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

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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.

Tariff Crazy

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Trump announced on February 27, 2025 that proposed tariffs on 25% on Canada and Mexico will be implemented on March 4 after a month-long postponement. The president said that these countries had not sufficiently reduced the flow of drugs across the border.

Additionally, Trump also said that China, which already faces 10% U.S. tariffs on its products, “will likewise be charged an additional 10% Tariff on that date.” 

Read more about what it is like to be tariff crazy and how it impacts the global economy, especially in the Asia-Pacific markets.

Have a Global Point of View

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According to Talk Business, the global scene is diverse, offering a wide pool of ideas, perspectives, and talents you can explore besides opening your business to a larger potential customer base. Leverage this diversity by embracing it. How? Start by making your team more diverse so you can have a more global point of view.

Do that and here are a couple of other pointers that can help you be more competitive in the global market. 

Today in Global Small Business: Exporting Opens Up Whole New Revenue Streams

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

• North Carolina exports billions of dollars in goods and services to the world each year. For small business, it can open up whole new revenue streams to keep them afloat in down economic times.
• Open banking is creating new possibilities for businesses that want to reach a global market.
• Small and medium-sized businesses in Latin America can find it difficult to get the funds they need to export their goods to the United States. It’s a gap Marco Financial is looking to bridge through its tech-enabled risk assessment platform that can provide better insight on who should receive loans.
• Quote of the week:  “Business expands in proportion to one's courage to go global" – Laurel J. Delaney
• How to MacGyver Your First Export by Laurel J. Delaney.
• The State Star Award is given to someone who exhibits exemplary performance, makes a significant contribution to his or her SBDC program and shows a strong commitment to helping small businesses grow; it goes to Kevin Kim at Illinois SBDC/ITC.

How to Streamline and Increase Collaboration For Your Global Small Business

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If you want to learn a project’s status without having to hop on a call or schedule yet another meeting, productivity software may be the answer.

During the pandemic, productivity and collaboration tools became essential for companies transitioning their staff from in-person to remote work. The global market for collaborative software is expected to grow 17% in 2021 and keep trending upward in 2022.

These tools can help global small businesses improve communication and increase productivity.

Translators Are Moving the Global Economy Forward

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Out of the world’s 7.5 billion residents, only 20 percent or about 1.5 billion speak English. Companies can’t rely on machine translations to reach the other 80%.

That’s why content translators have emerged as key contributors to the global economy. Without their contributions, technology would be siloed by more than the type of device or service availability. As a result, the global market for outsourced language services and technology has understandably ballooned to more than $46 billion and goes far beyond selling apps or streaming services.

Translators are moving the global economy forward, from remote corners of the world.  Discover how they are doing it and why it is important.

Is There a Lack of Confidence in the Global Market?

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In the UK, nearly a third of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) delayed their investment plans in the third quarter as a result of uncertainty in the EU.

“Ongoing macro-economic issues, such as a potential 'Grexit' [referred to as Greek exit] and a lack of confidence in the global economy, as well as national challenges, such as less friendly dividend tax rules introduced in George Osborne’s Summer Budget, appear to have contributed to a drop in the Smith & Williamson Enterprise Index to 114.4, five points lower than its record high of 119.4 three months ago,” said Guy Rigby, head of entrepreneurial services at Smith & Williamson.

One other finding:

“87% of SME owners [in the UK] thought the government should provide more support to help businesses export,” said Stephen Drew, head of international services at Smith & Williamson.

Read more:  Third of small businesses delay investment plans over EU uncertainty

How to Disrupt the Online Pathway to Purchase

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James Lenehan, founder of Donnybrook, Ireland-based Reep Rewards, tells how he quit his job as a corporate solicitor to become a high-tech entrepreneur.

Reep Rewards, established in 2013, is a mobile app that offers discounts and cash back to loyal customers.  It has already had over 80,000 downloads.

Here how the app works:

"Shoppers simply go to the Apple or Android app store and download the free Reep Reward app. This then allows them view a host of special offers which retailers - mostly supermarkets - from all over the country have uploaded. The app then entitles them to avail of savings on these promotional items which, in some cases, can be as much as 25pc-50pc off the original product price," explains James.

Welcome to the special-offer instant world of online and mobile.  Brands are now realizing they have an opportunity to disrupt shoppers on what is called their "pathway to purchase."

Read more ... Reaping the benefits of customer loyalty with sights on global market

The Intuit Quickbook Interview: Why Small Businesses Are Poised To Expand Big Time Overseas

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Below I discuss seven questions with Suzanne Kearns for Intuit Quickbooks:

1. How much in U.S. goods gets exported each year, and has that figure increased in recent years?
2. Are there indicators that show when a small business is ready for global trade?
3. How should business owners determine which markets to expand in?
4. What are some things business owners can do to attract foreign buyers to their website?
5. How should business owners handle foreign currency transactions?
6. What should small business owners know about shipping products overseas?
7. Where can business owners learn about customs duties and foreign taxes?

Read the interview: Can Your Small Business Expand to a Global Market?

Please Join Me in Utah on September 24th For an Export Readiness Discussion

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For those who are in the area, please join me on September 24th in Utah for the Utah Global Forum where I will be speaking on how to get export ready.

Any company leader with an intent in growing or starting their company in exporting should attend the Utah Global Forum (UGF), presented by Governor Gary R. Herbert. UGF is Utah’s premiere international event organized to connect Utah business owners with the global market and to showcase what makes Utah great for foreign investors. The event will attract a broad domestic and international business audience and will inspire attendees to start or increase global trade and investment. The forum will be held Sept. 24 in the Salt Palace, Grand Ballroom. 

For more information and to register, visit:

GlobeTrade Founder to Speak on Increasing Exports at Utah Global Forum

eBay: Fight For Growth in Asia Is Just Beginning

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Will eBay make it in China?

The company argues that what matters is making money, and that it is building a much more viable business by exploiting its lead in the global market.

Is that all that matters in terms of running a global business: making money?

Well eBay plans to focus on that and reinventing its China business by helping local companies sell to consumers overseas.

Read the entire article here.