and I will be delighted to go to their cafe, support them in their endeavors and buy their products and juices. However, I won't be supporting their business through crowd funding ... I'll support them as a customer and I imagine a lot of people who are strangers to them and live in the Split area will feel the same.
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Post by ZAD on Oct 10, 2013 20:37:16 GMT 1
I love entrepreneurship and have been involved in many start-ups myself. But this has the word 'disaster' written all over it. The bar is going to be named {Go} Quixotic. Croatians will never be able to pronounce that. Firstly, Q and X do not exist in the Croatian alphabet. Perhaps a little research wouldn't have gone astray at this early stage. Secondly, anyone who contributes to the crowdfunding basically gets a say in running the business (that could be up to 6,450 people). These 6,450 will have to decide on such simple things not yet thought of: An actual business premises and location, a menu, opening hours, not to mention future business decisions.
Sorry guys, and I wish you all the luck in your world, but this is the real one. I'm glad you fell in love with Split on your honeymoon. But don't tarnish those precious memories by carrying on with this venture.
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Post by chasingthedonkey on Oct 19, 2013 14:24:35 GMT 1
From speaking to Brian, this will be MORE than just a juice bar. It will also serve coffee and food. I wish them well. It's so great when people try something, even if they do fail, they'll have tried and have no regrets. Plus if it goes well, it'll be a few new jobs for some locals.
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Post by crojoe on Oct 19, 2013 17:06:36 GMT 1
From speaking to Brian, this will be MORE than just a juice bar. It will also serve coffee and food. I wish them well. It's so great when people try something, even if they do fail, they'll have tried and have no regrets. Plus if it goes well, it'll be a few new jobs for some locals. Nothing ventured, nothing gained it might be. We have found it difficult to keep the business flowing at a steady stream, so much so I now go back to the UK to work. I believe your other half "Chasing Donkey" also works abroad, but then we're not alone with 4.5 million Croats living abroad and who knows how many more thousands now working in Germany or other parts of the EU. And, once the curtain is fully lifted how many will then leave for greener pastures? I do think these American's will find the process quite a challenge, trying to get over hurdles of opening a business, book keeping and running it. Seems of late many a Croat business is falling foul of the Croatian tax office. They have a such a tight control on everyone it's amazing anyone still wants to run a business. Nothing like how one normally does business in the West. You can get hit from even minor trivial stuff like when you issue an invoice and you forget to put the time (not the date) of issue on it. Other then putting your blood type on the R1, I think it's gone a bit far in the opposite direction of control and squelching business.
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Post by chasingthedonkey on Oct 20, 2013 19:06:01 GMT 1
Heya Crojoe,
Yup, Mr. CtD works abroad, he is looking at local opportunities. But as you say the paperwork is complex and these things take time.
I have high hopes for Croatia's future, and hope that rather than throw our hands in the air and say it's all too hard, that someone we can navigate the system to create a local business that sustains us, and with any luck a few locals while we are at it. I do hope that it's not a fools dream and that give time it can happen.
Where are you based in Cro, when you are here?
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Post by Carol on Oct 21, 2013 14:41:05 GMT 1
personally, i think Crojoe is doing rather well keeping going with Croatia in any form.
I'm trying to remember when I read comments like yours before, Chasingthedonkey, as they seem very familiar.
I've been around on these boards since becoming interested in moving to croatia in 2003. So i'd have said something like that (with conviction) between 2003-05. Then with less conviction 2006-7. After that, the words felt empty.
But you and I are not the only ones. I don't want to name others but if you look back at the posting history of those who arrived trying to start a business, you'll find most of them had a positive, optimistic outlook at the beginning which gradually gives way to somthing along the lines of its not perfect, but I'll try to enjoy it as best I can. then it becomes d**n the corruption and bureaucracy. Then finally, does anyone know how i can get my state contributions back as i am leaving.
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Post by Carol on Oct 21, 2013 14:43:53 GMT 1
but saying that, someone has to succeed sometime. And things do seem to be improving a little (albeit extremely slowly). Croatia is now where i predicted it would be by 2005.
I hope it is you and your family who will be the lucky ones, I really do (if not least because I still have a business over there).
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Post by ZAD on Oct 21, 2013 16:03:26 GMT 1
I think we all wish them the best...BUT! Let's talk business. Like Carol, I've been around these boards, in one guise or another, for over ten years now. It was the first place I came when I became interested in investing in Croatia, yet the Juice Bar folks haven't been here for any advice, comments, market research etc.
