Business Opportunities In Spain

When moving to Spain, it can be as daunting as moving to any new country.  It can also be daunting to find potential work opportunities upon your arrival. But it is not as hard as you may think, and you may find that it is easier to find work in Spain than you first thought. We take a look at some potential business opportunities for the Expat entrepreneur. Note that is always good to get advice from those have already started up a business in Spain.

Why is Spain a Good Place to Start A Business?

Is Spain a good place to start a business? The honest answer is a resounding yes. A lot of people have first started their businesses in Spain. Spain is known to be one of the best places in Europe to start up a new business. But do not be fooled as it is not easy to start up a new business, but you can take full advantage of the economic situation if your business fills an unfulfilled demand in Spain, then you will be all set.

Starting a business in Spain can allow you to take advantage of local resources. You can start up a business like a tech start-up, a social media company or a business that appeals to the area you have decided to settle in.

Spain is proven to be a great place to start a new business are there are few industries which in turn means the competition for smaller start-ups is less challenging. If you have an idea, a strong business plan then Spain is one of the easiest places in Europe to succeed with a small business. Movement of transit and logistics for both goods and services without any unnecessary paperwork or changing exchange rates.

Spain is ideal due to its geographical location, climate, government stability, very productive economy, low labour, and transport costs. Which all make Spain an ideal place for a start-up.

Spain has the 14th largest economy in the world and the t5th largest in Europe. It has become a good starting point for businesses to expand or to get started. So below we list some great business ideas for Expats thinking of locating to Spain and starting up their own business.

Below we take a look at a couple of business ideas if you are thinking of starting up a business in Spain.

Become an Interpreter

Interpreters are very sort after in Spain as there are in many other countries. With Spain being a major tourist destination with millions of tourists every year if you can speak fluent Spanish or another language, your skills will be in demand. You could find work in one of Spain’s many airports, banks, estate agents or in media as examples. Having Spanish as a second language can open many job opportunities.

Become an Estate Agent or Property Manager

Many ex-pats venture into the world of the Spanish property market or real estate. There is money to be made in land procurement, building refurbishment, farms or estates, selling and buying property in Spain is always a fluid market and not a bad business to get yourself into. Refurbishing run-down properties and selling them on otherwise known as ‘flipping’ is not a bad business choice to do in Spain either. How to set up a company in Spain as an ex-pat.

Open a Bar or a Restaurant

Many ex-pats venture down the business area of bars and restaurants. Gary Lineker made it more appealing by opening Linekers Bars across Spain, now run by his infamous brother Wayne and many ex-pats followed suit. Many ex-pats choose to open bars and restaurants in tourist areas. These tend to be along the coast of Spain offering a variety of food options to cater for the tourist and ex-pat communities. It is easier than you think to set up and run a bar or restaurant in Spain and even the Spanish like something different when it comes to a night out.

The main benefits of starting your own company in Spain are that Spain has more successful start-ups than many other countries. This attracts a lot of foreign investment and foreign talent to Spanish shores. This is down to the great logistics and infrastructure that helps many start-ups to succeed.

It Does Not Matter If You Are a Foreigner or a Local Citizen You Can Start a Business In Spain

Anyone can start a business in Spain be it if you are a local citizen or a foreigner. The only requirement is that you are a legal resident. But the process can get a bit complicated depending on your country of origin.

The legal requirements to start up your own business are as follows. If you are from an EU country the procedure of starting up a business is rather straightforward. You just need to get your NIE and EU registry certificate, and then you can simply move to the constitution part of the process but if you are a non-EU citizen you will need to get a working visa to start work or your business.

if you are a legal resident, it does make things a lot easier.

So to get your business off the ground, you will have to follow these steps

Get your NIE number (Número de Identidad de Extranjero, which translates as Identification Number for Foreigners)

Your certificate of uniqueness – defining the names of the company and checking that it is valid

Get your CIF or tax ID number

Open a bank account to be used for the company

Establish shareholders and create a shareholder agreement

Going to the notary (an impartial witness to the signing or authentication of a legal document) and signing the public deed of incorporation

Registering your company with the tax authorities

Registering your company in the social security

Once you have finalised the legalities you and passed the legal requirements you will then be able to start your new Spanish business adventure!

Courier Services – Delivering More Than Just Your Packages

Source

Courier companies can be a hugely popular option for many people when they’re needing help in a number of ways. From picking up a important documents to delivering new furniture, courier companies can be beneficial and helpful in getting the job done correctly. But what are some unique ways you might be able to use a courier company? Check out this short list below. If any of these sound helpful to you, consider logging onto Shiply to compare quotes and companies for the best results for your individual or business needs.

