Tuesday, May 08, 2007

UPS Searching for World's Best Small Businesses!

iStock/Thinkstock
This is one of my favorite contests on the planet!

UPS today -- May 8 -- kicked off a program that seeks the best small businesses across the globe (yeah ... that's us!) -- from Alabama to Argentina and from Zimbabwe to New Zealand.

Dubbed the UPS Best “Out-of-the-Box” Small Business Contest, the program is designed for companies with annual 2006 revenues of at least $250,000 but not more than $10 million and is a way for UPS to reward small businesses using creative, innovative ideas and concepts.

Prizes for the winners range from $5,000 to $25,000 in cash, plus an IBM small business package. This is the first year that small businesses from around the world -- not just those in the United States -- are eligible to participate.

I participated in this event last year as an expert panelist speaker and it was a blast. I met so many innovative small business owners and still wear the decorative pin that one of the winners made through her business!

Will I see you there? I hope so. It's high-time we meet! First, you must register. And there is a special registration area for small business owners operating in different parts of the world. For example, here's the Chinese registration page. Once you register, I will wait to hear whether you are selected as a winner. Remember, all of you are already winners in my book!

Better hurry because contest application period ends September 1. In case you skipped the previous links, begin the online registration process here.

P.S. Just in (5/9) ... I have been asked to be a judge on the program and it's official:
The entries will be judged by an international panel of renowned small business experts, including: Laurel Delaney, President and Founder, Global TradeSource, Ltd.; Joshua Lau, Founder and CEO of YesAsia; Juan Antonio "Oso" Oseguera, editor of Entrepreneur en EspaƱol and Hayden Bradshaw, publisher and editor of Enterprise Magazine.
Read the press release here. I am honored and cannot wait!

Monday, May 07, 2007

Hi, Laurel ... How are you?

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I always welcome emails like the one below from friends and colleagues worldwide. My new theory is to start measuring my ROA (return on accessibility) instead of ROI (return on investment). If you or your employees are not accessible, how will you contribute to the world at large?

Here's a message from a blogger colleague in China:
Hi, Laurel,

How are you? Having a good week?

My name is Rich Brubaker, and I am a fellow blogger located in Shanghai.

I recently found your blog, and have read your bio, and I just wanted to send a short welcome note to say that I look forward to following your blog.

Also, your software (blogspot) is actually being blocked by the great China Firewall, so I am unable to post replies (and that will also be the case for others in China).

Hope all is well and let me know if you would like to use any of my China content. I write a lot of content that SMEs would benefit from.

Hope all is well,
Rich

Richard Brubaker, MBA
China Strategic Development Partners LLC
Managing Director

934 Nanjing West Road, Suite 505
Shanghai, P.R.C. 200041
Tel: +86 21 6218 8486
Fax: +86 21 6217 0928
Website: China Strategic Development Partners
Weblog: All Roads Lead To China
Skype: rbrubaker_shanghai
Note to Richard ... thank you and hope you get the attention you deserve! Shame on China for blocking our blogs! Anyone in China who wants to post a comment on an entry, email me at ldelaneyatglobetradedotcom.

Take care,
Laurel

Friday, May 04, 2007

Resources To Get You Going Global

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These are all up on our blog now (right side panel) but wanted to make sure you are aware:

Scribed Global Guru:
A manifesto to get businessmen and businesswomen out of their own backyard and transition from local, regional or national firms into global players.

Building Your Global Empire:
Women in companies of all sizes are taking their business around the globe -- and to the bank.

Lost in Translation: Cautionary tales plus 10 ways to go global.

Going Global: 14 tips from leading experts and bold entrepreneurs will help you expand internationally.

Happy global trails!

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Small Is Beautiful and Borderless

Digital Vision/Thinkstock
Read Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's (pictured) lips:

Being a small business is not a barrier when it comes to competing in the global economy. The key is to find your company's niche and focus on its strengths.

More here.

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

How Global Is Your Business?

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How global is your business, really? Put your company to the test with Pankaj Ghemawat's Globalization Survey, and after completing it, download a free PDF of his 2006 McKinsey Award-winning article, "Regional Strategies for Global Leadership."

I just completed the test and it takes about 8-10 minutes. Very substantial and well-thought out. Make sure you answer all the questions -- otherwise it won't take -- and include an email address (at the beginning) to receive the free PDF article!

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Small Enterprises Are Not The Solution?

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Very provocative article originating in Ghana ... see what you think and feel free to weigh in with your comments.

