Monday, March 16, 2015

Today in Global Small Business: Start Local and Think Global

©iStock/Graphicsdunia4you
What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Spring Seems Light Years Away

©2015 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
"March is a month of considerable frustration - it is so near spring and yet across a great deal of the country the weather is still so violent and changeable that outdoor activity in our yards seems light years away." -- Thalassa Cruso

Friday, March 13, 2015

How Can a Big City Develop a Global Identity?

©iStock/Mjbs
How can a big city develop a global identity?  Partner with think tank Brookings Institute (BI).  According to Brookings, San Diego, for example, has the 17th largest economy in the country, but ranks 61st when it comes to export intensity and 49th in the percentage of jobs at foreign-owned firms.
The think tank said that more than 85 percent of global growth through 2019 is projected to occur outside the U.S., so global engagement is essential if cities want to stimulate their economies and workforce. -- Source:  "Time to Tell the World," Mayor Says in "Go Global" Business Effort
San Diego is not the only city to get the big push by BI.  For instance, my home town Chicago has a metro export plan in place too.  BI has a Global Cities Initiative.

How does a city deliver a successful metropolitan export plan?  Easy.

Related posts.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Wal-Mart Canada Plans to Roll Out 29 New Supercentres

©iStock.com/Ronnie Chua
Wal-Mart Canada is scheduled to open another 29 new supercentres. This is in addition to 11 centers opened earlier this year.  The expansion will bring Wal-Mart Canada’s store count to 396 by the end of January, 2016, consisting of 309 supercentres and 87 discount stores.
The retailer says the expansion is expected to generate about 3,700 construction jobs, 1,000 store jobs and 300 distribution centre jobs across Canada.
Read More:  Wal-Mart Canada to open 29 new supercentres

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Splunk Goes After Global Small Businesses

©iStock/Evryka23
Enterprise software company Splunk aims to go after global small businesses with its new, cheaper version of its analytics software.  Their belief is -- in order to get big (scale) -- they better go [after]
 small.  Call it a little land-grabbing, if you will.

Here's more news about market potential:
That market could amount to $5 billion to $7 billion in cumulative revenue over the next three years, says Daniel Ives, an analyst for FBR Capital Markets.
Read:  Splunk Targets Small Businesses to Boost Revenue

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

When It Comes to Advancing Women and Girls, We're Not There Yet

©iStock/Flamingo Photography
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the UN Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing (1995) where important people from all over the world gathered together fully committed to ensure that women and girls have the opportunity to participate fully in all aspects of their life.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the No Ceilings initiative of the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation have joined forces to gather 850,000 data points and analyze the gains made for women and girls over the last two decades, as well as the gaps that remain.

Take a good look at the findings but we're not there yet:  No Ceilings:  The Full Participation Project

Monday, March 09, 2015

Today in Global Small Business: Stanford University Takes It Global

©iStock/Morris Media
What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

Saturday, March 07, 2015

Snow Provokes Responses, Especially in Chicago

©2015 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
"Snow provokes responses that reach right back to childhood."  Andy Goldsworthy

Friday, March 06, 2015

The Global Small Car Launch

iStock/Naveen 0301
According to IHS, around 88.6 million cars will be sold globally this year, up 2.4 percent from 2014, weighed by an expected contraction in Russia's market.  In this instance, India will be the first market to receive French automobile maker Renault's global small car (priced below 4s4 lakh) this year.

Sumit Sawhney, country CEO and managing director Renault India says:
Renault customises its products for Indian conditions and cited the 37 changes it made in Duster before launching the car in India.
For a product to succeed in India, it must be at the right price, the right product adaptation and the right timing.

Read:  It's India first for Renault's global small car launch

Thursday, March 05, 2015

Why Expanding Overseas Is Inevitable

©iStock/Karammiri
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.

Wednesday, March 04, 2015

Can Global Travel Make You a Better Leader?

©iStock/Funny Creature
Do any of these scenarios sound like you?  You push yourself to visit a customer in Thailand because you know the business will be good.  You must examine a manufacturing facility in China to ensure product quality is maintained.  You have to see first-hand how natives of Japan store ice cream, if at all, in their homes because your next market entry move is Japan and it's to export your latest ice cream flavor, green tea.

What all these scenarios have in common is this:  Once you are on the ground in unknown territory, you are forced to adapt and become a better person in order to get along with folks.  What you bring back home is a new YOU who has transformed into a more effective leader.

