One of the perks of a career in business is travelling to attend conferences, meet clients or form new partnerships. These trips can open up a world of opportunities for your work, but they can also be stressful if not well planned. Having travelled extensively for business and pleasure for over 20 years, I’ve learned a few things that have made these trips more productive and enjoyable. Rather than learn the hard way, here are five essential hacks especially for women travelling internationally on business.

1. Keep Calm and Carry-on

Travelling for business can be quite hectic. If I had a dime for every time I had to go directly from the airport to a meeting, I would have at least five dollars by now! Even if you do have time to check into your hotel before the games begin, why would you want to prolong your time in the airport? Even worse is being delayed by late or missing luggage. And if your power suit is in your checked suitcase, your next meeting might feel more stressful than it has to. For these reasons, I highly recommend that you don’t check any luggage unless your trip’s duration is more than a week.

Carry-on and hit the ground running, with your rolling suitcase behind you as you get to the front of the taxi line. It’s a real confidence boost, which is great for business.

2. Don’t Look Strange in a Strange Land

50 countries and five continents later, I’ve been fortunate to have experienced a diverse range of cultures and traditions. As a Canadian, I understand how we pride ourselves on our stance regarding diversity. We’ve also come a long way toward gender equality, as opposed to many other countries. When travelling, it can sometimes slip one’s mind that our choice of apparel or how we carry ourselves in our own country may not be appropriate in others.

If your business trip is to a far-off land with different customs and beliefs, I suggest you do a bit of research to see whether what you intend to pack would pass muster where you are going. In many places, women wearing low necklines or sporting bare shoulders and knees can be seen as offensive to locals. Whatever your stance on personal freedom, when travelling abroad, we have a responsibility to show respect for cultural differences.

3. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Your Luggage

Fun fact: the 80/20 rule that we apply in business also applies to our wardrobe. That’s right, we only wear 20% of what is hanging in our closets, and luggage is no different. Most people are chronic over-packers but if you stick to your favourite neutral professional outfits that are interchangeable with black or beige footwear, you will truly be amazed at how little you need to bring with you.

To make use of all the space in your carry-on, many savvy travellers use packing cubes  – magical nylon zip bags that you can fill with a staggering amount of stuff. These cubes will change your travel life, trust me. Just be sure to weigh your suitcase before you go to the airport to make sure it doesn’t exceed your airline’s weight restrictions.

4. Bleisure is the New Black

While the vast majority of business travel for North Americans is domestic, international business trips have been steadily on the rise since the 2008 economic downturn. Not surprisingly, people travelling for business abroad are extremely likely to tack on some vacation time to their international trip. In fact, Expedia Group reported that this was the case about 80% of the time last year for American business travellers.

Whether you are preparing for a trip near or far, know that adding some leisure time to your itinerary is worth considering, since Bleisure has become all the rage. For women travelling alone, this may sound daunting, but there are lots of ways to explore if you don’t feel comfortable going solo – join a walking tour, sign up for a local cooking class, or become a member of a global expat organization like InterNations , where there are a wide variety of group activities to choose from.

5. Don’t Spare the Self-Care

Women are well known for putting their time and health at the bottom of their priority list. Business trips only exacerbate this bad habit, so make sure you have a plan to fit self-care into your itinerary. The healthier and more well-rested you are, the more effective you will be in your work while on the road.

The major travel self-care items I see getting lost in transit for women are hydrating (with water not wine), eating a good breakfast and taking me-time. Bring a water bottle and use it regularly, make sure to eat a healthy breakfast and get as many greens in your meals as you possibly can. Although it can be fun to go out exploring in the evenings if you have the time, try to spend at least one night of your stay relaxing in quiet me-time.

Business trips can be exciting, intellectually stimulating and open up a wide world of opportunities. But not planning in advance can make them more stressful than they need to be. With these five travel hacks for women in business, you’ll be on the path to a calmer and more productive trip.

The post 5 Travel hacks for women in international business appeared first on Trade Ready.

This past March stretched even a seasoned traveler like me me out of my comfort zone, as I undertook my most arduous journey yet. First, I visited the most important scientific meeting of the year on hypoxia (not getting enough oxygen supply to the tissue of a body part, or your whole body) in Whistler, BC from March 3-8. From there, I continued to travel west across the Pacific, visiting Seoul, Korea and Taipei, Taiwan from March 10-17.

The logistics of traveling around China in 10 jam-packed days

While that alone would have been considered a lengthy and busy trip by most standards, I was still building up to the busiest section of my travel schedule. On March 18, I continued by flying into Beijing, China to start an epic “10 City tour” (10 lectures in 10 cities in 10 days), to promote Ruskinn’s Life Sciences products to select universities in China. If you can believe it, this lecture series was originally supposed to be 3 weeks long, and we had to “shorten” it down to this length!

The lectures were set up by our Chinese partner, Beijing Longfujia.

The travel schedule from March 20-31 had to be intense to save money, but this meant traveling to a new city each day for 10 days, as follows:

Over 21,000 miles by plane, train and automobile

In total, from when I left Ottawa March 3 to go to Whistler to when I arrived back there from China in the beginning of April, I travelled a total of 21,270 miles. While it wasn’t quite enough to equal the 24,901 miles it would take to circumnavigate the entire planet, I came awfully close!

In China alone, I travelled 3,913 miles, took 5 plane journeys and 3 high-speed train journeys, gave 10 lectures, and visited 261 total customers. What a trip!

