To The Year That Was

©2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"The spring, summer, is quite a hectic time for people in their lives, but then it comes to autumn, and to winter, and you can't but help think back to the year that was, and then hopefully looking forward to the year that is approaching." - Enya

How to Leverage Offshore Outsourcing

iStock/Thinkstock

With offshore outsourcing, small businesses can accomplish more, level the playing field and accomplish it all economically.  In the following article, the author provides four steps to maximize your outsourcing options and expand your business globally.

One quick tip from the article:

Your offshore outsourcing partner should be able to measure success and provide a solution that meets your needs instead of just a cookie cutter approach. 

Read:  4 Steps to Leverage Offshore Outsourcing for Global Expansion

Getting Started in Exporting. Are You Ready?

iStock/Thinkstock

View the latest webinar I presented for Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP): Getting Started in Exporting. Are You Ready? (requires a 5-second log-in).  Here's what you will learn:

• Why this is the best and easiest time ever to export!
• What you need to do to get your business export ready
• How to craft a back-of-the napkin export business plan
• How to create a social media and networking presence
• How to market your business worldwide
• How to use e-commerce sites as stepping-stones to export success 

Getting Started in Exporting.  Are You Ready?

The No. 1 Mistake to Avoid When Manufacturing Your Product Overseas

iStock/Thinknstock

Shark Tank's Lori Greiner, inventor of the smash-hit earring organizer, talks about the No. 1 mistake to avoid when manufacturing your product overseas.  She says:

Manufacturing overseas -- in say in Cambodia, China, Bangladesh, Honduras or India -- is often cheaper. But it’s not necessarily easier. Making the leap is the business equivalent of a trust fall.

She goes on to say that when you manufacture overseas, you trade lower cost for higher risk.

Read the entire article:

Shark Tank's Lori Greiner on the No. 1 Mistake to Avoid When Manufacturing Your Product Overseas

Related articles:

• 9 Importing Mistakes to Avoid When Sourcing a New Product
• The Biggest Mistake Importers Make
• 8 Tips for Newbie Importers

Entrepreneurship 3.0: Creating Unlimited Opportunities

iStock/Thinkstock

I am really looking forward to returning and participating in the World Entrepreneurship Forum 2014 held in Lyon, France (as shown) October 19th-22nd.  It's such an amazing experience to reconnect with entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs, political decision-makers and international experts from all over the world.  This year’s forum is about no limits.  According to the World Entrepreneurship Forum's website:

Entrepreneurship 3.0

Entrepreneurship is heading towards a new paradigm, a third industrial revolution based on renewable energy and hyper-connectivity.

Unlimited

Today, with skills and motivation, entrepreneurs of any age, experience, gender or background can reach beyond the old frontiers.

Opportunities

New rules and new leaders accelerate the transition toward the new world order. While traditional employment markets shrink, entrepreneurs seize new sources of opportunities to generate positive change.

To learn more about the World Entrepreneurship Forum and to become a member, visit here.   Check out the brochure.

Related posts to the World Entrepreneurship Forum.  Here's one of the first posts I wrote back in 2008.

Today in Global Small Business: Why Businesses Are Thinking Globally From the Start

iStock/Thinkstock

What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• How the U.S. government is trying to get more businesses to go international.
• With the launch of Apple Pay, is time running out for physical cash?
• IMF survey tells us what's in store for global growth.
• Why businesses are thinking globally from the start (hint: global mobile).
• How IBM is going global with its artificially intelligent computer system that processes vast amounts of big data to answer questions asked in natural language to the global corporations.
• How the economic recovery has given the richest countries in the world a boost.

Is Your State's Reputation As a Premier Global Business Destination Growing?

©2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Utah's reputation as a premier global business destination is growing." - Gary R. Herbert, Governor, State of Utah, October 7, 2014

Empowering Entrepreneurs and Their Communities Around the World

iStock/Thinkstock

Ever heard of UP Global?

We are on a mission to make the world a more innovative and prosperous place, one community at a time. We believe that entrepreneurs are critical to driving a strong global economy and a better world. We do our part by supporting the grassroots leaders who are at the core of every strong entrepreneurial community. 

Get involved:  UP Global

Separately but related, take the next step in your entrepreneurial journey and learn more about the Global Accelerator Network.

