How to network in the offshore services space?

[GPT]

In your opening post you mentioned STEP and ITPA. I don’t know anything about ITPA but can recommend STEP. I’ve been a member myself for years. The networking itself is already very valuable.

Added benefit is that you can promote yourself on their members directory. This self promotion helps a lot when approaching other members. Don’t worry too much about the TEP designation although it might open doors if you are still younger than 30-35.

If you want to specialize in asset protection, specialize in asset protection. It could be worth while to sign up for seminars on the topic which are excellent networking grounds. Seminars are mostly about networking anyways.

And most importantly; practice what you preach. What are you going to answer when asked about your personal AP strategy?

 

[forbidd3nknowl3dg3]

In your opening post you mentioned STEP and ITPA. I don’t know anything about ITPA but can recommend STEP. I’ve been a member myself for years. The networking itself is already very valuable.

Added benefit is that you can promote yourself on their members directory. This self promotion helps a lot when approaching other members. Don’t worry too much about the TEP designation although it might open doors if you are still younger than 30-35.

If you want to specialize in asset protection, specialize in asset protection. It could be worth while to sign up for seminars on the topic which are excellent networking grounds. Seminars are mostly about networking anyways.

And most importantly; practice what you preach. What are you going to answer when asked about your personal AP strategy?

Thanks for the reply GPT! STEP does seem to be the go-to place for estate planning and asset protection. I am going to take their Taxation of Trusts and Estates early next year with the goal of ultimately attaining the TEP designation. Cool thing is that STEPCanada will grant me credit for two classes I have taken in law school (Trusts and Wills) which means I only haft to take one more course to satisfy the course requirements for the designation.

Do you think being listed on the members directory can help bring in clients?

From the way you speak, I can see that you have quite an arrogant attitude, instead of a humble and "here to learn" attitude. Seeing you reply with things like "reveals your own insecurities" is really funny. I also don't know what you mean by "both privately and in the public forum", I only sent that one reply which is here for everyone to see?

Anyways, I don't know what your intention is here. You seem to be dismissing most of the members here who have been involved in the offshore industry for a long time instead of taking a humble approach and only being satisfied when someone tells you stuff like "Contact local CSPs" which I don't get at all? You are so satisfied when someone tells you some of the most simple common sense things yet you build a reputation of being arrogant and dismissive of the people here? People who by the way are millionaires and have vast networks of their own which you have dismissed here as being amateurs or something. Bravo!

Not really sure how to reply to this. I do not think I come off as arrogant. The whole purpose of this thread is centered around humility. I do not fully know how the offshore service industry works and how to go about establishing working relationships with other service providers. That is an admission of ignorance and humility (as I see it). Like I said I am here to learn. If you think I come off as arrogant because I admit to being a lawyer, well there is not much I can say to that. I am a lawyer, and that's that. I responded to JohnnyDoe the way I did because he first told me that the offshore services industry was dying out and not worth the time and investment to enter as an entrepreneur, which caused me to create the thread on the future of the offshore services industry. A day or two later, he then private messaged me asking if I wanted to join him in an offshore business endeavor but told me I had to sign an NDA and an NCA, in which I politely said no. I thought it was sketchy he would tell me that the whole industry is going downhill and not worth it for an aspiring entrepreneur, but then the next day ask me to join him in a offshore business plan (and demand I sign an NCA/NDA). After I said no, he told me that I would fail in any plans I undertook in the offshore services industry because I " was not willing to form partnerships" (which is not true. my refusal was related to the fact that he demanded I sign an NDA and NCA; I am not willing to sign such an agreement with someone I do not know). After that, he publicly posted in the threads that I would fail.

That's the backstory. Now can we please move on to productive conversations relevant to the purpose of the thread?

 

[forbidd3nknowl3dg3]

You got a lot of help already. In addition, my personal opinion from reading your thread is that you are a student looking solely for information. You can find all that information you are asking for here on Offshorecorptalk. You are too lazy to find people around or contact them.

More action is required.

Fair enough. I have started scanning the forum using the search function. I have found some useful material, but nothing directly related to the purpose of this thread (i.e., how to go about forming relationship with other service providers with a view to setting up an offshore practice). If you are aware of such material, can you please point it out to me?

 

[Golden Fleece]

I responded to JohnnyDoe the way I did because he first told me that the offshore services industry was dying out and not worth the time and investment to enter as an entrepreneur, which caused me to create the thread on the future of the offshore services industry. A day or two later, he then private messaged me asking if I wanted to join him in an offshore business endeavor but told me I had to sign an NDA and an NCA, in which I politely said no. I thought it was sketchy he would tell me that the whole industry is going downhill and not worth it for an aspiring entrepreneur, but then the next day ask me to join him in a offshore business plan (and demand I sign an NCA/NDA). After I said no, he told me that I would fail in any plans I undertook in the offshore services industry because I " was not willing to form partnerships" (which is not true. my refusal was related to the fact that he demanded I sign an NDA and NCA; I am not willing to sign such an agreement with someone I do not know). After that, he publicly posted in the threads that I would fail.

