STEP Awards 2018: Funding Export Opportunities

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SBA Administrator Linda McMahon says, "The STEP awards are an important resource that provide small businesses with the confidence and funding they need to thrive in this competitive international market." She goes on to say.

"The SBA is committed to ensuring equal access for small businesses to international markets and expanding export opportunities, and ensuring small businesses have the resources they need to drive their businesses and local communities forward."

The 2018 STEP awards will allow states to assist small businesses with the information and tools they need to succeed in export-related activities that are in line with the objectives of the program.

Check out which states got what dollar amount in STEP funding here.

5 Key Traits to Mastering the Skill of Execution

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According to Kim Perell, successful entrepreneur and author of The Execution Factor, there are five key traits that are required to master the skill of execution and become a successful entrepreneur: vision, passion, action, resilience and relationships.

Perell suggests using these traits as a blueprint for understanding who you are and where you are going.

Execution is the critical skill that drives success -- locally or globally.

Read more to discover how to translate important strategic and operational decisions into action.

Squash Etsy? Amazon Makes Its Move

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Amazon is making a big play to squash Etsy — and using artisans and gadget makers as the face of a $1 trillion company.

We'll let you be the judge.

Amazon launched a new section of its site called Amazon Storefronts on Monday morning, a space that looks remarkably like the handmade e-commerce giant Etsy and offers customers access to “over 1 million products” from 20,000 “small and medium-sized” US businesses.

Read more about Amazon, the friendly corporate giant, one which encourages entrepreneurship and the revitalization of small businesses, will start serving small businesses, defined as basically anything less than a publicly-traded global brand.

Today in Global Small Business: A Few Good Russian Cartoons Are Going Global

©iStock/Ekaterina Bedoeva 

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

• A learning fair can encourage going global.
• International e-commerce is booming these days and so too are the opportunities—and challenges—for payments players.
• A few Russian cartoons are going global thanks to being picked up by Netflix.
• Managing international trademark portfolios in the era of globalization.
• Alibaba's Jack Ma's true mission is not retail, but globalization.
• Register for the next wegginar® on October 3rd:  Small Startup, Big Global Impact, with Kati Kollhoff, CEO, NUMIX: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8060785115734801921 -- no charge but you must register to attend.

Never-Ending Aspiration

©2018 Laurel J. Delaney.  All right reserved.

"Dance is about never-ending aspiration." -- Judith Jamison

Are You Ready to Go International?

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You may never feel entirely ready to go international, but there are some important benchmarks you should reach before you start considering interest from overseas.  Here are six.

1. Have a profitable business model in your home country, with systems and procedures that have been proven across multiple locations.
2. Have adequate experience and maturity to interact meaningfully with foreign partners. 
3. Be the primary point of contact for your international partners, both during agreement negotiations and after the deal is signed.
4. Add someone to your team to focus specifically on identifying target markets and searching for partners
5. Have patience.
6. Be prepared to invest significant time and money before your international efforts pay off.

Read the entire article to be sure you are ready for international expansion.

A Little Rain and Jazz Music for Wherever You Are Located in This World

Here's what people say about this 10-hour music video:

"My eight year old LOVES this. :)  I have it on for her when she comes home from school, and it puts her in a good state of mind. Thank you."

"Love this one.  Just gorgeous.  This is the perfect music for a cold winter night with a glass of Cabernet. Actually it's the perfect music anytime."

"Love this!!! Listening to this beautiful music while drinking my warm cup of green tea with lemon and honey, pretending it is raining in Saudi Arabia. Haha."

"I go to sleep faster and relaxes me."

"Despite the fact that Sao Paulo is in rainy weather, this jazz + rain session is perfect. It reminds me of 50's movies and I'm already sick of bossa nova. However before I stay depressed with jazz, the Instrumental Salsa is a good addition."

Korean Dumplings Go Global

©iStock/Yingha

With automation and a big business bet, Korean dumplings are poised to go global.  Technology has made the quality, the look and the size of each bite-size dumpling consistent and has significantly improved productivity.  Hence, the whole world will soon enjoy dumplings.

South Korea's largest food company is making a multimillion-dollar bet on "mandu," developing its own machines to automate the normally labor-intensive production of the Korean dumpling and building factories around the world.

Good-bye pot stickers and hello Korean dumplings!

Global Tennis: Always Get Fighters On Your Team

Today in Global Small Business: The Business Case for Curiosity

©2018 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

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

• It may feel like the dust has settled on sexual harassment, but for HR professionals dealing with complaints and recalibrating workplace culture, there remain as many questions as answers.  #whatnext?
• International e-commerce is booming these days and so too are the opportunities—and challenges—for payments players.
• The business case for curiosity ($8.95).  Or, free.
• How to scale a business globally.
• A freight management company details the steps it took to build out its own transport management system and how data-driven reporting fuelled customer growth.
• Only 2 days away to register for wegg's™ upcoming workshop with presenter Julie Smolyansky, President and CEO, Lifeway Foods, who will talk about "Follow Your Gut" September 12th event in Chicago. To learn more and to register, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/weggtm-workshop-follow-your-gut-presented-by-julie-smolyansky-tickets-48655708534.

Life is a Voyage

©2018 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Everyone who achieves success in a great venture, solves each problem as they came to it. They helped themselves. And they were helped through powers known and unknown to them at the time they set out on their voyage. They keep going regardless of the obstacles they met." -- W. Clement Stone

Optimism and Success Abound Among U.S. Exporters

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Despite uncertainty around trade agreements and U.S. trade policies, many exporters are still optimistic about export opportunities and investing in their international operations.

The 2018 American Express Grow Global Survey highlights that U.S. exporters remain optimistic on revenue growth through international business.  Further, companies also often experience positive impacts on their domestic operation as a result of exporting.

Read more about how US exporters expect international sales will continue to grow.