Tariff Crazy

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Trump announced on February 27, 2025 that proposed tariffs on 25% on Canada and Mexico will be implemented on March 4 after a month-long postponement. The president said that these countries had not sufficiently reduced the flow of drugs across the border.

Additionally, Trump also said that China, which already faces 10% U.S. tariffs on its products, “will likewise be charged an additional 10% Tariff on that date.” 

Read more about what it is like to be tariff crazy and how it impacts the global economy, especially in the Asia-Pacific markets.

The 92-Year Old FDIC Is Still in Charge and Independent

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The 92-year old Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) is responsible for insuring consumer deposits against bank failures — and for preventing future bank crises.

Its employees closely monitor most of the United States' smaller banks — warning lenders if, for example, their debt levels are edging too high or if they're taking on too much risky business.

The end goal of these examinations is to catch any problems before they snowball into a bank failure — or a wider banking crisis. 

In the global markets, there is concern with Trump and Musk slashing agencies without much process, and firing people without first studying what their roles and responsibilities entail, could create long-term chaos for the U.S. economy.

The Impact of Tariffs, State by State

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The tariffs are coming.  The tariffs are coming.  Run as fast as you can!  Not sure that will do any good.  According to President Donald Trump, the sweeping U.S. tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico are set to begin next week “will go forward” when a monthlong delay expires, Trump said Monday [2/24/25], and they will begin “on time, on schedule.”

That will affect each state differently. For some states, such as Montana and New Mexico, nearly all of their import and export exposure is to a single targeted country.  Energy — such as oil for Montana and Oklahoma, electronics for New Mexico, and auto parts such as EV batteries for Texas and California, where Tesla has a big presence — looms large in the trade battle. 

But the impact to local economies and consumer prices will range widely.

A Shared, Global Movement: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

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The conversation around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has never been more pressing, as organizations worldwide navigate complex landscapes shaped by local policies, cultural expectations, and evolving workplace demographics.  It is a shared, global movement.

To explore these challenges and opportunities, Seramount recently hosted a webinar titled “DEI Lessons from Around the World,” featuring insights from their partners at Inditex and Kellanova alongside their expanding Global Advisory Network. With expert voices from six countries—the UK, Canada, UAE, Ireland, Spain, and Germany—the webinar offers a nuanced look at how DEI is evolving worldwide.

You can access key takeaways from the conversation from around the world here.  Check out their diversity calendar 2025.

Today in Global Small Business: Pumpkin Export Season Is in Full Swing

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

• Who knew?  The South African pumpkin season is now in full swing at Q-Cape—a Netherlands-based company that has spent the last decade cultivating organic pumpkins and sweet potatoes in South Africa for the European market.
• How this small Australian player in a $600 million industry is changing hundreds of women's lives.
• Quote of the week: "I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion." – Henry David Thoreau
• "It's my second day here at the SBA," [Kelly] Loeffler [head of SBA] said. "I could not be more excited to be here. So, I thought I'd take a walk. And what I found is that exactly what's been said is true. About 90% of our employees are working from home. Well, that ends Monday with President Trump's order to return to work."
• China sees robust growth in loans to small, micro firms.
• Alabama exports total $26.8 bilion in 2024, reaching over 200 countries.

Strawberries Are Like Tomatoes

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Strawberries are like tomatoes for me; I just won't eat them year round. I'll happily wait for them to come into season, then I gorge like a brown bear eating salmon before hibernation." – Brad Leone

There Are No Shortcuts to Exporting Success

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Three people – Sun Yongchao, 53, a trading company executive from China, Wang Ennian, 71, a corporate officer at a separate firm, and Wang's daughter Hana Kiriyama, 45 – were arrested for illegally exporting around 30 tons of wagyu beef from Japan to Hong Kong by falsely claiming it would be sent to Cambodia, local police said Thursday.

What is wagyu beef?

There are no shortcuts to exporting success.  Police believe the suspects were attempting to reduce export costs amid rising overseas demand.

Nominate an Exceptional Person for the Gail Adinamis wegg® Award for Exemplary Global Leadership®

©2025 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

The Gail Adinamis wegg® Award for Exemplary Global Leadership® honors and celebrates Gail Adinamis, who has been crucial to the growth and success of Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.

About the award

The annual award 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.