Why am I not surprised. He is the same person who, in another thread, joked about a suicide threat from a forum member who recently lost a great deal of money in the cryptocurrency decline.

In regards to your offshore education, you may wish to kill two birds with one stone. If you truly believe in the desirability of creating an offshore lifestyle and a portable consulting business, then consider establishing your five flags with those Offshore Service Providers (OSPs) who are most willing to share some knowledge with you. They gain your business; you gain some knowledge.

In other words, begin your plans for your own offshore diversification with bank accounts, business creation, second residency, and second citizenship -- and work with those OSPs who are most willing to share some knowledge with you. You may even stumble across someone who wants to retire within the next decade and wants a partner who can eventually take over the business.

 

[forbidd3nknowl3dg3]

Why am I not surprised. He is the same person who, in another thread, joked about a suicide threat from a forum member who recently lost a great deal of money in the cryptocurrency decline.

In regards to your offshore education, you may wish to kill two birds with one stone. If you truly believe in the desirability of creating an offshore lifestyle and a portable consulting business, then consider establishing your five flags with those Offshore Service Providers (OSPs) who are most willing to share some knowledge with you. They gain your business; you gain some knowledge.

In other words, begin your plans for your own offshore diversification with bank accounts, business creation, second residency, and second citizenship -- and work with those OSPs who are most willing to share some knowledge with you. You may even stumble across someone who wants to retire within the next decade and wants a partner who can eventually take over the business.

Double thanks for this GoldenFleece! I greatly appreciate the advice!

 

[KDX]

Thanks for the reply GPT! STEP does seem to be the go-to place for estate planning and asset protection. I am going to take their Taxation of Trusts and Estates early next year with the goal of ultimately attaining the TEP designation. Cool thing is that STEPCanada will grant me credit for two classes I have taken in law school (Trusts and Wills) which means I only haft to take one more course to satisfy the course requirements for the designation.

Do you think being listed on the members directory can help bring in clients?



Not really sure how to reply to this. I do not think I come off as arrogant. The whole purpose of this thread is centered around humility. I do not fully know how the offshore service industry works and how to go about establishing working relationships with other service providers. That is an admission of ignorance and humility (as I see it). Like I said I am here to learn. If you think I come off as arrogant because I admit to being a lawyer, well there is not much I can say to that. I am a lawyer, and that's that. I responded to JohnnyDoe the way I did because he first told me that the offshore services industry was dying out and not worth the time and investment to enter as an entrepreneur, which caused me to create the thread on the future of the offshore services industry. A day or two later, he then private messaged me asking if I wanted to join him in an offshore business endeavor but told me I had to sign an NDA and an NCA, in which I politely said no. I thought it was sketchy he would tell me that the whole industry is going downhill and not worth it for an aspiring entrepreneur, but then the next day ask me to join him in a offshore business plan (and demand I sign an NCA/NDA). After I said no, he told me that I would fail in any plans I undertook in the offshore services industry because I " was not willing to form partnerships" (which is not true. my refusal was related to the fact that he demanded I sign an NDA and NCA; I am not willing to sign such an agreement with someone I do not know). After that, he publicly posted in the threads that I would fail.

That's the backstory. Now can we please move on to productive conversations relevant to the purpose of the thread?

I think maybe you should've first of all mentioned that backstory which I had no idea about. Yes, I would also NOT sign an NDA over OCT. I think your style of writing and responding to criticism is not good. It's not about one-upping the party who did wrong, but to be the more mature one and politely disagree. While I do also agree that the offshore industry is dying (at least the mainstream one for small fish) there is always going to be AN industry of some kind.

I do not have any problem with you being a lawyer, it's actually quite an achievement. But this industry does not only rely on broadly taught information but also on know-how that only those in the industry have. Laws and regulations change all the time and most information you see now could be obsolete within the next 6 to 12 months.

I'm not here to sell or to buy really, I'm here just because the topics discussed here are of interest to me. Within a few months I was able to learn quite a lot just by looking around, so I'd suggest you do that too. If you have a real interest, you will probably start learning very quickly and in a natural way.

 

[JohnnyDoe]

I think maybe you should've first of all mentioned that backstory which I had no idea about. Yes, I would also NOT sign an NDA over OCT.

I wanted to discuss an idea with him, and have some kind of protection that he doesn’t steal it. I was not trying to sell anything, just to find a partner to manage a business that I don’t have time to manage myself.
He declined, no problem, I’m not the one who is trying to start a career in the offshore industry.

 

[KDX]

I wanted to discuss an idea with him, and have some kind of protection that he doesn’t steal it. I was not trying to sell anything, just to find a partner to manage a business that I don’t have time to manage myself.
He declined, no problem, I’m not the one who is trying to start a career in the offshore industry.

