Investment other than Stock Market

If you have Rs. 4 million for a business, what would be the business you would choose and why? (Stock Market is not an option)

not clear what you mean? Do you want to start a new business? Whatever it is depends on your capabilities etc., Are you an investor in CSE? Then run through some reports to see what are the attractive business areas.

I am already an investor in CSE but I want my own small business as this is one of my ambitions in life. I love nature so I am interested in farming but no previous experience and what kind of capital do I need and whom to trust?

ninja wrote:whom to trust?

Trust yourself friend  

If you like business.... sky is the limit...

4 Million is enough to start many business.

1. Beauty Saloons
2. Educational Institutions
3. Laundry
4. Cosmetics
5. Grocery

are possible venues for above amount of Rs 4 Million

yellow knife wrote:If you like business.... sky is the limit...

4 Million is enough to start many business.

1. Beauty Saloons
2. Educational Institutions
3. Laundry
4. Cosmetics
5. Grocery

are possible venues for above amount of Rs 4 Million

thanks YK. I think you are a good businessman. Am I correct?

Thank you guys for your feedback. Laundry and education institute are in my mind. Trust yourself is a Golden piece of advise

Only recruit reliable people and you have to monitor and be in the scene always. Start small and grow. Don't borrow at early stages.

Massage parlors are very lucrative
Low cost and huge return.

Future123 wrote:

Massage parlors are very lucrative
Low cost and huge return.

Yaaa.. future123 will be a regular customer. .

hahaha....

These days I am reading about Anagarika Dharmapala.

The book which I read cover a wide range of SL businesses and practices.

When British were ruling SL, the first profitable venture for native entrepreneurs were timber stock trading. Thanks to rail roads , sleepers or Silpara Kota became the demanded local material. Sinhalese like the Grandfather of Dharmapala started that business. The family of Hevawitharana were later exporting finished furniture to US, UK, Austrail and South Africa. With that accumulated wealth they bought 1634 acres of tea in Hindiuma.

The next profitable venture was liquor which Dharmapla's family never tried due to their religious understanding.

Yet many other families got into that and became rich.

Mining of graphite became also profitable where Senanayaka family got into.

Since Dutch era , Sinhalese of South were the monopoly holders of Cinnamon.

Until 1930s there was no income tax charged thus the businesses were thriving. The planters ensured 19-34% annual dividend returns.

Therefore you can choose a business which is proftiable and match with your ethics and religous up bringing.

Massage Parlours of SL are owned by Muslims, Tamils as well as Sinhalese and were mushrooming from 2005 on wards.
Unlike before 2005 this business is not giving exponential growth in  income. Now it has become too competitive and the practitioners themselves have started the business as its easy to start and its very cheap to rent an upper floor of a building facing main roads.

Cosmetics and Beauty Parlours have also become very competitive.

If you have visited Future Minds of educational industry you would have seen what a neck cutting business is education.

Marketers are appointed to canvass business from students on commission basis and a student who want to become an accountant will end up learning psychology thanks to the marketers ability to sell.

Restaurants are also very profitable as the dictum of the industry is if you throw Rs 100 to the kitchen it must appear on table as rs 300.

Unlike investors of Shares those who want to run a business should

1. have a passion of what you are doing..

2. have to be in the business for a long period as you cant trade businesses...

Yes, passion is the keyword for businesses as well as any other profession including investing and trading.

Doing something productive with what you like to do, to bring in foreign money is a good mission statement for a business.

In this country, more than 90% of businesses produce nothing at all. Most of them are lazily staying between the manufacturer (mostly foreign) and consumers (mostly local).

i think Laundry is the best business in sri lanka at the movement


if u become a billionaire dont forgot me

Success story of Jack ma

Thank you all for your valuable feedback and inspiring videos.
I am working abroad and wanted to start a small business back in Sri Lanka. Based on the feedback I received, It is better to do anything after I go back to the country.

Ninja, I am into agriculture and trading. Best is if you stay off agriculture (if you intend to supply locally) as the current government is not supportive (extremely high fertiliser prices and lack of subsidies for plants).

However, if you can supply a specialised product like Nela mangos (TJC mangos), organic vegetables to Colombo folk or pepper you will find buyers in the local market. Otherwise, try to find a contact in the country abroad you were working at and export to them. That is the best especially since you will be earning dollars on the rupee.

Also, run the show alone for as much as possible without increasing overheads. In clean Sinhala "Katta kaagen, sathek wage wada karanna".

Also just for my own curiosity, why have you discounted the stock market as an investment?

Hi GK, Thanks for the insight on Agriculture. To me, SL stock market generally dull. Also, I do not find it as an option to say good bye to my office life. So decided to keep it on low profile. As I mentioned earlier, I always have this business thirst in my mind. So wanted to see what it has on offer

How about try to sell water,air or earth?

CK, If you mean properties, of course really safe option provided enough funds are with you

I mean this.
Drinking water or water bottles.
Oxygen,  co2, lp gas or nitrogen
Soil or gravel or metal