The following was an email from someone living in the UK – England that has been considering moving to Hawaii. I’m posting it for everyone to see, because your situation may be similar in some ways and you can learn something from the exchange. I answer within the body of the email – I’ll just put “Vern:” where I comment, the rest of the email content is from the other writer.

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A:  Hi Vern,

Thanks for all your amazing info on Hawaii!

Vern: I love to write about Hawaii…

A: I live in England (UK~)and am into alternative medicine…have been for 35 years.

The idea of living in Hawaii has been calling to me…mostly the weather, I guess.

I was born and brought up in Africa until I was an adult. I still love the idea of good weather. However Kenya is a dodgy place to live…life is very cheap and dangerous. Lived here for 35 years, and I’m at the age where I’m thinking I want to enjoy myself, and the weather here is somewhat lacking in luster you could say!

Vern: Yes, I couldn’t imagine. I know quite a few expats living in Thailand from UK and they all tell the same weathered story… lol.

A: Your info gave me a much better idea than just a fantasy. It is a fantasy because I haven’t even been to Hawaii yet!

Vern: Living in Hawaii is a very different way of life. Impossible to give you the real feeling. you’ll either love it – or be on a plane somewhere else in a year. Most can make it a year. It’s truly paradise for some of us.

A: My work is my passion. I love helping people become more authentic, more themselves, having worked hard on myself for all these years. What became clear from your writing is the perspective that I’m not THAT much of an outdoor type. Or maybe it’s just because of the mainly cold weather we have here.

I remember waking up at 4 am (cos I had to travel later) in Australia, and just being blown away that I could do my Tai Chi outside without being frozen!

I guess I could easily enjoy walking if the climate is kind.

Vern:  Ha! In Thailand at 4 am. it’s 80 degrees F. In Hawaii about 60-70 with a slight wind usually – very, very nice weather in HI.

A: However my focus is on my work. my mission is helping people, the bigger the groups the better. I teach Biodanza, which you’ve probably not heard of. I love it -it combines 3 of my passions, self-development,dancing and music. I was thinking though, if people are that laid back in hawaii maybe this kind of thing is not for them!

Vern: Well Hawaii residents are rather laid back – yes. There are a group of people that are all laid back. Another group that is working their butts off to survive. And a group that’s even stressed out in Hawaii.

People are usually working hard because it’s so expensive. Their free time is theirs – and they want to spend it doing free things – not paying for things. I’m saying – the majority. Yes, there are obscenely wealthy people that can spend it on whatever they wish – and do. Some of them are into all kinds of self-help type past-times.

A: Also I love teaching Tai Chi. I’ve been a practitioner of Acupuncture/Shiatsu for 22years, but it would probably be too complicated to do there.I’d have to sit all sorts of exams. I’m more into Group work then 1:1’s, pays more and gives me a better buzz. I’m now 54, realising there’s more to life than killing yourself for work.
I love the laid back lifestyle.

Vern: Don’t we all my friend!

A: Are properties expensive to buy??

All depends on what you want I guess .You mention places are small and expensive (to rent)

Vern: To buy on Oahu – you won’t find anything livable for under 250,000 usd. That’s a 1 bedroom apt in a highrise. A house is more. Way more. Average is like 400,000 usd I think – Oahu. Maui – more.

To rent you can find something $800-1000 per month – basic studio apt in Waikiki.

A: From your perspective of how far it is from the US, made me re-think.

I would like to teach Biodanza in the mainland USA, as well. There are a few teachers, but numbers are still very small. I would love to teach it in the USA because Americans are so much more enthusiastic than the Brits. My focus is on helping society shift to a more holistic lifestyle, removing masks.

Given what I’ve mentioned what would you say about the idea of moving to Hawaii to live?

Vern: Hawaii wouldn’t work for the business – just my guess. You could prove me wrong. I don’t see anyone making money that way – or with meditation classes, or anything similar. If it happens it happens at the high end – with rich folks – that all are doing the in-thing. Hard to find those folks though.

Better chance of that working in California.

Even better chance of doing video training, or classes on the internet where you could create it all and then focus on marketing it and selling it.

A: Obviously would have to visit first! in number. I realise I’ve rambled quite a bit!

I would be grateful for your feedback.

All the best,

A____

Vern: I think it’s very very very hard for an American living in the mainland to go to hawaii and create a business that works. Very very difficult for a person that has lived in hawaii their lifetime- to create a business that works there.

Visit first – yes! See what you think. Search twitter.com to see if anyone’s talking about hawaii and Biodanza in the same conversation…

Good luck to you!

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So, I haven’t heard from “A” again, I am not sure whether moving to Hawaii happened, or didn’t. I really do think it’s very tough to move to Hawaii and start a business – having never been there. I’d say it’s close to impossible, and wouldn’t suggest it. Instead, you should move to Hawaii for a year and see what it is like. Run some marketing tests. Hand out some flyers related to the sort of business you would like to start. Work for a competitor. Figure out what people living in Hawaii, or visitors to the islands, think about your idea of a business. After a year of this you will have a much better idea whether your particular business, and your skillset – can handle starting a new Hawaii business.

I like to say that everything that can be done in Hawaii – is being done, and well. Office space is at a premium, there is often little parking for your customers, and businesses fight over that all the time – between each other.

If you have $50,000 or more and you want to start a business – start an online business. If you need help, email me and I’ll help you set it up if I like the idea. You’ll have no rent, no parking troubles, no electricity to pay each month, no water, no cleaning bills, no sanitation bills, no extra insurance, etc… Internet businesses make a LOT of sense in Hawaii!

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