Do Your Competitors Cheat?

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What's this?  Cheat?  Who cheats?  Do you ever find that your competitors steal away your ideas or steal business by playing off other companies’ hard-earned brand reputation?

According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, intellectual property theft steers nearly $250 billion away from U.S. companies each year. For small companies and startups, those lost revenues can be the difference between thriving and surviving.

How can entrepreneurs and small businesses protect their intellectual property rights, but also how they can protect themselves from getting sued for violating someone else’s IP rights?

David J. Marr and Jeff Van Winkle are both attorneys at the Detroit-based law firm Clark Hill PLC, which has 13 offices around the country and specializes in working with entrepreneurial companies.  Below is an interview they participated in with MiBiz.  Find out what they have to say on where small business owners should put their money when it comes to protecting intellectual property.

Small Business Guide:  Intellectual Property

4 Key Things Small Businesses Need to Recover

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As the leader of Barack Obama’s small business programs during the height of the crisis, Karen Mill's job was to help America’s smallest firms not only weather the storm but, just as importantly, to have the chance to rebuild.

Below she offers advice on what small businesses need in order to recover from the recent financial crisis.

Read:  The Conservatives are on the side of small business

The Impact of Globalization and Technology on Small Business Commerce Worldwide

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The eBay 2015 US Small Business Global Growth Report focuses on the United States, looking at how SMBs from across the US have embraced technology to grow their businesses globally.

Worth a read for those who want access to customers all over the world.

As Devin Wenig, President of global eBay Marketplaces business unit says:

The impact of our technology on small business is great, and that excites me. In fact, our data shows that more than 90 percent of U.S. small businesses on our platform export. And of those exporters, 190,000 are exporting to four continents or more. Compare that to overall small business trade activity, where less than five percent of businesses export, according to U.S. Census data. Talk about creating economic opportunity.

Today in Global Small Business: USPS Explores New Fulfillment Services for Global Small Businesses

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

• Gengo connects clients to 15,000 translators but its hip open data program allows anyone to check the speed, capacity, customer support, and quality ratings of the translations.
• How customer service can help a small business go global.
• Microsoft Office 365 video goes global and mobile.
• How small companies can prepare themselves for international trade.
• The movement of companies putting environmental and social performance on equal footing with profit is going global.
• USPS is exploring a new way of providing value and convenience for global small businesses by taking advantage of their existing processing and delivery network.

Bring Peace to the World

©2015 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"There are many of us who should be in a position to bring peace to the world." -- Shirley Temple

Import Compliance for Small Businesses on a Budget

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A not-to-be-missed webinar covering how to protect your organization's most precious assets.  And don't think your broker has got your back covered on all import responsibilities.  Impossible.

International trade law firm Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A. says:

This responsibility cannot be delegated to the importer’s customs broker or other third party. The failure to exercise reasonable care may result in unanticipated duty consequences and significant penalty liability. In some cases, company executives could even face sanctions for failure to operate under the umbrella of reasonable care. 

So how can you as a small business owner with limited resources comply?

It starts with knowledge ... Larry Ordet, an attorney with international trade law firm Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A. will conduct a webinar on April 29, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. EDT, to address these concerns and provide general recommendations regarding practices that small businesses may use to ensure they are in compliance with “reasonable care” responsibilities.

For more information and to register, visit:  http://www.strtrade.com/events-Reasonable-Care-Importers-Small-Businesses-Compliance-Budget-042915.html (Note:  There is a $225 fee involved.)

An App That Will Give You a New Perspective of the World

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At Glimpse, they want you to experience the world as it unfolds, from a whole new perspective.

What is Glimpse?

Here at Glimpse, we believe in connecting people immediately. We believe in sharing experiences around the world for the purposes you believe in; whether it's giving a glimpse of the Chinese New Year, your son or daughter’s first birthday, or just a time out with friends. We bring you these capabilities with live video streaming in three Globular shaped newsfeeds: The Perspective, The Personal, and The Passion. When accessing ... read more.

Why use Glimpse?

