A Guide For Leading Through Chaos, Without Losing Direction

©iStock/KJimages

Today’s business environment is unpredictable, and the challenges leaders face are fast-changing and interconnected. In this world, executives must learn how to “pivot with purpose”: to constantly and courageously remain anchored in their values while adjusting to meet new realities. 

Here are five principles to follow in order to do so.

Here's What Everyone Is Reading According to the Staff of the New York Times Book Review

©iStock/Ilija Erceg 

The staff of The New York Times Book Review chose the year’s top fiction and nonfiction.  And the envelope, please. 

John Yunker Is Back By Popular Demand for a wegginar® 12/3 on Deglobalization and AI: The Calm Before the Storm

©2025 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

Register free of charge for the LIVE wegginar® on Wednesday, 12/3 at 11 AM CT.  Here's what John Yunker, Co-Founder of Byte Level Research will cover:

• Deglobalization is suppressing growth
• AI promises a new wave of global growth
• Smaller companies are best positioned to leverage AI

To learn more and to register, visit: https://womenentrepreneursgrowglobal.org/2025/11/05/deglobalization-ai-the-calm-before-the-storm/

See you there!

Today in Global Small Business: 'Ugly' Fees On Chinese Ships Concern US Ag Exporters

©iStock/mingxing chen

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

• 'Ugly’ fees on Chinese ships concern US ag exporters.
• US strikes trade deals across Latin America, lowers tariffs on Argentina’s beef.
• Quote of the week:  "It is the function of the Navy to carry the war to the enemy so that it is not fought on U.S. soil.” Is now “Who cares that we have no merchant ships left to carry supplies overseas.” – Naval quote
• As we look ahead to 2026, the global supply chain enters a chapter defined by relative stability but underscored by persistent uncertainty. 
• OECD finds growing transparency efforts among leading AI developers.
• Learn how to research and select overseas markets confidently.

Let Your Christmas Spirit Be Bright

©2024 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Let your heart be light and your Christmas spirit bright." – Anonymous

How Today's Investments in Children Build and Skill Tomorrow's Leaders

©iStock/Tiago_Fernandez

This is the story of how targeted, community-driven investments in nutrition, education, and social protection are creating building blocks for future resilience, prosperity, productivity, and leadership.

The early years of a child’s life—starting from conception—determine their outcomes in life and potential to thrive. Investing in these foundational years through healthcare, nutrition, education, and access to essential services is also critical to a strong workforce and jobs of the future.

One child.  One family.  One community at a time.

Cheers to a Happy Thanksgiving!

©iStock/gorodenkoff

"We should just be thankful for being together. I think that’s what they mean by Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown." – Marcie, a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

The Return of Rigid Gender Roles

©iStock/oatawa

The political landscape is causing many to feel fearful. Simultaneously, traditional gender roles have come back with a vengeance. Perhaps there is a connection worth exploring.

Are shifting gender roles a sign of the times or a fear response?  Learn more here.

How Great Leaders Inspire Action (Simon Sinek | TED)

Today in Global Small Business: What's the Worst That Could Happen?

©iStock/Zmaster

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

• Making effective decisions under pressure isn't about listing the pros and cons, but about working with how the brain works to weigh what really matters.  Crisis decision-making:  what's the worst that can happen?
• Attend the next wegg® wegginar® with John Yunker, co-founder of Byte Level Research on 12/3 at 11 AM CT when he discusses:  "Deglobalization & AI:  The Calm Before the Storm."  The program is free of charge to attend thanks to wegg's sponsors.
• Quote of the week:  "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." – John F. Kennedy
• Will your next sushi roll come from a lab?
• Why CEO turnover is rising in 2025.
• Cheers for a Happy Thanksgiving.

Never Regret Anything That Made You Smile

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile." – attributed to Mark Twain

Open Your Mind To: Tranquilizer (Oneohtrix Point Never - D.I.S.)

The Hamano Bag: Fame Can Come At Any Moment

©iStock/Sean Pavone

The new"'it" bag.

“It,” of course, is the black tote carried by Sanae Takaichi, the new prime minister of Japan. Officially called the Grace Delight Tote, but often referred to simply as the Sanae Tote, it is a leather bag large enough to fit an A4 file. A simple rectangle with a neat silver clasp at the top and handles long enough to carry over one shoulder or in the crook of an arm, it is made by Hamano, a Japanese “leather crafts” company founded in 1880 and based in Nagano (as shown).

