Egypt Supports Local Entrepreneurs to Unleash Their Potential Internationally

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According to the Washington Times and based on numerous studies, Egypt's ideal entrepreneurial ecosystem fosters the growth of entrepreneurial and innovative ventures and has five main pillars:

1. Access to funding.
2. Entrepreneurial culture.
3. Educational systems supporting the entrepreneurial mindset.
4. Accommodating regulatory and tax regimes.
5. A coordinated approach linking the public, private and voluntary sectors.

Egypt seeks to not only attract foreign innovation-driven ventures to capture its high potential youth market, but it is also wants to support local entrepreneurs to unleash their potential in the domestic and international markets.

Read more here.

Bar Chain Social is Rocking India

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The bar-office chain Social is now rocking India but its founders are graduates from the culinary school of hard knocks.  In India, many investors have created wealth from food but seldom overnight.  Big factors to success in this industry include timing, experience, experimentation and luck. And of course along the way there will be inevitable setbacks.

Read more here.

Wine and Fruit Are the Answers to Better Relations Between USA and China

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American president-elect Donald Trump met yesterday (1/9) to discuss Alibaba executive chairman Jack Ma's plans to create 1 million U.S. jobs by growing trade between U.S. small businesses and Chinese consumers.

According to Scott Kennedy, director of the Project on Chinese Business & Political Economy at the Center for Strategic & International Studies, Ma intended to set the structure of Alibaba’s business with the U.S. in a framework Donald Trump understands, as an innovative company that is creating jobs for both Chinese and Americans.

"It was a very productive meeting," Ma told reporters. "The door is open to discuss the relationship on trade issues."
Ma specifically mentioned agricultural products such as wine and fruit that could be sold through Alibaba to consumers in China and Asia.

Read more here.  And then there are other issues which must be overcome first, namely pirated and counterfeit goods.

Today in Global Small Business: The Hoffice Movement Spurs Better Use of Collective Intelligence

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

• American President-elect Trump's view of the world and trade.
• Rumors of Hillary Clinton's comeback and what that could mean for NY.
• What makes things cool?  Put your marketing cap on to figure out.
• Foreign brands rush into cross-border e-commerce. 
• Indiana wants to bring a World Trade Organization to its state.
• How the Swedes are ditching desks to work from strangers' homes (you read that right and this movement referred to as Hoffice could be a sign of the times ahead worldwide).

A Place You Never Grow Tired Of: Heartland Cafe in Rogers Park, Illinois

©2016 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Good wholesome food for the mind and the body in Rogers Park, Illinois, United States:  Heartland Cafe.  See it by day as well.

SMEs are Embracing Global Mobile: Here's Why

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Opportunities abound for entrepreneurs in the new year.  Yet, finding and capitalizing on them requires knowing what to look for and how to decipher quality from quantity and which ones offer the greatest impact for business growth.

Jim Squires, director of market operations at Instagram, shares insights with Small Business Computing, predicting that entrepreneurs will face no shortage of opportunities for success in 2017.

Read more:  Small Businesses Going Global and Embracing Mobile in 2017

The Future of the American Economy: Women Entrepreneurs

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We've been following Geri Stengel, president of Ventureneer, for quite some time with her reports on what's happening and needed for women entrepreneurs to prosper and grow in the USA.  Below she pens a mighty good piece:

14 Assists That Will Help Women Entrepreneurs Score in 2017 via @Forbes (#whatWEneedtosucceed).

Don't miss it.  Especially if you are, like I am, a woman entrepreneur.  Pass it along.

TPP: The Future of Our Country’s Participation in the Global Economy

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With or without the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the challenge remains the same: The United States must maintain its dominant position as a world trade leader.  Otherwise, companies big and small will be at a competitive disadvantage in the international marketplace.

The election is over, and campaign rhetoric must give way to real dialog. The issue isn’t just the future of TPP, but the future of our country’s participation in the global economy.

How will we compete?

Read more here.

A Look Back on 2016: 10 Top Trends

And if you are interested in looking forward at global trade trends 2017, go here.