Lisa Evans for Fast Company talks straight with us and is spot on:  How Travel Can Make You a Better Leader | Fast Company

Tuesday, March 03, 2015

Operating Across Borders

©iStock/Bet_Noire
Find out what happened when an Italian retail company wanted to send an employee to the U.S. to oversee the rollout of new locations in the New Jersey region.  Think it was hassle-free?

Read:  Going Global:  International clients create a growing niche

Monday, March 02, 2015

Today in Global Small Business: Capital for Globalizing Firms

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

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Snowwoman in Chicago

©2015 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
Don't ask me how I know it's a snowwoman as opposed to a snowman. She just is.  I took this photograph at Delaware and Michigan Avenue, Chicago.  Somebody was in a creative mood.  Thank goodness!

Friday, February 27, 2015

Watch for Disruption in the Global Accounting Software Space

©iStock/Chagin
Who hasn't heard of American software company Intuit?  They've been around since 1983 doing a great job providing easy and convenient accounting solutions to businesses of all sizes.  Now comes the disruptive part and enough that Intuit better not ignore.  It's clear that Intuit CEO Brad Smith is already on it with his recent article "Intuit's CEO on Building a Design-Driven Company," in the January/February 2015 - Harvard Business Review.

Now there's New Zealand-based software company Xero that develops 'beautiful' cloud-based accounting software for small and medium-sized businesses. The company has offices in New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

And there's accounting software company The Sage Group who just recently announced a global agreement with Salesforce.com that goes like this:
Sage has agreed to start using the Salesforce Customer Success Platform. Implementing the cloud based CRM system shows that Sage want to get close to Salesforce and get some kind of symbiotic partnership with the cloud giant. - Source:  The Sage Group Plc announces global agreement with Salesforce
Watch all these companies for future global competitive activity.  Bring it on as they say for each wants to play in every country!

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

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

©iStock/Violka08
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?

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

What Challenges Do Importers Face?

©iStock/RalkoV
What is the one thing that will throw everything off on an import? Mistakes!  In this article, I talk about seven other critical issues affecting importers today and what you can do to avoid them.

Read:  8 Big Import Compliance Challenges

Monday, February 23, 2015

Today in Global Small Business: And the Award Goes To ...

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

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Chicago Modern Skyscraper: The Aon Center

©2015 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
The Aon Center is a modern skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois (third tallest building in IL) and designed by architect firms Edward Durell Stone and The Perkins and Will partnership.  It was completed in 1974 as the Standard Oil Building.  There's talk about new owners ...

Friday, February 20, 2015

How to Eliminate the Surprise Factor Via Global Ecommerce

©iStock/Nyul
If you design your ecommerce site in such a way that your customer comes first, business should flow through nicely no matter what part of the world your customer resides.  But the way to really build a seamless and enjoyable online buying experience is to pay attention to a couple of other important details.  Here they are.

5 Ways to Prevent Surprises in Global Ecommerce

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Michele Ferrero, The Man Who Brought Nutella to the World, Dies

©iStock/Mrohana
Tic Tac mints.  Ferrero Rocher chocolates.  Nutella spread.  All these delicious confectionery products are produced by Ferrero SpA, a $30 billion company, and brought to life by Michele Ferrero, who died at the age of 89.

He was a family man and had a great, global vision for his firm (well ahead of his time):
It was Michele Ferrero’s vision to expand internationally. In the 1950s, he opened production plants and offices in Europe. He expanded to the rest of the world starting in the 1970s. All the while the company shunned acquisitions, breaking into foreign markets by introducing products catering to local tastes.

Ferrero is the world’s fourth-biggest chocolate confectionery company, with 8% of the global chocolate market. No. 3 Nestlé has 12%, according to consumer research group Euromonitor’s data from 2013.
Read the obituary:  Italian Chocolatier Found Success with Nutella

And what a sweet ending ... he passed away on Valentine's Day.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Borders Are Blurring and the World Is Getting Smaller

©iStock/Saicle
With the world getting smaller and borders blurring, this presents new opportunities for retailers to reach potential customers.

How is the future of global e-commerce going to develop?

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Are You Running Your Business in the Dark or Digital Age?

©iStock/Scorpix
In the dark age, you scramble to find customers.  In the digital age, customers from around the world should find you.  Which are you operating in?  There's only one way to find out.