Top Export Destination for British Firms?

iStock/Thinkstock

More than fifty-percent of small and medium-sized companies in the UK sell their products to the U.S., making it the top export destination for British firms.  Why?  To keep their businesses growing, they must look to foreign markets and the U.S. just happens to be a ripe one.

Research, by Barclays Business, shows that 37 per cent of small firms reach a growth ceiling in the UK within the first three years of trading, which is leading business leaders to turn to foreign shores.

Read the entire article:  U.S. Is the Top Destination For Small British Firms

For Global SMEs, Transformation is a Strategic Necessity

iStock/Thinkstock

As the recent study by Oxford Economics, sponsored by SAP, says, "SMEs [small and medium- sized businesses] are thinking and acting globally, competing with rivals of all sizes, and investing aggressively in technology to improve operations and make themselves more nimble."

For most [global] SMEs, transformation is understood as a strategic necessity, and perhaps as a key to survival.  Nearly two-thirds say they must transform to stay ahead of the competition, and over half say that technology developments are making traditional ways of doing business obsolete. 

Read the study:  How successful SMEs are reinventing global business.

How to Simultaneously Attract a Cash Investment in Your Business and Expand Internationally

Wavebreak Media/Thinkstock

How do you infuse cash in your business and take it international at the same time?  Take, for example, DocuSign, the e-signature software company with operations in Seattle and San Francisco.

Three Japanese firms – NTT Finance, Mitsui & Co. and Recruit Holdings – all made strategic investments in DocuSign as a part of a $115 million series E financing round.

The three companies will each begin using DocuSign’s software to power their businesses, and Mitsui will also market DocuSign’s technology to its affiliate businesses and customers. In addition to the infusion of cash, the deal also will help DocuSign expand internationally.

There you have it.

Read the entire article:  DocuSign raises $115 million, attracts cash from Japanese backers

Today in Global Small Business: International Trade Will Increase by 20 Percent in 2016

iStock/Thinkstock

What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• Smart ideas for doing business internationally (and we are happy to be quoted).
• Mexico is the third largest trading partner with the United States - what that means.
• Nine tips for doing business globally.
• Issues that arise when you are conducting business across borders.
• Why international trade will increase by 20 percent by 2016.
• Overview on export statistics released October 3, 2014

World's Biggest Pumpkin (Almost)

©2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion." - Henry David Thoreau

Got Pork?

Photodisc/Thinkstock

Remember the "Got Milk?" ad campaigns?  Now you can look forward to The National Pork Board revving up to market U.S. pork on a worldwide basis.

The USA is trying to come up with a tailor-made international marketing strategy to tap a bigger share of pork sales, now growing at an estimated 13% globally from 2013 to 2018, said Kevin Waetke, vice-president for strategic communication at the country's National Pork Board (NPB).

Read the entire article:  US to formulate separate international marketing strategy for pork

What Is Global Distance Selling?

iStock/Thinkstock

DHL recently launched a survey with 11,000 consumers in 20 countries to better understand consumer attitudes toward global distance selling (better known as shopping the world or cross-border commerce) – and the study shows significant differences between countries.

... the study suggests that businesses must understand their customers’ decision-making processes and align their business accordingly. Being aware of cultural and structural differences is a key success factor, particularly for cross-border commerce.

In the study, you will find out:

• Who is participating in cross-border shipping and in/with what countries are they most likely to engage?
• How are consumers finding retailers?
• How are consumers buying online? 
• How are consumers' returns handled?

Download the study (requires quick registration):  "Shop the World: DHL Charts the Journey of the Online Consumer."

China National Day Golden Week

iStock/Thinkstock

Hong Kong protests swell at the beginning of the China National Day celebration, also known as the Golden Week when government offices and many businesses are closed.

[China National Day] is celebrated on October 1st every year to commemorate the founding of People’s Republic of China. On that day, lots of large-scaled activities are held nationwide. Besides, the seven-day holiday from Oct. 1st to 7th is the so-called "Golden Week”, during which more and more Chinese people go traveling around the country.  - Source:  Travel China Guide

Learn more about what it's about and what to expect here.

A Six-Step Entrepreneurial Process to Lean Exporting

iStock/Thinkstock

I had the great opportunity to meet Cristina Hernandez, a part-time Professor at Tecnologico de Monterrey, Guadalajara campus in the department of International Business and the Department of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, at the recent Utah Global Forum (9/24/14).  She is also the founder of Managed Strategies, an international sales and market entry consultancy.

