Start Rowing

Photo credit: Laurel J. Delaney, President, GlobeTrade.com

“Only the guy who isn't rowing has time to rock the boat.” ~ Jean-Paul Sartre

Enjoy your weekend.

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

A Smarter City Vision: Ho Chi Minh

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Follow the progress of all IBM Corporate Service Corps teams.

On this one, Michele Grieshaber shares her team's vision: Ho Chi Minh City

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog (a GlobeTrade.com company)

Banks on Wheels: Bankmobiles

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Instead of Good Humor or Bookmobile trucks, in this case we have what are called Good Mobile Bank trucks ... and they are doing a whole lot more good for so many people who need access to capital in remote parts of the world.

Read more about this here. This bank "gets it."

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

KFC's Parent Company Conquers the World

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What's mightier or bigger than McDonald's? KFC's parent company, Yum! Brands, which also owns Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, has earned the exclamation mark on which it insists as the world's largest restaurant company -- is poised to grow fast in China, Russia and India.

With 37,000 restaurants in 110 countries, Yum! even eclipses that more famous icon of American colonization, McDonald's, to rank as the world's largest restaurant chain in terms of numbers of outlets.

Read more here.

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

Open to International Investors: Indonesia

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Why is Indonesia so ripe to international investment opportunities?

Indonesia has a very positive story to tell -- for openers, its economy is on track to hit $1 trillion in GDP by 2014. The country is the third-largest democracy in the world and it is in a demographic sweet spot -- half its population is under 30.

Read more on why Indonesia might be a good place to invest or export to -- here.

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

Flags of the World

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The Central Intelligence Agency does a magnificent job featuring flags of the world. You absolutely must check it out. Great history lesson.

In addition, they publish and update The World Factbook, world leaders, CIA maps and publications and so much more.

It's worth a nice long visit. Go here for more education.

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

Be Open to Possibilities in Our World

Photo credit: Laurel J. Delaney (Chicago skyline extraordinaire -- current weather here)

The sky is the daily bread of the eyes ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

Why a Franchise Company Should Go Global

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The article, "Why Go Global? Compelling Reasons to Expand Internationally," outlines key steps for marketing a franchise organization in other countries, and examines a few simple reasons for going global.

Go here to read the entire article.

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

No Excuses, Just Export Results

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Now there's absolutely no excuses for not learning how to export. There are a number of training opportunities available to both companies who are new to exporting and companies who are experienced exporters.

Check them out here.

Do Not Fear the Globalization of Higher Education

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The new global brain race is intensely competitive.

Read all about it here.

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

SBA's Podcasts on Small Business Exports

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The SBA offers podcast feeds on a range of small business topics. You can listen to these files on your computer or download them to your MP3 player and take them with you.

A few offer tips on exporting. Example:

Exporting to BahrainFeaturing Nabeel A. Rahman al-Mamood, Bahrain Chamber of Commerce
Bahrain is encouraging U.S. small business to explore exporting. This Middle Eastern country does business in English and is looking to expand imports in a variety of industry sectors.
( Transcript )

Learn more here.

General Mills Seeks Deals to Expand Internationally

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As the luck of General Mills (world's six largest food company) would have it, the maker of Lucky Charms cereal and Progresso soup said sales will rise to $18 billion by 2015, driven by international expansion.

General Mills projects the international unit, its fastest growing division over the last five years, will generate more than $3.7 billion in sales in 2015, up from $2.7 billion in 2010. The company is also “actively working” to find deals to expand overseas, particularly in emerging markets such as Brazil, Russia, India and China.

Read more here.

Perched On Top of the World

Photo credit: Laurel Delaney, Chicago lakefront

Hope you are setting your sights high for the weekend. Enjoy!

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

Global and Domestic Demand Begins to Return

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The Atlantic reports:

Even though the trade gap hit an 18-month high in May, exports rose substantially, by $3.5 billion. Imports just grew faster, by $5.5 billion. But increasing exports is pretty significant news. Last month they declined by $1 billion, so a big bump in the positive direction is welcome news. In fact, exports grew to the largest amount we've seen since September 2008, hitting a 20-month high.

Read more here.

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

Exports Are Rebounding Slowly

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Why look here:

Entrepreneur.com's Daily Dose indicates:

Exports Are Up -- Here's How to Get Your Share

The news everywhere is that exports are up 17 percent -- from when and which companies? I'm all for it but my hope is that small businesses are truly benefiting from this new wave of exports.

Check this piece out too. Statistics referenced on exports are slightly different than elsewhere.

How Much Will Our Global Economy Grow?

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Are Americans buying more than they are selling overseas?

"Definitely the weakness in trade through May suggests less momentum in the economy," said Shawn DuBravac (Twitter), chief economist for the Consumer Electronics Assn.

Read more here.

Starbucks Keeps Growing Global

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Starbucks has launched two new quick-brew products to expand the coffee giant's presence in the UK and Japan.

Read more here.

Who's Using Facebook In Latin America?

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Take a look at the demographics of Facebook's top Latin American markets (Argentina is one of them as featured) here.

Emerging Markets Make Up a Growing Share of Japanese Exports

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Sound familiar?

Japanese companies from Toyota to Canon are for the first time looking at poor people in emerging markets as potential consumers.

To offset the slump at home, Japan is seeking new, high-growth markets.

See where they are headed here.

Similar story: "Japan's Exporters Eye Every Rupee"

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

Do Small Businesses Benefit From the National Export Initiative?

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I've been wondering about this for some time. Do small businesses really benefit from the National Export Initiative? Every time a journalist/reporter asks me about it, I say the same thing: I am not so sure.

Has the number of U.S.A. small business exporters changed much over the last two decades let alone the last four months? I've tracked a number of anywhere from 240,000-270,000 SB exporters.

Anyone know what the current number is considering the BIG export push?

Please weigh in if you have the facts, thanks.

Read more here.

FYI: small business Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Jim McNerney is Chair of the President’s Export Council