20 Reasons for the World to Love Halloween

©2020 All photos Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

“I love Halloween, and I love that feeling:  the cold air, the spooky dangers lurking around the corner."— Evan Peters

Will Soy Sauce Be Cheaper in Britain Due to the UK-Japan Trade Deal?

©iStock/fortyforks

It was Japanese week on The Great British Bake Off and the The Department for International Trade (DIT-UK) has been causing something of a stir on social media, after tweeting about the Bake Off. 

At first they said, "The bakers used a lot of soya sauce in the first challenge on #GBBO, so it's a good thing it will be made cheaper thanks to our trade deal with Japan."

Then the DIT clarified:

"Thanks to the UK-Japan trade deal, soya sauce will be cheaper than it otherwise would be under WTO [World Trade Organization] terms, on which we would be trading with Japan from 1 January if we had not secured the UK-Japan trade deal."

But here's the funny thing:  Most soy sauce in the UK does not come from Japan.

Oh boy.  Read more.

On a more serious note, Britain and Japan sign post-Brexit trade deal.

England Also Wants to Build Back Better Following the Global Pandemic

©iStock/Chalabala

The government in England recently announced a package of measures to help businesses in England build back better following the pandemic.

The plan includes a £38 million Internationalisation Fund for small businesses, which will help up to 7,600 SMEs in England grow their overseas trading and strengthen their business.

Review the full list of measures here.

A Global Letter to Bruce: I'll See You in My Dreams

Don't Ever, Ever, Ever Bribe Foreign Officials to Obtain Lucrative Business Contracts

©iStock/Yumi mini

For bribing foreign officials to obtain lucrative business contracts, a global financial institution, namely Goldman Sachs, and its Malaysian subsidiary have agreed to pay more than $2.9 billion in criminal fines, civil penalties, and disgorgement.  This is according to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release report. 

Here's the thing:  A DOJ official said this represents the largest monetary penalty ever paid to the U.S. in a corporate criminal foreign bribery resolution.

Don't ever, ever, ever bribe foreign officials to obtain lucrative business contracts.  I write about this in my book, Exporting:  The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably.  No ands, ifs or buts on this deal.

Learn more about the law firm who reported this case and discover other companies and countries that are involved in bribery cases.

Today in Global Small Business: Pathways to a New Global Economy

©iStock/alekseystemmer

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

• Market of Tomorrow:  Pathways to a New [Global] Economy by the World Economic Forum.  
• A few Israeli startups are on the path to provide solutions for a post-covid world.
• Quote of the week:  “Exercise, prayer, and meditation are examples of calming rituals. They have been shown to induce a happier mood and provide a positive pathway through life's daily frustrations." ― Chuck Norris
• The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) transformed into the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (IDFC).  New name.  More tools.  More resources to invest.
• Brush up on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
• U.S. International Trade Data (the latest).

Watch the Leaves Turn

©2020 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.” – Elizabeth Lawrence

4 Lessons for New Global Leaders

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Erika James assumed leadership of the Wharton School amidst a pandemic — a crisis of global proportions. 

I relocated to Philadelphia after choosing a place to live online, and I was meeting my colleagues virtually over Zoom. I was two months into the job before I was able to take an in-person tour of the campus — and as I now end the first 90 days in my role, I can essentially count on one hand the number of colleagues, not to mention students, with whom I have been able to meet in person. To say this has been a truly unique onboarding experience would be an understatement.

Dean Erika James reflects on the start of her tenure as Dean of Wharton – 90 days into it as of September 28, 2020 – and offers four lessons for new global leaders.

When People Are Connected to the Internet, They are Connected to Global Opportunity

©iStock/Feodora Chlosea

As Katie Watson Jordan, Internet Society says in her Opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal, "Remote Classes Need Good Internet Service."

The Covid-19 pandemic has underscored that the internet is an indispensable tool for keeping us connected, informed, working, innovating and learning. Improving access is paramount because when people are connected to the internet, they are connected to [global] opportunity. 

