How to Successfully Navigate International Growth

©iStock/liuzishan

Businesses are increasingly considering international expansion as a key avenue for growth. However, navigating unfamiliar territories can be a daunting task for those venturing into new markets for the first time. 

Eighteen Newsweek expert forum members share tips for how businesses can successfully navigate international growth. By prioritizing research and building strong local connections, business leaders can engage with new audiences with confidence.

For the Product Creators and Global Traders the World

©iStock/gorodenkoff

Six (6) interesting resources that I [Laurel Delaney] write about for businesses operating in the global marketplace.  Mainly for those who are sourcing and need help with product creation.

From TradeWheel to KYG Trade, expand your resources in order to thrive with your global small business.

Designing For Extremes: wegginar® by Keona Moy on 3/6 at 10 AM CT

©2024 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

What does it mean to design for extremes for a global audience?  Find out on Wednesday, March 6th at 10 AM CT when CEO and founder Keona Moy talks about "From Niche to Norm:  The Global Power of Designing for Extremes" and:

• How to broaden impact through specific solutions
• How to design for extreme cases
• What the benefits are when designing for extreme cases
• How to adopt a mindset of designing for extremes to transform a company culture
• How to identify extreme use cases and integrate these insights into a design process

Enlightening?  You bet because designing for extremes ensures that products cater to a wide range of users, not just the average.  To learn more and to register free of charge, visit:  https://bit.ly/4994UlO.

Who is Keona Moy?

Keona Moy is a dynamic entrepreneur and self-taught designer with a rich 15-year background in healthcare. Her unique journey in the healthcare industry, combined with a self-driven foray into fashion design, led to the founding of VKTORI. As CEO, Keona's deep understanding of health and wellness influences her approach to fashion, emphasizing comfort and inclusivity.

Her transition from healthcare consultant to fashion entrepreneur was sparked by a personal realization: the necessity for apparel that marries comfort with style, especially for neurodiverse individuals. This inspired the creation of VKTORI's signature product, the No-Nip Tee, embodying the brand’s ethos of challenging traditional fashion norms.

Keona's expertise in identifying niche needs and translating them into universally appealing designs is at the heart of VKTORI. Her vision extends beyond clothing; Keona sees VKTORI as a platform for empowering women to be shamelessly comfortable with all their 'extremes'. 

Participate here.

Today in Global Small Business: Celebrating Women's History Month

©iStock/Yulia Novik

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

• This nonprofit, Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®, is making history every day for special women who aspire to take on the world with their business.
• The full lens on Women's History Month.
• Courageous women who have helped the United States build a fairer, more just society.
• Quote of the week:  "A bird cannot fly with one wing only. Human space flight cannot develop any further without the active participation of women.” – Valentina Tereshkova
• Why do we celebrate Women's History Month?
• Celebrating women astronauts in 2024.

Love Is Like Wildflowers

©2024 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Love is like wildflowers; it’s often found in the most unlikely places." – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Global Expansion Is the Future for Small Businesses

©iStock/Galeanu Mihai

According to Courtney Kincaid, President and CEO of the Indiana CPA Society, global expansion is now easier than ever. She says studies show businesses are more successful in the long term when they spread their reach to new countries and markets. 

As the world becomes more connected, small business owners should look for ways to expand their reach overseas to find new customers, follow this blog, access resources like this one and Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.

You have one shot at life. Give it your best.  Reach for the stars.  Go for global growth.

A Millennial Redesign by Britain's Oldest Brand Lyle's Golden Syrup

©iStock/StephanieFrey

Oh what is the uproar all about?  Because Lyle’s Golden Syrup is undergoing a redesign?

Wait.  There's so much more to it.

The British baking staple, now owned by Tate & Lyle Sugars, is highly recognizable because the logo has been unchanged for 140 years. The product is even the Guinness World Records holder for the world's oldest logo. 

Now, the company has redesigned the label on some of its products. The syrup that comes in a tin will retain the old label (the brand put out a social media post assuring dedicated consumers it wouldn't be changing), while a new design has been released for other products, as well as the Lyle's Golden Syrup that is sold in plastic bottles.

Criticism is always expected when you update a logo, especially one as old as Lyle's.  Gosh everyone hates change even if it is for the best!

Have You Heard of Poland's Blik?

