Chicago Blackhawks: Work Hard, Play Harder and Win Insanely Great!

Congratulations to the

Chicago Blackhawks:

2013 Stanley Cup Champs!

Photos Courtesy: ©2013 Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved.

5 Ways to Crank Your Business Up to Global

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If companies want to grow, they have a couple of options to make it happen:  new product launch, buy a company, franchise, license an idea and export, to name but a few.

In the article, "Five Steps to Start Thinking Like An Exporter," London regional director Parveen Thornhill for UK Trade & Investment's (UKTI) talks about how small businesses want to reach out to Bric countries and beyond, yet it's not always clear where to start.  He shares five tips on how to turn your business into a global player.

While I have you, I am currently at work on a new book on exporting to be published February 2014 by Apress.  I'll keep you posted.  It will be an export game changer for small businesses.  You won't want to miss it.

Are We Globally Engaged?

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Are we a society that is globally engaged and driven by production and innovation?

According to the Brookings Institution:

"A growing chorus of leaders is calling for a new growth model, one that creates more and better jobs by engaging rising global demand and attracting global talent and capital. These leaders recognize that only by harnessing the power of ..."

Read the entire article:  Going Global:  Boosting Metro Denver's Economic Future

Meanwhile, view (immediate download of a PDF file) the 10 Traits of Globally Fluent Metro Areas case study for Denver

Teach a Man to Go Global and You Expand His Business Over a Lifetime

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"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." ~ Chinese Proverb

Similarly, give a man (or woman) an international customer and you satisfy his/her need to go global.  Teach a man (or woman) to go global and you expand his/her business over a lifetime. 

"One of the big things in international trade is that people don't go into something new because they do not understand it," said Mark Peterson, Greater Rochester Enterprise (GRE) President & CEO. "We want them growing, we want them adding jobs and we want them to be able to have the knowledge they need to grow as fast as possible."

Read the entire article:  International Business Council Helps Local Companies Go Global

How the Mighty Succeed Globally!

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In the article below, I challenge you to determine whether you are strong enough to take your business to the next level.  I provide six super tips to update your business and help you become leaner, stronger and poised for greater global growth in the coming years. Are you ready?

How The Mighty Succeed Globally

The Faint of Heart Should Not Go Global

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According to Raytheon CEO Bill Swanson, “The faint of heart shouldn’t be involved in this process."  And what he is referring to is a little of the Farnborough International Airshow (Paris), the talk of how doing international business is not easy and how companies face US export restrictions and more.

Read the entire article:  Going Global:  US Firms Grow Foreign Connections as Domestic Spending Stalls

Chicago Blackhawks: Go Baby, Go!

2013 Stanley Cup Finals:  Chicago Blackhawks versus Boston Bruins in Game 5, tonight (6/22) at United Center (8:00 p.m. ET on NBC, CBC and RDS).

To Chicago Blackhawks:  Go baby, go!  

Photo courtesy:  ©Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved.  "Chicago Blackhawks emblem"

How to Attract High Impact International Projects

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ZGF Architects has left its fingerprints on projects not only around the United States but also across the globe. The Portland Convention Center, the KOIN Center skyscraper, and the extension for Portland International Airport were all designed by ZGF Architects.

In the hopes of attracting more high-impact international projects for ZGF Architects and like-minded local businesses, Portland in 2012 launched the We Build Green Cities initiative, a one-of-a-kind attempt to leverage the city’s green reputation to boost exports and the regional economy. National Journal has honored this unique project as the winner in our category of expanding exports.

Learn more about the We Build Green Cities initiative, the importance of exporting -- not just product but services as well -- for Portland and other ways Portland is marketing its strengths.

How One Green City is Going Global

One other fact highlighted in the article:

"For every $1 billion the United States generates in exports, about 5,400 jobs are created, according to the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program. Yet research shows that strikingly few American companies—less than 1 percent of 30 million firms—sell abroad."

Map a Strategy Before Going Global

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What are the opportunities and pitfalls to going global?  Which markets are best to go after?  How does one develop a strategy?  All these questions plus more are addressed by a handful of experts on international business during a panel discussion at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Center.

Find out what they had to say here.

One major quick takeaway:  Always have an exit strategy.