Successful entrepreneur Gail Adinamis was founder and CEO of GlobalCare Clinical Trials, LLC.  Established in 2010, GlobalCare Clinical Trials brings Phase I-IV clinical trials to patients, instead of the other way around.  Today, the company’s in-home and alternate-site nursing services can be found in more than 65 countries.  The company was acquired by LabCorp in July, 2020, further expanding it’s decentralized clinical trials capabilities globally.

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.

Nominations are now open! Please submit your nomination by February 21, 2025.

What's the Biggest Challenge for Your Business in 2025?

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The DHL Customer Survey (1/8/25) indicates that 67% of U.S. small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) expect positive growth, but survey shows split opinions about the impact of regulatory and policy changes in the new year. 

However, the survey also showed that businesses could face a rocky road to reach that goal, as they navigate a complex environment of regulatory/policy shifts and global market volatility.

What Does It Take to Thrive in an Uncertain World?

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The world is facing profound disruption. From technological advances like GenAI to social instability and climate change, businesses are navigating rapidly shifting megatrends that demand reinvention, resilience and bold action. So, how can companies thrive in such an uncertain world—and avoid being left behind? 

Tune in.

Today in Global Small Business: Originally Called Washington's Birthday, Presidents Day 2/17/25

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

• Presidents Day, the holiday was originally called Washington's Birthday and celebrates the birthdays of former presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, according to the National Archives. It was also the first federal holiday to honor an individual's birth date.
• Threatening the global economy with Trump's one-for-one tariff plan (might require subscription).
• Quote of the week: “Men do not get up and do mischief, without there is someone in the head of it." – Andrew Jackson
• Brushing (keeping) up with Trump's tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China.
• The biggest change is the new 10% U.S. tariff on all Chinese-made goods, which went into effect immediately. Unlike previous tariffs, this applies to all products of Chinese origin, regardless of where they are shipped from. Good tariff overview for 2025.
• According to Trump, everything is about tariffs.

Love is Just Damn Good Business

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Love is not only appropriate in the context of business, it’s the foundation of great leadership." – Steve Farber

Fabletics Is Transforming Supply Chain to Support Global Expansion

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Activewear fashion brand Fabletics operates more than 100 stores in the U.S., Canada and Europe, with expansion expected into Mexico in 2025.  They are in the process of transforming supply chain to support global expansion.

Fabletics is deploying the Blue Yonder SaaS-based supply chain planning suite, including solutions for demand planning, allocation & replenishmen, merchandise financial planning, and size scaling, to help support expansion of its global footprint. 

Read more to learn how Fabletics is transforming supply chain to support global expansion.

Even the NBA Has an International Expansion Strategy

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The NBA's global reach has never been stronger, and the annual NBA Paris Games are a crucial part of that expansion. As the league continues to engage fans worldwide, these international events serve as a catalyst for growing the game and strengthening its global presence.

According to NBA Senior Vice President and Head of International Strategy Leah MacNab, international games are a "key component” of the NBA’s year-round efforts to grow the game globally and engage fans around the world.

With a passionate fanbase in France and across Europe, the NBA Paris Games provide an exclusive opportunity for fans to experience the league up close. 

Learn more about the NBA's international expansion strategy.

Two Indispensable AI Tools: ChatGPT and Claude

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Two indispensable tools, Open AI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude, stand out as top AI platforms for global business owners.  Here’s why.

The Global Market for Hearing Solutions Is About to Get Louder

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EssilorLuxottica recently announced that its Nuance Audio Glasses – smart glasses with hearing aid – have gained clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for over-the-counter sales in the United States. 

This development is accompanied by the achievement of CE marking under the European Union’s Medical Devices Regulation, which opens the door for a broader launch in select European markets next year.

Nuance Audio Glasses represent a novel entry into the med-tech segment by merging eyewear with hearing technology. 

Today in Global Small Business: Put Your Heart Health First

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

• This week before Valentine's Day, put your heart health first.
• Stressed out?  Put these skills to work to boost mood and reduce anxiety.
• Quote of the week: “We all want things we can't have.  Being a decent human being is accepting that." – John Fowles
• Just a few hours of yoga can greatly reduce stress.
• Joy is good for the soul.  Always help others.
• The guide to being a good human being.

Sending Early Happy Valentine's Day Vibes

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"I know of only one duty, and that is to love." – Albert Camus

Something Snapped In Us

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After US President Donald Trump threatened Canada with steep tariffs, Monika Morelli from Montreal cancelled her subscriptions to Netflix and Amazon, two giant American companies.  She also called off a trip that she had planned for later in the year to New Orleans.

"There is something that has been irrevocably broken now, after centuries of the US and Canada being allies," Ms Morelli, 39, told the BBC.

The threaten of import taxes, she said, plus Trump's remarks that Canada could become the 51st US state, "have made something snap in us all".

Read more about how Trump tariffs have caused a riff beyond repair with Canadians.

Alex Yancher from Passport Shipping on DTC Tariffs

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Ref:  Temu, Shein, and the ‘First Sale Rule’: The Next Big Test for DTC Tariffs

From Alex Yancher, CEO/Co-founder, Passport Shipping: "Did you know that Temu/Shein and other China-based shippers are planning on paying US tariffs on the cost of goods, not the retail value? So for a Temu product that a buyer pays $20 for, Temu will pay tariffs on COGS, something closer to $2 vs. $20 (sales price). Let’s say tariffs are 20%, that’s only $0.40. Temu’s prices will go from $20 to $20.40. *But there’s a catch*."

How does it work?  Read his full LinkedIn post here.

What the Year of the Wood Snake 2025 Means For Your Chinese Zodiac Sign

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Say farewell to the Year of the Wood Dragon because the Year of the Wood Snake is upon us, officially beginning when the new moon enters Aquarius at 4:36 a.m. PT on Jan. 29, 2025.  While every Lunar New Year prompts joyous gatherings and festivities, this year marks an especially exciting year to celebrate since the last time it was a Wood Snake year was in 1965. The year of the Snake, meanwhile, comes every 12 years.

Learn what's in store.

Lisa Bamford Discusses Going Rogue: When Creativity Drives International Business (wegginar® 2/5)

©2025 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

Join Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global® for their next informative and engaging wegginar®, "Going Rogue:  When Creativity Drives International Business," with Lisa Bamford, Director of Global Marketing and Business Development at Sciencix, a manufacturer for analytical laboratory instruments used in medical research.

About Lisa Bamford:

The first season of Lisa Bamford's career unfolded in Nashville, TN in the music and entertainment business, including concert tours, recording sessions, and performances at the Grand Ole Opry. After losing her father to cancer, Lisa pivoted to the field of medical research laboratories, which would eventually lead her to Sciencix.

In 2023, Sciencix was honored at the White House as the U.S. SBA’s National Exporter of the Year winner for excellent support to laboratories in over 100 countries. In 2024, Sciencix received the Governor’s Excellence Award from the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina for notable international business growth that expanded the state’s global presence and ecosystem. Lisa then went back to Washington, D.C. to receive the President’s “E” Award by the U.S. Department of Commerce for her strategies to generate international business growth.

Lisa holds a Bachelor of Music from Meredith College, post graduate studies in Education and Pedagogy from Belmont University, and a Master of Science from Grand Canyon University. She is President of the NC World Trade Association Triangle Chapter, is a statewide board member of the NCWTA, and serves on the Statewide Advisory Board for the Small Business & Technology Development Center.

Here's what she will discuss during her wegginar:

• How to Turn “Oh, No!” Into “What If?”
• Combine Creative and Analytical Thinking to Fill in Unexpected Gaps
• Don’t Overlook the Humanity in International Business
• And more!

To learn more and to register, visit here.  The program is free of charge thanks to generous sponsors as noted on the graphic.

Today in Global Small Business: And the Tariffs Begin

 

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

• Canada and Mexico move to retaliate on Trump tariff orders (might require subscription).
• Trump puts tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, spurring trade war as North American allies respond.
• Quote of the week: “Make no mistake, if Trump imposed these tariffs, it would represent a significant negative shock to the U.S. economy. It would raise costs for businesses, make American production less competitive internationally, and raise prices even more for consumers who’ve recently suffered through the pandemic and the highest inflation in generations." – Stephen Tapp, Chief Economist, Canadian Chamber of Commerce (11/28/24)
• The $1.4 trillion gamble with the economy and prices.
• A ‘pathological obsession with tariffs’: Chris Hayes unveils scariest part of Trump’s trade move.
• Mexico vows retaliation to Trump tariffs without detailing targets.

Run Into People in the Hardware Store

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"I have a very difficult time describing my music. Because I run into people in the hardware store and they go, 'Oh, you're a musician. So what kind of music do you play?' And I go, 'Uh, I've been doin' this for many years - I don't know what to call it.'" – Les Claypool