For many of you, moving and starting a business in Costa Rica is the ultimate dream. Chasing your dreams takes dedication and a bit of work, and I’m always thrilled to hear the stories of fellow expats who have made their dreams come true and become successful at opening up a business in Costa Rica. Last week I sat down with Michael Brown to hear his story.

Interview with expat Michael Brown, CEO of Mead Brown Costa Rica Vacation Rentals

Michael, what brought you to Costa Rica?
Like many people, our first trip to Costa Rica was for a vacation. It’s a big world; we figured we’d make one visit, cross it off our list, and continue exploring this fascinating planet of ours. But we were immediately captivated by the stunning natural beauty of the rain forests and the beaches, and by the monkeys, marlin, and orchids, as well as by the friendly and happy people.

What compelled you to move to Costa Rica and start a business?

We were living in Washington, DC, and had made multiple visits to the Pacific Northwest, with the intention of either buying an existing business there, or of starting one there. During our vacation in Costa Rica, we were having a friendly lunch with a real estate agent. Just making casual conversation, I asked, “What businesses are needed here? If someone were to move to Costa Rica, what do you suggest they do for a living?” His second suggestion was a vacation rental agency.

What was his first?
A drycleaner! Needless to say, we had no desire to move anywhere so we could inhale chemicals all day!

Did Costa Rica really need yet another vacation rental company?
Yes. We had been renting a high-end condo in Los Suenos Resort and the service was really bad. Virtually non-existent. We are not high maintenance or demanding, but we could not get liners for the trash can. Every time we’d call, they’d say someone would be right over with a supply. We never had liners during our entire week-long stay. That’s a small detail, but God is in the details. It was annoying all week to put trash into a can without a bag; we really felt like we were being disrespectful to the housekeepers.

On departure day, we called the rental office to ask what to do with the keys. They said they’d send someone over to check us out. By “check us out,” they meant that two people spent an hour counting all the spoons and forks and everything else! Unreal. We had been renting villas and condominiums for vacations for 20 years, and had never experienced that. I mean, who travels to a foreign country to steal the flatware?!

How did you go about starting and growing your business in Costa Rica?

Rather than merely publishing a web site and hanging out an “open” sign, we spent nearly a year researching every aspect of the business. This included half a dozen trips to Costa Rica. We wanted to have all the systems in place before we opened, rather than figuring it out as we went along.

There was still a learning curve after we opened, but we really had a pretty good idea of what was required to be successful. The vacation rental business has several key aspects: Marketing, reservations, housekeeping, maintenance, concierge services, transportation, and bookkeeping. We strive to be the best at what we do. Conde Nast Traveler magazine has just 40 villa rental specialists around the world. There is only one for Costa Rica, and it’s Mark Mead my partner (Conde Nast Traveler names individuals, not agencies, to their list). He was named to the list of villa experts in 2011 and again in 2012. He was carefully vetted through the magazine’s rigorous screening process, and found worthy. What this means for our guests is that we are reliable and trustworthy; these are important attributes when traveling to a foreign country, or anywhere for that matter.

What advice would you give to those wanting to move to Costa Rica and start their own business?

Do your homework first. Know what resources it’s going to take to be successful (and having those resources is no guarantee of success, but without them you’ll likely fail). Be committed to doing really well whatever it is you choose to do, as we already have many poorly run businesses in Central America and do not need another! If you are truly committed to performing and delivering to a North American standard—difficult anywhere, and particularly challenging in a developing country—then come give it a go.

Be realistic about what it’s going to take; ten or twenty thousand dollars is enough to get into trouble, and not enough to succeed in business. You don’t want to buy yourself a job; the goal should be a successful business, one that can generate a good income without you having to do everything yourself.

About Mead Brown
Mead Brown Costa Rica is a boutique vacation rental firm offering professionally managed private villas and homes plus premium condominiums for rent in Jaco Beach, Los Sueños and other parts of Costa Rica. Visit them online at Mead Brown in Costa Rica.

If you’d like more information about starting a business in Costa Rica or real estate in Jaco and the Los Suenos area please call David Karr at 707.962.4482 or visit David Karr Properties

Related Posts

1. Costa Rica: Safest Country for Business Execs in Latin America

The BYU men’s soccer team kicked off their 10-day preseason international tour Friday when they boarded a plane for Costa Rica.

“This trip is huge,” junior midfielder Antonio Niccoli said. “This is my third international trip so I know how important they are to bonding off the field. We don’t have cell phones or computers…we just spend time together.”

The tour will include four games, a service opportunity and a fireside for local church members. The players use all of these experiences to grow closer and build strong relationships that reflect how they play soccer later in the season.