Travelling in China was often stressful, as reaching an airport or train station by car required anywhere from 1- 2 hours each night. The journey itself by air or train would come next, with varying transit times. Finally, traveling from the destination airport or station to the next hotel required yet another 1-2 hours of driving. Traffic is so dense in most Chinese cities that a commute that would normally be a 30 minute car journey in Canada or the U.S. can take 2-4 times as long in the cities mentioned above.

It’s key to find your “zen” and get some massages when enduring this type of travel

I was fortunate to not have a single major snafu during the entire trip, just a handful of travel delays. When I ran into those, I found the best way to deal with it was to internalize, and not let myself get outwardly annoyed. Once or twice we also didn’t have the proper AV equipment for our lectures, but our distributor was miraculous at sourcing whatever items we needed from “down the street” in those instances.

I also had many positives to focus on. One of the things that stood out the most throughout this whirlwind tour was the level of interest shown by the students at the universities. My Sunday seminar had more people than a regular seminar in Canada or the U.S., and it was exciting to see their willingness to learn.

To combat the exhaustion of so much travel for business, we also tried to go for massages whenever there were facilities near our hotel. It was very relaxing and allowed me to share some friendly banter with my traveling companions.

Final assessment – should you embark on such a trip?

If you’re considering a similarly ambitious trip, I should note that, because the experience was so exhausting, I would not take on a trip in China like this again – I’ll plan to stick with seven days next time.

In assessing whether the trip was successful, we certainly got “the nod” from several professors and other researchers indicating they are going to start the buying process with us in mind. While we have a buying cycle of several months, once these clients agreed I knew it was a matter of when, not if they would purchase.

The first orders from that lecture series should start to come out of tender in the next few weeks, and we are confident in gaining somewhere between $100-150,000 in sales from this lecture series alone. All in all, it was a very successful trip.

If you’re interested in seeing more of my time in China, please take a look at the slideshow video that I’ve put together, which you can view by clicking this link.

Please also take a look at the following infographic on some of the most interesting numbers from my trip:

The post Here’s what it’s like to travel for business to 10 different Chinese cities in 10 days appeared first on Trade Ready.

Built into a career in international trade is the need to travel to visit suppliers or establish relationships with clients. Those who have been in international business for some time have often racked up more than a few frequent flyer miles. Here, we’ve gathered the most useful travel tips straight from those who have been all over the world and have learned a thing or two about jet-setting with style and wisdom.

1. Prepare for the high altitude

You know you need to prepare for different climates: cold, hot, humid, and changeable. Now, have you also factored in altitude?

Don’t just check the weather forecast when traveling to Latin America, also check the altitude you’ll be working at.

The higher up you go (think Bogotá, La Paz, Quito and other cities), the more time you need for adjusting. Don’t schedule meetings for soon after you’ve arrived. Believe me, unless you’re very used to it in your home country, you’ll struggle.

You will very likely feel very tired, at the very least – imagine an appalling jetlag or some mighty hangover! Some people feel nauseous, too, dizzy, or very exhausted. Running up the stairs is a total no-no, it will totally deplete you of energy.

I don’t suffer too heavily from these symptoms but have traveled with people that do, some of whom are young and otherwise very healthy and fit. Keep hydrated. Take it easy and give your body time to adapt. As I said, do check the height. 1,000 meters above sea level might not do you any harm, but at 2,000 meters some people struggle and above 3,000 meters we’re all in for some experience…

By the way, remember that if you open a tube of cream/gel/toothpaste at high altitude, the whole thing will come out very quickly (as it happens on a plane), so watch out! I lost half a tube of newly-bought foundation due to this mistake!” – Gabriela Castro-Fontoura

2. Being a gratuitous host has a big impact on the bottom line

“I was very happy when I convinced a West African delegation of business-people to come to visit a company I was working at in a suburb of Montreal. My plan was for this delegation to meet the management team and some key employees, and show them the large inventory of products ready to export.

I decided to rent a minibus and drive them through the city to the meeting, taking on the role of travel guide at the same time. I was thrilled that they were impressed and had a great time. It turns out that I had created demand for my impromptu tours. The day after the visit, some of the visitors wanted to return to the company, and the new people were also interested. Happily, I played the travel guide once again. Afterwards, they purchased containers of our products!

By adding some extra fun to their travel experience and accommodating their request, I was able to ensure their trip was a great success for all parties involved.

After the success of this visit, we decided to pay them a reciprocal visit to their country in Africa, to continue developing the relationships and the business. These experiences have all taught me valuable lessons, so I hope you found them useful. And I hope you’ll pass on your own stories as well.” – Sylvain Charbonneau, CITP|FIBP

3. Know the culture your heading into

“I was presenting some new diagnostic test to the OBGYN in one of the Universities in Seoul, and was attempting to set up a “trial to buy” at this facility. After we had gone through a long presentation and Q&A session, I came to my close.

After asking “Can we set up a trial later this week, as I am in Seoul until then?”, the assistant professor got up and simply said excuse me and left the office!

We stayed for an hour expecting him back but Ricky, my distributor colleague, advised me than perhaps the customer could not say “no” to performing a trail without losing face, since I would be embarrassed, and he would have been the cause of it. So we left, no trial no sale!

Nowadays in Korea and sometimes Japan, I have to be a bit more subtle with my closing technique, for example I ask if the customer can consider our request for a trial.

Moral: Don’t be a wise ass. Understand cultural etiquette before making closing statements.” – Samir Patel 

4. There are lots of ways to stay connected

“If you’ve done a lot of business traveling, odds are you have paid for roaming on your phone before. Paying your phone company for the ability to access another network and continue your regular phone, text, and data plan internationally can be very useful, but also expensive, depending on where you live and which phone carrier you use.

