Exporting In The Nearest Future

Everyone in the U.S. is going to start thinking about exports soon, with the value of the dollar now sliding again, erasing all its recent gains. A global small business is in a good position to profit from economic trends.

Fortuitiously, the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration, in conjunction with the Kauffman Foundation, has just launched entrepreneurship.gov, intended to be a clearinghouse of information for aspiring global entrepreneurs.

Commerce Assistant Secretary for Market Access and Compliance David Bohigian, the brains behind the website, told me that he wants it be the starting point for entrepreneurs to find the resources that Commerce offers. If you need a business plan for reaching out to markets in China, Chile, or many other places, that's something with which they can help, for example.

The above is definitely a very good news and I am glad that despite the global crisis that we are thriving to survive right now, there are still people thinking and doing a lot of initiatives for the common good. Well, this news is from the USNews site and you can check out more details about this.

Health Care Plans: Another Global Small Business Problem

A quick update on the global entrepreneurship world has come. Now, it's all about small businesses shouldering the burden of spending health care plans for their employees.

This doesn't sound appealing to me as a small business owner and now we're all having these problems -- Obama calls high cost of healthcare a threat to the U.S. economy:

Speaking to the American Medical Association in Chicago, Obama insists the status quo cannot be sustained: 'Reform is not a luxury, it is a necessity.

President Obama today called the cost of healthcare a "ticking time bomb" that threatens to slow the nation's economic recovery as he pushed a massive reform plan during an appearance in Chicago before the nation's largest doctors group.

Being GREEN is our Global Concern!

Entrepreneurs must not only care for their money, their business, cash flows and name it. Entrepreneurs has a global concern to listen to today. This global concern is for us to be fully aware of being a "Green" conscious entrepreneur.

Being "Green" is simply being environmentally conscious and friendly on your every decision. Green is always associated as the natural color of nature and this is exactly what it means. At times like this, we should care enough to our most gracious provider -- the nature.

According to Amanda's reply to one of the commenters in Energy Star Helps You Save Money and Go Green:

to be “green” is to be environmentally conscious of your decisions. Conserving energy use, recycling waste, buying recycled products, etc.

You may also check out the link of the article above to learn how the Energy Star label plays the role of being "Green".

White House To Block AIG Bonuses

This is an update on the AIG Shocking News I posted yesterday. Now this is what the White House plans to help the small business. President Obama planned to block the AIG bonuses. Check the excerpt of the news below.

President Obama this hour met with a group of business owners, community leaders and lawmakers to discuss his plan to make, as the Associated Press writes, billions in federal loans available to the nation's struggling small businesses.

Among those there, according to the White House: senators Mary Landrieu, D-La., and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine; Cam Fine, president and CEO of the Independent Community Bankers of America; Giovanni Coratolo, executive director, small and mid-market business councils at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; and Roger Campos, president and CEO of the Minority Business Roundtable.

At noon ET, the president and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner are scheduled to step before cameras in the East Room of the White House to discuss some of the details of the plan. USATODAY.com has a video feed of that event here, and we'll be updating this post with news as it happens. Check back as the time draws near, and be sure to hit your refresh button to be sure you're seeing our latest updates.

AIG Shocking News Continues

The American International Group on Sunday released the names of financial institutions that benefited last fall when the Federal Reserve saved it from collapse with an $85 billion rescue loan and then 3 subsequent bailouts.

The disclosure included counterparties to both its credit default swap operations and its securities lending businesses, both of which contributed heavily to A.I.G.’s troubles, as well as to muncipalities who participated in certain investment programs. All told, Sunday’s statement detailed payments of more than $94 billion, excluding payments to municipalities. All were made using government loans.

I found the news above from DealBook section of The New York Times. AIG is still not yet done in giving the whole world shocking news such as this. But you knew what made this post more interesting? Well, it's the fearless reaction from different commentors. No wonder the post received 133 responses. Check it out guys!

Classic Business Books Never Stale

I am currently following Laurel Delaney as she is one of the highly recognized global business expert. Just today I have read her post at American Express Forum --For Advice That’s Never Stale, Pick Up A Classic Business Book. I quoted below the classic business books along with Laurel's advice to us.

1. The Human Side of Enterprise by Douglas McGregor (1960).

Advice: During tough times, we must discover how to realize the potential represented by our own people. Learn to manage the most valuable side of your enterprise — the human side.