How to Bring Your Business Into the Digital Age

Monday, February 16, 2015

Today in Global Small Business: Small Businesses Have a Voice on International Trade Agreements

©iStock/RyanKing999
What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

Friday, February 13, 2015

Make the World Your Business

©iStock/iStockdaily
I've always felt you should make the world your business but in this case, Shawn Hessinger, Executive Editor for Small Business Trends, offers a different twist, "Making the World Your Business Playground." He talks about companies that are small in size but operate globally, how communicating via email alone doesn't cut it, how working cross-culturally poses a new set of challenges and how going global brings on challenges that are not so obvious.

A special thanks to Shawn for quoting us and for including our advisory board member Kati Suominen.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Technology Is Changing the Meaning of Employable Skills Worldwide

©iStock/Rawpixel
The Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) 2014 Report "Growing Talent Today and Tomorrow" was released at it's global launch on Tuesday, January 20, 2015 in Davos, Switzerland.   The report focuses on the role of talent growth in enhancing countries' competitiveness, with Switzerland, Singapore and Luxembourg leading in the rankings.

The GTCI study reveals six key factors affecting talent competitiveness across countries of different GDP per capita and development levels, with one being:
  - Technology is changing the meaning of 'employable skills':  technological changes will affect new segments of the labor market, impacting the 250 million 'knowledge workers' globally today.
Access the report:  The Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2014

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Recession in Russia. Slowdown in China. What's It Mean?

©iStock/Doctor Bass
The International Monetary Fund has cut its growth forecasts for the global economy due to the slowdown in China, looming recession in Russia and continuing weakness in the eurozone.  The US is the only major economy where the IMF has raised growth forecasts for the next two years.  The rest of the world has global headwinds ahead.

Learn more about what this means:  IMF Cuts Global Economic Growth Forecasts

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Target New Countries For Growth

©iStock/Pichet W
Are you trying to grow your revenue and profitability?  Have you looked outside your own borders for new opportunities?  Why not target new countries where you don't already sell?

That's what UK SME online retailers are doing:
“There is a marked increase in the percentage of UK SME online retailers aiming to grow international sales in 2015, compared with 2014," says Nick Landon, managing director of Royal Mail Parcels.
Read the entire article:  UK's SME online retailers more confident on international trade

Note:  We cannot track Royal Mail's study that is referenced in the article.

Monday, February 09, 2015

Today in Global Small Business: What's Not Going Global?

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

Saturday, February 07, 2015

Chicago: The Most Beautiful Great City Left in the World

©2015 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
"Eventually, I think Chicago will be the most beautiful great city left in the world." - Frank Lloyd Wright

Friday, February 06, 2015

What Happens When Dimensional Weight of a Box is Greater Than the Actual Weight?

©iStock/Luba
There's a new dimensional weight factor that affects pricing on shipping boxes in the USA.  Whether you elect to ship feathers in a small or big box, just remember to multiply the box length by its height and width, and then divide that by 166 to reach its dimensional weight. Oh, and don’t forget to weigh the box, too. Make sure your measurements and weights are accurate. The new pricing method will apply to any package if the dimensional weight is greater than the actual weight.

Read:  The New Wrinkle Affecting Your Shipping Costs

Thursday, February 05, 2015

SBA International Trade Finance Webinar


Learn about export loans available through the U.S. Small Business Administration and other global business solutions from our Federal Government. In addition, you will get tips from a small business exporter who has used these programs successfully to enter new markets and increase export sales.  Lastly, you will hear directly from an SBA lender on how to prepare in advance to get the financing you need to grow your export business.  Video can be found here or you can click on it above.

Wednesday, February 04, 2015

The Key to Accessing Global Markets

Photo courtesy:  Apress
What if all small businesses could access global markets?  What if the challenges and uncertainties to conducting business internationally could vanish before your very eyes?  What if we could break down barriers to America's growth by working together to boost exports?

Yes we can all counts!

Expanding global access for small biz.  Solution:  Exporting:  The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably (99.9 percent of the battle to exporting lies in learning the mechanics of how to do it so this book spells it out in a way that is both empowering and useful).

Tuesday, February 03, 2015

Take Your Small Business Phone System Anywhere with a Mobile VoIP Solution

Photo courtesy:  Telzio
(This post is sponsored by:  Telzio)

VoIP phone service can take care of your global and mobility needs as your business expands to new locations and employees expect BYOD benefits. You can get phone numbers from all over the world and use them in any location on your computer, desk phone or mobile device. It’s easy to manage all your numbers and users in one online account, no matter how many locations you have.

