By Annette Hansbury on Tuesday, March 02, 2010 1:01 PM

So it's been a minute since we've had time to post, the boss lady has us extremely busy doing research for import and export clients. We've been posting on the blog since August 2009, but we notice that we're not really getting any comments. So that got us to thinking...IS ANYONE REALLY READING THIS BLOG???

This week, we're interested in YOU!!!  We're starting to feel like the tree that falls in the forest but no one hears. Is it sound or imagination? So please delurk and give us a shout out!

 

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By Annette Hansbury on Friday, February 05, 2010 3:07 PM

This week's entry is inspired by Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kindom. Way back in the day, before the Discovery Channel, if you wanted to find out about the eating habits of the giraffe or something, you had to tune in on Sunday's around 6pm. Not that we were that interested in animals, it was just one of the 3 TV programs that met our parent's strict "decency" ratings for what children should watch.

So now that we're hooked on National Geograhic, it was fascinating to learn that there's big money to be made in the trading of animals. After drugs and weapons, endangered aninmals are the third largest illegal trade category.

Find out how export contorls and animals mix, under Read More

 

 

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By Annette Hansbury on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 8:36 PM

The president wants to double exports in 5 years...that got alot of claps...reforming export controls...not so much. Bet half of them have no idea what BIS or ECCN even are!!

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By Annette Hansbury on Friday, January 22, 2010 3:51 PM

It's been quite busy around the ISBDC, what with client meetings, regional training, and the like. The new year glow that we always hope lasts thru January has definitely evaporated. We have had high hopes for 2010...until Haiti, and while the disaster hasn't affected us directly, as global citizens, it's hard not be be touched..especially when you're only a degree or 2 removed from a friend, client, or colleague who is from the area.

IS IT TOO EARLY TO ASK FOR A 2010 NEW YEAR'S DO-OVER?

In between meetings, here's what we've found amusing.

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By Annette Hansbury on Friday, January 08, 2010 10:54 AM

For those of you who know us, you know we're passionate about all things international. In our daily jobs, we have to keep up with the not so glamorous parts of international trade like HTS classifications, foreign market regulations and the lastest from US Customs and the Dept. of Commerce (ISF and AES anyone?)

So in our free time, we like to see how the rules and reg come into play on a practical level with everyday people. Sometimes it's ironic, sometimes funny and often downright scarry to see how the interaction between the regulations and real people. Here's what we're talking about this week...enjoy!

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By Annette Hansbury on Tuesday, January 05, 2010 9:52 AM

Today's WSJ has an interesting article which summarizes the lending environment for startup businesses in 2010 as bleak. We get alot of calls in our office from would be entrepreneurs seeking seed money. Contrary to popular belief the SBA does not offer loans to businesses...they offer a guaranty to the bank for lending to the small business. Ultimately, it's up to the bank to decide whether or not to lend the money.

Our advice to would be entrepreneurs is to have as much of your own collateral to start your business, because if you're relying on a loan to start your business, you won't have much luck in the current enviornment. These sentiments are echoed in the article here. Full article available under Read More.

Babson College in Wellesley, Mass., estimates that entrepreneurs need on average $65,000 to start a business, two-thirds of which comes from personal savings and the rest from "informal" investors such as relatives and friends.

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By Annette Hansbury on Monday, January 04, 2010 10:21 AM

Happy new year! As we slowly return to the world of work after a 2-week break, check out this reprint of business advice from Guy Kawasaki. It never hurts to make resolutions for you business...now put that cookie down!

 

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By Annette Hansbury on Friday, December 18, 2009 1:56 PM

This summer our office participated in a US Embassy sponsored workshop on how to do business in the US for small businesses in the Israeli Occupied Territories or the West Bank. For those who don't know (and that would have included us until this workshop), the US has special trade provisions for businesses in the West Bank and Gaza, which similar to a free trade agreement, allows any goods manufactured in these areas to enter in the US duty-free. (see this link for the specifics of the agreement)

So imagine our surprise when halfway thru the presentations, the West Bank small businesses, vented their frustrations at not being able to receive shipments from the US or export their product to the US due to the Israeli blockade. So when we ran across this article, that talked about flowers being fed to horses because of the blockade, it brought the issue to light again. You can have the best product in the world, but politics and war will ruin a good business everytime.

Here's a link for the article from the Christian Science Monitor...also posted below under Read More.

 

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By Annette Hansbury on Wednesday, December 02, 2009 1:04 PM

Normally you don't think of Singapore as a place prone to scams...what with the laws against littering and all, but this is just in from the US Dept of Commerce on a credit card scheme perpertrated on exporters. Beware and use common sense!

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By Annette Hansbury on Thursday, November 05, 2009 12:44 PM

If you're thinking about purchasing QB for your business, you should definitely give us a call. Why? As an SBDC program we're an authorized QB training center...which means we get the tricked out versions of the latest Intuit software (we're talking QB 2010 Accountant, Contractor, Mfg, Nonprofit, Professional Svs, Retail, General Bus, Point of Sale) that you can check out for free before you buy. Just contact the office to set an appointment.

 

 

 

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