Saori Masuda, the editor of 10 Magazine Japan, called it the “Asprey of Japan,” referring to the heritage London leather-goods house beloved of the British aristocracy. It is available in nine different color combinations and retails for 136,400 yen (about $880).

Check it out but you better brush up on your Japanese.

The Global Small Business Blog Averages 1.3 Million Views Over the Past 3 Months!

©iStock/ClusterX

There is a reason The Global Small Business Blog is ranked #1 in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global. 

We are averaging more than 300K views per month – sometimes pushing near the half a million mark.

So I want to thank you, dear reader, for letting me know when I am hitting the mark and when I missed.

It's a pleasure writing, curating and producing material specifically for all of you who have an interest in going global. 

Let's keep the engagement going! 

Happy Global Entrepreneurship Week from wegg®

©2025 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

Happy Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) which is an annual, international initiative that celebrates and supports entrepreneurs through a week of events, competitions, and activities held in November.

The week-long event runs for one week each November.  For 2025, it is November 17-23.  

It's an opportunity for aspiring founders, seasoned business owners, and other innovators to connect with mentors, collaborators, and fellow entrepreneurs.

Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global® (wegg®) shared its latest How She Went Global® podcast so the world can discover how a woman business owner takes a business global. 

Check out the offering for GEW here:  https://www.genglobal.org/events/how-she-went-globalr-podcast-produced-women-entrepreneurs-grow-global.  Go direct to wegg's website to listen to the podcast with Jackie Samuelson, Founder of Alpha Lady, LLC here.

Learn more about the Global Entrepreneurship Network.  Have fun!

Today in Global Small Business: Deglobalization & AI with John Yunker on 12/3 at 11 AM CT (wegginar)

©2025 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

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

• Attend the next wegg® wegginar® with John Yunker, co-founder of Byte Level Research on 12/3 at 11 AM CT when he discusses:  "Deglobalization & AI:  The Calm Before the Storm."  The program is free of charge to attend thanks to wegg's sponsors.
• Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global's 10-year anniversary on Thursday, November 6, 2025 in Chicago at the Tortoise Supper Club was a HUGE success.  Photos can be found here (courtesy of Lisa Miller Photography).  For those who couldn't attend and want to support the organization, go here.  Become a wegg® Angel!
• Quote of the week:  "Globalization is here to stay but not as we know it." – Guy Miller, Chief Market Strategist & Economist at Zurich Insurance
• David J. Lynch is worried about what happens next on globalization.
• Global shifts, or inflection points.
• The world as we know it is a product of globalization – and this era of globalization might be coming to a close.

Oh It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas!

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Strolling along in the Loyola University Chicago area of Rogers Park Lake Shore Campus.  Beautiful holiday decorations are already up for everyone to admire.  

Prosperity Through Global Entrepreneurship

©iStock/JHVEPhoto

Building on the momentum of MIT's 2025 conference, the MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship (KSC) will once again in 2026 bring together a dynamic community of entrepreneurs, policymakers, corporate leaders, academics, and investors from across Africa, Latin America, the Arab region, Central Asia, and South and Southeast Asia—regions defining the future of the global economy.

Discover more:  Innovation in Global Growth Markets: Prosperity through Entrepreneurship

Moving Factories From China to Elsewhere

©iStock/Bet_Noire

A trade truce between the United States and China has calmed nerves, but it won’t stop the broader movement of companies to countries like Vietnam.

When President Trump started a trade war with China during his first term, Simon Lichtenberg decided to ride it out. He owned factories making leather sofas in China since the 1990s and figured the two sides would resolve the dispute.

He doesn’t think that anymore. Mr. Lichtenberg invested around $20 million to move his factory for American clients to Vietnam this year. Now, not even the cease-fire Mr. Trump has reached with China has changed his outlook that deep-seated animosity between the countries has altered the economics of his business.

Read:  Why Factories Will Keep Looking for Alternatives to China

International Expansion Plan For Paris Pop-Up

©iStock/Elena Zolotova

The American brand founded by sisters-in-law Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard is moving into a 270-square-foot space fitted with picture frame moldings, curved brass hanging rails and a travertine table that wouldn’t look out of space in a Parisian interior.

With reason: the pop-up on the department store’s first floor, which runs through Dec. 8, is the opening play for the brand ahead of a permanent retail base in the City of Light, Veronica Beard president Stephanie Unwin said in an exclusive interview. 