Before traveling, make sure you research to discover what your roaming charges would be and think about how you want and need to stay in communication, to decide whether paying for roaming charges is the best option for your situation.” – Bennett O’Brien

5. Learn to enjoy the moment when things don’t go as planned

“The art of travel links closely to personal approach and style: politeness goes a very long way and can help resolve what might seem at first like an insurmountable logistical challenge; fits of anger, impatience or arrogance will inevitably exacerbate any issue you might be facing ‘en route’, and you have a great deal of influence on the way you react to a situation.

Delayed train in London as you are heading to Heathrow for a flight across the pond? Don’t worry, sip a nicely chilled Bollinger at the champagne bar at Paddington Station (what else would one order, but a favorite of James Bond when in the UK?)

Delayed connection to Singapore from Tokyo on a first (quick) stop in Japan? No worries, the sushi at Narita is far better than what can be found in some reputable restaurants in Canada, and you may even have an opportunity to learn to appreciate the delicate flavours of cold sake: Kampai! It can get even better when the unexpected small pleasure is topped off with a courtesy upgrade for the next leg of the trip.” – Alexander R. Malaket, CITP|FIBP

There you have the top five tips for traveling, straight from the experts, but it’s really just the tip of the iceberg.

Was this advice helpful? What tips do you have for when you’re traveling? Let us know in the comments down below.

The post Top 5 travel tips straight from the experts appeared first on Trade Ready.

As an international trade and FDI consultant, I’ve been to over 40 countries in my career and had to set-up multiple B2B meetings, many in places I’d never visited before. So, over the years I’ve developed a finely-tuned approach for achieving in-market meeting success. Here are eight tips to help you get the most out of your meetings!

1. Do your research.

Before going in-market, remember to do your research – in other words, due diligence. This includes learning everything you need to know about the country: political leaders and environment, history, culture, imports and exports, GDP etc.

2. Contact a trade commissioner.

They are the experts who are there to provide knowledge, guidance and advice, and can really help with gaining the right contacts abroad.

3. Book the appointment.

Next, either through an email, phone call or LinkedIn, reach out to the executive you want to meet with and state your reason for requesting the meeting in a few sentences – less is more. Understand that “time is money,” so try to request a 30 minute meeting (not an hour!), that works around their schedule, not yours. Also, make sure you have booked the meeting in the correct time zone of the country in which you are doing business.

4. Figure out the lay of the land.

Use Google Maps to look up where you are staying in relation to the location of the companies you want to meet. Also look into local transportation and infrastructure, as this will allow you to gauge how many appointments you can fit into each day. Simultaneously, perform research on the company; product, service offering, competitor intelligence and past and present news releases.

5. Make solid connections.

One of the greatest challenges in business is making long-lasting solid connections. Take an interest in the person you are meeting with. Try Googling your contact’s name and review their LinkedIn profiles to find out where they went to school, what boards they sit on etc. & don’t forget to follow your contact (and the company) on Twitter. You never know how you may be connected.

6. Re-confirm the appointment.

The day before the in-market meeting, I always re-confirm the appointment. I used to do this a week ahead of time, but this seemed to give the person an out. So trust me, reaching out one day before is reasonable and more effective.

7. Be memorable!

From the start of the meeting, be personable and interesting. Provide information about your country and ask questions about theirs, as well as possible shared historical ties. This creates a commonality.

Be a great listener by trying to identify what challenges they face and how you can help them overcome these challenges. Do this by asking probing questions and be ready to provide solutions to their problems with evidence-based answers.

When the meeting is coming to a close, I ask… “Is there anything I can do to assist and help grow your network?” This seems to shock executives who are constantly being asked “for” something.

However, you never know within your network, if you can connect them to someone they might want to meet with, thus creating goodwill.

8. Follow-up.

Finally, within 24 hours of the meeting, follow-up with a personalized note that should include a short summary of the meeting (action items), next steps and a “Thank You”. As a sincere gesture of hospitality and good business etiquette, I also like to include an invitation to host them in my country anytime at their convenience.

A well-researched, planned and executed strategy will achieve the results-based outcomes you’re looking for from any in-market visit.

The post 8 secrets to a successful in-market meeting appeared first on Trade Ready.

My number one piece of advice is that before visiting another country, it’s crucial to do enough research about the cultural differences, customs, logistics, transportation, and the legal aspects.

My second tip? Don’t pack your itinerary too tight either. When traveling abroad, especially in developing countries, you are likely to come upon unexpected situations requiring the flexibility to adapt.

Lastly, and most importantly, in all situations remember to keep your calm, and don’t forget to rest a bit and enjoy your journey!

Here are a few of my favourite stories from my experiences that will illustrate how I came up with the above advice.

Flat tire forced us to think on our feet

While I was in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, we had rented the service of a driver with a car, an old classic Mercedes-Benz. Unfortunately, we got a flat tire in the middle of rush hour traffic.

While the driver had a spare tire in the trunk, it was buried underneath our luggage. In order for our driver to access it, we had to get out of the car and empty all of our belongings from the trunk in the middle of a public place, close to an industrial area. Within a few minutes, we were surrounded by people, staring at us and approaching.

We did not feel safe at that moment, especially because the Government of Canada had advised Canadians to avoid traveling within the region at that time due to political instability. No insurance companies wanted to provide any protection.

It was a very stressful situation. Instinct told us not to wait, and we took the first available taxi to avoid the potential risks.

An unexpected meet and greet turns into a televised event

In Lubumbashi in DRC, population 2 million, close to the border with Zambia, we had the unexpected opportunity to meet with the mayor. I had been using contacts from the trade commissioner and members from the Chamber of Commerce to meet potential customers or partners for our business venture.

