In our current trade environment, trade wars will increase costs to the consumer, and the risks for employers, shareholders and employees of cross-border businesses. However, what will remain unchanged will be Canada’s need to generate our standard of living through success in the global marketplace. Current customers need to be retained and new ones found. Input cost changes will require significant creativity to preserve trade flows and margins.

Canadian politicians and economists have been talking for a very long time about our over-dependence on the U.S. market and the need to diversify. The diversification message coming from the Canadian government to businesses today has a special note of urgency, reflecting the risks which are being added seemingly daily for cross-border businesses.

And there’s been all kinds of attempts over the years to encourage Canadian companies to look elsewhere. Well, now you have a circumstance in which our best market, the United States, may become less attractive as a place to do business. This should provide Canadian corporations with an opportunity to reassess where else in the world their products can be marketed, products and services.

Companies can’t diversify their global markets without the right tools

We’ve got to turn this to our advantage. This is a real moment in time for Canadian trade and organizations striving to do cross-border business.

We know that knowledge preserves margins. Knowledge is power in all human activities, but particularly so in international trade. Market intelligence translates directly into market power. Value-added exports create higher margins the closer the producer gets to the customer. Availability of information is therefore critical to export growth, sustainability and job growth in a supplier’s jurisdiction.

The Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) and Export Development Canada (EDC) are heavily involved in efforts to grow the number of small businesses taking advantage of opportunities in the global marketplace through upskilling and building international business know-how.

As more people take FITTskills courses, their businesses will be increasingly prepared to make the risk calculations necessary to do the business and preserve their margins.

But this is also the perfect opportunity to refocus the way trade promotion services (TPO), such as the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service and private sector advisors, have been relating to their client base.

Trade promotion organisations and advisors need to give businesses what they really need – qualified leads

Look to TPOs like Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership, who are doing it right! Their number one deliverable to their Saskatchewan member companies are qualified trade leads.

Provide the qualified international leads to local businesses that are prepared and interested in doing a transaction. This is very difficult work. It’s far easier to do a speech to a chamber of commerce talking about how the GDP in Costa Rica has gone up 6.4% last year. Frankly, businesses don’t care about that. What they care about is who in Costa Rica is buying what I’m selling.

When I was an ambassador to the Philippines, we had the Asian financial crisis in ’97-’98. I went to a meeting of our ambassadors from around Southeast Asia and many people were despondent that the region would no longer be a priority market for Canada. I asked, “What’s the problem? Indonesia hasn’t stopped. Imports haven’t stopped. There may be fewer customers now, but go and identify some new ones.”

These guys were all tied in up in the idea that if you’re not a priority market, then you’re not quite as good. We don’t need priority markets. Canadian business needs customers and partners.

Serving businesses by thinking like one

Trade advisors and trade promotion services need to think more like the small businesses they serve and less like economists.

A major impact of the internet has been the facilitation of direct connection between buyers and sellers all over the world. Thanks to cyberspace, more customers are now in touch with more suppliers than ever before. A larger portion of Canadian companies became active and successful in international trade through the receipt of an unsolicited request for their product than you might think. One day, somehow, somebody heard about their product who wasn’t in Canada, and they became “accidental exporters.”

So, rather than establishing and promoting priority markets and sectors, TPOs and advisors’ priorities should instead concentrate on the selection of strategic services that will be offered to any qualified client.

Let’s leverage our assets to mitigate common exporter challenges

Classic trade promotion programs remain very important to the success of national economies in the global marketplace. Focused, targeted offshore marketing strategies work well. If exporters are to sell on something more than price, quality must be anticipated by a customer before it is experienced.

Similar challenges face exporters in every country:

• Need for a healthy and growing customer base
• An absence of support organizations in their communities
• Need to understand new markets, domestic and foreign
• Lack of skilled international trade practitioners in the economy
• Shortage of time to pursue opportunities over the horizon
• Low level of understanding in the community of how integrated local business has become in the international economy

We have the assets to facilitate global business:

• Young, highly educated professionals whose talents are at a global standard
• Access to the internet and global television news
• Access to global support organizations ex: logistics, standards, design, etc.
• Access to telecommunications and air connections enabling anyone to be anywhere in a day
• Access to public resources devoted to economic development initiatives (international and domestic public sector resources)

Public sector resources devoted to addressing these challenges, or capitalizing on these assets tend to be wasted when trade advisors endeavour to determine, rather than facilitate, the direction of the economy. The role of government advisors should be to leverage the efforts of the business community. Best practice dictates, therefore, that all advisors and service providers both public and private should apply resources to save the exporter time and effort.

