WESST Blog

Last week, the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) New Mexico chapter presented its first-ever program, Go Global with NAWBO. “With the world getting smaller and with increasing competition from foreign and domestic sources, NAWBO wanted to present options to members and guests on how to grow their businesses. NAWBO is committed to helping every one of our members succeed in EVERY market in this fast changing world,” said Debbie Maestas-Traynor, NAWBO New Mexico’s president. Members and guests from various industry, organization and government backgrounds were represented.

The event was supported by NAWBO member companies and the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce. During the event, the Consul General of Mexico, Mauricio Ibarra Ponce de Leon, was recognized as were the Honorary Consuls from Germany, Azerbaijan and Japan for their support in growing New Mexico’s relationships with their countries. Also recognized were several Exporters of the Year: Optomec, Private Label Select, MIOX, Ultramain and CIC Photonics. Several successful women business owners who have excelled in international sales attended and spoke at the event.

The mix of exporters, service providers, Consuls and international organizations fueled the enthusiasm in the audience of 60. Guests and NAWBO members left the event with a program filled with good ideas and contact information and with a better sense of how to compete, internationally. “NAWBO is to be congratulated for this landmark first step in presenting resources and role models that might not readily come to mind when thinking about competing internationally” said Stephan Helgesen, Honorary German Consul and international trade consultant.

So now you might think that this is all well and good but “What does this have to do with me? I just do business in the U.S.” But what about competing internationally right here at home? Still not sound like you?

If your competitors are foreign companies then you are competing globally. If your competitors are not just Smith and Jones and the like but have more exotic, foreign names then you could be competing internationally. Think about it.

But what if you say, none of those is me. OK, fair enough. Then consider another scenario.

Is your workforce or your customer foreign born or first generation? If you say yes, then you are dealing with other cultures and mores and that is what competing internationally is all about. When you live in an environment that is not homogeneous, then you have to know how to market to different segments and how to get a workforce that works together cohesively. You know what happened to the Spanish Armada — not a cohesive “workforce”; not a crew with the same goals. The result was DISASTER. But it didn’t have to be and it doesn’t have to be for you with the world getting smaller and opportunities no longer just at home.

For tips and resources on exporting, see “Can I Sell My Products and Services…Abroad?“.