Today in Global Small Business: Bonded Warehouses Are Seeing a Spike in Interest

©iStock/Smederevac

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

• With on-again, off-again tariff policies causing havoc, bonded warehouses are seeing a spike in interest. The facilities are located around the country, but they’re legally outside of U.S. Customs territory. 
• Max Harris, group head of strategy and sustainability at Associated British Ports, the largest ports operator in the United Kingdom, explains how the company is using tech to accelerate the energy transition across industrial sectors—and create new business models.
• Navigating the new tariff landscape.
• Quote of the week:  “Bonded warehouses are a vital part of the global economy, but many people don’t know what they are or what benefits they offer." – Unknown
• Tariffs:  What utilities leaders need to know.
• Seven key issues from President Trump's first 10 days and what's next.

The Joy It Brings Others

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

“A tulip blooms not for itself, but for the joy it brings to others.”

Accelerate Sustainable and Inclusive Growth Globally

©iStock/Alessandra Indino

"Our aspiration is to help accelerate sustainable and inclusive growth globally, and it’s a key metric by which we measure ourselves." – Bob Sternfels, Global managing partner, McKinsey & Company – download report.

Is a Luxury Boeing 747 Jet Gifted From Qatar to President Trump Going Too Far?

©iStock/LIVINUS

I don't know about all of you but I would prefer a big, beautiful new jet made in USA for Air Force One, no matter how long the wait.  After all, isn't there a BIG push for Made In America right now or am I missing something?  The latest is that Qatar wants to give a FREE Air Force One replacement valued at U.S. $400 million to President Trump.  No strings attached.  Got that?  

Yet, the Constitution prohibits federal officials from accepting things of value, or “emoluments,” from foreign governments without congressional approval.  

Democratic Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii said, "Schatz said "it really should go without saying, but no president should be accepting a $400 million gift from a foreign country. It is gross, it is reckless, it is corrupt, and the outrage and condemnation especially on the Republican side should be universal.”

What's your feeling?

Defer (Park) Tariffs For a While With a Foreign Trade Zone

©iStock/werny

The U.S. has roughly 260 foreign-trade zones (FTZs) that allow them to defer tariffs on imported goods and materials, for a while.  Think of it as parking your import in a tax-free foreign trade zone until you are ready to release it.  Good way to manage your cash flow.

Foreign trade zones and bonded warehouses are specially designated, secured storage or manufacturing sites approved by U.S. Customs that allow for the temporary avoidance of tariffs.

Since the start of Trump's trade war, more companies started looking to FTZs, and membership has surged to an all-time high.

Is the U.S. Looking to Hurt China?

©iStock/Rawf8

Under the new agreement, the US is reducing the "reciprocal" tariff on Chinese goods that it announced on "Liberation day" to 10%. But it said the higher levy rate was being suspended for 90 days, rather than removed permanently.

The US is also keeping in place the extra 20% tariff aimed at putting pressure on Beijing to do more to curb the illegal trade in fentanyl, a powerful opioid drug.

Is the U.S. looking to hurt China?

Today in Global Small Business: The Global Small Business Blog Is Now Home to Pope Leo XIV

©iStock/Jorisvo

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

• Pope Leo XIV delivers his first Sunday blessing.  The Global Small Business Blog is now home to Pope Leo.  Added note:  Pope Leo grew up in Dolton, Illinois just a couple of miles from where I [Laurel Delaney] was born and raised, Riverdale, Illinois.  So one could say I now have a direct line to the Pope. 
• How small businesses are handling tariffs (Forbes) and I [Laurel Delaney] am delighted to be included.
• We hope everyone had a very special Mother's Day.  Want to know where all the flowers came from?
• Quote of the week:  “I enjoy relaxing with friends and meeting a broad range of different people. Different people can greatly enhance our lives.” – Pope Leo XIV (2025)
• U.S. and China reach an important consensus.
• A rubber duck museum is migrating to Canada to stay afloat.  Tariff troubles.

Who Believes in Angels?

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Elton John and Brandi Carlile – Who Believes in Angels? Stories from the edge of creation.

Is the U.S. Administration Being Fair Minded?

©iStock/Jacob Wackerhausen

Steven L. Taylor discusses what anti-DEI really ends up meaning.  In it, he says:

I also want to acknowledge how tired I am that people like myself who are inclined to be fair-minded, find themselves in a debate with an administration that has no interest in being fair-minded, but rather wants to play semantic games that ignore the consequences of their actions.

