In view of what's going on in the world, we thought we'd lighten up and give you a day in the life of a Bohemian modern style San Francisco girl who just loves globes.
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Here's my latest contribution over at the OPEN Forum by American Express. It's entitled, "McDonald's: Local Footprint, Global Reach."
Key objective: To understand how effective the concept of local footprint, global reach can be in developing a successful global strategy for a company.
Favorite part: By surfing online, you can check out the Golden Arches in different parts of the world to see the differences in culture, food offerings and technology.
Take a look. And if you like what you see, click on the Found It Useful button. It helps me determine whether I am doing a good job or not with my posts. Many thanks.
We are sad to learn that Small Business Exporters Association (SBEA) founder Marty Duggan passed away on Sunday, September 14 after a long illness. He was 79. Our deepest sympathy goes out to his wife Mary Lou, his loving family members and all his fans worldwide.
Within four years of establishing (1990 according to Marty) SBEA, he had built it from a concept into an active and widely-respected association. He also played a major role in the development of several legislative initiatives to aid small American companies in international trade, and was a pioneer in increasing the visibility of small companies at international trade conferences around the world.
Marty was a wonderful and kind-hearted human being with an ambition to change the world. I had a chance to speak with him on several different occasions by phone. Our appointment would be booked for one-half hour and three hours later, we were still talking about what was needed to encourage small businesses to expand their businesses internationally. Several days later I received a package in the mail containing the following prepared by SBEA:
• Export Promotion: A G-7 Comparison (1995)
• Annual Awards Luncheon program (May 1997)
• Exporting as a National Priority
• Export Finance: How the U.S. Measures Up (January 1994)
• Exporting: Right or Privilege?
How U.S. Export Controls Impede Competition (August 1994)
• Two video tapes: SBEA Second Annual Awards Luncheon and Awards Presentation (1995)
I still haven't gotten through it all but now I will make a point to.
After retiring from SBEA in 2001, Marty maintained contact with his friends and acquaintances through an Internet blog he launched in July 2006 called SME Forum where he continued to publicly ask questions and discuss ideas. If you look back on some of his entries, such as this one, you get a glimpse of what a champion he was to small and mid-sized exporters.
We will deeply miss Marty, his zest for life and his passion for global small business. May he rest in peace in his new borderless world.
Beginning at 9 p.m.(ET/PT) every Monday night from Oct. 6 through Nov. 3, the Sundance Channel will present feature documentaries and original series about the men and women -- and girls and boys -- who seek public office in the U.S., be it as leader of the free world or as leader of their middle-school student body.
The first in this series has given the green light to a new original series starring Keith Johnson (more on him here), the antiques buyer for the innovative specialty retailer Anthropologie (Anthropologie International).
One of the largest purchasers of decorative antiques in the world, Johnson globe trots six months out of the year on Athropologie's nickel to find unique and beautiful items. Johnson’s quest for the valuable and obscure, which takes him from flea markets in Paris to remote villages in India and art studios, will become the focus of the eight-part, half-hour series Man Shops Globe.
Read more about it here.
Paul Newman died of cancer at the age of 83. He was a great citizen; great actor; great philanthropist; great gentleman and the consummate global entrepreneur. What an inspiration he was to us all. We will miss him dearly. May he rest in peace.
I am honored to have been chosen to participate in the World Entrepreneurship Forum 2008 (world-entrepreneurship-forum.com/) under the high patronage of Mr. Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France and to be held in Evian, France from November 13-15.
The World Entrepreneurship Forum is the first worldwide think-tank dedicated to entrepreneurship and its role in society. With what's going on in the world, we need this more than ever right now!
The forum brings together more than 70 participants of the highest level: entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs, political decision-makers and international experts.
Central theme: "Entrepreneurship as a creator of economic wealth and social justice," resulting in the definition of concrete recommendations in response to three questions:
- How can we create a more favorable environment for entrepreneurship?
- How can we assess the actions taken by entrepreneurs?
- How can we better train the entrepreneurs of the future?
More information can be found here. Media inquires from the United States ... feel free to contact me (refer to right side bar on blog) and I will pass your request along to WEF for handling.
How do you develop a global mindset? How do you run a business creatively spanning great distances, multiple cultures and different time zones?
Get a global education. It will allow you to experience the flavor of the world beyond what a book could ever offer.