I have fond memories of graduating from College in Oregon State, USA and moving to New York City, some years past. The change from West to East coast was dramatic because New York City is a great metropolis.
I lived with parents, since my Dad had a career in the Nigerian Diplomatic service. His duties involved Economic Agreements, hosting trade delegations and meeting foreign dignitaries. I attended several economic briefings and diplomatic receptions, so in hindsight this experience has been the spark for my eventual career in International Trade.
Fast forward and I will be a Speaker at the Bella Networking – Doing Business & Networking with New York -on September 22, 2015. To join me at the Bella Networking event on 22nd Sept and benefit from insights on New York/London business relationships, please register here.
This is an innovative opportunity to network with USA businesses without the need to set foot in an airport – Virtual networking! Doing business in New York City (NYC) would be one of the best ways to fuel your company’s growth.
The opportunities are awesome! New York metro area’s GDP has steadily risen in the last decade from 974.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2001 to 1.5 trillion U.S. dollars in 2013. In 2013, there were some 60,400 business establishments in the region that focused on professional, scientific, and technical services.
Steps to Prepare for this Event
- Start from Home
First, clearly understand your position in your Home (UK) market to see where your best market niche is. It’s best to start with data and understand the basis behind your projections. It’s possible your approach could be export-ready at inception, after doing your market research. - Check your wallet
My one caveat regarding ‘going global’ is to ask yourself how you will get paid, since even the best value proposition will sink when payment is not effected. This also ties in with how to arrange funding, so you need to get the balance right. Help is also available from UKTI. - Pick the tools
Your website is a great toolbox, and you need to pick the tools in a strategic manner. Ensure that your LinkedIn profile is updated, since that would be the first point of enquiry by a prospective customer. The choice of your social media channels should match your target market in NYC. - Keep the Home tidy
It’s important that you have a good financial framework, in order to keep profits and maintain growth. Also you should work within the US Government regulations, especially in the areas of tax, so ensure you get good advice from Legal and Financial service providers.
Who should attend?
Whether you are an entrepreneur or SME, this international event will give you the opportunity to network with others who are seeking international growth. Register here.