Is China the New Idol for Emerging Economies?

International economist and author of NY Times bestsellers "Winner Take All," "Dead Aid" and "How the West Was Lost," named by @Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world -- Dr. Dambisa Moyo gives powerful talk for TED that:

makes the case that the west can't afford to rest on its laurels and imagine others will blindly follow. Instead, a different model, embodied by China, is increasingly appealing. A call for open-minded political and economic cooperation in the name of transforming the world. 

4 Strategies For a City to Implement On An Export Plan

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If you live in San Diego, California and desire to export, you're in the right place because San Diego embraces going global.

San Diego is one region to embrace this "metropolitan first" ethos. This week, EDC – along with numerous regional partners – released the “Global San Diego Export Plan” which focuses on growing our metropolitan economy and creating jobs through exports. The release of the export plan is part of San Diego’s continued participation in the Global Cities Initiative, a joint project of the Brookings Institute and JPMorgan Chase & Co.

The four strategies San Diego's core team are streamlining to implement its export plan:

•  Leveraging the diversity of regional markets

•  Developing and increasing small- and-medium-sized enterprises’ capacity to export

•  Concentrating on San Diego’s unique infrastructure assets

•  Leveraging the trade potential of the CaliBaja Bi-National Mega Region

Read more ... Global San Diego:  Engaging World Markets

Take a STEP Up to International Trade

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As Small Business Trends reports:

The STEP (State Trade and Export Promotion Program) offered by the Small Business Administration aims to offer small businesses in the U.S. a way to reach a global market. And right now, supporters of the program are in position in Washington, D.C., to get the program renewed.

According to the Office of International Trade Resources, here's what the STEP grants will do for a small business owner, provided they utilize the offerings:

• support for small business participation in foreign trade missions and foreign market sales trips;
• subscription to services by the Department of Commerce;
• website translation fees;
• design of international marketing media;
• trade show exhibitions;
• participation in training workshops; and
• other export initiatives determined to be appropriate by the SBA.

Learn more: Supporters Urge Renewal of State Trade and Export Promotion Program

This is definitely a step in the right direction towards helping small businesses expand internationally!

Tiffany & Co. Needs a Global Hand

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Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide becomes a marketing communications partner to Tiffany & Co. to complement Tiffany's internal marketing capabilities.

Ogilvy & Mather plans to provide brand positioning and advertising support for Tiffany & Co. globally with creative and strategic hubs in New York and Paris. The scope of the assignment will cover print, digital, video and out-of-home.

Bring on the global marketing experience in luxury!

Read:  Tiffany & Co. Selects Ogilvy & Mather for Global Marketing

Someone Who Has the Global Economy in Their Hands

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Two Australian small business owners have a chance in a lifetime to meet US Federal Reserve Chairman Dr. Janet Yellen.

Treasurer Joe Hockey says:

"(It was) drawing the link between the most powerful central banker in the world - someone who has the global economy in their hands - and someone on the ground making furniture or running a little tourism business."

Learn more: Two small business owners meet Yellen

Note:  We will be guessing forever on who the two small business owners are!

When it Snows, Make a Snowman

© 2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

When it snows, you have two choices:  shovel or make a snowman.  I made a snowman.  Have a great weekend! 

Depending On Global Trade? We've Got You Covered.

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While en route to Mexico this week, President Obama signed what the administration is calling an executive order on "streamlining the export/import process" while he was aboard Air Force One as he made his way to the North America Leaders Summit.  What does the order mean?  It will reduce the wait time (= cut red tape) for businesses exporting goods and services outside the USA.

"This Executive Order is especially important to small and medium companies that depend on global trade," a White House statement said. "Once fully implemented, the ITDS [International Trade Data System] will dramatically reduce the time and expense for businesses to move the more than 50 million containers and $3.8 trillion worth of goods that cross our borders each year."

Learn more:  Obama wants to cut red tape for exporters

An Invaluable Guide to Navigating the Often-Challenging Waters of Exporting

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We are so happy to learn that Small Biz Daily likes Exporting:  The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably.  Here's what Small Biz Daily founder Rieva Lesonsky says:

Whether you are a small business owner considering exporting for the first time, or an entrepreneur who is already exporting but wants to expand your reach even further, Exporting: The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably is an invaluable guide to navigating the often-challenging waters of exporting. Global small business expert Laurel Delaney has decades of experiences helping small business owners successfully export their products and/or services, and in this comprehensive, practical guide, she draws on real-life experience and insider knowledge.