We could not agree more Katie.  Thank you for saying that.  

Learn more about the Internet Society – the place of possibility and opportunity.

World: We Can Work It Out

In the Year of a Global Pandemic, Here Are 8 Marketers You Should Follow to Improve Your Marketing

©2020 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

A good global marketer wanting to master his craft needs to run A/B tests, experiment with new tools, share his or her thoughts with the community, debate and learn from others while exploring numerous marketing venues.  The list below is a good one but let us not forget the great Ann Handley.  After all, we are seeking diversity and inclusion, right?

And I'd be remiss for not bringing up one of my all time favorite marketing geniuses:  David Ogilvy.  From the book, "D.O., The unpublished David Ogilvy – a selection of his writings from the files of his partners:"  Here's a clip.

To Cliff Field, a great copywriter, on his seventh anniversary with the company:

September 21, 1963

Cliff:

I see you have been here for seven years.  I've been here for twice as long.  God knows what this proves.

D.O. 

Return to the other 6 greats in marketing. 

Today in Global Small Business: Shift Your Perspective

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

• Strengthening women's voices at business forums is key to success.  This was suggested by experts from public and private sectors while speaking at the online meeting on ‘Challenges of women-led exporting enterprises amid COVID-19,’ organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI). 
• Small businesses make up 90% of Georgia exporters.
• Quote of the week:  “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” ― C.G. Jung
• Everything you should know about a global marketing strategy.
• The latest stats on the corona virus from the John Hopkins University of Medicine.
• Feeling overwhelmed?  Shift perspective.

Every Leaf Speaks Bliss To Me

©

2020 Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me / Fluttering from the autumn tree." – Emily Brontë, in her poem Fall, Leaves, Fall

The Global Covid Economy

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Welcome to the [global] Covid Economy.  See how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting all areas of our lives, from food to housing, health care to global small business. 

The first focus is on North Carolina, with rapid economic growth — and growing inequality — since the last recession to learn how residents are weathering the economic consequences of this once-in-a-lifetime health crisis.

Take a deep dive here.

Risks and Uncertainty Remain High in the Global Marketplace

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According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation Development (OECD), restoring confidence will be crucial to how successfully all economies can recover, and for this we need to learn to safely live with the COVID-19 virus.  Policymakers reacted rapidly and massively to buffer the initial blow to incomes and jobs. But the pace of recovery has lost momentum over the summer.

Read more about how the global outlook is less pessimistic, but risks and uncertainty remain high.  Governments need to be more targeted and flexible enough to adapt to changing conditions. 

The OECD also noted a new chaos of digital taxes and tariffs that could cut global output by 1%. 

5th Annual Global Small Business Forum Hosted Virtually on 10/16/20

@2020 Global TradeSource, Ltd.  All rights reserved.

Please join us for the world's biggest Global Small Business Forum – #BeAGlobalUnicorn – hosted virtually on Friday, October 16th from 7:30AM – 11:30AM Central Time.  Hear from 4 CEOs (refer to graphic above and link below) on how they are successfully navigating their global businesses through the global pandemic, trade wars, trade tariffs and just about every other imaginable challenge in 2020. They will prove to you that if they can steer their businesses effectively during turbulent times, you can too! 

You will also hear from special guests Marc Schulman, President, Eli's Cheesecake and Richard Paullin, Executive Director, ITAGC. 

To learn more and to register, please visit:  http://globalsmallbusinessforum.com.  

Associated Bank (lead Gold sponsor), Multilingual Connections (Bronze sponsor) and Foley & Lardner (Host sponsor) are the proud sponsors of this event.

How About a Break to Have a Covid and Science Conversation with Nobel Laureate Jennifer Doudna?

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A conversation with the U.C. Berkeley professor Jennifer Doudna who shared the Nobel Prize in chemistry with Emmanuelle Charpentier, now the director of the Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens in Berlin, for their work on Crispr-Cas9, a method to edit DNA.

