PROVIDENCE, RI – APRIL 1, 2011
The Rhode Island Small Business Development Center, The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, and John H. Chafee Center hosted a new workshop series, “Marketing for International Business”. The series, which was presented by Rhode Island based marketing firm TribalVision, is geared toward small to mid sized business owners interested in learning more about building online brands and attracting business on the international stage. The marketing series is part of a cluster of international business classes that are being offered by the three resource partners. To learn more and to register visit www.risbdc.org and click events and training.
The marketing workshops were held at the Larry Freidman International Center for Entrepreneurship at JWU. The audience was composed of existing companies looking to export, bankers, JWU MBA students and start-up’s. A total of 38 participants attended. Chris Deignan from Hope Global, a world wide leader in textile manufacturing and innovation said “The Marketing for International Business workshops helped me outline a strategic approach to the world marketplace by breaking down the elements of planning and implementation. Chris Ciunci explores practical, alternative marketing tools and innovative avenues for companies to find their global voice.”
Luana Sousa a recent MBA JWU graduate said, “as an alumna of Alan Shawn Feinstein Graduate School, JWU, I was particularly pleased to witness a more proactive and visible role of both Johnson & Wales, RISBDC and RIEDC in serving the international business community of RI”.
“We are guiding businesses to understand the vast global network by helping them leverage knowledge by connecting businesses to university students and offering a tool-kit of practical business resources. More and more local businesses are looking to operate overseas, but many of them are unsure about how to speak to an international audience,” said Sixcia Devine, Regional Director at RISBDC.
Divya Gautam, a current MBA student at JWU attended all three workshops said: “The workshops were very informative and it helped me a lot in strengthening my knowledge in understanding business development needs more accurately. It was overall a wonderful experience.”
“We continue to see a strong trend of local businesses moving towards global operations,” said Kathy Tufts, at the international trade office at RIEDC. “Recent data found that Rhode Island exports last November jumped 36 percent from November of 2009. Whether expansion is in the near future or at the back of business owners’ minds, these workshops are designed to give companies a head start on creating a presence that can operate on a global stage.”
Future International Business Workshops include:
Export Documentation April 13th and
The Netherlands, Your Gateway to Europe May 4th.
Workshops will be held at RIEDC Further information is available at www.riedc.com and www.risbdc.org or call 401-598-2702 to reserve your seat.