All we have to say is  thank you to all the folks at Small Biz Daily.  We've been a huge fan of Rieva and her talented team (Valdez Haubrich and Karen Axelton) for years.  We so admire and respect their work.

Read:  Book Review:  Exporting:  The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably

About Small Biz Daily

SmallBizDaily is powered by three people with a passion for entrepreneurship: Rieva Lesonsky, Maria Valdez Haubrich and Karen Axelton. We met at EntrepreneurMagazine nearly 25 years ago, when Rieva hired the rest of us as editors. We’ve been a great team ever since, so when Rieva decided it was time for her to stop talking about entrepreneurship and start living it, she naturally turned to us to be her business partners.

Stay in Your Circle of Competence

Time to take a break and offer an interesting video with Warren Buffet: Why Coca-Cola is a Great Business.  He talks about how all companies should stay in their circle of competence.  We agree and that includes, going global.  Oh, if we could only get Warren Buffett behind our service offering.  He's a great salesman.  Watch and see for yourself.

Note:  We love Warren Buffet ... check out other related posts here.

Secure Cash From Foreigners to Grow Your Business

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Thanks to America’s immigrant investor program known as the EB-5 visa, capital investment by foreigners is rapidly growing.  What does that mean?

The visa gives foreigners who invest [at] least $500,000 in the US a two-year green card (their families too) and the potential for a permanent green card if their project succeeds in creating American jobs.

Is the EB-5 visa filling a gap for global small businesses? And which country is the dominant force with investments (according to the Brookings Institution and Rockefeller Foundation, there are five top countries)?

To learn more, read:  Forget banks - US small businesses are tapping wealthy Chinese investors for loans

Go Global For Business Growth

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One of our favorite Small Business Influencer Champions, Karen Kerrigan, President and CEO of Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, talks with Laurel Delaney about her new book.  Laurel also offers general guidance for entrepreneurs who may be considering overseas sales and expansion.

Here's a clip from the interview:

Kerrigan:  What are the first steps a business owner should take in selecting a market, or markets, for exporting?

Delaney: There are a variety of methods to locate the best–meaning the right–potential foreign markets for your product or service. There is a wide range of efficient methods to research export markets and get export-market data and intelligence. I outline those resources in chapter 12 of my book. But make no mistake, there is no getting around the fact that market research is not a tidy, linear process, so you have to get yourself organized first.

In deciding to concentrate your sales efforts, choose a market that intrigues you, presents a competitive advantage or offers ...

Read the entire interview:  Business Success Strategies Q&A with Laurel Delaney:  Going Global for Business Growth

A big thank you to Karen for promoting and supporting our global trade work all these years.  She is called America’s “entrepreneurial envoy” and “small business ambassador” for her extensive work overseas.  Karen adds at the end of the interview (and we endorse her statement):

"SBE Council has endorsed legislation in the House and Senate to give President Obama Trade Promotion Authority.  It is critical that the United States regain the leadership mantle on supporting and advancing trade agreements with countries and regions across the globe.  Global trade has a profoundly positive impact on the U.S. economy, job growth and international competitiveness." 

Do You Have Gears You Don't Use?

©2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Life is like a ten speed bicycle.  Most of us have gears we never use." - Charles M. Schulz

How to Ensure Customers Find Your Payment Method Via Ecommerce a Breeze

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Think collecting payment on a local ecommerce sale is easy? All you have to concern yourself with is a local credit card payment service, the product’s price, local taxes, and in-country delivery, right?  Not so fast.  You might want to rethink the process.  Find out what must be available to your customers when they're ready to check out.

Read:  What to Look For in an International Ecommerce Payment Processor

Export Confidence is Record High

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Whether in the UK or elsewhere, export confidence is at a record high. According to research conducted by British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and FedEx, where they surveyed more than 2,400 exporting companies, they found that a third predicted jobs will be created, with manufacturers the most optimistic.

John Longworth, director general of the BCC, says:

"This counts for a lot, as it shows ambition and willingness for businesses to export even more in 2014."

Read more ...

Diversify Your Sales Base Through Exports

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Lauren Levy, president of Magnificent Baby has six full-time employees and just over $5 million in annual revenue.  But its turbulent start taught Levy a lesson about how important it was to establish a diversified sales base for the company's infant and toddler pieces, which sell for just under $30 each.

She realized that getting a toehold in some international markets could have a big impact on revenue. "For instance, California was contracting at one point," she said. "The easiest way to replace the sales was to export."

