Always Say Yes to Challenges (Video)

Being on Amazon is a Huge Visibility Boost for Small Businesses Who Desire to Go Global

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John Leslie from John Leslie Studios recommends Amazon to any small business, saying, “My sales have steadily increased on Amazon year after year. Last year my sales on Amazon alone were over $150,000. Simply being on Amazon is a huge visibility boost because Amazon is often the first place people go when seeking to purchase almost anything.”

According to CBS17.com:

An amazing variety of small and medium-sized businesses now boost online sales by selling in Amazon’s stores, reaching more customers and bringing their business to a whole new level. More than half of the items sold in Amazon’s stores worldwide are from small and medium-sized businesses. And the number of small and medium-sized businesses exceeding $1 million in sales in Amazon’s stores worldwide grew by 20 percent last year, to more than 25,000.

To succeed online, businesses oftentimes need a partner to help them reach a national – or even global – customer base, and to support them throughout the process of building their business and fulfilling increasing demand for their products or services.

Learn more about how small businesses are mastering the art of selling online.

How Global Small Businesses Should Prepare for the Emerging Global Internet Access

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Jim Cashel, for Harvard Business Review, says it is reasonable to predict that, in the next three to five years, most of the planet will have some access to reliable, if somewhat expensive, broadband. That means over three billion people will be, for the first time, directly connected to the global economy.  He goes on to say:

The business community should consider this emerging market with astonishment, if for no other reason than its vast size. It will present challenges in terms of economics, geography, language, and demographics. But businesses that are aware of the changes to come, that appreciate the speed and reach of global broadband expansion, and that prepare appropriately for new markets will enjoy a range of unprecedented opportunities. Specifically, businesses should prepare in four areas.

Learn about the four areas here and how businesses should prepare for the Global Internet Access.

About Jim Cashel:  Jim Cashel is Chairman of Forum One, a digital agency, and author of The Great Connecting: The Emergence of Global Broadband, and How That Changes Everything. During academic year 2018-19 he was a Visiting Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School.

What a $10 Billion Investment Will Get You Over 5 Years

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De Beers Group, based in London, specializes in diamond exploration, mining, retail, trading and industrial diamond manufacturing, has embarked on a $10 billion five-year global market and mine expansion drive, which includes but is not limited to inorganic and organic activities, technology upgradation, adding more mining ships to its existing five such vessels plus expanding existing key markets, including China, India, the U.S. and Japan.

“We are investing $10 billion towards various global expansion activities planned for the next five years," says Stephen Lussier, executive vice-president — marketing, De Beers Group and also chairman of Forevermark, the group’s diamond brand.

Ambitious goals for sure.

Mr. Lussier goes on to say, “We are significantly expanding our existing presence all over the world, including in India at least by 10%. Forevermark brought in $750 million to our group revenue of $6 billion last year and we want to grow this to over $1 billion by 2020."

Read more about De Beers global expansion plans.

Today in Global Small Business: The World's Champion on Exporting

©2019 Apress.  All rights reserved.  Used with permission.

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

• If you are struggling with how to take your product or service overseas, do yourself a favor and sign up for this upcoming (7/18) New York NEXCO event featuring the world's champion on exporting, Laurel Delaney, who will present "How to Export Successfully in the Digital Age." Program includes an after-seminar reception for wine-tasting and networking with the NY metro exporting community.  For more information and to register, visit:  https://conta.cc/32srXWS  
• Quote of the week: “If you are not taking care of your customer, your competitor will." — Bob Hooey
• Two businesses are bringing small business owners around the world a comprehensive array of products and services to make running their enterprise easier, more efficient and more profitable.
• For labor to secure gains, in the United States or globally, workers must mobilize.  Here's why.
• When it comes to global payment technologies there are several countries that are the most advanced.  However, it is two specific countries that stand out and make the payment experience easy for the global consumer. 
• Many business owners believe that in the not-too-distant future — they will be exporting a “significant chunk” of the cannabis they are growing domestically.  The cannabis market is expected to grow exponentially (globally) in the next couple of years.

Five Faces Ice Cream Shop: Perfect Place for Late Night Food on Division Street in Chicago

©2019 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

©2019 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

A familiar face (place) in Chicago that highlights John Wayne, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Lucille Ball and Humphrey Bogart:  Five Faces Ice Cream shop in Chicago.  What's unique about the place?  They are not known for ice cream, but they do a good job on gyros and cheese fries.

Here's what a reviewer said about the shop:

"Perfect place for late night food when you know damn well you are going to be hung over after doing Division up right!”

10 Most Beautiful Cockatoo Breeds in the World

What Is Google Ad Manager, and How Do You Sign Up?

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Google Ad Manager helps you grow ad revenue and protect your brand wherever people are watching, playing or engaging.

Signing up for Google Ads is painless. You can do it right on the Google Ads website, which walks you through it step by step.  The Get Started button first asks you how many page views you have on a monthly basis:  less than 1 million or more than 1 million.

Learn more about Google Ad capabilities.

Strategic Partnerships Can Take You Global

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Kentucky-based Rabbit Hole Distillery, a high-end whiskey and bourbon maker, has entered into a strategic partnership with Pernod Ricard, one of the world’s largest spirit companies.  Kaveh Zamanian, Rabbit Hole’s founder, will maintain his shares in Rabbit Hole and will continue to operate the company.

Both Pernod Ricard and Rabbit Hole share the same spirit and beyond that, both companies are fully aligned in their values and cultures.

With Pernod Ricard now onboard and with Zamanian’s continued leadership, Rabbit Hole’s distribution will expand, with the goal of connecting with spirits lovers throughout the world.

How to Make Everything Livable No Matter Where You Live

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Co-founder and principal designer Jade Joyner of Athens, Georgia-based interior design firm Metal + Petal, had years of experience working on interiors in Europe and the U.S.

I have four daughters, and they’re all in middle school and high school. It’s an all-white family home, but the concept is that everything is livable. If something is spilled on, it’s okay. It’s a modern farmhouse, maybe. There are some classic elements, ‘cause I couldn’t live without them, and some character pieces. It’s a place where we can all relax together.

Ms. Joyner discusses in an interview with Mansion Global the popularity of customized kitchens and closets, the booming Southeastern U.S., and more.  One of the questions posed:

MG [Mansion Global]: What’s the biggest surprise in the luxury real estate market now?

JJ Jade Joyner]: The need for space. People think that size is the definition of luxury. You don’t need to have a massive, over-the-top house to make it luxurious. You can make a cabin very luxurious.

Today in Global Small Business: One Woman's Quest for Borderless Growth (wegginar®)

©2019 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global™.  All rights reserved.  Used with permission.

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

• Learn about one woman's quest – Cathy Koch, President and CEO of K-Tec Systems – for borderless growth when she presents a free-of-charge wegginar® on Wednesday, July 10 at 11:00 a.m. Central time.  For more information and to register (no charge thanks to sponsors but you must register to attend), visit: https://womenentrepreneursgrowglobal.org/2019/06/10/she-believed-she-could-and-so-she-did-one-womans-quest-for-borderless-growthcathy-koch-president-ceo-k-tec-systems-july-10-2019/  
• Quote of the week: “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning." — Benjamin Franklin
• Global populations of 8 billion and growing.  What does it mean?
• Ways to get your online export business going.
• Four-peat:  U.S. Women's Soccer team wins World Cup title (video)  Congrats team USA! 
• Don't under estimate Beyond Meat for global potential.

Never Enough Books

©2019 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

“I guess there are never enough books.” ―John Steinbeck, A John Steinbeck Encyclopedia