Thanksgivingworld

Turkey (pictured) just about done.  Have a Happy Thanksgiving and be grateful for every precious little thing in your life.  I am blessed by your readership -- thank you!  Enjoy the day.

Photo credit:  Laurel Delaney, The Global Small Business Blog

Every Thing You Need to Know About Cloud Computing

Three useful articles on cloud computing that cover:  why cloud computing will change the way we work, what ten factors you need to consider before you put your business into a cloud and what are the benefits to cloud computing?  Take a look. 

1.  Why Cloud Computing Will Change The Way We Work

According to Wikipedia (http://tinyurl.com/2qjapp), cloud computing is: “Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices on demand, like the electricity grid.” In simpler language: Cloud computing is a data center, controlled by a vendor, that your employees access to share, edit, store and play files over the Internet from any location in the world. Google’s Gmail, Apps, Docs and Sites ... read more.

2.  10 Factors to Consider Before You Put Your Business in a Cloud

You can choose from a wide range of service providers with varying pricing, depending on the complexity of your business needs and the amount of capacity you require. Here are 10 factors to consider before you make ... read more.

3.  10 Benefits of Cloud Computing

1.  Achieve economies of scale - increase volume output or productivity with fewer people. Your cost per unit, project or product plummets.

2.  Reduce spending on technology infrastructure.  Maintain easy access to your information with minimal upfront spending.  Pay as you go (weekly, quarterly or yearly), based on ... read more.

Full disclosure:  Verio (www.Verio.com) is a client of GlobeTrade.com and GlobeTrade.com is a customer of Verio's.

Photo credit:  Laurel Delaney, GlobeTrade.com

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

Video of Apple's Grand Opening of New Lincoln Park, Illinois Retail Store

Video credit:  Laurel Delaney, The Global Small Business Blog

Apple's Grand Opening of New Lincoln Park, Illinois Retail Store

I had a great time standing in the rain and taking photos this morning of Apple's grand opening of new Lincoln Park, Illinois retail store.  Managed to walk away with a classy umbrella souvenir (as shown above).  Those global Apple folks think of everything!

Congrats to Apple!  Nice launch.

Photo credit:  Laurel Delaney, founder of GlobeTrade.com

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

No Matter What, You Have To Put Yourself Out There

Umar Cheema, an investigative reporter for the largest English-language Pakistani newspaper, The News, writes of his recent abduction ...

Abducted and Tortured - for Reporting the News

Lesson learned:  No matter what, you have to put yourself out there and take a stand.  We commend Mr. Cheema for doing so in this piece (and in his life) -- because the most important element to life is "freedom."  We hope he is allowed to keep that freedom along with his ability to write brilliantly.

Related article:  "Who Attacked Umar Cheema?"  Others here and here.  Lastly, "The Significance of Umar Cheema's abduction - Blog - Committee to Protect Journalists."

Posted by:  Laurel Delaney, The Global Small Business Blog

Start and Run a Profitable Exporting Business: FREE!

Provided you have access to the Internet, now the whole world can learn the fundamentals to exporting.  I've released my book, "Start and Run a Profitable Exporting Business" for 100% FREE readership over at Google Books (thank you Google!).  It took a couple of weeks to get it processed but it's finally live.

This is a perfect time to dig in and learn everything there is know about how to export since President Obama has put such a big push behind this expansion mode for SMBs.  Read our previous posts covering the National Export Initiative here and here.

I am currently working on the next level digital aspect to exporting for entrepreneurs and small businesses (e.g., how to leverage websites, blogs, Facebook and Twitter to take your business global along with how best to digitally sell and collect payment from overseas customers) which will serve as a nice complement to "Start and Run a Profitable Exporting Business."  Watch for that release soon but in the meantime, I highly recommend that you read "Start and Run a Profitable Exporting Business" first to truly understand the basics of what it takes to go global.

Enjoy.  And if you like it, all I ask is that you write a review.  I'd welcome hearing from you especially if my book helps you take the first step toward making the world your business.  Many thanks.  Happy exporting!

Note:  "Start and Run a Profitable Exporting Business" will be featured permanently on The Global Small Business Blog in the lower right hand corner for easy access.

Posted by:  Laurel J. Delaney, The Global Small Business Blog

Think BIG (John), Focus Small

Enjoy your weekend!

Photo credit: Laurel Delaney, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. for The Global Small Business Blog -- "Autumn in Chicago."

What Makes French Country Guesthouses So Charming?

Take a break. Dream of your own year in Provence. It's the rooms, gardens and breakfast tables that make a difference.

