Nitro-Funding to Go Global Immediately

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What is nitro-funding?  According to Simon Cocking of Irish Tech News, nitro-funding is when companies take on a large amount of funding and go global immediately.  In the article below, he talks about:

• When Irish (or any) companies should go global.
• Domestic platform, global foundation.
• Cloud-based service offerings, which are global by nature.

Key statement:  "We believe that it makes sense to refine, perfect and grow in the domestic market, but to look overseas as soon as is practicable."

Read more ...

Dealing with Crossborder Transaction Tax Compliance Obligations

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When a small business sends goods across borders, it will face significant crossborder transaction tax compliance obligations. And without fully understanding the relevant import/export regulations, businesses cannot know with certainty what they are actually allowed to ship to specific countries.  Yet, to be successful, a business must be able to understand, comply with, and financially account for import/export regulations and customs duty and tax costs.  A real catch-22 (dilemma).

Read more ...

Today in Global Small Business: The Rise of the Global Small Business

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

• What is neural machine translation and what is it used for?
• Want to source a product but don't know how?  Start here (free webinar 6/7).
• Mark Zuckerberg's speech for Harvard's Class of 2017 (listen).
• Mark Zuckerberg and how he should listen to himself (via Wired).
• Can we make the world safe for diversity?
• The rise of the global small business (GSB) and authored in 2011.

Happy Memorial Day.

All You Need Is Love

©2017 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"All you need is love.  But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." -- Charles M. Schulz

McDonald's Global Strategy

1 Billion Views and Still Counting

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Since TEDx's program beginnings in 2009, nearly 15,000 events have been held in every corner of the globe. And now, a new TEDx milestone has been reached: one billion views of TEDx Talks.

To celebrate, you can explore 15 amazing talks from around the globe, sparking both global and local conversations and connections.

Take the TEDx tour here and click on a red dot.

How to Better Compete in the World Economy

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According to the Small Business and Entrepreneurship (SBE) Council, the United States need to provide tax relief for U.S. business to better compete in the world economy.

The United States’ 40 percent tax rate (federal plus state average) ranks 170th among 171 nations with only the United Arab Emirates imposing a higher rate (55 percent), explained Raymond Keating, SBE’s chief economist.

SBE Council claims the U.S. has the second highest corporate tax rate in the world.

Read more ...

Exporting: Where to Turn for Help

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All right already!  You want to export but you:

1. Can't find the time.
2. Don't know how.
3. Are afraid of the risk.
4. Have no idea where to turn for resources.
5. Think it doesn't apply to you.
6. Have no idea how to move the goods.

Take a deep breath.  We've got answers.  Now you have no excuses.  Show me some results :-).

Read more ... 11 Places to Look for International Exporting Help

Today in Global Small Business: Going All In On Global Growth

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

• What happened to your computer?  Maybe you've been hit by the global WannaCrypt ransomware hack.
• How to source products globally?  Start here (free webinar 6/7).
• The darker side of SME globalization.
• Transforming a nation, one woman at a time.
• The impact fulness of global expansion and cross-border e-commerce.
• Going all in on [global] growth.

Blossoming in Nature

©2017 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature." -- Gerard de Nerval

Who's Leading the Pack on Digital Engagement?

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Which country is leading the pack on digital engagement? According to consulting firm Deloitte, and  the release of the second edition of their Voice of Asia series, it's Asian economies relative to to their global peers in similar stages of development. The report says:

The global economic centre of gravity has shifted towards Asia. The Asian region is the fastest growing in the world and has been a significant driver of global economic growth.

Download the full report here.

The race is on to harness technology and power the next generation of growth.

Global Small Businesses Drive Innovation

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Due to technological advancements, larger and less agile companies are finding it more difficult to stay ahead of the curve and avoid losing market share to the new encroaching global small businesses.

This has led some smart global giants to rethink their innovation strategy.

Whereas in recent years, industry incumbents viewed growing [global] small businesses and startups as competition to be quashed, the mindset is quickly shifting to embrace these new companies as an opportunity to evolve, grow and fill in the gaps from their own R&D departments.