Measures of success for trade advisors

Without the effective intervention of TPOs and advisors, business will still happen. But exporters, particularly SMES and those new to cross-border business, will be less equipped to handle challenges in the global marketplace, and will yield margins to someone in the process (customers, agents, or distributors).

How can TPOs and advisors measure success in their efforts to equip businesses to go global? Focus on the creation and impact of deliverables. For example:

• Capture the number and measure impact of qualified business leads to client companies
• Measure the number, and impact on corporate behaviour, of market research reports
• Track the retention and growth of the TPO or consultant’s client base
• Track client participation in trade fairs, missions, conferences and other events and document feedback

These are relatively simple measures, but they are effective. The challenge is to demonstrate real value to SMEs who have the potential to become clients and, in turn, successful exporters.

Help for business new to trade

Another challenge SMEs and organizations new to trade face is the overwhelming number of public and private organizations offering solutions. How do they know where to go? Overlap, duplication, scattering of resources and ignoring real areas of need are all too common within these organizations. Emphasis must be placed on cooperation and coordination between agencies focusing on economic development and reducing anxiety at early stages of development.

The key driver in the domestic and international support networks can and must be the TPOs and export advisors. They are in a unique position to:

• Create and drive the vision behind the national export strategy
• Make visible the current and potential impact on international trade on the economic wealth of the nation
• Identify and build the trade support networks which serve the needs of exporters
• Translate demand from the global marketplace into transactional market intelligence delivered to interested and active export companies

Trade advisors must lead the effort to create cross-border support networks that are driven by vision, designed by the private and public sectors, and guided by performance measures. The measures chosen have to impact the daily work of all involved.

The unfortunate truth is that no trade agreement ever created a direct job, except perhaps for the negotiators. Jobs are created when suppliers identify and satisfy buyers or visa versa. The needs of business are universal: qualified business leads, competitive intelligence, contacts with key decision makers and data on technical standards.

Equipping exporters with the knowledge they need to qualify customers and understand the competitive forces at work the will translate directly to more success and the higher margins.

The post How trade advisors can help today’s exporters to go global appeared first on Trade Ready.

Over the months of September and October in 2018, The Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) and Export Development Canada (EDC) partnered on a series of presentations delivered at Startup Canada’s Canadian Export Challenge.

Thousands of Canadian small and medium sized businesses attended the Canadian Export Challenge in six locations across Canada to pitch their products and services with the chance of winning $10,000 in cash and a variety of consulting services to help them expand into global markets.

It was a fascinating view into the world of ‘startup exporters’ and reinforced the power and value of knowledge development, especially across the spectrum of international trade.

The companies participating in the Canadian Export Challenge were all impressive businesses whose owners are exceptionally talented. Yet, while they are experts at doing what they do, there was a noticeable lack of knowledge regarding what it takes to succeed in bringing these same products and services to global markets.

What it takes to succeed in going global

I’d sum it up like this – companies need to focus on their core competencies, making the best products or delivering the best services possible. However, they also need to have at least a basic knowledge of the fundamentals of international trade. Just like anything in life, when you know the basics you can at least recognize, as the saying goes, “You know what you don’t know!”

FITT and EDC delivered a Trade Finance presentation to the Canadian Export Challenge that focused on how companies can protect themselves and their bottom line by minimizing risk and making sure they get paid.

We started out by addressing why companies decide to export in the first place. In my experience, probably 7 times out of 10, companies stumble into exporting. Their product gets seen by someone in another country, their website gets found, an email gets shared, someone attending a tradeshow sees the company and takes your info back home with them – there can be any number of reasons – but none of them were intentional. So now you have to ask yourself, “Am I really ready to export?”

Knowledge of international trade is key

Successful exporters are generally already in business and generating sales within their initial target markets (domestic or foreign); essentially, they’ve got it going on. Their products/services are unique, competitively priced, they have excess capacity, are willing to invest resources on market diversification activities and bring a level of competence that will serve them in cross-cultural business activities. That’s not to say a company can’t start exporting as its first priority; there just needs to be better planning up front in that case.

