Exploring Exporting: What Do You Need to Do? Trade Finance Guide: A Quick Reference for U.S. Exporters - (Free)

Assess your export readiness

If you want to develop an export business but aren't sure where to begin, the U.S. Department of Commerce can help you learn more about the basics of exporting and assess your readiness to export.

Learn about foreign markets and how to develop your export business

The U.S. Department of Commerce offers counseling services on how to research foreign markets and prepare to do business internationally.

Meet foreign buyers here in the United States

The U.S. Department of Commerce's International Buyer Program can connect you with foreign buyers when they visit the United States.  The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) can also connect you with foreign buyers participating in trade delegations, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) operates Market Development Programs that can connect agricultural commodity exporters with foreign buyers.

Meet foreign buyers overseas

The U.S. Department of Commerce can help you connect with foreign buyers at international trade fairs or through trade missions in other countries.  For customized assistance visiting foreign markets to meet with potential buyers, the U.S. Department of Commerce also offers its Gold Key Matching Service.

Get information about a foreign buyer

If you have secured a foreign buyer for your exports, the U.S. Department of Commerce can provide you with comprehensive information on that buyer in an International Company Profile.  Alternatively, private companies such as Atradius, COFACE, and Euler Hermes can also provide you with credit reports on your foreign buyers.

Contact an export specialist near you

Call or email your local U.S. Export Assistance Center (USEAC) or Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to get answers to your questions about how to develop your export business.

Ready to export to your first foreign buyer?  Congratulations!  Learn about products and services for first-time exporters.

Source: Export-Import Bank of the United States

Trade Finance Guide: A Quick Reference for U.S. Exporters - (Free)

Trade Finance Guide: A Quick Reference for U.S. Exporters is designed to help U.S. companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, learn the basics of trade finance so that they can turn their export opportunities into actual sales and achieve the ultimate goal of getting paid—especially on time—for those sales. Concise, two-page chapters offer the basics of numerous financing techniques, from open accounts, to forfaiting, to government assisted foreign-buyer financing.

The current edition of the Trade Finance Guide was published in November 2012.

Availability

The complete Trade Finance Guide is available for download in PDF format. You can also download the complete guide in a Spanish version or navigate the guide by chapter in Spanish.

For more information, contact the author of the Guide:

Yuki Fujiyama
Office of Financial Services Industries
202-482-3468

Source: www.Export.gov 

2014 St Louis Emerging Leaders - A Free Once-in-a Lifetime Training & Education Opportunity

Are you ready to take your business to the next level?

This training is for established business owners and executives that:  - Have annual revenues of at least $400,000  - Have been in business for at least 3 years  - Have at least one employee, other than self

 

 Apply today for your spot in Emerging Leaders
St. Louis Class of 2014  Join the St Louis SBA for an information session on Friday, February 21, 2014, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. To RSVP or for more information, contact Angie Wells at angela.wells@sba.gov or 314-539-6613.

WHAT: Emerging Leaders is an intensive executive-level training initiative to accelerate the growth of high-potential small businesses located in America’s cities.  Developed by the U.S. Small Business Administration, and drawing on the experiences of advisors and business leaders in the community, this comprehensive curriculum provides the tools to catapult your company to the next level and help it emerge as a force in your community. 

WHO: The Emerging Leaders advanced training series is open to small business owners and executives located in the St. Louis area that meet the qualifications above.  Owner or "C" level executives may participate. Class size is limited; one owner per business.

WHEN: Thirteen classes will begin April 22 at Webster University and run every other week through October 21.

COST: The only costs are your time and commitment to complete the curriculum. Anticipate 100 hours of combined classroom, homework and peer-to-peer mentoring.

HOW: Fill out the online registration form at http://www.interise.org/sbaemergingleaders. For questions or additional information, please contact Angie Wells, Project Manager, at 314-539-6613 or angela.wells@sba.gov. Application deadline is Sunday, March 16, 2014.

 Source: SBA email 01-28-14