Job Discussion Forums

[Cuisinette]

I am new on this forum, and I am very happy I found it.
I need your help; any info will be greatly appreciated.

My husband and I took the decision to relocate from US to Mexico, Guadalajara or Puebla for about 5 years, one reason is, a change of culture.
We love US, but I think we should see other people.
He wants to teach, but I don�t. I am a baker/cake maker.

Could anyone tell me if there is any chance for me to practice my profession?
The plan is to open a little pastry shop. Only I have no idea if this sells or not in Mexico.
I don�t want to get to Mexico just to find out that I can�t do anything.
I have to earn my living.

What it�s your opinion?

[Phil_K]

A few questions:

Do you have fluent spanish?
Do you have capital? - it could be difficult to raise finance.

Also, as newcomers to the country there could be a problem getting the right immigration permissions to start your own business. I don't want to be negative as I admire the enterprise culture, but you should investigate this well before leaving. Also, a little market research into what mexicans actually want to buy. Cakes, yes. Most people seem to go to El Globo to buy their cakes for $200-300 (pesos) rather than make their own, but apart from that, I would investigate the method of making tradition mexican sweet breads, as this is the market.

To give more advice, I look forward to hearing your more detailed plans.

Good luck!

[MELEE]

I was going to post what Phil said.
Foreigners can get permission to start a buisness in Mexico, but from the VERY LITTLE I know, it's my understanding that it has to be a project that will employ Mexicans.


Probably a much better bet, is for you husband to find a good teaching job (what are his credentials?) that provides enough income to support you both, and get him an FM3 visa and you a dependent FM3. Then you sell cakes and pastries informally out of your home. This would techinically be illegal. But depending on where you located and how you found customers the likely hood of anyone finding out is extrodinarily slim, plus, you would just say you had no idea--give them a cake and promise not to do it again. (The officials will probably phone you up later and ask you to make something for Mother's Day or whatever occasion if your stuff is that good.) You would have to find customers only through word of mouth. You could also try to become a supplier for a cafe or restuarant. Just get paid cash and leave no trail.

Mexicans love sweets. There are several cafes in my town that sell homemade cakes, brownies, cheesecakes, carrot cakes. The most popular kind of cake is "tres leches" often called Mexican Wedding Cake in the US. Really Really moist cake.

[cgage]

Always enjoy your posts, Melee. Since I can no longer afford the $100 a day price tag of living in my beloved Paris (where I got fresh bread/pastry for breakfast every day), I'm hoping that my newly adopted country of Mex will have an abundant number of bread and pastry bakeries. Can you give some info on what's available? That would be helpful to Cuisinette and me too. Here in Memphis, its WonderBread and Twinkies
Good luck Cuisinette. I owned a business for twenty years. It was great fun except for never knowing if you were going to make a dime tomorrow.
Let us know where you end up.

[MELEE]

cgage,

Phil mentioned el Globo, which is a chain in most of the larger cities. It has a very good selection. This is really a question for someone in the location you end up in, as all we can say is really--it depends on where you go!

The variety of bread available is directly portionate to the size of the city in Mexico. The smaller the town, the smaller the selection. Lucky for me, I live in a town growning at rate 4 times the national average!
Pretty much everywhere you can get a variety of sweet breads made with refined white flour. Seeing as I am not a fan of refined white flour, many years ago, when my town was much smaller, I bought myself a breadmachine for 30 US$ at an after Christmas sale. I bought it down on the car trip mentioned in another current thread--as well as measuring cups and spoons and a supply of rapid rise yeast. I make a lot of my own bread, and anytime someone comes to visit me in the US, I ask them to bring me a yard of the magic yeast that allows me to do so in one hour. The bread machine has to be one of the greatest inventions of the 20th Century--right up there with internet discussion forums!

[Cuisinette]

[Cuisinette]

[MELEE]

[Cuisinette]

I like what I do.
I don�t particularly care for the perfection as much as for the taste. This is what brings people back every time.
I have skills for a restaurant, let alone for a small shop� if cakes don�t sell� I can always shift to another brand of food.

My fear was that I will start a business in an over saturated market which I believe in a way it is. But, if I could find a little corner for myself, I would be more than content.

MELEE ... I was talking US $.
Thank you for thaking that rock off my heart.

[Samantha]

You will find these links helpful in preparation for your adventure.

http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/recipes/puebla/kgbreads.html

http://www.rollybrook.com/Page%20Directory.htm#Useful

[Cuisinette]

Samantha, thank you for the links.
I will study them closely.

[thelmadatter]

If you have entrepeneurial(sp?) skills and are patient and persistent, you will do just fine. Mexico does not make it easy for foreigners to start and run businesses here, but it is possible. I suspect too that if the country continues with presidents like Calderon, it will eventually get easier.

Since you have a financial cushion, take your time and do it right - including being patient about all the hoops and misinformation you will encounter. There are a number of books and websites in English about starting a business in Mexico. Do a google search and you should find something.

[jillford64]

Wow! Your cakes are beautiful. There is a shop across from my school that does a brisk business selling cakes that look very similar.

[Phil_K]