Monday, February 28, 2022

Today in Global Small Business: Can Putin Recover From This?

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

Saturday, February 26, 2022

Running Is Alone Time

©2022 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
“Running is alone time that lets my brain unspool the tangles that build up over days.”— Rob Haneisen 

Friday, February 25, 2022

Russia Unleashes on Ukraine. Now What?

©iStock/GOCMEN
Global supply chains and growth had been broadly recovering from the pandemic, but now all that’s in doubt, given the stricter sanctions and other punitive measures against Russia that are in the offing.  Now what?

The World Bank and International Monetary Fund said on Thursday, 2/24/22, they were working to keep their remaining employees in Ukraine safe amid a Russian invasion while the institutions' leaders said the conflict was greatly raising economic risk in the region.

Some thoughts on what the Russian Ukraine invasion means for the U.S. economy, cyberattacks and more.

Thursday, February 24, 2022

Climate Denial

©iStock/wildpixel
A new report released Wednesday from the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) finds that Facebook's – rebranded as Meta – platform only labeled about half of the posts promoting articles from the world's leading publishers of climate denial. 

Facebook is falling short on its pledge to crack down on climate misinformation, according to a new analysis from a watchdog group.

They had promised last May that it would attach "informational labels" to certain posts about climate change in the U.S. and some other countries, directing readers to a "Climate Science Information Center" with reliable information and resources.

Learn more about what Meta is failing to do.

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Global Supply Chain Issues Cause Grave Problem for Companies

©iStock/vyasphoto
George Pantelic, owner of ABC Monuments in Lawndale, Illinois said orders from a domestic supplier used to take four weeks to arrive.  Now, they take seven months.

It’s a grave problem, literally: A shortage of materials, months-long backlogs and rising costs are causing holdups in getting monuments and gravestones.

Read on to learn how COVID-induced supply chain issues have affected almost every step of monument and gravestone production.

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Building Global Scale and Engagement Through BNPL

©iStock/Khaosai Wongnatthakan
I [Laurel Delaney] talked about the business model Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL), in my Global Trade Trends Report 2022 and that point-of-sale (POS) financing services in the United States have grown significantly over the past 24 months, especially since the onset of COVID-19.

Trends fueling growth include digitization, rising merchant adoption, increasing repeat usage among younger consumers, and an expanding set of players targeting lending at point of sale, a service also known as “buy now, pay later.”

Learn more how banks seeking long-term growth should explore market entry, and merchants should reassess their financing offers.

Monday, February 21, 2022

Today in Global Small Business: Race and Inclusion at the World Bank

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

Saturday, February 19, 2022

Chicago Turned Monochrome

©2022 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
"Winter came and the city [Chicago] turned monochrome black trees against gray sky above white earth. Night now fell in midafternoon, especially when the snowstorms rolled in boundless prairie storms that set the sky close to the ground, the city lights reflected against the clouds." – Barack Obama

Friday, February 18, 2022

How Companies Screw Up Their Global Expansion

©iStock/metamorworks
Growing your startup internationally has plenty of benefits and earns you the title of Global CEO or your business defined as a global small business — but getting there is no easy feat.

International expansion can be your key to growth, but the path to taking on the world is long and arduous. There are many roads to success, but failures tend to have a lot in common.

To ensure you don't screw up your global expansion effort, focus on these six key areas.

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Karishma Kakoti: Global Business Tycoon

©iStock/Balaji Srinivasan
Karishma Kakoti has made it to the February cover of Global Business Tycoons by Entrepreneur India Exchange Magazine.  She is a budding interior designer.

Inspired by masters like Kelly Wearstler and Frank Lloyd Wright, the founder and head designer of KA Designs, a Guwahati-based interior design company.  Kakoti is designing homes across the country.

Some of her notable projects in Guwahati include Times Square, a watch showroom, The Whistler – Bar and Café, and the Gateway Grandeur Hotel. 

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

Who Will Be the First Recipient of the Prestigious Gail Adinamis wegg® Award for Exemplary Global Leadership™?

©2022 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global.  All rights reserved.
Join us on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 at 4PM CT as Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global® announces the first recipient of the Gail Adinamis wegg® Award for Exemplary Global Leadership™2022.

What is the Gail Adinamis wegg® Award for Exemplary Global Leadership™?

The annual award, given by Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®, honors a wegg® stakeholder who has gone out of her way to connect, create, contribute, and collaborate with wegg, and forge alliances that have proven helpful.  These are traits that define an exemplary global leader.

Who is Gail Adinamis?

Gail Adinamis was founder and CEO of GlobalCare Clinical Trials, LLC a global patient-centric service organization that conducts study visits at patients’ homes or alternate settings via a global network of mobile healthcare providers to support traditional, virtual or hybrid clinical studies in over 65 countries. Gail has over 40 years of comprehensive global clinical trials experience, including more than 12 years of global trials management at Abbott Laboratories and Astellas Pharma US. She established the clinical trials divisions for three national home infusion companies and served as president of those wholly-owned subsidiaries.

In 2004, Gail founded and was President and CEO of an independent ambulant care service company for clinical trials prior to establishing GlobalCare Clinical Trials, LLC in 2010. The company was acquired by LabCorp in July, 2020, further expanding it’s decentralized clinical trials capabilities globally.

Why the award matters?

True global leaders like Gail Adinamis and many others who will follow in her footsteps are defined not only by their worldly knowledge and connections, nor by the global opportunities they seize, but by how they contribute to the improvement and growth of others.

To learn more and to attend (free of charge), visit:  https://womenentrepreneursgrowglobal.org/about/the-gail-adinamis-wegg-award/ – everyone is welcome!

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

Crypto Currencies Have Gone Mainstream

©iStock/Tevarak
I [Laurel Delaney] talked about how bitcoin and cryptocurrencies were going to become mainstream in 2022 during my Global Trade Trends Report 2022.  By the ads featured during Super Bowl 2022, it's happening.

Four ads touting cryptocurrencies aired during the three-and-a-half hour broadcast. While that's not a large number, it's still a sign that cryptocurrencies have gone mainstream.

My favorite ad was the one that featured a QR code floating across the screen with background music for 60 seconds. It confused many people, including me, but many others scanned the codes on their screens with their phones.

Cryptocurrencies are a form of digital currencies built on blockchain technology, using a public distributed ledger that keeps track of every transaction. They are decentralized and not connected to any third party like a bank.

Read on to learn more.

Monday, February 14, 2022

Today in Global Small Business: The Origins of Valentine's Day

©2022 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

  • History of Valentine's Day.
  • While Valentine's Day might be associated with romantic love, the real story behind its namesake, St. Valentine, is full of bloodshed and heartbreak.
  • The dark origins of Valentine's Day.
  • Quote of the week: "To love at all is to be vulnerable." – C.S. Lewis
  • Valentine's Day exploded in U.S. popular culture beginning in the 1840s, although it was confined to a very specific idea of romantic love.
  • The history and meaning of Valentine's Day – the why behind why we celebrate the day. 

Saturday, February 12, 2022

I'm An Artistic Kind of Person

©2022 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
"I'm an artistic kind of person. I draw. I've drawn my whole life. When you have an imaginative mind, I think the artistic form manifests itself in different ways. When I was younger, I used to draw murals for people." – Vinny Guadagnino

Friday, February 11, 2022

Texas Tops More Than $375.3 Billion in Exports in 2021

©iStock/Lea BOUKNIGHT
According to data from the United States Census Bureau, Texas is the top exporting state for the 20th consecutive year.

In an issued statement, Governor Greg Abbott proclaims Texas had more than $375.3 billion in exports in 2021 alone, surpassing both 2019 and 2020 totals.

Governor Greg Abbott says that "Made in Texas is a powerful global brand."   

Thursday, February 10, 2022

Pick Your Indian Export Business: Pickles, Imitation Jewelry, Papad, Incense Sticks and Handicrafts

©iStock/CDPhotoWorkz
Recently, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said India's exports in December 2021 surged 37 percent on an annual basis to $37.29 billion — the highest-ever monthly figure — and the country’s merchandise exports would cross $400 billion this fiscal.

This means there are enormous opportunities for the global market emerging from India.  Here are five (5) small export ideas – pickles, imitation jewelry, papad (deep fried dough), incense stick and handicrafts –  you can start with an investment as low as Rs 50,000.

Tuesday, February 08, 2022

Tips for Global Small Businesses in a Post-Pandemic World

©iStock/invincible_bulldog
Between supply chain issues, inflation and the Great Resignation, global small business owners must starting adapting now to thrive in the near-future.  Surviving and thriving in the coming years will require entrepreneurs to demonstrate grit and an ability to adapt quickly and implement the right strategies

While you pull on enormous amount of grit, you will also need time to rehabilitate from the trauma of the pandemic.  It starts by having compassion for yourself and for others.

And don't forget to strategically position your business in a post-pandemic world to manage, develop, and enable talent with focus and care.

Monday, February 07, 2022

Today in Global Small Business: Websites Celebrating the Lunar New Year

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

Saturday, February 05, 2022

Let Us Love Winter

©2022 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.
"Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius." – Pietro Aretino.

Friday, February 04, 2022

Exports to Play a Big Role in India's Economy

©iStock/Jirardoj Praditcharoenkul
Abhijit Kamra, director, Global Trade, Amazon India, and Dr Avik Sarkar professor, Indian School of Business (ISB), firmly believes that India has all the right ingredients to emerge as a strong export’s hub, ushering in the fourth industrial revolution.

In the 21st century, the power of the internet, combined with rapid digitization levels and use of machine learning and artificial intelligence can lead the nationals and citizens of India to the vision of Exports 2.0.  Exports 2.0 will enable small businesses to reach customers worldwide and create global brands 

This vision can empower millions of MSMEs across India to benefit from global market access, integration with global supply chains and enable them to create global brands. 

Thursday, February 03, 2022

The Spring Festival: A Preserved National and Cultural Identity

©iStock/Sensvector
The world is searching for harmony amid crises and an occasion like the Spring Festival – the Chinese New Year – is an intriguing holiday that has acquired the hallmarks of a global holiday by offering an opportunity to evaluate human development and work in tandem with needs and demands.

Apart from China, it is also celebrated by hundreds of thousands of Chinese living in foreign lands. Both the national and international media are awash with stories about the celebrations in various capital cities and the increasing number of Confucius Institutes spreading the Chinese language and culture have helped this annual Chinese festival gain traction globally.

Learn more about the Spring Festival and how it is an invaluable heritage.

Wednesday, February 02, 2022

Who Knew? Dwayne Johnson Has a Tequila That's Going Global

©iStock/Rimma_Bondarenko
Created and introduced by founder Dwayne Johnson alongside co-founders Dany Garcia, Jenna Fagnan, and Ken Austin, Teremana® Tequila, a super-premium, hand-crafted, small-batch tequila, has seen resounding success since its introduction in March 2020, initially in the U.S. and then followed by Canada and Mexico.

With more than 640,000 9L cases sold in 2021, the brand is focused on furthering strategic expansions in the US and international markets.  The ownership team is is committed to making Teremana Tequila available to a global audience at retail locations, bars and restaurants around the world. 

Hmm, read more at Stupid Dope.  Yes, that is a real website.  Hard to take the news seriously when it's announced on Stupid Dope but maybe I need a shot of Dwayne's tequila to find it entertaining :-).

Tuesday, February 01, 2022

How It's Done: Growing An Organic, Natural Wellness Brand Globally (wegginar® 2/2/22)

©2022 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.
Stephanie Morimoto is Owner & CEO of Asutra, where she is passionate about helping people take care of themselves on purpose so they can get the most out of life – what she calls active self care. 

Asutra offers over 50 organic, natural remedies for pain relief, sleep and rejuvenation, so you can care for yourself well.

Stephanie will be presenting a wegginar® for Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global® on Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at 11AM CT.  Feel free to join us (I, [Laurel Delaney] will be on the call as well).  The event is free of charge thanks to wegg's sponsors:  Associated Bank, Bluedog, FedEx, GlobalCare Clinical Trials and Union Pacific.  You must register to participate, which can be done here.

Stephanie plans to focus on – how to:

  • Grow your distribution
  • Drive product development
  • Build a strong team
  • Establish agency partnerships
  • Scale through e-commerce
  • + More ...

Some other cool things about Asutra.  

Asutra is women-owned and women-led. We’re able to create products that help women because we’re made up of amazing women. Venus Williams, yup that Venus Williams, is part owner and our Chief Brand Officer. Venus, like myself, started as a customer and once she learned more about Asutra and its passion and focus on natural ingredients, she wanted to become part of the team.

We are super excited to host Stephanie.  Again, join us free of charge by registering here.  Learn what it takes to grow your business globally.