Excerpt 1:
Close behind it comes operating a small business that is not making it. The small and medium sized enterprise sector (SMEs) carries the hopes of government, being advocated by conventional economists as the solution to unemployment in the global market, and large amounts of money annually being pumped into support for small businesses – with micro-financing schemes, training and support.
Excerpt 2:
That is a result of the second reason: the global market gives huge advantage to size. If a small business succeeds, it is inevitably taken over by larger business. Even Mark Shuttleworth, perhaps the most successful small business start-up in South Africa, could not resist the terms of the take-over. When that happens? Jobs are lost because the larger entity remains competitive only by replacing people. Mergers and acquisitions dominate at the top.
Ouch.

Read the article here.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Sourcing Abroad Gives Tiny Players An Edge

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Sonia Seye spends her days braiding hair and turning multicolored hair extensions into intricate, fashionable coifs.

But running a busy Los Angeles salon is just the start for this 30-year-old immigrant from Senegal. Ms. Seye has dreams of a bigger, more profitable future: building franchises of her salon, Hair Universal, across California -- then supplying those salons with popular human-hair extensions.

And to make that happen, Ms. Seye is looking abroad.

A hat tip to Paul Barsch, Global Services Marketing, Teradata, a division of NCR, for bringing this article to our attention.

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Global Fast-Food Invasion

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After its first lap, globalization gets really interesting. The stuff you invented -- in this culinary case, fast-food hamburgers, fried chicken, pizza and doughnuts -- gets sent out into the world, is replicated by other countries and then comes back to you all crazied up, like a giant game of telephone. And if you hold that piece of Filipino fried chicken up to your ear and are really quiet, you can hear what the rest of the world is thinking about us.

Listen in here.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Global Timber Smugglers

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In a grainy undercover video (click here to watch), the smuggler stands surrounded by stacks and stacks of lumber, large bales of freshly milled planks held together with steel bands. His gold watch glints as he begins counting money, methodically placing each bill on a desk. Sitting nearby, his partner watches through Coke-bottle glasses. They both appear to be in a good mood, laughing and joking with their clients.

The unwitting star of the video, Frankie Chua, managed an import/export business. Let's hope you don't run yours this way. The men Chua regarded as potential clients were, in fact, undercover employees of the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA).

Interesting.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

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.

Monday, April 09, 2007

Reaping International Rewards

Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock
Shortly after leaving church one Sunday, Mark Twain and fellow writer William Dean Howells were caught in a heavy rain shower. "Do you think it will stop?" Howells asked. Replied Twain: "It always has."

What does this have to do with anything international? Find out here.

Thursday, April 05, 2007

Get Noticed Globally: Scribd

iStock/Thinkstock
We posted this information in our Borderbuster e-newsletter today (4/5) but in case you are not a subscriber yet, check out the following.

Scribd -- the YouTube for documents! -- is a free online library where anyone can upload. Use their embeddable PDF player to publish and view documents right in your web browser. How cool is that? Try it out! We did here.

Be sure to view full screen for it looks a little better that way. For our first attempt, it's not bad. Give it a whirl. What an amazing way to track who reads what -- globally -- on your work!

Monday, April 02, 2007

World Wide Web Conference May 8-12

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The International World Wide Web Conference Committee (IW3C2) and the University of Calgary cordially invite you to participate in the 16th International World Wide Web Conference (WWW2007), to be held at the world-famous Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff National Park May 8-12, 2007.

The World Wide Web Conference is the global event that brings together the key innovators, decision-makers, technologists, businesses, and standards bodies shaping the Web.

Organized by the IW3C2 since 1994, the WWW conference is the annual gathering place of the international community to discuss and debate the future evolution of the Web.

Find out more here.

Saturday, March 31, 2007

Gone Global

iStock/Thinkstock
A fun, interesting read and so true!
Why expanding overseas is your ticket to new markets, new ideas, and a world of adventure.

Foreign markets are like children's shoes: They offer plenty of room to grow. According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, 95 percent of the world's consumers reside outside the United States. Some of those people have holes in their lives the exact size and shape of your product.
While you're there, look for a bunch of slideshows by Inc. on going global. Good stuff.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Girl, Interrupted? Try Package, Intercepted

iStock/Thinkstock
Ever sent a global package (think vacations ... think romance ...) that included a Dear John or Jane letter and just when you put it in the hands of UPS, wished that you could get it back because you had second thoughts? Well help is on the way. And this works great for global small business transactions too.