Today in Global Small Business: Laurel Delaney's Global Trade Trends Report 2017

©2017 WEGG.  All rights reserved.

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

• Kick off the new year with one key aspiration:  go global. By the way, Happy New Year!
• Pick up some tips that Laurel Delaney wrote about on pricing products for global shipping.
• How to go global on social media in just four steps.
• Check out how the new global director for the integrated supply chain, e-commerce and tech innovation at Mondelez International is reinventing how and where they sell their snack food products.
• Ooh la la or Rue La La eCommerce goes global.
• Join Laurel Delaney for her Global Trade Trends 2017 Report on 1/4/17 (webinar -- no charge).

Happy 2017 from The Global Small Business Blog

©2016 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"All our dreams can come true – if we have the courage to pursue them." ~ Walt Disney

The American Spirit of Entrepreneurship Around the World

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Maria Contreras-Sweet, the 24th U.S. SBA Administrator, has been recognized for the Award for Global Impact which “recognizes a government official or policy expert who has created a strong ecosystem to support diverse entrepreneurs in his or her country.”

She said in a statement:

“I am deeply honored and grateful to GEN [Global Entrepreneurship Network] for creating this award that recognizes SBA’s groundbreaking work to export the SBA model and infuse the unique American spirit of entrepreneurship around the world. It is among our most important and enduring legacies."

Learn more here.

Sometimes It Pays Not to Ship South of the USA Border

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Montreal, Canada-based Nancy Gervais started repairing American Girl dolls two years ago after her daughter received one as a gift and has now turned it into a small local business.  There's a reason she's not global, yet.

She [Gervais] explained there are other ways to repair the dolls, but that requires shipping the toys south of the border.

To avoid the extra costs, Gervais has learned how to fix the dolls herself by watching YouTube videos.  See what has worked for Gervais here.

Your Cross-Cultural Communication Fix For the Day

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Even something as simple as a dog can mean different things in different cultures.  That's why anyone who has worked in a global team setting has likely witnessed firsthand how communication problems are much more than inconveniences.  They can be embarrassing, costly and damaging.

How do you fix cross-cultural communication issues?  First, it starts with talking about it and considering it regularly -- not just in a one-off sort of manner.  Second, the strength of cross-cultural communication lies in having the right attitude, experience, perspective, and insight.

The bottom line is that understanding how to communicate across cultures is an absolutely indispensable skill.

Look Internationally for New Market Opportunities

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A recent report by HSBC found that three quarters of small businesses would like to expand internationally but said they are held back because they lack “international business experience and knowledge.”

Yet in the case of UK SMEs, they are increasingly being encouraged to look internationally for new market opportunities.

Where do SMEs trip up?

Find out here.

Today in Global Small Business: What's Ahead in 2017

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

• Lift your spirits with good cheer from Small Business Trends.
• Five new year resolutions for small (and global) business owners.
• Seven new year resolutions for SEO in 2017.
• If you resolve to go global in 2017, listen in on this global trade trends webinar 1/4/17 (n/c).
• Turning new year's resolutions into actionable goals for 2017.
• What emerging business ideas could boom in 2017.

Merry Christmas from the Global Small Business Blog

©2016 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Santa Claus is anyone who loves another and seeks to make them happy."  -- Edwin Osgood Grover

Take Your Business to The Next Level: Global

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If entrepreneurs are to take their businesses to the next level, they need to get informed, especially if they are Rwandan entrepreneurs.

For example, the Export Growth Fund (EGF) managed by the Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD) is under-utilized.  The Fund was established to help exporters get around obstacles.

If a bank gave an entrepreneur a loan at a 17 per cent interest rate, for example, he [François Kanimba, the minister for trade, industry and East African Community affairs] said, the Fund would chip in 6.5 per cent to ease things for the entrepreneur.

Learn more here.

How to Become the World's Best At Anything

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Even if you don't have a lot of bucks, you can still make your product, service or business into a global brand.  And a strong brand is one of the most valuable assets a company owns (think Coca Cola, for example).

