Is there a demand?

[ivypartridge]

After selling our villa we are interested in re-investing in a business with a view to relocate. As an instrumental music teacher I feel there is a demand for a music school aimed not only at school children but at adults - in particular folks who retire early. Offering individual tuition & groups. Possible locations therefore would be the retirement areas in the Gulf Coast. Any thoughts about demand for such a school? Areas? ..yes the visa thing will be a nightmare. I intened to go first with my daughter age 13 with my husband following later. Any feedback or directions to look would be helpful

[pepsi]

I am not hundred percent sure about this but I think if you are intending setting up a business in Florida you have to have a business set up in the UK that has to be left operational. My hubby knows a builder that has set up a business in Orlando and he has had to keep his building company in the UK, going as well. I am sure there will be others on this forum that can give you more definate advice.

[ivypartridge]

Thanks Pepsi for this information - I shall look into this & hopefully I'll get more information. At present I work for the local education department.

[The Simpsons]

Barbara,does your husbands friend have a lot of work on???

[pepsi]

I do not really know as he has not heard from him since he moved out to Orlando a few months ago. We had intended on visiting him whilst we were out at Easter but unfortunately as always, we ran out of time. Hoping to pay him a call when we are next out there in October as there is only myself and hubby going. Our visit in October is going to be a working one as we did very little at Easter in terms of jobs in the villa.

[Ray9]

You will have little choice other than an E-2 ...

read up more here...... http://www.investorvisausa.com/index.html

[ivypartridge]

Thanks Ray this is a useful website. From what I have read and looked into - and I have been reading various bits for a few months I think the E-2 is the way ahead. Has anyone any opinion on the music school idea?[?]

[Ray9]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by ivypartridge
Thanks Ray this is a useful website. From what I have read and looked into - and I have been reading various bits for a few months I think the E-2 is the way ahead. Has anyone any opinion on the music school idea?[?]
[/quote]
There are disadvantages with it of course .... particularly if you have children.... I have no knowledge at all about music schools..
research needed there ...

[esprit]

Two ways to go on E2. buy an existing music school or set one up from scratch. Setting one up from scratch may be quite difficult, you will need to go to the embassy with a business plan and it needs to be precise with projected income etc so lots of research needed. You also need to invest a substantial amount of money to satisfy E2. I cannot see how you could do this with a music school other than buying premises to house it in?

If you want to come over first, you could apply for a B1 which would give you 6 months to do your research and setting up, but not work, you could then file for E2 by change of status in Texas. However your daughter would need to stay behind. They are wary at giving B visas to kids as they know there is a temptation to put them in school which you should not do on B1. You could try the old home schooling argument, may or may not work.

Please be aware that your daughter will only be able to stay on E2 till 18 or till 21 if in full time education. This is a huge problem for E2 people.

Areas, you need somewhere big to have enough population to find a percentage interested in your school. If you want the Gulf. then Tampa or Sarasota, dont look at little seaside places. I would say your clientele would mostly still be children not retirees who seem to play golf not the violin as a hobby.

[ivypartridge]

Thanks Esprit. These are the areas I had in mind - I have a few sax/clarinet adults pupils here who all started when they retired so I thought maybe these guys in the US wouldn't golf all day & night ! The idea was to have a music membership where the monthly cost would include a private lesson with back up group lesson - like a health club with tunes and no sweat!
I have looked into the buying of a school or shop with teaching rooms with the thought of the E2 But i guess there aren't many around but I'll keep any eye open. Tricky with my daughter as time goes on and she gets older!!!It might have to wait until she goes to uni here but then I'll be no spring chicken [msneek]Thanks for all this feedback it is really helpful. What a great site this is!!