Monday, March 26, 2007

Is Anyone Not Looking at China?

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HP and Dell are exporting their rivalry and starting to challenge Lenovo. What about you? Are you looking at China for business opportunities?

Friday, March 23, 2007

Immigrants Gain Global Edge Doing Business at Home

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Especially for immigrant entrepreneurs building a business in the U.S. Selling back to their lands where they have cultural knowledge just feels right. Read more on how they do it here.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Handicapping the Best Countries for Global Business

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If you are an executive of a multinational looking for geographies in which to expand your markets, operations, and investments, is China more attractive than India? South Africa better than Mexico? Does Russia have more promise than the United States? The answer you devise can be crucial to your company's future.

The good news is that in today's hypercompetitive global economy, certain countries offer distinctive advantages to help your business but you need to choose wisely. Find out which are the best countries to invest in here.

Monday, March 19, 2007

Spanning the Globe in Real Time

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Global business agility relies on information flow. By using a digital dashboard, managers can track critical business metrics and "act on them" much faster.
For global corporations, business agility is not the same as speed. Anyone can move quickly, but at what financial and organizational cost? Truly agile companies are like star athletes. They move fast while maintaining a lower heart rate at higher levels of fitness and endurance. They adapt to any rhythm ... read more here.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Breaking Into The Global Marketplace

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Like many small entrepreneurs, you may think tackling global markets is better left to the corporate giants of the world.

After all, Asia might as well be Mars as far as you're concerned.

But before you write off going global, consider this:

By the year 2010, China is expected to have 149 million middle-class households, India 45 million and Brazil 18 million, according to Pearl Kamer, chief economist for the Long Island Association.

If you're not taking advantage of these potential markets, she says, you could be missing out.
Read more here but as a side note, I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Jamie Herzlich on this Newsday piece.

Friday, March 09, 2007

Abridged Borderbuster: 3/5/07

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CONTENTS

If you are not a subscriber to Borderbuster, here's a glimpse of what you missed this month:

1. Welcome From The Publisher

2. Feedback from our Readers and Update to our Readers

3. Flawed Exports*

4. Business and Cultural Tips: Have Some Fun!*

5. Investing Worldwide*

6. How I Went Global: Ongoing Series // Ben Worthen

7. A Reader Asks: Q&A*

8. Everybody Loves a Freebie -- repeat: FREE OFFER*

9. French Wine and Spirits Exports to U.S. Up 22%*

10. Capital Rules: The Tensions of Global Finance*

11. Global Strength Will Boost U.S. Manufacturing*

12. Blog World: It’s Time To Go Global*

13. Laurel’s e-Book: “GODZILLA Global Marketing!”

14. Take A Walk On The Wild Side (TAWOTWS)

15. Wind Behind Your Sail*

16. Miscellany*

|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

*Indicates exclusive to Borderbuster subscribers only.

Sample section:

8. EVERYBODY LOVES A FREEBIE: DOWNLOAD LEADING ACROSS CULTURES: FRANCE

Leading Across Cultures: France is part of a series of white papers focusing on leadership effectiveness in a variety of cultural settings. The authors explore the historical and cultural roots of leading effectively in France. Examples of leadership in France are contrasted with leadership in other cultures. In addition, the author concludes with a discussion of how leadership in France has changed in the context of globalization.

Download PDF file here (requires Adobe Acrobat).

###

To subscribe to Borderbuster, visit:
Sign Up For Borderbuster!

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Building a Global Brand That Works Locally

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Great brands transcend geography. But to build a great global brand, you must understand the vital role that your company’s electronic "face" plays in your success, says says Marilynn Mobley, Senior Vice President of Edelman, the world’s largest PR firm, as well as a blogger. Read post.

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Embrace Globalization!

Creatas/Thinkstock
In case you missed it, The Wall Street Journal published an interesting article on Monday, February 26 entitled Global Trade Galvanizes Caterpillar. Despite the fact that you may not be the giant size of Caterpillar -- you're the car, not the truck, right? -- you can still pick up good tips from the piece.

Here are five (5) not shown in the online feature and I totally agree with each and every one of them:

5 Tips for Managing a Global Giant
  1. ACT with integrity, value your people.
  2. COMPLACENCY is incompatible with success.
  3. STAY focused on bottom-line growth.
  4. DON'T SHY away from tough debates.
  5. EMBRACE GLOBALIZATION!
Read the entire article here.