2. In Search of Excellence by Thomas Peters and Robert Waterman, Jr. (1985).

Advice: Get back to basics. Treat people decently, ask them to shine, and make quality products that you can sell for a profit. Even for today’s tough times, that’s a door opener to a future filled with promise.

3. Beyond Entrepreneurship: Turning Your Business Into An Enduring Great Company by James Collins and William Lazier (1992).

Advice: You can build an extraordinary organization capable of long-term health and success provided you lay a foundation for greatness now and are faithful to your values. It’s based on YOU. Trust people. Be decisive. Set priorities. Walk the halls. Give positive reinforcement. Communicate the vision of your company. Inspire people. And despite, or in spite of, our harsh economic times, continue to move forward with anything new, bold and risky.

4. On Becoming a Leader by Warren Bennis (1989).

Advice: Manifest the qualities above, says Bennis, and you will become an outstanding leader who enables a business to flourish.

5. The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done by Peter Drucker (1966).

Advice: If you read one book this year about how to improve your own effectiveness as a business owner or executive during tumultuous times, this is it. Executive effectiveness can be learned, and there is a difference between being busy and being effective — one of many gems covered in this masterful book.

Actually Laurel have extensively laid out key points of advices taken from the above mentioned business books. Check it out in her post I cited above.

Sales Taxes Soon On The Web

By Rachel Metz of The Associated Press hosted by Google,

NEW YORK (AP) — Shopping online can be a way to find bargains while steering clear of crowds — and sales taxes.

But those tax breaks are starting to erode. With the recession pummeling states' budgets, their governments increasingly want to fill the gaps by collecting taxes on Internet sales, which are growing even as the economy shudders.

And that is sparking conflict with companies that do business online only and have enjoyed being able to offer sales-tax free shopping.

Sparkling conflict indeed, Rachel! It isn't just the companies who enjoy offering a sales-tax free shopping but online shoppers like me who most of the time shops at Amazon is very beneficial on my part as well. However, I am always willing to obey the law if this happens but still wished that this order won't be pursued. If ever, companies will surely charge additional prices to compensate for this sales tax.

Obama ups jobs goal to 3 million on bad economic news

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President-elect Barack Obama has decided to increase his goal for creating new jobs after receiving economic forecasts that suggest the economy is in worse shape than had been predicted, two Democratic officials told CNN.

The officials said Obama is increasing his goal from 2.5 million to 3 million jobs over the next two years after receiving projections early this week that suggest the recession will be deeper than expected.

The projections showed that unless significant action is taken, the nation is likely to lose up to 4 million jobs over the next year and that the unemployment rate will probably rise above 9 percent, a transition aide told CNN.

According to CNN, President Barack Obama increased the goal of jobs up to 3 million to catch up on the continuing recession of the economy. It was very timely because as you can see it was just a few days ago that I posted about the concern of To Create Job or Save Job? What's the ROI?

I was wondering if Obama's goal is to create new 3 million jobs for people or save 3 existing million jobs? They might still undergoing a study about that but I believe it should be addressed very soon.

New IBM Initiative to Help Business and IT Leaders Achieve Greater Value From Software Investments

IBM is announcing new software enabled by Jazz, IBM's collaborative discipline papers, to refrain companies rest the ascent outgo of IT dealing with the penury to make results with less resources. To make greater view from their software investments, companies staleness cooperate cross ways geographical and organizational boundaries, automate work travel based on up-to-date entropy and continuously report development against desired playing outcomes.

These new offerings gift service alter how line leaders and IT organizations affect together to:

Act speedily to overcome new business opportunities by analyzing ROI scenarios, the event of alteration and the encounter of business and application investments which are key to successful performing transformations;

Attain precision in wanted job outcomes by edifice consensus among job and subject body and by making fitter decisions based on true and real-time message;

Apply with reduced danger and toll, delivering higher grade solutions and developed IT and fluid field efficiency through real-time unit collaboration, mechanization and reportage.

Learn more about this IBM initiative news at Wall Street Journal.

Email Marketing The Good Way

Email Marketing is one of the most affordable and effective marketing these days. Despite that miles away from each other in the global small business, marketing is one business activity that we can't live without. So here's a helpful article that will give us tips on how to do email marketing and how not to be a dirty rotten spammer!

Make yourself useful

You’re already working toward this in all of your communication, right? If everything you send out benefits your readers, they’re a lot less likely to get pissed at you and click the dreaded spam button.

