Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking before attendees of Expo Puerto Rico 2018 , an event put on by the Commerce and Exports Company of Puerto Rico (CCE), to facilitate access to information on international trade, innovation, financing and incentives for export.
Speaking before a packed room of entrepreneurs, I discussed how globalization has made the world a much smaller space, yet an incredibly large platform for business growth and opportunity. When Wovenware began in 2003 we sold mostly in Puerto Rico, and today we have more than 40 customers across the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and the Caribbean, exporting more than 50 percent of our services.
I shared with them the steps we took along the way, such as how we defined a go-to-market strategy and developed an in-bound marketing plan; and how this was all applied in action, landing us key client engagements.
When exporting services and products to other regions, the key is really being relentless in your preparation, planning and persistence, and understanding there is a vast world of business opportunity at your fingertips. And when all else fails, being located in Puerto Rico provides unique advantages – the beaches and climate provide a great incentive for customer visits.