Pleasing an Audience of One: DJT

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Gifting all of you this article from The New York Times and reported by Ana Swanson (from Washington).

Many employees believe Mr. Lutnick is focused on an audience of one: the man he refers to as “DJT.” Mr. [Howard] Lutnick often speaks of the president’s intuition, wisdom and prescience; has boasted of having regular Friday night dinners with Mr. Trump; and describes any day that he speaks to the president as a “good day.”

Access entire article here.

We all hope Mr. Trump takes a less aggressive approach to tariffs for the business owners who have built their businesses around international business.

5 Trailblazing Women Building Global Enterprises (wegginar® 3/10/25)

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

Celebrating Women's History Month at Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global with a special wegginar® Monday, March 10, 2025 at 11 AM CT – "5 Trailblazing Women Building Global Enterprises."

Join us as we spark a conversation around what it takes to start, run and grow a global enterprise. I will be moderating an esteemed panel of 5 titan trailblazers:

1. Debra Dudley, Founder and President, Oscarware, Inc.
2. Coni Lefferts, Founder and President, Creative Packaging Solutions
3. Wendy Shen, President and CEO, FLOMO/Nygala Corp.
4. Susanne Evens, Founder and CEO, AAA Translation
5. Candice Tal, Founder and CEO, Infortal Worldwide.

The fearless five will discuss:

• 🌎  Factors to consider BEFORE you start an international business.
• 🌎  Challenges faced (including risks) when entering into new overseas markets.
• 🌎 The importance of pivoting when economic conditions lend itself to.
• 🌎 Advice for aspiring globalists.
• 🌎 How to ensure cultural sensitivity in translations.
• 🌎 How to trust international business partners.
• 🌎 Success, what it is and what it means for each.
• 🌎 +More!

We welcome you to join in the dialogue and come with your questions. We will have open mic time.

Can't wait to see you.  Be ready to learn golden nuggets from these (amazing) trailblazing women  business owners.

To learn more and to register free of charge, visit: https://bit.ly/4huOfwV

Hosted by Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  Sponsored by: Associated Bank, FedEx, APCO, LuxLined, SciAps Inc., FLOMO/Nygala Corp. and VISA.

Giving Students Real-World International Business Experience

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The Knauss School of Business course International Management Consulting was designed with one specific goal in mind: give students real-world international business experience — right from home.

How? By working with San Diego-based businesses that are expanding into global markets. The course was uniquely created in response to the challenges of global mobility during the pandemic, and offers an immersive, hands-on experience with actual clients, company data and global industry statistics.

Lisa Bamford Discusses Going Rogue: When Creativity Drives International Business (wegginar® 2/5)

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

Join Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global® for their next informative and engaging wegginar®, "Going Rogue:  When Creativity Drives International Business," with Lisa Bamford, Director of Global Marketing and Business Development at Sciencix, a manufacturer for analytical laboratory instruments used in medical research.

About Lisa Bamford:

The first season of Lisa Bamford's career unfolded in Nashville, TN in the music and entertainment business, including concert tours, recording sessions, and performances at the Grand Ole Opry. After losing her father to cancer, Lisa pivoted to the field of medical research laboratories, which would eventually lead her to Sciencix.

In 2023, Sciencix was honored at the White House as the U.S. SBA’s National Exporter of the Year winner for excellent support to laboratories in over 100 countries. In 2024, Sciencix received the Governor’s Excellence Award from the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina for notable international business growth that expanded the state’s global presence and ecosystem. Lisa then went back to Washington, D.C. to receive the President’s “E” Award by the U.S. Department of Commerce for her strategies to generate international business growth.

Lisa holds a Bachelor of Music from Meredith College, post graduate studies in Education and Pedagogy from Belmont University, and a Master of Science from Grand Canyon University. She is President of the NC World Trade Association Triangle Chapter, is a statewide board member of the NCWTA, and serves on the Statewide Advisory Board for the Small Business & Technology Development Center.

Here's what she will discuss during her wegginar:

• How to Turn “Oh, No!” Into “What If?”
• Combine Creative and Analytical Thinking to Fill in Unexpected Gaps
• Don’t Overlook the Humanity in International Business
• And more!

To learn more and to register, visit here.  The program is free of charge thanks to generous sponsors as noted on the graphic.

Today in Global Small Business: Making the Case For International Expansion

©iStock/Nuthawut Somsuk

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

• Making the case for international expansion.
• How businesses can overcome barriers to international expansion.
• Quote of the week: "Development isn’t charity.  It’s one of the smartest investments we can make in our shared future – in our security and our prosperity.” – President Barack Obama
• Walmart bets on international business to drive growth in China and Mexico.
• Why the world comes to Georgia and stays.
• Six reasons to expand your business internationally.

How to Break Into Global Business

©iStock/Francesco Scatena

There are three initial phases to launch into international business. The article below breaks out the steps of each phase, including a rough timeline of how long you can expect each phase to take.  From research and planning, to making initial trips to your target countries, expect to spend six months to several years preparing for this exciting new facet of your company.

Ask yourself:  Why sell your product or service to international markets?  Take an honest appraisal of your business and yourself.  Are you ready?

Stay Away From Bribes in International or Any Business

©iStock/Atstock Productions

In 2021, Deutsche Bank agreed to pay $130 million largely to settle allegations that it violated laws against bribery by using middlemen and hiding its payments to them as part of a global effort to win business.

Let me repeat the key part of what they did wrong:  They violated laws against bribery by using middlemen and hiding its payments to them as part of a global effort to win business.

Read on to learn more – about what a bribe is, about the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), how to stay clear of trouble and what you should do if you are part of a bribe.

