Starting a business and life goals.

[Andy in Germany]

I didn't know you were from Transylvania.

Mwahahahaaaaa...

 

[Aescott]

Just check with your new employer that it’s OK to have a side job. I know that it’s a standard clause in UK contracts about employers needing to give approval for any other work. Just so you don’t fall foul of any over-zealous HR bod.

 

[icowden]

TEFAL is probably the easiest option, and some TEFAL companies allow you to choose your own hours. I have a friend who moved to Italy about 15 years ago and essentially built up his own business doing TEFAL, working as a peripatetic in local colleges etc.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Just check with your new employer that it’s OK to have a side job. I know that it’s a standard clause in UK contracts about employers needing to give approval for any other work. Just so you don’t fall foul of any over-zealous HR bod.

There's a clause in my contract that I'm allowed to work in another job, be that self-employed or with another company, as long as it doesn't negatively affect this job. Obviously I'll discuss any plans with my employer though.

If you want to be paid right and stand out for the rest you're going to need some formal training. You'd need some formal teaching qualification if you want to be paid anything decent. The gold standard is Cambridge CELTA the most widely recognised English teaching qualification in the world. With that your options are quite wide. I don't know which placers near you offer it though it can now be done online. It's not cheep and will take time but once you have it you'd be well away. Part off it covers basics of teaching so If you have a recognised teaching qualification you can APEL some it. I can't remember what they told me about how shorter it makes it.

I'm state registered as a teacher/trainer so I have a formal qualification that's accredited by the state government, via the local governing body. They're very hard to get so it will be recognised and respected here.

TEFAL is probably the easiest option, and some TEFAL companies allow you to choose your own hours. I have a friend who moved to Italy about 15 years ago and essentially built up his own business doing TEFAL, working as a peripatetic in local colleges etc.

Funnily enough since coming to Germany I don't remember anyone ever listing a qualification like CELTA or TEFAL as an English teacher. I'll look into it but Germany can be a bit fussy about accepting qualifications from other countries. Baden-Württemberg even gets sniffy about qualifications from the other 15 German states, so I'm not sure how helpful that will be, especially when I'm already qualified to teach at technical college level.

During this conversation I remembered a former colleague who started an English teaching company locally, which is still going 15 years later so I'll probably start making enquiries with him.

 

[Andy in Germany]

We rented part of our workshop to a leather worker. He was very successful and he specialised in Celtic designs on the things he made like belts and handbags. This worked so well that later we shared our shop with him for a few years as it widened the customer base.
He also did as we did and sold on the wholesale market but in those days we had assistance from the HIDB [ Highlands and Islands development Board ] who ran a large and very successful Trade Fair every October in Aviemore. We also sold at England and Wales trade fairs.

That's generally my ideal business, with my current clientele as "staff"; it's what I'm good at and thankfully Germany will support such things financially.

 

[icowden]

Funnily enough since coming to Germany I don't remember anyone ever listing a qualification like CELTA or TEFAL as an English teacher. I'll look into it but Germany can be a bit fussy about accepting qualifications from other countries. Baden-Württemberg even gets sniffy about qualifications from the other 15 German states, so I'm not sure how helpful that will be, especially when I'm already qualified to teach at technical college level.

If you already have qualifications, you may be able to get work from a TEFL provider without having the TEFL certificate. Worth asking anyway.

I

 

[rogerzilla]

When trying to raise money for charity at work once, the most labour-heavy and cost-minimal activity we came up with (and we made a lot of money) was street prostitution shoe shining

 

[nickyboy]

Minimum (and preferably zero) capital outlay. Sell your time. I don't know what you are good at, but don't get into selling things, sell your time

Nothing worse than investing your cash into a venture and not getting enough customers or not enough margin on sales

 

[rogerzilla]

One thing to watch if selling your time is the VAT threshold, if Germany has one. Some UK traders take several months off each year to stay under the threshold and avoid having to register for VAT. In a labour-only business this makes you 20% less competitive overnight, and the record-keeping is oppressive. It's also why some builders ask you to buy most materials yourself.