Be our guest here (be sure to click on full screen).

Related piece: French Connections

Photo credit here.

Bird's Eye View of Downtown Chicago

Have a great weekend everyone!

When I took this photo, I was standing on a pier that extended out over Lake Michigan near Fullerton Avenue beach while looking South at downtown Chicago.

Photo credit: Laurel Delaney, GlobeTrade.com

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

How to Plan To Go Global

Inc. published a feature, "9 Tips For Doing Business Globally (nice slide show!)," offering some basic, general tips on how to get started in taking your business across borders.

I am not so sure hiring a guide is critical to conducting business internationally. Interpreter, yes, if needed, to translate conversations but a guide is not generally necessary unless you plan to do an awful lot of sightseeing in a market you are unfamiliar with. Most small business owners don't spend gobs of time dilly-dallying on business trips. They line up appointments with key people, get the business done and return to running their business.

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

The World Has Changed

International Business Times reporter Hao Li writes, "Global Demand Shifting to Emerging Markets," about how the world has changed with more businesses looking to emerging markets for growth.

According to Ding Yifan, an economist from a Chinese think-tank (reported via Reuters), the U.S. would be the loser in a trade war with China partly because U.S. exporters would lose access to Chinese customers.

I was honored to speak with Mr. Li about how small businesses factor into the grand scheme of emerging market opportunities. Here are a couple of my quotes:

Laurel Delaney, president of GlobeTrade, said the lack of capital and education is indeed two main reasons that small businesses aren't exporting, so government export programs are probably on the right track.

Delaney said the Internet is another reason exporting is increasingly feasible for small businesses because it dramatically reduces the cost of contacting customers. She said the recent emergence of social media makes connecting with prospects globally even more realistic.

Moreover, U.S. businesses should keep in mind exporting doesn't only involve goods, but also services. For small businesses, services exports will become increasingly important, said Delaney.

Read the entire article here.

Illustration credit here.

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

Comments? We welcome them.

It's Smart to Sell Your Products Abroad

My fellow colleague and good friend Steve Strauss (pictured above), a USA Today columnist, builds a strong case on how any sized business with an Internet connection can become global provided they do their homework.

And we thank him for including us in it!

Follow Steve on Twitter at @SteveStrauss.

Taking a Business Global Isn't Easy, But It Can Pay Off

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

The Global Citizen Sector

Citizen sector is defined by Bill Drayton, CEO of Ashoka and Valeria Budinich, founder and chief entrepreneur of Ashoka’s Full Economic Citizenship Initiative, as:

... the term we use to define the millions of groups established and run by mission-minded individuals across the globe who are attempting to address critical social needs—has long been regarded as understaffed and inefficient. But that has changed. We work with some 3,000 social entrepreneurs worldwide, and over the past 30 years we’ve seen the citizen sector catch up with business as it has increased its productivity, size, and reach. Its organizations are attracting talented and creative leaders, and their work is changing the game in critical industries and areas such as energy and health care.

Read more about this at "A New Alliance for Global Change," but you cannot access the entire article without first subscribing or purchasing a single copy PDF over at Harvard Business Review. And once there, you might also pick up a copy of, "Can Entrepreneurs Save the World?"

Related piece here (blog post by Ashoka).

Photo credit here.

Measure the Depth of Your Own Nature

"A lake is the landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature.
It is earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures
the depth of his own nature."
~ Henry David Thoreau

Have a sunny and enjoyable weekend everyone!

Photo credit: Laurel Delaney, The Global Small Business Blog, Chicago lakefront

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

Chinese Love Luxury

City of Big Shoulders: Chicago

"Hog butcher for the world,
Tool maker, stacker of wheat,
Player with railroads and the nation's freight handler;
Stormy, husky, brawling,
City of big shoulders."

~ Carl Sandburg, 'Chicago,' 1916

Have a great weekend everyone!

Photo credit: Laurel Delaney, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., Oak Street and Michigan Avenue, John Hancock Building

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog (GlobeTrade.com)

Leverage Failure to Boost Your Global Small Business

My latest contribution for Small Business Trends via the American Express OPEN Forum. If you find it useful (which I hope you do), please Tweet about it.

"Making the Most of Failure"

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

Start Rowing

“Only the guy who isn't rowing has time to rock the boat.” ~ Jean-Paul Sartre

Enjoy your weekend.

Photo credit: Laurel J. Delaney, President, GlobeTrade.com

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

Perched On Top of the World

Hope you are setting your sights high for the weekend. Enjoy!

Photo credit: Laurel Delaney, Chicago lakefront

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog