global market | The Barefoot Spirit

Ireland Stands to Gain by Brexit

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 17:00:33 +0000

Whatever you think about the UK’s decision to leave the EU, American businesses must find a new gateway to Europe. For American’s, our ‘mother’ country has always been our foot in the door to Europe. If you could prove yourself in the UK, the door was open to the EU. Trademarks from the EU were respected in the UK and vice versa. That door may have just been closed. So now what?

Look no further than the only official English-speaking country in the EU, on the Euro, and closer to us: Ireland! Before the recession, Ireland was favored by US business for its low cost, highly skilled workforce, and business-friendly policies. Now it can add, “Gateway to Europe” with its unrestricted flow of goods and people to the mainland.

Interestingly, Northern Ireland, which voted to stay in the EU, will be more likely to stay in rather than barricading off its common borders with The Irish Republic which have become critical to families, trade, tourism, and their overall economy. Staying in the EU may likely mean exiting the UK and joining the Irish Republic. A larger EU member like a united Ireland can’t help but be attractive to American business hoping to trade in Europe.

We spoke at the World Conference on Entrepreneurship in Dublin a couple years back and were most impressed with their American-style cultural support for entrepreneurs. The willingness of the government, the business community, and academic institutions to help new ventures succeed is most attractive to new and established businesses alike.

Still pulling themselves out of recession, the Irish know that entrepreneurship is their key to prosperity. As a relatively small country, they know the world is their market… Oh! And did we say they absolutely love Americans?

Talk about winning by default! It reminds us of the way Quebec lost major business to Ontario when they tried to separate from Canada. The UK may have just handed Ireland a big break and a huge opportunity.

Whether we like it or not, we are all connected to a global market where uniform standards and business practices support commerce, and ultimately, our very standard of living. Voting to decouple from that interdependence may seem emotionally attractive at the time, but the days following that decision will educate those voters about what they sacrificed.

Whatever the UK voters thought they were saving by leaving the EU, they have disrupted the flow of trade and ultimately wiped out those “savings” many times over. Oblivious to consequences and uneducated about the benefits of EU membership, they were bowled over by a populist movement that promised huge savings that probably can’t be delivered any time in the near future.

Once the press becomes more entertainment than educational, the door is open for populist movements to persuade emotional and naïve voters who simply don’t know any better. This is quite a wake-up call for the US and other democracies, should they take notice. Unwarranted, but popular, quick-fix claims can now win the vote and reverse the efficiencies of scale common markets can deliver.

Meanwhile, Ireland has been waiting for a break like Brexit! Keep a close eye on their next moves. What is a great opportunity for Ireland may well be a great opportunity for US business as well.

Who We Are

Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey co-authored the New York Times bestselling business book, The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America’s #1 Wine Brand. The book has been selected as recommended reading in the CEO Library for CEO Forum, the C-Suite Book Club, and numerous university classes on business and entrepreneurship. It chronicles their humble beginnings from the laundry room of a rented Sonoma County farmhouse to the board room of E&J Gallo, who ultimately acquired their brand and engaged them as brand consultants. Barefoot is now the world’s largest wine brand.

Beginning with virtually no money and no wine industry experience, they employed innovative ideas to overcome obstacles, create new markets and forge strategic alliances. They pioneered Worthy Cause Marketing and performance-based compensation. They built an internationally bestselling brand and received their industry’s “Hot Brand” award for several consecutive years.

They offer their Guiding Principles for Success (GPS) to help entrepreneurs become successful. Their book, The Entrepreneurial Culture: 23 Ways To Engage and Empower Your People, helps corporations maximize the value of their human resources.

Currently they travel the world leading workshops, trainings, & keynoting at business schools, corporations, conferences. They are regular media guests and contributors to international publications and professional journals. They are C-Suite Network Advisors & Contributing Editors. Visit their popular brand building site at www.consumerbrandbuilders.com.

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

The post Ireland Stands to Gain by Brexit appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.

The Top 5 Challenges to Going Global

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Thu, 26 Feb 2015 18:09:28 +0000

As our world gets smaller, more and more entrepreneurs are going global. But just what does that mean in terms of entrepreneurship? Sure, it seems easy enough when you market through e-commerce. It’s almost a given that you will be selling internationally as the internet seems to be boundless. But what if you are selling a real product with dimensions and weight? Now you are selling a product in international commerce. You can get degrees in international commerce, but if you are like us, you may find yourself thrown into it, especially if your product is a hot seller in the US. We are often asked what where the main challenges we faced selling internationally. Here is our short list for you to consider:

Compliance. Make sure that you or your agent is licensed to do business in the foreign country with all the various agencies that require licensing. Labeling is a big deal. Most countries want metric weights and measures, and many want terms in their own language. Your US trademark won’t protect you there. You’ll need a trademark in each country in which you intend on doing business. In fact, you may have to buy out a trademark sitter who isn’t even producing a product but has your mark already registered in that country.
Shipment. Find a freight forwarder who specializes in your type of product. They should know the myriad of documents required. When using ocean-going freight, be sure to account for the time necessary to make the journey. You may well be shipping weeks in advance to prevent run outs. Most international shipping is done in 20-foot containers that hold 850 to 1,050 cubic feet. For the most part, your pricing and quantities are based on this. You may want to use refrigerated cargo shipping containers to transport your temperature sensitive items.
Receivables. Extending credit is always a big risk. You are not likely to take buyers to court in a foreign country and they know it. The instrument that we used successfully is a Letter of Credit which works very much like an escrow account. It’s written on a US bank with orders to pay you upon the presentation of certain documents, one of which is a signed ocean-going bill of lading which proves the goods have left the US.
Duties and Dollars. Import duties are usually due before the goods can leave the dock of first landing. Depending on your type of product and the political situation, the other country’s import taxes and tariffs will vary widely. In some countries you can ship your goods to a duty-free zone within the destination country and maintain possession of them in your name until they are removed by you or your buyers, at which time the taxes are due. Even with the ever-changing exchange rates, your foreign buyer wants long-term stable pricing.
Brokers. International brokers will approach you at trade shows and ask for the rights and the exclusive to a foreign market. They may offer to take care of all the details. They will work on a percentage of sales. Be careful! You don’t want to give the exclusive to a non-producer who just wants all sales to go through them. We found few who will actually go out into the market and merchandise products at retail. Sometimes it’s much better to invest in your own sales representative in that country.

Selling to a global market is challenging. If you can master the 5 steps here, you will be well on your way to successfully selling internationally!

Who We Are

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

The post The Top 5 Challenges to Going Global appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.