Here are 3 ways a VoIP phone system can assist in your quest for global expansion:

1. International Presence

You can get a local or toll free number in almost any country, making it easier for international customers to reach you. Some countries like Denmark require that you have a physical address in the country in order to get a phone number there, but for most countries it’s as easy as a few clicks.

You can browse phone numbers from over 50 countries here.

2. Virtualization

VoIP phone systems are managed completely on the web. There’s no software to be updated, no hardware to be stored in closets and everything is managed through your web browser.

You can have multiple offices and phone numbers around the world and still manage them all under one account. As long as you can connect to the Internet, you can access your phone system.

VoIP service is location agnostic. You can move your IP phones to another country and they would work just the same, using the same phone number it was calling with before.

3. Mobility

Softphones enable you to make and receive calls from a mobile device or computer. You can travel anywhere and manage business calls on your mobile device separately from your personal line.

Telzio recently launched a mobile softphone app that integrates with a fully hosted VoIP system. Starting from $1 per month, the app and a full set of professional features come included.

What to Watch Out for When Choosing a VoIP Provider

When comparing small business VoIP providers, you should ask yourself how many users you will need and who will be in charge of implementing your new phone system.

Users -- Users are the extensions and phones you need connected to your phone system. You will find that most VoIP providers charge user fees from $15 to $70 per month per user, but you have other options.

Plans from Telzio cater to small businesses and offer free users with all phone numbers. Instead of paying per user, you pay per phone number and add as many users as you need to each number.

Usability -- Whether it is you or the IT person who will be setting up and managing the system, you want to cut down the number of hours it will take.

Telzio has an easy-to-use admin panel and intuitive interface where you can be up and running in minutes. Built on the premise that anyone without IT experience could manage everything from start to finish, Telzio is the easiest way to get started with a VoIP phone system. You can see how the visual setup works at Telzio.com/demo.

Plans -- In this world we live in, hidden language and fees are everywhere. Make sure you find the fine print and know what you’re getting yourself into, especially if the VoIP provider requires contracts. If something is described as “unlimited”, it usually has a “fair use” cap written somewhere else. Getting people to pay for more than they use is how those big phone companies make more money after all.

About the Author

Diana Chu is the Chief Executive Officer of Telzio and has over 10 years of experience working with small businesses. Diana graduated from the University of Southern California where she studied Business and Entrepreneurship. Frustrated with deceptive telecommunication companies and horrible customer service, Diana is focused on supporting small business owners through enhanced, efficient and transparent phone services. 
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“©2015 Telzio.  All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.”


Monday, February 02, 2015

Today in Global Small Business: Why SBA's Administrator Wants All Small Businesses to Partake in the Global Economy.

©iStock/Robert Thyrons
What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Fundamental Things Like Home

Photo courtesy:  Robert Marovich, Journal of Gospel Music
"The more one does and sees and feels, the more one is able to do, and the more genuine may be one's appreciation of fundamental things like home, and love, and understanding companionship." - Emelia Earhart

Photo courtesy:  Bob Marovich, Journal of Gospel Music (Riverdale, Illinois).  All rights reserved.

Friday, January 30, 2015

A World Without Borders and Boundaries

©iStock/Takahashi_kei
Alibaba founder Jack Ma has big plans to expand his company's global reach and become a global powerhouse.  What's his vision?
As technology spreads and lifestyles change, perhaps it is time to start thinking seriously about a trade architecture that supports global payments and logistics in online shopping. Ma, a man who knows a thing or two about e-commerce, is already mulling such a global vision. Maybe others should do the same.
According to the Global Times, "While the Internet has made the world smaller in many ways, online consumers and sellers are still very much stuck in a world of borders and boundaries."