In the case of Nigerian-based Access Bank, they aspired to become a solid brand, not just a cool logo or advertisement, that would command respect in many sectors.  And they achieved it.

"While innovation, excellent risk and corporate governance framework might be the advantage we have over our competitors, the [Access] Bank is propelled by a vision of becoming the world’s most respected African Bank, and this requires us to do things differently to standout. He [Access Bank Group Managing Director, Herbert Wigwe] thanked the bank’s stakeholders for their support and assured them of improved performance in the years ahead."

Read more about Access Bank's story here.

Entrepreneurs Will Face No Shortage of Opportunities for Success in 2017

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According to Jim Squires, director of market operations at Instagram, entrepreneurs will face no shortage of opportunities for success in 2017.

He shares insights with Small Business Computing.  Here are five key points:

1. SMBs Will Act on Their Global Ambitions
2. Mobile Will Matter More than Ever
3. Creativity Will Be Democratized
4. SMBs Will Deepen Customer Relationships
5. Lower Barriers to Entry Will Pose Challenges

Squires emphasizes that choosing platforms that help your global small business stand out will be essential in 2017.

Read more here.

How to Maintain Your Company's Global Goals While Building A Remote Workforce

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Team building efforts that maintain open communication lines and that push critical information to remote employees can improve that engagement and keep remote employees from losing focus on a company’s global goals, one being to create an environment where people worldwide will flourish regardless of where they are based.

Small businesses with global operations can have one or more virtual offices at remote geographic locations with employees who work out of their homes or through a mobile technology platform. Remote employees can feel less engaged than their colleagues who are in the office.

What's the work around?  Develop team-building exercises. That's according to this article -- especially if you are participating in international markets.  If you want to gain a competitive edge in global markets, team-building exercises might be the answer to address certain challenges that come with international expansion (e.g., cultural differences, time zone complications and currency fluctuations).

Today in Global Small Business: Why Brexit Will Make It Difficult for UK SMEs to Go Global

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

• What does it take to go global?
• Global success is driven by the ability to embrace cultural differences.
• Are graduates prepared for the global workforce?
• Global economic forecasts revised post-USA election.
• Why Brexit is expected to make it more difficult for British businesses to "go global."
• Has international education become an internationally traded commodity?

Oh Holy Night

©2016 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

A star is brightly shining.  Peace.  Joy.  Hope.  Merry Christmas. Happy 2017!

A New Innovation Center to Help Small Companies Go Global

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The establishment of a “Joint Innovation Center” in Luxembourg by Vodafone and Technoport S.A. (50/50 basis ownership) was announced by the Prime Minister and Minister of State, Xavier Bettel, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy, Étienne Schneider.

Says Ninian Wilson, CEO of Vodafone Procurement Co SARL:

"The innovation centre creates a unique platform to help small companies go global. The environment in Luxembourg is ideally suited to supporting such activities in the ICT space.”

Learn more about this exciting platform here.

New York School Forges National and International Connections

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At Brooklyn-based Medgar Ever College’s School of Business, entrepreneurship and international "experiential learning" go hand in hand.

“The point is that they [the students] see a world beyond them,” [Business school Dean Jo-Ann] Rolle said. “To do that, you have to understand culture and market niche.”

Learn more about ways in which Evers students are making inroads into the global business world here.

How to Use Periscope For Your Global Small Business

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There are so many ways to use Periscope for your global small business but let's take a look at 30 that Small Business Trends put together.  And one, I like the best:

Reach a Global Audience

Transitioning to a global economy may not be an easy task. One of the biggest challenges would be a way to connect with foreign customers. Periscope however removes that barrier. You can now communicate with your customers from all around the world in a cost effective way.

Find out about the other 29 ways here.

Bolstering Small Businesses in 2017

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Here are three ways the new SBA Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon plans to bolster small businesses in 2017:

1. Upgrade technology.
2. Build stronger networks for women (we'll take it :-)!
3. Expand access to capital.

Read more here.