One of these contacts informed us that he could arrange a meeting with the mayor, and that such a meeting could help us open doors to meet important business figures. So, even though it was not part of our initial plan, I accepted, thinking that it was going to be an informal meet and greet and to be quickly directed to some key contacts.

But, when we arrived at the city hall, we were greeted by the local media. Newspapers, TV and radio reporters were there, taking pictures, filming and taking notes throughout the meeting with the mayor.

I was with the president of the company I was working for and another local associate; we never expected to receive so much public attention. Fortunately, my background in communications and public relations was very helpful in managing this unexpected situation.

The next time I receive an offer to meet an important politician, I know I will ask for more details about the type of meeting planned, to ensure I am properly prepared.

One small administrative error cost us 3 days in New York

I was with a convoy of truck drivers en route to deliver a large amount of equipment from Canada to an international ocean carrier in Staten Island, NY to be shipped to South America.

When we arrived, however, entrance to the port was delayed. The wire transfer payment had not gone through because of an error made by the export department. We would have to come back the next day and try again. In the meantime, we had to move all the equipment out of there and find a place to stay overnight.

To complicate matters more, some of the drivers we had contracted had to leave, because they were expected back in Montreal. Only three of us were able to stay to manage the delivery.

When we arrived at the port the next day, they informed the three of us that we needed to deliver all the goods to another terminal, by ourselves, because of the change in the date of arrival. In addition, when trying to load a big crane on the vessel, the engine did refused to start.

We had to spend an extra day there to find a mechanic to fix the crane and to finalize the delivery. What an adventure!

In the end, if the export department hadn’t made an error with the payment, none of the rest of it would have happened. The moral of the story is to make sure you work diligently to reduce the possibility of errors – you never know how they might affect other people further down the line and come back to haunt you.

Being a gracious host had a big impact on our bottom line

I was very happy when I convinced a West African delegation of businesspeople to come to visit a company I was working at in a suburb of Montreal. My plan was for this delegation to meet the management team and some key employees, and to show them the large inventory of products ready to export.

I decided to rent a minibus and drove them through the city to the meeting, taking on the role of travel guide at the same time. I was thrilled that they were impressed and had a great experience.

It turns out that I had created demand for my impromptu tours. The day after the visit, some of the visitors wanted to return to the company, and new people were also interested. Happily, I played the travel guide once again. Afterwards, they purchased containers of our products!

By adding some extra fun to their travel experience and accommodating their request, I was able to ensure their trip was a great success for all parties involved.

After the success of this visit, we decided to pay them a reciprocal visit to their country in Africa, to continue developing the relationships and the business.

These experiences have all taught me valuable lessons, so I hope you found them useful. And I hope you’ll pass on your own stories as well.

The post My favourite international business travel stories, and what I learned from them appeared first on Trade Ready.

Looking back over his career, Sylvain Charbonneau notes that international trade and entrepreneurship have been part of his life from a young age.

“My grandfather and many of my uncles were businesspeople, and some of them traded outside Canada, so my family influenced me to build a business mindset and a customer service approach. As a teenager, I was happy to work on weekends and summer breaks for a company that dealt with recycling vehicles and parts. I was doing a bit of everything, and I liked serving customers and being surrounded with the spirit of entrepreneurship.”

A few years later, he earned his commercial driver’s license and a diploma from the Training Center for Road Transport.  Armed with this training, he began picking up and delivering trucks, parts and machinery for his family’s businesses. This first step into international trade was both a fun and formative experience.

“I enjoyed this period of freedom and excitement, discovering landscapes and major cities on the East Coast down to the border of Mexico. A lot of these deliveries were related to goods exported overseas through major ports of Canada and the U.S. This was an important first step for me in my international trade experience.”

Building an impressive resume in communications

Looking to expand his skills in a new sector, Sylvain decided to go back to school, earning his Bachelor degree in communication and psychology, followed by his Master’s degree in communication sciences. His studies focused on culture and international relations, PR and new communication technology, all of which have proven useful in his career.

As he studied, he also worked two jobs in sales and marketing for which he attended trade shows in Canada and Mexico, and conducted market research.

After graduating, he spent the next six and a half years working as a Communications Adviser for Hydro-Quebec, and another year and a half as Director of Communications and Marketing for Netsym Communication, a small start-up. During this time, he also got his first teaching job as a lecturer in communications planning at the University of Montreal.

With several years of experience under his belt, Sylvain had become an enticing recruit for companies like Le Groupe Lussier, a Fortune 500 Quebec company, who offered him a contract in 2007. Harnessing all of his previous training and experience, he was able to make major positive changes throughout the company during his time there.

“I worked to review and optimize policies and procedures and put in place a structure, system, and communication strategy. I managed the logistics and transportation department, including up to 20 employees during the transition, and oversaw an increase in efficiency and profitability while maintaining high customer satisfaction.”

Eager to be on the road again

Once his contract ended, Sylvain finally had the time to pursue a lifelong dream: a solo motorcycle trip west across Canada, and then down the West Coast.

“I crossed Canada from Montreal to Vancouver, and also went to Tofino to see the Pacific Ocean. It was so exciting. I enjoyed that feeling of freedom. Crossing Canada by road was an amazing experience! Later, I decided to continue exploring the West Coast by going south across Washington, Oregon and California to the Mexican border. During these trips, I saw so many beautiful natural landscapes that fed me with a great energy.”

Soon after his trip ended, he accepted a position teaching business, marketing and economics at the Canadian International School in Cairo, Egypt. Moving there in 2010, he was able to teach while also visiting Turkey, Israel, Palestine and Jordan. When Egypt’s revolution broke out in 2011, he was forced to return to Canada for safety reasons.