Alaska Airlines Reshapes Its Identity Into a Globally Recognized Carrier

©iStock/OntheRunPhoto

Alaska Airlines (AS) is reshaping its identity from a West Coast staple into a globally recognized carrier. With its base at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), the airline’s network growth, new aircraft, and the Atmos Rewards program mark the next stage in its transformation.

The past year has redefined Alaska Airlines’ growth strategy. After acquiring Hawaiian Airlines, the Seattle-based group launched the unified Atmos Rewards loyalty program and a premium cobranded credit card, signaling a shift toward a more global brand identity.

Today in Global Small Business: A Guide to Expanding Your Business Globally

©iStock/Tippapatt

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

• A guide to expanding your business globally.
• Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global's 10-year anniversary on Thursday, November 6, 2025 was a HUGE success.  Photos coming soon – stay tuned.  For those who couldn't attend and want to support the organization, go here.  Become a wegg® Angel!
• Quote of the week:  "The limits of my language mean the limits of my world." – Ludwig Wittgenstein
• I took my company global this year. Here are 3 things I wish I did differently.
• Today, 78% of global companies are using AI in their daily operations. 
• Amazon takes low-cost e-commerce service global.

It's That Time: Marshall Field's Walnut Room Christmas Tree 2025

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

About the experience visiting the Walnut Room at Marshall Field's (now Macy's) in Chicago, Illinois.

"We would go have lunch in the Walnut Room and sit by that beautiful tree with those waitresses in their black dresses and their white aprons ... It just had such great memories this time of year."

"It was simply magic going to Fields during the Christmas season and eating lunch by the tree in the Walnut Room. No internet, no iPhones just people enjoying the company of other people. The memories are indelible."

"The cherry on top of it all was being able to get a seat right near the Christmas tree and feel a sense of peace and joy, basking in the warmth and glow of it all."

"We would always eat in the Walnut Room and somehow we always got a table that was so close to the tree that I felt I could reach and touch it." 

Learn more about the history.

Photo courtesy:  Laurel J. Delaney and taken on 11/7/25.

Global Corporate Sustainability Report 2025

©iStock/Khanchit Khirisutchalual

Corporate sustainability means integrating  environmental and social considerations into a company’s strategy, operations and disclosure. It fosters sound governance and decision-making, while helping investors better understand a company's long-term risks and opportunities.

The OECD Global Corporate Sustainability Report 2025 provides insights on how companies are implementing the sustainability-related recommendations of the G20/OECD Principles of Corporate Governance. These recommendations cover disclosure, shareholder-company dialogue, board responsibilities, and stakeholder engagement. 

Access report here.

President Trump Has Imposed the Highest Tariffs Since the Great Depression

©iStock/searagen

The tariffs at the heart of this week's Supreme Court case are raising tens of billions of dollars for the federal government. They're also costing consumers, frustrating businesses and hurting the manufacturers they're supposed to help.

About half those import taxes are being challenged this week at the U.S. Supreme Court as unconstitutional.

Does the President have a Plan B?

Dexter GBS CEO Fre Rammeloo Will Discuss Procurement and Global Supply Chain (wegginar® 11/5/25)

©Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

JOIN us today, November 5th at 11 AM CT for a wegginar® with Fre Rammeloo, CEO, Dexter GBS Inc.  To learn more and to register, visit: https://womenentrepreneursgrowglobal.org/2025/10/01/procurement-and-supply-chain-your-secret-growth-and-profitability-weapon/.

Some points that Fre will cover:

• Procurement: Ensure robust contracts with your suppliers and utilize them to support your business goals, financially and otherwise
• Supply Chain: A data driven, optimized supply chain does not only delight customers, it also prevents from incurring a lot of hidden, significant costs
• Growth: Savings in procurement and supply chain can fuel growth, from investment in pricing through to investment in clever technology including AI

Hope to see you there!   

Bryan Sansivero Photographs America's Abandoned Homes

©iStock/nathanaparise

For a decade, the New York-based photographer Bryan Sansivero has sought out forgotten, dilapidated homes across the United States — each with its own story to tell. Inside deserted clapboard farmsteads, palatial Antebellum-era plantation houses and maximalist Queen Anne-style structures, Sansivero has discovered many residences that were never emptied, offering a portal into another life.

Sansivero says, "I like the mystery of not knowing what you’re going to find."  Next, he's setting his sights overseas, exploring chateaus and castles in Europe whose histories can stretch back much further in time.

Discover Sansivero's work here.

Today in Global Small Business: Heated Electoral Contest in New York City Brought To You By S.N.L.

©iStock/PaulMcKinnon

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

• A satirical debate by S.N.L among the three major candidates for NY mayor, played by Miles Teller and two former “S.N.L.” hosts.  Oh what fun!
• The tactics used in Trump's deportation drive.
• Quote of the week:  "It is ridiculous to set a detective story in New York City. New York City is itself a detective story."  – Agatha Christie
• Strategic approaches for today's global market.
• Unlock international trade by managing global risk.
• How to support international expansion.  It starts by pushing boundaries.

You Know It's [the Day After] Halloween

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"You know it's [the day after] Halloween.  I guess everyone's entitled to one good scare." – Dr. Loomis in Halloween (1978)

A Model for Expanding Your Business Into Foreign Markets

©iStock/peshkov

Harvard Business Review, 5/17/24:  It used to be thought that globalization would flatten out cultural differences among countries and regions of the world, making it easier than ever for companies to move into foreign markets. 

According to a new study by the author [Joshua Conrad Jackson] and a colleague, however, cultural differences are greater today than they were 40 years ago, which explains why some major corporations have failed in their recent efforts to establish a foothold in new countries.

Companies need to adapt, the author argues, and to that end in this article he presents a general model for global leadership in the face of cultural divergence.

Is Global Trade Rewiring Without the United States?

©iStock/kvkirillov

The fragmentation of the global trade system is leading to the rise of new trade coalitions and corridors, said economists in a joint IMD-Hinrich Foundation webinar. 

The webinar discussed three overriding questions:

• Question 1: What have we gained and what have we lost?
• Question 2: What strategies are being deployed by economies?
• Question 3: What policy dilemmas lie ahead?

Find out the answers here.

Note:  We've hit more than 442,000 monthly readers at the Global Small Business Blog!

Success On Her Terms: "Finding Your True North" With Shelly Sun Berkowitz, CEO of Founder 2 Founder

©2025 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global unveils its newest and most exciting program yet!  "Success On Her Terms," a dynamic four-part series presented by Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global® in collaboration with Merrill’s Baldwin Marcovici Group and moderated by Alex Didac.

It is designed to spotlight high-potential, growth-stage women entrepreneurs who share their personal journeys and offer actionable insights on how to align purpose, people, and profit while building and scaling a business.

Join wegg® for the *first session* – Finding Your True North – in our four-part series on Tuesday, November 4th at 11 AM CT with Shelly Sun Berkowitz, founder and Executive Chair of BrightStar Care, a national home care franchise system she built over 20 years, scaled to over 400 locations, and led through a majority sale in 2025. 

Shelly now serves as CEO of her advisory firm, Founder 2 Founder, where she is helping other founders scale, sell, and secure their business legacies. Through her family office, Next Phase Capital (NPC), Shelly offers patient, values-aligned capital to franchise businesses. 

Shelly will be talking about clarity, resilience, and redefining success in a way that protects both your ambition and your well-being.

To learn more and to register (free of charge) for the first session that Shelly is kicking off, visit: https://womenentrepreneursgrowglobal.org/programs/success-on-her-terms/

I [Laurel Delaney] hope to see you there!  

Bracing for the World's Strongest Storm on the Planet in 2025: Hurricane Melissa

©iStock/Trifonov_Evgeniy

Three people have died already in Jamaica as it braces for the world's strongest storm this year - and possibly the strongest on record for the island - with US meteorologists warning of "catastrophic and life-threatening" conditions.

With wind speeds of up to 175mph (282km/h), Hurricane Melissa is a category five storm - the maximum strength. It is intensifying and expected to make landfall on the Caribbean island early on Tuesday, October 27, 2025.

Hurricane Melissa is now the strongest storm on the planet in 2025.

Today in Global Small Business: The Global Small Business Forum Turns 10 — and It’s More Powerful Than Ever!

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

• Photo collage from the super successful 10th Annual Global Small Business Forum held in Chicago on Thursday, October 24, 2025 – sponsored by Associated Bank and hosted by Foley & Lardner.
• How CEOs can play the long game in a shortsighted world.
• Quote of the week:  "When someone says, 'let's impose tariffs on foreign imports', it looks like they're doing the patriotic thing by protecting American products and jobs. And sometimes, for a short while it works, but only for a short time." Ronald Reagan (not exact order of how Reagan delivered this but they are his exact word)
• The 100 best books of the 21st Century.
• Many older Americans are financially comfortable but pessimistic about the economy because of their children’s struggles with jobs and affordability. Is the American economy doing that great?
• Punishing a country again ... President Donald Trump said on Saturday (10/25/25) that he plans to hike tariffs on imports of Canadian goods by an extra 10% because of an anti-tariff television ad aired by the province of Ontario.  Here's President Reagan's radio address from 1987 on Free and Fair Trade.

Eli's Cheesecake Company Celebrates the 10th Annual Small Business Forum in Chicago (10/24/25)

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

The best:  Eli's Cheesecake Company in celebration of the 10th Annual Global Small Business Forum (10/24/25).  Event supported by:  Associated Bank and Foley & Lardner.

Taylor Swift: Life of the Showgirl Explained (2025)

Together, Let's Go, Go, Go Global! Final Call for Tickets!

Join us in person tomorrow, Friday, October 24th in Chicago at the 10th Annual Global Small Business Forum, "Playing to Win in the Global Marketplace," hosted at Foley & Lardner and sponsored by Associated Bank – from 8:00-11:30 AM CT.

Why just look at this lineup of amazing speakers!

1. Ellen Wheeler, Partner and Litigation Attorney, Foley & Lardner LLP
2. Sebastien Villon, Managing Partner, BBInc
3. Jamie Shah, President, Chem-Impex International
4. Marc Schulman, President, The Eli's Cheesecake Company
5. Angie Kappel, VP, FX, Associated Bank
6. Ken Wasylik, Managing Director, E.M. Wasylik Associates
7. Mikę Sankowski, VP, FX, Associated Bank (Moderator)
8. Dave Shogren, President and Co-Owner, US International Foods, LLC
9. Ashley S.H. Moy, President, Cast21
10. Chris R. Straw, Founder and President, Team Quality Services
11. Richard Paullin, Executive Director, International Trade Association of Greater Chicago
12. Nancy McHenry, COO, Wigeteer 

They are going to rock the house with their knowledge and grit on what it takes to go global.  To learn more and to purchase tickets, visit: https://globalsmallbusinessforum.com/

I'll [Laurel Delaney] will be there.  Hope to see you, too!

Let's Make Sure Watchdogs Do Their Jobs

©iStock/cynoclub

Timing is everything.

Parisa Salehi, Export-Import Bank's Inspector General, was the kind of internal watchdog who had earned a strong reputation for digging up fraud, waste and abuse during her 15 years in government service. She had risen through the ranks at inspectors general offices at the State Department and U.S.A.I.D., eventually taking over internal investigations at the Export-Import Bank of the United States, where her office reported saving tens of millions of dollars.

But last week, she got a notice that President Trump had fired her, effective immediately. The reason she was given? A vague line about the administration’s changing priorities, according to two people familiar with the matter.

There's more.

Repeat: 50 Ways to Go Global

©iStock/Bjoern Wylezich

LOVE 💟 this old post from 2007:  50 Ways to Go Global!  You can see who is still around and who isn't.  Fascinating.  Lots of 404 errors but that is to be expected.  Check it out.  And we keep going! 

Today in Global Small Business: India's Biggest Holiday of the Year, Diwali Day

©iStock/StarLineArts

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

• Happy Diwali Day – Diwali, or Dipawali, is India's biggest and most important holiday of the year. May your days be as bright as the Diwali lights.
• No Kings movement – I [Laurel Delaney] participated in the Chicago gathering 10/18/25.
• The world can see the 'No Kings' nonviolent protests.
• The 'No Kings' movement proves how vulnerable Trump is.  Not by the event itself but by the attacks on it by Republicans (including Trump).
• Celebration of the week:  "Wishing you a very Happy Diwali! May this festival of lights bring you prosperity, health, love and good fortune." 
• Three weekend habits that are ruining your brain.

Showcasing the Most Beautiful City in the World: Chicago

 

Diverse • Innovative • World Class 

"In Chicago, we value unity over division.  Our city's beauty comes from its people, and we support policies that honor that." – Laurel Delaney

  

Photos courtesy of:  ©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.