Over the following weeks companies in Italy will be busy adapting their systems to the imminent, and obligatory, switch to the electronic invoice. From the first of January 2019 this aspect of company activity will also abandon paper to take …
Category Archives: Small-Medium Enterprises
MY NEW BOOK “EXPORTING IN 7 STEPS” IS OUT
The book I wrote and published with the Guerini Next publishing house can be purchased as of September 7th from either specialized brick-and-mortar shops or the main online bookstores. This guide is mainly aimed at small and micro businesses. The …
PRODUCT SPECIALIZATION / 2
I just came back from a holiday on the island of Ischia (Naples) and I came across two artisan-based businesses that impressed me for their product specialization. The small juice stand Enzo la Bomba (Enzo the Bomb) in Sant’Angelo (Ischia) …
MARKET ANALYSES FOR SMALL ENTERPRISES
Even small esnterprises cannot neglect to make periodic market analyses to guide their exports. These are necessary to answer two important questions: In which markets are my products most appreciated? How are my competitors moving on the international markets? According …
DUTIES, LEAVING THE EURO AND GLOBALIZATION
These days the economic debate is dominated by two themes. On the one hand, the duties demanded by the President of the U.S. which risks triggering a trade war. On the other hand, the long path that saw the birth …
WANTED: AGENTS…OR RATHER, CONSULTANTS
In recent months I have been looking for agents in the main European markets on behalf of companies in the most diverse fields. I have found that this type of search is becoming increasingly difficult. The job of agent, done …
THE BOOK: “EXPORTING IN 7 STEPS”
Export consultant and temporary export manager. These are the two areas of expertise I offer to small businesses when I contact them. When I started doing this in 2010, I did not have many competitors. I got my first job …
BUSINESS CARDS AND CORPORATE ROLES
Over the last few days I have once again observed how many small companies that export do not clearly describe their various corporate roles on their business cards. Here are some common mistakes: For fear of appearing “too full of …
PRODUCT CUSTOMIZATION
The projects I followed in 2017 have once again demonstrated how the customization of a product is an element on which our small businesses should increasingly aim for so as to carve out a place in the international markets. I’m …
SUBCONTRACTORS: EXPORTING TO LOMBARDY
A word on companies that produce within the so-called subcontracting field. I’m referring to those companies that supply specific capabilities like mechanical work, carpentry work, etc. and that, even if small, often work with advanced technology. These companies usually have …