For a little over a year and a half, Jessica Ullathorne, CITP|FIBP has been an account manager with Expeditors, a global logistics company with over 250 locations across six continents. During her time in the role, Jessica has been responsible for business development, designing and presenting customized solutions to her clients, reporting on key performance indicators, and supporting her customers.

The company’s services include air and ocean freight, domestic and trans-border trucking, customs brokerage, order management, warehousing and distribution and customized logistics solutions.

Working for a big company involved in supply chain operations for companies all over the world has presented an excellent learning opportunity for Jessica, early on in her career.

In my time at Expeditors I have already learned so much about international trade. We work with a diverse customer base, serving many different industries around the world. This is one of the things I love about my job because I am working closely with a wide range of companies engaged in varying levels of international commerce.

The solo journey that cemented her path

Jessica may be in the early days of her career, but she is no stranger to international travel and integrating with new cultures.

“I had my first experience travelling and living abroad at 17 when my family moved to Nizhnevartovsk, Russia for my father’s job. I lived in Siberia for a year and a half and got to learn how to adapt to a different culture, language and way of living.”

This early experience immersing herself in an international setting had a big impact on Jessica, and led her down the path to international business. She was so inspired by her first major international travel experience that she decided to take the solo adventure of a lifetime.

“It was what sparked my interest in travel and global markets. I came back to Calgary for a year and was unsure of what career path to pursue, but knew that I wanted to travel again. So I took off for 10 months by myself.”

“On that trip I spent six months in China, returned to Russia for a few months, and then spent a month in both India and Japan.”

“Getting to experience so many diverse global markets was what led me to decide to study international business. I have always been drawn to the idea of working and living abroad. I love the experience of gaining a new perspective by embracing another culture’s norms and traditions.”

Hands-on training helped prepare her for global trade reality

Knowing she wanted to pursue a career in international trade, Jessica studied at Mount Royal University, a FITTskills Delivery Partner. She graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management, a minor in International Business and a second minor in Art History.

Her degree was an excellent foundation in international business, but Jessica decided she wanted to supplement it with more targeted training. Her experiences with the FITTskills courses integrated into her program at MRU inspired her to continue with FITT’s training and certification.

I got introduced to the FITTskills courses through the International Business minor at MRU and enjoyed them so much that I decided to pursue the FITT Diploma in International Trade.

“I found the courses to be so beneficial in my understanding of international trade that when I completed my university program, it was an easy decision to continue on to complete the FITT Diploma in International Trade.”

“I took six of the eight FITTskills courses at MRU for my international business minor, and two online. It was great to have the option to take the courses online and I found it to be an easy transition from the classroom setting.”

“I particularly enjoyed the Market Entry Strategies and International Trade Management courses because the projects took you through the development of an in depth international business plan, which I found very beneficial for understanding the factors of operating a business in a global economy.”

Focused on connecting with others worldwide

Jessica successfully completed the FITTskills program, earning her diploma in September 2015. She applied for her elite CITP®|FIBP® designation right away to cement her commitment to the industry.

“I chose to pursue the CITP®|FIBP® designation because I am dedicated to furthering my knowledge of international trade and think it will be a great way to be connected to the international community.”

“I feel proud to have earned the elite CITP®|FIBP® designation and I am looking forward to taking advantage of the networking opportunities that the designation provides.”

Jessica travels regularly between Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta to present her clients with quarterly business review and key performance indicators to evaluate Expeditors’ performance. She also supports her clients’ international trade efforts with new customized logistics solutions.

Jessica continues to travel for fun in her spare time, having already visited locations as varied as Thailand, Montenegro, Croatia, France, Spain, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Holland, Czech Republic, Austria and several regions of the U.S.

“I find it interesting how culture plays such a vital part in international business, and enjoy meeting and working with people from different backgrounds.”

With a long, promising career ahead of her as an elite global trade professional, it seems certain she will have many more opportunities to do just that.

The post Jessica Ullathorne, CITP|FIBP – Account Manager appeared first on Trade Ready.

Amit Ranjan, CITP|FIBP is a trade commissioner with Global Affairs Canada (GAC) based at the High Commission of Canada in New Delhi, India.

At the High Commission, Amit is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the InfoCentre, a resource that provides a single-window system for clients and centralized information management services for GAC’s  International Business Development program.

The InfoCentre tracks and collects the receipts of all incoming enquiries and performs the research and development to provide the responses. Amit’s team is responsible for providing advice to trade commissioners and staff about effectively managing their data in their respective sectors. He also supports Canadian companies in the arts and culture, consumer products and tourism sectors to find qualified contacts and make market potential assessments.

Bringing a valuable skillset to the High Commission of Canada

Amit has always had a passion for using technology to improve efficiency and empower people to meet their goals. He started his career as a software developer for after graduating from Priyadarshini College of Computer Sciences in 1999.

He had the opportunity to work with some big companies over the next few years, including GE, Hewitt Associates and Franklin Templeton, gaining early experience in international business by providing technical support services and developing and delivering new products to clients in the U.S.

During his time with GE, Amit was given the opportunity to lead a team of three for a project from GE Healthcare, introducing new process improvement plans and quality measures for the team. Within a few months, his hard work began paying off when his team was able to deliver projects with zero defect results. This outcome was so successful that the project was beefed up with 10 additional associates, all of whom were put under Amit’s strong leadership.

Amit was honoured to join the High Commission of Canada in New Delhi as a trade commissioner in July 2009. Through his talents in info management and technology, he was perfectly suited for his role leading the InfoCentre and knowledge management staff for all of India.

Thriving in India’s complicated business world

As his experience grew, so did the scope of Amit’s responsibilities, and he was tasked with gathering information on potential new markets and creating qualified lead contacts for his clients. He has taken the initiative to automate as many applications as possible, allowing his team to be more efficient in delivering on their tasks. Amit found this work particularly interesting and he took to it enthusiastically, working hard to develop his experience in international business development and networking.

“It’s an area that has become one of my core strengths.”

As in any region, Amit says India has its own unique challenges when it comes to doing business. Indian businesses face many levels of approvals, registrations for properties, taxes, and sometimes lengthy processing times. The bureaucracy can be a complicated system to navigate, even for those who are familiar with it. And in a large nation like India, cross-cultural issues are always present, even within different regions of the country.

“As a society, India is very relationship focused. It is really many countries within a country,” Amit says.

As a trade commissioner, Amit was encouraged to expand his knowledge and practical skills in international trade through the FITTskills online international business program.

The training courses were very effective, helping me to enhance my skills in international business, exporting and importing. The FITTskills program also helped me to learn about international trade research, different types of international trade agreements, and how to develop and implement market entry strategies and distribution plans.

After successfully completing the program, Amit decided to apply for the elite CITP®|FIBP® designation in order to add the credibility and confidence he wished to portray to his clients and colleagues.

“Who would not like to have the world’s leading professional designation for global business practitioners? With this designation, I’ve gained valuable education and joined a community of knowledgeable professionals, which will undoubtedly help me to do business in international markets.”

Learning about different cultures at work, home and abroad

When thinking about the future of his career, Amit hopes to continue to grow his business development skills and build more experience in the two aspects of his career that he enjoys most: creating new, meaningful business relationships and successfully delivering challenging technical assignments.

For business or pleasure, Amit has been an avid traveller throughout his career, enjoying most of all the opportunity to get to know people from different cultures and unique environments. He has already been to Canada, Germany, Denmark, Austria, the UAE, Thailand, Malaysia, the Maldives, and Nepal. And he hopes to continue traveling with his family in the future.

“I love travelling, especially with my family. When I’m not working I am on road, driving with good music on. All of these travel experiences are very meaningful. It’s very helpful to me to get a sense of different cultures and environments and gain a stronger understanding of a place.”

Though he enjoys getting away, he has a strong love for his home city.

For me, Delhi means “people with big hearts”. For a foodie like me, Delhi is the best place. The city is very important to India, as it has a rich and diverse culture. People from all over country, with different religions and cultures are living here. There are monuments, fascinating museums and art galleries, architectural wonders, fabulous restaurants and bustling markets.

With his passion for relationship building and business development, and his unique technological skills, we know that Amit will continue to represent the Canadian Trade Commissioners Service well and be a welcome member of the CITP®|FIBP® community.

The post Amit Ranjan, CITP|FIBP – Trade Commissioner, New Delhi appeared first on Trade Ready.

Looking back, my interest in international trade began when I first crossed the U.S./Canada border as a six year old in the back seat of our bright red Chevy.

