“Friends don’t let friends go local.”
I’ve been in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam for three years now. I continue to get more embedded here. In fact, I love living here and will be here for the near future, as far as I can see.
My business isn’t really “tied to Vietnam”, but I am getting huge residual benefits from being married to a local here, being active in the startup scene and in general, being committed to living here.
It changes your table image and opens your pool of opportunities wider.
I recently moved into a brand new, 3-story architect owned/ designed house. It’s pretty spectacular actually. We’re renting and have the option to buy for a reasonable price. Very modern and suits a neurotic designer such as myself.
Anyhow, my design studio has now moved to the top floor of this house.
I do have quite a few customers here now.
Working with a venture capital firm, owners of other big companies, and so on.
They come to my house to meet.
Thus, when they come to this house to work with me, it instantly ups my table image being in such a nice place, and enhances my commitment to being here. The bonds forged are deeper.
And thus, I see a lot of upside of being a big fish in a place like Hoch versus say, being back in NYC trying to swim up stream with the little fish.
Finally, no matter how hard you convince yourself, if you have no roots anywhere and are trying to play the business game, yes, you can do it, but you open yourself up to more difficulties and challenges.