What You Should Know About Filing for IEEPA Refunds Using CAPE

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Law firm Foley & Lardner has received numerous requests for guidance on Phase 1 of the CAPE system. CAPE is the platform that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is beginning to use to process refunds of the IEEPA tariffs that the Supreme Court has ruled unlawful. Unlike standard tariff refunds, which generally are pursued through post-summary corrections or protests, refunds for entries that fall in Phase 1 must be sought through CAPE. 

Read on to learn more about key points.

Today in Global Small Business: The Human Side of AI Adoption

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

• The human side of AI adoption:  Lessons from the field.
• Why great ideas come from nowhere.
• One of these Trump threats is not like the others (requires free trial subscription to read full story).
• Quote of the week:  “Artificial intelligence will be the most transformative technology of the 21st century." – Jensen Huang, CEO, NVIDIA
• The decline of daily dialogue.
• Are factories the new frontier of big tech? 

The Day the Lord Created Hope

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring." – Bernard Williams

An Oldie But Goodie: 20 tips to Grow a Global Business by Laurel Delaney

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Six years old and still pretty relevant.  It's an article I [Laurel Delaney] wrote for GoDaddy.  From choosing the right market to having a payment plan in place, this is your cheat sheet to growing a global business.

Instacart to Acquire Retail Tech Platform to Fuel International Expansion

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The deal for Instacart to acquire Instaleap will give Instacart a grocery-specific fulfillment solutions services platform.  It will also expand access to established retailer relationships outside of the United States, including with major grocers such as Cencosud in Latin America and Continente in Portugal.

Instacart said the acquisition is part of its efforts to advance its presence internationally and that it is seeing demand outside the U.S. for its enterprise offerings, which include its e-commerce, in-store, advertising and data technologies. 

Set Boundaries to Stay Healthy

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As I wrote over at the Exporting Guide, we set boundaries when we decide on and communicate our personal and professional limits.  To help people enforce their limits in healthy ways, some therapists direct them to books. These five titles offer insights and tools for safeguarding your needs, especially as you grow your global business. 

How Section 122 Tariffs Are Being Challenged

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At least two separate cases have now been filed at the Court of International Trade seeking to stop the Trump administration from utilizing Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act to impose tariffs on all imports into the U.S.

Learn more about Section 122 and ST&R's update.

Today in Global Small Business: Artemis II Crew Reunites with Families

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

• The four astronauts on Artemis II made an emotional return to Houston a day after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean at the end of their 10-day lunar journey.
• Sources say a stalemate persists over the Strait of Hormuz, where the US said it began mine-clearing operations (4/11/26).
• How to not embarrass yourself in a British pub.
• Quote of the week:  “Looking back at Earth…it truly emphasized how alike we are." – Christina Koch
• In the first weeks of the war, the Chicago-born Pope Leo was initially reluctant to publicly condemn the violence and limited his comments to muted appeals for peace and dialogue.  But the Pope has stepped up his criticism.
• Melania Trump throws her husband under the bus. 

Owe To My Angel Mother

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother." – Abraham Lincoln 

6 Leaders On What Is Actually Scaling When It Comes to AI

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Artificial intelligence is finally crossing a threshold. Companies have long talked about AI as a transformational force, but most activity stayed in sandboxes and innovation labs. In 2026, that balance has begun to shift.

As more than 300 corporate strategy leaders gathered in Munich for the World Economic Forum's Industry Strategy Meeting this month, the question was less “Can AI work?” and more "Where is it already changing how we operate at scale?"

Find out more on what it takes to scale with AI.

Eat An Orange. Be Happy.

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Eating an orange a day may lower a person’s depression risk by 20 percent, according to a study led by Raaj Mehta, an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School and a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital. 

That might be because citrus stimulates growth of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (F. prausnitzii), a type of bacteria found in the human gut, to influence production of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine – two biological molecules known to elevate mood.

In this edited conversation with the The Harvard Gazette, Mehta discusses key takeaways from the study.