Have you ever wondered what happens around the city, state, country, or world; wanted to learn about what other people do throughout their day; or simply wanted to tune into an event live? Glimpse provides this opportunity to all of our users ... read more.

How do you use Glimpse?

It's about YOU so find out ... read more.

What Do Consumers Worldwide Want in Return For Their Trust and Support?

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Who are the most reputable companies in the world and why? Reputation Institute’s Global RepTrak® 100 uncovers them based on innovation, governance, citizenship and more.

Whether it is BMW, Lego or FedEx, each of the companies have something to say about specific initiatives – internal and external – that they have been doing to make people understand who they are as a company.

To find out what consumers worldwide want in return for their trust and support, read:  Global RepTrak 100 Top Companies by Reputation | Most Reputable Companies

What It's Like Running a Global Franchise

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Founded in 2011, the Italian coworking venture Talent Garden has become a brand name in Europe with ten locations across the continent, and is looking to expand into new markets.

Co-founder Davide Dattoli talks about his journey starting a company in his native Italy to running a global franchise, along with his vision for the Talent Garden, and coworking as a whole.

When I [Dattoli] started this adventure in 2011 in Brescia, a small city in the north of Italy, my vision was to bring talented professionals within the digital and creative sectors together in one space; to foster an atmosphere of collaboration, where individuals and startups could help each other’s businesses to grow.

Read:  Going Global With Coworking Spaces

Today in Global Small Business: 7 Tips for Developing Your Brand Globally

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

• How to get paid by international customers.
• Seven tips for developing your brand globally.
• The risks and rewards of moving your data offsite.
• Innovative marketing tips to make your global business sizzle.
• Going global impacts Walgreens.
• Expo launchpad for SMEs to go global.

Global Small Businesses Are Hungry For Apps

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Global small businesses offer big opportunity for developers because they are hungry for apps.

And that’s good news for app developers, who have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to feed a massive and hungry market – the 29 million U.S. and 600 million global small businesses who are increasingly running their operations in the cloud.

Read more here.

Techies in Chicago Prepare For Global Expansion

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There are a number of challenges that tech companies face when trying to break into international markets. Developing a strategy to understand what steps to take, what risks to anticipate and what obstacles to prepare for are essential for global expansion.

Join the panel discussion:

Going International: Expanding Into the Global Market
Tuesday, May 12th from 9:00-11:00 a.m. Central at TechNexus
20 N. Wacker Dr., 12th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606
Sponsored by IDA Ireland

For more information and to register, visit here.
Download the event flyer.

Note:  I am trying to stop in at this event.

How to Launch a Successful Online Platform

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According to Benjamin Edelman for Harvard Business Review, the first question an entrepreneur should ask when launching a digital platform is whether they can quickly attract a large group of users.  And that depends on at least one of two conditions being met.

Find out what they are here.

How to Develop Your Brand Globally

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How do you do a shout out the world over to let them know you exist?  Here are a few ideas on how to manage your brand’s reputation and export it the world over.

Read:  7 Tips for Developing Your Brand Globally

Breaking News: We Reached More Than 1 Million Pageviews at The Global Small Business Blog

©2015 GSBB Media LLC.  All rights reserved.

Today (4/14/15), we reached more than 1 million pageviews at our Global Small Business Blog (first post can be found here).  That achievement is due to your loyal readership.  Thank you!  It means the world to us that you take an interest in our posts.  We will continue to provide you with news and information you can use to grow your business beyond borders.

Keep on reading.  Keep on expanding internationally.

How To Simplify Business Registration Processes on a Global Basis

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A new web portal, Global Enterprise Registration or http://www.ger.co has been launched to help companies directly access, and assess the user-friendliness of, business registration websites around the world. It is the brainchild of Ann Low, Deputy Director of the Office of Investment Affairs, at the US Department of State.

Learn more:  New Business-Registration Portal Goes Global

Today in Global Small Business: Is America Strangling Small Businesses?

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

• Snapdeal buyout fails for Alibaba but they are still on the lookout for Indian e-tailers.
• What a world without language barriers would look like.
• The Export-Import Bank of China extends loans to companies going global.
• Have a look at how cheesesteaks and pretzels go global.
• How America is strangling small business.
• Factors to consider on your first import.

