Meet 300 Visionaries Who Have Transformed Business and Society

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While the ongoing global pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have taken a toll on the European market, these 300 honorees remain positive:  Some 80% of listees believe the European economy is ripe for entrepreneurship, and collectively they’ve raised more than $2 billion in funding for their ventures—more than double the amount raised by last year’s honorees. 

These entrepreneurs join past Under 30 game-changers including singer-songwriter Adele, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, actress Cynthia Erivo and athlete Marcus Rashford. Some of this year’s listers are already household names, like Simone Ashley, who played Kate Sharma in the second season of Netflix’s hit series Bridgerton. 

The list?  Here you go.

Will Your Global Small Business Outlast This Crisis?

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USA Today says:

"Congress will decide whether your small business lives or dies. That’s not an exaggeration. What Congress does now, in the stimulus bill agreed on by the Senate and White House (but not yet passed by the House) to combat the coronavirus outbreak, determines whether millions of small businesses, including yours, will outlast this crisis."

Business Insider says:

"What to know about the $300 billion-plus for small businesses in the stimulus bill, and how founders will be able to apply for emergency funds."

Forbes says:

"A deal was reached in the Senate early this morning to inject approximately $2 trillion dollars into the U.S. economy, after days of negotiations and two failed votes.  The third and final economic stimulus package includes funds for direct payments to individuals and financial assistance to businesses.

The provisions for small businesses total $350 billion dollars, short of the $500 billion that Speaker Nancy Pelosi detailed in the House’s version of the stimulus package yesterday.  The bill will now move to the House for approval."

The New York Times reports:

"The largest economic stimulus measure in modern history would authorize direct payments to taxpayers and loans to small businesses, and create a $500 billion corporate bailout fund."

5 Successful and Impactful Social Enterprises

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According to Lilach Bullock, a contributor to Forbes, below is a look at some of the world’s top social enterprises that you should keep an eye on in 2019.

First though, you need a definition of what constitutes a social enterprise.

Social enterprises and their networks are popping up all over the world; basically, they practice a hybrid model that uses business solutions to make a positive impact on the world.

Read more about 5 top innovative and impactful social enterprises for 2019.

Improve Your Bottom Line Via Exports

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Geri Stengel, president of Ventureneer, writes a great piece for Forbes on How Exporting Can Improve Your Bottom Line.  We are honored to have been a key part of the article and especially grateful to see a mention of our favorite nonprofit, Women Entrepreneurs GROW Global (disclosure:  Laurel Delaney serves as President of WEGG, which is a 501(c)3 organization).

Thank you Geri Stengel!

Read more here.

Why Expanding Overseas Is Inevitable

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As co-authors Dennis May and Michael Evans state, "Expanding your business overseas is not for the fainthearted, but for most businesses it will be inevitable as global markets offer greater opportunities for growth. By paying attention to details and outsourcing administrative functions, the difficult job of “going global” can produce great results."

Read their article at Forbes, 10 Key Steps to Expanding Your Business Globally, where they discuss preparing a gap analysis, developing a tactical project plan with commit dates, determining your sales methodology and more.

Tell Stories at a Global Scale

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Carrier Kerpen, a contributor at Forbes, interviews Sonia Carter, Head of Digital and Social Media Marketing for Mondelez Europe on her podcast, “All The Social Ladies.”

Here are a few insights from her interview with Sonia:

1. Cast a wider net.
2. Tell your stories at [global] scale.
3. Disseminate your learning globally.

Each point comes with its own takeaway.  On No. 3, for example, the takeaway is:

Use what you learn from the successes and failures of your campaign to inform the rest of your business across global markets.

Read the entire article:  3 Sweet Tips From the Lady Behind Cadbury's Social Media Success

How to Achieve Faster and Bigger Global Growth in 2014

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David Malpass, a contributor to Forbes, lists five steps which would materially improve the global growth outlook in 2014.

Read:  Five Big Steps Toward Faster Global Growth

100 Best Websites for Entrepreneurs: The Global Small Business Blog is On the List

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Forbes brings you the first annual list of FORBES 2013 100 Best Websites For Entrepreneurs and The Global Small Business Blog made the list. Whether you’re seeking advice on going global, scaling your business or looking for general industry insight, these sites, according to Forbes, are worth reading.

There are websites to help market your startup (Duct Tape Marketing) and think about taking it international (Global Small Business Blog). There are news sources and newsletters, as well as a bunch of question-and-answer forums (Stack Overflow, Quora, Reddit) to address the most specific entrepreneurial demands. Present, too, are sites like Startup Lawyer, which can help founders address the legalities of starting up.

 100 Best Websites for Entrepreneurs - Forbes

Where Did Your Bacon and Eggs Come From This Morning?

