To address the increasingly important role international trade plays in the greater Los Angeles economy, the Los Angeles Regional Small Business Development Center Network launched the Virtual International Business Advisor to help small- to-medium-size businesses in northern Los Angeles County grow their international skills and opportunities abroad.
The platform is in partnership with the New Zealand-based company Qimono and is available at no cost to clients of the SBDC hosted by College of the Canyons, and all eight SBDCs in the greater Los Angeles region.
The LA SBDC Network developed the online resource under the guidance of Ray Bowman, director of the Small Business Development Center of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, and Keith Phillips, founder and CEO of Qimono, a cloud-based virtual business advisor. The platform identifies gaps in international trade skills and organizational competencies as well as links businesses to resources to improve skill gaps. The Virtual International Advisor also creates a detailed report for businesses that includes links to targeted resources and services.
“We developed the Virtual International Business Advisor after seeing the great many opportunities for businesses interested in participating in global trade but didn’t know where to start,” said Bowman, an international trade expert who’s also a member of the District Export Council of Southern California. “There are pitfalls that can derail a company’s efforts, so giving them the tools upfront can help them achieve a smoother path to importing and exporting to help grow their business.”
The Los Angeles Regional Small Business Development Center Network assists clients in the Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties increase their sales, obtain loans, streamline operations, utilize new technologies, expand into new markets, and position themselves for long-term growth. The SBDC offers a team of over 100 business advisors who provide business consulting at no cost and low-cost training in business operations and management, marketing, financing, business planning and more. The LA SBDC is fundedin part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
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All they have to do is regulate rents for mom and pop stores.