Who would want to miss this?  She explains how the technology works and more.

Today in Global Small Business: Bridging the Gap on Economic Inequality

©iStock/Moussa81

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

• How Amazon Prime claims to help small businesses get to the million-dollar level.
• Hey global small business owners, it's okay to not to be okay in front of your employees.
• Quote of the week:  "Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country.  This is your democracy.  Make it.  Protect it.  Pass it on. – Thurgood Marshall
• Economic inequality is pervasive inside and outside of companies. Some CEOs, like Bank of America’s Brian Moynihan , have made efforts to bridge that gap. 
• Check out the top ten fastest growing searches – by global small business owners who feel these services will help them succeed in a more online first world – on a global scale over the previous six months according to Fiverr.
• All it takes is one good TikTok video to be discovered worldwide and achieve viral fame. 
• Happy Columbus Day 2020.

I'll Get You, My Pretty

©2020 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too!" – The Wizard of Oz, #99 in the American Film Institute's list of the top 100 movie quotations in American cinema

Music for Global Brain Power

What's Your Brand's Global Shelf Life?

©iStock/Michall_Petrov-96

Whether you’re launching a new product or rebranding an existing one, marketers often spend months analyzing data, conducting interviews, and carrying out research to find the best name to set themselves apart from competitors.

No matter how thorough you may be, if your research is biased toward your home market, you’re likely to run into challenges when you expand internationally. 

What can marketers do to set a brand up for global success from the start?

Read on to find out.

How Did Wendy Shen Do it?

©2020 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®  All rights reserved.

How did Wendy Shen do it – grow from a one-woman shop, to a Disney deal, to a running a global e-commerce powerhouse?  Find out when Wendy Shen, President and CEO, FLOMO/Nygala Corp. presents a wegginar® for Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global today, October 7th, at 11AM CT.  She'll also discuss the global pandemic:  a wakeup call on global supply chain management.

The program is free of charge thanks to wegg's sponsors: Associated Bank, FedEx, APCO Worldwide, Greensfelder, GlobalCare Clinical Trials and Union Pacific.

To learn more and to register, visit:  

https://womenentrepreneursgrowglobal.org/2020/09/16/the-global-pandemic-a-wakeup-call-on-global-supply-chain-management/ 

Online Marketplaces Adapt During the Global Pandemic

©iStock/Kwangmoozaa

E-commerce has never been more important than now.  As many brick and mortar stores close their doors, some permanently, e-commerce offers an opportunity to not just sustain a business but thrive in 2020.

The ecommerce opportunity is ripe, 45 per cent of online shoppers globally say they plan to spend more time shopping online after the pandemic is over. Online marketplace searches in particular, have increased by 46 percent year on year, with search data showing that 84 per cent more Australians are Googling marketplaces from January to July 2020.

Read more about how online marketplace have enjoyed success through their ability to adapt. 

Today in Global Small Business: USA President Trump Has Covid-19

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

• LIVE updates from The New York Times on President Trump's condition.
• How President Trump's diagnosis could affect markets.
• Quote of the week:  "On self-knowledge: "Unless a man is master of his soul, all other kinds of mastery amount to little." – Theodore Roosevelt
• Will President Trump's condition shape the race (requires subscription)?
• The US President is not well.
• Will President Trump be discharged from hospital on Monday, October 5, 2020?  Hard to believe.

Awaken Your Soul

©2020 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Until one has loved an animal [like Mellie] a part of one's soul remains unawakened." – Anatole France

Every Challenge Comes With Rainbows

“Life throws challenges and every challenge comes with rainbows and lights to conquer it.” ― Amit Ray, World Peace: The Voice of a Mountain Bird

Destinations for U.S. Exports Span the Globe

©iStock/Waldemarus

On a state by state basis, exports can be a significant source of revenue.  Further, the U.S. economy is far less dependent on trade than most countries. The total value of all U.S. exports accounted for just 11.7% of GDP in 2019 – a fraction of the 30.6% global average. 