However, knowledge of international trade activities is key. Understanding market conditions, foreign exchange rates, global value chains, laws and regulations and trade finance options are just some of the areas of knowledge needed when companies go global.

It can seem daunting, but listen up – you aren’t the first person who has exported and there are plenty of people and organizations who can help you along the way. FITT is one of the first you need to know about. But more on that in a moment.

Going global requires preparation, planning, and arming yourself with all the right information. In our presentation to these startup exporters we emphasized the need to have sound business and financial plans that specifically address exporting. One valuable tool you can use is an export costing worksheet to help you determine pricing.

Preparing for any global venture is also going to demand that you pay attention to risk management, from physical risks like natural disasters, as well as legal, commercial, political and financial risk. Get prepared with all the risk analysis and mitigation strategies that your business needs – FITT and EDC both offer a wealth of knowledge, tools and resources.

We then moved into the crucial area of negotiating international contracts and making sure you cover your bases. Without question you are going to want to have a lawyer involved in this stage, but as a starting point have you built out your pricing, costing for logistics, considered how you will handle returns and what about using the right Incoterms® to help determine when ownership is transferred to your buyer? Don’t know what any of that means? Well guess who’s got you covered – FITT once again.

At every stop of the tour with the Canadian Export Challenge we spoke to companies that needed this kind of help. They aren’t international trade experts, and they don’t have to be, but they all want their companies to grow and diversify into new markets. (FYI – market diversification is a great risk mitigation strategy.)

The value of knowledge gained from experience wasn’t lost on these startups. They had solid takeaways from attending our presentation and continued to ask a lot of questions, recognizing that being better informed increases their abilities to succeed and take better advantage of the opportunities that will come their way.

As I always say, experience without knowledge is an expensive teacher.

What you need to know if you are going global

Whether you’re looking to start or grow your business, invest in professional development for your employees or build a stronger international business team, there’s no doubt that training, skills and know-how are the foundation. Are you interested in learning more about what it takes to be successful in global trade?

Maybe you’ve already decided that going global is what you see in the future for your business, but you may be grappling with whether you are trade-ready or how to start.

As the recognized leader in Canada for global business training FITT is already in your corner ready to help your company grow and expand into new markets. You aren’t the first exporter. But you can learn from the best.

Get the know-how you need to grow anywhere. Learn how to overcome the barriers to trade for your business or get insights on navigating the complexities of today’s trade environment.

EDC-FITT international trade training includes courses, workshops and resources that help professionals build their international business skills, and their careers.

The key areas of global business training include the Feasibility of International Trade (assessing your ability and readiness), International Market Entry Strategies, Global Value Chain (logistics and so much more), International Trade Finance, Products and Services for a Global Market (understanding how to take your products/services global) and International Sales and Marketing.

In case you missed it,  you can see more about Startup Canada’s Canadian Export Challenge here.

Interested in our presentation? Check out the video and learn about how companies can protect themselves and their bottom line by minimizing risk and making sure they get paid.

The post Lessons learned from Startup Canada’s Canadian Export Challenge – what new exporters need to know appeared first on Trade Ready.

Robert Scott, CITP|FIBP is the Vice President of Export and Market Development at Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), Jamaica’s investment and trade promotion agency, where he works to expand the exports of non-traditional products into international markets.

Robert is an extremely accomplished and experienced international business professional. He carries numerous designations on top of his elite CITP®|FIBP® certification and has been awarded many prestigious honours.

His career began in the mid-90s when he began working as a brand manager for large international brands in his home country of Jamaica.

Building the strong foundation for an impressive career

“My career started initially as a brand manager for international brands with a local distributor, thereafter being a group sales manager for 3M in Jamaica. After that I worked with Mars Inc. for 10 years, building their business throughout the Caribbean.”

These earlier roles gave him the valuable experience that helped him get to where he is today, in a position of expertise.

I have experienced and had to resolve phytosanitary issues, containers turned back from foreign ports, labelling and standards issues and many other problems endemic to the movement of products across international borders.

Robert’s hard work was recognized with two awards in two years from Mars Inc., including the great honour of Mars Ambassador.

“In 2011 I was one of the associates designated a Mars Ambassador, having demonstrated the values held dear by the organization and a willingness to be involved in the wider society. A project I undertook after being awarded Ambassador was to organize a Mars agronomist to travel from our research centre in Brazil to work with the Jamaican cocoa farmers under a cocoa sustainability programme.”

