Could Jamie Duplicate His Success in Other Cities?

[Alabamaboy!]

Jamie seems to have such an overwhelmingly high success to failure rating here on this forum. I don't know if it is just the success stories who are posting or what is going on. But it seems like he has found the recipe for success. Maybe it is the overall organization, attention to details, or being located in the correct city.

I wonder if he would have the same success in CTG or MDE or BOG if he set up shop there.

[Jeff S]

A good business model is a good business model. It really doesn't matter where it is so long as it has similar demographics. If you developed it in Manhattan, it may mot work in Lockhart Texas, but of it works in Denver, it'll work in Atlanta. Just my opinion as a student of business.

[Gato4Astrid]

Jamie seems to have such an overwhelmingly high success to failure rating here on this forum. I don't know if it is just the success stories who are posting or what is going on. But it seems like he has found the recipe for success. Maybe it is the overall organization, attention to details, or being located in the correct city.

I wonder if he would have the same success in CTG or MDE or BOG if he set up shop there.

Setting up business is not as easy as you think.  It is not about how much capital you already have.   A businessman with capital of £100k could easily fail, while other person with capital of only £5k could easily success!
If Jamie wish to do business in Medellin, I am sure he will be very successful.  On the other hand, if Ricardo (from ACG, Cali) wishes to buy Jamie out, Ricardo will be more likely to be LESS successful than Jamies.
There are many gold rules in doing business ........
One of them, the more you help others, the more you help yourself.  If you only think of yourself (only trying to earn yourself lots of money), then you will be LESS successful than Jamie.  This is the difference between Jamie and Ricardo (ACG).
Other rules:  Do lots of research/homework, do marketing plan., do cash flow/financial plan.
 
 
 
 
 

[Alabamaboy!]

There is no question that Ricardo could not have much success in any other city. It is a miracle he is still afloat in Cali. I feel his place may be just a cover for really being more of an escort service for guys coming into town, and not really any kind of serious agency. I don't recall anyone who has married a gal from his place.

This topic is just about if you feel Jamie could duplicate his success in other cities, or whether the success itself is only because of the women of BAQ being more marriage minded, more tolerant of being in an agency, etc. ?

[benjio]

I have spoken to Jamie about this in depth. He very much so wants to expand, but he is a very hands on business owner...which is actually a huge part of his success. What's preventing him from opening operations in other cities in Colombia is he'd have to trust a Colombian to run it. If you knew him like I did, you'd know he'd never put the integrity of his company in the hands of someone he didn't trust implicitly. Generally not something you can do with Colombians, especially in terms of business.

[JimD]

It is a miracle he is still afloat in Cali. I feel his place may be just a cover for really being more of an escort service for guys coming into town, and not really any kind of serious agency.

I know Ricardo and use his agency and the above statements are incoorect. It is no miracle that allcolombiangirls continues to operate successfully. And it is precisely because Ricardo knows Cali and caleñas so well. I doubt very much the gringo in B/quilla could make it here. Wrong attitude from what I´ve seen posted over the years. Since Ricardo separated from Margareth years ago and opened his own agency it has always had the reputation of having the largest number of attractive girls of any Cali agency. Compare with now defunct Latin Best and Cali Charm. As to escort service I´ve seen every agency called that including the B/quilla agency. Every agency whether in Cali or Barranquilla is going to have it´s share of "interesadas" and young girls not interested in marriage and just looking to make some pesos. Ricardo can spot them probobly better than any gringo agency owner and has warned me away from aspiring "pros" on a number of occaissions.

[Alabamaboy!]

I used Ricardo's services and he was a complete disaster when I was there. Completely worthless in my opinion. The only thing he had going for him was an employee he had working there by the name of Isabel. She was doing 99% of everything for him. And doing it well. And was not getting paid. So shortly after I was there she quit working and opened her own thing. I used her services the next trip there and she was great. Had 100% of the girls show up to the citas. And they were pretty much all excellent candidates. Because Ricardo's place was completely disorganized and she was being pulled in many different directions, the rate was like 25% of the girls showed up. I met more girls on my own than I did through his agency.

It was funny that you say he had the largest number of attractive girls because I talked to other guys who were there also and they had the same experiences I did, that nobody was able to contact the good looking girls, their numbers were not in service, etc. And that was a big number of the candidates. So obviously he was not a real stickler for quality control in the way of updating his data base. Or maybe they were "ringers" just to get guys interested.  Cali VIP did a much, much better job of presenting the ladies I was interested in during my initial visit.

And none of these places could come close to the service that Jamie provides.

Of course, just my humble opinion.