Destinations for U.S. exports span the globe. The largest markets for American goods were Canada, Mexico, and China, as of 2018. However, due to the trade war between the U.S. and China, the total value of products shipped to China has likely declined considerably in recent months.

Read the entire article to learn the top selling products from each state in the United States.

Hello World: Let's Have an Empire State of Mind With Alicia Keys

Next Wave of Globalization? Remote Workforce

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As the article penned by Jackie Bischof, Deputy membership editor for Quartz says, "globalization—the ideal of an interconnected world—is predicated on the idea that we are stronger working together than split apart."  But, she goes on to say, "it has proven politically divisive, in large part because its costs and benefits have not been shared equally." 

If the expansion of remote work makes it easier and more common to work with colleagues across borders, could it also make globalization more popular? 

For their field guide on virtual, borderless teams, Quartz asked experts what kind of impact the dramatic shift in working from home precipitated by Covid-19 might have on global collaboration.

Here's what they said – requires a free trial registration or subscription.

Today in Global Small Business: Emerge Stronger Post COVID-19

©iStock/Dreamland Media

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

• Four questions (and answers) about Covid-19’s lasting impact on business (Bain & Company).
• As stores reopen, which customers are most likely to return (MIT Sloan Management Review).
• Quote of the week:  "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." – Winston Churchill
• Special issue on digital transformation (California Management)
• Emerge stronger post COVID-19 (pwc).
• Digital marketers race to meet the needs of a new era (Boston Consulting Group).

Love Is the Flower

©2020 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

“Love is the flower you’ve got to let grow.” – John Lennon

For All the Moms Worldwide: The Kids' Table

©iStock/Prostock-Studio

A Chicago kids' cooking school offers virtual weekly classes for children ages 2 to 14.  Most classes are one hour, a new two-hour course, Supper Club, puts kids in charge of dinner.   Hmm, does that sound nice :-).  Spots I hear go fast, so book yours today.

With interactive instruction from our skilled instructors, young chefs get to chop, mix and roll their way to a different delicious dish in each class - with enough to share with the fam! Kids learn valuable culinary skills and new recipes, enjoy a fun hands-on activity, and are inspired to expand their taste buds to discover that "real food" can be really good. 

Learn more:  The Kids' Table

Exploring the Open Road Safely and Easily

iStock/Konoplytska

American Automobile Association (AAA) recently added a new map to their TripTik tool quiver (triptik.aaa.com), with all of the Covid-related data a traveler could need.  It includes:

• Features to show roadway checkpoints
• Border closings with Canada and Mexico
• Travel restrictions at the city, county or state level
• Confirmed cases of Covid-19 at the state/province and/or county level

The underlying data is updated every weekday by AAA's GIS (geographic information system) team, so travelers can count on having the freshest information at their disposal.

Serendipity Is a Skill

©iStock/bowie15

In his new book, The Serendipity Mindset, Christian Busch, director of the global economy program at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs, makes the case that serendipity is the result of a sensibility that allows people to spot and act on unexpected, fortuitous connections when others would dismiss them.

And he suggests that it’s possible for people to cultivate this mindset and use unpredictability to their advantage. Busch talked to strategy+business about the serendipity mindset, which he says is key for companies in a time of pressing global challenges.

Read the full interview here.

SBA: National Small Business Week 2020 (Event Is Free of Charge)

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Here's the Agenda for the U.S. Small Business Administration's National Small Business Week that starts today, September 22nd (at 12:30PM ET) and runs until the 24th offering educational presentations and panel discussions that help both new and existing businesses to recover, adapt, and innovate in this challenging time.

Best of all: the event is free of charge.  Register here.