Taking his place as an industry leader

In 2013, Robert took on his current role at JAMPRO, a fast-paced organization which handles multiple projects over several sectors, including fresh produce, agro processing, non-food manufacturing, the creative industry, limestone, and the export of tertiary education.

The vice-president role he fulfills is crucial in driving the strategic direction of the organization.  To do this effectively, he must stay up to date on international trends in business in several countries and share this information with the executive team, as they continually refine their approach to changing global circumstances and trends.

“A typical day involves meeting with stakeholders and clients of the organization.  Stakeholder dialogue often involves negotiation to secure partnership or funding for our initiatives. Client meetings are especially important as several companies do require support or facilitation to be able to export their offering.”

Taking on films, education and expansion

With JAMPRO, Robert has had the opportunity to work on some very different and challenging projects. One of the most exciting, he recalls, was the facilitation of film star Nick Cannon’s latest movie, King of the Dancehall, which was shot in Jamaica and will have its world premiere on September 8, 2016 at the Toronto Film Festival.

Another has been his work in education.

One of my most rewarding projects has been the creation of the Study Jamaica programme, designed for the export of tertiary education services from Jamaica’s universities.

Robert’s team is also working on the creation of a JAMPRO office in Cuba to drive trade between the countries. This involves a truly expansive understanding of the diversity between cultures.

Adding trade expertise to his name

Having been honoured in various ways for his skill and leadership throughout his career, Robert sought a more permanent way to demonstrate his commitment and excellence in global trade. With a wealth of experience and success under his belt, Robert successfully applied for the CITP®|FIBP® designation through the Executive Path.

“Having entered by way of the executive route, it was nonetheless clear that the FITTskills program is truly an answer to the needs of the international practitioner, and its robust curriculum prepares participants for a career in international trade while acknowledging their experience.”

Being engaged in a highly specialized area of international trade, it is important to be able to distinguish the true professional.  Accountants, lawyers and other professionals are recognized by way of a charter or designation, so therefore it is as important that trade professionals are able to be similarly distinguished.

Never one to rest on his laurels, Robert is already looking ahead to the next phase in his career and the expansion of his involvement in the international trade industry in Jamaica.

“As I look towards my next step, the area of regional trade negotiation has a special appeal (eg. at the CARICOM level), utilizing my insight as a practitioner whose career has spanned both the public and private sectors. The CITP®|FIBP® designation will speak to my experience and expertise.”

When Robert isn’t busy in his V.P. role at JAMPRO, he serves as the Honorary Consul to the Republic of Latvia in Jamaica and as the Vice Dean of the Consular Corps of Jamaica. This role also involves the facilitation of trade between Jamaica and Latvia and the resolution of diplomatic issues in the absence of an ambassador or embassy.

For his service to the Consular Corps of Jamaica, he received the FICAC (World Federation of Consuls) Medal of Honour in 2012.

But to truly relax, Robert takes to the seas. He is a rower and serves as the General Secretary of the Jamaica Rowing Federation and Chairman of Jamaica Search and Rescue. He sails each weekend and rows 8km each morning.

The post Robert Scott, CITP|FIBP – Vice President of Export and Market Development appeared first on Trade Ready.

Willy Fogang, CITP|FIBP, is a Regional Account Manager for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Manitoba at Export Development Canada. He works hard to provide financial and risk mitigation solutions to help companies in Manitoba expand internationally.

Willy was one of the first small business account managers to set up in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Through his efforts he has grown EDC’s business in the region by 10% since he started, an accomplishment he is rightfully proud of.

An interest in the world of finance led him to complete a Bachelor of Commerce degree (cum laude) at the University of Ottawa in 2013. While he was studying, a representative from EDC made a presentation to his introduction to business class. He was instantly intrigued by the fact that the organization helped facilitate business representing more than 5% of Canada’s national GDP.

What Willy had learned from the presentation stuck with him and he was able to secure a co-op position a year later with EDC. During his time as a co-op student, he was inspired by the great work EDC does in empowering companies to do more business around the world. When a full time position came available in 2012 he jumped at the chance, interning in the risk management office in Ottawa, ON. His success and enthusiasm led to another opportunity to take on a more customer-facing role as an account manager.