I'm not sure how strong an NDA would be when signing it over the internet like here? Like I don't think an NDA would make me trust the other party more lol

 

[JohnnyDoe]

I'm not sure how strong an NDA would be when signing it over the internet like here? Like I don't think an NDA would make me trust the other party more lol

Docusign/Adobe Sign have legal value
At least if one day I see my idea copied I know who to sue.

 

[KDX]

Docusign/Adobe Sign have legal value
At least if one day I see my idea copied I know who to sue.

How does it work? Do you require national ID signature or what prevents someone from using a "fake" signature?

 

[Sols]

It's JohnnyDoe. Just use darks, he's totally fine with it.

 

[JohnnyDoe]

How does it work? Do you require national ID signature or what prevents someone from using a "fake" signature?

ID + esignature
Yes you could use a fake ID but if one day you setup a successful business based on my idea rest assured that I will find you.

It's JohnnyDoe. Just use darks, he's totally fine with it.

Someone who use darks doesn’t need my ideas

 

[forbidd3nknowl3dg3]

I think maybe you should've first of all mentioned that backstory which I had no idea about. Yes, I would also NOT sign an NDA over OCT. I think your style of writing and responding to criticism is not good. It's not about one-upping the party who did wrong, but to be the more mature one and politely disagree. While I do also agree that the offshore industry is dying (at least the mainstream one for small fish) there is always going to be AN industry of some kind.

I do not have any problem with you being a lawyer, it's actually quite an achievement. But this industry does not only rely on broadly taught information but also on know-how that only those in the industry have. Laws and regulations change all the time and most information you see now could be obsolete within the next 6 to 12 months.

I'm not here to sell or to buy really, I'm here just because the topics discussed here are of interest to me. Within a few months I was able to learn quite a lot just by looking around, so I'd suggest you do that too. If you have a real interest, you will probably start learning very quickly and in a natural way.

Thanks for this KDX. I very much understand your point and appreciate your advice

It's JohnnyDoe. Just use darks, he's totally fine with it.

May I ask: do you know of other service providers that sell asset protection services as a reseller?

 

[Sols]

May I ask: do you know of other service providers that sell asset protection services as a reseller?

At the end of the day, asset protection as such isn't a service. It's the result of a continuously monitored and developing set of solutions tailored to suit the underlying assets, the owner's expectations around access/control, and in relation to the perceived and expected threats.

Some of the service providers mentioned earlier can help your clients set up structure which protect their assets from threats.

Go speak with Sovereign Group, Vistra, Southpac Trust, Asiaciti, South Dakota Trust Company, Trident Trust, ILS, Appleby, Conyers, Carey Olsen, Icaza Law, Ocra, Ellul & Co. Work with them, work for them. Look at what conferences and seminaries they attend. Be there. Network.

 

[forbidd3nknowl3dg3]

Go speak with Sovereign Group, Vistra, Southpac Trust, Asiaciti, South Dakota Trust Company, Trident Trust, ILS, Appleby, Conyers, Carey Olsen, Icaza Law, Ocra, Ellul & Co. Work with them, work for them. Look at what conferences and seminaries they attend. Be there. Network.

Thanks for this Sols! God bless you

 

[Golden Fleece]

Thanks for this Sols! God bless you

Yes, that is a bounty of information that you would never find anywhere else on the web. It is like being given a map to the buried treasure trove on Treasure Island. Sols deserves more than ten gold stars!

 

[forbidd3nknowl3dg3]

Yes, that is a bounty of information that you would never find anywhere else on the web. It is like being given a map to the buried treasure trove on Treasure Island. Sols deserves more than ten gold stars!

I agree!

 

[JohnnyDoe]

Yes, that is a bounty of information that you would never find anywhere else on the web.

You could Google “corporate service provider”
I have had experience with 5 of the service providers mentioned. It was good with one, neutral with another, and awful with the other 3.

 

[Golden Fleece]

You could Google “corporate service provider”

Sols provided solid information that would have taken forbidd3nknowl3dg many hours (or even days) to compile, largely because so many scam artists exist in the offshore world. Why would he want to Google “corporate service provider” and waste time talking to countless criminals posing as OSPs? It is almost as if you root for people to fail.

Just whittling down a huge list of possibilities to a group of a dozen or so likely firms did forbidd3nknowl3dg (who is a complete novice) a great service. For example, I doubt that forbidd3nknowl3dg knows that many in the offshore world consider Ocra Worldwide the gold standard in the offshore industry (although you pay through the nose for its services). And now he has its name.

I have had experience with 5 of the service providers mentioned. It was good with one, neutral with another, and awful with the other 3.

I have had experience with ten of the forum members in this thread. It was good with five, neutral with four, and just plain godawful with the other one. Can you guess the identify of the godawful one?

 

[JohnnyDoe]

many in the offshore world consider Ocra Worldwide the gold standard in the offshore industry

I have had experience with ten of the forum members in this thread. It was good with five, neutral with four, and just plain godawful with the other one. Can you guess the identify of the godawful one?

No