Superintelligent A.I. Is Arriving Faster Than Anticipated

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You heard it here second, after Thomas L. Friedman, Opinion Column, The New York Times (4/7/26):

"Holy cow! Superintelligent A.I. is arriving faster than anticipated, at least in this area. We knew it was getting amazingly good at enabling anyone, no matter how computer literate, to write software code. But even Anthropic reportedly did not anticipate that it would get this good, this fast, at finding ways to find and exploit flaws in existing code."

Read the entire Opinion Piece here.

Meet Divya Behl and Register For Her wegginar® 4/8/26

©2026 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

How can a company be more than a business?  How can a true company's value extend beyond financial metrics?  How can you always lead with values first, letting principles guide every decision?

Find out during Divya Behl's wegginar® on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at 11 AM CT, Build and Lead a Global Business with Influence (registration is free of charge thanks to wegg's generous sponsors as shown in the graphic).

To learn more about Divya and to register, visit: https://womenentrepreneursgrowglobal.org/2026/03/19/build-and-lead-a-global-business-with-influence/

Today in Global Small Business: Use AI to Expand Your Imagination and Pursue a Meaningful Life

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

• We should teach young people to use AI to expand their imagination and pursue a meaningful life.
• What's your next brilliant move?  Ideas here.
• Swiss industry body says US tariffs on pharmaceuticals will harm patients.
• How can AI scale our capabilities at work?
• Quote of the week:  “Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. It is far better take things as they come along with patience and equanimity." – Carl Jung
• Going global in 2026 – it's possible!
• Understanding e-commerce: The key trends rewriting consumer expectations and experience.

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of February 1, 2026, we have more than 900,000 readers on a monthly basis.

The Gift of Easter

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"The great gift of Easter is hope." – Basil C. Hume 

Contempt Is the Trumpian Way. But It's Not the American Way

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Frank Bruni is a contributing Opinion writer who was on the staff of The Times for more than 25 years.  He writes, "I Hold Pam Bondi in Contempt."  Worth a read.

Artemis II Launched From the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on 4/1/26 (Video)

The Iran War: Serious Harm to the Global Economy

©iStock/Makhbubakhon Ismatova

Opinion Columnist for The New York Times Thomas L. Friedman writes:  This [Iran war] is imposing serious harm on the global economy, including the U.S. stock market, and Trump has no clue how to get out of the mess that he has created by starting a war without thinking through the implications.

What to do?  Read Mr. Friedman's entire opinion here.

"Feel the Heat" to View the Artemis II Moon Launch

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The first crewed mission around the moon in more than 50 years is coming up – target date is April 1, 2026. 

Thinking about getting tickets?  Tickets for viewing packages were released by the Kennedy Space Center and for purchase directly through the center’s website.  The “Feel the Heat” package, which offers the closest viewing point at 3.5 miles from the launchpad, sold out within hours. Other tickets for viewings at the privately run main visitor complex eight miles away were also sold out.

You can sign up for email notifications (see link below) on the space center’s website for the latest information about the launch.

Learn more here about the best viewing spots, including online.

Today in Global Small Business: Unlocking the Growth Equation for SMEs in Africa's Fragile Markets

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

• Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in fragile Africa need growth capital to thrive. Investors are constantly seeking promising businesses to invest in.
• Expand globally with confidence.
• Quote of the week:  “The African is my brother but he is my younger brother by several centuries." – Albert Schweitzer
• Small businesses wither under Trump’s tariffs: ‘It’s hard to breathe’.
• Five small businesses that helped knock down Trump's tariffs.
• How to boost exports?  Learn from France.

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of February 1, 2026, we have more than 900,000 readers on a monthly basis.

Hands Off Chicago and 'No Kings' Protest 3/28/26

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Organizers expect the 'No Kings' protests to draw millions of Americans into the streets March 28, 2026.  As Trump would say, "It's going to be the BIGGEST ever!"

Chill

Linguistic Inclusivity

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The lack of French in Air Canada's chief executive Michael Rousseau’s speech about the deadly collision at LaGuardia Airport reignited a debate over linguistic inclusivity in Canada.

His speech reignited a debate over linguistic inclusivity, a contentious issue in Canada. Particular scrutiny falls on Air Canada, which still bears special obligations from its origins as a state-owned carrier before it was privatized. Mr. Rousseau has faced criticism throughout his tenure for speaking little French.

