Today in Global Small Business: The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King

©iStock/Ildar Abulkhanov

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

• Martin Luther King III wants no "empty promises."
• Martin Luther King's 'I've Been to the Mountaintop' speech excerpts.
• Watch the 'Ice Moon' rise on Martin Luther King Jr. day.
• Quote of the week: "I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." –  Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Facts about the Martin Luther King monument.
• What we know and don't know about Martin Luther King.

Calm Spirit

©2022 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset." – Saint Francis de Sales

Will Raising Prices Become a Trend in 2022?

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Years of stagnant prices and wages have made Japan Inc nervous about charging more for fear of alienating shoppers and losing market share. But the weakening yen is further driving up costs adding to the inflationary pain following the pandemic.

Clothing retailer Uniqlo will have to raise prices of some products due to higher costs for raw materials and shipping, its owner recently said, becoming a high-profile example of Japanese firms throwing off a decades-old deflationary trend.

Learn more how Uniqlo owner is poised to hike prices in sign of shift for Japan.

How Physicists and Programmers Played Important Roles in Shaping the Current Wave of Globalization

©iStock/Igor Kutyaev

Thirty years after the World Wide Web first expanded from Europe to North America, Michael Riordan reveals how physicists and programmers played important roles in shaping the current wave of globalization.

The story goes ...

In December 1991 Paul Kunz, a physicist and computer programmer at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) in Menlo Park, California, set up the very first Web server in North America. I learned of it about a month later, upon returning to SLAC from a year in Washington, DC. “Have you seen the latest?” an enthusiastic colleague asked. “It’s called the World Wide Web!”

Read on to discover the historical significance of that moment.

Are You a Domino? I Am (Video)

Understanding Cultural Awareness and Diversity in Global Business

©iStock/Oleksandr Pupko

Awareness and recognition of unique cultural behavioral differences, along with a global mindset, can further encourage shared understanding and enhance flexible thinking and communication.  It also allows you to conduct business the world over in a seamless fashion.

Here are five (5) cross-cultural communication tips for global teams.  You might also consider reading "navigating the cultural minefield" by Erin Meyer to better understand how cultural differences affect global business.

Today in Global Small Business: The Future of the Business World

©iStock/Dilok Kialsataporn

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

• Wharton Global Youth Program members talk about the future of the business world.
• Taking a leap into entrepreneurship. 
• How to seamlessly set up a successful global online D2C business.
• Quote of the week: "Youth is the hope of our future" – Jose Rizal
• Recent trade gap driven by increased imports.
• How not to lose your mind over translation.

Happiness Is Not a Matter of Intensity

©2022 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony." – Thomas Merton

A New Kind of Lolly: Funday

©iStock/Infadel

According to Funday Natural Sweets founder Daniel Kitty, Funday is on a mission to increase its presence from 1,000 outlets to 3,000 in 2022, in additional to unveiling plans to expand internationally. 

Funday markets its lollies as natural, and made with real ingredients without the sugar or sugar alcohols.

Learn more about Funday Natural Sweets and its new subscription model for its e-commerce store in Australia.

Does It Make Sense to Go Global?

©iStock/cybrain

Does it make sense to go global?  We certainly think so.  And according to Wendy Pease at Entrepreneur Magazine, she thinks so, too.

The answer is yes--expanding to international markets helps companies grow, increases buying power, and diversifies market opportunities. It better prepares the company to weather changes in the domestic economy. It can result in higher revenues, increased profits, a diverse customer base, and improved stability.

Read on to discover how using the Internet opens more doors for global growth and enables entrepreneurs to study potential markets and the buyer's journey from the comfort of their own office.

Take On a Global Market

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Fifteen members of Forbes Business Council shared the steps entrepreneurs must take before successfully taking on a global market.  It should be noted that contributors pay a fee for membership.

For more information on what you should or shouldn't be doing relative to taking a business global, please visit:  Exporting Guide. Laurel J. Delaney wrote the best-selling book on this topic.

Laurel Delaney's Global Trade Trends Report 2022 (wegginar® 1/5/22)

©2022 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

Come one, come all to Laurel Delaney's annual Global Trade Trends Report 2022 hosted by Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global® on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 at 11AM Central Time.  The event is free of charge thanks to the lead sponsors of wegg®:  Associated Bank, FedEx, Union Pacific, Bluedog Design and GlobalCare Clinical Trials.

Laurel will discuss NFTs, creative transportation, global supply chain woes, payment mechanisms, climate change and other trends that will impact the work of those importing and exporting.

To learn more and to register, visit Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global.