Simply Puerto Vallarta - Business Women
 Laura Gelezunas - VideoDivaProductions.com
December 25, 2010
| | Owning your own business any where in the world is tough and Mexico is no exception. Creating their own niche markets, two American women have developed their own personal success in Puerto Vallarta. (Video Diva Productions) | |
Creating their own niche markets, two American women have developed their own personal success in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Liana moved to the area in 1995 and is known as the cinnamon roll lady. She owns a restaurant, Liana's Sazon and Paradise Bakery and Catering.
"In Mexico they do make it fairly easy for foreigners to open a business and get the proper paperwork," says Liana Turner, chef and baker, "It's a little bit of work but it's completely possible. There are always challenges but I've learned through the years that everything I worry about doesn't happen, in fact very few things happen that I worry about and I found that if I just go back, if it's a government agency or whatever and go back the next day everything is working again, it just happens that way."
Mikki arrived in 1990 and has made a stab at various businesses. She finally topped off her efforts with PV's first consignment shop. "This business is so easy," says Mikki Prost, store owner, Encore, "It's a great business because the stuff is coming in to me, it's what women love to buy, clothing, shoes, purses and jewelry, I mean what more fun can you have. I have many years experience with buying and selling, over 40 years and I started out selling antiques. A consignment shop was an ideal business to bring to Vallarta, there was nothing like it in the entire bay area until I opened this store."
Mikki goes on to say, "My customers love coming in here, it's like having a little party some times, and it's a fun business because it's like recycling and it's an opportunity for people to find great things and to sell their things."
Liana built her current businesses on her interest in cooking which has a unique history. "My restaurant background started when I was about 14," says Liana, "My parents had a little burger place in eastern Washington, out in the middle of no where and later on I moved to the San Juan Islands in Washington state, to Friday Harbor and worked in several restaurants there, and then I worked on fishing boats and tug boats and I worked six months in Antarctica cooking, and on luxury yachts based out of California, Costa Rica and Alaska."
Liana enjoys her job, "I love cooking because it's creating, actually I would prefer not to have to deal with the business part and just create, that would be my dream, my impossible dream."
Owning your own business any where in the world is tough and Mexico is no exception.
"I work some times four jobs," says Mikki, "If I only work at the store I could get by but I've created other avenues to bring in income, I teach yoga, I do the theater, I do some property management, and I manage my store, so it takes some doing. It can be hard and you've got to gear down for a different kind of lifestyle, and be ready for changes, ready to be flexible and look at other ways to be here if you're not retired."
Despite any hard ships these ladies find life in Puerto Vallarta rewarding. "I've been in Vallarta almost 21 years," says Mikki, "I really love it here, I feel a part of this community and more so since I've been a business owner, I'm very connected to my neighborhood."
Liana and Mikki encourage other women to venture down and give it a go, but remember to do your homework first.
Simply Puerto Vallarta is a multi-media promotion campaign that highlights the richness and diversity of Mexico's premier coastal tourist town. Unlike traditional PR efforts, the video series was designed to put the media message back into the hands of those it most affects - area residents.
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