Every email you send needs to have something valuable for readers. Otherwise, why are you sending it? Just to pitch your stuff and benefit yourself? That’s not going to work, now is it? (On the other hand, you don’t have to be afraid to sell. Unless you’re running a list that has a purely philanthropic intent, if you want readers to buy, go ahead and ask them to. Just don’t be an ass about it.)

Check out more of this Email Marketing tips after the jump. Read more.

IBM’s aim is to attract entrepreneurial Indian marketplace

The company is offering “IBM Smart Business,” a bouquet of ready-to-use tech solutions for small and medium businesses (SMBs). Available in India beginning Nov. 21, it comprises web-enabled marketplace and online dashboard to handle applications and on-demand services among other features.

IBM’s aim is to attract entrepreneurial Indian marketplace, which has an estimated 35 million small and medium business units.

IBM Smart Business will deliver:

• A pre-integrated solution to run a business with no manuals required
• Access to a web-based community and marketplace and web-delivered collaborative services, such as access to remote (cloud-based) application services including managed security and hosted back-up and recovery
• A single-point of contact for service and support

You can read more at MyTechBox Online.

Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2008

Arbind Singh, Executive Director, Nidan, was today announced as the winner of the Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2008 in India. Montek S. Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, India, conferred the award on Arbind Singh at the World Economic Forum’s India Economic Summit. In India, the Social Entrepreneur Year of the Award is an initiative of The Nand & Jeet Khemka Foundation and The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship in collaboration with the UNDP.

This award will also provide Arbind with the opportunity to take part in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos from 28 January to 1 February and gain access to the Schwab Foundation’s global network. Singh will have unprecedented opportunities to engage with global decision-makers from the public, corporate, media and academic sectors to strengthen and expand his model. The Nand & Jeet Khemka Foundation will honour him as the Khemka Fellow and present him with a financial award of 800,000 Indian Rupees.

Congratulations to Arbind! This is a good motivation for us business owners to continue to our thrive for global business!

Intuit goes global using mobiles

Well, with mobiles? Everyone can go mobile. Below is a quick global small business update for you.

Intuit aims to serve small businesses globally using Web accounting services on mobile phones.

Intuit's QuickBooks small business accounting software runs the back office for many of North America's 31 million small businesses. Now Intuit plans to expand globally by targeting 10 Asian countries, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea. Collectively, these 10 Asian countries have 250 million small businesses.

You won't see many notebook computers in the street stalls of Jakarta. Yet even a street sweeper has a mobile phone. So Intuit plans to grow globally by developing mobile-based versions of QuickBooks at its Global Business Division office, based in Mississauga, Canada.

Check out the full story of this news from WashingtonPost.Com!

Doing International Business With Japan

Over at Market Watch, I read an article about the upcoming business webcast which will take place on December 9, 2008 and will start at 11:00 AM US Eastern Standard Time.

The point I found from this article are the pre-requisite or what are the DOs and DON'Ts if you are planning to expand your business to one of the most progressive country nowadays -- Japan.

This upcoming webcast will guide global entrepreneurs in understanding the culture of Japan, observe business etiquette and avoiding potential business pitfalls which are bound to be important for us global entrepreneurs planning for an expansion or doing business internationally particularly in Japan.

There are really a lot to learn as what Market Watch listed in their article. Well, you have to check it out at Market Watch!

Global News : Yahoo and Microsoft Partnership

This is a global news I read over CNN.Com where it talked about the possible partnership of Yahoo and Microsoft.

Now that a pivotal advertising partnership with Google is off the table, Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang is ready to return to the bargaining table with Microsoft if the world's largest software maker remains interested in buying his embattled Internet company.

"To this day, I believe the best thing for Microsoft to do is to buy Yahoo," Yang said Wednesday evening at the Web 2.0 summit in San Francisco.

Although he said there aren't any current talks, Yang stressed he and the rest of Yahoo's board "remain open to everything" after a looming legal battle with the U.S. Justice Department prompted Google to abandon its rival. Google would have sold some of the ads alongside Yahoo's search results had the proposal panned out.

I honestly don't know how will I react? What I mean in reacting here is that, I am wondering if this is a good indication for small business owners or global entrepreneurs in whatever way. Anyone of you, kind enough to share your ideas, you can always share it my comments section and I would be very glad to hear and learn from your views.