Doing whatever it takes to help his clients succeed

After gaining some experience as an account manager, Willy was more inspired than ever to help his clients navigate the complex world of global business for the first time. To do this, he knew he wanted to represent EDC from a strong position of confidence and knowledge. Some of his colleagues were taking FITTskills training and recommended the online courses, something that he could do at his own pace, on top of his busy schedule.

“I wanted a solid background in the legal aspects of international trade and market entry strategies. The FITTskills program offered training that could give me confidence and knowledge of the entire global trade industry as well as a practical skill set.”

Willy was particularly happy to have the option to complete his training online, from multiple locations, whenever was convenient for him.

“I work in a regional office. Everything I do is virtual! The FITTskills online courses had the flexibility that I really appreciated. I travel a lot and wouldn’t have been able to complete the training otherwise.”

What I really like about the program is that it’s so practical, and I’ve used what I’ve learned on the job with clients. That practical aspect of training is something that I haven’t seen in any of the other training that I’ve done.

After completing the FITTskills program, it just made sense for Willy to take one last step to earn his Certified International Trade Professional (CITP®|FIBP®) designation.

“I wanted to get the designation because of the instant credibility. Having credentials that are well recognized always helps you get deals and that respect and trust from your clients. It makes them feel comfortable opening up about the problems that they have. With my clients at EDC, their business is their baby. They want to be able to trust that I really know what I’m doing.”

A busy life helping others, fueled by gratitude

In his current role as Regional Account Manager for SMEs, Willy is the point of contact for all Canadian exporters in the region who are looking to grow and succeed internationally. His day is always full of activity, often requiring travel, to find and assist companies that would benefit from all of the services that EDC has to offer exporters.

He serves as the entry point for companies who are expanding their business in international markets for the first time and need funding, risk mitigation, and various solutions tailored to the specific market they are entering.

And it’s the real, tangible help that he is able to offer these businesses that keeps him positive and excited about his job.

“In my role, I get to see clients take their businesses from 0 to 100. I love seeing that coming to life, and what might have seemed impossible become possible because of the information and assistance of EDC,” Willy says.

I can help by providing the information and solutions so that exporters can get to where they want to be. And that is the most rewarding part of my job. It’s what keeps me motivated to come in to work at 7am every day.

Willy takes that passion to help others outside of his role with EDC. He is currently looking into teaching international business courses at the college level.

“I see it as part of my mandate at EDC to help educate and expand the knowledge of others.”

He is also very involved in his local community in Winnipeg, often putting in over 25 hours of volunteer work each week. He is the CFO and treasurer for St Matthews Non-Profit Housing Inc, a complex of 26 apartments and 10 offices set up to help low-income aboriginal families in the area. His drive to give back to his community comes from a very personal place of gratitude.

“My family arrived in Ottawa from Cameroon as refugees in 2003, when I was 11 years old. We got help from the Salvation Army and YMCA who made sure we had everything we needed. Since then I have always wanted to give back and feel like my contributions had an impact in someone’s life.”

Willy’s endeavors to help others thrive, both in his local community and the greater global trade community, set an inspiring example for all CITP|FIBPs.

The post Willy Fogang, CITP|FIBP – Regional Account Manager for Small and Medium Enterprises appeared first on Trade Ready.

Export Development Canada is about to embark on their annual “Let’s Talk Exports” tour, and you won’t want to miss it.

Peter Hall, EDC’s Chief Economist will talk about succeeding in the global marketplace amid volatile markets and falling commodity prices.

The tour is designed to benefit businesses involved in product export, financial institutions and various industry associations as well as those servicing the export community.

The idea behind ‘Let’s Talk Exports’ is to provide the Canadian export community with the most up-to-date trends in the global economy, and how they will affect exporting businesses of all sizes, in all sectors.

The main theme of this year’s tour is the volatility that struck global commodity and financial marketing in the beginning of 2016.

Some pressing questions that will be addressed include:

Are the wheels of the world economy getting loose?
Is this the natural point for another global recession, or is the cyclone contained?
And will there be an end to the commodity price plunge?
Is Canada’s winning streak at an end, or are there opportunities to pursue?

The cross-Canada tour will span 11 cities from April 26 – June 1, 2016.

Those unable to attend personally can join the tour virtually via an online webinar that will be held on June 2, 2016. Twitter users are encouraged to join tour by following #LetsTalkExports / @PeterGHallXIII.