©iStock/PIKSEL

Poland's Blik is one of many homegrown mobile payment service providers (PSPs) that have become integral to commerce in the countries they were launched. As local PSPs become more popular, relying strictly on global PSPs is no longer enough for businesses expanding to new geographies. They must address payment localization to build trust with customers and avoid losing sales. 

Blik powered 70% of e-commerce transactions in Poland last year. Find out what this means and why it is important.

Never Retreat From Globalization – You Might Regret It

©iStock/Thinkhubstudio

What was globalization meant to be?  Brining the world closer together, enmeshing advanced and developing economies in a web of mutually beneficial economic and financial linkages. From about the mid-1980s, trade and financial flows between countries expanded rapidly as governments dismantled barriers to these flows. 

Not everything went according to plan. Tensions rose as the benefits were not equally shared within or among countries.

As the Foreign Policy article (as featured in The Broadsheet) says:

Globalization is not dead, but it has clearly taken a turn toward fragmentation along geopolitical lines, which could have important economic consequences for all countries. 

Learn more to guard against any whiplash effect caused by retreating from globalization.

Today in Global Small Business: Global Small Businesses Need Financial Services, Not Charity

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

• Global small businesses need financial services, not charity.
• Today’s small businesses face extraordinary multi-layered challenges on local, state, national and global levels.  Here's why.
• China holds the key to speeding up debt relief and ending the “silent crisis” that is holding back attempts to tackle poverty in the world’s poorest countries, a senior World Bank official has said.
• Quote of the week:  "I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver." – Maya Angelou
• A small business incubator coming to east Tulsa, Oklahoma will be a first-of-its-kind resource statewide.
• In case you forgot, the Year of the Dragon (2024) according to the Chinese lunar calendar, small business retailers are poised to embody the dragon's symbolic strengths of power, boldness, and prosperity.

I'd Like to Say Thank You Very Much

©2024 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"For all the supporters of Tesla over the years, and it's been several years now and there have been some very tough times, I'd just like to say thank you very much. I deeply appreciate the support, particularly through the darkest times." – Elon Musk

Does Your Global Business Services Function Add Value?

©iStock/CarlosAndreSantos

Less than half of companies believe their global business services (GBS) function adds value. This requires GBS organizations to adopt a new mindset—one that goes “Beyond GBS.”

Highlights:

•  “Beyond GBS” organizations strengthen their ownership of end-to-end outcomes. They run GBS like a business in terms of performance, cost, and service levels, and they attract more attention from the C-suite.

•  They lead digitization initiatives, scale their best practices internally using consistent structures and processes globally, and provide new value-added services adjacent to their core delivery.

•  Implementing this model involves building a robust digital and data backbone, fostering internal partnerships, and redefining the GBS mandate to include value-added activities beyond traditional transactional processes.

Read (8-minutes) the entire article here.

First Glow in the Dark House Plant Yours for U.S. $29

©iStock/tomertu

*** Ground breaking event!*** Consumers in the United States can now pre-order a genetically engineered plant for their home or garden that glows continuously.

At a base cost of US$29.00, residents of the 48 contiguous states can get a petunia (Petunia hybrida) with flowers that look white during the day; but, in the dark, the plant glows a faint green.

Biotechnology firm Light Bio in Sun Valley, Idaho, will begin shipping a batch of 50,000 firefly petunias in April.

Keith Wood, chief executive and co-founder of Light Bio, has been working on bioluminescent plants — which emit light through chemical reactions inside their cells — since the 1980s. 

What countries does Light Bio ship to?  Currently, they ship Firefly Petunias only within the USA.

There certainly is some upside potential here once they decide to take on the world with their plant.

#standuptoPutin

©iStock/Dzurag

May Alexei Navalny's heroic sacrifice be a wakeup call to all. 

Note:  Photo is of a young girl putting her hand to a frosted wall in support of Alexei Navalny during a rally against his arrest in Moscow on January 23, 2021. 

Intrapreneurs Changed Corporations From Within

©iStock/syahrir maulana

What do these examples have in common?  Sony’s Playstation, Google's Gmail and 3M’s Post-it notes.  They all have intrapreneurship in common which was first coined in the 1970s in the context of corporate organizations.

Intrapreneurship was first coined in the 1970s – principally in the context of corporate organizations in a paper titled Intra-Corporate-Entrepreneurship. While entrepreneurs were creating start-ups, intrapreneurs were changing corporations from within. Intrapreneurs were corporate changemakers.