Secondly, with regards to outside investment, their crowdfunding page is just obliterated with loved-up pictures of the duo. Not even images of possible business locations, just smoochieroos and selfies. There is no indication of any form of business plan whatsoever. If there had been, I may have considered investing. Plus, I can't find any contact details (as in address, telephone number or past experience) for two business people trying to attract $64,500.
Lastly, I concur with Carol. We all have a honeymoon period in this beautiful country, and then reality comes knocking...with a big stick.
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Post by Ribaric on Oct 21, 2013 16:28:52 GMT 1
I think we all wish them the best...BUT! Let's talk business. Like Carol, I've been around these boards, in one guise or another, for over ten years now. It was the first place I came when I became interested in investing in Croatia, yet the Juice Bar folks haven't been here for any advice, comments, market research etc. Secondly, with regards to outside investment, their crowdfunding page is just obliterated with loved-up pictures of the duo. Not even images of possible business locations, just smoochieroos and selfies. There is no indication of any form of business plan whatsoever. If there had been, I may have considered investing. Plus, I can't find any contact details (as in address or telephone number) for two business people trying to attract $64,500. Lastly, I concur with Carol. We all have a honeymoon period in this beautiful country, and then reality comes knocking...with a big stick. Sadly true. I came to HR in 2005 full of optimism with a reasonably successful SME history behind me. I went through the phase of gritted determination in the belief that a bit of talent and a lot of doggedness would see me through. It hasn't and, for the most part, all the agencies you need to make a go of things are staffed with people who (a) are not accountable for anything and (b) don't want you to succeed. I'm now chasing new opportunities in the far east and have made progress here in 3 weeks which would require 3 years to achieve in HR - if at all. Croatia is a nice place to retire or live as long as your income comes from a proper country. Of all the people I have met through this esteemed message board, I fear none have achieved even a reasonable business in HR. Those I know are determined, clever and entrepreneurial. You have to ask yourself two questions... 1. Why can't foreigners make a business work? 2. Why do such a large percentage of Croatian business people end up in jail? Maybe you can buck the trend.
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Post by crojoe on Oct 21, 2013 17:06:45 GMT 1
personally, i think Crojoe is doing rather well keeping going with Croatia in any form. I'm trying to remember when I read comments like yours before, Chasingthedonkey, as they seem very familiar. I've been around on these boards since becoming interested in moving to croatia in 2003. So i'd have said something like that (with conviction) between 2003-05. Then with less conviction 2006-7. After that, the words felt empty. But you and I are not the only ones. I don't want to name others but if you look back at the posting history of those who arrived trying to start a business, you'll find most of them had a positive, optimistic outlook at the beginning which gradually gives way to somthing along the lines of its not perfect, but I'll try to enjoy it as best I can. then it becomes d**n the corruption and bureaucracy. Then finally, does anyone know how i can get my state contributions back as i am leaving. Unfortunately Carol. I ain't at retirement age and still paying into the system, and so have to work. So, for now my wife and kids are in Zagreb and I spend a great deal of time back in sunny UK (although yesterday I thought I might need a boat). We still keep a few things going in Zagreb and my wife works and kids go to Croatian school. So, in that respect we're till plugging along, but I got a bit fed up expecting to make any real money in Croatia. I just don't have the connections (and don't feel comfortable to try and screw the system over), so not seeing the progress I want, I decided to migrate back to the UK to be a financial refugee (unfortunately I can't claim asylum and get a free council house and all those lovely benefits so many seem to get when "visiting the UK"). But, thanks to cheap flights I can "go home" as often as I like.
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Post by Carol on Oct 23, 2013 9:56:23 GMT 1
I think Ribaric has hit the nail on the head ... Croats don't want foreigners to succeed. it shouldn't matter if you have the mental resilience to ignore it, but it does matter.
It comes with a suspicion that you might want to make a profit, and that therefore you must be doing something illegal. So, the only course of action is to watch you carefully, and call an inspection if you seem to be making some headway.
I got my wake up call quite early on. The local paper published a story about us settling into life in Croatia with our two toddlers. Everyone we spoke to was very nice and welcoming and we had no idea of what the true attitude was. However, we found out when the local website for our area republished the story and people commented below! I made the mistake of putting it through an online translation. Wow! The best i got was we don't want them, they should go home and the worst suspected us of being criminal masterminds!
The inspector arrived a few weeks later!
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