According to Crain's New York Business, Magnificent Baby now sells its goods through shops in Puerto Rico and 20 countries outside the U.S, including Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the U.K.

Read more ...

The World In Your Pocket

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The Roadmap below, published by eBay, sets out to unlock the opportunities presented by a new technology-enabled and consumer-driven global commerce that eBay calls Commerce 3.0.  With this Roadmap, eBay proposes:

...intelligently marrying technology tools with policy action in order to deliver sustainable growth on a global scale.

Read (immediate download of a 42-page PDF file):  Towards Commerce 3.0:  Roadmap for Building Sustainable Growth into Commerce

Nicholas Staheyeff, Vice President CEO eBay International AG, said, “Boosting cross-border trade and helping Europe’s entrepreneurs big and small grow their business on- and offline are essential to work our way out of the current crisis. (3/27/12)

Building a Million-Dollar Idea Into a Global Brand

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Steve Greenspon started Illinois-based Honey-Can-Do International with the idea to become a retailer's one-stop shop for products like hangers and shoe racks. Five years later, it's a $40 million global business and growing.

Honey-Can-Do was founded on a few simple principles, give people what they want, give it to them at a great price, and do it with integrity and responsibility. We don't believe you need to go broke to have a beautiful, well-organized home.  Nor do we believe ...

Find out how and why here.  Honey-Can-Do says, "No matter where you're located, we're happy to call you our customer."

Hold Fast To Dreams

©2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Hold fast to dreams for when dreams go life is a barren field frozen with snow." - Langston Hughes

Building a Cross-Cultural Base

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Ravi Kumarr points out three mistakes you need not make when expanding your small business overseas.  Here's the first one:

1.  Following others
Mexico and Canada were pointed to as important export markets by HSBC, but that doesn’t mean that they will be the ideal markets for your business. This is where market assessment comes into play, so you can either carry out market research or utilize one of the Export Assistance Centers in your country of origin.

Read the entire article:  Don't Make These Mistakes When Expanding Your Small Business Overseas

Anyone Looking to Export?

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Our favorite small business researchers give Exporting:  The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably a thumbs up.

The book provides practical, easy to implement advice on how to start exporting or grow an existing export business. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to export. - Steve King and Carolyn Ockels, Small Business Labs

Read Book Review:  Exporting:  The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably

A big thank you to Steve and Carolyn!

Small Businesses Drive Exports

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According to The Telegraph, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are united in being positive about the British economy, confirming what folks in the UK, especially at The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), have known for months.

The latest growth forecasts from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted brighter days for the global economy, with both reports reserving special mention for the UK’s performance.

Read the entire article:  Ensuring our small businesses realize their global ambitions is the best way to improve exports

Goes to show you that small businesses everywhere have an overwhelming desire to operate on a global level.

What Is the Key to Exporting Eyewear Around the World?

©2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Gina Arcari, Managing Director of Dita Eyewear Europe, discusses international growth from her Dublin base.  Quick backstory:  Dita was founded in Los Angeles, California by two childhood friends who spotted a niche in the market to design, manufacture and distribute luxurious fashion eyewear for both men and women.  The Web site indicates Dita has been handcrafting eyewear since 1996.  The company has grown due to procuring some of the best materials available and, interestingly enough, using Japanese-based manufacturing.

What's the key to entering new markets and maintaining existing ones?

Through networking and contacts we have managed to establish key independent sales reps and distributors strategically placed around the world to maximize our sales in each region.  In addition to this it is important to maximize our exposure through social media such as Facebook and Twitter.

Read the entire article:  Road map for growth - the Q&A series:  Dita Eyewear Europe

25 Mighty International Marketing Blogs That You Should Be Reading

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According to Chicago-based UpCity, the optimal way to focus on effective global marketing strategies is to read international marketing blogs. Through these free vehicles, you will learn and explore how global audiences communicate and respond to diverse prospects.

Take cues from these top 25 international marketing blogs, and you’ll learn a great deal on how to tighten up your marketing practices overseas!

And YES, The Global Small Business Blog made the list.  Thank you to UpCity folks for including us!  We're glad you find our content valuable.

Read:  Top 25 International Marketing Blogs That You Should Be Reading

Find the Path You Were Meant To Walk

©2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

“There are no wrong turnings.  Only paths we had not known we were meant to walk.” - Guy Gavriel Kay, Tigana