Smaller organizations have never been considered as being suitable places for intrapreneurs – where the need for organizational survival is tempered in mature organizations, the opposite is true in an SME context. 

Find out why here.

Today in Global Small Business: Celebrating U.S. Presidents Washington and Lincoln

©iStock/Gaurav Pandey

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

• Let's celebrate the birthdays of Washington and Lincoln.  Happy Presidents' Day.
• Unified Payment Interface (UPI) goes global.
• How Project Arya – launched by a 15-year-old entrepreneurs – is set to make a significant impact.
• Quote of the week:  "In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing." – Theodore Roosevelt
• Where's a good place to start a business in the world?
• The Norwegian Technical Calculation Committee for Wage Settlements sees inflation at 4.1 per cent in 2024, according to a recent statement.

I Know Exactly What I Want

©2024 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"I'm tough, ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a bitch, okay." – Madonna 

Amazon Audience Targeting: Increase Your Revenue, See Real Conversions and Maximize Your Ad Budget

©iStock/Jirsak

If you’re looking to increase your revenue and see real conversions, Amazon audience targeting helps maximize your ad budget. 

Amazon provides the perfect opportunity to sell to millions online, extending reach far beyond a brick-and-mortar storefront. Due to the sheer volume of web traffic that Amazon receives each month, many sellers focus all of their efforts exclusively there rather than open their Direct to Consumer (DTC) website.

eCommerce brands will see greater success by narrowing their target audience rather than selling to every consumer in the world.

Learn about three basic types of ads that appear in specific places with Amazon targeting.

Global-First Mindset

©iStock/FotografieLink

What’s the difference between doing business globally, and being a global-first business? What are the positives, pitfalls, and most crucially, how do you ensure your business isn't left behind in the race towards global-first dominance in 2024? 

Doing business globally might involve expanding your operations across borders, tapping into international markets, and perhaps establishing a presence in multiple countries.  

On the other hand, being global-first is a strategic mindset that places the global market at the forefront of every decision. 

Learn more about the distinction between the two here.

Love Is Our True Destiny

©iStock/Marina Leer

"Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone - we find it with another." – Thomas Merton

The One and Only Web Globalization Report Card 2024 by John Yunker

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I've been a fan of John Yunker's for more than two decades.  No one knows web globalization like John does.  He's the expert of all so-called experts on this topic.  Check out some past post about John here. 

The exciting news is that he is finishing up his latest popular report card, "The Web Globalization Report Card 2024," available in two weeks.  Meanwhile, here's a glimpse of what the report offers.  He adds:

"I can tell you now that I've seen a small but notable rebound in languages, which is nice to see. Last year was the first time we witnessed a net loss in overall languages. Looks like the average number of languages supported by the leading global brands will come in at 34 languages."

Reach out to John to learn more about his company and discover a special package deal he is offering that includes a one-hour presentation on "10 Lessons from 20 Years of Web Globalization."

His email is listed in the lower left hand corner of his website: https://bytelevel.com/.    

Today in Global Small Business: What to Expect in the Year of the Dragon 2024

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

• What you should expect in the Year of the Dragon 2024.
• The Year of the Wood Dragon 2024, an explainer.
• The Year of the Dragon, predictions for your Chinese zodiac sign.
• Quote of the week:  "You’re a Dragon, and of all the signs only a Dragon can tame the fates. Only a Dragon can wear the horns of destiny, duty, and power." – Lisa See
• Thousands turn out for the Year of the Dragon 2024 celebrations.
• Learn more about the Chinese zodiac.

My Heart Beats Differently When I'm in Chicago

©2024 Laurel J. Delaney.  All right reserved.

"It’s one of the greatest cities on the planet. My heart beats differently when I’m in Chicago. It slows down and I feel more at ease." – Jeremy Piven

Soul Calming Music For the World to Heal

Creating a Consistent Global Customer Experience

©iStock/Stock photo and footage

Building a global company is easier, but also more nuanced and complex, than ever before. In the past, companies could limit expansion in a more controlled fashion to just one market at a time. In the digital age, global growth is far more continuous and incremental in nature. 