When I conducted a little research, I discovered that Cristina authored an interesting paper entitled, "An Entrepreneur's Guide To Lean Exporting."  In it, she talks about how to validate opportunities in a foreign market quickly and gain new sales sourced from abroad.

Read the entire paper here.

Today in Global Small Business: Time to Go

iStock/Thinkstock

What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• How GoDaddy is radically shifting the global economy toward global small businesses (It's time to go!).
• How Ex-Im Bank fills the gap in the trade finance market for U.S. Businesses.
• Why the future of global search is personalized and local.
• How Rework America will help job seekers and small businesses.
• Why more Americans will be optimistic about their chances for learning, training and employment.
• Five tips for a successful international launch campaign.

Utah Global Forum 2014 Huge Success

©2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

©2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

©2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

©2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

I had the wonderful opportunity to serve as a lead speaker at the Utah Global Forum on September 24th talking about "Export Readiness." It was a fantastic experience.  I met so many incredible people - all interested in boosting international trade.

The photos above cover what the room looked like the night before (setting up) and during the program when my Exporting book was made available to all attendees and Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert spoke.

Here's the latest news on the program:

Utah Global Forum sees 7 billion potential customers

Embrace the World Through Localization

iStock/Thinkstock

Connecting with customers all over the world is easier said than done. According to Heidi Lorenzen, "One thing is simple: speaking a customer’s language is the most fundamental and effective element of personalized communication."  She goes on to ask a key question:  "How can marketers overcome language barriers to excel at delivering all the right content, to all their audiences, in all the languages they speak?"

Bottom line:  It pays to localize.

Find out why:  It Pays to Globalize:  Why Marketers Must Embrace Localization

Is Globalization In Retreat?

iStock/Thinkstock

A growing number of business analysts have been arguing that we are entering a new era of global manufacturing, with the US at center stage.

... the Boston Consulting Group, following up on an earlier survey that suggested “reshoring” of factories back to the US was the new name of the game, issued a report that argued that the US had the lowest manufacturing costs among major exporters in the developed world and was nearly competitive with China.

What do you think?  Is globalization in retreat?

Meanwhile, read:  With manufacturing returning to US, is globalization in retreat?

Global Flows Are Robust

iStock/Thinkstock

Global flows are creating new degrees of connectedness and to be unconnected is to fall behind.  As the McKinsey Global Institute noted in Global flows in a digital age, with the exception of cross-border finance, global flows are just as robust now as they were before the crisis.

One key to this rebound was that, in contrast to the 1930s, the global economy maintained existing conditions: trade barriers remained low, as did restrictions on foreign direct investment, and cross-border exchange continued to spread with the internet.

Read the entire article:  Why the global economy is stronger than you think

Neiman Marcus Steps Up Its Efforts to Go Global

iStock/Thinkstock

How do you cater to the wealthy around the world without opening physical stores?  You buy an existing successful online business.

The luxury retailer [Neiman Marcus], which only operates department stores and outlet stores in the United States, has announced a rare acquisition: a deal to buy the Munich-based Mytheresa.com online luxury business from founders Christoph and Susanne Botschen and Acton Capital Partners.

As part of the deal, Neiman Marcus is also buying Theresa’s flagship store in central Munich.

Look out Net-a-Porter and The Corner.  The competitive heat is on.

Read:  Neiman Marcus goes global thanks to an e-commerce deal

Today in Global Small Business: The State of the World According to Bill Clinton

iStock/Thinkstock

What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• Is Alibaba's stock (NYSE:BABA) a long-term buy?
• Why entrepreneurs worldwide have reasons to be optimistic.
• What is Alibaba?
• Why folks in Utah are interested in increasing exports.
• Are Americans incoherent on foreign policy?
• The state of the world according to Bill Clinton. 

More on "It's the economy stupid! ..."

Being Ridiculous in a World Definitely Beats Boring

©2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring." - Marilyn Monroe

A California Firm Attests to the Impact of Ex-Im Bank's Export Financing Programs

iStock/Thinkstock

Steve Wilburn, CEO of FirmGreen in California, can attest to the impact the Ex-Im Bank’s export financing programs has had on his company, allowing him to continue developing innovative energy solutions and expand internationally.

