Small Business World

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

What You Need to Know Before Getting Started in International Trade

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PART I: Aspiring importers and exporters who are clueless about international trade are a dime a dozen. Just looking at my email inbox, I know firsthand. But thoughtful, well-prepared importers and exporters are hard to come by. They are the ones who research thoroughly before they undertake their first business transaction. How do you go from clueless to ready for importing and exporting? What do you really need to know? Here are a few pointers to help master the global game. Read Part I of a III-part series.

PART II: I hope I am not dreaming. I heard you have a great product ready to import or export, now all you need to do is get it in the hands of a few good customers and you are off to international trade nirvana. Wait, not so fast. How do you know the product will sell? Will you make money selling it? How should you price the product? All importers and exporters must face these questions at some point if they want to achieve success in the global marketplace. Here are a few solutions to guide you in the process. Read Part II of a III-part series.

PART III: When starting an import/export business, it’s not so much about having the best product or service offering on the planet as it is about being prepared to go where you have never gone before. Doing your homework is essential to achieving global success. Here I cover part of the homework—sounding out the market before you tap into it, mastering the regulatory environment and locating a few good customers or suppliers well before you open your door to the world for business. Read Part III of a III-part series.

Own An E-Commerce Business In Minutes

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When it comes to choosing an e-commerce platform, there are hundreds of options - from Shopify to Mangento to Bigcommerce. Who's the latest player in this space? Lucrazon and they claim you can start your online business in minutes with no developer needed.

Lucrazon Mission
To continually achieve 100% client satisfaction in ecommerce by providing the best service available with the most advanced software and state-of-the-art technology to our national and international clients in the turn-key environment.

Hector V. Barreto, former U.S. Small Business Administrator and Chairman of The Latino Coalition is the new President of Lucrazon (4/24/14). Read the news release announcing Barreto's appointment.

Discover Lucrazon Global

Note: We were a little confused but according to the sites, Lucrazon serves as an Internet Payment Service Provider (IPSP), PCI DSS Level 1 and Lucrazon Global is designed for highly motivated individuals with an interest to become business owners specializing in the world of ecommerce and merchant services.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Technology Provider GoDaddy Goes Global

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Technology provider GoDaddy, who is dedicated to small businesses, is expanding aggressively into international markets.

GoDaddy’s expanded global footprint offers products and support in 42 markets, 44 currencies and 17 languages. GoDaddy’s goal is to empower small businesses around the world. As part of this effort, the company recently hired new regional heads in EMEA and LATAM, developed a highly localized marketing and advertising presence, and is adapting appropriate products to international markets [4/28/14].

The reason for GoDaddy's global push?

GoDaddy’s global expansion is driven by industry veteran, James Carroll, who has delivered international platforms at Yahoo! and Microsoft. Carroll, who joined GoDaddy in March 2013, is leading the company’s effort to bring the company’s solutions and market presence to customers in 60 markets and 30 languages.

Learn more: GoDaddy Continues Global Expansion with Launch into 21 New Markets and 14 New Languages

Note: Most small businesses know of GoDaddy as one of the largest domain name registrars.

Monday, April 28, 2014

Global Market Insights From Euromonitor International

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Confused over what's happening in your industry on a global basis? Look no further. Euromonitor International makes sense of global markets. EI is headquartered in London with offices all around the world and are considered a global business intelligence firm - providing market research, business intelligence reports and data to industry.

Visit: Euromonitor International's blog

More posts concerning Euromonitor International

Saturday, April 26, 2014

There's No Place Like New Orleans

"I've been all over the world. I love New York, I love Paris, San Francisco, so many places. But there's no place like New Orleans. It's got the best food. It's got the best music. It's got the best people. It's got the most fun stuff to do." - Harry Connick, Jr.

Friday, April 25, 2014

Are You Hiring Globally?

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Most global small businesses must collaborate across cultures and adapt to a workforce without borders. Easier said than done. Are you hiring globally? How are you ensuring that who you hire is a good cultural fit and can increase the success of your company?

According to authors David Gartside and Colin Sloman, in their feature article, a different talent landscape will require local leaders "to be adept at responding to local business dynamics, embracing diverse ways of thinking, managing a multicultural workforce, and leading virtual teams across multiple time zones."

Going global very rarely equates to a one-size-fits all approach.

Read the entire article: New Global Landscape

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Pay and Get Paid Globally

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There are hundreds of ways to get paid globally. Whether you want to accept payments locally or globally, Skrill is worth a look. They have been moving money digitally since 2001 and their fee policy can be found here.

Over 36 million account holders already trust Skrill to send and receive money worldwide in 200 countries and 40 currencies, securely and at low cost, without revealing their personal financial details.

Learn more: Skrill