Read his interesting commentary here.

The Best of Sting (Music)

Women Are Making a Lasting Impact on the Global Stage

©iStock/Jacob Wackerhausen

At SUCCESS® magazine, their reach extends worldwide, and they are proud to honor women from diverse backgrounds and industries who are making a lasting impact on the global stage.

In a world where we are experiencing so much change politically, economically, socially and in the consumer marketplace, there’s one constant that keeps us going: women.

Women are using their platforms to advocate for important causes, drive meaningful change and provide solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues. From launching international businesses to leading grassroots campaigns, the women featured in SUCCESS' 2025 Women of Influence are demonstrating that leadership knows no borders. Their influence is felt across continents, and their impact is shaping the future of industries, communities and societies around the world.

Check out SUCCESS' 2025 Women of Influence.  Be inspired.

Marcy McKenna Demystifies Live Shopping (wegginar® 5/7/25)

©Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

Think Live Shopping is for you and your business?  Find out from the pro Marcy McKenna, Founder and CEO, The Live Shopping Academy, when she discusses, "Live Shopping Demystified:  Unlock the Hidden Power of Today's Fastest Growing eCom Marketing Strategy," Wednesday, May 7th at 11 AM CT.

Here's what you can expect:

• Discover the five biggest reasons ecommerce brands are diving into live shopping in record numbers.
• Find out if your product is right for live shopping and what the potential could be for your bottom line.
• Learn the hidden benefits of live shopping that you can start taking advantage of today
• Get step-by-step guidance for getting started with live shopping.

About Marcy

Marcy McKenna is an accomplished product innovator and entrepreneur having successfully designed, developed, marketed and launched over 40 products via live shopping, ecommerce and big box retail.

With over 14 years of experience in the Live Shopping space–both as a brand on HSN, QVC, and Amazon, and as a product spokesperson/influencer on today’s most popular live commerce platforms, Amazon Live, Pinterest TV, Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Grommet Live, etc., Marcy has seen firsthand the power live shopping can bring to product based businesses, both big and small. With that in mind, she recently created and launched The Live Shopping Academy with the goal of teaching ecommerce brands, Amazon Sellers and product entrepreneurs how to harness the power of Live Shopping to build their brands to heights never before thought possible.  And there's more ...

To register (free of charge) for this extremely popular wegginar®, visit here.

Today in Global Small Business: The Economic Impact of Tariffs and Global Trade on Business

©iStock/Stanislav Gvozd

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

• Tariffs and global trade:  the economic impact on business.
• By declaring a trade war on the rest of the world, President Donald Trump has panicked global financial markets, raised the risk of a recession and broken the political and economic alliances that made much of the world stable for business after World War II.  Is it a sign of dominance or weakness?
• South Korean exports show signs of weakness and global trade tensions.
• Quote of the week:  “The benefits of a tariff are visible. Union workers can see they are "protected." The harm which a tariff does is invisible. It's spread widely. There are people that don't have jobs because of tariffs but they don't know it." – Milton Friedman
• U.S. showed signs of weakness even before trade tensions escalated.
• A look at U.S. exports to China 2025.

Flowers Don't Tell

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Flowers don't tell, they show." – Stephanie Skeem

About Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney

©iStock/Captured by Keeleigh

What I have learned so far from Mark Carney is that Trump will not be adding Canada, Greenland or Panama to the US Territory anytime soon.  He also said Canada would "never" yield to the United States as he declared victory in federal elections early Tuesday, April 29, 2025. 

A little bit about Mark Carney.

Cheers! Happy National Small Business Month!

©iStock/EyeEm Mobile GmbH

It's time to celebrate National Small Business Month.  May is a month to applaud and recognize the contributions of small businesses to the economy. And right now, they (myself included) are experiencing a tough time due to our current economic environment.  Yet, because we are hard working, fierce, resilient and brave, we are the backbone of our economy.

Despite having a challenging time to find something uplifting to report out on relative to small businesses, I thought this post by the Export-Import Bank of the United States is perfect.  It talks about beer (that's where the cheers come in) and how craft brewers can go global with government support.  Yes, you read that right.

Check it out here.  Cheer's to all of us – global small businesses – for navigating extremely turbulent waters right now.  There is no other choice than to come up with creative solutions and keep moving forward.