Valley’s First Global Trade Conference Showcases Local Success Stories

Introducing a tiny golden pill of parsley seed and sunflower oils at the Los Angeles Garlic Festival in 1992, Anthony and Lauren Raissen turned a universal problem--bad breath--into an international success story.

With aggressive marketing strategies that included a radio ad campaign, the couple developed Calabasas-based BreathAsure Inc., which has sales of more than $18 million in 36 countries.

BreathAsure was one of three local success stories highlighted at the first annual San Fernando Valley International Trade Conference on Thursday at the Universal City Hilton & Towers. Craig Shandler, the company’s executive vice president, explained how his company was able to succeed globally despite economic downturns in Asia.

“People feel confident about the U.S. economy,” said Shandler. “People want to take risks.”

Sponsored by the San Fernando Valley Economic Alliance, the daylong conference allowed local small manufacturers to gather information on how to take advantage of information technologies such as the Internet as well as Los Angeles’ importance as a port city to expand their businesses to markets abroad.

*

In addition to BreathAsure Inc., representatives of Burbank-based Iwerks Entertainment--a provider of large format, film-based attractions and ride simulators--and Precision Dynamics, a San Fernando medical devices manufacturer, shared lessons learned in global commerce.

David Savant, Iwerks vice president of worldwide sales, said companies thinking about expanding internationally should invest time and resources to study new markets, develop a strategy adaptable to current market trends and respect foreign cultural and business protocol.

Though conceding that the financial woes in Asia have hurt his business, he still sees opportunities in Europe and Latin America, Savant said.

“I think Asia will come back, but I can’t say when,” Savant said. “But there is a market in Europe for location-based entertainment as American-style shopping centers are established and entertainment anchors are needed.”

Emphasizing the slogan “think globally and act locally,” Jack Kyser, chief economist of the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp., said small- and mid-size local manufacturers should capitalize on the benefits that come from being based in Los Angeles.

*

Companies should take advantage of the huge population base in the region when thinking about importing and exporting goods, and they should use as a selling point Southern California’s fame as a major tourist center and recognizable brand name, Kyser said.

“This crisis in Asia is not going to be forever,” he said. “In every crisis, there’s opportunity. Companies can now position themselves for the recovery.”

Entrepreneur Ingrid Moye of Simi Valley said she is anxious to explore markets abroad even though she is in the infant stages of developing a strategy.

She hopes her company, McGhie International, will begin exporting medical supplies to South Africa or Mexico with the help of the Internet.

“The marketplace has become a world marketplace so quickly,” she said.

“There’s nothing like running your thing, but there’s so much learning I have to do first.”