[Colgando]

Yes, Jamie could duplicate his model in other cities. B made a good point about Jamie being hands on.


That is a tough business and environment to be successful in IMO, and Jamie has cracked the code it appears.

[utopiacowboy]

I just can't see it working in Medellin but who knows?

[JimD]

Of course, just my humble opinion.

Yes everyone has different experiences with agencies. That´s the nature of the beast.

[Kiltboy1]

I just posted this in the "why guys go to BAQ" . This is better for here
 
 
 assessment makes sense to me AB.


Personally, I travel to coastal cities in the Caribbean and Latin America, just my thing, when I leave the country for a week or two, I want to be at the beach in that vibe, chillen. I will get to inland travels later on in life, hopefully.


For me, Jamie's is the only agency that I can see myself paying that kind of money too. Maybe there are others, out there, but for the most part, agencies seem to be a hustle to separate guys from their money, maybe I am wrong, just the impression I get. I do not know the success rates, but in total, I suspect there may be a small percentage of men that achieve their objectives, I could be wrong, just the vibe I get.


So, for me, if Jamie did not have an agency in BAQ, I would not have traveled there at this time. If there was not a reputable agency in Colombia at this time, I probably would not have traveled the way I did. I would try to find another way, through networking or until I land that dream international job that I am looking for. I am still young, so time is on my side.

   
Amazing that Jamie the D-Head is still in Biz giving his wonderful personality, there just not must be many options left in Colombia like when i started in 2000 going there. That being said, all the competition is gone, and he does hook people up, so I guess that is a good thing. his business model is fine and would work anywhere else, his disposition is not however and most other Latin countries and other cities in Colombia I have been to would not put up with a boss such as him, thus say in MDE, the Paisas would tell him to go FFFFF himself
 
KB
 

[Gato4Astrid]

I used Ricardo's services and he was a complete disaster when I was there. Completely worthless in my opinion.. Because Ricardo's place was completely disorganized

Agreed with you there!  Glad I wasn't the only one!   
 

[Researcher]

     The agency scene has changed over the years.When I first went to Cali in '98  I was in my  30's so I was a kid compared to the other male clients. The atmosphere was more fraternity like. The guys would spend time meeting and chasing the ladies, for sure, but also hung out, had a few beers and discussed the women as well.I learned alot from the older guy's war stories.Some of us would even go out with women as a group and a good time was had by all most of the time.As time went by things changed.That fraternity feel kind of went away and the guys might have a beer and talk some but there wasn't as much comraderie.

     Having help and guidance is a good thing for a newbie.It was for me anyway.Even though I spoke Spanish I still wasn't familiar with Colombia and valued any help from those guys and that included the agency owners.Being that Jamie is a hands on type owner probably helps alot, not just with the business end but also with the clients.One of the big advantages of using an agency is that you have someone that can help you out.

      Just from what I have read Jamie seems more in touch with clients these days.That probably is more important than location in Colombia as there are beautiful women all over the place.He could be successful..as long as the women are there.

       Researcher

[Alabamaboy!]

his disposition is not however and most other Latin countries and other cities in Colombia I have been to would not put up with a boss such as him, thus say in MDE, the Paisas would tell him to go FFFFF himself 

I know his personality has been well documented on this forum and in person, and sure I have met more easy going guys than him, but I doubt that Paisas or anyone else would leave the job because of it. Not after I hearing some real horror stories about Colombian bosses in BAQ. And his personality is not probably the reason guys are coming there. They are looking for a service to be provided and there is a lot of evidence that he does just that.

And I am positive that he pays well also. Which is another thing that Colombian bosses are not known for.

[AndyLee]

I know his personality has been well documented on this forum and in person, and sure I have met more easy going guys than him, but I doubt that Paisas or anyone else would leave the job because of it. Not after I hearing some real horror stories about Colombian bosses in BAQ. And his personality is not probably the reason guys are coming there. They are looking for a service to be provided and there is a lot of evidence that he does just that.

And I am positive that he pays well also. Which is another thing that Colombian bosses are not known for.

I agree with Bama on this one.....I've not used Jamie's services because he is in Barranquilla and I am more interested in women in the inland cities like Medellin and Pereira. If Jamie opened an agency in Medellin or Pereira I'd be one of his first customers. I think if anything Jamie would be more successful in Medellin or Bogota than he is in Barranquilla because of the number and quality of available women, especially in Bogota. There are 3 times as many women in Medellin as in Barranquilla, and they are often better educated with a better work ethic and more socially advanced. These are women who would appeal more to American males I think. there is something very compelling about the coastal beauties, but the inland women are just as beautiful and in many cases more intellectually advanced. Bogota is even more noticeable, with 8 times more women than Barranquilla.
I have no doubt Jamie's personality clashes with some people but personally I see him as a level headed businessman who runs a decent company that respects it's employees and its customers. Just the kind of company I would like to hire for just about any service I can think of, especially for help finding a bride in a foreign culture.

