Commentary by Ilya Adler © 2006
His e-mail: ilyaadler09@aol.com

To many outside Mexico, the country often seems "exotic." Described as "surreal," endless description about the inner soul of Mexico (the "Mexico Profundo," or the "Deep Mexico"), complex, traditional, contradictory, passive-aggressive are just but a few words often heard when referring to Mexico. No doubt, the pre-Columbian heritage has added to this aura of mystery, and even Mexico's "official" pitch about the mystique of the country has helped to build this picture. In short, it is what I call "Mexotic Products."

In the world of business, selling tradition is basically selling nostalgia. Nostalgia for the past, or at least, for what we believe was the past. Indeed, this is seen in many parts of the world. In the U.S., for example, bored upper-middle class pay lots of money to experience the "rugged" past as for example spending vacations living with the presumed anti-modern Amish people or adventure tourism in so-called wild environments, to name a couple of examples.

Mexico is a perfect destination for such past-oriented romantic notions. Become different, eat food dispensed in the streets of Mexico, experience the mysteries of the Day of the Dead, enjoy many "Mexican Fiestas" and - most of all - become free of the tyranny of discipline, which is the hallmark of the more developed countries in the world.

The fine line (or no line at all) between myth and reality is certainly an attractive business proposition as well, attractive not only because it does sell, but because to some people who would like to set up shop in Mexico, it feels like running Ricky's Americain Café in Casablanca. Imagine, come to Mexico, and in no time become the modern Humphrey Bogart, rebellious on the one hand, but prosperous and respected by friends and foes.

But beware. If indeed Mexico is hard to figure out for anybody, doing business is equally complex, unspoken, and full of surprises. Coming to Mexico with the idea that you can apply normal business principles and still have the mysteries of the culture is simply living in a cloud. You need to prepare yourself to run a business that in many senses will become as mythical as the culture you believe Mexico is. You can't have the "exotic" cake and eat it too!

Which means that some of the traditional business principles you have long lived by need to be reconsidered.

For starters, do not spend too much time looking up official information (or for that matter on the Internet, except my column) about Mexico. Of course, you will find information. . .

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