Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Viking Genes for Sale and For Export

©iStock/Everste
Viking genes are for sale and for export.  Danish sperm banks have grown into a successful export industry. Now Norway seems to be following the same path.

The Norwegian Directorate of Health (link is in Norwegian) has allowed a fertility clinic, Livio, to export donor sperm to its clinics in Sweden and Iceland. Sperm from a Norwegian donor can be used to create six Norwegian families, six Swedish families, and two Iceland families.

Expect a large influx from single women who want to get pregnant with the help of donor sperm.

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Japan Is Red Hot With Tourists and Investors

©iStock/DoctorEgg
Japan, declares tourist after tourist, investor after investor, is red hot. The yen is tumbling, the shopping is amazing, the stock market is flying, the sushi is cheap. It is also, perhaps, the only place in the world right now where you can buy a globally successful $20bn company for free.

Like all good tricks, this so-far-hypothetical $20bn great gratis grab takes a bit of setting-up. For a start ...

Monday, May 29, 2023

Today in Global Small Business: ChatGPT Has Thrown a Wrench Into SEO

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

Saturday, May 27, 2023

Watching My Cat

©2023 Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved.
"Just watching my cats can make me happy." –  Paula Cole

Friday, May 26, 2023

What to Choose When Expanding Your Business Globally: Local Entity or PEO?

©iStock/Caiaimage/Martin
You can establish a presence in a new and unfamiliar market yourself by setting up a local entity.  Alternatively, you can partner with a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) to expand into the new market far more quickly with less risk and without needing a full-fledged local presence. 

Here are some tips to help you decide whether a local entity or PEO is right for your business's global expansion. 

Thursday, May 25, 2023

Going Global Doesn't Have to be Complicated

©iStock/Dmitry Kovalchuk
To go global, businesses must navigate complex regulatory environments, cultural differences, language barriers, and logistical issues, not to mention the task of finding customers and getting paid.

Given the potential benefits of expanding internationally, the effort is worth it on mastering the above.

How can businesses best prepare for and navigate the inherent challenges of global growth?  Prepare a global strategy and take the time to consider all aspects of going global to ensure success. 

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

How to Change the World

©iStock/anyaberkut
As Ryan Holiday says for Entrepreneur, "Each of us has the power to contribute to a problem or to be part of the solution. The decision to reform oneself is not an isolated one. It may matter only a tiny bit in the big scheme of things, but it does matter.  All the decisions we make as [global] business owners matter. We have agency, we have a say.  The question we all face, then, is obvious: How will we use it?"

That's how to change the world.  Read on to learn why all business is global business today.

Monday, May 22, 2023

Today in Global Small Business: Making International Shipping Easier For Brands and Retailers

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

  • Making international shipping easier for brands and retailers.
  • General e-commerce statistics for 2023 and forward.
  • Design thinking was supposed to fix the world. Where did it go wrong?
  • Quote of the week: "When ships reduce their speed they use less fuel, resulting in fewer greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants; the global shipping industry accounts for nearly 3 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions." – Tatiana Schlossberg
  • The state of AI in 14 charts.
  • Strange maps.

Saturday, May 20, 2023

I Must Have Flowers

©2023 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
“I must have flowers, always and always.” – Claude Monet

Friday, May 19, 2023

Georgia Knows How to Break Into Export Markets

©iStock/f11photo
Twenty-seven (27) Georgia companies were honored this week (May 18, 2023) with an annual recognition for their expansion of export sales into new markets over the previous year. 

While some were seasoned exporters that simply found buyers for their goods or services in one additional new country, at least three of the firms sold internationally for the first time ever in 2022. 

There are so many winners!  Check them out here.

Thursday, May 18, 2023

Who's Courting Who to France?

©iStock/Oleksil Liskonih
French President Emmanuel Macron and Tesla CEO Elon Musk will be attending the “Choose France” Summit, which is set to not only unveil roughly 13 billion euros of new business investments into the country but also tout France as the market of choice for expanding businesses in Europe.

Meanwhile, they had a little meeting – not sure who's courting who. May the clean-shaven man earn whatever they are going after!

Alongside its dramatic production ramp, Tesla has been growing its global market presence in parallel. This has included founding new facilities outside its home market of the United States and entering countless new markets with its popular Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. 

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Create and Customize Quality Trips From A to Z From All Over the World

©iStock/VV Shots
Start creating and customizing quality trips from A to Z all over the world in the blink of an eye with the next generation connected-trip operator Worldia, a B2B2C connected-trip company.

The Paris-based startup plans to continue its mission of “transforming the travel industry” for travel professionals and consumers, said Grégoire Pasquet, the company’s co-founder and CEO. 

A key player in the French market, Worldia has also successfully expanded into the German, Belgian and Spanish markets and has done a first pilot in the US.