[benjio]

My first trip to Colombia was in 2008. I used Jamie's services. Although extremely apprehensive initially, the information on his website and speaking with him via email gave me enough comfort to cough up the dough and give it a try. I was extremely impressed with his operation and plan on using Jamie again and again until I find what I'm looking for. I would recommend his services to anyone, and have encouraged several men to give him a try. Most of them have successfully found a life mate.
 
I consider Jamie a true friend of mine and we chit chat from time to time, even when I'm not in Barranquilla. I'm actually appalled by the way he has been attacked on this board, but everyone is obviously entitled to their own opinion. Many men that have used his services find his personality a little abrasive. The kindest way I can put this is he's definitely not a Texan, but there's some things everyone needs to realize. Number one, I don't think Jamie got into this business to make friends. When you pay for services at International Introductions, you're going to get exactly what you pay for. And if you feel you've been cheated in anyway, Jamie will do everything within his power to ensure you leave a happy man. I've seen him do this on numerous occasions. Say you were getting a divorce from your wife and you hired the best divorce lawyer in town. Sure, you'd be going through a pretty $#!++y experience, but I don't think any man would expect to be comforted by the divorce lawyer just because he's working for you. You hired him so your soon-to-be ex-wife doesn't take your a$$ to the cleaners. That's something I've never understood about men that I've met that were using Jamie services while I was staying at one of his houses in Barranquilla. Many of them would say things like, "That Jamie is a cold fish!" or something like that. I'm like, "did you come here to meet women, or make a buddy?" I'm a true Texan, so I'm going to talk to you no matter what. Call me annoying of whatever...I really don't care. I love people. I love conversating. And regardless of someone's personality, race, sex, religious, politics, hometown, etc. I'm someone that believes I can learn something from every single person I meet. I think those things and the fact that I am a loyal customer to Jamie kind of opened him up. The guy is actually extremely intelligent, and he has more experience than anyone in the business. He has done me some huge favors that I won't write about on here because I don't think every customer has that type of relationship with him. If you listen to him and take his advice, you'll find exactly what you're looking for.
 
In terms of him having success in other cities...what a lot of men fail to realize is Barranquilla is a prime location for foreigners that are interested in Colombian women. I won't go into depth on this again, becuase I explained it in another post:
 
http://www.planet-love.com/index.php?topic=6391.0
 
 
Colombia is growing, rapidly and exponentially. There are so many more opportunities than there were ten years ago...especially in big cities. A lot of men don't realize that the primary reason that Colombianas considered marrying a foreign men is slowly disapearing. There are more jobs now. Women are more liberated in Corporate Colombia (I got a huge dose of this in Bogota a few weeks ago). If you think we as Gringos are such a more attractive option, get your head out of the clouds. Colombian guys are there, and they know exactly what their women want. So when you think about a girl from a city like Medellin or Bogota, ask yourself why would she want to leave everything she knows for a foreigner. Her family and friends are there. The culture she loves is there, and she can have a decent job and a Colombian guy to boot! This is what I feel would hinder Jamie's operations in other large cities. I think it's going to come to a point where agencies are out in the streets looking for cute girls to join, and Colombianas are going to start asking, "Why would I want to join an agency?"

[Researcher]

     I just saw an ad in Popular Mechanics magazine for an AmoLatina tour in Bogota or Medellin.They have a full page ad offering tours for $1500.

    Researcher

[chizz]

I have used both Ricardo's agency and Jamie's, and it's no comparison in my opinion. When i went to Ricardo's agency, Ived was working there and ran the agency pretty much. She's since married and moved to New Jersey and had a child. I don't know much about the agency now since it's been a couple of years, but when i was there it was Ived who ran things not him.
You're absolutely right about jamie being very much hands on, and that's why he's been successful. What I liked the most about Jamie was his brutal honesty, with clients and the women in his agency. I wrote a trip report awhile back about my stay with him, in which I detailed what happened if anyone is interested. I can't see Jamie allowing anyone else to run his agency in another city, he likes to stay on top of everything that goes on in his agency.
Chizz

[Jedimaster]

Chizz
 
I read your "Journey's over" post and was wondering-- what made you decide to give up on Barranquilla?