One Canadian lawmaker said he could have read from a teleprompter. He could have shown his sensitivity to this issue and his will and intention to respect the French language and Francophones.

More importantly, we extend our condolences to the victims of this awful incident.

Meet the Recipient of the 2026 Gail Adinamis wegg® Award for Exemplary Global Leadership®: Wendy Shen

©2026 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

And the recipient of the 2026 Gail Adinamis wegg® Award for Exemplary Global Leadership® is Ms. Wendy Shen, CEO, FLOMO/Nygala, which offers products for “everything you need to celebrate” as well as business services like global sourcing and third-party logistics/supply chain management.

Read the news release (3/24/26).  Learn more about the award and Wendy's background here.  Past recipients can be found here.

On behalf of Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®, congratulations! Ms. Wendy Shen stands as a shining example of global leadership at its finest.

Can Someone With Zero Coding Experience Use Claude Code to Build Stuff?

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This is a question that was asked on reddit:  Can someone with zero coding experience actually use Claude Code (or similar) to build stuff now?

Find out the answer here – no spoiler alerts.

Two worth a look:

1. Claude Code
2. Cursor

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of February 1, 2026, we have more than 900,000 readers on a monthly basis.

Today in Global Small Business: Small Businesses Power Up Global Growth

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

• Driving global growth through the power of small business.
• Unlocking the growth equation: Stability, capital, and SMEs in Africa’s fragile markets.
• Quote of the week:  “Any small business that's predicated on technological innovation and is differentiated and superior can expand globally very effectively using the Internet as a vehicle for promotion." – John Quelch
• A passport to global success for Spanish SMEs (hint:  Amazon).
• How businesses can leverage Hong Kong’s advantages to expand overseas.
• Singapore’s ‘trust premium’ gives SMEs the edge overseas.

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of February 1, 2026, we have more than 900,000 readers on a monthly basis.

Only One Place On Earth to Get a Shamrock Shake

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights served.  

Uncle O'Grimacey:  The Irish uncle of Grimace, he was known for saying, "There's only one place on earth to get a Shamrock Shake, McDonald's."

Celebrate With wegg® on 3/24 For the 2026 Gail Adinamis wegg® Award for Exemplary Global Leadership Announcement

©2026 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

The Gail Adinamis wegg® Award for Exemplary Global Leadership® honors and celebrates Gail Adinamis, who has been crucial to the growth and success of Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.

About the award

The annual award honors a wegg stakeholder who has gone out of her way to connect, create, contribute, and collaborate with wegg, and forge alliances that have proven helpful.  These are traits that define an exemplary global leader.

Successful entrepreneur Gail Adinamis was founder and CEO of GlobalCare Clinical Trials, LLC.  Established in 2010, GlobalCare Clinical Trials brings Phase I-IV clinical trials to patients, instead of the other way around.  Today, the company’s in-home and alternate-site nursing services can be found in more than 65 countries.  The company was acquired by LabCorp in July, 2020, further expanding it’s decentralized clinical trials capabilities globally.

True global leaders like Gail Adinamis and many others who will follow in her footsteps are defined not only by their worldly knowledge and connections, nor by the global opportunities they seize, but by how they contribute to the improvement and growth of others.

Past awardees can be found here.

Register (free of charge) to celebrate with wegg virtually on Tuesday, March 24th at 10 AM CT: https://womenentrepreneursgrowglobal.org/about/the-gail-adinamis-wegg-award/   

The Global People Platform

©iStock/Andrey David Piza Pulido

Payroll (pay teams locally or globally), IT (manage devices and accessories), HR (plan and manage teams), benefits (offer benefits worldwide), hire (anyone and anywhere) and more.  That's Deel, the global people platform.  

How to Sugarcoat War News Until It Feels Like Cotton Candy

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There is something uniquely Trumpian about the way the president is handling the first full-bore active military conflict of his two terms in office. Fixated on his press coverage since his early days as a real estate developer, Mr. Trump has both accused mainstream reporters of treason and engaged with them on a close, personal level.

Read the entire article, "With Threats and Claims of 'Treason,' Trump Pressures Media on the War."

Happy St. Patrick's Day from The Global Small Business Blog!