Our family was moving from Chicago to Montreal because my dad had taken a job there.

When I was growing up in Montreal in the 1960s and 1970s, my father traveled extensively for business, selling industrial valves. His foreign business associates visited our home frequently.

A childhood exposed to international travel and culture

My mom was, and still is, a fabulous cook, and the businessmen also wanted to learn English by spending time with our family.

Can you imagine watching “Hogan’s Heroes” with German men who had been conscripted into the Hitler Youth?

In the meantime, my maternal grandparents took a months-long voyage from Chicago, through the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway to the North Atlantic and then proceeded to sail all around South America.

Upon their return, they brought me porcelain dolls dressed in their folk costumes from the various countries – for example, an Argentine gaucho and his wife. When my dad traveled, he would bring back foreign dolls too.

I amassed a beautiful collection to go along with my hockey gear – since I was obsessed with hockey at a time when I was the first and only girl playing on a boys’ team at the local rink.

In addition to the dolls and hockey sticks, my parents purchased the entire set of World Book encyclopedias and a globe for me. I became fascinated with maps and would gently place my tracing paper on top of the maps of countries and trace their rivers and boundaries for hours on end.

Early influences set me on the path to global trade

In fact, I won the prize for the highest marks in geography in the Quebec provincial exam the year I graduated from high school.

I am not saying this to brag – it is just that early influences for children can be so important.

I was fortunate to have many positive ones – such as traveling with my dad to Italy and Germany, and being allowed to drink a stein of beer in Hamburg as a 15 year old.

In college, my favorite professor was an international lawyer who was a leader in the creation of the UN’s Law of the Sea Treaty. He encouraged me to go to law school.

The plan was that I would then do legal work for my dad’s company in Montreal. That plan was never hatched. Our family left Montreal as part of the “Anglophone Exodus” of the late 1970s, after Bill 101 established French as the province’s official language, and the language of business, education and commerce.

Instead of Montreal, I pursued my legal career in the United States, but have always kept my connections with Canada.

As a new lawyer, I worked in international banking in Chicago. I was married there, but soon my husband’s business took us to Dallas in the early 1980s. This was an exciting time, as Dallas was fast emerging as a global city.

Gaining experience and overcoming gender bias overseas

I spent ten years working as an in-house lawyer for Texas Instruments (TI) in Dallas. I traveled to Canada, the UK, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. My work involved negotiating international purchase and sale agreements, technology licensing agreements and working on issues involving foreign governments.

On a couple of occasions, I had to leave for an international flight immediately and did not have much time to pack.

In some male-dominated countries, it was especially challenging to project authority as a female lawyer, so I had to invest in what were then known as ‘power suits.’

After TI, I worked with two large law firms in Dallas, mostly representing technology companies.

I was still traveling frequently, and especially enjoyed a week I spent working in Taiwan, a country of very friendly and gracious people. Although, I was a bit disoriented by all the signs everywhere – none of which I could read!

Eventually, I switched gears from a two-decade-long technology practice to work for Walmart in Arkansas.

I was asked to provide legal support for the company’s global procurement operations, and then moved over to a food merchandising, food and product safety and private label development legal counseling role.

Both of these positions involved many global legal issues.

Becoming a business leader and entrepreneur

In 2008, I opened my own law firm and became an advisor to New Zealand Trade and Enterprise America’s Beachheads program. I also joined the Arkansas World Trade Center.

This is where I first met Leroy Lowe, who flew down from Nova Scotia to introduce the FITTskills curriculum.

Seeing how comprehensive and pragmatic the FITTskills courses are, I immediately jumped into completing all the courses and exams for my FITT diploma, and applied for my elite CITP®|FIBP® designation. I was elected to the FITT Board, and taught FITTskills courses in Arkansas.

One cannot be an effective business lawyer without understanding how the clients’ businesses operate. This is why the FITTskills curriculum is so unique and valuable.

It gives you a 360 degree view of international trade, not a narrow, specialist-only perspective.

Through my involvement with FITT, I met leaders of the Ottawa chapter of Organization of Women in International Trade. This led me to become a co-founder of the Arkansas chapter.

I now serve as a director of the Tampa Bay chapter. There is no question that FITT has helped me to expand my network of valuable business colleagues and connections.