I have used both Ricardo's agency and Jamie's, and it's no comparison in my opinion. When i went to Ricardo's agency, Ived was working there and ran the agency pretty much. She's since married and moved to New Jersey and had a child. I don't know much about the agency now since it's been a couple of years, but when i was there it was Ived who ran things not him.
You're absolutely right about jamie being very much hands on, and that's why he's been successful. What I liked the most about Jamie was his brutal honesty, with clients and the women in his agency. I wrote a trip report awhile back about my stay with him, in which I detailed what happened if anyone is interested. I can't see Jamie allowing anyone else to run his agency in another city, he likes to stay on top of everything that goes on in his agency.
Chizz

[chizz]

Sup Jedi,
I wouldn't say I gave up on BAQ, I just broadened my search. Initially in the beginning I spoke some spanish and was hesitant to try it on my own without the agency. But I've taken many classes and my spanish is  much better, so I didn't think the agency route needed anymore. I looked into Medellin also, but never got around to making the trip. I've made 2 prior trips to D.R, before meeting my novia so I got hooked on the country. If your spanish is up to par, the location doesn't really matter as much as the quality of women you're meeting.
Chizz

[dennislevy]

No, Jmaie cant do it. A while back he thought of franchising and forming limited partnerships with investors to start agencies in other locations.
 
The problem is that you can t franchise highly personal services...Fried chicken, mufflers, hamburgers.. yes, they are products......and osme personal services such as a personnel agency or a taxes completion service like H&R Block)...but a personal introducitons dating and marriage agency, I odubt it. 
 
A personal intorductions agency depends on the hands on commitment of the owner and their attention to details, as welll as the work ethic and honesty of whoever makes the calls  and sets up the dates. If the owner doesnt care, the workers slack off. 
 
I wrote extensively aobut the decdline of two agenices in Bogota, Latin Life Mates and Latin American Introducitons. LLM s  owner, an Amercan lives in Medellin and intermittently comes to Bogota, LAI s owner has his office in the same building as the agency and hotel, but concentrated on expanding nad refurbishing the hotel.
 
I can only recommeend a personal intros agencdy IF the owner is involved on a daily basis....and they have the best  interests of the male clients they acccept as a high priority.
 
And the only two of the larger agenices who do that in Colomibia are Jamie Morrow in Baranquilla  and Consuelo Romero in Bogota 

[benjio]

Dennis, you really should start an agency once you've found the right woman and settled down somewhere. Your experience in Colombia would be invaluable to men considering this option. Not like you need the money so you could be really cheap too. Why don't you give Medellin a go. You could be the jefe, Micky the enforcer and Dora could do all the recruiting. 

[Gato4Astrid]

No, Jmaie cant do it. 

Jamie can do it only if he wants to when he moves to live the other city.

[dennislevy]

Benjio
In all seriousness, I ve thought aobut it,my first year in Bogota.I approached some of the people who own agenices in Colombia..asked for a price to buy the agency.

From the get go, I ll say I did NOT have that conversation with Jamie.

The other people didnt want ot sell an started off with ridiculously high prices...There is no inherent  value in an an agency, at best its a series of computer databases,and some used furniture and telephiones.

Value is added....if the agency is located in areal property owned by the potential seller, and I bought the real property andthe current agenccy worker is willing  to stay on......and there is no guarantee to that.

My attitudes havent changed much during the last three years, I speak much better Spanish tne when Iworked briefly at LAI in Bogota......but I discovered that some of the men didnt really want help or advice.. they werent realsitic with themselves or their choices......or they dated during the day and went with prepagos at night, etc. etc.  I spent a lot of time screening men on the telephone and I am proid to say that of the 8 memeberships I sold, two men married women from the agenicy and one is living with an former ageny client in the US....she has a work visa.

But  the owner didnt like how I sold......he said.....lLook the men will lie to you, so just do the sales pitch, take thietr heir crtedit cards....the men and women  will have datesand after that....most of it is thei rproblem.

And I looked at thim and said...looki f you dont want to screen, then you ll have garbage walking in here...and  I KNOW when an American man is lying to me..

We were were worlds apart......but it was his agency....

Im not sure that to starta newagency is viable.....but if I didstartorbuy one, I would do some thingsvery similar to Jamie.

[Traveler]

Another reason could be that if he were to set up another branch, whether owned by him and managed by a hired person, or franchises it will 1) drive potential customers away from his main business and 2) create a potential competitor.  This franchisee or a manager once established could easily spin off on their own.
 
An existing agency does have inherent value.  a) name recognition and reputation and b) generic searhes on google because it was around for a long time and the bots have picked it up.  There is no need to spend as much on advertising if your site pops up at the top for free.