Hi Acoustica,
Just picked out a point in your message about wanting to start up a recording studio... you may want to look in to a book called 'A New Life In New Zealand' by Paul Goddard. It is about a family who moved from the UK to run a business in New Zealand. Although they actually start out with a car cleaning franchise, they too opened a recording studio in New Zealand... I wont say any more as it will spoil the book! I know its a UK to NZ story, but the business things in NZ will apply to you!