Giving back to international communities

I also have a passion for helping those in need. In addition to my legal work for businesses, I have spent many years assisting refugees and helping children injured in war zones receive U.S. medical treatment. I worked with many Bosnian refugees in the aftermath of the civil wars which destroyed Yugoslavia.

I was in Sarajevo after the Dayton Peace Accords were signed and the city was still devastated and on edge. There, I ran into some brave Canadian peacekeepers and was photographed standing with them.

My career has been successful, with some failures and setbacks along the way, of course.

But through it all – the keys to my success have been the people who helped me before the term mentor came into vogue, as well as perseverance, curiosity and lifelong learning.

I think it’s important to give back, and I try to help students by hiring them for summer legal jobs, volunteering at local schools, speaking at colleges about careers in international business and sponsoring robotics and Model UN teams.

One of the advantages of growing up in Canada as an American is that I love both countries equally. Whenever the two countries play against each other in international hockey tournaments, I am always happy no matter which team wins.

For those in international trade, I highly recommend engaging with FITT – no matter what your profession, industry sector or stage of your career. You’ll broaden your knowledge and you’ll meet great people.

Go for it!

The post How following my childhood passion led to a thriving career in international law appeared first on Trade Ready.

Beverley Mawby, CITP|FIBP, is the National Account Manager for Premier Brands, and also owns her own company, Mawby Sales and Consulting.

After working with a major multinational corporation like H. J. Heinz Company of Canada LP for over 25 years, she is equipped to handle sales and inventory issues for any company around the world.

Turning a passion into a career

For Beverley, starting a career in international trade seemed like a natural step.

“I have always had a passion for travel and enjoy meeting and learning about new cultures,” she says.

When she received her first position in the industry in 1987, with Heinz Canada’s Specialty Business Department, she was therefore highly motivated to gain new experiences and learn as much as she could.

A great deal of what she learned came from the extensive hands-on experience her work offered her by working directly with the Export Manager.

“Many of my favourite memories are of travelling around the world for a great company like Heinz – meeting fellow Heinz colleagues, distributors, brokers and customers, but also learning about new cultures.  I love getting to eat new foods, try new things, and learn new languages and customs.”

Over the course of her career, Beverley was able to travel to several countries, such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, and most notably Russia.

Feeding thousands of children through a global trade initiative

One of the highlights of Beverley’s career involved her travel to Russia, which was part of a larger project over two years in the making.

“In 1992, I heard about a line of credit that the Canadian government was offering to Russia.  I started the ball rolling and over two and a half years of my career – and after many revisions, changes, and hurdles to cross, the deal was finally signed. The Canadian Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney and the Russian government signed the document in Moscow, during one of his visits.”

Then Heinz Canada proceeded to ship over $20,000,000 US of 3 varieties of baby food to Northern Russia.  I had the fortune to visit Moscow, and other areas in Russia due to this sale.

The trip was also memorable because of one other stop along the way. While in Moscow, she was taken to a night club just outside of the city that had formerly been a KGB bunker!

Several years later, she was able to use the experience gained from her baby food project to help a boy in Brampton raise enough money to ship an entire container’s worth of baby food donations to Haiti. Beverley stepped in to assist him with the shipping and delivery process.

Augmenting her passion with global trade training

Beverley enjoyed the travel and excitement of her career so much that she decided she wanted to study international business through FITTskills courses at Ryerson University.

“Because I was working full time…I chose to take the night school approach. I loved what I was learning.”

I really enjoyed the content of the courses and to this day I have my text books. There is a wealth of information in these books.

After finishing the courses, she applied to become an elite CITP®|FIBP®, and feels that doing so is proof of her continuous desire and work to be the best in her field.

Taking the courses and gaining her designation has opened up some great opportunities for her as well.

“I have lectured at some community colleges because of my CITP®|FIBP® designation, which I enjoyed very much. I also gave a speech one year at the FITT annual conference and was a judge at an international marketing competition at a college, which was also fun.”  She would love to do more engagements.

Following the path to career excellence

Throughout her education, travel and exciting projects, her career at Heinz continued to soar. As Department Manager of Export Sales from 1992-1999, she helped the company expand into new markets around the world, and worked with their R&D team to develop new products that would be unique to Asian, Middle Eastern and African markets.

From there, she spent another six years as Manager of Sales, Logistics, Export and Liquidation, and helped to implement more effective “Best Practices” in the company’s warehousing operations, national product launches, business development and liquidations.

