America's 5th Annual Small Business Summit is underway this week and already we learned that one of the breakout sessions focused on how to do business internationally. Interestingly enough, the moderator for that session, Leslie Schweitzer, is a friend and colleague of mine. She serves as one of our many talented contributors on Women Entrepreneurs GROW Global (WEGG) which The Global Small Business Blog sponsors. Additionally, she was a panelist in Chicago a couple of years ago when I moderated a discussion on the very same subject of going global.

Great quote from Leslie:

One of the misconceptions of trade is that the only beneficiaries of trade are large companies, and that's not true. 97% of international traders are small businesses.

Read more about what went on during the international business session here.

Hershey Co. agreed to buy Barry Callebaut AG's Van Houten consumer chocolate business in Asia (Singapore), an acquisition that would give the U.S. candy maker a greater presence overseas as its seeks to diversify its mainly domestic operations. Barry Callebaut is considered the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate products

The deal with Barry Callebaut may also signal a willingness by Hershey to continue to grow abroad via similar pacts

Read more here. Barry Callebaut news release here.