His experience there led to a new contract with a Quebec company looking to increase its trade in Western and Central Africa. His work gave him the chance to continue to travel, as he attended meetings and trade shows in Burkina Faso, Togo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Setting down roots and sharing his experience

At the end of his contract, Sylvain started looking for opportunities to develop his international trade skills further with practical industry training. When he discovered the FITT-accredited courses at Ashton College, he found the appeal of moving to the West Coast too strong to resist, and relocated there to begin his courses.

He found the course content practical and the classroom environment to be the perfect way for him to engage with the material.

I always liked to learn, so for me it was a pleasant experience. I especially liked to be able to link the concepts to my previous experience, and to have a chance to discuss many topics with other international students while learning.

The in-class experience and discussion with fellow students also came with one other unexpected but life-changing effect.

“I met my wife while taking the FITTskills courses! She was my classmate, then we became friends. Afterwards we started to date and we got married the following year. Now we have two children together and we are very happy. My wife works for a customs broker and freight forwarding company in Vancouver.”

“My new marital status made me want to take a break from traveling and to look for professional opportunities in Vancouver. Using the combination of my professional and academic background, I decided to offer my services as an instructor.”

Since 2012, Sylvain has taught FITTskills courses in the Vancouver area – first at Sprott Shaw College, then his alma mater Ashton College, and now at Ascenda School of Management.

“I like teaching because I feel that my experience can benefit other people. And it’s good for me because I get so much from being in contact with students from all around the world and various profiles and backgrounds. I also have more flexibility and time to spend at home with my two young children, which is my priority at the moment.”

He also balances his teaching work with running his own international trade and communication consulting company, SC Communication, which he started in 2009. Working with companies on international business development, communications, marketing, trade shows and project management, he has had the opportunity to help many different companies while balancing his other responsibilities.

In 2015, Sylvain added the CITP®|FIBP® designation to his credentials.

“I like to be connected to other professionals with the designation, to feel I belong in that exclusive elite community of recognized global trade professionals. The designation is helpful to differentiate myself from other professionals when it comes to proposing my services to a potential customer or employer.”

I realized that I’m now perceived differently as an educator and a trade professional because I’ve earned the CITP®|FIBP® designation. I have also received more contract offers since I got my certification.

Sylvain is now looking forward to new challenges, and being involved directly in projects in the field again. With his extensive experience, it won’t be long before we have more stories of his accomplishments to share.

The post Sylvain Charbonneau, CITP|FIBP – International Trade Consultant and Educator appeared first on Trade Ready.

Even as communication and information technology steadily advance, travelling to other countries and meeting potential clients face to face has remained an important part of international business.

While the thrill eventually wears off for some, many others never lose the excitement of stepping foot somewhere new for the first time. No matter how much research you do, or how many pictures you see, the experience of seeing a major landmark in person or being immersed in a totally different culture is something that is impossible to replicate.

If this sounds familiar, then an international trade career could be an excellent fit for you. Within international trade, however, there are many different options you can choose from, some of which offer more travel opportunities than others.

Here are 5 in-demand international trade occupations to choose from if travel is a major priority in your future career.

1. Be the face of your company as an International Business Development Professional

Professionals working in business development are at the forefront of their company’s growth strategy. Their main responsibilities are to develop new clients and customers, while also maintaining or improving their relationships with existing ones.

Since these clients and customers are often located all over the world, business development professionals get to travel to meet them face to face. Early steps are usually done by email, video chats, phone and other technology, but at least one in-person visit is an often crucial step in the relationship process.

Even after initial agreements are made, further travel is needed to regularly meet with clients and customers to make sure things are going smoothly, address any issues and find ways to deepen the relationship.

It’s therefore vital for these professionals to have strong intercultural competence and the ability to build relationships across cultures, increasing these skills within their own organization.

Olivier Canolle, CITP|PACI, Business Development Manager for SBB International, says that the travel involved in his job is key to his company’s success.

We rely a lot on direct contact—we attend three trade shows and take over 15 business trips every year, which is huge for a company of our size. We feel that this allows the company to understand its customers’ needs and show them we care. That’s how bonds are formed and trust is built.

For those ready to do so, the opportunity to travel frequently and meet many new people around the world awaits.

2. Oversee A to B as a Supply Chain Manager

When you consider the amount of steps that any product needs to go through to get from raw materials to a packaged product sitting on a shelf, it’s truly staggering.

A supply chain manager needs to keep track of each step in the process, making sure it’s proceeding efficiently, quickly and in a cost-effective manner.

From inspecting manufacturing facilities to meeting new vendors, checking on port and warehousing facilities and gathering the goods needed to create a product, there are a vast number of places a supply chain manager may need to travel.

They must be able to navigate the laws of each country through which the supply chain links, and understand the cultures of employees in each part of the supply chain. They also need to be able to constantly analyze and find ways of improving overall efficiency and mitigating risk.

If you like to combine your travel with problem solving, and are looking for a field that will be in high demand in the future, working in the supply chain industry could be your ideal vocation.

3. Close big deals face to face as a Sales Manager

Ultimately, the sales manager’s responsibility is to sell products and services by developing new client relationships and maintaining existing ones. This requires not only knowing their products and services inside and out, but also the needs, wants and cultural considerations of their clients and customers.

Whether selling to businesses or directly to customers, sales managers need to know where their customers are from, how they think, and what will make them want to complete a sale.