Document Delivery

Need to get that special document to a certain location in record time but don’t want to leave it to chance with your local postal delivery service? Take deliveries to the next level and consider getting a local courier to take it for you. When they pick it up they will work with you to deliver it in a timely manner – sometimes taking on only your project at that point in time to ensure a fast, timely delivery. Next time you need to make it on time, consider couriers.

Moving House

Believe it or not, moving companies aren’t always what they seem to be. Many can be lacklustre in their service, be late at picking up or dropping off or even cause damage to your goods enroute to their new home. If you want to avoid catastrophe when moving house consider selecting a local courier company that you can compare with other couriers in the same area for the same job. This is where Shiply is a dream come true – allowing you to measure up different companies in order to get the best option of service for you!

Overseas Courier Services

Sending parcels and boxes overseas can be a serious drain – especially when parcel and postal services can take long periods of time or even get held up in customs when entering into other countries. Using a courier service to help move packages across the world can be a great way to save time and money. Often times they will have expedited customs processes and people waiting on the other end of the transport ready to receive the item and take it to its destination. If you’re needing to ship something abroad there’s simply no better – nor cost effective – way to do it than to use a courier.

Pick Up And Drop Offs Of Random Items

Depending on the size of items sometimes delivery services many not be able to take said item or they may charge huge fees. Have you ever tried to send a very large parcel in the mail using the standard postal system? IF it gets to its intended location, many times the postage costs as much as the contents – sometimes more! Avoid getting taken for a ride by selecting a courier company to take the parcel for you. Sure, it might still be a bit of a price depending on what you’re shipping or getting dropped off, but it surely won’t be as much as if you had the mailman knocking your door with an oversized box to sign for!

Everyone knows that moving items or documents from place to place can be hugely expensive and a pain in the neck, especially when you can’t seem to find the right company to do the job. Either bad reviews, high quotes, low service or other issues arise and cause you to have to really hunt around for the right person or company to do the job correctly the first time. Save yourself time, hassle and money next time and check out Shiply. With so many ways to compare service and price you can rest assured that you will find the right company for your needs!

What you Should Know About Listing Your Home as a Vacation Rental

If you have a property that you are considering offering as a vacation rental, you have more options than ever.  Between Airbnb, VRBO and similar “do it yourself” platforms to arrange rentals, many owners find that they are able to find suitable renters and to earn additional income.  However, these options can be fairly time-consuming as they involve making all the arrangements with guests, cleaners, service and tradespeople, and also being on hand to solve problems.   For this reason some owners prefer to work with professionals like the team at Elan Vacations who can provide property management services.  If you do decide to use your apartment or house as a vacation rental, here are some things to consider.

Be a Good Neighbor

Many owners of vacation rentals overlook the ways in which the process can cause problems for their neighbors, even when the guests themselves are perfectly behaved and respectful of the space.  Common complaints include the constant flow of people dragging suitcases through the halls, especially at night, or always finding rental vehicles taking up the guest parking in the building or regular street parking.  In gated communities or controlled-entry buildings, neighbors may raise legitimate concerns about security when it seems that half the world now knows the security access code. You can try to minimize the potential that your vacation home is causing problems for your neighbors by being sure to have clear rules in place for your guests, and to respond immediately, fully and respectfully to any concerns that your neighbors might bring to your attention.

Know the Law

For various reasons, some cities or municipalities are beginning to ban short-term rentals.  In some cases, it is because neighbors complain about the disruptions, and in others it argued that the trend among owners to rent their apartments or homes out short time is having a negative effect on the local rental market as people find it more difficult to rent apartments in which they plan to live.  Reports have been shared online about city officials posing as vacationers looking for a rental as a way to try to “catch” owners who are breaking these bans, and even using images shared online rental sites to try to identity the apartment.  If you are renting your space in violation of local regulations, your guests could find themselves turned out in the middle of the night.

Check Your Lease

In some instances, renters of an apartment have been tempted to place their apartment on a vacation rental site when they themselves are planning a vacation.  Be very cautious about this as most leases will have clauses preventing subletting, and tenants have been successfully evicted as a result.

Of course, there are many other things that you should consider before making the decision to put your home on the vacation rental market.  Be sure to do your homework and make sure that you are prepared in order to have a positive experience.