 

[screenman]

One thing to watch if selling your time is the VAT threshold, if Germany has one. Some UK traders take several months off each year to stay under the threshold and avoid having to register for VAT. In a labour-only business this makes you 20% less competitive overnight, and the record-keeping is oppressive. It's also why some builders ask you to buy most materials yourself.

I have been vat registered since about 1978, the paperwork is an absolute doddle.

 

[oldwheels]

I have been vat registered since about 1978, the paperwork is an absolute doddle.

My own business was non vat but my wife had the ownership of the manufacturing and retail side and was vat registered.
I knew several of the vat officers from my distillery days and knew how they worked. If your business fell within certain parameters they did not bother you but if there was an anomaly then you got done over very thoroughly. If you were not registered or did not declare much income but bought a new expensive car for example was a signal.
All our finance was handled by an accountant and it was known that his customers were never bothered by excise officers so I could relax as he was totally honest.

 

[MatthewDav15]

So... I've got a new job, paid properly for my skills and experience, with benefits including a pension, and a permanent position providing I don't do anything silly by April 1st 2025.

It's also a 4 day week, and I'm getting paid the same as I am here for a 5 day week, which means one option is to try and start a business of my own. I'm currently working out how I might do this.

I don't have a lot of capital, but I have a number of skills, primarily in training people; I'm a state registered Occupational Therapist, which basically means I can train people with various problems.

It also means I have a trainer's certificate recognised by the Chamber of Commerce which is much more important in Germany than you might think; basically it means I can teach in colleges.

Before someone asks, opening a bike shop isn't an option, at least not yet. In order to get insurance I need to either have a "Master's Qualification" or have six years experience working in a bike shop, of which I think at least three need to be in a supervisory position. I'm about 3 1/2 years short of that right now. There are other ways around it but they're all a bit more involved that I'd like as yet.

The same applies to cabinet making which is my other qualification; ironically I have more experience fixing bikes anyway.

I'm also qualified to run an "integration company" where people with disabilities work in a "normal" job, but most of their salary is paid by the local government. A lot of people with disabilities want this, but there's a shortage of companies offering a place.

So... any thoughts on options? Teaching English may be one, which can be lucrative if I can persuade companies to take me on on a Monday.

Another thought is something Beautiful Wife and I have long considered, namely a cafe. The hurdles for starting a cafe is oddly lower than for a bike shop. It could also be combined with the "Inclusion" idea, so we could offer places for people with disabilities. Beautiful Wife is trained in Social Work, so she's also qualified. We both have some experience in management and ion catering although admittedly not combined.

Of course finance would then be a problem because we basically haven't got any. This would require a business plan. Where do you even start on this?

Of course the other dream would be that if we can make a good enough business plan, we may possibly be able to buy a house/cafe; I don't know if this is the case in the UK, but it seems that in lieu of a deposit, for a mortgage, a lender may consider a proposal which includes "Eigenleistung". If a less well maintained house is available, a skilled person like a carpenter could do say 50 000 € worth of rennovations. If we can combine this with a business plan, and (finally) a secure income, we may be taken seriously.

Any thoughts, suggestions on starting a business?
On a related note, for people keeping their options open internationally or looking to gain additional business exposure, it can also be useful to look at jobs in limassol for english speakers via PUNIN GROUP. Sometimes a role in an international environment can provide both financial stability and insight that later feeds directly into starting your own venture.

It sounds like you’re approaching this in a very thoughtful and realistic way, which already puts you ahead of many people considering self-employment. A four-day workweek with stable income is a great foundation to explore ideas without pressure, and your background in training, therapy, and inclusion-oriented work feels like a natural starting point with relatively low upfront risk.
Teaching, consultancy, or pilot projects around integration and skills training could let you test the waters, build a network, and gain business experience before committing to something more capital-intensive like a café. That way, if and when you move into a physical business, you’ll already have confidence, data, and a clearer plan.