Global Entrepreneurship - Breaking the Borders to Succeed
If we look at history, most companies started local and served their community, coming up with products that fit the needs or desires of a very specific market. It was about one innovation, one idea that would make towns excited for something new on the horizon. Probably about 100 years ago, our ideas of starting a business and serving our community, our neighbors, our relatives, was a romantic vision and part of the entrepreneurial spirit.
This also made things a little simpler; people had more loyalty toward companies or brands, and business owners knew their target market and what they wanted. Consequently, a few advertisements on local newspapers and signs in shop front displays would be sufficient to get the attention of new customers. For example, most global companies like Starbucks or Nike started by serving local people and expanding from place to place. As in any growing business, like playing Monopoly, they would expand by conquering first one place and then moving on to the next.
Most business advisors would have suggested that if you were going to start something, start small and stay local. Dominate your market first and then, once you’ve proven to have conquered that market, expand to another. Essentially, that was the way to do business. But times have changed and we’re about to confront a recession — a new approach will definitely be needed. In 2020, we rely on technology in order to be able to work, and this new way of working is here to stay.
Why Being Global Matters Now More Than Ever as an EntrepreneurThe way we have worked has been changing for some time, and 2020 has accelerated the entire world to adapt to new ways of working. Loss of employment will lead many on the path to entrepreneurship.
As the founder of Successfuly, I understand that global entrepreneurship goes beyond being a freelancer. Global entrepreneurship is the real way to do business. Now, people who sell their services do not have to lower the value of their work — on the contrary, they can shine. Entrepreneurs are highly competitive and stellar business owners. Many are award winners, bestsellers, global speakers and change-makers, and are seeking the world and helping others to achieve the same level of success. Being able to reach the world and have the world respond to us in return is a powerful thing that must be explored.
No More Postponing Our Dreams Before 2020, I saw that a lot of people were postponing their dreams, thinking they could wait for the “right time” to start. However, the lockdowns and economic crises, accompanied by the loss of thousands of jobs around the world, is changing this. It has made people realize that if they’re going to work for themselves, now is the time to pursue their passion.
Bring the Best of Your Culture and Location to the World You’d be surprised how your cultural background or where you live can impact your business and the clients you can attract. Knowing you who are and what makes you different can give you a distinct advantage. For instance, presenting yourself as an entrepreneur from New York City could make you look like an instant rock star to much of the rest of the world, as most people feel some prestige about hiring someone from NYC even if that person is struggling and working three jobs. They won’t know about this, but your location still provides an instant impression to the world. If you position it right, this can be a major advantage.
Another example is if you are from Latin America. This may be attractive to clients from Europe who love the personality and energy from these cultures — not to mention the fact that an entrepreneur from New York City could charge the price of an arm and a leg for one project compared to someone from Colombia, who provides the same services and would probably offer a more personalized, and warmer interaction. After all, some cultures are keen to spend time nurturing relationships compared to others that are more in a rush to seal a deal or walk away. In places like Mexico, Italy, Brazil, and some countries in Europe such as France, people come first, and when someone wants to make business with another, they must first be ready to invest some time into building a relationship and earning their trust. Know your value and your market and use it to your advantage to build the right relationships around the world. There is plenty for everybody.
The Power of Global Connections and RelationshipsPeople ask me often how I manage to build so many connections online with people from all over the world. When I get asked this, I realize it’s not easy for a lot of people, but my first answer to this is pretty simple: you must be genuinely interested in others and care for them. Some will let you in and some won’t. It’s kind of a dance ritual when it comes to reaching out to strangers, but nowadays, everybody understands the value of connections. For the most part, they will be interested in having you in their network as well, but the key is to have something of value to offer them. You need to be able to serve them, make their life better, make them look good, and help elevate them into the entrepreneurship game. Something to remember, you should genuinely care for them and get to know them, and this process should be natural. Otherwise, it’s simply a waste of time for both them and you.
This Recession Does Not Have To Be Like the Great Depression
The Great Depression of the 1920s obviously had a lot of disadvantages, but it also provided humanity with many opportunities to create new technology. A lot of major inventions surfaced during this period of time. Now, we have major advantages that people during the Great Depression did not, one of the biggest of these being the internet. We can all sell our services and products to the world and reach millions of people if we do it right. Of course, the internet is now oversaturated with competition, but if we look at it from another perspective, we only need to reach a certain amount of people in order to be profitable, so don’t let this discourage you. It’s only a matter of planning the business right, and this is an ongoing process and all part of the fun. Aiming to reach the world can help us break through the fear of a recession. We are living new times, so there is no true comparison to what we are currently experiencing. It’s important to keep in mind that entrepreneurship can improve some of the struggles of a recession.
Stars Are Rising Globally
This is my favorite part of my work. As a super connector and the founder of Successfuly, I have been connecting with very inspiring entrepreneurs and found immense global inspiration. Working with award winners, bestsellers, self-made multi-millionaires and multi-entrepreneurs who are all passionate to change the world is an amazing experience. Moreover, connecting with influential people from all over the world is simply the smart thing to do. You never know if, one day, you may want to try to start a new life in a different country. Serving other markets may well open the door to new horizons in the future, as will learning some innovative things that our own region may not be addressing.
Thinking Big, Breaking the Borders, Embracing Marketplaces, and Participating in Global Partnerships to Build New Relationships Putting yourself out there means you could be participating in foreign events. There’s magic in creating momentum, and when working with new clients from international platforms can open the doors to new opportunities, participating in global seminars and conferences could lead to powerful connections. The more global exposure you can gain, the more seniority you gain.
Top 10 Must-Haves as a Global Entrepreneur to Break the Borders to Succeed
Work on your entire branding positioning package. No cutting corners or creating something cheap. This is your presentation to the world and the first impression.
Learn to sell what you know if you don’t have a product. Everybody can be an entrepreneur these days if you are truly passionate about it.
Learn how to take bold action moves to reach the world. This is the art of asking powerful questions.
Invest some time in learning some negotiation skills. This will reduce some of the anxiety of reaching out to others. After all, this is business.
Learn to speak confidently. This starts by mastering your work in order to be able to share it to the public.
Learn how to build relationships from the heart. People can’t be fooled, and pretending to be something you are not will turn off some people, but using your natural charm can conquer the world.
Learn why storytelling is critical when sharing your brand. But remember, the story isn’t about you — it’s about your target market.
Learn how to outsource right and how to build a team to scale. Being global will require work on many aspects, so it’s best if you learn to delegate. Your time is very valuable.
Improve your relationship with money. Learn to make it, learn to spend it wisely, and allow the flow of prosperity and financial rewards. This is important, as you will be seeking to make money.
Always look for opportunities to be featured and invited to events. Put yourself out there and capture the moment. Being global means being connected, and that doesn’t always mean to your Wi-Fi. Learning people skills is a must to become a global leader.
Final Thoughts
Two things that most legendary figures have in common is passion and authenticity. Their passion and drive inspires and moves the world. This energy is stronger than any obstacle and can conquer anybody. Having and sharing our passion for our work is what leads to success. The right people will show up and bring opportunities to go along with your preparation. Having a demanding and perfectionist mindset will result in a distinguishing work that will attract the attention of the world. Whatever you chose to do, you must do it right. This is the way to connect with the world.