To best gain  this information, travel is often necessary to complete negotiations and sign the final contract. Even as technology progresses to make e-commerce easier and video chats more effective than ever, face to face interactions  remain integral parts of the sales cycle.

Not every company will require travel for sales, so make sure to check any job posting or inquire to see whether it is an expected part of the position. For the many sales managers who fly around the world, there are few things more exciting or important than completing a sale with a new international client.

4. Evaluate the source of goods as a Procurement Specialist

Want to purchase materials or business services for companies? You’ll need to find reliable suppliers, negotiate costs, and secure suppliers with contracts. Once the relationship is official, you must determine delivery details, ensure documentation is completed properly and maintain supplier relationships.

Procurement specialists typically travel once a potential supplier is selected. Face to face meetings are a key part of the negotiations, and in-person inspections of the goods to ensure their quality are also important.

Kevin Duncan, CITP|FIBP, Senior Buyer, Technical Procurement for NOVA Chemicals, also emphasizes this point.

Travel is important in my work, in order to meet with vendors face to face and build relationships and trust. These are the building blocks of a good vendor/buyer relationship, but also an opportunity to see your vendor on their turf. It is important to understand their challenges and issues in order for them to supply you with the goods and services you need.

“One needs to understand the entire supply chain from a cost, risk and security basis. So travelling to meet up with vendors is extremely important in any import/export relationship.”

Even after agreements are made, periodic returns to renew or change contracts, make further inspections, and continue strong personal relationships should be made.

“I always say it’s important to sit with them and look them in the eye when negotiating, but also to get to know them as a person. The human element is the best tool we have to build trust and long lasting relationships with vendors,” Kevin adds.

Regular travel and interaction with professionals in other cultures is therefore a common job feature for procurement specialists, making it an enticing option for those with itchy feet.

5. Be an international leader as a Global Senior Manager

While they may not be available to entry-level professionals, management positions in companies engaged in global business often include frequent travel.

The purposes also vary, as they can include many important tasks such as meeting with management of a potential major client, on-site oversight of a new facility, training a new local team in an international market, and attending relevant events and conferences. If the variety appeals to you and you’re willing to put in the preparation to handle the myriad of travel responsibilities, you could be an ideal fit.

In addition, senior positions often lead to opportunities to network with new international clientele in similar roles, which could lead to new business or partnerships. Depending on how it progresses, this may be handled personally or delegated to someone who specializes in a sales or business development role.

Public speaking is also an increasingly important part of the job for many in management, so travel can be involved in order to represent the company or organization in that capacity.

For those willing to put in the work to move up the corporate ladder, a senior management position could be the key to the jet-setting career you’ve always wanted.

Want to learn more about which competencies you need to have to succeed in each of these positions, and others? Head to FITT’s International Business Resources page to read occupational profiles for 20 international trade occupations, including the ones listed here!

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Trade missions

Gone are the times when trade missions were mainly tours of capital cities, filled with politicians who posed for photo ops with celebrated exporters.

Replacing them are the new trade mission models, the SME-focused missions, with pre-qualified prospects to meet in-market and targeted minimum numbers of meetings to be conducted.

They have a demand-driven approach to recruiting delegates, as opposed to the traditional supply-driven model. Engagement of the Canadian Trade Commissioners in the destination market is also key, providing pre-mission briefings on cultural differences in international trade and, very frequently, matchmaking teams that consists of both Canadian and destination market consultants. There you go: a recipe for success.

Most trade missions that I am aware of today are conducted by trade and industry associations or economic development agencies, at times with government assistance. Some cover more than one province or territory, and some focus on a particular sector focus, while others have a multisector focus.

Most of these missions now offer a tailored matchmaking service to delegates, a service that, in my experience through 25 years of international trade, has the best ROI if the trade mission delegates prepare adequately and follow up accordingly.

Consequently, I believe that your matchmaker should be your new best friend!

Matchmaker, matchmaker make me a match

Great trade missions start long before you leave. They start when you sign up, when you meet your matchmaker, when you are put on the spot to describe your preferred client criteria, your value added and your competitive advantage. This is critical information for a matchmaker – how else can they pre-qualify a prospect for you? You are not going to travel to Japan just to meet with someone. You are going to want to meet with someone who is briefed on your company, on your products/services and someone YOU have had the opportunity to research prior to accepting the meeting.

A good matchmaker will likely never represent your prices and conditions. They should remain neutral, rather than selling for you or taking a percentage of any sales. They should simply set you up with the best qualified prospects. Yet you need to assist them in this task, so the onus is on you to ensure the matchmaker understands what you can do, and cannot do, and your formulated and targeted criteria for meetings.

A good matchmaker knows that if you are looking to meet with local ministers, they will avoid putting in meeting requests around cabinet meetings, and provide you with information on key ministerial initiatives. A great matchmaker will have a local partner in-market who can provide local information, so you can attend the meetings informed and ahead of the game.

The matchmaker should clearly understand what market intelligence you are looking for too. Are you looking for information on logistics, trade tariffs, or local partnering opportunities? You should have this information at your fingertips, not find out post-mission.

Next is gaining a cultural understanding of the destination market. This is, believe it or not, one of the most overlooked factors yet. If your trade mission is going to the U.S., you are likely not going to be spending a lot of time researching the culture. If your trade mission is going to any country not utmost familiar to you – maybe Jamaica, Colombia or Poland – you should spend a lot of time learning about the country’s culture, its history and preferably a few phases in the local language.

Again, the matchmaker can be your best friend. They know the market and local customs, and they can tell you whether to follow up in person, via email or phone. They know what interests people in the market, and more perhaps importantly, what they don’t want.