Today in Global Small Business: How RBG Made Girls Equal to Boys

©iStock/Tim Brown

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

• Disney+ rolls out globally.
• Some of the earliest countries to be impacted by the virus have been quick to adopt health certificates – but can immunity passports really help us travel safely again?
• Quote of the week: "Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you." – Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s impact on women spanned age groups, backgrounds.  RBG made girls equal to boys.  That will continue.  A fact.  
• The secret sauce to getting more women to export – wegg® plays a key role.
• Daniel Pink:  How to not be overwhelmed right now.

A Horse Is An Adulthood Treasure

©2020 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"A pony is a childhood dream. A horse is an adulthood treasure." – Rebecca Carroll

How Small Businesses Are Adjusting to COVID-19

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How are America’s small businesses navigating the economic disruptions resulting from COVID-19, and how will the CARES Act affect their decisions and future prospects?

To explore these questions, we [the National Bureau of Economic Research] conducted a survey of more than 5,800 small businesses that were members of the Alignable business network. The survey focused on assessing (1) the current level of financial fragility among small businesses, (2) the extent to which small businesses have already temporarily closed and laid off employees, (3) expectations about how long the crisis will last - and how this is affecting business decisions, and (4) decisions about whether to seek funding through the CARES Act, and how this will impact layoff and closure decisions.

Discover the survey results and themes that emerge.

Entrepreneurship is An Integral Component of African Economies

©iStock/Andi Edwards

Entrepreneurship is an integral component of African economies – it is not surprising that the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) report for 2014, ranked Uganda as the World’s top entrepreneurial country.

With a high market value and uses in cooking and cosmetics, Shea butter has become known as Burkina's gold. By training groups of entrepreneurs in the best processing methods and how best to sell their end product, TREE AID is turning an everyday tree product into meals, medicines and schooling.

Most business entities in Uganda are small-scale ventures and operate extensively in the informal sector – young entrepreneurs have low growth expectations as not many of them innovate or develop new products.

Learn more about the challenges and prospects of SMEs and entrepreneurship in Africa.

Are the World Bank Doing Business Rankings Accurate?

©iStock/Chinnapong

The World Bank's Doing Business rankings had a goal of evaluating countries’ openness to the private sector.  Right now, they are in a little hot water.  Seven years ago the bank rejected an independent panel’s recommendation to do away with the ranking system due to what appeared to be data manipulation [irregularities].

Now they have paused the publication of its next Doing Business report, originally planned for October, while it conducts “a systematic review and assessment of data changes” in the last five reports, as well as an audit of the data collection process and data integrity controls.

Sounds like they have some explaining to do ... we've always called their work Ease of Doing Business Rankings.

Georgia: The Epic Center of Global Trade in the Southeast, USA

©iStockKruck20

The new Export Georgia, USA Directory hosted by Georgia Department of Economic Development’s International Trade division  provides Georgia businesses with the global connections they need to reach new markets and diversify their international customer base. The site (www.georgia.org/export) currently features more than 60 Georgia businesses.  The new marketing tool has been created to provide virtual connections between international buyers and Georgia suppliers.

“Georgia has quickly become the epicenter of global trade in the Southeast,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. “As we continue to celebrate a record-setting year for trade in 2019 – our trade team is focusing on the future. Not only will this tool help Georgia businesses find new buyers in international markets, but it will also help businesses get back on their feet as they seek out new opportunities to succeed.”

Read more about how Georgia helps companies connect to international buyers.

Today in Global Small Business: Fascinating Cultural Differences Around the World

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

• COVID-19 has changed global marketing strategies.
• Create agile global marketing plans.
• Quote of the week: "The Internet is the most effective instrument we have for globalization." – Milton Friedman
• Fascinating cultural differences around the world.
• A study finds that colors evoke similar feelings around the world. 
• Students are caught between globalization and nationalism.

Being Real Awesome

©2020 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Being a unicorn isn't about being real.  It's about being real awesome." – Unknown.

Riding the Love Wave: Smooth Jazz For the Global Soul

Business As Unusual During the Global Pandemic

©iStock/Tera Vector

As entrepreneurs deal with industry shutdowns, quarantines and fewer customers, “business as usual” takes on an entirely new meaning during the global pandemic.

