The History of Global Small Business

Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock

Some thoughts on the evolution of small businesses expanding internationally.  This is Part 1 of 3 installments.

Small Business Globalization Through the Years

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

Jaguar Goes Global and Rip Roaring Wild

iStock/Thinkstock

How alive are you?  That's what Jaguar wants to find out with their new global marketing campaign to ...

convince car buyers that they produce the most appealing range of drivers’ cars ... in the world.

Learn more here.

A Coordinated Stance on Global Affairs

iStock/Thinkstock

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says:

“When the BRICS ‘five’ really gets going, its influence on the global economy and politics will be quite significant,” Putin wrote in a campaign article on foreign policy in Moskovskie Novosti published on Monday. Putin, 59, plans to return to the Kremlin after the presidential elections next month.

According to Putin, BRICS countries:  Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa have a combined population of 3 billion people and are responsible for more than 25 percent of the world's GDP.

Learn more about what Putin has to say on "world order" here.

Snow Globe World

©Laurel Delaney 2012, "Fresh Snow in Chicago."

“Snow flurries began to fall and they swirled around people's legs like house cats. It was magical, this snow globe world.” ~ Sarah Addison Allen, The Sugar Queen

America's New Exports

iStock/Thinkstock

As Austan Goolsbee, a professor of economics at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business, former chairman of President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers from 2010 to 2011, writes in the Wall Street Journal:

The U.S. runs a huge trade surplus in tourism, tuition paid by foreign students, even NBA jersey sold abroad.

Further, he talks about the more promising way out of our economic doldrums:  growing exports -- through things like tourism, travel and services.

Read the entire commentary and more than 35 comments (when I last checked) here.

Opportunity Can Knock Overseas

iStock/Thinkstock

For United States MBAs, taking your career global has never been easier.

“Just because you go overseas initially does not mean you’re relegating yourself to working overseas for the rest of your career ... "

There is plenty of work for everyone worldwide.  Find out more here.  When opportunity knocks, turn the knob.  The door to the world will open easily.

Where Does Going Global Start?

Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock

According to this article,  going global starts at home.

Domestic reforms would help Chinese companies invest successfully abroad.

Posted by The Global Small Business Blog

A Sweet Taste of Brazil

iStock/Thinkstock

Chocolate Brigadeiros (as shown) are considered the most popular candy in Brazil.  They are an absolute must-have at birthday parties, weddings and all other festive events in Brazil.

Gourmet Brigadeiro was created with the idea of making the best Brigadeiros possible. We make it the traditional way how it is made in Brazil - by hand, adding love and the finest ingredients out there. Gourmet Brigadeiros only uses top shelf Belgium and Swiss chocolate. There is no artificial colors, high fructose corn syrup, or preservatives.

Take a sweet break and visit Gourmet Brigadeiro.

Legal Advisor to the World?

iStock/Thinkstock

Can the U.K. become a "lawyer and advisor to the world?"  That's what Britain's Justice Minister wants to accomplish.  He desires to make London the preeminent forum for resolving international commercial disputes with Asia (China) being its first target.

Read the entire store here.

Love Birds

©Laurel Delaney 2012, "Bird Freedom"

"I hope you love birds too. It is economical. It saves going to heaven." ~ Emily Dickinson

Choosing the Legal Structure For An Import/Export Business

iStock/Thinkstock

If you are just getting started in an import/export business, the article below might help you decide which legal structure is best suited for you.

Choosing Your Form of Organization (Part 1 of 2)
Choosing Your Form of Organization (Part 2 of 2)

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

Technology is a Global Endeavor

iStock/Thinkstock

In our global world, GigaOM is acquiring its flagship brand, paidContent, along with its other assets: mocoNews.net, contentSutra.com, and paidContent:UK.

In an interview with Wired, GigaOM CEO Paul Walborsky said, “Technology and covering technology is a global endeavor, and you need to be in all the major centers,” foreshadowing an increase in global expansion on the part of new media operations and those that cover them.

Read more here.

Global Technology, Finance and Economics

Fuse/Thinkstock

All rolled into one blog:  GATA = global american technology alliances

Here's the About page:

gata is an international business development consultancy.  gata brings value to clients by either enhancing revenue opportunities or driving cost containment by building partnerships with foreign companies.

What It's Like to Run a Global Small Business in the Czech Republic

iStock/Thinkstock

A day in the life of a Czech Republic global small business owner:

Czechs are quite technologically advanced. Almost everybody has internet access, and smart phones are widely popular. Also we are one of the few countries in the world where the local search engine is stronger than Google. It´s no wonder that most small business owners bet on internet marketing.

Is marketing a global small business in the Czech Republic done differently than any other part of the world?