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Global Art

Permission to use:  Bryan Marovich (2/24/07)
My American brother-in-law, Bryan Marovich, sent the above wonderful sketch by his artist friend, Luis Christello, who happened to be hanging out with Bryan and other musically inclined friends at the Lgare Cafe (bar) in Rua da Rosa, which is in Bairro Alto, Lisboa.

The jam session players are:

Bryan -- guitar (USA and featured far right back corner)
Carlos -- charango (Portugal)
Andre -- banjo (Portugal)
Manuel -- percussion (Argentina)
Luis -- at the drawing table (Brazil)

At this moment, I bet they are making beautiful world music together.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Happy Chinese New Year (2/18/07)

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Happy Chinese New Year of the Boar. May all your wishes come true (translation on the Hui Chun -- left -- four-character phrase written on pieces of red paper to express traditional sentiments for a rich and bountiful spring. Its origin can be traced back to antiquity, when people believed evil could be warded off by hanging a piece of peach wood painted in red on the wall).

Learn more about the Chinese New Year here, here, here and here.

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Export-Import Bank of the United States

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If you have never explored the Export-Import Bank's site, kick back, relax and do it now. They have everything from conference news (click on What's New) to small business export financing help to key market guides. It's worth a visit.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Global Strength Will Boost U.S. Manufacturing

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For many years U.S. manufacturers have been hit by weakness in export markets and the strong dollar. As a result, the trade deficit in goods has surged. But this trend is about to turn, and the export sector will be a source of strength for the manufacturing economy in the years ahead. This is good news not only for the U.S. economy, but also could help stem the rising tide of protectionism.

Go guys. Go gals. Go global!

Monday, February 12, 2007

50 Ways To Go Global

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How do you go global? Let me count the ways. Here are fifty that will help get you started.

1. The Federation of International Trade Associations (FITA)
2. globalEDGE
3. GlobeTrade.com
4. International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce
5. Kompass
6. MyExports
7. U.S. Small Business Administration
8. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
9. PIERS
10. Stat-USA / Internet
11. The U.S. Commercial Service / BuyUSA
12. The U.S. Government Export Portal
13. Laurel Delaney Company
14. Global Trade Atlas
15. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: Eleven Pitfalls to Avoid in Going Global
16. Borderbuster
17. Women Entrepreneurs, Inc.: Build a Website to Go Global
18. The World Bank
19. MarketingProfs Daily Fix: Building a Global Brand
20. Entrepreneur Magazine: Global Village archives
21. LeaderValues
22. UPS
23. National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America, Inc.
24. IOMA Managing Imports and Exports
25. Yale University Library: Emerging Markets Subject Guide
26. The International Chamber of Commerce
27. ICC Business Bookstore USA
28. United States Council for International Business
29. American Association of Exporters and Importers
30. World Trade Centers Association
31. National Council on International Trade Development
32. UPS Global Advisor
33. National Association of Exporting Companies
34. Small Business Edge: A Checklist for Preparing Your Package To Go Global
35. Borderbuster on Squidoo
36. The International Trade Association of Greater Chicago
37. Thunderbird School of Global Management
38. Harvard Business School: Global Initiative
39. Harvard Business Online: Global
40. E-Commerce News: How To Take Your Business Global
41. StartupNation: Taking Your Startup to a Foreign Market
42. Business Strategies Magazine: Go Global or Die
43. Priority Magazine: Going Global
44. The Global Small Business Blog: 20 Books To Get You Global in 2007
45. ChangeThis: Global Guru, Shaking Things Up, Making Things Happen
46. Global E-Newsletter: Borderbuster
47. The World Bank Group: Doing Business
48. U.S. Census Bureau: Foreign Trade Statistics
49. Beyster Institute
50. Love Goes Global

###

Copyright ©2007 Laurel J. Delaney. All rights reserved.

Friday, February 09, 2007

Your Hired, But Global Business Experience Preferred

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As global information and communications technology (ICT) companies recognize that success in developing countries is essential to remain competitive, smart entrepreneurs -- like you -- around the world should be grinning with anticipation of the transformation ahead. And creative ICT professionals should consider spicing up their resumes with their emerging-market experiences.

Read more, here.  Or, try here.  Note:  Some links may not work due to companies going out of business or changing their servers.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Are You No. 1 Globally?

Digital Vision/Thinkstock
In a bid to be No. 1 globally, Japan's top retailer opens a flagship Uniqlo store in Manhattan.

The unveiling of Uniqlo's new global flagship store was audacious, even to the jaded habituƩs of Manhattan's SoHo. At 36,000 square feet, it's the area's second-largest retail showroom after Bloomingdale's, dominating a block packed with rivals like H&M and Banana Republic.

The cool Japanese retailer tried to build buzz by blanketing the city with ads featuring offbeat celebrities like Sonic Youth guitarist Kim Gordon (pictured). It worked: Holiday crowds flocked to the slick emporium that seemed to have popped out of nowhere.

What are you doing to create global buzz?

Monday, February 05, 2007

No More Steps!

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For years, visitors to China have delighted in the unusual English translations that appear on the nation's signs. Now, through blogging, tourists and expatriates have been posting photographs reflecting these gaffes. One person wrote the following on his blog: This is about passion, not mockery.

Go here to check out where the English dictionary meets Chinese grammar.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Strategic Global Sourcing: Hitting A Moving Target

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When sourcing from Asia and the Pacific, manufacturers need to constantly keep on top of who does what well.

Imagine going to your favorite restaurant and finding out that there's a new chef in town and the dish you made a special trip for now tastes like wallpaper paste.

"Global sourcing dynamics are also always changing and a good source today may not be so good six months from now," observes Christopher W. Runckel, founder of Runckel & Associates, a Portland, Ore.-based consulting company that helps businesses expand in Asia.

Read more here to learn about tips on finding a good sourcing partner.

Monday, January 29, 2007

Is The World Your Market?

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In the interconnected world of the 21st century, the globalization of commerce is a reality. From shoes to conveyor belts, computer chips to automobiles, countries around the world annually exchange more than $9 trillion of merchandise, according to the World Trade Organization. Global trade has become an economic necessity for the developed countries of the world. Find out how a property corporation is leveraging globalization and why you can too. Look at it like a mini case study.

Note: The link may not work due to being removed, a name change, or merely temporarily unavailable.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Global CEOs Business Confidence ...

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... reaches record levels thanks to globalization. Read more here and find out which countries are poised for the most growth.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Monday, January 22, 2007

Global Transportation

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If you are charged with evaluating transportation security decisions or are interested in learning how improved security processes can create value across all the business functions throughout an entire value chain, then read this book.  The authors also look ahead on future developments and best practices for the future.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Global Sourcing Checklist

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If you are considering sourcing a product overseas, this is a good article to read. It covers ten tips to help you get started. You'll have the whole world in your hands.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Doing Business in Dubai

Digital Vision/Thinkstock
I am really excited over the opportunity to speak March 8 at the WOIBEX: 9th Global Businesswomen and Leader's Forum in Dubai. Before I make my way there, I am learning as much as I can about this great city -- where there is a lot of ground-breaking work taking place.

And while researching, who do I see blogging about his recent trip to Dubai and other fabulous places the world has to offer? The master of global management, Tom Peters. Check it out. You'll learn what works, what doesn't work, or hold up for that matter, on international travels.

Links sometimes don't work.  Try this one if the one above is broken.

Friday, January 12, 2007

International Business Travel Tips

Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock
Global small business owners know face-to-face meetings with international customers help cement quality business relationships -- and the practical aspects of international business travel can make or break a trip.

You can start planning your overseas trip from home on the Internet -- and the sooner the better.

Read more:  International Business Travel Tips

Thursday, January 11, 2007

BIG Businesses in Denmark Just Got Busted By The Little Guys!

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Read the clip here.
Voxted said that the study should prompt politicians to focus on smaller business's competitive power, instead of writing them off as a part of the Danish business structure under development.'The study shows the relationship to be just the opposite,' said Voxted.
Visit the school where the study was conducted.

Unfortunately, I cannot seem to find the study in English but if you do, please pass it along because whatever is going on in Denmark applies to the United States too.

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Global Entrepreneurship Monitor

Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock
Start-ups fell in Ireland, Europe and US in 2006 but China powers on.

Entrepreneurial behavior continues to fuel the engine of innovation and growth around the world; and middle income countries boast higher levels of start-up entrepreneurial activity according to the eighth annual Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM).

Irish and US desire for starting businesses waned last year but the emerging economies of Asia and South America showed a rise in entrepreneurial activity, according to the report.

Sunday, January 07, 2007

5 Ways to Find New (or Hidden) Global Markets

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In 2007, what is your global strategy? Your answer is a decision that reflects an analysis of market potential, company capabilities, and the degree of marketing involvement and commitment your management team is prepared to make ...

Friday, January 05, 2007

Meme (Global) Madness

Hemera/Thinkstock
We have been "tagged" and never one to let anyone down, here's our response:

1. What have you learned so far from visitors to your blog?

We all want to make a difference in our brave new world. When I created The Global Small Business Blog in 2004, I wanted to fearlessly make a mark with helping entrepreneurs and small business go global. Since then, we are turning the world upside down, not flattening it, with our constant offering of practical information and knowledge to help you go global.

Borderbuster readers weigh-in only when a post resonates with them and many of them prefer to email me personally rather than post on our blog. They enjoy a private conversation versus chatting with the world. And that’s okay because we absolutely love hearing from global enthusiasts because they tell us what really matters. Plus, they make our world go round.

2. If someone would offer to pay for a course (or more) for you, what would that course be?

First, here's what we do. We offer management consulting and marketing solutions designed to help entrepreneurs and small businesses go global.

So the course we offer preps you to take on the world. It typically involves the founder or President of a U.S. $1 to 10 million manufacturing firm who is stuck on how to generate additional revenue growth for his/her company without spending a lot of money. We help people get unstuck, focused and ready to conduct business all over the planet. We assist you in all aspects of running a global business -- from finding customers to keeping them, from shipping products to getting paid, from learning about a different culture to becoming a true global netizen. We share our passion for what's possible. To learn more about what takes place, email (see right sidebar) or call 773-381-1700. We’re not shy about promoting what we do because we feel being bold is beautiful and should be borderless! Sounds like a good mantra for 2007:

Be bold! Be beautiful! Be borderless!

3. Are you satisfied with what you've achieved in 2006, in general?

No way! Life is an endless stream of continuous improvements and you have to have the discipline to pursue everything. We have much to accomplish in 2007 from writing another book to redesigning our logo for GlobeTrade.com to redesigning The Global Small Business Blog (with plans to include five key global companies to receive our seal of approval for helping entrepreneurs and small businesses go global). All with the intention of doing a better job to satisfy or exceed expectations for our clients.

Oh, and did I mention that we will create YouTube and SecondLife videos on how to bust-a-border in less than a minute? Watch for them!

4. Has blogging changed your life or your personality in any way?

Yes – blogging makes me work smarter at being a better person (and here I thought being married did that!) and ever-more committed to bringing the best possible knowledge on global business to Borderbuster readers.

5. If you had the opportunity to meet one person that you admire the most in the world, who would that person be?

That is a really tough question because if you leave out the words “to meet” and substitute “to chat with” it would be my Mom, Dad or husband. They have always been -- and continue to be -- intelligent, thoughtful and good sounding boards.

In addition to those three, it would be Sandra Day O’Connor or Alan Greenspan. Both are leading authorities in their respective fields and smart as whips. But I suppose if I had to choose, it would be Sandra. There’s something about Sandra that reminds me of my Mom … and that can only be a good thing.

And now I will tag five people to answer these same questions on their blog: Marsha Firestone at WPO, Ann Handley at MarketingProfs, Seth Godin, Tom Peters, and Bob Marovich.

Abridged Borderbuster: 1/5/07

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CONTENTS

If you are not a subscriber to Borderbuster, here's a glimpse of what you missed this month:

1. Welcome From The Publisher

2. Special Note To Our Readers

3. Taking Kim’s Toys Away*

4. Business and Cultural Tips: Have Some Fun!*

5. Unblocking Trade*

6. How I Went Global: Ongoing Series // MasterCard

7. A Reader Asks: Q&A*

8. Everybody Loves a Freebie -- repeat: FREE OFFER*

9. Discover Goes to China*

10. Broken Bridges*

11. International Expansion*

12. Blog World: Christmas Trees & More*

13. Laurel’s e-Book: “GODZILLA Global Marketing!”

14. Take A Walk On The Wild Side (TAWOTWS)

15. Wind Behind Your Sail*

16. Miscellany*

|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

*Indicates exclusive to Borderbuster subscribers only.

Sample section:

5. BROKEN BRIDGES

*Subscriber Exclusive*

Do entrepreneurs really benefit from freer trade?

To read the article, visit: Entrepreneur.com

(Remember, inaction is the worst kind of failure.)

###

To subscribe to Borderbuster, visit:
Sign Up For Borderbuster!

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

We (Suddenly) Live In a Truly Global World

Liravega/Thinkstock
As the article states, global trade is not new. Read more here.

And may you bust many borders in 2007!