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Investing in South East Asia to Avoid the Fallout of a Hard Brexit

Following the referendum on Brexit last June and the subsequent triggering of Article 50 the United Kingdom have decided to leave the European Union and seek individual trade negotiations with the rest of the world. This has had quite an impact on the British Economy and the British people. Once major effect has been the fall in the value of the pound. Economists predict the value of the pound will remain at under 90% of its value before the June 2016 referendum.

As a Britain living in Asia this presents itself with both threats and opportunities, not least for investment outside the UK. Living outside the UK and being paid in a local currency will mean transferring back into Pounds will give me increased value but why rush into anything right now? No one really knows what the impact of a full Brexit will be so just sit and wait to see what happens. In the meantime there are some nice investment opportunities that could be profitable. Here is a look at some of the countries in Asia that could prove well worth the effort.

Cambodia

Once a war ravaged developing country. Decades of stability and economic growth have seen investors flocking to this small South East Asian country. House prices are starting to increase steadily but the cost of living remains very low, even compared to its neighbors. Businesses and property are the biggest draws for profitable investments in Cambodia.

Thailand

The most developed in South East Asia but there are still opportunities to be had. Property developments are still springing up all over the place and some of the quieter towns are increasing in size. If you have a specific skill then working in Thailand is very beneficial, it is difficult to start a business as a foreigner unless you know a Thai local to help you though.

Myanmar

After years of military rule, this country is like a new born baby waiting to start walking for the first time. Already, malls, restaurants and banks are beginning to spring up, things that were never there before. There are an abundance of investment opportunities in Myanmar and there will be plenty for years to come.

Vietnam

Outside of the main cities of Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi Vietnam is investing heavily in attracting tourists to its lesser known beaches and small towns. Infrastructure is steadily improving and property prices are well below the regional average. More developed than Cambodia and certainly Myanmar but not to the extent of Thailand, this offers some unique opportunities for the small and medium term investor.

Malaysia

The great thing about Malaysia is its diversity. Its closeness to Singapore, Thailand and the fact it is in 2 parts with 2 provinces on Borneo. Furthermore, English is widely spoken and starting a business is a lot easier in Malaysia than in many of its neighboring countries. Outside of Kuala Lumpur there are an abundance of investment opportunities in the towns that are rapidly growing, in this safe and stable environment.

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Interview with Bondi Effects

Co-run by Jon and Anna Ashley, Bondi Effectshas quickly cemented a place for itself at the crux of the boutique pedal market. After jumping from DIY robotics to tinkering with custom pedals, Jon’s first commercial foray was the innovative Sick As Overdrive in 2013.

Drawing widespread praise for its sound, craftsmanship and ingenuity, the Sick As sparked a surprising amount of momentum for the burgeoning brand. After relocating to Australia from the US in 2016, the pair’s growing family of pedals have found their way into a number of notable Aussie rigs including those of Matt Corby and Gang of Youths.

Looking to learn a little more of all things pedal, we caught up with Jon to discuss how amateur robotics turned him onto pedals, tips for kicking off a boutique business and the virtue of maintaining a hands-on operation. We also were allowed a peek into their Sydney workshop to take some snaps.

Bondi Effects have built a worldwide cult following for their boutique pedals, including their flagship Sick As overdrive, as well as their take on a Tubescreamer, the Del Mar overdrive, and the flawlessly transparent 2026 compressor. We caught up with one half of Bondi Effects, Jon Ashley, to talk shop about their roots and the virtue of maintaining a hands-on operation.
ENMORE AUDIO: What initially drew you into music? How did it all get started?

JON: I guess I started playing guitar around 15 or so and shortly after became interested in pedals. I bought a couple of pedals, but I couldn’t really afford very much so I got into building my own. I had done robotics before as a hobby and pedals are actually a lot easier! When I opened them up they were already familiar to me, so I just started mucking around. After a while, I started making stuff for friends.

ENMORE AUDIO: Going back a little bit further, what got you into guitar?

JON: So this is interesting, I grew up in a family with fundamentalist missionary parents. I wasn’t allowed to listen to any music at all! But later my parents split up and I got away with a little more. I’d also gotten away with playing a little guitar in a church ensemble, that was pretty risqué for me at the time (laughs).

ENMORE AUDIO: How did you branch out into the business side of things?

JON: I started trying to come up with my own designs. I had made stuff DIY for ages, but then I had an idea for a pedal that would be cool and that would become the Sick As. It was kind of combining a couple of ideas I had from other pedals and using them in my own way. A good way to put it is that overdrive pedals, which are primarily the pedals I make, are modified Tubescreamerss. Everyone wants to modify their Tubescreamers but there was really only the Klon Centaur around at the time, which was and probably still is the ultimate overdrive pedal. They cost something like $2000 and no one was modding them because they wanted the original. I could only think of about one other company who were doing a modified Tubescreamer, so I saw an opportunity for us to do something cool. So that’s how the Sick As came about, in a way it’s my take on a Klon.