Here's what needs to happen next.

E-Commerce Helps Small Businesses Go Global

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How do you create jobs and generate livelihood in a country?  Set up an e-commerce platform, such as the case in Pakistan, by China's biggest e-commerce portal Alibaba.

The [China] prime minister Nawaz Sharif] termed e-commerce a catalyst for bringing improvement in Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector, which he said could help promote the disadvantaged segments of the society. He said digital transactions were a solution for small entrepreneurs to expand their businesses and reach global markets.

E-commerce has the potential to unlock growth in emerging markets and elsewhere.

Read more ...

Step Onto the Global Stage

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U.S. Small Business Administration leader Linda McMahon says:

“Businesses that export are less likely to go out of business and more likely to grow faster,” said McMahon in a speech during the Small Business Knowledge Summit on Thursday. “That’s because 96 percent of all the world’s consumers and over three-quarters of the world’s purchasing power are outside the United States. Yet right now, only 1 percent of all of America’s small businesses are exporters.”

The numbers haven't changed much since the Obama administration days but nevertheless, small businesses forge on.  And what's the single biggest reason for SMEs not trading globally?  Lack of international business experience and knowledge.  It's obvious they haven't read this book.

Learn more ...

Today in Global Small Business: Tips for Expanding Your Business Globally

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

• Thinking about sourcing products but not sure how to begin?  Start here.
• US official urges American small businesses to export abroad.
• The Federation of Small Businesses has urged the Government to keep Britain’s small firms ‘front of mind’ as it embarks on a post-Brexit trade campaign.
• Amazon makes progress in international expansion.
• The importance of expanding your business globally.
• 9 factors to consider before conducting business internationally.

A Majestic Presence is Gone from Chicago

©2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

The Awilda sculpture was a majestic presence overlooking Michigan Avenue.  Now it has moved to Miami.

Exporting is a Key Component of Small Business Growth

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A Fox Business article about American small businesses exporting says:

The head of the U.S. Small Business Administration urged American businessmen and entrepreneurs to enter the global market, telling the United Nations on Thursday that just 1 percent of small businesses are currently exporting overseas.

Here's what it should have said:

"The head of the U.S. Small Business Administration urged American businessmen, businesswomen, and entrepreneurs to enter the global market, telling the United Nations on Thursday that just 1 percent of small businesses are currently exporting overseas."

Ms. Linda McMahon, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration, said the nearly 29 million small businesses in America "are the engine of our economy" and create two out of three new jobs — but she stressed that exporting is a key component of small business growth.

That said, learn more ...

Are US Small Businesses Worried About Trade Policies?

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What affects small business owners when they attempt to go global?  A report by the nonprofit Global Innovation Forum, "The New Faces of American Trade," states that US trade policies and the strong dollar, which makes US products more expensive in overseas markets, impacts their ability to export.

The report examines how companies use Internet resources to expand their export presence.

Like bigger companies, small businesses favor open trade and consistent rules. And trade negotiations are key to keeping markets overseas open to American products.

Learn more ...

Global Trade Benefits Americans

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Hurrah!  A new survey of U.S. small business leaders commissioned by FedEx Corp. claims that global trade is beneficial to American workers.   The survey showed that 84 percent of the business leaders who participated agreed that expanding trade between the U.S. and other countries was a “good thing.” In 2016, that figure was 77 percent.

“These results show even more American small business leaders support expanding trade than last year,” said Raj Subramaniam, executive vice president, chief marketing and communications officer of FedEx Corp., in a release. “One thing is certain — small business leaders continue to view the growth of global supply chains and trade as beneficial to American workers.”

Learn more ...

Customers Want a Global Reach. Give It To Them

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What's holding you back from going global?  Is it no demand from current customers?  Lack of personnel resources to expand? Reach maximum capacity on all fronts -- people, manufacturing and financially, for example?  Or are you afraid of expanding into markets in which English is not the dominant language?