Today in Global Small Business: Cuban Entrepreneurs Expect Faster Economic Reforms

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

• Five e-commerce trends for 2017.
• What you need to know when expanding in Europe.
• German supermarket chain Aldi to get physical stores in China.
• Can Cuban entrepreneurs expect faster economic reforms post USA-election?
• Why Brexit is not seen as a threat to small businesses.
• On company growth, think global.

The Road to Christmas

©2016 Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"At Christmas, all roads lead home."  -- Marjorie Holmes

Boots on the Ground Make Going Global Easier

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A lot of small businesses have the philosophy that driving international sales has a lot to do with getting closer to your customer.

But [the Australian Federal Government's Export Finances and Insurance Corporation (EFIC)] executive director Andrew Watson warns that getting the right corporate structure, business partner and making sure you’re meeting all the regulatory and compliance obligations of overseas markets is the key to success. “There’s a real need to make sure that you’re managing the risks that you’re taking by entering that new market,” he says.

Are you ready to take the risk and invest?  Read more here.

America First for Global Small Business Fighters!

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President-elect Donald Trump has selected Linda McMahon, the co-founder of the pro-wrestling enterprise World Wrestling Entertainment, to head the Small Business Administration.

Trump says:

"She [Linda McMahon] helped grow WWE from a modest 13-person operation to a publicly traded global enterprise with more than 800 employees in offices worldwide. Linda is going to be a phenomenal leader and champion for small businesses and unleash America's entrepreneurial spirit all across the country."

Read more:  Trump Tags Former Wrestling Magnate To Head Small Business Administration

Bringing Holiday Cheer For the Ears

Indian SMEs Are Taking Advantage of the Digital Boom

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Indian SMEs are figuring themselves in the bigger picture and taking full leverage of a digital boom in the industry.

Take a look at the top five initiatives by global giant brands that are helping promote Indian SMEs and catching up on technology here.

Today in Global Small Business: Why There's a Globalization Backlash

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

• How to stay on track with the right marketing message.
• What's in store globally in 2017; join me at a webinar I am giving 1/4 (n/c).
• See how the Hilton Worldwide is going global, taking advantage of the booming lodging industry.
• If small businesses are going global, why not drones too?
• To meet continued e-commerce growth, DHL is rapidly investing in its U.S. operations in 2016-2017.
• Why there's a globalization backlash.

Tree Ornaments From Macy's Chicago

"Christmas is a box of tree ornaments that have become part of the family." ~ Charles Schulz (1922-2000), American cartoonist 'Peanuts'

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

For the First Time, NetSuite Becomes Truly Global

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By itself, NetSuite, offering a range of productivity tools, including ERP (enterprise resource planning) and CRM (customer relationship management), couldn’t tap into foreign markets the way a giant like Oracle can.

NetSuite has mostly limited itself to the English-speaking world (and Japan).  Now that Oracle has acquired NetSuite, it plans to localize its products for many more countries while expanding its data-center capacity, sales operations, partner channel and other assets to reach customers in those new areas.

“We were beginning to globalize, but we didn’t really have the resources or presence to be able to do so,” said Zach Nelson, former NetSuite CEO, who will run the new business unit.

Read more:  NetSuite's Going Global Under Oracle's Flag

The World's Biggest Flying City in the Sky

Biggest Barrier to Becoming Your Own Global Small Business Boss?

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The desire to be your own boss resonates with a lot of people, so much that many aspiring entrepreneurs are willing to take a pay cut, work longer hours, and even go without a holiday for a year.

According to research from PayPal Australia, almost 70 per cent of Australian budding entrepreneurs say getting the up-front financing is one of the biggest barriers to becoming your own boss. Yet almost two-thirds of Australians have visions of working for themselves, with the overwhelming majority (69 per cent) willing to take a pay cut to realize this dream.