Training Female Entrepreneurs on Cross Border Trade

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The Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce (TWCC) has launched a project called “Enhancing women entrepreneur’s competitiveness and opportunities to benefit from regional and international trade."  The goal is to support Women in the Informal Cross Border Trade (WICBT) to meet market requirements.  The TWCC is implementing this project with supervision from the Small Industries Development Organisation (SIDO).

The program will provide the necessary support and guidance to help women in business flourish!

About TWCC:

The Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce is an umbrella organization uniting sectoral business women associations, companies, and individuals who have agreed to form a united front to advocate, lobby and network for the well being of their businesses and prosperity of women entrepreneurs. Current membership stands at 6 associations and 20 companies; all together about 2000 members. 

Read all the news here.

Related helpful resources:

Women Entrepreneurs GROW Global

Enterprising Women 2012

Point the Way Toward More Interactive Global Distance Learning Scenarios

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While abroad, Samuel Slover, 27, worked on social entrepreneurship initiatives, including microfinance programs, and taught English and business. All along, he felt under-qualified to teach the assigned curricula.

He knew there had to be a better way.  

To seize on this opportunity and bridge the expert and education gap, in 2010 Slover and his brother, who had a similar experience in Nepal and Honduras, launched Learn It Live, a web-based social-learning platform. The site’s goal is to bring online education courses to those in other countries and in the U.S.

Read the entire article: How Teaching English in Bolivia Sparked One Young Trep’s Bankable Business Idea

Affective Trust in the Global Marketplace

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Affective trust.  Do you know what it is?  According to Chua's article, "Building Effective Business Relationships in China:"

The second type is trust from the heart (affective trust), which arises from feelings of emotional closeness, empathy and rapport and is more complex to develop. 

Read Roy Y. J. Chua's summary on "trust from the head" and "affective trust:" Building Effective Business Relationships in China (requires registration if you want to read the entire article at MIT Sloan Management Review and worth a look to uncover a vast amount of global business knowledge).*

*3 free articles per month, $6.50/article thereafter.

Related article here.

Laughing Flowers

“The earth laughs in flowers.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Have a good weekend and Happy Father's Day to all fathers!

Photo courtesy:  ©2013 Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved.  "Laughing Flowers."

How to Go Global For One Night Only

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Interesting idea on how to go global for one night only and these kids pull it off with a theater production.

The show called 'Dance Around the World', features ballet, jazz, tap, street jazz and contemporary styles of dancing as well as musical theater.

Read the entire article:  Going Global For One Night Only

Security Meets Global Freedom

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Can secure messaging go global?  Some people think secure messaging may eventually be applied globally because of international interest in health information exchange.

Using Direct in other nations could prove appealing to U.S. citizens who seek care overseas and want to give local providers access to their records, says Scott Rea, vice president and senior PKI architect at DigiCert*, a provider of digital certificates and a certificate and registration authority for Direct exchange.

For instance, the U.S. has military and other government personnel working around the world. These individuals need to be able access health services outside the U.S. yet still be able to communicate in a secure way with American-based healthcare providers managing their medical records, Rea says.

Read the entire article, "Direct Exchange:  Going Global?"

*DigiCert provides digital certificates to over 60,000 customers in more than 146 countries.

Related articles:

Testing Health Information Exchange via DIRECT Messaging

AAFP:  Worry Free Direct Protocols Key to Data Exchange

Do the Right Thing in the Global Marketplace

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Paul Dillon, president and CEO of Dillon Consulting Services LLC, shares his best-kept secrets on why doing the right thing globally -- or in any aspect of life -- leads to success.

Read:  Why Doing the Right Thing in the Global Marketplace Will Bring You Business Success

Connecting Globally

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Is global connectedness good for our world?  In "Strategies for Global Connectedness," Messrs Pankaj Ghemawat and Steven A. Altman say:

The real world is roughly only 10 to 25 percent globalized. Most activities that could take place either across or within national borders are still domestic. Moreover, the trend is toward further localization. The same policymakers and business leaders who once sought universal openness are focusing their investment, attention, and effort within their own home countries. 

According to World Internet Users Statistics Usage and World Population Stats, 34.3 percent of the world's population uses the Internet.

What comprises of the real world?

Read the entire article here.

Small Businesses Thrive in the International Marketplace (Video)

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A video, "Small Businesses That Are Thriving in the International Marketplace," features three small business owners (noted below) who reveal why foreign trade is vital to the growth and success of their companies. The video underscores the importance of trade and highlights how small businesses are engaged in the global economy.