Being a small business owner can often feel lonely, carrying the weight of the world, clients and employees on their shoulders. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Alaska Small Business Development Center (SBDC) want one message to ring clear for businesses figuring out a pivot plan: you are not alone.

Learn more how a pivot plan is critical for Alaska small business survival.

How Does a Company Grow 700% During the Global Pandemic?

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As the article below states, it’s rare for a start-up to glide silently under the media’s radar. “We never decided not to go to the media, we just never decided we would, and now seems like the right time to tell our story, before someone else writes about our financial technology start-up, Melio Payments, without asking us," says Melio CEO Matan Bar.

Just so you know:  Melio is Venmo for mom-and-pop stores. The Israeli startup thinks its tech can save America's small businesses.

See what you think.  Pretty impressive.

Where are the World's Tallest Buildings?

©iStock/kertu_ee

It seems that humanity is always vying to exceed our past accomplishments, and nowhere is the evidence clearer than in the tallest buildings that make up our cities.  Take a look at the tallest buildings on every continent.

Today in Global Small Business: Are the COVID-19 Pandemic and Digitalization of Export Promo Services Here to Stay?

©iStock/style-photography

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

• Are the COVID-19 pandemic and digitalization of export promotion services here to stay?
• Why study abroad?
• Quote of the week: "A lot of people, including business leaders, think the future belongs to China. Globalization is not a zero-sum game, but we need to hone our skills to stay in play." – Jon Meacham
• New book:  Saving Face by Maya Hu-Chan on how to preserve dignity and build trust.
• China's exports are surging despite tariffs and the coronavirus.
• Coronavirus tests future of Japan's yellowtail exports.
• Happy Labor Day to all American workers.

Cherish Each Day and Cherish Your Visions

©2020 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements." – Napoleon Hill

American Express Global Small Business Owners: Pay Over Time

©iStock/Farknot_Architect

American Express, one of the last remaining issuers of charge cards, recently announced that many of their small business credit cards would now be automatically enrolled in their ‘Pay Over Time’ feature at the start of the November billing cycle.  Pay Over Time allows a cardholder to revolve their balance like a traditional credit card.

With a charge card, the balance is typically due in full at the end of each billing cycle. Amex’s Pay Over Time feature enables a cardholder to carry a balance on eligible purchases of $100 or more and pay interest on that portion of their balance they revolve from one month to the next. In other words, it allows an American Express business charge card to act just like a traditional credit card.  Prior to November, cardholders would have to request that Pay Over Time be applied to specific purchases.

Learn more about how American Express business cards default over to time plans.

Navigating Business Disruption During COVID-19

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 COVID-19 has shown us that it is the interconnectedness among companies tied to a just-in-time supply chain that is designed to meet immediate consumption needs.

Covid-19 has caused a massive disruption to business operations up and down the supply chain, including to the operations of growers, producers, manufacturers, processors, and distributors, as companies struggle to generate revenue amid government shutdowns, closed schools, and abrupt changes to consumption patterns.

There are two critical factors necessary to ensure that a company’s business disruption does not trigger a legal process that impairs recoveries for creditors and undermines a distressed company’s ability to reorganize.

Read more about how to navigate business disruption in uncertain times.

Are You Zone Skipping?

©iStock/nadia_bormotova

There are many challenges and obstacles that can derail global operations.

"Leading cross-continental teams is a bit of a balancing act," says Deepak Agarwal, founder of several global businesses. "There is so much to educate yourself on as you enter a global marketplace. You have to think beyond your home office. Localizing, or understanding the way business is conducted in the areas where your business is present, can have a tremendous positive impact on your strategy for going global."

Agarwal provides five (5) pointers concerning:

1. Language
2. Payment method
3. Price point and currency
4. Shipping (which brings up zone skipping)
5. Cultural nuances

Learn more here.