Are Global Trade Winds Blowing Toward America?

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How do you speed up development from an idea to a finished product to market?  Head to the United States.  Think I'm kidding?  Guess again.

Near the end of this year’s second presidential debate, Candy Crowley of CNN pointed out that iPads, iPhones, and other globally sought-after Apple products are all made in China. What would it take, she asked both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, to “convince a great American company to bring that manufacturing back here?”

As James Fallows, Atlantic national correspondent points out, "Still, the U.S. economy is so much larger than our manufacturing sector (referring to China), even in its battered condition, remains the largest in the world.

Read the comprehensive article:  Mr. China Comes to America

What do you think?

Women Entrepreneurs Provide Optimism in Africa

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What will it take to bring more women entrepreneurs into the global marketplace?  Start with greater access to finance and business coaching services, and you will see the number of women engaging in entrepreneurial endeavors only increase.  And that's not just in Africa.

The World Bank recently stated; “The rate of women’s entrepreneurship is high in Africa—higher than in any other region”. A point extenuating the inroads Africa’s women entrepreneurs have made on the path towards gender equality in the past decade.

The Women in Business Challenge -- the business plan competition seeking women entrepreneurs presenting businesses with the potential for high growth and impact -- returns in its fourth edition.

Learn more about what's happening with women entrepreneurs in Africa here.  Sign up for the Women in Business Challenge 2013:  Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Drive Growth.

Related article on women entrepreneurs:   Enterprising Women 2012:  Women Entrepreneurs Energize Economies (Page 3)

How About An Award For Your Exporting Efforts?

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SBA has you covered with an award recognizing a small business that is successfully engaged in exporting!  Is that you?

A new award has been added by the U.S. Small Business Administration in celebration of National Small Business Week 2013.  The Small Business Exporter of the Year award will recognize a small business that is successfully engaged in exporting.  A national award winner will be selected from among state award winners from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam.

Deadline for submissions:  January 31, 2013

Go here for guidelines.  Go here for the nomination area.  Read the entire SBA press release here.

Why Export?