A Witch In All of Us

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

“There’s a little witch in all of us.” – Alice Hoffman, “Practical Magic”

Helping Small Businesses Put AI To Work

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Small businesses are built on a craft you’ve perfected, a skill to share, a better way to serve a community. But turning expertise into a business also means finding customers, managing finances, and handling marketing, often with a small team and little time to spare. 

AI can extend a team’s capacity, but figuring out where to start takes time too. A trusted advisor can make that first step easier.

OpenAI announced a partnership with America’s SBDC⁠, the national network of small business development centers serving 1 million entrepreneurs each year, to help more small businesses use AI at work.

Unlocking Global Philippine Export Markets by DHL's GoTrade Program

©iStock/Joseph Christopher Oropel

Philippine small businesses have enormous economic weight but remain underrepresented in international trade, a gap DHL Express wants to narrow by giving export-ready enterprises the knowledge and logistics support to sell abroad.

Highlights

DHL’s GoTrade program targets export-ready SMEs, helping them overcome gaps in trade knowledge, logistics, technology and access to finance.

Around 900 to 1,000 Philippine MSMEs have opened DHL accounts and shipped internationally for the first time over the past two to three years.

GoTrade has trained almost 200 Philippine businesses this year, with more training sessions planned with public- and private-sector partners.

Steve Sullivan's New Book: "Finding Purpose and Passion in Small Business"

©2026 Stephen Sullivan.  All rights reserved.

GREAT news! Steve Sullivan's new book, "Finding Purpose and Passion in Small Business," is published!

Steve spent years at the SBA working side by side with business owners. He has seen what it takes to build something from scratch, and what keeps owners going when it gets hard. This book puts that experience into words.

What moves me most is that he chose to feature women business owners I [Laurel Delaney] know and admire, each of whom took her business global:  Debra Dudley, President of Oscarware and Joan Laureano, President of Nosotras Boutique Fashion Group.

Their stories show that purpose and passion don't stop at the border.  I was honored to write the endorsement on the cover, and I meant every word.

If you own a small business, or dream of starting one, this book belongs on your desk. 

To learn more and to purchase the book, visit:  https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Purpose-Passion-Small-Business/dp/B0HLNQPLZX/

America.gov

©2026 Laurel Delaney.  Screenshot of website.

Try America.gov out and see what you think.  I [Laurel Delaney] did a test with "What do I need to get started in exporting?"  Here's what the chatbot said:

Getting started with U.S. exports

U.S. government help is aimed at goods and services produced in the United States. Start with a plan, then check licenses, paperwork, and payment risk.

Plan and get counseling

• Decide if you are ready, write an export plan, and research markets. Official starting point: Learn How To Export.
• Free or low-cost help: U.S. Commercial Service (International Trade Administration), local offices, and SBA export counseling.
• Financing and insurance options include SBA export programs and Export-Import Bank.

Check U.S. rules before you ship

You are responsible for whether a license is needed, the end use, and the buyer. Most shipments do not need a license, but some do.

• Overview: U.S. Export Regulations and export licenses.
• Dual-use items: Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and the Export Administration Regulations.
• Defense items: State Department Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (ITAR).
• Sanctions and restricted parties: Treasury OFAC and the Consolidated Screening List.
• How to get a license or permit: USAGov.

Paperwork and filing

• File Electronic Export Information in the Automated Export System for many shipments valued at $2,500 or more per commodity classification, or any value if a license is required (Canada has different rules). See reporting export sales.
• Typical documents include a commercial invoice. Put classification and any license numbers on the invoice and AES filing. Carriers may use NLR (No License Required) when that applies.
• Meet foreign product standards and import rules as well as U.S. rules.

Next step

Contact a U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist with your product type and destination country. Rules depend on the item, buyer, and country; I cannot verify your specific case without that detail.

Today in Global Small Business: The Race Is For the Future of Space Exploration

©iStock/Evgeny555

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

• Superpowers race to put nuclear reactors on the moon.
• FedEx, which has released hundreds of millions of dollars already from tariff refunds, has taken steps to improve its process for small businesses.
• Register for the Global Small Business Forum 10/23 at 9:00 AM CT to learn about AI-powered exports and ecommerce. Discover how to create extra value at your global small business (free of charge). Sign up here. I [Laurel Delaney] will be there!
• Quote of the week:  "We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the Universe. That makes us something very special." – Stephen Hawking
• Why Canada is wargaming a (long shot) US invasion.
• Breakfast around the world.
• 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 May, 2026, we average between 700,000-900,000 readers a month.  Thank you for your engagement!    

Starting a Little Free Library

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

If you want to start a Little Free Library book exchange, you’re in the right place.  See how Little Free Libraries work and learn how you can start a little library, too.