Each of the companies also share how they are able to export their products to highly competitive markets such as Mexico and China.

1. Drew Greenblat of Marlin Steel
2. Roy Paulson of Paulson Manufacturing
3. Robert Patton of Patton Electronics

WATCH the video here.

And there's more!

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has also updated its TradeSupportsJobs.com, an interactive site that shows how exports drive economic growth and support jobs in all 50 states and all 435 congressional districts. The site breaks down the value of exports to every state by total dollar amount, by industry sector, and by the number of jobs directly supported by exports.

Self-Portrait: Laurel Delaney

"In a portrait, you have room to have a point of view. The image may not be literally what's going on, but it's representative." - Annie Leibovitz

Photo courtesy:  ©2013 Laurel Delaney.  "Self-portrait:  Laurel Delaney"

Can Ford Sell Overseas?

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Here's the scoop:  "Ford's EcoSport SUV will be sold in more than 60 countries in four years. Currently, it's sold in 10 countries. The Edge will be sold in 40 markets, compared with 16 last year. The most important change might be the beginning of sales of the Escape in China this year."  That's all according to Erich Merkle, Ford's sales analyst.

By ignoring the growing trends of consumers who were downsizing to smaller vehicles and wanting improved gas mileage as fuel prices increased, Detroit automakers ran their businesses into the ground. Those poor decisions culminated in bankruptcies by GM and Chrysler, while Ford escaped by restructuring on the back of its own private loans. Fast-forward to today, and the SUV is a different beast and is beginning to sell again. The more important question for Ford is, can it sell overseas?

Read the entire article:  Can Ford Take SUVs to the Global Market?

Rethink Your Diversity Training Initiatives When Going Global

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Jennifer Gilhool just spent two years in China for the organization (Ford) where she worked.  She had to adjust quickly to working with people from a different culture who had different ideas and expectations in terms of how things should be done.

When I arrived in China, I received little, if any, real training on how to manage the diverse nature of our team. I had to learn by trial and error. And, I did learn. What I learned is that it is all about communication. Learning to listen and speak in a way that allows for common understanding. I also learned that humility goes a long way. Admitting that I did not know the culture, asking for help, accepting, respecting and being genuinely interested in understanding the culture gave me immediate credibility. Why? Because it provided the opportunity for the discussion.

Read the entire article:  "Going Global?  Better Rethink Your Diversity Training."

A little about Jennifer Gilhool (her Twitter handle is @JG_Ink and her Facebook page is here):

Jennifer Gilhool is a lawyer and management executive who recently spent two years in China building an extraordinary team to manage international regulatory compliance for a Fortune 10 Company.  She founded her own company, Pink Streak Ink, to work on issues of corporate diversity, leadership and education for women and girls around the globe.  She is about to publish her first book, Sheryl Sandberg, China & Me, which is a story of an ordinary woman who moved her family to China for her career, saw her career nearly implode, and with it, her life — or so she thought.  (Note:  It appears she is ready for: Escape From Corporate America).

Technology Is Shifting To Reflect New Poles of Growth

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Which country is leading the new pattern of growth?

The old theories governing the way that countries produce and trade are being replaced. The pattern of trade is being transformed by increasingly sophisticated technology and innovations in transportation; and the topography of actors is shifting to reflect new poles of growth.

One single factor that helps?  Confidence.

Learn more here.

Founder of Alibaba Jack Ma Interviewed by Charlie Rose

Does Made In America Still Matter?

Good friend and colleague Rieva Lesonsky writes a wonderful article, "Why Made in America Still Matters," for Small Business Trends.

These days, “Made in America” isn’t as clear-cut as it used to be. Most Americans are aware that products branded with American labels may be made in overseas factories or assembled here with parts made overseas. Three-fourths of consumers say being manufactured in the U.S. is crucial for them to consider it “made in America.” 

What do you think?  With complex and vast global supply chains, do you think we can still find a pure made in America product?  We welcome comments!

Contrast the "Made in America" to "Not Made in China."

Photo courtesy:  ©2013 Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved.  "American flag in front of The Wrigley Building, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., 6/1/13"

Make Someone's Day

Wherever you are in the world, make someone's day.

Whether it's remembering your postal delivery person by name, giving a smile to a stranger or extending a kind gesture to someone in need, take the time to make someone's day.  Caring is contagious.


Have a good weekend!

Photo courtesy: ©2013 Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved.