Looking for a Investor
 

Hi everyone, I am looking for an Investor to help me set up a restaurant in Marbella. I am a chef here in the U.K. but long to get away from the dreary life that is England. Being well travelled and lived in a few different countries I would love to return to the sunshine with my kids and start to enjoy the better things in life. Firstly I will tell you, I am a single dad with to girls and am getting so tired of the constant struggle here in the U.K. to make ends meet. I am would look to open a restaurant here at home but my heart just is not here anymore, and all I think about is moving abroad again to make a fresh start. I gave up everything to my ex wife to keep my children so I feel I am at a complete new page in my life and would like to start it away from here. You may ask what about the kids and there mum. Well all she wanted was money and a house, so she got it. At the end of the day I won because the girls and I are happy together and looking forward to a new start.

I have created a solid business plan, a good menu for what I want to do, found a premises that is ideal and I am looking to visit Marbella in the next couple of weeks to do some market research into my idea and meet with the agent to view my proposed venue. However! I am at a point that all this will seem futile unless I can raise the finances to bring my dream to fruition.

What I am offering to an Investor is full repayment of the invested money in 2-3 years, a negotiated share in the restaurant and all the hours and determination I have to make the business successful. As an investor you have the option to leave me to full management or you could have an active input into the business, weekly accounts and takings will be available at your request and repayment of the investment will be included in this.

All of the above will be done legally, with binding contracts and due diligence and the effort to succeed.

Please contact me if you may be interested in the exciting venture.

Many thanks, Paul

Re: Looking for a Investor
 

I would suggest you forget the idea before you start to lose money. Being a chef is one thing, making money in a restaurant is completely different. Even the very well known restaurants in London have a hard time to break even, so trying it in Spain, where it seems you have no experience at all, is just asking for trouble, before you even start to take into account the enormous comptetion you would face, and the long standing recession .
Your plan to repay all financing in such a short term, comes with no collateral, and no prior history of being a chef in Spain. You can have all the legal documents possible, but without good cashflow, the contracts dont mean anything. It may well be that you are willing to put in all the hours you can, but even that doesnt mean you will be successful.Also, having two children to care for whilst working all the hours of day and night, could make life very difficult for you.
Sorry to be negative but I think that even if you were to start the correct way by working there before making investments, you wouldnt earn enough to maintain yourself and children.

Re: Looking for a Investor
 

And then you woke up!

Re: Looking for a Investor
 

Thank you for your negative comments. I take it you own restaurants and know what you are talking about! I have worked in them for years and I am more than aware of the profit margins available to a good restaurant with good food. As for being a chef in Spain before also has no relevance and I will not be cooking Spanish cuisine. My place will be based at the tourist trade and the massive ex pat community out there. Competition is everywhere, so what you aim to achieve is a reputation and to succeed. My previous years in Business development will allow me promote and achieve what I am looking for. My kids are 15 and 11 so my eldest is quite capable of helping me out. I posted on here for help not for negativity. But thanks for your input anyway. Not really very helpful though to be honest.

Re: Looking for a Investor
 

The advice given to you by these posters is not negative, just realistic!
If you had no children, fair enough, have a go, but with two children, it's too great a risk.
Also at the age of 15 and 11, it would be at the worst possible stage of their schooling, too disruptive, and when they have left school their career prospects would be poor.

Re: Looking for a Investor
 

Sorry Paul about being negative but I just wanted to give you my input. You will find on this forum, that people are normally glad to hear both sides, and whether you like it or not, there arent many positive comments that can be made about your plans. Yes I have been in the restaurant business and hence got to meet many others in the same business. Many had their places full most evenings, but spent all their time fighting to breakeven, which is why there are always so many for sale.
For your sake, and more importantly your children, I really hope you succeed. You may also want to give some thought about your childrens' education and the effects that such an upheaval can have, particularly for teenagers. I've lived many years with expats and have seen many families have major problems because of their teenage children. Good luck

Re: Looking for a Investor
 

Neptuno thank you, you are right. Whilst my 15 year old is in year 11 would be better for her to finish here till the end of the school year. I had considered that previously but thought it might be better to keep us together. My sister had already volunteered to keep her with her till she finished which I think would be best. I have managed to work around my girls here so it should not be to much different there. With the determination I am sure we can make it work, my little one is a star and wants this as much as I do. I don't see the kids as a hinderance but more than a desire to succeed.

Re: Looking for a Investor
 

dfjordan, I see where your coming from but it can be no worse than here, whilst I understand what you are saying I worked at the same restaurant for 7 years and it always made good money and that was in a small seaside town. I moved away from there because it was soul destroying and to be honest the wages were poor as they are everywhere here since the introduction of the minimum wage. There are a number of very successful franchises here that do a very poor version of what I want to do at silly prices, so I know at the right price and produce I WILL succeed and have no doubt it will work. Hopefully once I have set up you will come for a drink and a bite to eat :)

Re: Looking for a Investor
 

You deserve to succeed.
I wish you the very best

Re: Looking for a Investor
 

To be honest, Spain won't be the place for you and I you have a lot more competition. As a chef you'll be in the kitchen all day, so also won't see too much sun. You'd be better off going elsewhere to work and move to the Spain when you've made enough money and kids have finished school. You could start a franchise in the UK and if you really want to move abroad, Iceland would be a far better location to make money for early retirement.

Re: Looking for a Investor
 

I am afraid I am adding to the negativity, I have just this week spoken to ex Spanish neighbours who moved to the UK for the better schooling of their children. The eldest is 14 and is doing so much better in a UK school and has many more interests. The younger one is also enjoying school there. The parents both said Spanish life for children is fine till the hit high school then not good at all. I know of two other families moving their children out of Spain to get a better education after primary, which seems to be very good.

Re: Looking for a Investor
 

I can't speak with any authority on the topic(Re: Living/Working?Moving to Spain) with the exception of me being another single dad(11yr old daughter)
Any bloke that survived the evil female treachery that comes with divorce / family law / child-residency / etc that didn't neck himself would have my attention and I certainly wouldn't negate his potential in future endeavors,
he'd be a worthy adversary and a staunch competitor, just sayin'.
More power to ya' fella !!!
Huge Congratulations man !!!
Your a survivor !!!
Anything from this point fwd is now possible, now grab life by the f@#%*n throat and wring it's neck man,
who wants to lay on their death bed saying ...."what if I had of...."
If your not living life on the edge, you're taking up too much space.
Cheers.

Re: Looking for a Investor
 

Hi and a warm welcome to the Spanish forum on BE. Myself and Fred James are the moderators for the Spanish forums whilst BEVS moderates Europe. Moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. This is so that members gain the information that they are looking for and find their experiences on the forums to be friendly and worthwhile.

Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderator who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are usually friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge about the issues of living in Spain. I hope that you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

Re: Looking for a Investor
 

WATCH -

Re: Looking for a Investor
 

Paul,

People here think everybody and everything can't work in Spain.

You'd think you'd find the whole population sharing a large cardboard box and living off pigeons droppings.

In fact, bars, restaurants, shops, etc. have plenty of people in them spending money. Yes, some businesses suffer in times such as these, but not all do.

Near where I live there's a restaurant owner who clearly has what it takes to prosper regardless of the poor economic environment - he's raking it in.

If you think you could be just like him, go for it.

Don't let these people put you off.

In fact, when you get far enough into their responses to realise that they are not going to make a proposition, skip the rest.

And Blackey_Oz.... good response.