Learn more here ... but you really should adopt a more worldly outlook.

And if you want to determine how to get more customers to visit your website, register for the free WEGGinar™ hosted by Women Entrepreneurs GROW Global and presented by web globalization and language expert John Yunker.  Sign up here.

Today in Global Small Business: Hand-Painted Silk Gifts and Souvenirs Become a Global Business

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

• Are global trade rules on e-commerce good or bad?
• How to tune up your website for global customers (n/c webinar on 5/10); learn from the expert, John Yunker, about what it takes to accommodate online customers worldwide.
• Hand-painted silk gifts and souvenirs are a global business.
• FedEx wants to help small businesses in India expand globally.
• Logistics might just be the next billion dollar source for e-commerce companies.
• Five international expansion mistakes and how to avoid them.

Wholly Devoted to Going Global

©2017 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"To be wholly devoted to some intellectual exercise is to have succeeded in life." -- Robert Louis Stevenson

Is International Experience Relevant For Supply Chain Work?

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Here's the question posed by Spend Matters to Subhash Segireddy, who works on supply chain network design at Cisco.

"You’ve worked with a number of international, multicultural teams, and this applies to other “30 Under 30” [ISM/Thomasnet.com 30 Under 30 Rising Supply Chain Stars Recognition Program] winners, as well. Pretty much any field can claim “international experience” as a plus, but do you think it is especially relevant for supply chain? What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned by working on multicultural teams?"

Here's what Segireddy says:

Supply chain organizations are usually global, and being aware of cultural differences is very critical. A simple example is understanding the stories behind the holidays across different cultures. Working in global teams helped me bridge cultural differences and deliver results. The biggest lesson [I’ve learned is] that no two individuals are the same, especially if they are from different cultures. Being aware of this has helped me strengthen my leadership, problem solving and communication skills.

Read more ...

Will Recruiting International Students Become Harder for U.S. Universities?

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The number of international students on American campuses has exploded over the past decade.

During the 2015-2016 school year, their numbers exceeded 1 million for the first time, representing an 85 percent jump from a decade earlier. 

We all realize, at least most of us do, the importance of diversity, inclusion, and the value of exposing American students to international peers from around the world.  It sets the stage for a powerful learning environment for all.

Yet, incidents like the recent shooting in Kansas, anti-immigration rhetoric and policies coming out of the Trump administration, have made recruiting internationally for U.S. universities much harder.

How will U.S. universities stay open and strong and at the same time maintain an international student base?

Learn more ...

What's In Store Wednesday for National Small Business Week

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In case you missed some of the amazing activities centered around the celebration of National Small Business Week, jump in here to find out what is happening Wednesday, May 3rd.  For example, SBA Administrator Linda McMahon will be visiting Indianapolis, Indiana.

Learn more about the entire week's schedule here.  Kudos to all global small business owners who keep our economy prospering!

Being Online Opens Up a Whole New World to Small Business Owners

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According to IE Domain Registry (IEDR) research, being online opens up a whole new world to small businesses — boosting revenue, productivity, and customer acquisition.

The most recent survey, published in November, showed that less than two-thirds of Irish SMEs have a website; of these SMEs, less than a third can take sales orders on their sites, while only 28% can actually process payments online. Indeed, one-in-five SMEs still have no online presence whatsoever; neither website nor social media page.

Read more ...

Today in Global Small Business: Save Water Co. Wins International Entrepreneurship Award

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

• Houston woman Katie Anderson of Save Water Co. wins international entrepreneurship award with her water conservation business.
• How to tune up your website for global customers (n/c webinar on 5/10); learn from the expert, John Yunker, about what it takes to accommodate online customers worldwide.
• Who knew:  Oracle is a global business.
• Trade secretary [Philippines] Ramon Lopez pushes SMEs into global space by helping them grow their exports.
• India's leather exports poised to hit US $27 billion by 2020.
• See how charity is first for a global business development boss.
• Oh, one more ... Happy Small Business Week.  Kudos to all the global small business owners who keep our economy humming.