I've been living here in Myanmar for most of the last 6 years. I was here before Daw Aung San Sui Kyi was released from house arrest. I even visited both before the Saffron Revolution and the Nargis Cyclone. Alot has happened since I've been coming to Myanmar since 2006 and it seems like things have sped up quite a bit the last 6 years since I've lived here. If you must know how I got here it seems strange to talk about because it was both because of Love and Work that brought me to Myanmar. See below the reason for love. Her name is Mary and she's had a key part in all of our business dealings so far in Myanmar.
I first came here to help youth leaders help youth in a more holistic manner than just spiritually. From there it seemed that it would make sense to help youth with jobs. The problem was that I didn't come from a business background. I came from a non-profit background so my thinking was different. I soon figured out that I needed to learn the business stuff quickly. We had a need for cash to help young people and I needed to learn business so I started Myanmar Business Answers. Way back in 2012..........not so long ago but it feels like a long time ago. In 2012 Myanmar was ranked 3rd to last in ease of starting a business. Myanmar was actually beat to the bottom by Somalia and Afghanistan (surprised?). I started a business in one of the hardest places in the world to start a business. Thanks I don't need a medal. What I learned was priceless. I learned that doing world in a developing world was different. I learned that people might smile at you while having coffee but when it came to business they would cut you and leave you on the side of the rode to be eaten by a tiger. In Myanmar the easiest part is to get in. The hardest part is to get something going and running. Obstacles are endless.
I run several businesses with my wife. We really enjoy being in Myanmar but we know that it's always good to have a partner on the ground that knows their way around. We have each other, but do you have someone? We would love to be that someone that helps you with finding your balance in Myanmar. Maybe you've been here for a while and can't seem to crack what the issues are. We can help you because we have been there. We also do project management and consulting for non-profits that are doing livelihood development, entrepreneurship training, coaching/mentoring, and micro-finance.
We have an initiative called Micro Empire that focuses on the development of micro businesses. We provide financial literacy and lean business education. We also invest in micro businesses to scale them to become SME's. Lastly we work with survivors of human trafficking finding solutions through business.
We also have a food tour business that my wife manages. We offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner tours as well as a cooking class. We are hoping to scale the business.
We know Myanmar and we know business. We can help you with your project or entry in Myanmar. We've helped dozens of companies over the last 4.5 years become more successful. The easy part was getting here. Let us take over the hard part for you. Let us give you balance in your business activities in Myanmar.
Ryan Russell
CEO Myanmar Business Answers