Find out here.

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

Small Businesses Increase Their Share of Exports

iStock/Thinkstock

According to new data published by the U.S. Department of Commerce, small businesses have increased their share of exports in the two years.

Companies with fewer than 500 employees accounted for 35 percent of exports in the third quarter of 2011, according to preliminary figures from the Census Bureau. That’s up from about 32.8 percent in 2009. The figure, from a report to be released in April, refers only to sales of goods, not services.

Learn more here (under the Exporting sub-head).

The Noisy Driver of Economic Growth: Exports

iStock/Thinkstock

Oh come on now ... really?

Much of the rise in exports is a consequence of domestic problems. The value of the dollar has declined, so that foreigners save money when they buy American. Businesses, struggling to find customers here, are focusing on foreign sales. And a boom in commodity prices, which has raised the price of life for most Americans, has produced a windfall for those who trade in commodities.

Read the entire outlook here.  As always, the comments are intriguing (like the one shown above).

Don't Take Your Global Customers For Granted

iStock/Thinkstock

Jesse Kornbluth, the author of the magnificent commentary headlined above with the link below, was editorial director of America Online from 1997-2003. He now edits Headbutler.com.

I joined AOL as editorial director in 1997. As a journalist, screenwriter and author with a big Rolodex, I was hired to help transform a technology company headquartered in a field in Virginia into a media powerhouse. For a year, we had only modest adult supervision, and we made the most of it.

Read his full length opinion piece featured in the WSJ here.

Be sure to catch every delightful comment.

You're Invited ... 21st Century Marketing: How to GROW Your Business in Today's Market

iStock/Thinkstock

Dear Colleague and fellow Women in Business,

I’d like to invite you to attend the upcoming “21st Century Marketing: How to Grow Your Business in Today’s Market” Conference, targeting Women in Business, to be held at the Anaheim (California) Marriott March 23, 2012.

You can access the Conference agenda (and registration) via the website link below. I look forward to speaking at the Conference and hope to see you there!

http://www.wboconference.com/

Regards,
Laurel
773-381-1700

Increase American Exports

iStock/Thinkstock

President Obama called on the United States to double the number of U.S. exports in 5 years in order to support 2 million new jobs as part of the National Export Initiative.

One of the International Trade Administration's strategies to achieve this is through the New Market Exporter Initiative (NMEI), which targets Strategic Partners’ current customers who are exporting goods and services abroad in order to help them expand their reach to additional international markets.

Why?

On average, approximately fifty-eight percent (58%) of all U.S. exporters only sell to one market overseas. By focusing resources on these U.S. small- and medium-sized companies who already have knowledge of exporting, we increase the opportunity to have the largest impact.

Learn more here or quickly download this document in PDF format.

Who Reigns As Queen of Global Pop?

iStock/Thinkstock

Madonna or Lady Gaga?
What's Your Vote?

Related articles:

6 Tips to Shock Your Global Customers:  It Works for Madonna!

How to Market Your Business Lady Gaga Style

Take Your Business To the World

iStock/Thinkstock

What's the best way to take advantage of trade developments at the EU and global level? Attend a trade conference at University of Cambridge.

“The Going Global conference offers trade advice and information as well as the opportunity to interact directly with experts from the UK and the Continent.”

Learn more here.

A World Walking On Clouds

©Laurel Delaney, 2012, "Walking On Clouds"

"A pessimist sees only the dark side of the clouds, and mopes; a philosopher sees both sides, and shrugs; an optimist doesn't see the clouds at all - he's walking on them."  ~ Leonard Louis Levinson

Small Business Exports: Where They Stand

iStock/Thinkstock

John Tozzi, our friend and colleague at BusinessWeek, reports on "Small Business Exports Edge Up."

Key comment:

“Ninety-eight percent of U.S. exporters are small and medium-sized enterprises but these exporters have historically represented only 30 percent of U.S. export value,” Tim Truman, a spokesman for the Commerce Department’s International Trade Association, said in an email.

And we are pleased to be quoted (GlobeTrade) in the article as well -- thank you John for including us!

Read the entire article here.  International Trade Update here.

Import and Export Statistics

iStock/Thinkstock

Are you forever searching for U.S. import and export statistics? Look know further. We've put together seven key offerings from the U.S. Census Bureau on Foreign Trade which will help you track import and export statistics.

Check it out: Foreign Trade Statistics: How to Access U.S. Import and Export Trade Statistics

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

Just the Facts Please, Exporting Facts

iStock/Thinkstock

Check out the U.S. Export Fact Sheet below (immediate download of a PDF file), November 2011, Export Statistics Released January 13, 2012.

NOV Export Facts