The Rewards of Cross-Border Trade

©iStock/Jovanmandic

There are challenges to overcome in international business but there are also enormous rewards when you make progress.

The first thing you need to do is prioritize when expanding abroad.  For instance, focus on important issues like tax, customs, and the necessary infrastructure to deliver goods on time and keep customers happy. 

In this article, the authors look at why expansion is a good choice, and how automation can help you expand successfully.  They also offer a guide.

Today in Global Small Business: Solo Businesses Are Brought Into the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

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

• The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2018/2019 have put a stake in the ground with their entrepreneurship studies by incorporating solo businesses into their research on entrepreneurial ecosystems.
• Who cares what Trump wants from global trade.
• Quote of the week: “Gratitude is not the greatest of virtues, it is the parent of all others.” – Marcus Tullius Cicero
• China's manufacturing is back in expansion mode.
• Shoppers ring up record Thanksgiving sales online; Black Friday’s (11/29/19) tally to exceed $7 billion, Adobe says.
• Why Small Business Saturday is more important than Black Friday (to UK folks).

Today in Global Small Business: It Can Take 5 Minutes to Ruin Your Reputation

©iStock/enotmaks

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

• Google has announced an upgrade to CallJoy, the automated, cloud-based telephone customer service agent first debuted back in May.
• In international business, recognize that roles must evolve.
• Quote of the week: “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” – Warren Buffett
• Roku is firmly established in the U.S. and it is also available in seven countries in the Americas, but its international expansion is just beginning – and that's where the company's biggest opportunity lies.
• The 2019 holiday e-commerce outlook for small businesses.
• One day, $38 billion in sales.  Who did that?

Let Us Introduce You to Staten Island, New York (USA)

©iStock/Lindrik

Beyond the Ferry Business to Business Expo, a new collaboration between the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce and KDDI/Telehouse -- will introduce global businesses to the borough on June 23, 2016 at the Teleport in Bloomfield.  The focus is on:

• Introducing national and international businesses to Staten Island.
• Providing a local networking opportunity for small businesses across Staten Island.
• Adding value for attendees with breakout sessions and guest speakers.

To learn more, visit:  Expo to introduce global companies to Staten Island

Map a Strategy Before Going Global

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

What are the opportunities and pitfalls to going global?  Which markets are best to go after?  How does one develop a strategy?  All these questions plus more are addressed by a handful of experts on international business during a panel discussion at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Center.

Find out what they had to say here.

One major quick takeaway:  Always have an exit strategy.

Give Your Head of International Business a Raise

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Why should you give your head of international business a raise?  I suggest that only if you are interested in taking on the world with your business and beating out your competitors.  If that is the case, spark some life into your international business -- revitalize it!  That's what Orbitz is doing.

Just three days after Orbitz Worldwide’s latest CFO left the building for good, the company quietly gave the head of its international businesses his second raise in less than six months.

Find out why here.

We're Fun and We Cover International Business

According to Adam Wooten, under the global small business category, we are one of his favorite international business columnists and bloggers.

Galileo was right; the world does not revolve around me or anyone like me. By a long shot, mine is not the only column on international business, marketing, language and culture. In fact, I would like to share a list of seven of my favorite global business columnists and bloggers who write fun and informative articles on these topics.

Learn more about all seven here.

A big thank you to Adam for including us!

Make Your Website International Ready

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Here's how.

Our friend and colleague, Anita Campbell, over at the popular Small Business Trends, writes a piece commissioned by UPS entitled:

How to Make Your Website Ready for International Business

Be sure to read it.

Related resource that may be of interest:  The Best Global Websites and Why (Q&A)

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

The United States of Small Businesses

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America's 5th Annual Small Business Summit is underway this week and already we learned that one of the breakout sessions focused on how to do business internationally. Interestingly enough, the moderator for that session, Leslie Schweitzer, is a friend and colleague of mine. She serves as one of our many talented contributors on Women Entrepreneurs GROW Global (WEGG) which The Global Small Business Blog sponsors. Additionally, she was a panelist in Chicago a couple of years ago when I moderated a discussion on the very same subject of going global.

Great quote from Leslie:

One of the misconceptions of trade is that the only beneficiaries of trade are large companies, and that's not true. 97% of international traders are small businesses.

Read more about what went on during the international business session here.

Sweet Deals Are Being Done Globally

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Hershey Co. agreed to buy Barry Callebaut AG's Van Houten consumer chocolate business in Asia (Singapore), an acquisition that would give the U.S. candy maker a greater presence overseas as its seeks to diversify its mainly domestic operations. Barry Callebaut is considered the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate products

The deal with Barry Callebaut may also signal a willingness by Hershey to continue to grow abroad via similar pacts

Read more here. Barry Callebaut news release here.

A Perfect 8.3 = GREAT

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Happy to hear The Global Small Business Blog (GSBB) received an 8.3 score out of 10 in the Business/International Business category at Blogged.com. The rating is based on the following criteria:

• Frequency of updates.
• Relevance of content.
• Site design.
• Writing style.

Ms. Amy Liu at Blogged notified us last night and said, "This is quite an achievement. Please accept my congratulations on a blog well-done!"

We are honored and thrilled about receiving this exciting award! Many thanks to the folks at Blogged for including us. It just puts more wind behind our sails. At Technorati, our rank is #137,774 out of 112.8 million blogs!

By the way ... we are currently working on a site redesign.

The Translation Quoting Process

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International business is hardly an instant gratification activity. Many firms are often in contact with prospective clients for years before they are privileged with their patronage.

Find out more here.

International Business Multiculturalism and the Internet

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Lots of good stuff here.