Thursday, April 30, 2020

4 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Lead in Times of a Crisis

©iStock/rypson
Based on excerpts from a recent interview and his new book, Entrepreneurial Leadership: The Art of Launching New Ventures, Inspiring Others, and Running Stuff, Joel Peterson offers four key pieces of advice for leaders facing crises — such as the current COVID-19 pandemic and the economic chaos it has spawned.

In a nutshell, the pieces of advice are as follows:
  1. Confront reality.
  2. Communicate lavishly.
  3. Pull the trigger.
  4. Use your board of directors.
Who is Joel Petersen?  A long-time Stanford Graduate School of Business adjunct professor and the chairman of JetBlue.

Read the entire insightful interview, here.

Oh, and for a limited time, Joel is offering complimentary access to his Entrepreneurial Leadership eCourse (normally $129). Learn key leadership lessons and values that will better your ability to lead others, break new barriers, create a lasting legacy, and enjoy a life-altering experience directly from Joel.

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

The COVID-19 Global Guide for Business

©iStock/z_wei
In response to the current global pandemic, the McDermott Will & Emery Global Law Firm Network has assembled a 145-page COVID-19 Global Guide for Business.
This Global Guide is designed for multinational businesses, C-level and human resources executives, and anyone who is interested in learning about the world's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Global Guide includes succinct answers, provided by legal professionals located in more than 35 countries, to nearly two-dozen important business and employment questions related to those countries' response to the outbreak of COVID-19.
Access PDF guide here.

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Control What You Can in the Present and Manage for the Future

©1993 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
If any of you are watching ESPN's first two parts of the Michael Jordan documentary, "The Last Dance," named after coach Phil Jackson's title that he unofficially gave to his final season with the Chicago Bulls in 1997-98, then you know what I am talking about when I say how captivating Jordan is as an athlete. Greatness indeed!  Doesn't get any better.  Ever.

But what can we learn from Jordan?  Stay hyper-focused on the present.

Here's a business case presented by Inc. author Carmine Gallo.
The other day, I asked a successful CEO how he's coping with the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. Although he continues to pay his employees, he has zero visibility on future earnings. He's an optimist and expects business to return, but nobody knows when the recovery will kick in or how strong it will be.  This CEO has a mental advantage. He's nearly 60 years old and has survived--and thrived--after several major economic disruptions over his professional career. His advice:  "The best thing you can do is control what you can in the present and manage for the future."
So control what you are doing now.  And if you wish, read the full article here.  It's under your control :-).

Monday, April 27, 2020

Today in Global Small Business: Articulate What You Stand For When Everyone Is Listening

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

Saturday, April 25, 2020

If Cats Could Talk

©2020 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
"If cats could talk, they wouldn't [especially during COVID-19]." – Nan Porter

Friday, April 24, 2020

Plan Your Comeback

©iStock/tumsasedgars
To maximize their potential when they emerge from the crisis, retailers must factor in the realities of the post-coronavirus world. In this article, McKinsey & Company shares a perspective on the trends that will affect US apparel and specialty retail stores post crisis and the strategic imperatives that will enable them to thrive in the “next normal.”

Read more about how to be prepared for a post-COVID-19 future.

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Innovation Has Gone Global and Is Arguably the Most Powerful Force Today

©iStock/tiero
Below is an interview with Alexandre Lazarow, the author of Out-Innovate, which was recently reviewed by Irish Tech News.

Alexandre presently works with Cathay Innovation, a global firm that invests across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America, and was previously with the Omidyar Network. Outside of his day job, he teaches impact investment and entrepreneurship at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.

In addition, he is a Kauffman Fellow, completed his MBA from the Harvard Business School and has a B.Comm from the University of Manitoba.

In the interview, one of his keys statements is:
Innovation is arguably the most powerful force today. In the US, 40% of publicly traded companies (representing 60% of market cap and 80% of R&D budgets) were once venture backed startups. They hold the promise not only of job creation but solving some of our thorniest problems. Innovation has gone global.
Read the entire interview about how how entrepreneurs are rewriting the rules.

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

The Upending of the Global Supply Chain

©iStock/jamesteohart
Because COVID-19 has led to lockdowns, suppliers in the chain are temporarily ceasing production, and logistics providers can no longer transport goods as seamlessly, particularly across borders.