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According to Joel Backaler, a contributor to Forbes, Chinese companies go global because of government encouragement as well as business necessity.  He goes on to say, "However, it takes more than international ambitions alone to succeed in developed markets."

The article, the first in a six-part series, begins with:

What did you eat for breakfast this morning? You may be surprised to learn which country it came from…or at least who owns the company that made it. If you had bacon and eggs and live in the U.S., you likely ate Smithfield Foods’ bacon—now owned by China’s Shuanghui International after its $4.7 billion acquisition of the Virginia-based pork producer in September 2013. If you live in the U.K., perhaps you ate a bowl of Weetabix cereal, which was acquired in May 2012 by China’s Bright Food for £1.2 billion (approximately $1.9 billion).

Read the entire article:  Why Do Companies Want to Go West?

How to Go Global Without Breaking the Bank

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Entrepreneur-advisor-investor Dave Feinleib, contributor to Forbes, gives his take -- seven rules -- for expanding globally without going broke.

Going global has the potential to increase revenue. It also has the potential to become an immense distraction.  Yet customers from around the world will find your company online. That means you’ll be a global company before you know it.

Read the entire article here.

Why We Need Global Entrepreneurs

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Members of the World Entrepreneurship Forum -- one of the most influential global networks of business owners, social entrepreneurs and industry experts -- share their advice on which countries are the most entrepreneurial friendly around the globe, and which are those most likely to stifle even the most promising new company.

Learn outcomes here and published by Forbes. 

Full disclosure:  I am a charter member of the World Entrepreneurship Forum

Global Entrepreneurship: Born Out of Necessity?

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What really drives economic growth?  Many think its entrepreneurship and that entrepreneurship the world over is oftentimes driven by necessity.

But according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor:

... economic growth is not driven by these “necessity” entrepreneurs, who decrease in number as the economy develops. The key to fostering growth is to support “opportunity” entrepreneurs, who choose to start new enterprises in response to market needs.

Read this intriguing article, "Does Entrepreneurship Drive Economic Growth? - Megacities - Opportunities at Urban Edges" published by Forbes.

Related piece:  "Do Entrepreneurs in the Developing World Fuel Economic Growth?"

Stuck on Where to Offshore? Get Unstuck.

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Take a look at the top ten countries for offshoring -- according to Forbes.com.

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

World: Work Past 100

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Wishing one of my favorite global execs, Warren Buffett, the best ever 80th birthday.

Forbes on Warren Buffett

Posted by: Laurel Delaney, The Global Small Business Blog

P.S. I still keep thinking that Bill Gates will take over Berkshire Hathaway someday!

Revolutionizing Cycling on a Global Basis

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Can bicycling promote Third world development?

Frederick K.W. Day recalls his first long car ride in Zambia in 2006. "We're looking out the window and we keep seeing bike carcasses piled up alongside the road," he says. "It was like something out of The Andromeda Strain."

Find out what Day does as a result here.

Moral of story? Build a better bike and then teach them how to make it for themselves.
Visit Scram.


Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

Rev Up Your Export Engines: Global Expansion Is Where It's At for Small Businesses

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The light at the end of the tunnel is ... exports that take your business global.

By the way, you'll catch this in the article but ... vital day-to-day business survival techniques can include exporting.

Read more here with this thoughtful primer on how it's time to go global.

WANTED: America's Most Promising Company

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Is your business a diamond in the rough? Exceptional characteristics ... future potential ... but lacks the final touches to make it shine brilliantly throughout the world? Well then here's your chance to be discovered BIG time.

Forbes is assembling a list of America's Most Promising Companies for all investors, vendors and customers to see.

To find these gems, they are offering a comprehensive FREE self-assessment survey that captures the potential of a small business from all angles, as a professional investor would look at it. The idea is that companies that score high theoretically have a better shot at raising money -- and ultimately reaching their potential -- than those that don't.

Benefits to YOU for completing the survey:

• A few high scorers will have the opportunity to raise additional capital.
• All those who submit surveys will be given a 12-category qualitative snapshot of how their business stacks up to an ideal business in their industry, and at a similar stage of development.
• Some participants will have the opportunity to get a makeover from a self-made titan in their industry.
• Those who make the America's Most Promising Companies list will be given license to use the Forbes America's Most Promising Companies logo on their marketing materials.
• Taking their survey will challenge entrepreneurs to think more critically about their business and its prospects.

Deadline: Friday, July 17th -- close of business.

Get discovered. Take survey here.

Have Ones Entrepreneurship and Innovate Too?

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According to Forbes reporter Sramana Mitra, entrepreneurship and innovation don't always go hand in hand -- at least not in India.

Read more here and weigh in with your comments.

And if you have a moment, pay a visit to Sramana's blog.