Will the USA Small Business Owner Exporting Civilian Aircraft Please Claim Their Prize?

Census Bureau's Global Reach blog says:

Last month (June 2010) saw a $7.9 billion increase in the deficit despite a 3.3% drop in petroleum imports. This month, the trade deficit improved despite petroleum imports holding steady at $26.8 billion. A drop of $0.7 billion in crude oil was offset by increases in fuel oil and other petroleum products.

And, they go on further to say:

The increase in exports was driven by civilian aircraft, up $1.4 billion to $3.6 billion in July.

If you are a small business owner (with less 500 employees) exporting civilian aircraft as noted above, please let us know so you can claim your prize.

We wish to honor you here with a special feature story and will definitely let the Obama administration know that their National Export Initiative, which encourages small businesses to export, is working!

Illustration credit can be found here.

Posted by: Laurel Delaney, The Global Small Business Blog

And the Growth Through Global Trade Award Goes To ...

Get ready, get set and go after the Growth Through Global Trade Award! Now's your chance to celebrate your global trade successes and be recognized for your export effort.

UPS, in collaboration with World Trade 100 Magazine, opened nominations for its Growth through Global Trade Award, a national award aimed to recognize a U.S. small- or medium-sized business that is effectively exporting to global markets. Is that your business?

Criteria

The award is designed for U.S. small- and medium-sized businesses with fewer than 500 employees that are already exporting to international markets. Anyone can nominate a deserving business for the Growth through Global Trade Award.

Nominees must have a principal place of business in the United States and must currently export to at least one international market. Interested parties can submit a concise online nomination form featuring a series of six questions and a 200-word essay. Nominations can be submitted online here: http://international.ups.com/globaltradeaward/nominate/index.html.

Nominations will be accepted now through November 12, 2010. The winner will be announced in January 2011.

The entries will be judged by a multi-member panel of small business and global trade experts from within and outside UPS (full disclosure: I will be one of the judges). The judges will evaluate all entries against a pre-determined set of criteria, including how exporting has helped the company better compete in today’s global business environment, grow international sales and business operations, and connect with new customers.

Don't stop short here. If you can't think of anyone to nominate yet you pre-qualify -- go for it. This is not a time to be shy. This is a time to toot your global small business horn big time.

I look forward to reviewing your applications.

And the Growth Through Global Trade Award goes to ...

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

Localization Intelligence Across Borders

What predominant color should your billboard be in Argentina? How many units should you pack in a gift box for Japan? Can your site communicate effectively across borders?

There's a company that claims to translate global business (right up our alley :-).

Learn more about it here.

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

What's Your Cultural Intelligence?

As more of us take our business global, we need the best understanding possible of how to interact with people from difficult cultures. It's not just a case of learning a different language and showing a little respect. It's about digging deep to grapple with the nuances and complexities of cross-cultural experiences.

The book, "Leading With Cultural Intelligence" by David Livermore, Ph.D., is a terrific primer that will help you to stop feeling anxious and awkward when you travel overseas and enable you to get your global cultural groove in gear -- all while ensuring you don't wind up saying or doing something wrong.

Get your CQ (Cultural Intelligence) here. By the way, these skills and sensitivities can be learned and developed to liberate you to achieve global small business success.

We wrote about this topic October 27, 2009: Do You Have Cultural Intelligence? And here's David's comment on that post:

And I so appreciate the way you highlighted that cultural competence means so much more than just treating people with respect -- thought that's a great place for all of us to begin. Like you, I'm increasingly observing how communication, negotiation, marketing, and lots more are impacted by culture. This challenge/opportunity is only going to increase in the months ahead.

The Global Small Business World in 2010

Our Global Small Business World 2010 trend piece is ready for viewing over at our favorite trend hub: Small Business Trends!

Read every word here:

10 Predictions, Forecasts
and Trends That Will Shape Our
Global Small Business
World in 2010

Free, Free ... Free At Last: Dig and Learn

A couple of resources that might come in handy for you as you kick your business up a notch in 2010:

DimDim.com
(http://www.dimdim.com)

Allows you to deliver live presentations, whiteboards and Web pages while sharing your voice and video. No downloads required.

HearMe.com
(http://www.hearme.com)

Small business owners can conduct an online business meeting with clients and contacts in an affordable manner. Educators can use HearMe's web meeting services to teach students around the globe.

paltalk.com
(http://www.paltalk.com)

Lets you explore your online world of chat sites with community chat rooms, lots of people and cool webcam technology that lets you see and be seen. Use for voice and video chat. All for FREE.

Gutenberg.org
(http://www.Gutenberg.org)

Project Gutenberg is the place where you (in the U.S.A.) can download over 30,000 free ebooks to read on your PC, Kindle, Sony Reader, iPhone or other device.

Lifelong FREE e-Learning

In this tough global economy, online education -- especially when it's top caliber and free -- is worth a serious consideration. It can never hurt to take a refresher course that might very well strengthen your competitive position in the world marketplace.

OpenCulture.com
(http://www.openculture.com)

The best free cultural and educational media on the web. This place is terrific. Take the time to dig and learn!

11-Year Old's Idea is Exported Around The World

If an eleven-year old boy from Minnesota can come up with an idea and have it shipped worldwide, so can you. Learn in this case what the secret to global small business success is here.

And love this quote within it:

Even if some funding remains in question, Michael Howard of the U.S. Export-Import Bank had good news for businesses: "There is plenty of money out there." Federal loan guarantees are available for many export businesses.

Photo: Mattracks