Assistant Coach Hugh Van Wagenen went to Costa Rica with the BYU men’s soccer team as a player seven years ago.

“Preseason tours get our legs under us,” Van Wagenen said. “In addition to playing, we build unity through service…it’s a great 10 days to bond and gel as a team.”

The Cougars painted an orphanage on that particular trip as part of their service opportunity.

“The time the guys get to hang out outside of soccer is huge because it helps them connect as people instead of just players,” Van Wagenen said.

Off-field chemistry will play a key role in the Cougars’ success as they play some of the big games on their schedule in Central America. The biggest of the trip will be against Saprissa, a professional soccer club based in San Jose. To date, the club has won 29 premier division titles in Costa Rica and has won five Central American soccer crowns.
The Cougars have been practicing hard for their chance to play against professional clubs. Their focus, according to the coaching staff, has been on possession and controlling the ball. The team’s efforts helped it to a 4-1 win over Colorado Mesa University last week.“Saprissa will prepare us for our game against Real Salt Lake,” senior defender James Bindrop said. “The better teams you play, the better you become as a team. The high-quality teams in Costa Rica will force us to play well and get better.”

The men’s soccer team will return to Provo on May 14, just five days before its showdown with Real Salt Lake. Practice and high quality competition will be vital to being prepared for that game. Great team chemistry will also be required. This Costa Rica trip should deliver all of the factors necessary for the Cougars to be successful.

Originally posted here

Related Posts

1. Professional Soccer is now in Jaco Beach – Jaco Rays
2. Jaco Rays FC is now a member of CENPAC
3. Jaco Rays Soccer Schedule 2011-2012

The 18-year-old wave rider from Playa Esterillos scored the first perfect 10 of the world-famous international competition on Sunday, Jan. 29 – Day 2 of the event. Beating out 64 surfers from around the globe, including Hawaiian legends Kalani Chapman and defending Volcom Pipe Pro Champion John Florence, Muñoz won the “highest single wave of the day” and earned himself a $1,000 bonus in cash from Electric’s “Perfect 10 Award.”

“I am so happy that I almost can’t believe it. I won a perfect qualification against a local rival and that is not an easy task. I dedicate this achievement to those who give me unconditional support,” said an excited Muñoz from Hawaii.

The annual 5-star Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) event takes place at the famed Pipeline wave on Oahu’s North Shore from Jan. 23 to Feb. 4. Professional surfers from all over the world come hoping to ride their way to fame and a chance to win up to $130,000 in prize money. http://volcompipepro.com/

Muñoz, known in his hometown as “Cali,” earned high marks again on Day 3 of the event, Tuesday Jan. 31, with a single wave high score of 9.27.

“I’m living my dream – making national surfing history with such good results in the Pipe Pro fills me with pride and motivation,” said Muñoz. “And to pass my heats shows me clearly that with hard work and discipline you can do anything. I hope to God that the waves remain and I can keep advancing.”

Surfers are back in the water today starting heats at 11:30 am Costa Rican time. Congrats Cali and keep it up, here in Costa Rica we are all very proud of you, Del Mar Surf Camp is with you!!!
Original Post

Related Posts

1. Costa Rican Carlos Munoz trailblazes Pro Surfers
2. CNS DayStar COPA Day & Night a huge success!
3. Costa Rican team named for the WSG 2009

For the first time ever, Jaco, Costa Rica will be celebrating the illuminating of their central park with Christmas lights. On December 8th, starting at 5pm, come to the“Illuminating the Christmas Spirit of Jaco” festivities! The whole park will be ablaze with twinkling, sparkling Christmas lights, and music will be supplied by the local students’ choral group from Falcon International, as well as by the Jaco municipal band.

Come to the “Illuminating the Christmas Spirt of Jaco” celebration and feel the warm and fuzzy feeling of Christmas in paradise. Please click here for a copy of the official poster for this event.

Related Posts

1. Christmas Weekend in Jaco Beach
2. International Poetry Festival Comes to Jaco
3. Garabito mayor and top officials arrested today in Jaco

Top Real Estate Brokers Merge

Today Lisle Head broker and owner of Coldwell Banker Jaco has announced he has joined forces with the Cutter brothers who own 2Costa Rica Real Estate real estate agency. This merger basically consolidates the 80% of all real estate transactions for the central pacific area of Costa Rica.

Coldwell Banker Jaco has been the leading real estate firm in the central pacific since 2008 and the top producing franchise in Costa Rica for many years. 2Costa Rica Real Estate was originally established in the central valley San Jose area and is the top real estate agency in their marketplace. In the last year or so, the Cutter bother’s, Tom and Scott, have expanded to move into areas along the central pacific into Jaco Beach and Manual Antonio.