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“May neighbors respect you, trouble neglect you, the angels protect you, and Heaven accept you.” – Irish Proverb 🍀

Today in Global Small Business: Iran Has Not Asked for a Ceasefire

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

• Trump told NBC News on Saturday, 3/14/26, that Iran was ready "to make a deal, and I don't want to make it because the terms aren't good enough yet."  But on Sunday, 3/15/26, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi refuted Trump and said it has not asked for a ceasefire.
• LIVE from BBC News.
• Quote of the week:  “The natural aim of military operations is the enemy’s overthrow.” – Carl von Clausewitz
• FCC chair threatens TV networks amid Iran war coverage – but his warning rings hollow.  In other words:  He's powerless.
• The damage to the world economy from the Iran war will be severe, but uneven.
• How much the war in Iran is costing Americans.

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of February 1, 2026, we have more than 900,000 readers on a monthly basis.

Wishing You Irish Luck, Love and Laughter on St. Patrick's Day 2026

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Wishing you Irish luck, love and laughter, on St. Patrick's Day 2026 and all the days that follow ever after." – Laurel Delaney

The Global Economy Is Threatened by the War in Iran

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Into the American and Israeli war with Iran, the economic, political, and military costs of the conflict for the region and global economy are already significant, and mounting every day.  Iran’s swift and broad retaliation against American military bases in the region, its waves of drone and missile attacks against the Gulf Arab states targeting hotels, airports, and energy infrastructure, and its de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz are a cumulatively costly nightmare for the Gulf.

The cost this war will exact from the Gulf will ultimately depend on how long it lasts. If intense fighting ends within three to four weeks, the shock may prove temporary. A longer war, however, risks leaving deeper scars – disrupting energy flows, unsettling investors, and gradually eroding the Gulf’s reputation for security and stability.

Read the entire article:  How the War on Iran Threatens the Global Economy (Time Magazine).

Many People Feel Betrayed By the Iran War

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Joe Rogan, the podcast host, has sometimes criticized President Trump since he returned to office, and has appeared increasingly skeptical of the administration in recent months.

He said on his show yesterday, 3/10/26, that the war in Iran was “crazy” and had left Americans feeling “betrayed” by President Trump, describing the conflict as a sharp reversal from the policies that the president had campaigned on.

His criticism arrives as the 12-day-old war threatens political peril for Mr. Trump’s party in this year’s midterm elections.

Read the entire article here.  Many people feel betrayed by the Iran war.

War in the Middle East Strains Sales for Lindt

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The Swiss chocolatier Lindt now expects organic sales growth this year of 4%-6%, down from previous annual targets of 6% to 8% growth. Last year, Lindt’s sales rose 12% to 5.92 billion Swiss francs ($7.62 billion), it said in an earnings update Tuesday, March 9, 2026.

War in the Middle East will likely further dampen sentiment and strain sales as energy prices spike and international travel faces a squeeze, Lindt Chief Executive Officer Adalbert Lechner said. 

The Bait and Switch Deal: The Legal Case Against Section 122 Tariffs

©iStock/Dilok Klaisataporn

Who would've guessed progressives would be quoting Milton Friedman? Yet here we are—22 Democratic Attorneys General just did exactly that, using the free-market legend’s words to take on President Trump’s new Section 122 tariffs. And, they’ve got a pretty solid argument.

Further, White House is slow-walking refunds. Judges shouldn’t let the Administration get away with another bait-and-switch.

Read the entire gifted article.

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of February 1, 2026, we have more than 900,000 readers on a monthly basis.

Today in Global Small Business: The Next Wave of Sustainable Global Growth

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

• Six business models piloted in Asia offer lessons for global leaders in any market – and just might be the key to the next wave of sustainable growth.
• Energy economics expert Michael Pollitt explains why the most muscular solutions to the world’s energy transition are global.
• Quote of the week:  "Watch the walls come down, whether it's in the South or on Wall Street. When the walls come down, what do we find? More markets, more talent, more capital and growth. Which means that the race and sex discrimination stunt economic growth. It's not good for capitalism. It's not good for America's growth. And it's not morally right." – Jesse Jackson
• Visa and Stripe plan global expansion of stablecoin card issuance product to over 100 countries.
• Japan’s music industry is in a particularly unique position. Find out why.
• The perfume houses of tomorrow are scaling up today – priming a brand for global expansion.

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of February 1, 2026, we have more than 900,000 readers on a monthly basis.

It's the Irish Flu

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"This isn't a hangover, it's the Irish flu." – Classic Irish saying

It's Tom Ford Mania at Paris Fashion Week

©iStock/lKvyatkovskaya

Zoomers are snapping up Tom Ford from has past collections for a bunch of reasons. It has just the right price-to-vibe ratio – it’s relatively affordable but packs a punch. The clothes also speak to an authenticity of the pre-social media age they never got to experience, where style was perhaps more honest and instinctive says Samuel Hine for GQ.

But it's Haider Ackermann who is the truest steward of Ford's legacy.  

As they say, "Oh, those jeans!"  All coming off Paris Fashion Week.

Love Reading About Pete Hegseth's Past

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Oh the troubles we carry ... from Wikipedia on Vets For Freedom where Pete Hegseth was involved.

In 2007, Pete Hegseth became president of Vets For Freedom, and when its finances became bleak, the donors arranged a merger that took over management, and Hegseth left in 2012.[13]

And the latest is that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the Pentagon would end funds supporting active-duty service members at Harvard where he graduated in 2013 with a master's degree in public policy. The school is offering military students alternatives to defer or go elsewhere.

Do you think Pete Hegseth cares about declaring Anthropic a supply chain risk?  “Designating Anthropic as a supply chain risk would be an unprecedented action – one historically reserved for US adversaries, never before publicly applied to an American company,” Anthropic wrote.

I think we should declare Pete Hegseth a serious risk to our country.

One-Size-Fits-All International Expansion Is Over

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If you can get through the ads in this article, you can uncover some new perspectives on international expansion. The big one the author claims: a one-size-fits-all international expansion is over.

• One-size-fits-all global hiring is obsolete. Today’s expansion leaders strategically blend three workforce models — entity-based employment, EOR solutions and contractor relationships — choosing the right fit for each market, role and business objective.
• Flexibility is now a competitive advantage because market uncertainty demands agility, compliance complexity is accelerating and local nuances determine success.
• Companies that scale globally most effectively master compliance that adapts to local requirements, payments infrastructure that works everywhere and the ability to shift models as strategy evolves.

Read the entire article here.  If you want to learn about a new international playbook, watch this.

Creating Value With AI Around the World and Using AI in Ecommerce (wegginar® 3/4/26)

©2026 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

Looking for real and tangible AI and AI in ecommerce help?  Then you do not want to miss this Thought Leadership Series wegginar® with experts Kati Suominen and Fabian Stachelin when they will discuss:  "How are businesses creating value with AI around the world and using AI in ecommerce?"

Here's what you need to know about the presenters.

Kati Suominen, Founder and CEO, Nextrade Group

Kati is the Founder and CEO of Nextrade Group that helps governments, leading technology companies, and multilateral development banks enable trade and private sector development through technology. Author of 140 articles and 10 peer-reviewed books, she works on trade in goods and services, digital trade, digital payments, digital competition, and AI policy, among others. She has ideated and built dozens of data and analytical products and pilot initiatives as well as eight global initiatives and public-private-partnerships to enable digital trade. Dr. Suominen serves as Adjunct Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Non-resident Senior Fellow at the Visa Economic Empowerment Institute, and Adjunct Professor at UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Fabian Stachelin, Founder of e-traid

Fabian has dedicated his career to developing e-commerce in emerging markets, notably as the driving force behind the partnership between eBay and the International Trade Centre (ITC). After eight years at eBay, he founded e-traid, where he leads e-commerce projects funded by the EU, World Bank, and USAID, primarily partnering with Nextrade Group and the ITC. His work across Africa, Latin America, and Central Asia includes training over 800 SMEs and helping 250—many women-led—achieve their first international sales.

 

A seasoned presenter and facilitator, Fabian has hands-on expertise across global marketplaces (eBay, Amazon, Etsy), store platforms (Shopify, WooCommerce), and service sites (Upwork, Fiverr). He holds an M.A. in International Relations from the Graduate Institute (Geneva) and is fluent in German, English, and French.