But with this new approach comes risk: If your customers in one market receive less value than those in another, they perceive your offering differently. This is not only unfair to them, but it can also hurt your business in the long run. 

To truly create an equitable experience for your customers, you will need to focus as early as possible on driving a global mindset.  Start here to learn how it is done.

Dubai Government's $136 Million SME Push to Help Small Businesses Globalize

©iStock/IR_Stone

The Dubai government’s $136 million SME push to help small business to globalize will trigger an immediate influx of entrepreneurs and top talents from around the world to either expand or set up new businesses in the emirate, before taking them global, because of the inclusivity of the initiative, experts and industry players said.

The new initiative is also expected to ignite a flurry of expansions and new product launches by existing small and medium businesses and marketplaces by taking advantage of the interest-free loans to gear up for their regional and global plans. 

The move should attract a wide array of talent.  Is this something you should consider for your global small business?

From Japan to Global – a wegginar® with Kaori Shimazaki (2/7/24 at 11 AM CT)

©2024 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

Who is Kaori Shimazaki?  Glad you asked because she is wegg's next wegginar® presenter!

Kaori is CEO and founder of SAKE Generation.  Her journey spans diverse corporate landscapes and entrepreneurial milestones.  It goes like this ...

Before entrepreneurship, she held pivotal roles, including Business Planning Lead at Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan, P&A Manager at Asurion Japan, and Controller at Credit Suisse.  During her tenure at Coca-Cola, Kaori pursued an MBA at the University of Chicago while co-founding the pioneering SAKE project with an international team. This venture reached the finals of the Chicago Global New Venture Challenge Competition. 

Once she established SAKE Generation in 2019, her initiatives garnered recognition from various prestigious platforms, such as the U.S. Embassy’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Program, where she secured the Bronze Award in a competitive pitch contest. 

Additionally, she contributed to Tokyo’s NY Expansion Support Program (X Hub Tokyo) and the APTWoman program, which led her to explore Silicon Valley as a cultural envoy. 

Kaori’s commitment to expertise is reflected in her professional qualifications, including a U.S. CPA acquired in 2008, an MBA from the University of Chicago in 2019, and certifications as a Certified SAKE Professional and Sake Sommelier in 2019 and 2021, respectively.

If that doesn't all WOW you, this will.

You can participate in Kaori's upcoming wegginar free of charge on 2/7 at 11 AM CT thanks to wegg's generous sponsors: https://bit.ly/3vx7xik.

Find out how she accomplished all of the above when she presents: "From Japan to Global:  Exporting the new SAKE Experience!"

Today in Global Small Business: Honoring Black History Month

©iStock/Elena lakovieva

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

• Black History Month is a month to reflect, honor and value the contributions African Americans have made to our country.
• Six (6) books for kids to read to learn about Black history
• The man behind Black history month (might require subscription).
• Quote of the week: "The battles that count aren't the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself - the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us - that's where it's at." – Jesse Owens
• Ways to celebrate Black History Month.
• Why we celebrate Black History Month.

Hang Out With the People You Love

©2024 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"I surround myself with some pretty cool people, and we all have a great time together, and so I just like to hang out with the people I love and see what happens. We always have a good time." – Charlie Weber

What's Next For Evergrande's Creditors and What Their Collapse Means for Global Business

©iStock/LewisTsePuiLung

A Hong Kong court on recently ordered the liquidation of Evergrande, the heavily indebted Chinese property giant. The decision comes two years after the company defaulted, setting off a financial crisis at other developers and adding to the challenges facing the world’s second-largest economy. 

The company’s dissolution raises questions about fairness for overseas creditors — which could have wider implications for foreign businesses operating in China. 

Learn how Evergrande fell (limited access).

Global Growth Stronger Than Expected in 2024

©iStock/Galeanu Mihai

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), global growth is stronger than expected and will be 3.1% in 2024, the same as in 2023, as the US and emerging economies have shown resilience to previous crises, with strong consumption driving the growth.

The IMF has increased its previous forecast by 0.2%, in its latest World Economic Outlook report, factoring in upgrades for China, the United States, and large developing economies.  Global GDP is expected to accelerate slightly in 2025, by 3.2%.

Read the entire piece, including a mention about shaky growth in Europe.

15 Best Foreign Languages to Learn for a Child

©iStock/ivosar

In this article, discover the 15 best foreign languages to learn for a child. 