Here is a copy of their press release:

An Exciting New Merger in Jaco Beach

Integrity, personal service, knowledge, excellence, these are all terms which describe the team at 2 Costa Rica Real Estate, and that team just got stronger.

Lisle Head formerly the broker/owner of Coldwell Banker Jaco Beach and his team of David Karr and Nikita Mohammed have now joined the 2 Costa Rica Real Estate family. “We are very excited that this new partnership will allow us to better serve our clients and allow us to work more closely with the San Jose and Manuel Antonio markets”, said Lisle Head who will now be managing the Jaco office. Founded by the entrepreneurial team of brothers Todd and Scott Cutter, the firm has earned a reputation as an industry leader due in large part to its focus on helping each client to establish a clear understanding of Costa Rica as a destination and investment environment.

Our office is loccated at Plaza Coral in downtown Jaco and we invite you to contact us if you have any questions about this change. 2 Costa Rica has three offices all of which operate under the brokerage and ownership of Todd and Scott Cutter, brokers of the 2 Costa Rica Real Estate Escazu and Manuel Antonio offices, respectively.

We look forward to serving you as clients and/or colleagues and look forward to great success and service in this coming season. We encourage you to visit us at our same site cb-jaco.com and we will continue to make changes and updates over the upcoming weeks.

Interested in living in Costa Rica, Lisle Head and the Cutter brothers can help you make it a reality. Call 866-403-1345 or visit any number of their Costa Rica Living or Costa Rica Real Estate websites online.

Related Posts

1. Costa Rica Real Estate Sales On The Rise
2. Costa Rica Real Estate and Foreign Investment
3. Dominical Real Estate Broker Killed in Auto Accident

The action of the authorities began August 10, Wednesday morning at 9:10 am as part of an investigation into alleged irregular payments of some work not performed for work that supposedly occurred in 2008.

The mayor of Garabito, surname Elizondo Cordero and member of the National Liberation Party or PLN, was suspended by the Costa Rican Comptroller General when the Garabito mayor was found in a motel room during working hours along with a municipal vehicle servicing his personal rendevous in 2007. Later the following year in 2008, the Comptroller General called for a halt again because the mayor tested positive for driving under the influence of alcohol in a municipal vehicle. The Garabito mayor tested positive breath test at -1.03 mg / liter of alcohol in the blood.

Those involved are being investigated for embezzlement, illicit enrichment, misrepresentation and fraud. The Press Office of the Public Ministry reported that once the raid was completed the suspects would be transferred to San Jose to be investigated.

The above was translated from this article in the Nacion

This blog is saddened by this situation as we are big supporters of the Garabito Mayor and what he has fought, to make Jaco a better place to live. Putting a finger on this mayor, is payback for something or someone as you only need to look in each municipalities back yard to see this is going on all over the country. This is not news to anyone and as the democratic machine’s bulldog, the late Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago showed politics needs greasing to get things done. It is done in business why not government?

Related Posts

1. Cantonato de Garabito Festival coming up!
2. International Poetry Festival Comes to Jaco
3. Today two top Costa Rica real estate movers & shakers join forces

Clinica Jaco in the news

The clinica Jaco beach hours change according to Diario Extra, weekdays night shift medical staff are absent from 10pm to 6am and on the weekends there is no medical attention from 8pm to 8am. Many local Jaco beach residents are outraged given the amount of tourism and investment dollars that have flooded Puntarenas in the past 7 years.  Some Central Pacific residents organized a Clinica Jaco protest march a few days ago demanding the Jaco Ebais director explain where all the money is.

Clinica Jaco in Facebook

Posted on the Los Amigos facebook about the clinica Jaco changes, “Spread the word…..the Jaco clinic (CCSS) is now closed at 10pm every night and CLOSED on weekends…..there is NO EMERGENCY center open in Jaco during these times. People will need to drive to Puntarenas hospital for ALL emergencies. It’s a LONG way to drive if you or your children are fighting for your lives!”

Some officials have privately said that the clinica Jaco changes is a major inconvenience for residents and need not occur. They explained that the Quepos hospital with lesser services will see an increase in visits since it is actually closer to drive to the Quepos hospital than to Puntarenas from Jaco. The result means a shift in resource consumption in an area that is already underfunded and increase the costs of ambulance operations for Cruz Rojo which would need to transport every case requiring medical attention to a distant location.  Each ambulance incident would require multiple hours just in transport for each case.