Read more:  Australia's Entrepreneurs | Financial hurdle is toughest

Exports Are Critical to Survival, Especially With Music

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According to a new report commissioned by the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA), Music in Motion: An Analysis of Exporting Canadian Independent Music, six out of 10 Canadian music companies feel that exports are critical to their survival and that small independent music businesses are more likely to spend 21 times more on export activities for breakthrough artists than they do for artists at other stages of their career.

"It reaffirms the fact that music has no borders now - it is a global market, period," says [CIMA President Stuart] Johnston. "So that strategy and that approach has to be taken into account by any artist and the companies that support them when they're commercializing their music."

The study finds that exports are a key part of a business plan for 87% of Canadian music companies.

Today in Global Small Business: Don't Overlook the Global Day of Giving

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

• Why small businesses are going from local to global.
• Will TPP or the lack thereof, impact Hawaii's businesses?
• Guess what the main driver of growth is for businesses this holiday season?
• How to avoid giving your data to cyber thieves this holiday season.
• Four ways to get in on a global day of giving (and don't overlook WEGG).
• A glimpse into 1.35 billion Chinese lives.

Macy's World Famous Walnut Room 2016 in Chicago

©2016 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

A look at the holiday tree in The Walnut Room 2016 Chicago.

TPP or No TPP, How to Tweak Your Website For Global Growth

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It's on.  It's off.  TPP is up in the air until President-elect Trump decides how to improve it before signing.

Meanwhile here are six easy steps to implement on your website to demonstrate you know how to communicate with people effectively regardless of geography, culture or language, and that you are open to doing business with a few of the countries (e.g. Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam) in the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).

We Are Grateful For Your Readership

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"A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues." -- Cicero

Best Business Blogs in 2016: The Global Small Business Blog Makes the List

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Out of 52 featured blogs, we are No. 6 in the Business Blogs Professionals Should Read, right before Google Small Business.  The authors of the blog say, "We’ve taken a look around the web and pulled together this comprehensive list of 52 of the best business blogs which you should be following in 2016, split by categories."

6. The Global Small Business Blog
For those businesses who are still small, but are dealing on a global scale, look no further than the Global Small Business Blog.  Even if your business isn’t quite global yet, it’s always good to keep an eye on how things are being done all around the world. 

Why CETA Is Getting a Bad Rap

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According to Global Research, Centre for Research on Globalization, a look at the text of the CETA agreement – and recent declarations designed to reassure critics and gain support for its ratification – shows that concerns over it are seemingly well-founded.

Behind the PR attempts by the Canadian Government and the European Commission to sell it as a progressive agreement, CETA remains what it always has been: an attack on democracy, workers, and the environment. It would be a major mistake to ratify it.

Read more:  The Great CETA Swindle

Today in Global Small Business: Invest in Hole-Free Socks When Visiting Japan

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

• Why small businesses are going from local to global.
• How the good business owners get better by being charitable and profitable.
• Creating a digital version of its small business education program in Colombia.
• See how Maui kicked off Global Entrepreneurship Week.
• Four (4) factors holding back businesses from long-term growth.
• Why you should take your shoes off in Japan.

Remember Who You are and What You Stand For

©2016 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

“Remember who you are, what you stand for, and what's most important in your life…” ― James A. Murphy, The Waves of Life Quotes and Daily Meditations

Why You Should Scale Your Global Business

Why You Should Scale Your Global Business 

Seven Painful Lessons I learned From Others On Importing Products from China

©2016 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Trading with China is challenging.  Because with it comes dealing with the unknown, famously low (scary) prices, inconsistent quality problems and intellectual property concerns. Here, I examine the perils with conducting business in China and offer seven lessons to help treat some of the pain points.

Are SMEs Losing Out on Value By Not Going Global?

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How does a small business unleash its true value?  Entrepreneur Jeremy Harbour saw an opportunity to fix just one of the areas of the SME community that was “broken” last year – and his ultimate goal is not only creating a broad-based network of advertising businesses through his listed company The Marketing Group, but actually changing the way small businesses interact with global markets so that more business owners can harness wealth.

Learn more:  Why founder of global digital agency The Marketing Group thinks the economy doesn't support the value of small business