This year’s ‘Let’s Talk Exports’ Tour features Peter G. Hall, Vice-President & Chief Economist at Export Development Canada. Peter has over 25 years of experience in economic analysis and forecasting.

He is responsible for overseeing EDC’s economic analysis, country risk assessment and corporate research groups.

During the tour Peter will provide his insight on the current global economy and its effects on Canada, along with forecasts for the Canadian dollar, commodity prices and growth in particular industries.

Will you be attending one of this years events? Let us know what you think and send us your event photos, comments.

The post EDC goes on ‘Let’s Talk Exports’ Tour appeared first on Trade Ready.

Esha Abrol, CITP|FIBP, is an ambitious international marketing professional and entrepreneur whose passion for marketing and international trade have taken her in many different directions, continually developing her skills to help businesses grow globally.

“I started my first company while I was a university student. That resulted in my involvement with many more startups. It didn’t take me too long to realize that the world should be my client, which is why I decided to follow the education path of international trade.”

 The right training + ambition = confidence

Esha’s career in international trade began after she graduated from the Business program at Ottawa University in 2009, when she began working for the Canadian Export Credit Agency (ECA), Export Development Canada (EDC)’s marketing team. In Esha’s words,

“EDC is an organization known to provide Canadian exporters with financial services; however, they also support exporters through matchmaking endeavors and economic and market research. It’s a fantastic organization.”

Esha took the FITTskills courses through the International Business program at Algonquin College.

“I found the content to be very practical and hands-on.”

My FITTskills education provided me with the tacit knowledge I needed to be able to interact with Canadian exporters and to be able to use the same language as them.

“Once I started my own international company, I was able to mitigate risks, such as currency risks, among others through the knowledge I gained.”

Esha also said that the program provided her with the background and much-needed tenacity to excel in the industry.

“FITT provides professionals with the confidence to pursue international opportunities. With the complexities that global trade can involve – it’s not easy, and it can feel overwhelming when you’re just starting up.”

Entering the brave new world of international startups

Esha was soon ready to step out on her own, as her entrepreneurial spirit re-emerged. She left her position at EDC in 2012 to start her own tech start-up, a brave move that showcased her determination to continue to grow professionally.

“After three years at EDC, I was inspired to start my own international business. So I did just that. I left and co-founded a software company called i-landhost Inc, a CRM SaaS startup.”

i-landhost Inc was successful, turning a profit in its first year of business. Esha sold her shares 2014 to focus on her new business – another startup she named BrandsRole.

BrandsRole is a marketing company that helps companies grow their sales through realizing marketing opportunities around the globe, in everything from initial market research to a market entry strategy.

“BrandsRole came about after my role as Business Development Executive at a software company, which we sold to international markets. Often, when other tech companies would get to know of our presence in international markets, they would ask us how we did it.”

I realized more Canadian companies need to be aware of the opportunities that lie in international markets.

She spends a typical day at her company reviewing international news and policies and attending business events to remain plugged in with all that happens in the business space. The events also give her the opportunity to get to know companies in Ottawa, from startups to established companies.

“While my focus has been on the technology sector, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many sectors and enjoy working with different types of clients.”

Wasting no time in giving back to the global trade community

Esha worked with FITT to help develop material for the CITP®|FIBP® assessment as part of the Item Writers team. Daniela Diaconu, CITP, her fellow Item Writer for the assessments had this to say about Esha’s contributions:

“Esha’s strong experience in sales strategies and international trade marketing were instrumental in developing the test not only as formulating pertinent questions but sustaining them by eloquent answers as well. Also, a special contribution brought by Esha’s expertize was related to cultural sensitivities in doing business abroad.”

She is proud to be a CITP®|FIBP®, stating that the designation is more relevant than ever since all business sectors are becoming international as trade barriers disappear and technology brings us together.

“I wear my CITP®|FIBP® pin proudly. With the growth of online shopping, especially thanks to Canadian ecommerce company Shopify, selling internationally is becoming even more prevalent. And, as supply chains continue to develop, international borders will fade in business, resulting in a requirement of more expertise in international trade.”

I see the FITT program as a significant resource in the development of international trade. It not only creates confidence to pursue international business, but to pursue it and do it right the first time – saving business owners, thousands of dollars.

