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Exporting Commercial Items: ECCNs and EAR99

June 1, 2012

Does my product have an ECCN?; Where do I find my ECCN?; What is the ECCN used for?; What does EAR99 mean?; Source: Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)

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Doing Our Parts to Help Veterans Find Work

May 30, 2012

There are many ways that we can all help veterans find and maintain employment. Sure, there are plenty of government services in place that assist veterans in this area but this is only half the battle, and besides, there’s always room for improvement. If we’re ever going to lower overall veteran unemployment rates it will require a collaborative effort from all of us.

Rather than focus on WHY it’s important to support veterans when it comes to seeking and securing jobs, because the answer to why should go without saying, this article is geared towards HOW we can provide solutions no matter what our age or position.

Help Raise Awareness

To every problem there’s a solution and positive change can all begin by raising awareness. A little support really can go a long way. As a member of your community, whether you’re a student, business owner or even someone who is retired, there are countless ways you can get involved when it comes to helping veterans in your neighborhood find work. (more…)

Organization

May 23, 2012

How do I build an organization? What does that organization look like?

The first step to defining an organization is to build yourself a model. You need to have an idea of what you want your organization to look like. Define what departments you think you need. Meaning you need to have a good understanding of what hat are needed in your organization.

Then decide which hats you are going to wear and which hats you will have your team wear. In the corporate world that’s known as delegation. The temptation is to think you can do everything yourself and this assumption can get you into trouble. It’s critical to understand the hats you’re going to wear and what hats your team will wear. Delegation is a key leadership skill and building the right team with the right skill sets and then delegating the responsibility appropriately is, like I said, critical to success. (more…)

Tips for Your Export Marketing

May 23, 2012

There’s good reason to believe what sells in America can sell elsewhere. But assuming you can market it in the same manner in a foreign country produces disappointing sales for many exporters.

Even if you’re marketing your product in an English-speaking country, buying patterns change by borders. Don’t give up on the use of your product or service abroad, but be prepared that it might not take off as quickly it did stateside. As you prepare to enter foreign markets, consider these pointers for your export marketing plan.

1. Don’t neglect the market research. Just like rolling out a product into any new market, the market research indicates a couple important factors:

· if your product or service is likely to succeed in the market

· what selling points and purchasing habits resonate with the market (more…)

Small Business Week: The Passion and Tools to Make Your Business Great

May 21, 2012 1 Comment

This year’s Small Business Week, May 20-26, is filled with helpful workshops, inspirational success stories and glimpses into the technology that will power small companies into the future. With this exciting week on the horizon, I encourage you to dedicate some time to strategizing on how you can take your business to the next level.

Part of great business success comes from having the passion, planning and drive to achieve it; the other part comes from incorporating the right tools. Below are three key technologies, along with resources providing information on how to leverage them to take your small business from good to great.

· Cloud. Cloud computing has completely transformed the ways in which we work and play. Cloud technologies like Microsoft Office 365 save businesses money, streamline their technology needs and operations, boost collaboration and provide considerable return on investment. When employees and business owners are freed from the tasks of IT maintenance and management, they can put their focus and investments back into their core business. I encourage you to explore this free cloud computing guide, developed in partnership with American Express OPEN, to help you navigate the cloud computing landscape. (more…)