October, 2026 wegg® Showcase with De'Vonna Pittman

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

wegg® Showcase Issue 29 – October, 2026 – is available for you to read:

https://womenentrepreneursgrowglobal.org/2026/10/01/wegg-showcase-devonna-pittman/.

De’Vonna Pittman discusses: “To Be the Best, Learn From the Best.” 

Founder of Nature's Syrup Beauty, De'Vonna Pittman, is the 29th recipient of this prestigious placement.

In her interview, “To Be the Best, Learn From the Best,” De’Vonna discusses: 

• What inspired her to start Nature’s Syrup Beauty?
• What made her start selling her creations?
• How she transitioned from a kitchen project into a fully-grown business.
• How her product spoke for itself, and why the biggest roadblock to moving ahead was simply deciding to say yes."
• What advice would she give to a woman entrepreneur who's looking to take a company international?
• +more … 

De’Vonna says, “I believe people should embrace their differences. Diversity is what makes the world a better place. It gives people freedom to accept who they are.”

Nature's Syrup Beauty is a plant-based hair and skincare brand that specializes in products formulated for kinky, coily, and curly textured hair. 

Read the entire interview with De'Vonna Pittman: https://womenentrepreneursgrowglobal.org/2026/10/01/wegg-showcase-devonna-pittman/ 

The New Era of Strategic Globalization

©iStock/sjhaytov

A $5 million US commitment to an antimony mine in North Macedonia looks insignificant beside global mineral markets. Yet the story of Krstov Dol is one piece of a much larger Western effort spanning Africa, Central Asia, Europe and Greenland to build strategic supply chains outside Chinese control, offering an early glimpse of a new model of strategic globalization. 

What is an antimony mine?  An antimony mine is a site where workers extract antimony, a silvery-gray metalloid used in batteries, flame retardants, and military equipment.

As quoted:

'The response is not to abandon globalization as a whole, but to apply a different logic to its most sensitive supply chains.'

From Michelin Stars to Italian Beef: Where to Eat in Chicago

©iStock/Anthony Mance

The New York Times staff at the food desk, food journalists and a Chicago restaurant critic scouted Chicago's vast food scene, from renowned Italian beefs to tavern-style pizza to Michelin-starred tasting menus. (And they want your comments.)

Some favorite restaurants in Chicago.

From Bootstrapping to Scaling: What It Really Takes to Build a Brand From the Ground Up (wegginar® 10/7/26)

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

Every founder dreams of scale. Few talk honestly about what it demands behind the scenes: the margin math, the customer acquisition costs that creep up overnight, the inventory decisions that can make or break a quarter.

That's exactly why I'm excited about our next wegginar.

Meet Isabel De Sousa, founder of Akalia

Isabel launched Akalia, a fashion and lifestyle brand, as a self-funded venture. Today it's an established e-commerce and retail business. Along the way, she has worked through nearly every stage of building and running a product-based brand, and she's ready to share what she learned.

What you'll learn

• How to take a fashion or product idea from concept to a functioning, revenue-generating business
• How to build a diversified sales strategy across your own e-commerce store, retail, social commerce, and platforms
• How to work effectively with influencers and creators, including gifting, affiliate commissions, margins, and partnerships that can actually drive sales
• How to think about profitability when scaling
• How to stay adaptable as a founder

If you're selling a product, or planning to take one global, this session will give you a clear-eyed view of the operational realities that separate brands that scale from those that stall.

Event details

📅 Wednesday, October 7, 2026

🕚 11:00 AM CT (one hour)

🎤 "From Bootstrapping to Scaling: Building a Brand From the Ground Up"

Registration is free, thanks to the generous sponsors of Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®, but you must register to get access.

👉 Register here: https://womenentrepreneursgrowglobal.org/2026/09/02/from-bootstrapping-to-scaling-building-a-brand-from-the-ground-up/

Join the wegg® team and our community of raving fans for an hour of real-world lessons you can put to work right away.

I'll [Laurel Delaney, founder of Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global] see you there!

Today in Global Small Business: Learn How to Export

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

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

• Learn how to export.  And wait, there's more.
• Your roadmap to international success in 2026.  And wait, there's still more 😉 !
• Register for the Global Small Business Forum 10/23 at 9:00 AM CT to learn about AI-powered exports and ecommerce. Discover how to create extra value at your global small business (free of charge). Sign up here. I [Laurel Delaney] will be there!
• Quote of the week:  "Exporting is imperative." – Laurel J. Delaney, founder of Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global and author of Exporting:  The Definitive Guide To Selling Abroad Profitably
• A beginner's guide to exporting.
• Export readiness starts here (food and agricultural-related).
• The bible on exporting.

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 May, 2026, we average between 700,000-900,000 readers a month.  Thank you for your engagement!