Throughout her career, Esha has also been involved in international charity work, volunteering her time as Director of Marketing for the Humanitarian Mobility International organization from 2011 – 2014.

HMI’s mission is to provide mobility access and specialized high quality equipment to victims of war and natural disasters around the world.

Esha has truly had a remarkable career.

She has co-founded two non-tech companies and three different tech start-up companies, she enjoys speaking at events, organized events featuring influential keynotes speakers with Startup Canada and NetIP Ottawa Chapter, started her own international marketing business, become a licensed real estate agent, and even trained as an actor and Argentine tango dancer.

We can’t wait to see what she does next.

The post Esha Abrol, CITP|FIBP – International Marketing Professional and Entrepreneur appeared first on Trade Ready.

The beginnings of a career in export development

This interest grew throughout high school and led me to the University of Ottawa’s International Studies and Modern Languages program. During my studies, I completed a semester abroad at the Universidad de Granada in Spain. The travel and interaction with people from around the world solidified my love for international relations.

After university I took a position teaching English in South Korea to gain more international experience.

Upon returning to Canada from South Korea in 2009, I was faced with the challenge of finding my ideal position in an increasingly competitive job market.

My desired field of international trade was already competitive and my interest in export development narrowed job opportunities even further.

Openings in that area were rare, and being compared to applicants with more experience made it difficult to even get invited for an interview.

Getting the global business skills to set myself apart

After six months of job hunting and becoming increasingly frustrated, I decided I needed more marketable skills and hands on experience to set myself apart.

The FITT-accredited Graduate Certificate in International Business offered by Sheridan College allowed me the opportunity to further develop my skills, to network and connect with professionals, and to ensure my education was formally recognized.

I was attracted to the FITT-accredited curriculum offered by Sheridan because the courses were practical and looked at international trade from all angles.

The projects I worked on involved real companies, and they gave me an excellent idea of how business works on a global level. Our major project involved working with a Canadian medical equipment company to develop a plan for their expansion into the United States. We were able to apply the knowledge we had acquired from our classes to analyze financial records, perform market research and determine relevant regulations.

Best of all, I was able to leverage my experience from the program into tangible proof of my existing knowledge of regulatory compliance and cross-border trade during the job interviews that followed.

As part of my program at Sheridan, I earned a co-op position as a Trade Assistant with the State of North Carolina’s Canadian office. My job was to help small and medium sized North Carolina businesses navigate regulations and find the market contacts necessary to start selling their products in Canada.

It was exactly the area I had been hoping to work in, and discovering opportunities with other countries opened a lot of doors for me.

While working with North Carolina, I earned my CITP®|FIBP® designation. It was an effective way to further separate my resume from others, and it illustrated my international trade knowledge to potential employers.

Using my skills and experience to help companies export

I now work for the United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service in Canada as an Agricultural Marketing Specialist. My FITT knowledge continues to be invaluable as I assist U.S. food and beverage companies in their exporting efforts. Each day brings something different.

Whether I am helping an appetizer company to solve its hold-ups at the border, explaining labelling regulations to a Hawaiian coffee company, working with a pork company to identify potential buyers, or helping wineries and breweries understand Canada’s complex liquor laws, my FITT knowledge serves me well.

One of my favourite projects since beginning my current position was organizing a reception hosted by the Ambassador at the Hockey Hall of Fame. More than 50 members of the food and beverage trade attended and were able sample U.S. products and network with U.S. producers.

In addition to working directly with companies on market and regulatory questions, I also coordinate trade show pavilions, meet with industry representatives on policy issues and have been part of a team effort to relaunch the tasteUS! brand, which is a united front for U.S. commodity groups in Canada.

I am very happy with my decision to obtain my CITP®|FIBP® designation. Not only was it a great advantage during my job search, but also the FITT-accredited courses I took to earn the designation have provided me with a solid foundation on which I can continue to build my knowledge of international trade.

Prior to beginning my current position, agriculture was not a field I had much experience in, but the skills I have learned are relevant in every industry.

I greatly enjoy my current field of international trade and feel that my work is interesting and important. I am involved with products that Canadian consumers eat or drink every day. We work with U.S. companies to ensure they meet Canadian food safety regulations and are able to offer a variety of quality products year round. My office also coordinates with the Canadian Government to align both countries’ regulations.

I hope to continue my career in agricultural trade for many years to come!

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