You can also gain valuable information through the Canadian Trade Commissioners Service; the trade staff at the local offices can be as invaluable as a good matchmaker. Together, they make an unbeatable team for you. If you want to hit it out of the park, you can check out FITT’s workshop on the cultural aspects of international trade.

Here’s why you need matchmakers with local knowledge

I would like to share a story with you from a recent trade mission to Jamaica. One of the delegates was in the manufacturing sector. They had some high end, technology-based solutions, and they were initially wondering if the market was ready for these, or if the more traditional lower priced solutions offered by competitors were a barrier to entry.

The matchmaker started researching, utilized their local network and found that several institutions were open to meeting with the delegate and discussing the new technology. The delegate stayed in contact throughout the weeks leading up to the mission, checking in, sharing new developments, and making sure the matchmaker was up to date.

When arriving in-market, the delegate made sure to spend time with both the home-based matchmaker and the in-market one. The delegate was assigned a local driver to take him to and from meetings in Jamaica. The driver turned out to be very well connected throughout the island too, so well in fact that she made recommendations in her network, opening even more doors for the delegate. The delegate secured orders in market from the meetings set by the matchmaker, and ended up hiring the driver as their sales representative!

The end result is YOU becoming more competitive overall!

The information gained in foreign markets, from potential clients, Trade Commissioners and fellow delegates are most often cited as the number one factor in developing competitiveness, both nationally and internationally. This, combined with previous statements from Statistics Canada claiming that exporting builds your competitiveness, are more reasons to consider trade missions.

So, are you FITT for a trade mission? Is your next job in matchmaking?

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Going on a business trip

Before you go on your next trip to Europe, here are some tips from my own travel experiences that I hope will help you have a smoother, easier and more enjoyable time.

1. Certain times of year will work a lot better than others

When heading out on business trips to Europe, two of the better-known time periods to avoid are the months of December (Christmas/end of year) and March/April (Easter weekend). To add to that, I also find that planning longer visits to Europe in the month of May is difficult due to the number of holidays, both regionally and locally.

For example, May 1 (May Day as it used to be known, now Labour Day) is an official EU public holiday, as is Europe Day on May 9 (most public offices are closed).

Ascension Thursday (also known as Ascension Day) and the Friday directly after are also both May holidays in many European countries. This year, the holidays fall on May 5^th and 6^th, and they are scheduled next year for May 25^th and 26^th.  Whitsun Monday/Spring Bank Holiday fell on the last weekend in May in Western Europe as well in 2016, although the holiday will not happen until early June in 2017.

Basically, you rarely get a full working week (Monday-Friday) in May, so it’s best avoid the month all together! If Easter falls at the end of April, you can be blanked from European business travel for 4-5 weeks.

If you have to travel within European countries, transportation generally runs all the time, but in the UK and France watch out for rail diversions and delays on Sundays and public holidays! UK “bank holiday” (in Canada you say “public holiday”) timetables are notorious and subject to last minute cancellations.

Other pointers to European travel: the Nordic countries (including Finland) like to take their summer break starting in June, but are usually all back in the office by mid to late July. Most other European countries take mid-July to late August off, and can be back in the first week of September. I don’t book trips to Europe until mid-September.

2. Beware of misleading French hotel ratings

Be careful when choosing four star business hotels in France. I have been to France twice in the last six months, and each trip lasted a week. On each trip I stayed in four different hotels.

Some hotels like Mercure Group may say they are four star, but that is their own self-accredited rating, so it is often best to check with Trip Advisor to verify the true quality. In my opinion, Novotel is a pretty realistic four star hotel.

French four star hotels will not typically provide an iron and ironing board in the room. If you need to do ironing you will have to ask reception for them, or you may have to visit an “ironing room” on another floor. In the latter case, you end up taking your shirts in and out of elevators, which seems pretty silly.

If they say they have fitness facilities, BEWARE! This may be a paltry running machine and a stepper or bike. It’s also likely that one of the items will be out of order. Three out of the four hotels I stayed in during October had a faulty or broken running machine, resulting in major exercise disappointment!

On the plus side, they do provide free Wi-Fi and have great breakfasts, not least because of the quality of the bread and croissants (if you are into that sort of thing). The downside of that, however, is that breakfast costs €16-18 and is often extra. This adds a whopping CAN $23/26 to your daily bill.

3. The best ways to fly into the EU from Ottawa

I live in Ottawa, so flying to the UK or Germany is fine, since Air Canada has direct daily flights to Heathrow (London) and Frankfurt from the Ottawa airport. For most other countries, I have to go to Toronto or Montreal. From Toronto you can fly into Paris, Madrid, Copenhagen and London. From Montreal, you can fly to Paris and Geneva.

With some of the major European airports, you may need to schedule yourself extra travel time or consider alternate options.

Charles de Gaulle in Paris is a terrible airport for transfers between T1 and T2, where Air France flights depart and the bus stop for the hotel shuttles is located.

When coming to Heathrow, you cannot avoid Terminal 2. Although it is very new, the distance from the aircraft to baggage claim is long (about a 15 minute walk), even on the moving track.

I also avoid Frankfurt transfers if I can. Even though the transfer distances are usually not that bad, it’s so busy that it’s usually not worth it.

4. How multilingual do I need to be for European business trips?

Nowadays, English gets you through most situations. People are pretty happy to answer questions, give directions and show off their English skills in discussion with you.

A basic knowledge of French, German, Italian or Spanish will help you negotiate the main signs and notices you will come across in the major EU markets. However, in Nordic countries and Eastern Europe, English works well and is commonly used by residents there.

5. What do I need to pack?

Always take a Canada to Europe adapter plug (the European end is two round pins). This will allow you to use your own electronic devices everywhere except for the UK, where you need the three square pin plug. Unlike many hotels in eastern Asia, most European hotels do not yet have different sockets to accept North American plugs. You can often borrow plug adapters at hotel receptions, but take care: they may ask you for a deposit, even if you are a guest at the hotel.

I also always travel in mainland Europe with about 50 Euros in cash. It’s important to have some coins, as many public rest room facilities require one or two Euro pieces, especially at main line train stations, such as in France, or along major motorways, particularly in Germany. Remember that countries like Denmark and Poland still have their own currencies, so ensure you have the proper cash at the airport before you get into a taxi.

Not all taxis want to accept credit cards, so sometimes you must beware of the taxi driver scam where they swipe your card in such a way that it does not register. Then, they show you their credit card reader with the display saying “card error”, and ask you for another card or cash. This is because they don’t like the paperwork and they also lose a percentage to the credit card companies.

Clothing for business travel is getting easier as ties become rarer, but for formal occasions it is wise for men to take a blazer (a.k.a. jacket) to go with slacks or chinos. Black or brown shoes (lace up) are good for business meetings and lectures.

With this advice in mind, you should be ready to plan your next trip to Europe soon! If you have any other questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments.

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A thoroughly-planned visit can maximise the return on your investment by making sure that your time is well spent. Since visiting Latin America involves a good deal of time and money, it’s imperative that you plan accordingly.

But business travellers have it all sussed out. They’ve done it all before. So, providing you with obvious advice that applies to all continents just won’t cut it.

I took up the challenge to focus on the less obvious tips and tricks that will make your next business trip to Latin America smoother and, therefore, more valuable.

1. Prepare for the effects of high altitude

You know you need to prepare for different climates: cold, hot, humid, and changeable. Now, have you also factored in altitude? Don’t just check the weather forecast when travelling to Latin America, also check the altitude you’ll be working at.

The higher up you go (think Bogotá, La Paz, Quito and other cities), the more time you need for adjusting. Don’t schedule meetings for soon after you’ve arrived. Believe me, unless you’re very used to it in your home country, you’ll struggle.

You will very likely feel very tired, at the very least – imagine an appalling jetlag or some mighty hangover!

Some people feel nauseous, too, dizzy or very exhausted. Running up the stairs is a total no-no, it will totally deplete you of energy.

I don’t suffer too heavily from these symptoms but have travelled with people that do, some of whom are young and otherwise very healthy and fit.

Keep hydrated. Take it easy and give your body time to adapt. As I said, do check the height. 1,000m above sea level might not do you any harm, but at 2,000m some people struggle and above 3,000 we’re all in for some experience…

By the way, remember that if you open a tube of cream/gel/toothpaste at high altitude, the whole thing will come out very quickly (as it happens on a plane), so watch out! I lost half a tube of newly-bought foundation due to this mistake!

2. Have the correct currency and change on hand

We all know we need different currency in different countries. U.S. dollars can be used widely in some countries, such as Panama, but not in most. Make sure you get some local currency, either before your trip or upon arrival.

I prefer to withdraw money from an ATM upon arrival since finding Peruvian or Colombian money where I live in Uruguay, for example, is virtually impossible and the exchange rates are extortionate.

You will want to make sure you get some small change quickly because taxis do not typically take cards in Latin America, and neither will the little corner shop you walk into when you’re desperate for a bottle of water.

Even though financial technology is improving in Latin America, you will find that credit or debit cards still aren’t accepted in many places, or that the minimum spend is fairly high.

Trying to pay for a $3 taxi journey with a $20 bill will almost always be a failure and it is your responsibility to have the correct change, not theirs.

3. Look into availability and reliability of Wi-Fi/data

Broadband penetration varies a lot across and within countries. I find that internet connections are fast and reliable in Montevideo, where I live, but can be awfully slow in Quito, for example. My Claro phone is perfectly capable of connecting me to the world in Panama but it can’t cope in Costa Rica.

Explore the option of getting a local SIM card (usually called a “chip”). Don’t take connectivity for granted. Those Skype calls back to the office/family might be a no-go.

4. Don’t get caught without proper identification

Latin Americans are used to having an ID card with them at all times. Make sure that, at the very least, you have a photocopy of your passport with you everywhere you go.

If you are visiting official buildings, or even some very large and security-challenged companies (think energy, mining, free trade zones, and infrastructure, for example), make sure you check if you are required to have an original document with you before you go.

This is particularly the case in Colombia, but I’ve experienced it in other countries as well.

In some cases you’ll be OK with your original driver’s licence, but in others they will ask for your passport and evidence of immigration status such as the stamp on your passport, and occasionally that apparently inconsequential immigration form they give you at the airport.

5. Beware of traffic

Traffic jams in many Latin American cities are legendary. Each country even has its own word for it (all in Spanish): trancón (Costa Rica), taco (Chile), presa (Costa Rica), you name it!

The overall feeling is that of being stuck (“trancado”) or “pressed” in traffic. Very visual… so research this carefully when allocating time to get from one meeting to another.

In many cities, you can schedule meetings as early as 7am because people come in early to try to avoid rush hour.

Also give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport to avoid missing flights.

Bad driving can make things even worse. Once, on my way to the Lima airport, my taxi crashed against a mini bus and we wasted half an hour dealing with the aftermath. As a witness, I couldn’t even jump in another taxi!

I was only able to catch my flight because I gave myself the extra time. I usually prefer to spending extra time at the duty free shop and airport lounge than risk missing an often long and infrequent flight. Give yourself that extra time!

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