ENMORE AUDIO: Were you expecting such a strong reaction?

JON: No not all. I’m kinda shocked that I’m still doing it, we’ve been so lucky. Basically, I made the first prototype and I didn’t know if it was any good, I was 18 at the time. I’ve never been a really good guitar player, that’s why I’m on the tech side of things. But anyway Gearmandude, the YouTube demoer, worked at my local guitar store so I took it in for him to see and see what he thought of it. He took it home and made a YouTube demo for it and that’s kinda how it all got going. I was living in the States at this time and there it doesn’t take a lot to make the same amount of money you earn working an average day job, so I only had to sell around ten pedals a month to quit my job. And that’s what we did and it kinda just took off from there.

ENMORE AUDIO: You were initially in the US, but now you’re operating Down Under?

JON: I actually grew up in Sydney. So calling it Bondi Effects was kind of planning ahead a little bit.

ENMORE AUDIO: Recently I was having a chat to Ben Shaw from Pedal Empire (also a big fan of your work). His view was that in Australia, opposed to somewhere like the US, it’s tougher for people making boutique pedals. His complaint was that there is less willingness from major retailers to shine a spotlight on smaller brands. Is this something you have experienced?

JON: We’re a bit different because we’ve been primarily selling direct. We do sell through stores, but since we’ve moved [to Australia], we rely on selling direct to make enough to keep going. It is tougher in that regard. Even in the States though we would never have sold to Guitar Centre, (which is sort of like the Allans-Billy Hyde of the States). We wouldn’t like to sell with those stores, but we like working with stores like Pedal Empire and Deluxe Guitars in Melbourne.

ENMORE AUDIO: Looking at it from the perspective of someone who might want to start putting together their own pedals, is aiming for those bigger retailers worthwhile or is direct the best way to go?

JON: Honestly for a long time we were looking at getting into those bigger stores. But it just didn’t work. You make half the money when you do that way. Sure you can move a lot of volume, but for brands like us, it doesn’t really fit with our ethos. JHS Pedals and Walrus Audio are great brands which are doing that, they’re focused on the big distribution model. If you can produce enough units that’s good enough, but if you’re just two people in a living room it might not be the best fit. There are pros and cons to both.

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How To Get Sharper And Clearer Eye Vision?

At present, many people are suffering from low eye vision troubles. How to get sharper and clearer eye vision? Let’s find solution for this query here. Generally, cures for weak eye sight are suggested according to the actual cause of problem. Consistent sitting in front of computer, aging and health issues are some of the common causes reported for weak eye eight problems. There are many cures available for curing weak eye sight troubles. Which cure works best for treating low eye vision? This is a common question heard from the face of people. Let’s find here some of the best recommended ways to cure weak eyesight troubles naturally. Including food sources enriched with vitamin A, C and zinc in diet is a natural way to improve eyesight.

Today, you can find an amazing range of products online to cure low eye vision problems. Sun damage canact as a cause of several eye health problems. This condition can be prevented by including anti-oxidants in diet schedule. Presence of anti-oxidants including lutein and beta-carotene protects macula from sun damage. Hence never hesitate to include food sources with anti-oxidants in daily diet. For example, food sources like egg yolk and green leafy vegetables can protect your eyes from several health issues.

As per research, macular generation is a common problem reported among old age people. If you are in search of the best cure to prevent this health trouble, feel free to include yellow and green colored vegetables in diet. Pumpkin, sweet potato and carrot are some of the best recommended food sources to prevent eye troubles like cataract. Onion, a common food source used in food recipes is one of the best cures for many eye troubles. For the best health result, feel free to include a good amount of onion in food recipes you prepare. Practicing eye exercise is a natural way recommended to get rid of eye troubles. Today, you can make use of online facilities to know more about eye exercises.

What are the advantages of practicing eye exercises? This is a common question heard from the face of people. Simple eye exercises are found to be very beneficial to get rid of eye troubles. Practicing eye exercises regularly can provide resultwithin short time period. If you are in search of a safe way to improve eye health, feel free to practice eye exercises regularly.

I-Lite is one of the best recommended products to improve eye health naturally. This product is made out of potent ingredients which can promote the overall health of eye. People in search of a safe and natural cure to enhance eye vision can make use of this particular product regularly. Generally, I-Lite works by supplying nutrients to eyes. It improves color perception and promotes distance vision naturally. Lack of side effect is a main feature of new I-Lite. It acts directly and promotes eye vision without inducing any health troubles. Asparagus racemosus, terminalia chebula and honey are some of the common ingredients used for the production of I-Lite.

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