After a three year stretch managing Heinz’s GTA district accounts, she was tasked in 2008 with helping to integrate Renee’s Gourmet products and business model after Heinz took over the company, and negotiated major new deals with Canadian retailers.

Once the process was completed, she went back to managing Key Accounts across the GTA from 2009-2013, while also balancing duties as Liquidation Manager and Export Manager.

Taking her talents in a new direction

After Heinz was purchased by Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital in 2013, Beverley left the company and found having her CITP®|FIBP® designation to be very helpful.

By having my CITP®|FIBP® designation, I feel it has opened up doors for me during my career.  It allowed me to be apply for more jobs because of my extensive experience.

Initially, Beverley took a job as Senior Key Account Manager for Marc Anthony Cosmetics, overseeing sales across Canada as well as expansion into markets in Europe, the Middle East and Australia.

Now, in her new job with Premier Brands, she is managing sales across Canada, while also using her experience to help the company expand into the U.S. market for the first time. On top of that, she continues to run her own consulting company, specializing in assisting companies to open up new areas to sell their products, as well as finding outlets to deplete their surplus assets.

Beverley also takes time to pursue other passions, including volunteering with the Humane Society, being a member of a Women’s Synchronized Skating team, and mountain biking.

As her career continues, we’re excited to see what’s in store for her next.

The post Beverley Mawby, CITP|FIBP – National Account Manager appeared first on Trade Ready.

Travel can be seen as a real challenge, a necessary but unfortunate evil plagued by delays, jetlag, poor service, and personal risk. Not to mention cramped spaces that are reminiscent of the transport of cattle or the packing of tuna into a flying tin can, more than they are of the luxury and adventure of days gone by.

Who in their right mind, one might justifiably ask, would choose a professional path that demands passing through X-Ray machines and invasive scanners, interactions with perpetually grumpy immigration officials and the voluntary consumption of airplane food, or worse yet, train station sandwiches?

The adjectives that come to mind (in several languages, and on a graduating scale of severity) are not fit to print, and yet, I am about to admit something even crazier – please keep the chaps in the white coats away…

My name is Alexander, and I am a travel-a-holic

It’s true. I actually enjoy the atmosphere, dynamism and sense of mission that one feels in a bustling airport, and I am convinced that prolonged absence from the perfume of jet fuel is a cause for concern.

The journey, for me, is a major part of the experience of international business, and of any form of travel: it is about much more than efficient and predictable displacement from “Point A” to “Point B”, and it provides countless opportunities for the exercise of civility, personal discipline and enrichment.

Even when things, as they inevitably will, go so ridiculously wrong that you can only laugh.

Travel, for me, is part art and part science, and in truth, I sometimes ignore the science and focus disproportionately on the art.

Make use of the resources available

As a Canadian businessperson exploring international markets, there are a couple of elements of the “science” that should be second nature: reach out to the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service to see if they can help.

Straight talk: spare me the ideological nonsense about ‘public sector’ employees that know nothing about the ‘real world’. Our best diplomats are a powerful asset in Canada’s international success – just as they can be critical to the success of a small start-up with a promising product or service that has progressed far enough to have a credible opportunity in international markets.

Canadian diplomats, both on the political and the commercial side of our Posts, are – despite years of shameful neglect – among the best in the world.

Relatedly, when you are considering travel in high-risk areas (or even unfamiliar ones), look to the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) for online market risk assessments. Where necessary, register with the Department so that they know you are planning to be in a volatile market, and can help maximize your chances of safe travel and safe return.

Look to industry associations, chambers of commerce (internationally, these bodies are much more central to the conduct of business) and World Trade Centres to gather market intelligence and for help with in-market logistics and introductions.

The time and financial savings can be very high, and the impact on the way you are perceived in your new market can be invaluably positive.

Check with reliable sources

Have you been asked to help a new contact in Ghana sort out how to extract tons of high-quality trees from the bottom of a cold lake that has preserved $1 billion or more worth of rare wood?

Check with a credible source in Canada: you may find, as I did, that the fellow in Accra talked a good game and had some interesting references, but as it turns out, he operates out of a repurposed school bus with a cell phone and a rented fax machine, and cannot be located or identified.

[Tweet “The science of travel demands personal responsibility: research and ensure risks are mitigated. “]

These unique entrepreneurial ‘hubs’ are an excellent and creative mechanism for local SMEs, but do not a billion-dollar extraction project make.

