I Love Acapulco: the Opportunities

Namaste.

I love Acapulco. I do.

If we could put up a satellite in space that analyzed the planet for entrepreneurial potential, it’s my opinion, this place would be the hottest of hot spots… If that gives you any idea of how I feel about it.

There are so many possibilities here. And so many wonderful little niches of potential. There was a episode of Sanford and Son, where Lamont was out gathering second hand stuff out of people’s trash and picked up a worn out briefcase that turned out to be full of money. Acapulco is like that. I don’t literally see briefcases of money in garbage cans, but in a way, there’s a bunch just waiting to be discovered. In Acapulco, a little polishing on some lumps of coal and what do you know... diamonds.

Acapulco didn’t become one of the first vacation destinations of the rich and famous just because it got lucky. This place has a magic about it that goes beyond it's uniqueness, that makes it even more unique.

If your one into real estate for example, there’s a multitude of locations that offer something different. There are few cookie cutter buildings here, practically everything is different in some way. Diversity of locations, everything from spectacular cliffs on mountainsides to miles and miles of long stretches of beaches.

This place also offers a connection to a kaleidoscope of time. From some of the oldest ancient artifacts to individuals on the very cutting edge of future technology and philosophy. Imagine what a self-directed open source learning child might wonder about in a place like this?

For the entrepreneur, let’s take food as an example. One can find fresh fruit, fish and other foods that have been dined on here since forever because it’s always been here! Food almost drops out of the sky. Yet a person is still be able to get a American style cardboard pizza delivered in less than 30 minutes. It’s the location that offers the potential inspiration for a creative chef to offer a myriad of choices that would blow people away. Combine the setting with spectacular food and you’ve got the opportunity to hook people forever! One doesn’t have to work that hard to put people in good spirits here. Why not use that advantage?

Being that the economy has suffered for so long, and the perception being the good days are gone. The average restaurant has cut back it’s menu over the years to the basics. You can easily find a meal for 50 pesos. With that kind of mindset, environment and competition, the basics have become the standard. So the blindness to the potential is great. But the potential hasn’t disappeared, it’s still here. Creating unique experiences don’t have to be expensive, just pleasant and memorable. To some degree that’s the lesson Acapulco can teach and provide for an entrepreneur.

Being that Acapulco is a vacation destination. Service is a big part of people’s occupations here. It too has been worn down. Service providers used to see Hollywood stars and millionaires regularly, and expected and got big tips. They understood what good service was and how to deliver it. It paid well! However, when the wealthy customers left, they left with them and headed to other, newer destinations like Puerto Vallarta and Cancun. What was left behind didn’t have that understanding and although wonderful people, didn’t get to see the opportunity because violence and propaganda have succeeded in chasing off the better customers. Needless to say, another big opportunity when you understand the value of developing good service and training people well.

People are thirsty for knowledge and opportunity. There’s always a possibility it can get worse, but being that worst is still fresh in people’s mind here, and they have no interest in going back, it’s much easier to get them going in the right direction.

Many will point to the general un-kept nature of Acapulco and it’s effect on people’s apathy for working hard and doing better. There’s many ways to lose your money here as well… gambling, partying, living it up, the cartels, etc… It’s also easy to lose one’s focus once they start doing well. What person in their right mind would invest money in that? I will not deny it’s not Western Europe. It is more like the Wild West! But that’s actually one of the best times! The rule is buy low, sell high. Because it has the potential to be better than Western Europe. Mexico, in general, is in a position to be one of the best places to do business in the Hemisphere. Certainly that’s the case in North America. Combine Mexico’s weak and corrupt government with the potential of new technology and Mexico is sitting pretty in comparison to the rest of the world. Acapulco can ride that wave too! In fact, it can be right on top of that crest!

I strive to be a Peacemaker, an Entrepreneur and a Ambassador for Great Ideas (ie a Problem solver). I also wish to be a Artist, a Mentor and an Ethicist one day. At times I struggle to communicate the passions I have but I endeavor to do so meaningfully from my heart to others. All as I enjoy my life as a never-ending vacation in a place I adore. I care about what I do, I care about the people I do it with and I leave the rest to fall into place. ~ MikeonFire