The changes in the clinica Jaco CCSS have various Facebook pages swarming with comments from locals and expats in agreement.

Related Posts

1. Costa Rica – Welcoming you for Plastic Surgery
2. Costa Rica Medical Tourism

Check back weekly for updated Jaco Rays scores and game information. If you want to subscribe to our Jaco Rays scores and game information update newsletter, signup is to your right or here for a direct link

Jaco Rays Game Results – Scores & Schedule

If you want to sponsor a week/month of the Jaco Rays Soccer Scores and Jaco Rays Schedule page here at The Jaco Blog, use our contact form here and let us know you are interested. Limited space is available.

Related Posts

1. Jaco Rays Schedule & Stats 2010-2011
2. Jaco Rays Soccer 2010 Game Schedule & Scores
3. Professional Soccer is now in Jaco Beach – Jaco Rays

Jaco Beach Cinema – Printing Money

The Jaco Beach cinema is one of those no-brainers for those who have Jaco Beach investment money seemed to miss out on. Just like the person who opens the first McDonalds in Jaco Beach will rake in major returns on their investment. For years Plaza Coral was built with the promise of a movie theater in Jaco Beach but nothing ever was built. The space remained vacant for years and investors in the adjacent stores suffered losses as the Jaco Beach cinema faded from their memories. One store located next to the promised Jaco Beach cinema could not even donate its space away to a local meeting group here in Jaco. “There was a emptiness and isolation which frightened many group members” says a member of the local group who requested anonymity. This was contrary to other members who thought the location was great given the ample parking that Plaza Coral offered.

Click image to view larger

Movies at the Jaco Beach Cinema

Now that the Jaco movie theater is officially opened and passed into its second weekend tonight it is clear that the local Costa Rican population is going to support it. The Jaco cinema is drawing its customers from the surrounding communities of the Jaco Beach cinema metro area. Groups of high school age kids are coming in on the bus from Orotina to go to the Jaco Beach cinema. What would normally be a mundane Saturday night for the local teenage population looking for things to do, the Jaco Beach cinema bringing major movies is a great diversion.

The Jaco movie theater opened with 4 movies on their massive screens: King Fu Panda 2, Pirates of the Caribbean 24(okay it might be 4 or the 5th but it seems like 24), Pixar Cars 2, and Fast & Furious 5. In a country that wholly respects copyright laws like Costa Rica, the movies at the Jaco Beach cinema are being seen for the first time ever by its populace and of course, are not available in DVD at the local video rental.

Jaco Beach cinema gives Plaza Coral store owners a new life

Plaza Coral which has two anchor clients Mega Super and KFC/Quiznos since its opening, has suffered a rotation of stores opening and closing. For the early years, renters never got the foot traffic needed to stay in business. The Jaco Beach cinema turns that experience on its head. Plaza Coral is jammed packed with cars whereas a month ago guards spent time gossiping amongst themselves, now are serious traffic enforcers.

The same holds true for stores such as Pizza Pata which held its own for almost a year and located in the abandoned elevator shaft in front of Mega Super and below the new Jaco Beach cinema which is called CC Citi Cinemas. If you plan on visiting the Jaco movies, plan ahead as tickets sell fast and with 4 theaters they are still selling out.

You can visit the Jaco Beach Cinema website to get movie times and which movies are featured here. To get information about movies times at the Jaco Beach cinema call 2643-2100.

Related Posts

1. Theater in Jaco at Canciones del Mar
2. Christmas Weekend in Jaco Beach
3. Jaco Beach Party Fashion Show

JACO & HERMOSA RECEIVE BLUE FLAG

For the second consecutive year, the city of Jaco recently received the Blue Flag award along with the surfing beach of Playa Hermosa, the site of the BILLABONG ISA 2009 WORLD SURFING GAMES.

In order to receive the Blue Flag award, the quality of water, the solid waste management systems, the signaling of roads, the environmental education and public safety are all evaluated.  The city council, local businesses and members of the community all worked together to ensure that the requirements were met and that Jaco was able to renew their accreditation. 

Sonia Alvarado, the President of the Blue Flag Committee in Jaco and Peter Van Hussen, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce attended the awards ceremony at the offices of the Institute of Aqueducts and Sewage Authority (AyA) in Pavas on March 24th.  The mayor of Garabito, Don Marvin Elizondo said “We received the news with great satisfaction reinforcing the hard work that has been ongoing in Jaco for preparation of the World Surfing Games.

Related Posts

1. Jaco, Costa Rica Prepares for the World Surfing Games
2. Costa Rican team named for the WSG 2009
3. Giant Parade of the Nations opens the WSG 2009