Cisco to give $10 Billion market in Networking and Communications Technology for Businesses

This is one great global news brought to us by CISCO.

From MarketWatch.com, Cisco announced a $100 million global strategic initiative focused on small business networking and communications solutions for companies with fewer than 100 employees.

Cisco aims to help small businesses gain greater agility and efficiency in working with customers who are increasingly expecting to do business on the move, on the Internet and via video.

This is in fact a very helpful initiative which targets $10 Billion market in Networking and Communications Technology for Businesses. This very good news will really energize Small Business productivity.

SAP World Tour To Help Small Buzinesses Go Global

Make the most out of it. Well, there are a lot of initiated activities that advocate to help Small Businesses and Midsize Businesses. Below is the news from FinChannel.com about SAP World Tour 2008.

The FINANCIAL -- SAP Americas, a subsidiary of SAP AG (NYSE: SAP), on October 21 announced that it is expecting to welcome customers, influencers and prospects to the SAP SME World Tour, the first SAP World Tour specifically dedicated to small businesses and midsize companies.

The SAP SME World Tour will kick off in Atlanta, Georgia on October 28, continuing on to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas and ending in San Jose, California at the beginning of November. This series of events is taking place in more than 50 cities spread over 10 countries across Europe, Asia, the United States and Latin America.

"Leveraging the successfully established format of the SAP World Tour - which is a global road show that has reached more than 130,000 customers, partners and influencers over the last four years - the SAP SME World Tour has been created to provide U.S. companies with information on how SAP solutions for small businesses and midsize companies can best fit their needs, help them successfully transform business challenges into opportunities and meet the business demands distinct to their size, industry and market." SAP reports.

I'm glad to know about this initiative as it will help especially the small business owners like me in doing business internationally. Read more about this global news at FinChannel.com.

The Small Business Administration is now offering Global Enterprise

Exporting your product or service is one indication that you are going global. Well, Small Business Administration never have stopped in supporting small business owners in our endeavor to global entrepreneurship because just earlier they announced their new offering.

The Small Business Administration is now offering Global Enterprise: A Primer on Exporting, a new online course that provides small businesses with information and guidance on exporting opportunities and international markets.

Available at the SBA Web site, the free course has a series of 30-minute training programs that allow small business owners to study at their own pace. Topics include how to identify international markets, developing an export strategy, making and receiving international payments, and finance trade operations.

The course also offers tips on determining a firm’s readiness and suitability for exporting and includes direct links to resources.

Upon completion of the course, participants receive a certificate of completion from SBA.

The SBA offers nearly 30 online tutorials on the Small Business Training Network. SBTN is part of the SBA’s Office of Entrepreneurship Education, which includes the agency’s online education programs, youth outreach and outreach to underserved markets.

This initiative is indeed very inspiring and helpful to all global entrepreneurs and all wanna be's as well. This news is courtesy of : Business Journal! Thanks and hoping to hear your views about this. You are very welcome to share it in the comments section.

All eyes turn to world leaders!

It pays to be aware! Below is an update courtesy from CNNMoney.com by Chris Isidore.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The Federal Reserve and Treasury Department haven't been able to stop the panic gripping U.S. financial markets.

Neither have finance ministers and central bankers across the globe - from powers such as Britain and China to smaller countries such as Iceland.

In the face of the growing global crisis, can the Group of Seven and International Monetary Fund make a difference?

That's what the world is hoping. But even those calling for coordinated action on a global scale aren't sure they can.

Read more on this update at CNNMoney.com!

E-Commerce for Latin Small Business

Part of global entrepreneurship is to update ourselves of what is happening globally. Well, today we have Latin Business Chronicles to bring us with the latest news in Latin America. Let's try to check out how are they right now.

The real impediments for growth in Latin American e-commerce are logistics and payment facilities that reach secondary cities.

Small businesses in Latin America face a huge handicap—no access to global markets. And frankly, small businesses even have minimal access to markets in their own country. E-commerce is opening new doors to overcome that handicap. But the challenge is to find practical ways to apply it to the needs of small entrepreneurs.

In North America, e-commerce is an indispensable element for business, enhancing price competitiveness for consumer goods and opening exciting channels for B2B (business-to-business) opportunities. Shopping online has become routine for the North American consumer. In contrast, e-commerce, with few exceptions, plays a rather unimpressive role in Latin America. This is especially true for the region’s small and medium enterprises.

Read more about this article in Latin Business Chronicles.