Learn more:  Uncertainty in Washington roiling small businesses

Is Alibaba a Global Company?

iStock/Thinkstock

In "A Short Course on Alibaba," I discuss some of the more prominent businesses within China-based Alibaba, but the questions posed today shortly before their IPO are these:  Is Alibaba truly a global company? Can it expand efficiently beyond China?

CNBC's Cadie Thompson writes a provocative take on those very same questions:  "For Alibaba, going global means new frontiers."

Related article:  Is Alibaba coming to America?

Getting Started in Exporting, a Webinar with Laurel Delaney (9/18/14)

iStock/Thinkstock

Please join me for a complimentary webinar I am giving this Thursday, September 18th at Noon ET/9 a.m. PT on Getting Started in Exporting.  Are You Ready?  Here are the six things I will cover:

1.  Why this is the best and easiest time ever to export!
2.  What you need to do to get your business export ready
3.  How to craft a back-of-the napkin export business plan
4.  How to create a social media and networking presence
5.  How to market your business worldwide
6.  How to use e-commerce sites as stepping-stones to export success

To learn more and to register, visit:  Export NOW 110:  Getting Started in Exporting.  Are You Ready? – Women Impacting Public Policy
(http://www.wipp.org/events/event_details.asp?id=454554)

I look forward to connecting with you on Thursday and answering questions you might have.  Let's make it fun and engaging!  Have your team listen in too.  Share this post with anyone you think might benefit from the webinar - thanks!  And a special thanks to WIPP for hosting the webinar.

Let's Talk Global, Small Island Global

iStock/Thinkstock

The United Nations (UN) came to Samoa for the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States, a four-day talkfest about sustainable development running from Sept. 1 to 4.   World leaders and delegations from 52 island countries were joined by international donors, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and civil society.

Behind the scenes of paradise, many small island states are developing countries striving for economic independence, employment growth, social development, resilience against climate change and disasters and a balance between conservation and exploitation of natural resources.  

Sadly, next year, only two of 14 Pacific Island Forum countries, Cook Islands and Niue, are expected to achieve all the Millennium Development Goals.

Learn more about some of the topics discussed that are impacting real people's lives:  Small islands talk global issues

Today in Global Small Business: Thinking Outside the Bottle, Globally

iStock/Thinkstock

What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper study - an insider's guide to what consumers are looking for and what drives shoppers to choose one retailer over another.
• Where to start with an import-export business.
• How to get started in exporting.  Are you Ready?  (Join Laurel on her webinar 9/18).
• Why the benefit of engaging in global markets is likely to increase further.
• What do top watchmakers worldwide think of Apple's new watch?
• Listerine Zero?  Green Tea Listerine?  Listerine Naturals? Thinking outside the bottle, globally. 

An Inside Peak at Google Chicago

©2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

I had the amazing opportunity to participate in an event for the Women Presidents' Organization Chicago on September 11th that was hosted by Google Chicago headquarters.  Full disclosure:  I serve as the Chicago Chapter Chair for WPO.

At the event (meeting room as shown), Google experts talked about:

•  The importance of staying connected to the consumer - anywhere, anytime and on any device.
•  How Google's many tools can help grow your business globally.
•  Why mobile is an imperative to your organization's global growth.
•  Why Google Analytics and Google Adwords should be tracked, measured and leveraged constantly to better manage your global small business.

Google most certainly abides by their unofficial slogan, "Don't be evil."

For related posts on Google, visit here.

Technology and Globalization Have Changed the Way SMEs Do Business

iStock/Thinkstock

Technology and globalization have changed the way small-to-medium size businesses operate across the world, creating opportunities as well as challenges along the way.  One such challenge is how to stay interconnected on a budget while traveling across borders.  These concerns, if not treated effectively, can have a direct impact on a businesses bottom line.

Read the entire article:  Business Productivity in the Spotlight

UPS: Keeping a Pulse on The Future of E-Commerce

David Abney, UPS CEO on 9/9/14 at The Executives' Club of Chicago
(Photo courtesy Joe Gallo Photography.  All rights reserved.)

David Abney, UPS CEO (L) on 9/9/14 at The Executives' Club of Chicago
with Cody Phipps, United Stationers Inc. President and CEO (R)
(Photo courtesy:  Joe Gallo Photography.  All rights reserved.) 

I had the great honor to attend The Executives' Club of Chicago's The Changing Face of Retailing with UPS CEO David Abney giving his first speaking engagement as the new CEO of UPS.  Cody Phipps, United Stationers Inc. President and CEO, moderated the Q&A after David's talk.

A brief history on David ... he began his UPS career in 1974 as a part-time package loader so he knows a little something about the inner workings of the company.  He is the 11th CEO in the 107-year history of UPS. Prior to David's current position, he served as President of UPS International, leading UPS's strategic imperative to build global logistics capabilities.

A couple of key points from the event and David's talk:

• The next five years will bring more change to retail than we've seen in the last 100.
• UPS has moved from competing in the $60 billion market of package delivery to helping lead today's $3.2 trillion global supply chain marketplace.
• Retail innovations are transforming traditional retail models - shifting control to consumers.
• Growth in emerging markets with newly discovered buying power will challenge status quo.

UPS furnished a nifty infographic handout at the event where insights were provided by comScore via a study of more than 5,800 U.S. online shoppers:

Today's flex shopper has grown more demanding in pursuit of the best merchandise for the best price with the best customer experience.  The brave new world of multi-channels and multi-devices empowers them to seek more convenience from pre-purchase to purchase to post-purchase. - For more information on the study's findings, visit the UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper:  https://thenewlogistics.ups.com/retail/comscorestudy/

When I chatted with David at the end of the program, one other key point he emphasized is the power of small businesses operating in the global marketplace.  That we already know through this blog.

Photos are provided with permission to use by The Executives' Club of Chicago (Gina Chinino) with credit to Joe Gallo Photography.

How to Get, Keep and Foster Top Talent In Our Interconnected World

iStock/Thinkstock

Looking for ways to get, keep and foster new recruits at your business?

New recruits are no longer interested in being “acquired,” and top performers, regardless of age and experience, are looking to collaborate, contribute, and more than anything, feel inspired.

Have you got what it takes to make the grade with top talent?

Read:  5 Ways to Prevent Your Top Recruits From Jumping Ship

SME Confidence Has Grown on a Global Scale

Fuse/Thinkstock

According to the sixth annual Hiscox "DNA of an Entrepreneur Report 2014," small firms across the world reported a rise in profitability and hiring activity based on a survey that’s designed to offer an “insight” into the mood and financial stability of the SME sector.

As the report says, entrepreneurs are "turning the corner, but still a way to go."

This study was conducted for specialist insurer Hiscox by The Survey Shop. The sample was drawn from online panels contacted between 28th May and 6th June 2014. There is statistical accuracy of +/- 1% to +/- 2% for the whole sample of 3,500 [with less than 50 employees] and +/- 2% to +/- 4% for each country’s sample except the UK which is +/- 1% to +/- 3%.

One of the key points in the report is:

Despite the growth in confidence and overall business optimism, more than a third (34 per cent) of SME owners feared being unable to attract new customers, while 31 per cent were skeptical regarding the government’s ability to support small businesses.

Read the report:  The Hiscox DNA of an Entrepreneur Report 2014 

(http://hiscoxdnareport.com/2014/)

Today in Global Small Business: What We Would Lose Without Collective Mourning

iStock/Thinkstock

What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• If you love wine and you love business, perhaps setting up a wine import business is for you.
• Why we should not reduce human tragedy to a retweet and how collective mourning on a global basis is more important than you think.
• Do you know what the chief technology officer of a country does?
• And the global student entrepreneur award goes to FiberFix.
• Retro:  Make 2007 your year to go global (why Peter Drucker was on target).

The Glass Cube at Westfield Old Orchard

©2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

The Glass Cube is a statement building at Westfield Old Orchard in Skokie, Illinois, U.S.A.  The space is available for retailers to lease the space during peak times and times of new product launches.  When I was there, the lounge was used by patrons to relax and get away from the heat.

Learn more:  The Glass Cube

Take Another Look At TradeUp Capital Fund

iStock/Thinkstock

A lot of small business owners suffer from lack of capital to grow their business.  If you currently run a global business, I strongly urge you to consider equity crowd funding to boost growth.

As Kati Suominen, founder and CEO of TradeUp says:

Crowdfunding is especially great for small business owners who are already stretched in working to bring clients in the door. The platforms open visibility and access to many more investors than you would ever get to on your own. 

