No matter what your political or social view of the United States of America, you must acknowledge that it is by far one of the most attractive countries in which to invest today. Although many investors struggle with the uncertainty of tomorrow, we have a much more stable environment than most. Great Britain leaving the European Union, China and its fluctuating stock market and Greece with its economy going through a total collapse could be just the beginning of the world’s economic woes.
Along with being the President of Affinity Enterprise Group, I also operate a large international nonprofit that has locations in more than a dozen countries. I am exposed nearly every month to wealthy foreign investors who are frantically trying to get their investment dollars out of their home country and into the U.S. economy.
This, as well as many other factors, has led me to start a company in Shanghai with a good friend, Dennis Guttig, who with his wife Shania (a Chinese-born citizen) has enabled us to expand beyond U.S. borders. Affinity Investments now has a physical office in China that exists to help Chinese investors find the right investment opportunity. Our outreach has connected us with a number of Chinese attending our international conference in San Francisco who have shown interest in moving their investment dollars outside of their own country.
Over the past few years, we have seen many foreigners investing for the purpose of finding visa opportunities, such as the EB-5. That motivation now seems to have died down somewhat, but the wealthy elite continue to invest, whether there is an immigration benefit or not. According to the American Enterprise Institute, Chinese investment dollars in the United States are nearly double the amount in any other market. And that total is increasing each year. According to the Bureau of Economics, foreign investment is up from $1.3 trillion in 2006 to a projected $4 trillion in 2016.
We could spend time considering the economic pitfalls of taking too much foreign money into our economy, but isn’t that what has made America what she is today? This country is a melting pot of cultures that have found our shores for the opportunity it possesses. Previous generations thought enough of this country to move, invest and build on the opportunity. Who could blame them?
And who can blame those following in their footsteps today? The United States is still one of the best countries in the world, with opportunities waiting for anyone smart enough and bold enough to seize them. The benefit is not only theirs, but that of our country and economy as well.
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