You Cannot Keep Spring From Coming

©2015 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.” -- Pablo Neruda

Polish Immigrant Starts Small Import Business

See how a shoe purchase led a Polish immigrant to launch her own successful small import business and achieve the American dream.

In Today's World You Can't Stay Local

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“In today’s world you can’t stay local,” says Lindsey Grossman, group manager of Business Development and Partnerships and Intuit Small Business Group. “If you don’t think about going global from day one, you’ll soon be surrounded by global-thinking competitors and you’ll be at a disadvantage.”

In an in-depth Q&A below, Grossman talks about government red tape, how to stay innovative and why all companies should aim to go global from the get-go.

Read:  Going Global From the Get-Go Intuit Labs

KuKuRuZa Popcorn Company Goes Global

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Seattle, Washington-based KuKuRuZa popcorn company expanded their small business through the SBA Small Business Development Center’s Export Readiness Center. Through their assistance, KuKuRuZa was able to open franchise locations in Japan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and South Korea.

Could that be you next?  Read more:  Small businesses reaching global markets

The Second-Highest Number of Exporters in the United States?

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Florida boasts the second-highest number of exporters in the United States, and in 2013, the United Arab Emirates was the state's eighth-highest merchandise export destination.

Exposure to international buyers is crucial to the success of small business owners and allows them to grow and create jobs.

That said, Enterprise Florida Inc. will host Florida small businesses at the Oct. 18-22 GITEX Technology Week in Dubai, an annual event that attracts more than 143,000 professionals from around the world from nearly 150 countries.

Learn more here.

Today in Global Small Business: Get Acquainted with the Worldwide Payments Superhighway

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

• How to identify international opportunities.
• Ten free or nearly free resources for exporting your products.
• Why US family firms should go global to survive.
• Globalization and its consequences, an opinion piece by Dave Joyce, president of GE Aviation.
• Learn about the worldwide payments superhighway for the yuan.
• Nepali exporters realize that it's a whole other country out there.

Thank You Best-Selling Author Jim Collins!

©2015 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

When I contributed to the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council's “must read” books for every entrepreneur who wants to succeed, little did I know that when I mentioned Jim Collins' Beyond Entrepreneurship: Turning Your Business into an Enduring Great Company, he would reach out to me by mail with an autographed copy of his book!

Thank you Jim.  You made my day.

Entrepreneurs Globally Report a Willingness to Start a Business

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In 2015, 2,500 U.S. entrepreneurs participated in the Global Entrepreneur Indicator (GEI), a bi-annual survey conducted by the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO).  EO member businesses average US $52.3 million in annual revenue and 240 employees. Survey findings revealed the latest near-term economic findings from 5,868 business owners in 46 countries, including:

In 2014, 84 percent of entrepreneurs globally reported a willingness to start a business. In 2015, 88 percent of entrepreneurs globally reported a willingness to start a business in the current economic environment.

Read more:  Global entrepreneurship survey reveals sustained small business growth

The State of SME Finance in the United States

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The 2015 State of SME Finance in the United States reviews trends in lending and equity financing to SMEs, discusses emerging financing sources for SMEs, and assesses the future of SME finance in light of the rise of alternative, online lenders and crowdfunding platforms. The report also analyzes the specific financing issues faced by SMEs that seek growth through exports. 

Download the report here.

The Importance of Entrepreneurship For Global Development

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President Obama announced this week (March 31st) that he will visit Kenya for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in July.  It will be his first trip to the country and his fourth to sub-Saharan Africa during his presidency.

The Global Entrepreneurship Summit brings together business owners, educators, policymakers and investors to support the growth of new enterprises in developing regions.  President Obama has supported the annual meetings since 2009.

Entrepreneurship can transform the world by solving problems, creating jobs and boosting economies.

Learn more:  Obama Will Visit Kenya For Global Entrepreneurship Summit in July [2015] 

Tweets about #GES2015 hashtag on Twitter