Turning a Goal Into a Reality: Increase SMB Exports

John Tozzi, small business reporter for BusinessWeek and U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke brainstorm about how the U.S. government plans to boost small business exports. They address three key issues:

1. What stops most small businesses from exporting?

2. How will the Obama Administration double exports in five years?

3. Some people argue that growing exports depends more on the value of the dollar, and there's not much from a policy point of view that the U.S. can do to boost exports.

Read the entire Q&A here.

Be Fearless: Get Out There and Export!

Another great (expanded for print version) article on exporting by John Tozzi for BusinessWeek:

Entrepreneurs' Fears May Jinx Obama's Export Push

Here's an interesting issue posed by a small business owner:

Payment isn't the only challenge. Betsy Shields, founder of Breakaway Technologies based in Park City, Ill., sells used computer equipment abroad. Exports made up about 30% of her total sales of $2.4 million last year. Brisk business in Hong Kong and Singapore, though, dried up in 2007, when computer hardware manufacturers "dumped a lot of brand new product over there at pretty low prices," she says. A recent prospect in Tanzania looked promising, but tariffs made Shields' goods too costly.

We are honored to be included in this story. A hat tip and thank you to John for always reaching out to us whenever a feature has to do with global small business.

Up, Up, and Away on Exports!

Biggest hiccup for SMBs on exporting? It used to be finding customers. Now, it's getting paid.

Read John Tozzi's excellent article over at BusinessWeek:

Other business owners might sour on exporting after what happened to David Old. His company (Old Wood LLC), a 15-employee wood flooring producer (pictured) in Las Vegas, N.M., had completed a $130,000 order for a new theater floor for a customer in Seoul, South Korea, in 2008. The buyer paid a deposit up front, passed a credit check, and made the first two payments on time. But the final payment of $40,000, due after the financial crisis began that fall, never arrived.

The Biggest Roadblock to Upping Exports

Photo credit: Douglas Fir floors

Posted by: Laurel Delaney, The Global Small Business Blog

A Dose of Davos

The World Economic Forum, the annual gathering of government and corporate leaders in Davos, Switzerland (pictured), runs until Sunday.

Here are some highlights.

World Economic Forum

Small Businesses Can Become Global Conglomerates

How to take your small business global by way of extreme outsourcing.

Read BusinessWeek's "Mom and Pop Multinationals."

America-style Agribusiness In Africa?

Are American companies boosting poor economies by swooping up farmland or is there some other hidden agenda going on?

Read more at "Land Rush in Africa" and weigh in with your comments.

Could China Dominate a New Asian Trade Bloc?

What's up and what's the hurry?

China's total trade volumes are expected to drop 20% this year largely because of the U.S. recession. Beijing has to keep exports growing to keep workers employed, and it needs commodities to turn into finished goods. China also needs other nations as customers and suppliers—if not the U.S., then Korea, Japan, Australia, and others will do.

Find out what China's strategy is and what the U.S. intends to do to remain competitive here.

Diary of a Fellowship in China

Over at The New Entrepreneur, BusinessWeek, Stacy Perman, who is on a two-week fellowship in China, reports on entrepreneurship in a series of blog posts.

Check it out here.

Which Countries Will Lead World Growth?

The U.S. will fuel some growth in the coming years through exports to China and emerging markets but what other part of the world will lead the global recovery?

Find out here.

Hit the Global Reset Button

Maria Bartiromo, anchor of CNBC's Closing Bell and author of "Face Time" column in BusinessWeek, talks with Alexander Cutler, CEO of Eaton, a $15.4 billion diversified corporation with businesses extending deeply into the global economy. She asks eight questions:

1. Do you think the economy is resetting?

2. So how important is it for companies at this point in the economic cycle to be preparing for recovery?

3. With things so volatile, how can anyone presume to know what's around the corner?

4. When do you think we'll see job creation again?

5. What are you doing at Eaton to reset your game plan?

6. Which of your businesses have fared best and which have fared worst in the recession?

7. I'm hearing a lot of multinational CEOs complain about President Obama's proposed tax on foreign profits. What are your thoughts?

8. Are there any positives that have come out of this reset?

Worth a read to find out what's on Alexander's mind.

Inside a Company Resetting for Recovery

Are You the Best Young Entrepreneur in America?

Calling all young, hip, fast-growth, BEST entrepreneurs in America! We want to hear from you. BusinessWeek is taking nominations for their annual America’s Best Young Entrepreneurs roundup through Aug. 16.

If you know of companies run by entrepreneurs age 25 or younger, nominate them here.

They’re looking for ventures that are fully operational – not just idea stage – and all of the founders must be 25 or under at the time of nomination. Goal: To identify companies that both demonstrate a clear potential for growth and establish the talent of the young folks behind them.

Feel free to nominate more than one company, and there’s no need to submit the same firm more than once.

Go for it!

Bailout or a Subsidy?

When is one country's bailout, another's industrial subsidy? BusinessWeek says rising tension could lead to damaging trade wars.

The New Protectionism

How To Woo Global Customers To Your Site

To work the world with your site, Karen E. Klein at BusinessWeek offers these tips:

Attract International Clients to Your Web Site