Read the article:  Use Crowdfunding to Fuel Your Global Business

For more information on TradeUp, visit:  http://www.tradeupfund.com

Related articles:

• Does the Size of Your Business Matter for Global Scale?
• Companies Don't Need Scale to Trade Internationally; They Need International Trade to Scale

U.S. Small Business Administration Announces STEP Program Awards for 2014

iStock/Thinkstock

SBA announced today that 24 awards will be made to states to support activities to increase exporting by small businesses.  The State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) Program was appropriated $8 million to award by September 30, 2014.

The STEP program has two objectives: 1) increase the number of small businesses that begin to export and 2) increase the value of exports for small businesses that currently export. 

Learn more here.

For a quick jump to the list of awardees and more information on STEP, visit:
http://www.sba.gov/offices/headquarters/oit/resources/14315

Related articles:

• STEP 101 (3/19/14)
• Take a STEP Up to International Trade (2/26/14)

Manufacturing For a Global Customer Base

Getting Ready to Head Out to Spain?

iStock/Thinkstock

Land that new business in Spain and not sure how to make the best of the trip when you meet with your new customer?  Look no further. Erica Mills writes "How I Fell in Love with Affordable Spain" for International Living and makes you want to travel there sooner rather than later.

What's to like about Spain?  According to Erica:

For a start, the people are wonderful: warm, friendly, passionate, and incredibly helpful. They’ve figured out what’s important in life in Spain, too. Nationwide, the country still takes a daily siesta—a mid-day break—to make time to eat well, have a nap, or see friends and family. And evenings are dedicated to friends and family, too: sitting in local restaurants or around a kitchen table, with everyone from the very young to the very old eating together.

More on Spain:

• Spain - OECD
• BBC News - Spain country profile
• Export.gov - Doing Business in Spain
• World Bank - Spain | Data

Have a safe and productive trip.

Today in Global Small Business: Rise of the Rest Road Trip

iStock/Thinkstock

What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• President Obama's Export Council in June discussed letters of recommendations to be delivered and adopted soon.
• Discover four ways to achieve new growth in developing countries.
• The reasons to go global and why so many small businesses are choosing to do so.
• Is something getting lost in the Hello Kitty translation?
• Why Yahoo is going back to the drawing board on its e-commerce strategy.
• The Rise of the Rest Road Trip with AOL founder and investor Steve Case.

What Is Genius?

©2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." - Thomas A. Edison

Here's Why You Should Go Global

iStock/Thinkstock

I was thrilled to become a LinkedIn Influencer and contribute articles in the area I am passionate about:  global small business.  LinkedIn Influencer is invitation-only, so Influencers must be invited to contribute.

Here's my latest article.  Pulse picked it up as a top selection!

10 Reasons To Go Global

Everything You Want to Know About Doing Business In Poland

iStock/Thinkstock

Poland and the United States have a close bilateral relationship, fostering strategic and commercial cooperation. U.S. companies are active in Poland and have invested heavily since 1989 when the country transitioned to a market-driven economy. Abundant opportunities remain for U.S. firms in Poland.

To learn everything you want to know about doing business in Poland, read the U.S. Department of Commerce's Country Commercial Guide 2012:  Doing Business In Poland

In addition, the World Bank Group offers an even more current economy profile on Doing Business in Poland.

The Demand for Creative Global Entrepreneurs

iStock/Thinkstock

Even if you come from a long line of entrepreneurs in a family it doesn't necessarily mean you are cut out for entrepreneurship or will become a successful entrepreneur.  Here's what one international student - Vikas Jagwani - studying in the United States has to say:

Being an international student for the past couple of years has made me more educated about the U.S. and some of the policies that are different from my home country. Growing up in a family full of entrepreneurs meant entrepreneurship is not a new concept for me, but becoming one is a challenge.

Vikas, from the United Arab Emirates, is a sophomore at Drury University, where he majors in accounting, finance and economics.  Find out why he thinks entrepreneurship is a good path of study for international students.

Pursue an Entrepreneurship Major, Minor as an International Student

4 Special Reports: Understanding Emerging Markets

iStock/Thinkstock

GlobalAtlanta partnered with Georgia State University’s Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) for a series of special reports aimed at helping businesses understand emerging markets.  You can access them below.

1.  India:  Land of Contradictions

2.  China:  Beyond the Hype

3.  Ghana's Gold Coast: Don't Let Tarnish Fool You

4.  Mongolia: Gold Mine or Money Pit