Tapping Into the Global Market
When the nation’s first Small Business Development Center devoted solely to exporting opened about a year ago in downtown Los Angeles, Director Gladys Moreau expected a positive response. But she’s been astonished at how many small-business owners are interested in selling their products and services abroad.
“We’re busting at the seams here,” Moreau said. “We are absolutely overwhelmed with the demand and the successes.”
The center, which hires experts to provide free one-on-one counseling to business owners, has advised about 1,000 clients. In addition to the free counseling, the center hosts frequent introductory seminars for business owners and offers a variety of computerized database services.
“There’s no question that Latin America and Mexico in particular have been getting a lot of attention,” Moreau said. “Canada is still our biggest trading partner, but people don’t seem to need as much help to do business there.”
Moreau, an international marketing consultant and former international banker, said California businesses are successfully exporting scrap metal, used apparel, high-technology equipment and accessories and medical products.
The center, funded through federal, state and private contributions, charges modest fees for some materials.
(The Export Small Business Development Center is located at 110 E. 9th St., Suite A761, Los Angeles, Calif. 90079. Telephone: (213) 892-1111 or (800) 371-1110. The center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
While the Los Angeles center focuses on helping Southern California business owners, the International Business Development program at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., helps any American business owner interested in pursuing international deals.
“The U.S. companies we’ve worked with project they’ll do $500 million worth of new business over the next five years,” said Jeffrey Strauss, director of operations and client services for IBD.
In addition to hosting recent trade delegations from Taiwan, Strauss’ staff assists business owners interested in doing business with about 15 countries, primarily in Latin America, the Pacific Rim and Eastern Europe. For a fee, IBD’s experts help business owners with everything from translating contracts to figuring out how to finance an international deal.
IBD also publishes International Trade and Technology NewsACTION, a newsletter for small- and mid-sized firms. For more information about the IBD program, write: International Business Development, Northwestern University, 626 Library Place, Evanston, Ill. 60208. The fax number is (708) 491-4251.
The University of Southern California’s International Business Education and Research Program has several excellent programs designed for business owners. IBEAR and the U.S. Department of Commerce will co-sponsor the sixth annual Asia/Pacific Business Outlook Conference from March 15-17. IBEAR also hosts country-specific programs, scheduled to take place in June, 1993. For detailed information about the program, call (213) 740-7140 or fax a request for information to (213) 740-7559.
The U.S. Commerce Department has a 24-hour fax service featuring hard-to-get information on Eastern European countries. To request a list of subjects available, call (202) 482-5745.
If you are interested in doing business with the former Soviet Union, you might consider buying “SIBD 92-93: The Business Directory for the Soviet Region.” This two-volume guide has more than 6,500 detailed listings and information about doing business in the ever-changing region. The price is $240, plus $10 shipping. For information contact: FYI, 735 8th St. S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003, or call (202) 544-2394.
Sprint has teamed up with ILIS Inc. to help business owners access global information through Chicago-based International Business Forum. Business owners who pay a $2,500 annual subscription fee can obtain trade leads through the GlobalMatch program. IBF also works with Baker & McKenzie, a law firm specializing in international law, and provides international credit checking, shipping, translation and financing services. IBF is located at 29 S. La Salle St., Suite 1040, Chicago, Ill. 60603.
Another resource: “Opportunity in Mexico: A Small Business Guide” is available free from the U.S. Small Business Administration. The 220-page guide is co-sponsored by the SBA, AT&T; and the Service Corps of Retired Executives. For a copy, contact your local SBA office, listed under federal government in the white pages.