Read:  E-commerce hemmed by national boundaries

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Chinese Companies to Watch: Tencent, Huawei and Xiaomi

©iStock/Awdebenham
Step aside Alibaba. There's bigger fish to fry in 2015 when it comes to Chinese companies looking to become as big or bigger than Alibaba and known worldwide.
Chinese tech companies are poised to make a huge splash this year as they push beyond their borders and invest heavily in international expansion.  
Here are three Chinese tech companies to watch in 2015.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Business Blogs to Watch in 2015

©iStock/Alex Skopje
We are honored that our Global Small Business Blog is one of the winners of the Business Blogs to Watch in 2015.  
Our goal [Broadview Networks] is to provide a comprehensive list, nominated by readers and staff, which will help our clients and partners glean the most knowledgeable and insightful analysis of business trends on the web.   We want everyone to succeed in 2015, one way that we can help is to make sure you’re on top of the latest news and trends, that’s why we’re looking for the Business Blogs to Watch in 2015!
Read:  Business Blogs to Watch in 2015

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Dream It. Source It.

©iStock/Maria 17
Are you dreaming about a great product idea that you'd like to import? That's 99 percent of the most difficult part of the import process - coming up with something nobody else has thought of yet everybody wants.  The other 1 percent involves sourcing it.  How do you find a manufacturer who makes the product you have in mind?

Here are some ideas that will inspire an import product revolution!

Monday, January 26, 2015

Today in Global Small Business: The Ford Mustang Is Officially Global

©iStock/Hayes Photography
What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Skate Your Troubles Away

©2015 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
"Style is that which indicates how the writer takes himself and what he is saying.  It is the mind skating circles around itself as it moves forward." - Robert Frost

Pictured:  The magnificent new Maggie Daley Park Skating Ribbon in Chicago.

Friday, January 23, 2015

Is Going Global a Goal For You in 2015?

©iStock/Makaule
With 23 days into a new year, have you set going global as one of your top goals for your business?

Mark Murphy, author of Hard Goals: The Secret to Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be offers a great test to assess whether your goals are too tough or lame by asking the following five questions.  Think of each of these as it relates to taking your business global:
  1. Totally within my comfort zone. (“I could do it with my eyes closed.”)
  2. Pretty much within my comfort zone. (“My eyes are open, but I’m not excited.”)
  3. A little outside my comfort zone. (“I’m feeling a twinge of nervousness.”)
  4. Outside my comfort zone. (“I’m on pins and needles.”)
  5. Way outside my comfort zone. (“I’m so anxiety-ridden that I can’t even respond.” )
As Shelly Levitt says in Are Your Goals Tough Enough?  Or Too Tough?, you should aim for No. 4, a goal that takes you into uncharted territory but doesn’t leave you feeling hopelessly lost.

Doesn't that sound like going global?  Go for it!

Thursday, January 22, 2015

International Trade Plays a Key Role in Small Business Success

©iStock/Lee Yiu Tung
Why does trade matter for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and for our country?
While many think trade is the domain of big business, 98 percent of the 300,000 American companies that export are small and medium-sized businesses. These firms account for one-third of U.S. merchandise exports, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. The number of small and mid-sized companies that export has nearly tripled over the past two decades.
The fact of the matter is that international trade plays a key role in small business success.

Read the entire article:  The little-noticed role of trade in small business success. 

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

In 2015, Having a Strong International Presence Will Be Essential For Success

©iStock/Meinzahn
According to Sissy DeMaria for The Miami Herald, to form an international network, you have to have skin in the game. You must spend time researching, traveling, interviewing companies, and getting to know people to ensure that their business culture and vision mirrors yours.

She also expects globalization will increasingly play an important role in the growth of small to midsize businesses.

Read the entire article:  The importance of globalization for local businesses in 2015

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

By 2016, the Richest 1% Will Own More Than 50% of the World's Wealth

©iStock/Pinarlauridsen
The the anti-poverty charity Oxfam said it would use its high-profile role at the World Economic Forum to demand urgent action to narrow the gap between rich and poor.
The charity’s research, published on Monday [1/19/15], shows that the share of the world’s wealth owned by the best-off 1% has increased from 44% in 2009 to 48% in 2014, while the least well-off 80% currently own just 5.5%
Oxfam says that on current trends "the richest 1% would own more than 50% of the world’s wealth by 2016."

Read the entire article:  New Oxfam report says half of global wealth held by the 1%

Monday, January 19, 2015

Today in Global Small Business: How to Nip Ethnocentrism in the Bud

©iStock/Ray Tango
What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Know What You Are Gonna Do Tomorrow, and The Next Day, and The Next Year ...


George Bailey: "I know what I'm gonna do tomorrow, and the next day, and the next year, and the year after that." - from It's a Wonderful Life

Photos courtesy:  ©2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.