Have you had the good fortune to travel to Africa? (Times are difficult and risky in many areas now, but the old assessment – you will either get it, and love it immediately, or perhaps not at all – seems to hold true.)

When even the science of travel can’t help you

In my case, the science element was that all the necessary risk assessments had been done, and all the required letters of introduction sent out to senior ministry staff in Botswana, Kenya and Ethiopia, months in advance and with all the requisite stamps, colours and chops from the Deputy Vice Minister of This to her Excellency the Secretary General of That…

Despite the advance planning, multiple signoffs and the ‘approved’ agenda’ it was momentarily (this is a key word!) disheartening to call the Ministry in Nairobi, introduce myself after a long night at Johannesburg airport and a bumpy flight, only to be asked “Who are you again?”

As it turned out, the ministry staff had left the city and were in Mombassa at an off-site meeting.

Should one give way to ‘road rage’, indulge in a rant about bureaucratic inefficiency, or bemoan the significantly shorter time available to actually get the WORK done? NO!!

Can anyone say “Photo Safari”? Happily, the Kenya National Park is not very far, and the art of travel demanded that when the science of meeting-planning failed miserably, one simply went downstairs to the travel agency, booked a 1960’s VW van and a grizzled but extremely pleasant guide, and hit the road for what turned out to be a unique personal highlight.

The science of travel demands a certain level of personal responsibility: do some research and ensure that risks are either acceptable or appropriately mitigated.

On the other hand, just because there is a sign on the wall of a hotel compound that says “If you leave this compound and get killed, the hotel is not responsible”, does not (necessarily) mean that you stay in. Though it certainly suggests keeping well within the compound after nightfall!]

That said, personal travel styles vary significantly. Some prefer to have everything mapped out and organized, others do some planning and some ad-libbing, while others still abhor any real planning and would rather follow the wind. The latter approach is difficult in the context of business travel.

[Tweet “Your experience of travel comes down to the experience you create for yourself”]

The science of travel suggests that you check carefully which currencies are acceptable in a given jurisdiction – and that is a prudent practice! Travel to Turkey and attempt to pay the entry visa in Turkish Lira? Nope!

Travel to Ethiopia and assume that the authorities will be delighted to accept your remaining Kenyan Shillings in payment of the entry visa? Nope! Sadly, the only bank machine available is on the other side of immigration, and you can’t get to the other side without paying the visa fee…but how can you pay the visa fee without getting access to the bank machine?…you get the idea!

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.

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

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 favourite 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.

Mastering the art of travel

A rare morning when you have (OK, have made!) time for breakfast – What will you choose? Scrambled eggs and toast in a loud, clanging lobby restaurant at the Imperial Hotel Osaka, or a traditional Japanese breakfast upstairs, where you are greeted with soft music and warm and friendly staff who walk you silently to your table and bring a fixed-menu breakfast?

The art of travel is often in the details: it can be found in the most unexpected locales and circumstances, but only if your spirit and your eyes are attuned to finding these gems of life experience.

It was a world of difference, and an experience of quiet serenity (and a still unidentified, but delightful breakfast) that remains uniquely part of my stay in Osaka. I had a similar experience watching the sun rise over the Mediterranean in view of the snow-capped mountains of Lebanon and the famed Corniche de Beirut, while enjoying the unparalleled hospitality of the Intercontinental.

Travel is about much more than simply going somewhere. Leaving Canada in 40-below temperatures and landing at Dampasar Airport Bali, stopping dead in one’s tracks and dropping laptop and carry-on to simply enjoy the first breeze of tropical air made the rest of the (“work”) week a fantastic one!

Your experience of travel comes down to the experience you create for yourself, personally and professionally.

Need the science to predominate your business travel? OK, understandable, but for your own sake, let a bit of creative art enter into the personal aspects of your travel, even if the purpose of your trip happens to be commercial!

Do you take the time to enjoy your surroundings on business trips? What are some of your best moments enjoying the “art of travel”?

What else does Alexander do?

Learn more about the intricacies of Trade Finance from one of the leading subject market experts on the topic. His critically acclaimed book Financing Trade and International Supply Chains will give you deeper insights into nature of trade finance at its core, and of the versatility of this discipline in enabling trade flows involving businesses of all sizes.

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