"History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it."
1. START A BUSINESS
Whether it’s a dive bar or the next big start-up, you can start a business in Taiwan with relative ease. Many college students and artists run businesses through Taiwan’s creative markets. Folks with APRCs and local connections often open up bars or restaurants. If you have a bit of capital and a great idea you can apply for Taiwan’s Entrepreneur Visa and set up shop on the island.
💡 Secret Tip: In Taiwan you can print postcards for at little as $2-$5NT each and sell them for $30-$50NT each at creative markets. That’s an insane profit margin!
2. EARN MONEY ON SKRT
On SKRT you can list your vehicle for free and customize when, where, and how users rent your vehicle. This is a great way to make passive income without having to invest your life savings. With SKRT you’re in charge and get paid twice per month!
The onboarding process is easy. Simply register using Facebook, Google, or email and start earning today!
💡 Secret Tip: Take your scooter to a wrap shop and then list it on SKRT to stand out from the crowd. Do something like Anime or Bitcoin that has a cult following.
3. YOUTUBE
People like 阿兜仔不教美語 and Ku’s dream酷的夢- have proved again and again that Taiwanese people are insanely curious to know how foreigners view their country.
If you’re interested in putting your Chinese skills to test and sharing your experiences with the world, you just might have what it takes to start a successful Youtube channel in Taiwan.
💡 Secret Tip: Taiwanese YouTubers are often late to catch on to progressive western trends and culture. Use your advantage as a foreigner and partner with a Taiwanese person to bring these topics to Chinese speakers Taiwan quicker and with deeper knowledge.
4. TWITCH
Not many people know or realize how much money folks are raking in on Twitch. One popular livestreamer in Taipei makes upwards of $10,000 USD per month!
Setting up a Twitch channel is quick and easy. You can go live in seconds via Streamlabs or Stream Elements (on your phone or desktop) and start earning right away.
💡 Secret Tip: Hot tub streams do insanely well on Twitch. If you centered a stream around only hot tubs or hot springs with a charismatic bilingual host in Taiwan, I promise you it would succeed.
5. STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY
If you’re good behind the camera then you can make some income selling stock photos and videos. Personally I’ve made around $500 USD selling my photos on Wirestock.io.
The website makes it super easy to sell your work across multiple platforms. They’ve made it so easy that basically all you need to do is set up an account and start uploading.
💡 Secret Tip: You are most likely going to earn 90% of your money selling stock from one photo. But you never know which photo it’s going to be or why. So the key with Stock photography is to just upload as much as you can of whatever you can until something hits.
6. BLOGGING
Running your own blog can be both therapeutic and profitable. Food blogs seem to do particularly well in Taiwan with successful examples being Tricky Taipei and Taipei Foodie. Options for content and monetization are endless!
Some people simply run ads. Others sell their own products and merch through sites like Shopify and Blurb. However more and more people are switching to premium memberships through sites like Medium, Ghost.io, and Patreon.
💡 Secret Tip: You can earn money on your blog through a new cryptocurrency called Basic Attention Token. It’s a project backed and run by Brendan Eich who invented Javascript! All you have to do is sign up for Uphold.com and Brave Publishers to start earning income on your blog content.
7. PODCASTING
Trends from the west usually take about 4–5 years to arrive in Taiwan. So now in 2021 podcasting is finally becoming popular in Taiwan.
So if you missed the podcasting boat in America, why not hopping onto the rising wave in Taiwan? Sites like Anchor.fm make it insanely easy to record and distribute your podcast.
💡 Secret Tip: Cyber cafes in Taiwan are insanely popular and successful. Why not apply this business model to podcasting? You could rent a small space and rent it out to multiple podcasters. Sell the shovels instead of chasing gold.
9. MODELING
The great thing about modeling in Taiwan is that you don’t even have to be that good looking! Foreign talent of all types is in high-demand on the island. No matter your age, shape, or size it’s fairly easy to find lucrative modeling work in Taiwan.
Agencies like V&L specialize in finding work and obtaining the proper visas for foreign models.
💡 Secret Tip: Many people think being young, rich, and fashionable is the only way to success as a model, but the real key is to do something completely novel like the Taiwanese laundry-modelling grandparents.
10. BECOME A DJ
Foreign bars in Taiwan offen hire foreign DJs. This is a great way to earn some side money or start your career. With a bit of luck, skill, and smart politicking you could work your way up to the big Taiwanese nightclubs and events like Ultra Taiwan. These guys pay huge bucks and the people you meet will open up endless opportunities.
💡 Secret Tip: Many DJs now livestream their gigs to earn extra income and expand their audiences. It’s a great way to earn more money without spending any extra time or resources.
11. STOCKS/CRYPTO/NFTs
Did you know you can buy Bitcoin at Family Mart in Taiwan? As long as you have an account on BitoEx you can buy crypto from any Family Mart on the island. Personally I trade stocks sometimes in Taiwan, being here gives you unique insight into market trends and certain companies. I've also began selling my photography as NFTs.
💡 Secret Tip: You can also invest in the local Taiwan stock exchange as a foreigner. Just head to your local bank for more details.
12. LOCAL INVESTMENT
As a foreinger in Taiwan you can still invest in businesses. You will get a contract and proof of stake from a lawyer. There are many small bars and restaruants willing to offer flexible and possibly lucrative deals in exchange for capital, you can get started for as low as $4,000 USD.
💡 Secret Tip: Taipei is a boys club. If you can get in with some 'in the know' locals and make an investment, you will surely make great returns.