Read more about how to make the global supply chain more resilient.

Other good thought pieces on this important topic:

Coronavirus and Supply Chain Disruption: What Firms Can Learn – which tackles:
Should they [business owners] broaden their supplier choices, or do more local or near-shore sourcing? How much inventory of raw materials, sub-assemblies and finished products should they stock to tide over the crisis?
Coronavirus Is a Wake-Up Call for Supply Chain Management – which covers:
A new breed of services companies can help acquire and analyze supply network data and organize the results in a user-friendly way. Their services typically do not map the supply networks all the way down to raw materials, but they may provide a start. A few of the companies operating in this space include Elementum, Llamasoft, and Resilinc. (Disclosure: One of us, Bindiya Vakil, is the founder and CEO of Resilinc.)
Coronavirus Should Inspire Businesses to Prepare Their Supply Chains for the Future – which covers how:
Companies caught flat-footed should learn their lesson from this crisis and begin making fundamental changes now to prepare their supply chains for future shocks.

Monday, April 20, 2020

Today in Global Small Business: The How to Import-Export Edition

@2016 Apress.  All rights reserved.
What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

Saturday, April 18, 2020

A Chance to Be Better

©Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
"Freedom is nothing else but a chance to be better." – Albert Camus

Friday, April 17, 2020

Where Being Together Is As Easy As Showing Up

©iStock//shironosov
According to AngelList:
Social app usage is exploding: Daily downloads of Houseparty have risen 25x. The video chat app was downloaded over 650,000 times on March 25. 
Try it out.  Be together.

It's clear the Novel Coronavirus has changed the way we Internet.

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Stir Crazy? Feast Your Eyes on Art From Your Home

©iStock/Ekaterina Ptushko
If the idea of not being able to leave the house makes you stir crazy, Sarah Cascone, Senior Writer at artnet® news has put together a selection of artworks to set your mind at ease.
Each of these works—some historical, some contemporary—serves as a reminder of the quietly enjoyable ways of passing time at home, such as reading a book, playing board games, and indulging in a midnight snack.
Have a look.

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

How One Small Business Owner is Navigating the Current Economic Crisis (Podcast)

©iStock/avdyachenko
From the Financial Times:

"Mauren Pereira's drapery business was on track for its most financially successful year to date. That was until the coronavirus outbreak reached Virginia."

Behind the Money reports on how one small business owner is navigating the current economic crisis. With Brendan Greeley, US economics editor for the Financial Times.

Listen to the Behind the Money podcast.

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

UK Business Schools For Inspiring Entrepreneurial Action in a World of Disruption

©iStock/JByard
As we are in the middle of a coronavirus global pandemic, disruption looks like the only constant in business today.

If you’re planning to go to one of the best business schools, specifically in the UK, it’s best to find one with curricula that matches this new reality

It’s never been more important for international business education to remain relevant and to match employers’ and potential students' demands.  If they don’t, then you could risk falling behind with an outdated skill set and a lack of industry experience.

Read more about the best business schools for inspiring entrepreneurial action in a world of disruption.

Monday, April 13, 2020

Today in Global Small Business: Globalization Is Here to Stay

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

Saturday, April 11, 2020

Peace of Mind

©2020 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
“Set peace of mind as your highest goal, and organize your life around it.” —Brian Tracy

Friday, April 10, 2020

Calling on Divine Power

©iStock/Tinnakorn Jorruang
Worldwide Good Friday is fast gaining momentum.  That momentum is reflected in a new Facebook group that swelled to more than 300,000 members in three days after a global religious leader issued an invitation over the weekend.

The group’s rapid growth, international reach and multi-faith makeup was one indication of broad interest in the effort to call on divine power this week for help during the coronavirus pandemic.

Read more about Good Friday's intention of prayer and the group's intent of spreading happiness wherever they can, especially in light of cover-19.

Thursday, April 09, 2020

Kauffman Foundation: Supporting Small Businesses and Naming a New VP of Entrepreneurship

©iStock/EtiAmmos
To combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation recently committed $2.8 million in aid to support small businesses, entrepreneurs, grantees and educational institutions in the Kansas City region.  In addition, they added a new member to its executive team after a nationwide search.

The foundation named Philip Gaskin its vice president of entrepreneurship.  Gaskin, who joined the Kauffman Foundation in 2016, most recently was senior director of entrepreneurship.

Wednesday, April 08, 2020

Global Transformation Looms Ahead

©iStock/Chan2545
As The Nation says, "the novel coronavirus will not, of course, constitute the sole cause of the global transformations looming ahead. Powerful trends that were already underway will be amplified and preexisting fault lines will be further extenuated."
But if the worldwide developments now being seen are any indication, we can expect, among other things, an accelerated retreat from globalization (and its concomitant, American global leadership), along with the hastened emergence of semi-autonomous regional blocs—one consisting of China and its client states, another centered on Europe, and a third linking North and South America. Transnational institutions that span the continents—think, for example, of the World Health Organization—will atrophy or perish.
Read more ... from globalization to regionalization.

Tuesday, April 07, 2020

From Our Safe Home to Yours: wegginar® 4/8/20 with AnaOno Founder Dana Donofree

"Forget about work-life balance—focus on doing work you love.  Get out there and hustle [now more online!]. Listen to others, then trust your gut. If I’d listened to people who questioned why women needed comfortable, beautiful bras after surgery, I never would have launched AnaOno," says AnaOno founder Dana Donofree.
Diagnosed with breast cancer at 27, Dana Donofree founded AnaOno out of her own desire for sexy, beautiful lingerie. After a bilateral mastectomy with implant reconstruction, her bras no longer fit and she was certain there must be more than just sports bras and camisoles, as nothing in the traditional lingerie market fit her surgically-altered body anymore. 
Hence AnaOno was born.

Join us on Wednesday, April 8th at 11AM CT when Dana talks straight with us about what it takes to start, launch and grow a successful global e-commerce business.

To learn more and to register (program is free of charge thanks to wegg's generous sponsors:  refer to sponsor listings on graphic), visit:
https://womenentrepreneursgrowglobal.org/2020/03/12/bras-without-bordersdana-donofree-founder-anaonoapril-8-2020/

Monday, April 06, 2020

Today in Global Small Business: How to Stay Happy During Troubling Times

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

Saturday, April 04, 2020

My Optimism Wears Heavy Boots

©2020 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
"My optimism wears heavy boots and is loud." – Henry Rollins

Friday, April 03, 2020

Times Are Far From Normal When You Are Parenting in the Global Pandemic

©iStock/fizkes 
With COVID-19, parents across the world have a new challenge and it's not just the global pandemic, it's grappling with how best to balance being empathetic with their children during a crisis with disciplining for bad behavior.

As one parent says:

"We’re all stressed out," she [parent] said. "We all have the right to express frustration. It'll be unfair to behave as if nothing has changed."

Parenting in the pandemic is challenging.  Find out why (in case you are not feeling it).

Thursday, April 02, 2020

Global Small Business Owners Are Feeling the Pain

©iStock/Explora_2005
The bills are now coming due for big companies and millions of laid-off workers. Decisions made in the next few days will shape how coronavirus impacts the economy.

“Rent is due. Utilities are due. Credit card bills are due April 1,” said Hadley Douglas, who has laid off two workers from her liquor business, The Urban Grape. “The deadline is looming large and it is petrifying.” She said her landlord turned down a request to temporarily pay half the rent but said to keep in touch as it was focusing first on smaller, harder hit businesses.

The questions for small business owners become:  Which obligations do they pay and which can they put off? How many employees can they afford to keep on the payroll? Can they get a break on rent?

Read on about America's make or break week.

Wednesday, April 01, 2020

Migo Is Closing the Gap in Digital Financial Services

©iStock/Stefan Ilic 
Globally, over two billion adults lack access to credit. Migo’s innovative business model is seizing the opportunity to close a gap in the digital financial services industry and reach a large, underserved customer base.

And here's some good news:  Endeavor, a mission-driven, global organization leading the high-impact entrepreneurship movement has welcomed a new entrepreneur, Ekechi Nwokah, founder and CEO of Migo, into its global network.

Read more about how the CEO Of Migo has been selected as an Endeavor entrepreneur.