In addition, find out:

• Why language education matters in early years.
• Career opportunities for multilingual kids.
• Resources to help children acquire foreign languages.

Read on.

The Largest Exporters in the World

©iStock/mnbb

Exports play an important role in the global economy, serving as a catalyst for economic growth, job creation, and international cooperation. 

Thanks to the evolution of international trade, the effects of globalization, and progress in technology, global trade has increased by around 300% over the last 20 years. 

And using data obtained from the World Bank, you can see the world's top exporters by country and their top exports, such as petroleum, cars, and medication.

Take a journey – a pictorial – of the largest exporters in the world.

Today in Global Small Business: Regional Mexican Music Crosses Borders

©iStock/frankazoid

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

• Regional Mexican music – a catchall term that encompasses mariachi, banda, corridos, norteño, sierreño and other genres – has become a global phenomenon, topping music charts and reaching new audiences as it crosses borders.
• Take a break.  Making your own Anthropologie mirror is easy and cheap with these steps.
• Houthi propaganda is going global.
• Quote of the week: "There's no limit possible to the expansion of each one of us." – Charles M. Schwab
• Who isn't going global?  Jimmy John's joins the bandwagon.
• And the Oscars go global!

Out of the Blue

©2023 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

A seafood restaurant in Ireland.

A Critical Examination of Globalization

©iStock/Darren415

In a recent Bloomberg Markets article titled “Everything You Thought About Free Trade Is Wrong,” Professor of International History, Quinn Slobodian was featured for his critical examination of globalization. The article explores Slobodian’s latest book, “Crack-Up Capitalism: Market Radicals and the Dream of a World Without Democracy,” challenging the prevailing narrative of free trade’s success.

Read on to learn how Slobodian questions the widely taught and assumed story of globalization that touts the benefits of free trade erasing borders and fostering prosperity.

The Power of Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global® (video with Dr. Chris Wachira)

Intellectual Property Adds Value Around the World

©iStock/May Lim

Intellectual property knowledge, data and services are adding value around the world by creating a better understanding of IP.

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the global forum for intellectual property policy, services, information and cooperation.

Their protection services are easy to use and an effective way to get your IP registered across borders. 

When in doubt, always consult with a reputable international IP attorney.

Globalization: A Resource Guide

©iStock/wael alreweie

This resource guide is created by Library of Congress to help users understand globalization, its history, the elements it comprises, and the current trends. It also provides resources for keeping current with the latest research on the subject for further exploration.

Not sure if they are keeping this up to date but it's worth a look to see what they have shared on defining globalization, its history, trends, and databases.

Today in Global Small Business: Houthi Attacks Have Upended Global Shipping

©iStock/PeterHermesFurian

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

• Hundreds of ships are avoiding the Suez Canal and sailing an extra 4,000 miles around Africa, burning fuel, inflating costs and adding 10 days of travel or more in each direction – all caused by Houthi attacks in the Red Sea shipping area.
• Red Sea attacks:  US again hits targets as global shipping reels.
• Climate extremes are wreaking havoc on global shipping.
• Quote of the week: "It is not the ship so much as the skillful [safe] sailing that assures the prosperous voyage.” – George William Curtis
• How attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthi rebels are crimping global trade.
• With more and more shipping companies extending full or partial closures of Red Sea shipping routes due to attacks by Yemeni rebels, global trade could be seriously affected; global shipping chokepoints.

New Era In the Automotive Field

©2023 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

“The Thunderbird will begin a new era in the automotive field.” – Ford Div. G.M. L. D. Crusoe, during unveiling of Ford’s Thunderbird; Feb. 1954.

Achieving Sustainable Impact at Scale

©iStock/Author

In a recent policy brief published by the Dag Hammarsköld Foundation and the United Nations, the common approach to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been to track progress on a global and country-by-country basis and to argue for policy change, for more investment, and more innovation. 

These are important elements of a strategy to achieve the SDGs, but what has been missing is to design, fund, and implement investment programs in a way that systematically and effectively supports the achievement of the SDGs.

Find out how a concerted push to achieve the SDGs needs a practical scaling approach.

Inspiring Words From Jenny Zhu: "Defy the odds. Redefine obstacles. Design an inspired life."

©Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

As President of Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®, I am excited to release our latest How She Went Global® podcast episode #35 with Jenny Jing Zhu, CEO and Founder, Lush Decor Home: "Building a $100 Million Home Decor Empire:" https://bit.ly/3S3RQqe.

In this extremely insightful discussion, Ms. Zhu talks about:

🔸 How she went from a small, electricity-challenged village in China to the founder of Lush Décor Home, now a $100 million enterprise.

🔸 How she navigated the various stages of business growth.

🔸 Her international expansion plan.

🔸 What makes her most grateful.

🔸 + more ...

The HSWG® podcast is made possible through generous support from Associated Bank and Bluedog Design, which wegg® thanks.

As Jenny adds, "Defy the odds.  Redefine obstacles.  Design an inspired life."  

Tune in to find out how she did it:  https://bit.ly/3S3RQqe

Build a Dream Team, Not a Family

©iStock/Mahmudul Hassan

As leaders, integrating a "dream team" philosophy means moving beyond the "family" model to a framework where excellence, growth, and respect are more important than unrealistic loyalty and unconditionality. 

It's about creating an environment where everyone is driven to be their best, supported by the group's collective strength and ambition, understanding that not everyone may be a part of the team forever. 

Read on to learn strategies for building high-performance, growth-oriented teams.

Case Study: Pink Lily

©iStock/Kriangsak Koopattanakij 

From hiring to testing out physical retail, to ecommerce platform and social media strategy, Pink Lily provides a case study on what has worked for stages of growth and what the future holds for the company.

Good case study.  Worth a read.  Many lessons to learn.

Today in Global Small Business: Celebrating the Life of MLK Jr.

©iStock/Kirkikis

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

• Tree of life celebrates MLK with Ebenezer Baptist Church.
• 9 places where you can walk in MLK Jr.'s footsteps.
• Celebrating MLK Day in Metro Atlanta, Georgia.
• Quote of the week: "Everybody can be great ... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart..." ("The Drum Major Instinct," Ebenezer Baptist Church) – Martin Luther King Jr.
• 17 additional ways to celebrate the life of MLK Jr.
• The impact of Martin Luther King (MLK) Jr.

If You Haven't Found It Yet

©2024 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"If you haven't, found it yet, keep looking." – Steve Jobs

The Power of Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global® (video)

The Next AI-Fueled Challenger to Google: Perplexity.ai

©iStock/siraanamwong

A resource I shared during my "Laurel Delaney's Global Trade Trends Report 2024," which you can watch now free of charge, is called Perplexity.ai.

Perplexity, a startup going after Google’s dominant position in web search, has won backing from Jeff Bezos and venture capitalists betting that artificial intelligence will upend the way people find information online.

Perplexity was started less than two years ago, has fewer than 40 employees, and is based out of a San Francisco co-working space. The company’s product, which it calls an answer engine, is used by about 10 million people monthly.

And let us not forget about other up and coming AI resources:  Anthropic, the AI startup behind the chatbot Claude.

Make sure you have an AI strategy in 2024.

Considerations When Taking a Business Global

©iStock/WANAN YOSSINGKUM

There are many considerations to be made when taking a business global.

On the payroll and human resources end, important considerations involve understanding the potential labor costs, making sure the company’s culture and employee experience are in sync to avoid high rates of turnover, ensuring the business is in compliance with many new tax and labor laws in the country(ies) where the employer wishes to expand, and applying new and emerging technology in ways that will aid the scope of the payroll and human resource expansion.

These are just a few.  There are more.

Laurel Delaney's Global Trade Trends Report 2024 – wegginar® 1/10/24

©Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

Join us – free of charge, https://bit.ly/3tiHRFq, to learn what trends to watch this year as you grow your global business.  wegginar® takes place at 11 AM CT on Wednesday, January 10, 2024.  See you there.

Today in Global Small Business: How AI Shook the World in 2023

©iStock/ipopba

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

• AI is being used for all things wonderful but it comes with a worry.
• Language translation:  what companies should know.
• Winning formulas for e-commerce growth.
• Quote of the week: "The real question is, when will we draft an artificial intelligence bill of rights? What will that consist of? And who will get to decide that?” – Gray Scott
• E-commerce worldwide, stats and figures.
• 17 goals for people and planet.

Full of Things That Have Never Been

©2024 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved

"And now we welcome the new year [2024]. Full of things that have never been." – Rainer Maria Rilke