What Kati and Fabian will discuss

• How are small and large businesses using AI around the world - what use cases are emerging that you could learn from?
• How are businesses integrating AI into their ecommerce?
• How is AI use helping businesses create entirely new monetization models?
• What policy frameworks are emerging around AI that online sellers and globalizing businesses need to be aware of?

To learn more and to register free of charge thanks to the generous sponsors at Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global, visit:  https://womenentrepreneursgrowglobal.org/2026/02/04/creating-value-with-ai-around-the-world-and-using-ai-in-ecommerce/

See you there.  I [Laurel Delaney] will moderate the Q&A.  Really looking forward to this high level talk.

Today in Global Small Business: 7 Signs You Have the Napoleon Complex (Also Called Short-Man Syndrome)

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

• Discover the seven key signs of the Napoleon complex (also called short-man syndrome), its psychological roots, and how to overcome it.  Break free from insecurity.
• Empathy unlocked:  Understanding how to develop emotional intelligence.
• Quote of the week:  "Power is my mistress. I have worked too hard at her conquest to allow anyone to take her away from me." – Napoleon Bonaparte
• The war for kindness (book).  Building empathy in a fractured world.
• Strategies for mental resilience. 
• Getting started in meditation and learning about its benefits with a calmer state of mind.

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of February 1, 2026, we have more than 900,000 readers on a monthly basis.

Shadows Will Fall Behind You

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you" – Walt Whitman

Cocaine Is Back on a Global Scale

©iStock/Rafa Jodar

Cocaine is back on a global scale and here's what you need to know.

• Global cocaine production has hit an all-time high, along with record seizures, consequences, and deaths.
• Cocaine accounts for nearly one-third of U.S. overdose deaths.
• Cocaine enforcement has intensified, targeting maritime routes and cartel leadership to reduce access and use. 

Read more about how the global glut in cocaine shocks the world.

Well, Take That Supreme Court!

©iStock/Nuthawut Somsuk

By the WSJ Editorial Board (2/23/26) ... 

"Well, that will show the Supreme Court—or something. President Trump is reacting to his Friday tariff defeat not by calming the trade waters but by roiling them further. He is aiming in fury at the Supreme Court, but he will end up hitting the economy and Republicans in Congress.

The larger reality is that Mr. Trump is so bull-headed about tariffs that he’s going to re-impose them any way he can. Along with Section 122, he’ll fire up more Section 201, 301 and 232 (national security) studies and tariffs. But as our friend Don Luskin points out, these are pea shooters compared to the IEEPA tariffs the Court struck down. They are limited in scope and duration."

Access full commentary here on The Unending Trump Tariff Mess.

Big Detail On Claiming Tariff Refunds: Were You the Importer of Record?

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From the law firm Foley & Lardner as of 2/24/26:

Contractual Issues for Companies That Are Importers of Record …

The importer of record is the entity that initially pays all tariffs and thus is the entity that would receive any IEEPA tariff refunds. Nonetheless, behind the scenes there often are a variety of mechanisms importers of record may have used to handle the often unexpected tariffs, including pushing back on suppliers for price concessions, using surcharges to pass along tariffs, or general price increases. In many cases, other parties may be looking to share any potential refunds. For importers of record potentially facing this situation, we recommend working through the following steps.

Read on to learn more about the specific steps.

Winter Wonderland in NYC's Central Park

Today in Global Small Business: We Are Told the Global 15 percent Tariffs Announced by Trump on 2/21/26 Are a “Very Durable” Tool Legally

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

• We are told that the global 15 percent tariffs announced by Mr. Trump on Saturday, 2/21/26 are a “very durable” tool legally, as reported on ABC's "This Week."
• CEOs go back to company war rooms to access what they can do to reclaim billions in paid levies. 
• Quote of the week:  "If you follow the devil, your journey will end up in the hell! This is what happens to those who follow the dictators!" – Mehmet Murat ildan
• We can't sit still:  Small businesses benefit from international trade.
• e.l.f. Beauty and rhode are giving the beauty business a makeover.  Key lesson:  "The leaders who watch, listen, and build are the ones who stay ahead." 
• Gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin is making the whole world shimmer!

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of February 1, 2026, we have more than 900,000 readers on a monthly basis.