Today in Global Small Business: Some Global Small Business Pandemic Trends Are Here to Stay

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

• The US government’s Agency for International Development (USAID) launched a free online mentoring platform recently to connect emerging entrepreneurs with experienced business experts.
• A new ICC Small Business Champions Network aims to enable the voice of small businesses and empower SMEs to thrive in the global economy.
• These global small business pandemic trends are here to stay.
• Quote of the week: "Be fast, have no regrets... If you need to be right before you move, you will never win." – Mike Ryan, epidemiologist at WHO
• Ireland is a great country for talent.  See how G-P is doubling down in Ireland.
• Is Poland still the European Tiger in the Forex world?

A Snow Day

©2022 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"A snow day literally and figuratively falls from the sky, unbidden, and seems like a thing of wonder." – Susan Orlean"  

Small Things Matter When You Run a Global Business

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According to Lilly Partin, the majority of the difficulties associated with establishing a global small business stem from failing to accomplish the small things correctly. The basics will lead you to the top, and if you don't follow the basics, well, let's just say you'll end up at the bottom.

If you’re thinking of starting a global small business, make sure you follow these 10 small business rules.

Leave the World Door Open for Bruno Mars (Music Playlist)

90% of Everything is Crap

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One of my favorite thought leaders, Marc Andreessen says, “I had heard of this, aha, Sturgeon’s law!” Theodore Sturgeon (1918-85) was a science-fiction author annoyed that people were saying all sci-fi was bad and wanted to stand up for the 10% that was good, saying, “90% of everything is crap.” Mr. Andreessen says “90% of music is crap.” The same is true of “paintings, writing, TV shows and movies.” 

Who's Marc Andreessen?  

He developed Mosaic, the first internet browser, which allowed users to wander around the World Wide Web 90% of the time. He moved to Silicon Valley and founded Netscape. Mr. Andreessen is now a general partner at a top-decile venture-capital firm, better than 90% of its peers. Andreessen Horowitz recently raised $9 billion in new funds.

Andy Kessler for the Wall Street Journal discusses how venture capitalist Marc Andreessen explains the world with Sturgeon's law.  And part of that law is that 90% of everything is crap.  Love it.

Lookout, Here Comes Route

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Say hello to Route – a kind of e-commerce customer experience platform.  It will take the world by storm.

Get shipping notifications that give you real-time status updates on any delivery.  Connect Route to any email account, and magically watch your orders make their way to your doorstep. You can track everything you order in one place.  Think I'm kidding?  Guess again.  

Are you a merchant?  Then give customers the modern package tracking they crave.

Meet the founder/CEO, Evan Walker.  He's disrupting the industry big time.  Poised to become another unicorn.

Today in Global Small Business: Where's My Order?

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

• With e-commerce booming, consumers increasingly want to know, “Where’s my order?” Three-year-old package tracking firm Route aims to answer that question in real time with its AI-driven software.  Route cofounder and CEO Evan Walker tells Forbes that the startup is now worth $1.25 billion, following a $200 million fundraise.
• How to attract customers when they are ready to buy.
• What I wish I knew before starting my e-commerce business.
• Quote of the week: "And it's interesting, when you look at the predictions made during the peak of the boom in the 1990s, about e-commerce, or internet traffic, or broadband adoption, or internet advertising, they were all right - they were just wrong in time." – Chris Anderson
• E-commerce competition heats up in China – Shopify and JD.com pair up. 
• E-commerce predictions for 2022 from 26 e-commerce experts.

Proud to Be Gay

©2022 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"So let me be clear:  I'm proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me." – Tim Cook

Helping SMEs Thrive, Locally As Well as Globally

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Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the lifeblood of our economies. They account for the vast majority of businesses worldwide and are important contributors to job creation and global economic development. 

At a time when the global economy is still reeling from the effects of the health crisis, the ICC Small Business Champions Network will form a new informal advisory group to support the development of ICC’s global and regional work in market intelligence, public policy advocacy, and in the delivery of practical products and services that meet the needs of SMEs.

A new advisory group member said:

"I am immensely honoured to be part of the group and look forward to working together with ICC to help SMEs thrive, locally as well as globally."

Read on to learn more.

How She Went Global® Podcast Ranked #2 in Entrepreneurship

©2022 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

Never heard of the How She Went Global® (HSWG) podcast? Well exit your cave and listen up.  HSWG podcast is where successful women entrepreneurs and business owners share stories about going global, and offer new ways to take on the world, stay inspired and have fun.  Produced by nonprofit Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global® – achieving #2 in Category Rank Entrepreneurship!

Tune in to episode #11, "For Latina Women Entrepreneurs, The Best Is Yet To Come," with Valeria Aloe, native of Argentina, founder of Abundancia Consciente, and author of Uncolonized Latinas.  She discusses why she started her global business, how the right mindset fuels opportunities for Latina women entrepreneurs and what can be done to fuel more Latina women entrepreneurs to start and run global businesses. And if you enjoy her episode, feel free to tune in to all the rest of the episodes.  While you are at it, don't forget to subscribe.

Here's what Valeria said about being interviewed:

"Thank you so much dear Laurel [Delaney] for having me, and for the opportunity to share insights and research relevant to Latinas, other women of color, and allies seeking to support and partner with them. I appreciate your mission of supporting women to scale up and expand beyond borders. Grateful!"

Tune in at your convenience for easy, educational and fun listening:  https://bit.ly/3tA52p7

HSWG podcast is powered by: Bluedog Design and Associated Bank.  These organizations rock!

Top 10 Global Consumer Trends

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Global market research company Euromonitor reveals the Top 10 Global Consumer Trends in 2022.

1. Backup Planners
2. Climate Changers
3. Digital Seniors
4. Financial Aficionados
5. The Great Life Refresh
6. The Metaverse Movement
7. Pursuit of Preloved
8. Rural Urbanites
9. Self-Love Seekers
10. The Socialization Paradox

Read on to identify each of the prevalent trends that will define consumer behavior in the year ahead, offering strategic business recommendations to meet new demands.

Does Service Work Performed Globally Serve Who It Is Intended For?

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Countless documentaries, books, podcasts and academic endeavors have tried to determine whether service work in global communities truly serves those whom it is meant to serve. The history of global development is complicated, and the ways in which it has evolved are complex. 

United2Heal is a CIO that donates unused medical supplies to under-resourced health systems overseas. It’s president is Narjes Bencheikh, a public health graduate student.

“[We donate things] from blankets to syringes to blood pressure cuffs and gauze … anything that can't go bad,” Bencheikh said. “We've worked with Haiti, Syria and refugee camps in Jordan.” 

What becomes questionable is whether these efforts are beneficial.  Read on to find out.

Today in Global Small Business: The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King

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

• Martin Luther King III wants no "empty promises."
• Martin Luther King's 'I've Been to the Mountaintop' speech excerpts.
• Watch the 'Ice Moon' rise on Martin Luther King Jr. day.
• Quote of the week: "I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." –  Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Facts about the Martin Luther King monument.
• What we know and don't know about Martin Luther King.

Calm Spirit

©2022 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset." – Saint Francis de Sales

Will Raising Prices Become a Trend in 2022?

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Years of stagnant prices and wages have made Japan Inc nervous about charging more for fear of alienating shoppers and losing market share. But the weakening yen is further driving up costs adding to the inflationary pain following the pandemic.

Clothing retailer Uniqlo will have to raise prices of some products due to higher costs for raw materials and shipping, its owner recently said, becoming a high-profile example of Japanese firms throwing off a decades-old deflationary trend.

Learn more how Uniqlo owner is poised to hike prices in sign of shift for Japan.

How Physicists and Programmers Played Important Roles in Shaping the Current Wave of Globalization

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Thirty years after the World Wide Web first expanded from Europe to North America, Michael Riordan reveals how physicists and programmers played important roles in shaping the current wave of globalization.

The story goes ...

In December 1991 Paul Kunz, a physicist and computer programmer at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) in Menlo Park, California, set up the very first Web server in North America. I learned of it about a month later, upon returning to SLAC from a year in Washington, DC. “Have you seen the latest?” an enthusiastic colleague asked. “It’s called the World Wide Web!”

Read on to discover the historical significance of that moment.

Are You a Domino? I Am (Video)

Understanding Cultural Awareness and Diversity in Global Business

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Awareness and recognition of unique cultural behavioral differences, along with a global mindset, can further encourage shared understanding and enhance flexible thinking and communication.  It also allows you to conduct business the world over in a seamless fashion.

Here are five (5) cross-cultural communication tips for global teams.  You might also consider reading "navigating the cultural minefield" by Erin Meyer to better understand how cultural differences affect global business.

Today in Global Small Business: The Future of the Business World

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

• Wharton Global Youth Program members talk about the future of the business world.
• Taking a leap into entrepreneurship. 
• How to seamlessly set up a successful global online D2C business.
• Quote of the week: "Youth is the hope of our future" – Jose Rizal
• Recent trade gap driven by increased imports.
• How not to lose your mind over translation.

Happiness Is Not a Matter of Intensity

©2022 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony." – Thomas Merton

A New Kind of Lolly: Funday

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According to Funday Natural Sweets founder Daniel Kitty, Funday is on a mission to increase its presence from 1,000 outlets to 3,000 in 2022, in additional to unveiling plans to expand internationally. 

Funday markets its lollies as natural, and made with real ingredients without the sugar or sugar alcohols.

Learn more about Funday Natural Sweets and its new subscription model for its e-commerce store in Australia.

Does It Make Sense to Go Global?

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Does it make sense to go global?  We certainly think so.  And according to Wendy Pease at Entrepreneur Magazine, she thinks so, too.

The answer is yes--expanding to international markets helps companies grow, increases buying power, and diversifies market opportunities. It better prepares the company to weather changes in the domestic economy. It can result in higher revenues, increased profits, a diverse customer base, and improved stability.

Read on to discover how using the Internet opens more doors for global growth and enables entrepreneurs to study potential markets and the buyer's journey from the comfort of their own office.

Take On a Global Market

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Fifteen members of Forbes Business Council shared the steps entrepreneurs must take before successfully taking on a global market.  It should be noted that contributors pay a fee for membership.

For more information on what you should or shouldn't be doing relative to taking a business global, please visit:  Exporting Guide. Laurel J. Delaney wrote the best-selling book on this topic.

Laurel Delaney's Global Trade Trends Report 2022 (wegginar® 1/5/22)

©2022 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

Come one, come all to Laurel Delaney's annual Global Trade Trends Report 2022 hosted by Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global® on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 at 11AM Central Time.  The event is free of charge thanks to the lead sponsors of wegg®:  Associated Bank, FedEx, Union Pacific, Bluedog Design and GlobalCare Clinical Trials.

Laurel will discuss NFTs, creative transportation, global supply chain woes, payment mechanisms, climate change and other trends that will impact the work of those importing and exporting.

To learn more and to register, visit Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global.

Today in Global Small Business: Growth Strategies for 2022

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

• 10 global small business growth strategies for 2022.
• 4 trends that will reshape the global small business landscape in 2022 and beyond. 
• Will 2022 be poised for slow, steady growth?
• Quote of the week: "There is no way to turn off this global economy, nor should one try. Every previous expansion of global capitalism has led to greater prosperity across the world." – Fareed Zaharia
• 7 fast-food chains you will see everywhere in 2022 - from local to global to one serving up what is called "ghost kitchens."
• 3 key shapers of the global economy in 2022.

Find Joy in 2022!

©2022 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Find joy, remain grateful, stay humble, be brave and go global in 2022." – Laurel J. Delaney, creator of the The Global Small Business Blog