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

The Midwest (USA) Is the Gateway to the World

©iStock/wellesenterprises
With a globally connected location and robust industry supply chain, the Midwest, in particular Michigan, is the gateway to the world.  In fact, $61.1 billion in total goods was exported from Michigan in 2022 alone. 

And while Michigan is home to many global corporations, the state’s small business community is actively involved in contributing to Michigan’s presence in the global market. Case in point: nearly 89 percent of Michigan exporters are small businesses.

Yes, that's right.  Small business exporters are driving growth for Michigan.  Check out how Michigan can help you grow your exports.

Monday, May 15, 2023

Today in Global Small Business: Simple Ideas for Expanding a Business Globally

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

Saturday, May 13, 2023

The Best Thing To Hold Onto

©2023 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
"The best thing to hold onto in life is each other." – Audrey Hepburn 

Friday, May 12, 2023

How To Be Less Dependent on China

©iStock/Oleksii Liskonih
Every manufacturing leader or CEO should be preparing for the worst should things fall apart in China by doing five critically important things. Things that need to happen now – it’s too late once conflict erupts. 

To become more self-reliant and avoid future supply chain storms, invest in these five areas to develop the right strategy.

Thursday, May 11, 2023

What Is An Export Trading Company?

©iStock/krblokhin
An export trading company is an independent company that provides support services for firms engaged in exporting. This may include warehousing, shipping, insuring, and billing on behalf of the client.

Find out what else an Export Trading Company can help with.

Learn how Warren Buffet is investing in Japanese Trading Companies.

Tuesday, May 09, 2023

The Biggest and Best Entrepreneurial Excellence Forum 2023 in Vegas Hosted by the Women Presidents Organization

More than 750 women business owners from around the world have arrived in Las Vegas for their annual Women Presidents Organization Entrepreneurial Excellence Forum 2023 to network, learn and grow together. This is the most amazing program of the year for WPO.   And I [Laurel Delaney] am so honored to have the opportunity to attend.  Full disclosure:  I am serve as the Chicago Chapter Chair for the Women Presidents Organization.

I am really looking forward to connecting with the best and brightest women business owners from all over the world and at the same time have an opportunity to moderate a panel discussion on "Intentional Growth Beyond Borders" with two international stars:  Caroline Tompkins, President and CEO, Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) and Laura Didyk, Vice President, Client Diversity, Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).

If you are attending, ping me to meetup and if you are not yet a WPO member, learn more here about joining so you can attend next year's Forum.

Monday, May 08, 2023

Today in Global Small Business: AR Translation Glasses Will Widen Your Global Reach

©iStock/1550539
What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

Saturday, May 06, 2023

Beer Holder

©2023 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
"Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder." –  Kinky Friedman

Friday, May 05, 2023

Robert Herjavec Wasn't Born a Successful Global Entrepreneur

©iStock/Biod
To get what he wanted in life, Robert Herjavec discovered at an early age that he needed to step outside his comfort zone. The world, he said, would not beat a path to his door.

The charming, articulate executive [Robert Herjavec] we see today on ABC’s Emmy Award-winning show “Shark Tank” is a far cry from the shy, uncertain young man who grew up in Canada after fleeing communist Yugoslavia with his parents.

Learn more about Robert Herjavec and how he earned the 2023 Asper Award for Global Entrepreneurship.

Thursday, May 04, 2023

Is Your Startup Ready to Go Global?

©iStock/metamorworks
While the most successful companies tend to follow the money, that shouldn’t be your sole motivation for going global. 

There are five main indicators for determining if your startup is ready to go global. If one or two of the indicators here apply to your business, you’re definitely headed in the right direction. 

But before you take the leap, you need to be aware of the challenges and risks. Start by asking yourself these questions.

Wednesday, May 03, 2023

Chewy Eyes International Expansion

©iStock/Liudmila Chernetska
“International expansion has long been a part of our strategy,” said Sumit Singh, Chewy’s CEO, during the [most recent earnings] call. “It was a matter of when, not if Chewy would take our superior value proposition into new geographies.”

Details about which markets Chewy plans to expand to were scarce but Singh said the company is considering “entry markets that possess attractive characteristics for our initial international expansion plans.”  

Tuesday, May 02, 2023

Making the World a Better Place (wegginar® 5/3/23)

©2023 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global
Who doesn't want to make the world a better place?  Founder of OMSutra, Jyoti Jaiswal, will be talking about how to get started and weave in positivity and consciously crafted design to make her point.

Join Jyoti and wegg® free of charge on Wednesday, May 3rd at 11 AM CT.  To learn more and to register, visit:  https://bit.ly/3UtqomN.  Or, to move even faster, capture the QR code.  See you there!

Monday, May 01, 2023

Today in Global Small Business: Inspirational Songs For Global Entrepreneurs

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